Birthday Surprises

Chapter 1

He hadn't seen her for a few hours, it wasn't like Alex at all to suddenly vanish without a reasonable explanation or a word of warning. Unfortunately joy of joys it hadn't been a particular good afternoon for DCI Gene Hunt anyway. First of all the Fenchurch East team weren't willingly collaborating together on paperwork assignments, instead they'd found themselves becoming sidetracked with the forthcoming Valentine's Day celebrations. Over an hour earlier in the middle of the corridor and out of earshot he endured another turbulent grilling from Jim Keats, who he knew was obviously taking great satisfaction in watching the two respected detectives regularly rowing and blaming each other for their heated arguments.

For most of the day he wondered whether he'd clocked up enough steps to walk around the outside of the building 24 times. His feet ached unbearably and horribly, he was finally as he reached the front desk and leaned over the desk just so he could grab Viv's attention. "Skip have you seen DI Drake around here?" His eyelids fluttered repeatedly, his body language looked apprehensive and easily detectable while waiting for an appropriate answer from the polite sergeant.

Viv's head shot up instantly as he acknowledged The Guv's unquestionable presence. Whilst remembering back to the events and dealings of the day he looked quite thoughtful. "Not since lunchtime, although I do vaguely remember seeing Alex heading into DCI Keats' office. Couldn't figure out what they were talking about." Bloody Keats what is he playing at? Had he been charming her romantically behind everyone's back? Or pledging to take advantage of her vulnerability, just so he could convince her to finally walk out of the concerned DCI's life forever.

Honestly as honest as he could feel, deep down in his heart, this became and felt pretty much like a sudden act of disloyalty from Alex towards him. Why the strange secrecy and why go behind his back unless there might be a perfectly given reason for this. "Are you okay Guv?" Some genuine concern was soon raised for him.

"No...no I'm not." He couldn't think properly at that moment and so turned to head back to the office. To remind the team to get off their backsides and to tell them they needed to prove their working abilities.

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Alex made a comeback to the office, her return unnoticed by the rest of the team apart from Gene who now calmly emerged from his office, intending to discuss her unexplained absence from her desk. "Oh good you're back, a word in my office now DI Drake." Despite trying to stay as calm as possible, there were still the evident hint of hurt, regret and disappointment written all over his face.

"What's this over again?" Alex pretended to remain oblivious on what he might actually be attempting to suggest. By now he was tempted to angrily slam his fist on the desk in frustration.

"I think you know what this is about, Bolly?" He was incredibly close to snapping, enough was enough, no more lying, she should be truthful and sincere with him. Without given warning Jim came into view of this unfolding squabble between the DI and the DCI. He gradually slipped in through the office's flapping door entrance-way, observing on furthermore amongst the group of detectives.

Oh my god, the nerve of this man, he definitely handpicked the wrong moment to cause an annoying fuss between them. She started to vent her growing frustration at him. "No I don't. It's my lunch break. I'm entitled to take as long as possible to finish off one of Luigi's finest cooked meal. If you're unhappy with me about that then tell me now in front of the team."

"Not here Bolls" Gene tried to persuade her to head into his office but she wouldn't have any of it.

"Tell me why you're really upset?" Determined to find out the true reason behind why he was acting so immaturely towards her, she hoped he might finally fill the missing details for her.

"I know Alex, about you and lover boy." Unable to hold back any longer, he blurted this sentence out without logically thinking straight.

"Lover boy?"

"Jim"

"Me and Jim?" She burst out laughing.

"Don't pretend, you and him have been at it together haven't you?" Gene shouted more accusations at her.

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that...Hunt." Everyone turned and acknowledged Jim's unannounced entrance inside the office. He stepped through the group of detectives and walked out to the front of the queue, he stood alongside Ray.

"Don't be ridiculous" Alex protested her innocence. For this she believed he deserved a tongue lashing for behaving badly. "Do you really want to know why I've been secretive?" She salvaged the only strength she had left within her and decided he ought to know once and for all.

"Yes." Fairly eager to back down and avoid further tension between them, he lowered his voice.

"I've been organizing a planned Birthday Party for you, Jim was simply helping me out with suggestions for the best Function Rooms in Fenchurch. You know right now I might consider cancelling it. I think we've established everything we aimed to tell each other. I've got one more thing to ask though, are you so stupid Gene, you know I think you may possibly are. Seriously it staggers belief that you're as stupid and that you have the IQ of a Bullfrog." Alex collected her jacket from the back of the chair before leaving in a huff.

Everyone looked absolutely flabbergasted after DI Drake's commendable speech about the Guv. Ray was the first to reply. "Guv that was a bit harsh on her. She didn't deserve what you said." Surprisingly enough even Gene was left to ponder over his uncalled for behaviour.

"Never thought I'd see the day where the Guv got owned in an argument with a bird" Chris whispered quietly to Shaz and Terry. Gene left them all to chat amongst themselves and subtly departed back to his office unobserved. He was now overwhelmingly disappointed with himself and for wrongly accusing Alex for going sneaking behind his back. One thing which was for granted, he desperately wanted to make amends to Alex, fix everything between them and also to everybody else, they didn't deserve to witness his unlikable actions. Another thing he strived to find out about was, how on earth had she known about his birthday and just what exactly what else she had planned.

End of Chapter

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