Disclaimer: I don't own any part of Ashes to Ashes (oh how I wish i did!)

Note: This is slash fiction, femmeslash to be precise. If you do not like F/F slash pleasse do not read. It will also be explicit in later chapters.

Setting: This story is set early on in series 3 of ashes to ashes, just after episode 3, so there may be some mild spoilers.

Chapter One

"I thought we were going to be battering baby seals," Gene said in disappointment.

"Clubbing, Guv," sighed Alex, "lots of people dancing to loud music, not causing cruelty to animals."

"It's cruelty to idiots I'm worried about," said Gene, stubbing out his cigarette and peering through the doorway of the club, "if we don't catch the bastard who's been peddling rat poison disguised as cocaine there are going to be more bodies lining up on the street of the human variety."

"We've got two more clubs to cover tonight," said Alex, "this one and Blue Night down on Bridge Street."

"Let's get this over with then," said Gene. He flashed his badge to the bouncer on the door and marched through with Alex in tow.

Once inside, Gene almost tripped over his tongue. Hundreds of women, all hot and sweaty, dancing to the music. The sight made him salivate and adopt a slightly more heroic stance.

"Seems the night's looking up, Bols," he said, "see if I can't take home a souvenir."

Alex gave a tiny smirk and leaned closer to Gene.

"I wouldn't get my hopes up if I were you," she said.

"Oh yeah?" Gene raised an eyebrow, "you challenging my prowess, Drake?"

"I'm just saying…"

"Well, watch and learn."

Before Alex could stop him, Gene boldly marched toward two young ladies. He showed them his badge, asked them a question and listened to them answer. Then he stepped back, widened his stance, indicated something between his legs and gestured something of a great size with his hands. One of the ladies threw her arms into the air and ran in horror while the other hit him twice with her handbag.

A battered, annoyed and humiliated Gene slunk back to Alex.

"They're, erm, a bit highly strung, aren't they?" he commented.

Alex couldn't suppress a smile.

"They're lesbians, Guv," she said.

Gene froze.

"They're what?"

"Lesbians," Alex repeated, "they prefer the intimate company of other women."

"I know what they are, Drake!" Gene protested. He looked around. "Are you sure? There's not a pair of dungarees in sight!"

"That's a stereotype," sighed Alex.

"At least it makes them easier to spot," said Gene.

"This is a lesbian club," Alex explained, "that should have been a clue."

Gene turned red.

"Well I didn't bloody know that," he growled, "this is gonna be a bloody waste of time then."

"Just because you won't be taking any of them home?" Sighed Alex, "come on, we need to ask about this dealer. You ask around the bar, I'll try the dance floor."

"Fine," Gene huffed.

Alex chuckled to herself as she crossed to the dance floor. Asking questions in a club was never the easiest part of the job. She'd done it once or twice and relied heavily on shouting and on performing some make-shift sign-language. She thought occasionally about learning semaphore or Morse Code to make the task easier.

"Excuse me," she said loudly to a group of young ladies who were getting into the music, "I'm DI Drake, can I have a talk with you?"

The women looked at her badge and exchanged glances.

"What have we done, Miss?" one of them asked.

"Don't worry, you haven't done anything," Alex struggled to be heard over the music, "we've had reports of someone selling fake cocaine in the local bars and clubs."

"Fake canes?" One of the women asked.

"No! Cocaine! Fake cocaine!" Alex cried, "has anyone approached you? Anyone new on the scene?"

The ladies shook their heads.

"No canes," one of them said.

Alex rolled her eyes.

"Fake cocaine!" she cried again, "it's made of some kind of rat poison. We've had two deaths and four people ending up in hospital over the last week."

One of the ladies shook her head.

"We're not into drugs," she said.

"Or canes."

Alex sighed.

"Well, just keep an eye out, OK?" she said, "if you hear anything call Fenchurch East."

The women went straight back to dancing, ignoring Alex completely. With a sigh and another roll of her eyes she turned and made her way through the dance floor. She tried to find someone who seemed neither drunk nor too absorbed in her dancing to ask and found a couple of girls who were dancing more demurely and whispering in each other's ears a lot.

"Excuse me," Alex began loudly. She placed her hand on the shoulder of one of the ladies and turned her gently around. As soon as she caught sight of familiar features she gave an involuntary gasp before she could stop herself and took a step back.

"Ma'am?"

The young, dark-haired girl she was used to seeing every day at work was standing before her, her lipstick slightly smudged and one arm around the waist of a curvy blonde.

"Shaz!" Alex breathed, "I'm… I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I didn't know it was you… I didn't mean to interrupt…" she took another step back, not sure what to do or say.

"Is something the matter?" asked Shaz, "were you looking for me? Am I needed at work?"

