My fan fiction take on the film Bridget Jones' Diary with an A2A twist don't worry it does start getting very much BJD but it take its time, I've changed the main characters of Daniel, Bridget and Mark to Jim, Alex and Gene. It's set in Liverpool and Southport for the first and second chapter and East London for the rest of the fanfic the setting is in December 2009, you know the story but enjoy this fanfic version, it does get better by every chapter. Chapter 1 starts with Alex being invited to a luxurious Christmas party where she meets Gene and fireworks appear between them throughout the chapters Its sticks very character in this chapter.

Alex Drake's Diary

Chapter 1

Since she was a little girl, she'd always dreamt about finding her own Prince Charming, who would definitely have to display all these redeeming features: be less of an arrogant twit, handsome, display lots of charm and be really sweet. Her working career hadn't changed too drastically within the past five years; she worked in a small office with some tight co-workers, exchanging flirtatious glances between herself and Jim Keats, her playboy looking boss, who seemed to care more about his good attractive looks than anything else.

Upon checking her mail one morning, as she was about to make some toast for breakfast at around 8am, she received a surprise invitation to spend Christmas up in Southport She appreciated this dearly, as it had been posted by two former neighbours, Bob and Mary Earnshaw, who she gradually looked upon as an uncle and aunty who helped her and Evan through some difficult times when her parents died, when she was only a young girl.

She debated about whether to go up on the weekend of the 21st December. The weather had been bitterly freezing cold and showed no sign of improving, she wondered whether she should stay in London instead and have one those regular drunken nights out on town with her dearest single friends Chris, Shaz, Sally and Ray, which had been organized for some weeks.

"It is very lovely and kind of them to think of inviting me even though it's a bit of travel to get up to the North West. Still no boyfriend this year, but I know maybe next year will spring some few surprises... no posh wankers hopefully waggling their bloody fingers at me and saying I have a right good pair of legs. All I hope for is he's completely different, protective and enjoys a good shag in the morning or at night time..."

They'd left a contact home phone number on the bottom of the letter; she took it upon herself to ring it.

"Hello Mary it's nice to speak you again it's Alex Drake... you posted an invite for me to attend your Christmas Party in Southport. I would really like to come if it's no problem share early Christmas dinner with you and Bob... where? Oh, Lime Street Station I've heard of it... it's in the city centre isn't it? Oh that's wonderful... I'll be arriving on Friday night... depending on whether the trains go on strike." She laughed, obviously enjoying catching up on old times. Alex arranged to go by either train or car depending on whether Ray would be up for a long car journey back up to the North West, where he'd grown up and used to live.

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Friday morning had soon arrived; she began packing her heavy suitcase on the bed mattress, filling the case with shoes, knickers, blouses and woolly jumpers. She knew for a fact this was only going to be for the weekend, who knows she might even get lucky with some northern male, one preferably cute and handsome with tangible looks.

"C'mon Alex... I haven't got all day... I have better things to do today... supposed to be preparing for my date tonight with this gorgeous posh bird... right gorgeous pair of legs on display she has." He'd met someone who had an instant impression on him, made his stomach fill up with butterflies, not quite sure whether she might be the one just yet.

"How did I ever become friends with you Ray?" she'd never stopped asking herself that obvious question.

"Because you offered to be my date at a New Year's Eve party one year in 1991, no other bird would have done that in a million years for me, they'd only go and bugger off in their mighty red high heels and that we have a brother and sister type connection thing going on between us." She grinned in his listening to his immediate reply, taking the mickey by mocking him, continuously with her waggling fingers.

"Yeah that's probably right. Ray I've never fancied you but to tell the truth you do have one of the marvellous, best moustache I've ever seen, better than Tom Selleck's in Magnum." She replied optimistically

"Yeah thanks for complimenting ... How long this journey gonna take?" He moaned, not impressing her as he stood and then paced around the bedroom in a huff, desperate to light up a cigarette.

"Well depending on traffic shouldn't be too long on the motorway maybe four hours... Mary said she meet me by Lime Street Station in Liverpool City Centre around five pm..." she explained, adjusting her hair, tidying her dark cropped brown quiff styled hairdo.

