A/N: Just a one-off songfic, I was listening to the song and thought some of the words were pretty relevant. Sorry if it's been done before!
Billy Joel's She's Always a Woman was released in 1977 so it's plausible Gene could have been listening to it in 1982.
Set
Disclaimer: Lyrics and characters aren't mine!
"She Talks Like A Snob But She'll Always Be Bolly To Me"
Gene sat in his office clearing out the final filing cabinet. He wasn't a man who enjoyed cleaning- in fact he loathed it, and had been resigned to the fact that, God forbid he ever married again, it was something a wife would do. But after he'd shouted at Maggie, the resident cleaner of CID, Alex had sent the woman off for the night, leaving Gene to clean his own office.
And somehow, he'd let her. He didn't quite know how that happened.
The gang had waltzed off for the nightly drinks at Luigi's, and Alex was sitting at her desk, head in some piece of paperwork, looking up every now and again to smirk at Gene as he cursed or threw something around the room. Everyone had noticed how much he let her get away with. She'd punched him three times- anyone else would have been out on their ear by now.
She can kill with a smile; she can wound with her eyes…
Gene looked at the radio, frowning. Wasn't that Billy Joel? Didn't that come out…years ago? Eurgh, it was a song for muppets with nothing better to do than mope over the people they would quite like to shag. Gene was better than that. 'Course he was. In fact, his hand got closer to the tuning knob as every word was sung.
She can ruin your faith with her casual lies…
Gene flicked an odd look to the radio. Then he flicked another odd look up to Alex, who was still sitting, head down at her desk and an odd pang rose in Gene's chest. She's lied to him. Casually. And he'd trusted her. But…but still, Gene had forgiven her. It was water under the bridge, of course it was.
…she only reveals what she wants you to see…
Or was it? For Gene, she could have been Jack the Ripper, he wouldn't have cared. She had this way of connecting with him that no one else ever had, not even his ex-wife. With a smile and a flick of her hair he was putty in her hands…to some extent it disgusted him to see what a man like himself could become in the wrong hands. But there was nothing wrong about those hands, he thought, as he flicked his gaze to Alex sitting at her desk, biting a pen.
Alex could have hated him and he wouldn't know, she was so good at hiding things, so good at hiding her emotions. So good at hiding anything…like those tapes for example.
…she hides like a child…
Well, she'd tried to hide. She'd immediately defended herself, asked him where he'd got them as if he was in the wrong. But he hadn't been. It was the one time she'd ever hurt him, the one time she'd ever truly hurt him.
…but she's always a woman to me…
And yet, he'd managed to forgive her. Forgiveness was something Gene didn't think he was capable of, but with Alex it had been so easy. For him, she was the ultimate source of comfort- something and someone better than whisky and cigars…things he never thought it was possible to beat.
…she can lead you to love; she can take you or leave you…
Oh, now there was something that annoyed him about her (and unfortunately it was hard to find something that did). Her mixed signals. One minute she was up for it, the next…All right, fair point, when ever she seemed to want to shag him she was drunk. Then the next day she'd flounce into the office, shaking her arse around, making Gene feel like an utter twat for not taking her when he had the chance.
…she can ask for the truth but she'll never believe you…
But she did, didn't she? Whatever he said, whatever he did, Bolly had always seemed to trust him, to trust that he was making the right decision. Was it just because he was her boss that she believed in the Metropolitan Police Force's decision that he was of more authority than her, or was it something else? Could it be that she really thought he had something important to do, and that if she stuck with him, she might just get through it.
That reminded him of the day they first met. When he'd warned of the big bad world…but if she stuck with him she might get through it. All right, half of it was a chat-up line, a way of scaring her, a way of wiping the smug, infuriating smirk from off of her face. A way of getting her to say "shag me, Gene" in her posh accent- he had to face it, it seemed there was no other way it was going to happen. But the other half was true. He really had begun to hate the world that hated him. A world where the filth were spat at in the street for going about their business. The world of corruption and the world that had nearly, nearly, taken his Bols away.
…she'll take what you give her as long as it's free…
Ha. The only thing she took from him was ammunition. Things to throw at him in order to use against him. She was good like that. Always knew what to say in an argument.
…yeah she steals like a thief but she's always a woman to me…
She was still sitting there, immersed in the paperwork. It had been a busy week, the forms needed to be filled in, and Shaz hadn't been able to cope by herself. Still, if anyone should be in the office with him working late, he was glad it was her.
…oh, she takes care of herself…
She was beautiful, her styled hair, her clothes…her smile- those eyes! Working overtime with Alex was almost worthwhile. The six months they'd spent sharing the secret of Supermac's corruption (thought the man himself sickened Gene to the pit of his stomach) had been some of the happiest times he'd spent with Alex. Working together, closely. The nights they'd stayed late and fallen asleep at Gene's desk. All right, it wasn't exactly how Gene would have liked to tire her out, but it was a start.
