The Christmas Fenchurch Touch
Chapter One
"Nobody should be ever alone, especially at Christmas. It's always the time for giving and receiving. Christmas is without a doubt my favorite time of the year, oh I love it more than ever each year. It makes me feel so young again." Alex couldn't withhold her profound delight of this exact time of year in which she always enjoyed the most. Not one person in Fenchurch East's awfully hectic CID office could hardly blame her, even Gene Hunt of all people barely seemed none too fussed about the constant festive conversations which circumnavigating around the office between each member of the respected team. Gene tried to demonstrate his own interest in the discussions however once someone attempted to put in a good effective word for him over the possibility that he ought to be a candidate for this year's The Best Father Christmas of Fenchurch, he suddenly passed up on the recommendation.
"You must be having a laugh. I'll be a right laughing stock if those nancy lot from Fenchurch West find out that I've entered." He weren't having it. What on earth were the team thinking? Setting up their own distinguished DCI for possible humiliation. He knew they wouldn't give up on reminding of this. Oh Christ before long they'd be resembling a pack of werewolves swarming and flanking alongside the outside of his office, holding up handwritten reminders.
"I think that's a wonderful idea. Not a single person other than us will know it's you, cloaked up in a Father Christmas outfit and donning a itchy fluffy beard . So I don't really see what's so embarrassing about that Gene?" All Alex could spend too much time thinking about, was the glorious prospect of getting to see him overdressed and him unveiling this immaculate Christmas look. She knew this would bound to drive her avidly crazy with ultimate longing for him. Yes her inconsiderable crush on him had begun to blossom into slight overwhelming love and admiration towards him. He didn't know this yet but she hoped he might realize this soon enough. If not then she knew she'd probably end up blurting out her feelings while appreciating too much wine. Yes the wine would most likely to be reasonably to blame.
"No..I'm not going to be made to look like a lion dressed up as a Father Christmas Impersonator," Gene continued to repeat back, Alex wondered if she alone ought to try a different approach in persuading him to reconsider.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
It was now the dreaded long-drawn-out Christmas week, year after consecutive year which the team hated the most. They'd all longed to be celebrating the happy holidays with their loved ones. Alex could only daydream on what Molly's Christmas Holidays would be like without her being there. Sometimes this would sadden and upset her however despite this, she knew her friends and the rest of the team would at least be there for her and try to cheer up as much as they possibly could whensoever. She felt grateful to them as a result of this. This Christmas she considered repaying the favour to each and everyone of her colleagues. Presents were a foregone conclusion, yes for her this would be quite a everlasting shopping list for her to write up. She gathered that she ought to get cracking. Last minute shopping, surely it wouldn't be as frenzied and as chaotic as it would certainly be in the present day.
Shaz suddenly chipped in after making an off the record note of how quiet her friend looked. "Ma'am, would you be interested in going Christmas shopping with me? It's just that if I go with Chris and end up buying presents, he wouldn't be able to keep quiet about what I've bought for Ray. He's not very good at being secretive."
"I'm guessing he's simply very happy about wrapping and opening up presents." Alex smiled at the unexpected image of the DC, looking like a gleeful 10 years old unwrapping the best present and feasting his eyes on whatever it turned out to be. Likely enough it would be, a Scalextrics set.
"Okay, Given that it's lunchtime I rather think we should head out now. I'm sure Gene won't mind." Alex politely suggested.
"Don't know." Shaz wasn't completely convinced, she originally thought weekend shopping would be suitable timing for them to complete the last of the bargain hunting and the weekly shopping spree.
"Shaz's he's barely going to flicker an eyelid, his mind's too engrossed right now. Deciding on whether to compete in the Father Christmas competition. Therefore now should be the perfect time to hit the high streets and release our innermost shopping patterns." Alex tried to convince her.
Shaz pored over this momentarily beforehand, she promptly decided straight away. "Okay let's sneak out." She managed a discreet giggle after she replied and then cornered a sleeping Chris. As per usual a mischievous looking Ray opportunely took advantage of the sound asleep and snoring Chris, by drawing a felt tip moustache under his nose.
xxxxxxxxxxxxx
"What the bloody hell's that Christopher on your gob?" Gene raised his voice stridently. He stood pungently alongside his office door, he didn't really want to burst out laughing thus making Chris feel embarrassed. Better to laugh privately instead back inside his office with the blinds definitely closed.