"You're lucky you took some time off... Shaz told me about you playing flirty games with yer boss Jim... He ain't good for yer Alex... take my advice on this... there's bound to be plenty of men hanging around looking for a gorgeous woman like yourself." He'd heard quite a lot about this Jim Keats and as a friend to Alex, advised her to look elsewhere for a hunky potential boyfriend. He himself was a one hit wonder for having a single out in the charts in the mid Eighties, trying out various disguises to avoid his adoring fan club that followed him on Facebook.

"Thanks Ray, for being a good friend."

"No problem Alex... now get yourself into fifth gear I'm bursting to get some fresh air outside... bloody stuffed up in here." He grabbed hold, possessively of her suitcase and carried it downstairs, stopping every five seconds to take a breather before carrying on once again. Snow had overfilled every part of London, record snowfall in the capital since 1983. It didn't particularly add any glimmer of hope for Ray as it would most likely add some driving difficulties when his Blue Audi R8 would eventually hit the M40 and then northwards bound into Birmingham before taking some routes on to other motorways.

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Gene Hunt, a successful well known for his ranting, uncontrollable public arguments with Judges, also a popular barrister who had gained huge popularity in the criminal justice system, was none too pleased about attending a Christmas party in Liverpool, he'd already known a lot about working to gain a proper verdict for his accused clients, briefly visiting Southport Crown Court to defend Bob's sister in a theft case.

"Hey Gene... Bob's just rang me. Apparently, Alex Drake is attending that party you're going to... 'aven't you two crossed paths before in the past?" Roxy McIntyre his co worker from work informed him, poking her nose into asking further questions.

"Yeah we did... right posh knickers she was. She's friends with Evan White... I remember I nearly ran her over in my car... offered to take 'er for a drink to settle her nerves... but no, she goes and makes a big unnecessary deal about it. Posh birds are always the same... can't take a bloody hint and only aim to make matters worse by getting their knickers in a proper great big twist." He grumbled, while redoing his blue and red striped pin tie, as he studied himself in view of his bedroom mirror, recently applied aftershave filling his nostrils.

His female friend Roxy was more than willing to help, they shared a lot in common, enjoyed an occasional cigarette break when other peoples' conversation subjects became overbearing to listen to. They'd known each other for more than ten years and had a closer relationship than anyone else at Fenchurch Solicitors.

"C'mon Gene love... let's be getting a move on... need to drive up there much quicker... weather's bloody dreadful today. They've said about snowfall, l been forecast for over New Year as well." She hurried him by waving a hand and as he clutched his car keys within his grasp and carried two Christmas presents in his right hand.

"Oh don't be such a whining bird Roxy... I've 'ad just about enough of stroppy tarts and their portentous mood swings." He muttered, luckily the bigger wrapped present blocked his mouth, so she couldn't see him uttering those words. Sighing at his bullish, fed up behaviour, sometimes she thought he had better taste in women. Unable to stop herself from pondering whether he was going to ask her out on a expensive date at one of London's finest, popular restaurants, some days when they journeyed into East London together, she noticed him spotting Luigi's, which was situated on the corner of busy street.

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"Right we're here. Lime Street Station she definitely said didn't she?" Ray kept an eagle eye out for Alex's older friend while she looked at the signpost that displayed the name of the station in capital letters. He kindly lifted the suitcase up from within the boot and placed it down on the pavement clutching it tightly.

"Wonder what Shaz, Chris and Lizzy are up to back in London. It's great being a singleton." Ray's eyes widened in shock, Alex's mobile phone vibrated in her pocket as she answered it.

"Oh no that's a shame. Ray, she said they're snowed in... looks like you'll have to drive me to Southport instead." She softly whispered, pulling her phone away for a few seconds.

"Bloody hell what do yer take me for, a bloody chauffeur?" He growled, his expression full of annoyance replacing the suitcase back in the boot, Alex finished her phone conversation, by clicking the off button on her mobile.

