Disclaimer I do not own Ashes to Ashes or Life On mars. Kudos and BBC television own all. Now copyright infringement is intended nor should be inferred. All characters from Ashes and Life On Mars may turn up. set in present day Fenchurch. Alex and Sam both lived :)

Serious?

Gene pulled the collar of his coat closer to him as the unseasonably cold Spring weather bit into anyone daring to leave the central heating. He glared at the dead body a few feet away as Ray talked to the forensic officer that was taking photographs. Sam walked towards him looking deadly serious.

"Well?"

"Guv." Sam started. "This is serious."

"Poor bugger is dead." Gene snapped. "'ow can it get anymore serious than that?"

"Fair point." Sam conceded. "It's how the poor bugger ended up dead that is the serious part."

"Oh go on. Enlighten me Sammy boy. I know you and Bolls are going to psychoanalyse the arse off this one."

"No Gene." Sam glared at him. "I'm not. But Alex might, seeing as she may have seen the MO before."

"Stop talking in riddles." Gene glared at his friend. "Out with it."

"The victim looks as though he was killed somewhere else then moved. Jackie from Forensics says she has seen something like this before. When Alex was in Vice there was a spate of workers."

"Prozzies?"

"Gene." Alex sighed as she approached. "They were all young girls. Some as young as seventeen and eighteen. It was awful. I knew then I had to get out of Vice. If I was to remain sane."

"This vic is a bloke."

"Yeah." Sam agreed. "But the MO looks the same."

"But it just can't be the same." Alex stepped towards the victim. "You have to be mistaken."

"Alex?" Sam frowned.

"Bolls?" Gene was half a foot behind his heavily pregnant wife.

"Oh God." She covered her mouth with one hand and fought the urge to vomit.

"You know him?" Ray looked up to see Alex nod.

"Yeah." She got herself under control. "He's not a hooker."

"Didn't think he was." Ray got to his feet and winced as his knees protested. "Look, I've told SOCO they can take the body back to the morgue while we try to work out 'o 'e is."

"Ok." Gene nodded but his eyes never left Alex. He knew she was trying to collect her thoughts. "Alex?"

"That man is Andrew Drake. And he is Pete's brother."

"Your ex?"

"How many Peter Drakes do I know?" She looked up and glared at her husband. "Yes, Molly's uncle. I haven't seen him for years. Gene, why would anyone want to kill him? Out of all the Drake brothers he was the normal one."

"I dunno Bolls." He ushered her back to the car. "But we'll find out."

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Annie poured the boiling water into the mug in front of her and tried to focus on what was being said in the Squad Room behind her. The last 24 hours since the body had been found had been draining on all the team but with a teething baby at home she was finding it more difficult that usual.

"You ok?" Shaz asked as she handed her the mug. "You've not been yourself today."

"Tired. Danny is cutting his back teeth."

"Oh poor thing."

"That's why I look like a zombie." Annie smiled as Gene yelled. She had hoped the death of Andrew Drake would be an open and shut case, with an arrest made early on. The way Gene was yelling at the rest of the team made her think they weren't going to be that lucky. Shaz rolled her eyes before turning to see Ray and Chris looking suitably sheepish while Sam glared at his friend.

"What is it?" Annie asked as she returned to the Squad Room. Shaz leant in the doorway and watched.

"Another body has turned up." Ray huffed. "Same MO."

"Great." Annie glanced at Sam as she tried to stifle a yawn. Gene leant against Chris' desk and folded his arms.

"And we have no leads on the first victim yet. This is just great, this is. Two deaths people. I want this arsehole caught before I have to go knocking on any other poor sod's front door to tell them their loved one is dead. Am I making myself clear?" He pushed himself away from the desk and headed towards his office. Seconds later Alex followed him. Sam watched the pair go wondering just how much more Fenchurch CID could take.

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A/N worth going on? Please review.