Hello again! After the end of Series 3, I've read loads of great fanfictions, and decided to write a full-length one set after the end of Ashes myself. I've got a rough idea where this is going, but I've got loads of little ideas which might or might not get developed- so please let me know what you think of the prologue so I can get the plot down in more detail.
For obvious reasons, this chapter's quite angsty. It's a songfic to 'Already Gone' by Kelly Clarkson, from Alex's point of view shortly after entering The Railway Arms. Hope you like it!

Prologue: Already Gone

I never thought it would be like this here. I expected it to be nothing more than a pub- albeit one I was stuck in, but it's more- much more. There's a whole world here- a whole city, possibly more. It's just like the world I left; only without you. I'm not sure what era it's supposed to be; it's like every period in time's been thrown in. There are TV shows, films, songs, cars and everything from every time- the song I'm listening to right now's from my time- I remember Molly being really excited about the CD coming out, and I heard her playing it to me sometimes when I was in your world. It reminds me so much of you.

Remember all the things we wanted?
Remember how we wanted to overthrow corruption, to solve every case that was thrown at us?
Now all our memories they're haunted,
We were always meant to say goodbye.
I knew it. I kept hoping, but deep down I've always known that, one way or another, we'd have to part.

Even with our fists held high,
It never would've worked out right,
We were never meant for do or die
We fought so hard, but it never would've worked. It wasn't your fault, Gene, I promise. We fought as hard as we could- it was nothing to do with us not trying- it wasn't meant to work. The stakes were just to high. Everything we did, everything we said, had the potential to destroy people's souls- in some cases, they did, but it wasn't your fault.

I didn't want us to burn out,
We were so alive. We didn't always get on perfectly, but we were unbreakable. I didn't want it to end- I still wish it wasn't over, but I can't do anything about it.
I didn't come here to hurt you,
Now I can't stop.
I didn't come here because I wanted to leave you- and I didn't come to your world to make your job harder. I needed you, and you needed to help me- and you did, but I still need you here. You told me to come into The Railway Arms, and I knew I had to- I knew you couldn't do your job with me there, so I came. I didn't do it to leave you, Gene, I did it because I had to.

I want you to know
That it doesn't matter
Where we take this road,
Someone's got to go.
Whatever happens, I know you couldn't carry on with me there, Gene. It wasn't your fault- you need me to be here.
And I want you to know,
You couldn't have loved me better,
I can't count the number of times you carried me up to my flat after an evening at Luigi's- or the number of times you rescued me. You did your job perfectly, and in the midst of it all I fell in love with you. You couldn't have done anything more for me.
But I want you to move on,
So I'm already gone.
I know you've got to move on, I know you've got to keep going. I want to make it easier for you- after everything you did for me, it's the least I can do.

Looking at you makes it harder,
But I know that you'll find another,
Who doesn't always make you want to cry.
I know that right now you've probably got a new DI, a new team, waiting for you to help them; and I know they're all much better for you than I ever was. I know they'll probably make your life much easier than I ever did, and I'm glad.
Starting with a perfect kiss then
We could feel the poison set in,
Perfect couldn't keep this love alive.
The second you kissed me, I knew it was over. I was sure- I could taste it. The second your lips touched mine, I knew it was a goodbye kiss.

You know that I love you so, I,
I love you enough to let you go.
I hope you know what you mean to me, Gene. Ifd I didn't love you as much as I do, I would have stayed. I would have done the selfish thing and stayed by your side forever- but I you can't do what you created your world to do with me there, so I'm letting you go. I hope you let go of me too- you need to, because, however much I need you, I know you don't need me.

I want you to know
That it doesn't matter
Where we take this road,
Someone's got to go.
And I wand you to know,
You couldn't have loved me better,
But I want you to move on,
So I'm already gone.
I hope you know I'm not being selfish- I hope you know that I'm only here because I still love you.

I'm already gone, already gone
You can't make it feel right,
When you know that it's wrong,
I know it would've felt wrong if I'd stayed. I know I would've felt like an intruder, and I know that this is where I'm meant to be, no matter how awful it feels right now. It feels wrong here, but I know it's right in the end.
I'm already gone, already gone
There's no moving on so I'm already gone.
Already gone, already gone, already gone.

Remember all the things we wanted?
Now all our memories they're haunted,
We were always meant to say goodbye.
I miss you, Gene, but this is what was always ment to happen. You, of all people, should know that.

I want you to know
That it doesn't matter
Where we take this road,
Someone's got to go.
And I wand you to know,
You couldn't have loved me better,
But I want you to move on,
So I'm already gone.
I'm already gone, already gone
You can't make it feel right,
When you know that it's wrong
I'm already gone, already gone
There's no moving on so I'm already gone.
I never thought I'd say this, but I want you to forget me, Gene. I want you to forget all about me- as if I never existed. I spent half my time in your world thinking you were nothing more than an imaginary construct; how hard can it be? Just forget all about me and move on, Guv. I'll never forget about you, but I don't have a job to do. I just need to sit here and wait for you to join me, even though by the time that happens, I hope you've forgotten.