Chapter 3

Thanks for the reviews so far, and I hope this next chapter isn't too confusing! Enjoy!

Gene poured himself a (large) Whiskey and Alex a glass of orange juice and handed it to Alex who had her feet up on the couch.

"I'm sick of bloody orange Juice!" Alex moaned. She was now seven and a half months pregnant and Gene had grown used to her mood swing and cravings. (And it was a good thing that they stayed upstairs from an Italian restaurant as Alex would have carvings at all hours for Pasta!)

Alex suddenly getting up from the couch walked to the door saying she was going downstairs,

Macaroni cheese and garlic bread" she sighed slipping on her slippers.

"Shall I join you Bolls?" Gene asked downing his whiskey in the one, before pulling a face.

"If you want!" she replied before slamming the door behind her!

"Bloody hormonal women!" Gene thought, before realising that maybe he should really join her for dinner. Even though it was 8pm at night.

Downstairs Alex had ordered Macaroni from Luigi, whilst Luigi asked, "Where is Mr. Hunt tonight?" in his charming Italian accent, "A pregnant lady should not eat alone!"

Alex, not in the mood to be told off ignored this, "Can I have lemonade then PLEASE?" she asked.

"You are in a very pregnant lady mood tonight" He said before taking her food order to the kitchen.

Alex was too busy reading her menu that she didn't see Gene entering the restaurant behind her.

"Alex" Gene said softly, "Are you o.k.?"

Standing up to face him, her face crumpled.

"I'm so sorry for being such a bitch just now" she wailed

"Its o.k. Bolls" Gene said taking her by the waist and leading her to a familiar table at the back of the restaurant, " I do understand, ye know!" sitting down next to her and putting a comforting hand on her leg.

"Your food!" Luigi appeared at the table with Alex's food, knowing now that when they sat in that corner it meant not to disturb them. So he placed the plate down and returned to the bar.

"I keep thinking Gene, what if something happens hen you're out on the job, what if I won't be a good mum what if…"

Gene cut her off, "Listen to me Alex," he began taking her perfect face in his hands and wiping the tears from her cheeks, "Nothing is going to happen, you hear me? I'm always going to be here for you and our baby!"

"But…" Alex trailed, before Gene cut her off, "No buts Alex, you understand?" Alex gulped back more tears and nodded forcing a smile.

"Now eat that food before that baby goes hungry!" Gene ordered smiling. So as not to sound too harsh.

Alex ate the whole plate of macaroni, before saying, "That was great!"

She then laid her head on Genes shoulder and closed her eyes. "I could get used to this," she sighed.

Gene then piped up, "Don't you dare fall asleep there Bolls, I'd break my back trying to lift you up them stairs!"

"Oi you!" Alex laughed before playful slapping his face.

"You made up!" Luigi showed his approval by clapping his hands together.

"And you are smiling again Seinorita Drake!" he smiled.

"Night Luigi" Alex smiled as Gene helped her up from the table.

"Sleep well!" Luigi called after them.

That night while lying in bed, Alex suddenly asked Gene, "You're different man today than you were when I first came here, whys that Gene?"

"uhh… I don't know Alex," he replied, even though he had now known Alex six years and he was engaged to her, he was still embarrassed by revealing his feelings towards her, and exactly how he really felt.

"You know I love you Gene don't you?" Alex suddenly said lay8ng her heed on his chest, " Course I do Alex," he replied, gazing down at her, " You know I've never met a woman like you Alex, you have so much love to give, before I met you, all that was in my life was catching scum, booze and fags, and now… and now… I've got a beautiful woman, you know I think you've managed to tame the manc lion slightly, I didn't think it was possible but you have!" He finished.

Alex had sat up, and was meeting Gene's eyes; he noticed that even in the darkness her eyes sparkled.

"Are you crying Gene?" Alex asked as she rested her cheek against his.

"Indeed I am not!" Gene answered back, his voice sounding hoarse, but Alex wasn't convinced by him.

"Goodnight Gene" she said before softly kissing him and lying don to snuggle into his chest.

"Goodnight Alex" Gene whispered back, but Alex didn't hear as she was already sound asleep.

