Authors Note: Hey everybody! Once you've read this, there is an important A/N at the bottom, thank you!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Ashes, and I'm not making any money from this.

Destined To Follow In Her Footsteps

Chapter One – The Twenties Are Here And Situations Are Looking Similar

Large hazel eyes stared up at the intimidating glass and steel buildings that surrounded her. Slowly she revolved around in a circle, her face expressing awe at their height. There was a gentle breeze from the east – this was unusual – but she didn't care. The clouds were knitted together heavily, bringing with them a sense of gloom.

Colourless. That was how her mother had described this world to her, and her mother before that. There was no feel of brightness or excitement anymore. In a world that is ruled solely by Law and Order, and kept a careful eye on by Big Brother, nobody could step out of order. Nobody could make a stand. Health a Safety dominated jobs and everyday lives, eliminating the possibility of fun. She had once thought that fun was a bad word, because nobody dared to say it.

On the backstreets, drug lords ruled. If you weren't a junkie then you were safe from their reign of terror, but in a stressful climate of recession that had been on-going since her mother was a child, there was a narrow fissure for escape. Police battled tirelessly with riots, and with the new, harsher punishments that had been introduced, more and more people were being arrested and imprisoned.

Her mother had told her that life hadn't always been like this, and that when she was younger, there had been colour and music and fun. However, she didn't talk much about life when she was a child and only a very, very small handful of people knew why. Most of them had died now anyway.

Education was another thing that bothered the younger hazel-eyed girl. She was bright, but in a world that had valued beauty over brains for such a long time, it was hard for people to accept that she was going places without financial support from the government.

Her hair blew gently in the wind. The sun was emerging from the clouds. It was another day for London, another day trapped in this dull and boring world.

"Sally Lewis, get back in here at once!" Pulled from her thoughts and feelings, the nine year old child turned to look at her mother. They looked so similar to each other, but apparently this was a family trait. "We're going to be late getting to your grandparents house."

Sally sighed, but strode obediently over to her mothers' black Audi and jumped in the front passenger seat. She didn't particularly like the Audi; everything about it was dark and dull; Sally preferred the latest Lexus. However, her mother had never liked Lexus cars, but nobody could fathom the reason. Leaning her head on the window, Sally tried desperately to catch a few last minute gazes of the high rise buildings that dominated her life.

Most people thought that her mother was a very strange person. She didn't interact with many other people apart from Sally or her husband, Matt. At the age of twenty, her mum had been promoted to Detective Sergeant. It was the same year that Sally had started school and began to realise the dreariness of the world they all lived in. Her mum was a Criminal Psychologist and, unlike most people in this era, she put her life on the line nearly every day.

"Honey, what's wrong? You're usually rather talkative," her mum probed. It was true. If there was an Olympic event for talking, she would win hands down. However, nobody could say that because, after the twenty-twelve Olympics crippled the country financially, it had become a bit of a taboo.

"Sorry, I'm thinking, that's all."

"You're always thinking. It'll get you into trouble." Another true point about this world. If you voiced too many opinions, it would land you in the cells.

"Sorry mum."

"No, it's not your fault. You're a bright little girl who doesn't fit with the crowd – I was like you once, but my isolation was brought on by something else." Sally felt an impending urge to ask what, but this was the sort of answer her mother gave to any question the related to her past. Sally could only assume something terrible had happened to her beloved mum when was younger, but nobody would elaborate on it.

Changing the subject before she was tempted to enquire, Sally piped up with, "So, what time are we getting to Nana's house?"

Sally had grown up with a slightly disjointed family. Her mother was sixteen when she fell pregnant, with only Matt and her God-Father to support her. Apparently Sally's Grandmother had died about thirteen years ago and her Grandfather was nowhere to be seen. Matt had no Grandparents, and his dad had died a few years ago. Mum's God-Father had died two years ago, but he had been a very old man.

"About half an hour, sweetie," was the reply Sally got.

And so the journey continued.

"Yeah, I've dropped her off."

"Was she alright?"

"Yeah, honey, she was fine. She always is."

"I know. But I feel really bad about leaving her with them all the time."

"Look, Matt. It's common practise these days, and we both need to get as much money as possible to set her future up."

"If she's even got one." Matt muttered on his end.

She rolled her eyes, ever the pessimistic one.

"Oh, shut it!" She said jokingly, "I'll see you tonight, yeah?"

"Yep, sounds fine. Love you babe."

"You too, you too." The line buzzed and went dead.

Her long mousey hair tumbled down her back as she continued to drive hands free through London towards Fenchurch East Police Station. She'd been working here since she was old enough to join and had slowly worked her way up the ranks. Unknown to her colleagues, she had an ulterior motive. Thirteen years ago, her mother had been killed by a lone gunman. He was never caught. For the last seven years that she'd been working at CID, she had tried hard to find the man responsible.

It had been a long, hard journey to put the tragic even behind her, and she still wasn't all the way there yet. The thing that hurt the most was the last thing that her mother ever said before they switched off the machines was:

"Jean."

That day, tears had fallen harder than ever from her deep brown eyes.

Over the next few months, she had researched, read and recorded everything she could find on 'Jean', but to no avail. There was no way her mother knew a 'Jean'.

Then, one day without warning and by complete coincidence, she heard a news story on the radio. It was about a body that had been found up in Hyde somewhere. They'd wanted to put houses on the land, when they'd stumbled across a body of PC –

"Hello? Ma'am?"

"Yes, what can I do for you?"

"DCI Kitt wants to congratulate you on your success."

"What? Spit it out Sergeant! I've just taken my daughter to her Grandparents, I'm heading over now."

"He says you've been promoted to DCI effective immediately. You're heading up CID, Ma'am."

Until this point, the twenty - five year old woman realised how alarmingly similar the atmosphere and conversation was. Except, last time, she'd been in the passenger seat.

However, this promotion was quite unexpected, but gratefully received. "Thanks, Sergeant. Can you send a message to Matt for me, please?"

"Matt?"

"Oh, yeah sorry, DCI Matthew Lewis of Drugs Squad."

"Sure thing, bye Ma'am."

Now, the over – the – phone promotion seemed a odd, but most things were fast tracked anyway, and, knowing DCI Kitt, the paperwork had been done weeks ago. Carrie, her friend was a prime example. She was promoted to DI by email!

Lost once again in thought, she found herself thinking of her mother. The radio buzzed for a second time.

"Ma'am?"

She sighed angrily, "What?"

"I'm so very sorry, but a call came in a few minutes ago."

"Yeah, where is it? Not Tower Bridge again? Why is that a popular suicide spot?"

"Um, not that sort of call."

The desk sergeant paused. She felt a chill run up her spine.

"DCI Molly Lewis of CID, I regret to inform you that your husband, DCI Matt Lewis has been shot and killed by a lone gunman over by Millennium Bridge."

Molly screamed.

Authors Note:

The very first story I ever wrote was 'History Repeating Itself'. However, after it has been on Hiatus for a very long time, I've looked carefully at the idea and decided to change it. The new idea is so far, much different from the old one, and so if this takes off, I plan to delete 'Repeating'.

However, a lot of you wonderful readers have reviewed, favourite and alerted this story, and so I want you guys to be able to find it where, hopefully it is now better.

There will be an A/N attached to 'Repeating' as well, just so everybody knows. Hopefully this one should be updated faster too!

Anyway, enough of my babble; over to you! Please tell me what you think – do you prefer this one or 'Repeating'?

Thank you,

Finding Answers xx