"What..huh...Guv..." Chris drowsily awakened from his peaceful nap, almost comically falling off his chair. He still hadn't cottoned onto the evident fact of what had been written and sketched across his cheeks and nose. Gradually he lightly traced his fingertips across his right cheekbone and sensed something weren't right."Don't know Guv..but I'm betting Raymondo's the prime suspect in regards to this." He traded an unimpressed look with his half smiling friend.
Alex and Shaz eventually returned back to the CID office, both of them clutching onto two shopping bags each. They hadn't bargained on Gene now being active and talkative with the team.
"And what time do you call this ladies? Lunchtime was 45 minutes ago and you've both been out of the office for nearly two hours" They also hadn't truly counted on him being clever with timing and full awareness. Thereafter this briefly annoyed Alex. He's beginning to turn into me all of a sudden, very strange and surprising indeed. She couldn't find the right amount of words to answer back with, so instead went over to her desk and pack away her purchased presents. She hoped Gene wouldn't be thinking about having a probe later on in the day. He always had a habit of formerly doing this when no one was sitting in the office.
"Lost track of time, sorry Guv" Shaz spoke up straight away.
Gene secretly kind of worked it out on where they'd been spending their lunchtime, Booking an appointment in the hairdressers on Stoppard Street followed by Pub Meal and then Shopping for the holidays. He couldn't help but wonder if working alongside Alex for a few years had been to blame for this unforeseen knowledge. Bolls when she isn't driving me up the wall, she's still heavily on my mind and seducing me in my sleep with them cheeky enough eyelashes of hers, ones which should come with their very own warning. He left the team to continue with their own individual assignments and amount of work.
What he desperately needed right now was a small glass of scotch and to stop contemplating how laughable he might look dressed up in a costume. All he really needed was to be encouraged into giving it ago, he who knew to ask about this. Alex. Surely she wouldn't be still laughing about this if he told he was secretly considering this. At the same time Alex herself was considering this too, she knew she would be the only person in the office who could be successful in persuading him on trying it out. Who knows he might actually look marvelous with a sack on his back. No knowing Gene he'd complain about it. She giggled out loudly, enough to catch attention in and amongst the team.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Come on Raymondo, stop complaining once and bring in Esther Roberts for questioning to the station. She's not going to bite your thumb off and proclaim Manchester City's the better football team in the world. Although I'd like to see her try." Gene urged him to stop worrying and hurry up in leaving the office. Ray finally gave up on his standpoint, knowing the Guv was right as usual. He left as soon as possible, taking Chris with him. As soon as the coast were clear Alex knocked at his office door, keen to discuss a few things with him.
"No need to knock Bolls, I don't mind you stepping into Manc Lion's den." Gene ably smiled towards her.
"There's an exceptional difference in you at the moment."
"Yes so"
"Don't pretend there isn't, because there certainly is."
"What do you want to talk me about, Bolly? because I haven't got all day to wait" Gene exclaimed, he was questioning why she was hanging around in his office.
"Have dinner with me tonight, my flat I'll cook" Alex left her feeling quite surprised after inviting him. All day long she'd been thinking of a way to be the responsible person for putting a deserving smile on his face.
"Well this..is a sudden surprise.." Gene reacted with genuine surprise as well. He remained hopeful that there wasn't a motive behind her asking him this.
"So?"
"So what?"
"What's your answer?, yes or no Gene?"
"Okay, dinner it is, at yours." He finally confirmed his final answer on this.
"Good, 7pm will that be fine with you?" Alex was openly pleased about this, the third time in three years(yes she was also very excellent at keeping a good count) she would be spending the evening, dining with Gene and finding more things out about him.
"Yeah, of course. Hope it's going be a special meal you've got planned for the both of us" Gene smiled thoughtfully.
"Yes, it definitely will be" Panic station's ignited within her mind. She knew she didn't really have much planned and so contemplated seeking out Luigi's help on organizing the cooking for the meal.
End of Chapter
All Reviews are welcome