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"Beautiful beach... isn't it Ray" Alex couldn't help but comment on the stunning view of the long, stretched out beach, amazed at the astounding view of its beach and its stunning scenery even though it looked very drab, chilly to look at.

"Yep, better than any other beach I've visited." They finally arrived at the Earnshaw's impressive large terraced house; guests were already making themselves comfortable, taking food samples from a large plate tray.

"They've certainly made a living for themselves haven't they eh...?" Ray questioned, frowning when she asked him to drive his car further up the driveway and park it outside the Earnshaw's front red door. He gave in and accepted it, giving it two, three goes before successfully getting it up the snow-covered driveway.

"When will the snappy weather end... not doing my precious car any favours. I don't need a car break down on the M6 heading back to London."

"Stop moaning Ray." She took the weight off his hands and opened up the boot before reaching down and lifting up her suitcase.

"Alex... Alex Drake? Blimey it is... my you've grown into a fine young woman." Bob came out to greet her, shaking hands with Ray "So this must be your boyfriend then, how did you two end up meeting?"

"Erm no... he's not... He's my friend... and more like a brother to me... doesn't like any blokes treating me badly." Bob blushed in embarrassment, offering Ray to stay for an hour at least.

"No can't I'm afraid, got a date to pick up tonight, right stunner she is." He chewed on piece of Wrigley's in his mouth.

"See you on New Year's Eve... Ray don't go saying something ridiculously unpredictable and upsetting your date." She warned him knowing all too well, what he was like, when attending restaurants with any romantic dates.

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As she grabbed two sandwiches and placed them on a paper plate, Mary tapped her on the shoulder.

"Oh Alex so glad you made it. Sorry that your friend couldn't stay and have something to eat." Alex appreciated her generosity and kindness as she looked around the room, two males winking at her seductively, it didn't impress her however and she turned to avoid them and their oncoming chat up lines.

"Hello Alex, good to see you again." Bob's older brother Derek, playfully slapped her bottom, which she hated, even though she had plenty of respect for him.

She took another glance around the packed room, the large sized Christmas tree covered the left hand sided corner by the framed window.

"Alex have you met Gene yet? He's a friend of Bob's sister... we think him and that Roxy, his co-worker from Fenchurch make an adorable couple."

"Yes we've had the misfortune of having the one run-in before. I had no idea, he's a barrister." She gasped in amazement as he turned to face her, not speaking; he acknowledged her presence with a brief warm smile. She looked even less surprised, well more amused by his choice of jumper of Rudolph the red nose reindeer.

"Told you I shouldn't have bloody got dressed last minute and put this poof jumper on. Bloody itchy, don't wanna find a rash in the morning on my wrist; this is making me look like a bloody nancy." He whispered to Roxy, who looked quite pleased with herself for suggesting to him to take that horrible shirt off, the lines in his nose creased upwards in a row as he continued to exchange intense stares with Alex as she sipped on a glass of wine; unable to take her eyes away from him. She suspected he and Roxy were more than just good friends as he first claimed, she couldn't stand his smarmy, arrogance and upper twattery that he fully displayed, she began to wish she hadn't accepted this invitation, spending Christmas in the same city as Gene wasn't going to be easy as she would soon fully discover over the next couple of days.

Sometimes she wished that she could own a diary to write all her personal thoughts and wishes for 2010, her main wish possibly shagging Jim Keats, hoping he wasn't involved with anyone, however Gene was never far from her mind as she found herself feeling a slight instant attraction towards him despite thinking that he wwas a snob, arrogant tight arsed grumpy male. A little over an hour later when everyone else settled down, he watched her from the corner of his left eye, mingling with the house guests, laughing, drinking a glass of wine. Who was he kidding she was way out of his league, too classy, too posh, too much of Madam Fruitcake and damn right too sexy but still it kept popping up on his mind that he felt completely drawn to her even though he wasn't ready to admit to it just yet. Just what was it about her that he secretly admired? Roxy certainly didn't appreciate being ignored and left out, if she was going to claim him as her boyfriend she was more than willing to fight for him.

End of chapter

Massive thanks to scribblechacha for beta reading this chapter, This will stay more a romantic comedy style fanfic