Alex felt butterflies, well bats, fluttering about her insides as she rejected yet another outfit for her date with Gene tonight. He'd asked her to, "Wear something slutty," but she'd decided 'slutty' didn't have to equal 'street walker.' She was shooting for something more... tasteful, elegant even. She'd prove to him a skirt didn't have to be thigh-high to be nice.

In the few short months that she'd been in the eighties it was clear he'd grown to like her and she'd grown to like him. In fact, it was so plain even Chris had noticed. Something had imperceptibly changed since the whole incident involving Chas Cale's freezer, she just couldn't figure out what. Gene was very protective of her all of a sudden, almost awkward around her. A million miles from the smooth, confident persona she'd come to associate with him.

Of course her heart still ached for Molly; constantly, but until she averted her parent's death in two week's time she wouldn't be going anyway, the cosmos had obviously decided. Today had been hard on both of them with Gil Hollis but she'd managed to hold her nerve and actually reason with Gene for once. They'd called a truce by the end of the day, for once. Why shouldn't she unwind and enjoy his company? Why shouldn't she have fun for once? She'd married Pete at 17, had Molly when she was barely 20 and hadn't generally had a lot of chances to get dressed up and go on dates. Now she was temporarily freed from the restraints motherhood inevitably brought, she was able to do as she liked and she had grown to become very fond of Gene, despite all his faults. The truth was she really liked him, God forbid, was maybe even falling in love with her sexist, brash DCI and the thought of leaving him distressed her more than it should given departing the eighties would mean going home to Molly.

But tonight, she resolved, she would try not to think of Molly. It just wasn't fair on Gene. She would let him take her to dinner and they would have a lovely time. A date; a real date. The butterflies grew more intense.

In the end, after rejecting a further two outfits, she settled on a sleeveless, high-neck maroon ruffled blouse and a knee-skimming skirt finished by a pair of black patent heels. He was right on time, to her surprise and she was just applying her lipstick when the doorbell rang, startling her a little. Suddenly she felt exhilarated and better than she ever had since she'd landed in 1981. In actual fact, she couldn't be happier to be going on a date with her DCI. He wasn't her usual type, not that she'd dated enough to have a type. All that she knew was that he was Pete's polar opposite and in her mind that was a positive. Gene was so rugged, not classically handsome perhaps but her equal, someone who challenged her.

When she opened the door the Manc lion was stood on her doorstep clutching a bunch of luminous pink gerberas as if they were a life raft. Maybe she wasn't the only one that was nervous. The gesture was so sweet and the flowers were undoubtedly expensive that she laughed properly for the first time since she'd wound up in the lonely place.

"What?" he asked by way of greeting.

"The Manc lion is actually sweet. Who'd have thought it?"

"Not sweet!" he argued. "Can treat a lady right, though. You alright this evening, Bolly knickers?"

"Rough day," she said, taking the flowers from him and quickly arranging them in an old vase Luigi had left on the kitchen worktop that had been gathering dust. "But now... I'm going for a nice dinner, aren't I?"

"Yes you are, Alex. Yes you are."

The evening, to both their surprises, passed smoothly. It wasn't awkward; they weren't playing out their usual roles of 'Guv' and 'Ma'am.' Here, together, they were able to be Gene and Alex. Just two people on a date, having a nice time.

Gene was the perfect gentleman throughout. He acted exactly as he should at a fine dining establishment, which included pulling out Alex's chair for her and standing when she excused herself to go to the bathroom. She didn't order Dover Sole but he didn't complain. He was just happy to see her eating properly and smiling and crucially, not fretting. He even insisted when she said she was too full for dessert that he bought her something that she could take him and eat later. Being the perfect gentleman, of course he paid for the entire dinner. Alex enjoyed the old-fashioned notion of being treated like a lady, home in the 'noughties ' often meant splitting the cost of dinner and she appreciated the kind gesture from Gene.

He insisted on walking her right up to her front door, her still clutching her slightly-melted passion fruit torte.

"Do you want to come in and share the cake with me?" she asked, hoping their date would continue. Throughout the evening, the way Gene acted meant she'd already started thinking of her as more than her DCI and friend and her heart fluttered in hope.

"Nah." He shook his head, hands stuffed deep in his pockets.

"Oh." She bit her lip, feeling more than a little rejected and disappointed. Had she somehow misread the signs?

"Friends first."

"Excuse me?"

"What me mam taught me. Be friends with a girl first, treat her nicely and don't rush." He cupped her face in his hands, his thumb tracing about her lips. "You're lovely, Alex. Special, like. But friends first. You understand?"

She nodded, touched. It made perfect sense to her. "Friends," she agreed.

He kissed her, just once, quickly and lightly. "I'd like to do this again. Saturday?"

"Saturday," she confirmed. "Night, Gene."

"Night Bolly."

And when the lion disappeared into the night he was smiling...