BBC and Kudos own Life On Mars and Ashes to Ashes. No copyright infringement intended

Waiting Game

If it was one thing Gene Hunt hated with a passion it was waiting. He'd wanted to punch Layton as the prison guards had led him away. If Alex hadn't been there he wasn't sure he would have been able to control himself. Instead he had stared the man down and clenched his jaw as Layton smirked at Alex as they stood in the Court Room. He prayed the Jury got their act together quickly and got the right verdict. Sam was stood next to the couple as he finally spoke.

"Well, 24 hours and it'll all be over" he sounded exhausted. Ray nodded once "Yeah" before the team filed out of the Court Room towards the car park.

"So, we turn up here 9 am tomorrow and hope the Jury have seen sense?" Sharon sighed as she held a hand up to shield her eyes from the sun.

"That's about all we can do for now" Annie answered as Gene nodded.

"Right you lot. I am not going to spend the next few hours waiting and worrying about that scrawny arsed little scum bag. I declare it Beer O Clock. Luigi's" he clapped his hands together as Alex just rolled her eyes. Ray, Chris and Sharon headed towards Ray's car as Sam and Annie just glanced at each other.

"Oh come on Tyler! We need some of Luigi's cheep plonk after today or are you developing a sudden urge to go back to the Railway Arms?" Gene stared at his DI.

"No Guv, Luigi's sounds great. I could do with some food" Annie smiled as Alex stared in to space.

"Good girl. Ethel, listen to the misses." Gene addressed Sam as Sam rolled his eyes.

"Luigi's it is then" Sam saw Annie smile for the first time that day.

XXXXXXX

Luigi's small Italian restaurant was bustling as the team arrived, the early evening diners taking up most of the space. Alex sat at the bar, determined not to drink too much. Ethan had taken Molly for the next couple of days and Alex wanted to keep a clear head for when she phoned her daughter.

"Bolls?" Gene sat at the bar next to her.

"You ok?" his voice was low as he bent over his drink. Alex nodded and tried to smile. He sighed as he reached out and covered her hand with his.

"Gene" she sighed as she stared into the bottom of her wine glass. "I'll be ok. Just hated every second of today that's all" he nodded as she continued to stare.

"Do you ever wonder why we do this? Police work I mean? We spend all these hours, day and night chasing the scum of the earth and then we have to push pieces of paper around and justify our actions. We get hurt and we still have to answer inane questions" she sighed as she pushed the curls that were now hanging loose from her face.

"No, I don't. I know why I do it. To keep scum like Layton off the streets. To make it that little bit safer for kids like our Molly, my old Mum and so that these little scrots know that whatever they get up to the Gene Genie will be there to stop them." he picked up his wine glass as Alex smiled.

"Gene Hunt" he turned his head slightly so that their foreheads were almost touching. "My hero" she smiled as Gene shook his head.

"'ow many of those have you had Bolly?" he laughed as Alex kissed him on the cheek.

Xxxxxxx

At the other end of the bar Ray and Chris were drinking larger and trying to work out with was better - DIY SOS or Changing Rooms. Sharon was laughing as she watched her fiancé try to argue with Ray about the DIY programmes. They'd just bought their own place and DIY was fast becoming an obsession for Chris. She shook her head as Ray grew even more frustrated with Chris.

"Aw c'mon you two!" she teased "Play nicely" she sipped her pop as the two men continued to banter. Sam and Annie were sat in the corner, watching the team as they laughed and drank. Annie absentmindedly played with her wedding ring. Sam rested an arm around her shoulders.

"You did well today Annie" he smiled as she just nodded.

"Hope it gets us the right verdict, that's all" she had been quiet since Mia had visited the Squad room the day before. She had made no secret that she found the woman distasteful but Sam seemed t ignore the problem. After six months of marriage he still couldn't tell her the truth about his fling. Every time Annie saw Mia it was a reminder of his 'mishap'. She closed her eyes briefly as Sam kissed her temple.

"It will. Layton isn't going to bother us for a long time" Annie narrowed her eyes as Mia walked into the bar.

"What does she want? Cant she ever just leave us alone?" Annie turned and picked up her wine glass as Mia looked at her. Both women gave the other dirty looks as Sharon and Alex noticed the tension between the two women. Gene was pretending to be oblivious to it as he turned to Mia.

"Look luv, I know the Gene Genie is irresistible but a bloke likes to have a quiet drink with the wife now and again without his resident stalker turning up." he looked Mia up and down, unable to avoid noticing the pelmet skirt, long hair and cleavage as she leant across the bar.

"Don't flatter yourself" she ordered her drink before turning to Gene. "Hope the trial went well. Must have been awful for you Alex"

Alex glared as she spoke. It was Sharon who approached the bar and joined them that broke the silence.

"Me and Chris will be off in a minute. Oh and don't you think you should refer to DI Hunt as Ma'am, show a bit o respect like" she looked her up and down as Alex smiled slightly.

"See you tomorrow Shaz" Alex smiled.

"Yes Ma'am" Shaz emphasised as she pulled Chris away from the group.

Gene couldn't help but smile as Mia walked towards the back of the restaurant towards Ray. He shook his head, whenever she was around trouble usually followed. Alex watched as Ray seemed to lap up the attention. Sighing heavily she turned to Gene.

"Why didn't you?" she nodded towards Mia and Ray, who were now flirting as Viv and Phyllis looked uncomfortable and began making excuses to leave them to it.

"Why didn't I what?" Gene knew where the questioning was going but wanted to hear Alex say it.

"Her? When she laid it out on a plate. Sam did" she sighed as Gene narrowed his eyes at her.

"Because, I 'appen to be in love with the woman I married. Because I only ever wanted you, you daft bat. Sam Tyler is an idiot and he knows it. He's bloody lucky to have Annie and I 'ope he knows it" both looked over to where Annie and Sam were chatting away, pointedly ignoring Mia.

"Gene Hunt" Alex leaned forwards as Gene tried his best not to say anything else.

"Anyone ever told you, you are a big softie under all that Manc Lion stuff?" she poked him in the chest.

"Right you have had enough. 'ome now" he pulled Alex to her feet before taking her home.

Xxxxxxxx

Ray was enjoying the attention. He was a red blooded man after all. Mia was sat between him and Phyllis as she continued to flirt. Phyllis sighed heavily, muttered under her breath and nodded to Viv she was leaving. Viv stood and offered to walk her to the door, glad to be away from the woman who had caused CID so many problems.

Annie watched the exchange as Sam tried to ignore Mia's presence. Annie sipped her orange juice slowly as Sam began talking about the trial. She was only half listening and he knew it. Mia threw a flirty glance towards Sam who tried to ignore her as Annie stood up.

"I can't do this" Annie grabbed her handbag as Sam stood. "I can't just sit here and watch the woman you slept with on your stag night flaunt herself under your nose Sam. I can't, not after today." He reached up to touch her arm as she pulled away and walked out the restaurant with as much dignity as she could muster. Her shoes clipped on the tiles just showing just how much she wanted to get away. Phyllis had seen it all from her position by the coat rack.

"Annie love" she smiled as Annie reached the door. "He's a good un really. Bit odd but then that's men for you. But he loves the bones of you my girl. Don't you let that jumped up tart spoil things" she rested a hand on Annie's arm as Annie nodded.

"Its not her that spoilt it Phyllis" she walked out the door leaving Sam to follow in her wake. Phyllis couldn't help but wonder if it was only Layton that seemed to have a problem with CID at Fenchurch East.

author's note. Next chapter will be back in the Court Room for the verdict. Please review, this is just a filler chapter. All reviews gratefully recieved x