"N-no, Shaz," Alex held up her hands apologetically, "cocaine… someone's dealing poisoned cocaine… we were just asking around…" she turned and started to leave, "I'm sorry."

"Ma'am, wait!" cried Shaz, "What…?" she felt her heart start to race. She'd never officially spoken about her sexuality at work but she'd never made any secret of it either. She'd thought Alex at least would have guessed by now, but apparently not. She felt bad suddenly, her presence had shocked the DI so much that she'd fled.

"What's her problem?" the curvy blonde asked.

"She's my boss," said Shaz, "kind of… listen, I'm sorry, I think I'd better go after her."

"Why? You haven't got to work, have you? Oh Shaz, I've been looking forward to tonight all week…"

Shaz looked at her apologetically.

"Look, I'm really sorry," she began, "DI Drake is a good friend and I think I've upset her. I have to go after her."

The face of her friend grew sad and disappointed.

"Aren't I a good friend?" she asked.

Shaz sighed. She felt guilty all over again.

"Of course you are," she said, "I'll make it up to you, I promise." She kissed her gently on the cheek. "I'll call you tomorrow, yeah?"

The blonde folded her arms and sighed.

"Yeah," she said quietly.

Shaz gave one last apologetic smile and took off on the trail of Alex. She hated the thought that she'd upset Alex somehow. Alex didn't seem the type to have an issue with anyone's sexuality so Shaz couldn't work out why she'd been so upset.

She dashed out of the door, stepping on the toe of the bouncer as she went.

"Ow!" he cried.

"Sorry!" Shaz called behind her.

She rushed into the street and looked up and down. Alex had to be there somewhere, she was sure. Finally as she scanned the street with her eyes she spotted a familiar coat and familiar hair walking away at speed.

"Ma'am!" she called. She didn't know if Alex heard her, but if she did she didn't stop walking. She picked up her feet and began to run after her. "Ma'am!"

This time Alex stopped and looked behind her. As she saw Shaz running in her direction she glanced down guiltily.

"Shaz," she said quietly.

Shaz reached her target, panting just a little. Running after dancing all night wasn't a great combination.

"Ma'am, are you OK?" she asked.

Alex put on a false smile.

"Of course, Shaz," she said, "I'm fine. I have to go to another club to ask about this dealer, that's all."

"Did I upset you?" asked Shaz.

Alex looked down.

"No, Shaz, you didn't," she said quietly.

Shaz bit her lip nervously.

"You ran away from me," she pointed out. She waited for Alex to reply but silence greeted her. Eventually she piped up again. "Will… will you not tell Chris?"

Alex took a deep breath.

"It's none of my business," she said.

"It's just, I don't think he'd understand, Ma'am," Shaz continued, "he's still a bit funny with me." she paused. "I don't want you to be funny with me too."

Alex looked her in the eye for the first time. Suddenly Shaz looked like a scared little girl.

"Of course I won't," she said quietly.

"You already are," Shaz said sadly.

Alex sighed deeply. She felt so guilty suddenly. She lifted Shaz's chin and looked at her seriously.

"Shaz," she began quietly, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to react that way. It just came as a surprise, that was all."

"I thought you might have guessed," Shaz told her.

Alex thought for a moment. There had been clues, certainly; comments she'd made, her often androgynous appearance, but she'd assumed Shaz was trying to be 'one of the lads', to fit in. She hadn't thought about it any more deeply than that.

"I didn't know," she said, "and I think… I think that's what upset me."

"I knew I'd upset you," Shaz admonished herself, "is it because I didn't tell you?" She watched Alex hang her head. "I'm sorry, Ma'am, I just… keep myself to myself. It never came up. You know what they'd be like at work if they knew. Ray would have a field day."

"I'm not Ray!" Alex protested, "I thought we were close friends."

"We are," Shaz gave Alex a smile.

"Then why did you never tell me?" asked Alex, "all thought girly chats we've had in Luigi's, all the times we've worked together, all the times I thought we were really getting to know each other. You never told me."

Shaz shook her head slowly.

"It's not that easy," she said quietly, "coming out… It's hard."

"Even to your best friend?" Alex asked.

Shaz felt a pain in her heart.

"Especially to your best friend," she whispered. She took a deep breath and rubbed her head. "I think you could use a drink, Ma'am. I think I could too." she looked hopefully at Alex. "Luigis? My treat?" she paused. "I'll tell you everything. Promise."

Alex hesitated just for a moment, then nodded slowly.

"OK," she said quietly, "I think that's a good idea." She glanced over her shoulder. "Do you think I should rescue the Guv first?"

"Did you leave him in the club?" asked Shaz. She gave an evil giggle. "Nah, it might do him some good!"

She held out a hooked arm to Alex. With only a moment of hesitation Alex accepted it, linked arms and the two of them walked away on a mission to find some good wine and have a proper chat.