Bloody infuriating woman! She was a witch, she had to be. She'd put a spell on him, probably using voodoo and that's why he couldn't stop thinking about her or looking at her or goddamn pining for her when she wasn't around. That was the only possible explanation. Tomorrow, for instance. Alex had to get a root canal so she would be out all day. What the hell was he supposed to do without her? No cases would get solved. It was so selfish of Bolly's tooth to go and die on her, hell, on him and take her away from him, even if it was only for a day.

Not that he had feelings for her or any of that poofy nonsense. No, she was... nice to look at. Pretty. He liked her eyes. And her hair. And the few freckles on the bridge of her nose when you got really close to her. And she looked nice in blue. And she was gorgeous when she smiled. He loved the way she cared about people. Nope. Gene Hunt did not have feelings for Alex Drake, not at all. Nor did he spend every waking second thinking about her.

She was exasperating, how dare she come in here and disrupt his team? Even now, she was bent over Shaz's desk, her hair swirling around her face in that adorable way, chattering about... something; he couldn't quite make out what. Not that he was jealous or anything. They were probably talking about something girly like... hairspray. Or eyeliner. No, he wasn't jealous that she was starting to form her own friendships without him, even with Ray. He was annoyed. Clearly that was what he was feeling. Annoyance because she was wasting CID time. That would explain it.

"Drake! Granger!" he bellowed from the doorway, making Shaz jump. "This is a police department not Pebble bloody Mill! Get on with some work."

Alex crossed her arms and pouted, riled, fury flashing in her eyes for just a second. God, he loved her eyes. "Actually, DCI Hunt, we were just discussing how Shaz is going to pick me up in a taxi tomorrow from the dentist."

"What do you need Shaz to go with you for?"

"I... need IV sedation." Alex looked a little embarrassed. Great. Now everyone would know she was terrified of the dentist. "And they won't let me home unsupervised."

Gene sniffed, a little hurt. Why had she asked Shaz and not him?

Later, he caught up with Alex in the kitchen. "Just an idea, like..." Gene was trying to sound casual. "But I have annual leave that's about to expire. And you wouldn't have to fork out for a taxi or anything..."

A little smile appeared on her lips. Gene was mesmerised.

"Are you offering to take me?"

"Yes. And the looking after part, that too. If not, then, forget it. Stupid idea. Course you'd rather have Shaz, girl's thing..."

She silenced him by grabbing his hand. His heart was suddenly beating double time.

"No... No, I want you."

888888

Alex looked awful when she finally emerged from the treatment room. She was pale and shaking and he wanted to kill the person who did this to his Bolly. He remembered now, sitting there thinking he had realised how it had happened. There had been a bit of an altercation in the cells and Alex had insisted she could sort it out by herself, but the scumbag criminal had slammed her against the wall. At the time she'd shrugged Gene off, insisting that she was fine, but her tooth must have been cracked in the process.

Gene told the receptionist to invoice him at the police station, despite Alex's half-drugged protests that she wanted to pay which he was having none of. He supported Alex out to the car. She looked shell-shocked, frightened and in pain, a million miles from his normally-mouthy DI.

"You alright, love?" he asked her.

She nodded and tried not to cry. DI Drake wasn't afraid of murderers or public speaking, spiders, rats, mice, wasps, flying... what terrified Alex was the dentist's drill.

He drove her home at a more sedate pace than normal, not wanting to jar her too much or risk hurting her painful mouth anymore. Also, he knew once she was feeling better she'd more than likely deck him if he injured her to any further extent. Carefully, as if she were made of glass, he guided her up the stairs and onto the sofa. She was still woozy from the anaesthetic so she fell into a fitful sleep almost immediately.

As Gene sat opposite her he began to think about how much he'd grown to care about her. It had been three short months since she'd pitched up in his world but he felt like he'd known her forever, that they had a deep connection somehow. Shit, had he fallen for her? He couldn't have, could he? Gene Hunt did not do love or anything that even resembled it. Gene Hunt did one night stands only. Who was he kidding? It was more than that with her, it had been since the moment he clapped eyes on her. With her he wanted... more. Yes, she was annoying and disrespectful and shrill and her hairspray nearly choked him half the time but... he loved her. And that realisation knocked him for six.

She moaned in her sleep and shivered. He wasn't looking after her very well; it wasn't a very good start. Hesitantly, he decided to pick her up and carry her through to the bedroom. Caringly, he removed her boots and tucked her under the duvet, hoping she'd be warmer and more comfortable there.

Her hand reached for his. "Mmmm... Gene?"

"I'm here."

"Love... you."

He stilled. His heart all but stopped. She couldn't have said what he thought she just said could she? Surely not. No way was a posh bird like her falling for someone like him. It must be the drugs they had her on talking.

Something caught his eyes then and a very un-Gene-like grin spread across his face. Pride of place in her bed, nestled among the pillows was a stuffed toy panda he'd won for her at the Met police charity gala a few weeks ago. Begrudgingly, with her encouragement, he'd had a go on the ring toss and won. Self-conscious, he'd shoved the panda into her hands with an embarrassed, "Here." It was a cheap and not particularly attractive toy but it was still the centrepiece of her bedroom.

Looking around, it pained him to see she didn't have much in this world. No home comforts or photographs, seemingly no memories, just a few scant items of clothing in the wardrobe she'd discovered in 'Lost and Found.' It saddened him. Alex deserved better, Alex deserved... a home. A proper home.

But right now what she needed was sleep. With care, he dropped a chaste kiss to her forehead and left her alone in peace.

888888

The alarm clock read 6:50 p.m. when Alex awoke with a start. How did she get in here? The last thing she remembered was the dentist administering the sedative, then... nothing.

On hearing Gene moving around in the other room and adamant she was going to be a good hostess, she quickly changed and then rushed through to the living room. Surely Gene hadn't stayed for all this time, had he? And why was the table laid for dinner? It was all like some sort of crazy hallucination, her DCI was in her kitchen cooking her fish fingers, mashed potatoes and peas.

"Thought you might be hungry," he said.

She was- starving in fact.

He put the plates down on the table and motioned for her to sit down.

"Aren't you going downstairs?" she asked, amazed. Gene Hunt cooked?

"Nah. The dentist might sue me if I leave you and you choke on your own tongue." Then, on noticing her slightly disappointed expression, "Nowhere I'd rather be, Bolls."

She smiled, seeming to accept his explanation. They ate in silence, sneaking little glances at each other.

"Did I... did I say anything to you?" Alex asked warily. "Earlier?"

His heart hammered in spite of himself. "Nope, but you owe me. Dinner. Tomorrow. You can pay."

She nodded, relieved. "Yes, Guv."

"Right then." He picked up the plates and deposited them in the kitchen sink. He'd wash up later when she'd gone to bed. "There's a copy of 'They Died with their Boots On' propping up your coffee table. And you're indebted to me... for the time being."

"Yes I am, Gene," she said with a little smile. "Yes I am." It didn't sound too bad to her at all...