…she can wait if she wants; she's ahead of her time…
Now that was a load of bollocks. Right up Bolly's street actually, he thought. "Ahead of her time". It wasn't strictly what she'd been spouting, in fact, she'd told him she'd been shot in the head and was in fact behind her time. But still, the theory stood. A load of bollocks.
…oh and she never gives out, she never gives in, she just changes her mind…
Typical bloody woman. Maybe Billy Joel was onto something with this sentimental crap? He had women described down to a tee. Well, no. He had Alex down to a tee.
…and she'll promise you more than the garden of Eden…
He looked up from the drawer he'd opened and looked over at Alex. It was a good job Ray wasn't in the office; he'd have been laughing at Gene for listening to such "poofy" music. Gene himself knew he should have switched it off by now, but somehow the words were attracting him.
…and she'll carelessly cut you and laugh while you're bleedin'…
Alex tapped her pen on the desk, seemingly stuck, and looked over at Gene. Her eyes narrowed as their views crossed, and she looked back down at the pages. Gene couldn't tell whether she knew he'd been staring or not…or whether she was even bothered by it.
…but she'll bring out the best and the worst you can be…
That was true too, Gene thought, listening to the words again. He never usually found himself "fawning" over a woman, becoming so attached. He was making a complete twat out of himself and he knew it, but somehow he couldn't help it. She was almost drug-like, she was his addiction. Men like Gene didn't have weaknesses like addictions- unless you counted the cigars of course- maybe Gene wasn't the man he'd once thought he was…
…blame it all on yourself 'cause she's always a woman to me…
Ha. It was true; he'd take all the guilt before letting his faith in her slip. Losing faith in her was worse than thinking badly of himself- he knew that from experience.
…oh she takes care of herself, she can wait if she wants, she's ahead of her time…
Gene scrabbled around in the drawer, determined to distract himself from his own dark thoughts. A blob of blue tack, a rubber band ball that he'd spent weeks on…a screwed up ball of paper…
…oh and she never gives out, and she never gives in, she just changes her mind…
Bloody hell. How had that got there, he'd been sure it had gone in the bin…The crude sketch he'd done over a year ago…the one that had been pinned up on the notice board (he'd never quite gotten to the bottom of that, though he was sure Ray and Chris were behind it). Mind you, he mused as he twisted his head while staring at the piece of paper, Alex's tits looked better in real life.
…she's frequently kind and she's suddenly cruel…
He looked up again, pulling his eyes up from the grubby doodle in his hands. Alex was staring at him, smiling…smirking. As if she-
She didn't know did she?
Had she-
Did she?
Oh bugger, she'd seen the doodle.
Double bugger, she'd found it in the bin and put it in the drawer.
…she can do as she pleases; she's nobody's fool…
He couldn't stop himself blushing as Alex's smirk spread, and she stood up putting her pen down. She walked away- was she going to the door? To be frank, he didn't care; he was too busy trying to watch her arse as she strode towards the…water cooler. At least she wasn't leaving him.
Why had he done that? What had provoked the feeling of panic that rose when he'd had to contemplate the thought of Alex leaving? She'd said often enough she'd be going soon, but the idea of her actually going…
She was a grown woman; she could do what she wanted. He was a grown man; he could do what he wanted. Unfortunately, what he wanted was for her to want him. Of course, if he dared tell her this out loud, he'd either receive a (well-deserved) slap, or one of her looks. That look that said "stop pissing me about Gene" and was followed by the haughty sigh and flounce. The one he often associated with PMT, but again, if he dared say that out loud, he knew she'd smack him square in the chops.
…she can't be convicted she's earned her degree…
He'd never be able to pin her down; she was too smart for that. Bugger he was doing it again! Thinking like the song…what was it? Why did her psycho rubbish affect him?!
Frustration was smothering as Gene watched Alex take a sip of her drink and wipe her moist lips. Even that turned him on. Was there anything about that woman that didn't turn him on?
Suddenly she was walking towards him, towards the office door. Gene threw the ball of paper expertly in the waste paper bin- which he'd make sure went out this time- and leant back in his swivel chair. As usual she strode in without knocking.
…and the most she will do is throw shadows at you but she's always a woman to me…
"Can I 'elp you, Lady Bols?"
Alex smiled as she looked around at the much cleaner office. "Not bad, Guv, not bad. Luigi's?"
…mmmmmmm mmmm mmm mmmm mmm mmmm mmmmmmm.
Gene narrowed his eyes, thinking. "I'll grab me coat."
With that, he reached over and switched the radio off.
"Bloody poof music." He muttered, as they walked out of the office together.
A/N: my first songfic, be gentle! :D