Over the course of the next month Alex began panicking over the simplest of things from buying baby clothes, to the cot, and to the bigger things such as actually having to give birth. And worrying if her ad Gene would make good parents.

"How in the hell am I going to manage to give birth?" She panicked one night to Gene, who she only saw at nights now, as she had decided to take maternity leave to have her baby.

Gene not knowing much about babies was helpful in the only way he knew - reassuring in his way,

"You just push it out? Don't you?" he asked, "Excuse me?" Alex gasped, "Just push it out?" she cried in shock at how little Gene knew about giving birth.

"I doubt it'll be that easy Gene!"

"You need to stop worrying Alex, you'll be a natural, I'm sure of it!" he said pulling her in close to him, "It's ME you need to worry about!" he added.

"Oh stop it Gene, you've been saying that for months, you'll be FINE! A natural!" she smiled laying her head on his shoulder.

"You sure about that?" he asked looking into Alex's big sympathetic eyes.

"Oh Gene," Alex spoke softly, "You'll be a great daddy to whoever's in here." she said placing Genes hand on the bump to let him feel the baby kicking.

"You know I can't wait any longer!" Gene suddenly said, "Let's just go and get married tomorrow" he said "We could just go to city halls or something - neither of us want a big wedding! What do you say?"

"Who are we going to ask to be our witnesses though Gene" Alex asked.

"Well there's a man downstairs that's always been good to us" Gene smiled thinking of how happy Luigi would be at this honour.

"I could phone Fiona and ask her" Alex smiled getting into the idea.

Gene got up from the sofa and headed out the door, heading downstairs to ask Luigi, whilst Alex was on the phone to Fiona,

"Hello," Fiona said on the other end of the line.

"Hi Fiona its Alex, me and the Guv are getting married tomorrow…" Alex was broke off by Fiona's squeals on the other end of the line,

"It's about time to o Ma'am you're ready to pop! Fiona squealed.

"Fiona!" Alex said sternly "Can you come over here and help me get ready tomorrow?"

"Of course Ma'am" Fiona said excitedly, "See you tomorrow."

Alex could hear Fiona squealing with delight before hanging up the phone at the other end.

An hour later Gene still hadn't cam back up stairs, so Alex wobbled downstairs to find him.

Gene was sitting at the bar talking to Luigi but on seeing Alex enter the restaurant, dived behind the bar whispering to Luigi, "I can't let her see me like this."

"Senorita you should not be in a bar, not in your condition," Luigi said

"Luigi, I'm not dying, I'm having a baby" Alex said, "Where's Gene?" She asked looking round the half empty restaurant.

"Awch!" she cried suddenly rubbing her bump. "You o.k. Senorita" Luigi asked one eye glaring at Gene who was still ducked behind the bar.

Slowly standing up from behind the bar, Gene revealed a bleeding lip, a cut on his head and a swollen eye.

"Gene!" Alex gasped rushing over to him, "What happened?" she asked touching his lip with her fingers,

"Fell down some stairs!" he muttered, but that wasn't going to wash it with Alex, who knew him better than that.

"Who was it?" she asked "And do not lie to me Gene!"

"I told ye I fell down the stairs"

Alex just walked away from him shaking her head.

"I'll see you two tomorrow!" Luigi called after them

"Maybe!" Alex replied.

Gene caught up with Alex at the top of the stairs.

"If I tell ye the truth ye would only panic" he said softly touching her cheek

"And I don't want you or the baby to be put through any other stress" he finished.

"The wedding still on then?" Alex asked a tear rolling down her cheek

"Well I can't wait any longer for you to be my wife Alex, so of course its bloody still on!" He smiled opening the door foe Alex to go in first.

As they lay in bed that night, Alex drifted off to sleep, Genes breathing on his neck sending tingles down her spine.

Gene on the other hand couldn't sleep for thinking about his encounter he had earlier that night. Someone from his past. Someone dangerous. Someone who has tried to turn Alex against him four years ago.

Jim Keats had returned.

Please review this chapter and let me know what you think, and I apologise if my Italian isn't very good!

There's a lot more yet to come so I hope you will stay with it till the end. I'm hoping to get the next chapter uploaded at the weekend.