Disclaimer not mine
Boys will be Boys!
Nelson rolled his eyes as he heard the detectives arrive in the new Railway Arms. He knew the goodnatured detectives would all be in high spirits as they celebrated Chris' Stag Night. He shook his head as Gene approached the bar.
"Man Brav."
"Nelson." He nodded. "Bottle of the house plonk and a pint, if you please."
Nelson nodded before nodding to the sign next to the till.
"WE SERVE DRINKS NOT DRUNKS." Gene read out. "Good, I should think so too. Look, I'll keep me eye on them. Ray's verging on a bit pissed but I'm sober as a judge."
"Yeah, man. But half the Judges in the area drink in here so I know that means nuffin." The Rastafarian barman smiled. "You, Gene Hunt are to take that lot into the bar around the side. Do not let anyone throw up on me carpets. If they do, I'm sending you the bill."
Gene raised an eyebrow but did as he was told. Nelson was a good mate and as he had discovered finding a decent boozer in London was not easy.
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"You think the boys are ok?" Shaz asked as Alex and Annie smiled slightly.
"Gene is not going to let anything happen. Besides, Sam is there too. And Ray." Annie answered as she curled her feet underneath her on the sofa.
"Yeah, that's why I'm worried." Shaz answered as Alex laughed.
"They will be fine." Alex repeated. "Gene is under strict instructions. And I've hidden his passport."
"Passport?"
"She's joking, Shaz." Annie raised an eyebrow at her friend as Alex turned her attention back to the film on the televison.
"Ma'am?" Shaz asked as Johnny was telling everyone not to put baby in the corner. "How did the Guv ask you to marry 'im?"
"Why?"
"I just." She paused. "I dunno."
Annie smiled. It was obvious the younger woman was nervous about the wedding but she had no need to be. The couple were perfect for each other. She propped herself up on one elbow as she turned to Alex.
"Go on, you never told me this either."
"Alright." Alex smiled. "We were in the car. Remember that red Audi he had. Boy racer car?"
"Yeah."
"Well, we had been arguing. Over something stupid. I had stormed off and nearly got myself killed."
"Nothing unusual there." Shaz teased as Alex shot her a look.
"Chas Cale and his wife had a resteraunt. Gene knew him from your days back in Manchester. Anyway, to cut a very long story short I was left to freeze to death. Gene broke in and rescued me. Resusitated me actually. I was half dead from hypothermia. If he hadn't turned up when he had." She looked away for a moment. The memory that she could have left Molly an orphan still painful. "Anyway, he carried me back to the car."
"Aw."
"Yeah well." Alex blushed. "I was never once for damsel in distress and all that bollocks. So we were bickering. He stops the car and turns to me."
"And he asked you?"
"No, he said I was a dozy posh tart that had a death wish. Christ only knew why but I never listened to him and always thought I knew best. He turned away and I knew that was the first time I had seen him genuinely scared."
"You should have seen him when you were shot." Annie closed her eyes as Shaz spoke. She had been with Gene when he had been told. It was not a memory she wanted to relive again.
"Well I went to get out of the car when he put his hand on mine and held it. It was as if he was afraid to let go incase I vanished. I couldn't help it. It just blurted out that I loved him. That I always had. So Gene being Gene smiles at me and says well, 'ows about we get married then?"
"Aw." Shaz smiled. "That's lovely."
"Not the most romantic man in the world but yeah." Alex smiled. "Worked for me."
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"I just love her soooo much." Chris announced as he leant heavily on Ray's shoulder.
"Yeah." Ray rolled his eyes. "We know."
"You are the best man I could ever have hoped for." Chris continued as Gene rolled his eyes. He was sat at the bar with Sam as the younger man stared at his phone.
"They are ok." Gene nodded to the phone.
"Yeah. Annie just text. All kids in bed, Shaz slightly pissed but they're watching chick flicks so they're ok." Sam smiled as he thought of his wife.
"Right. What are we gonna do with that plonker? C'mon Ethel, we better rescure Raymondo before Chris passes out on 'im and Nelson 'as a 'eart attack." He walked away from the bar as Ray looked up gratefully.
"Guv?" Chris asked as Gene helped Ray lower him into the bench furthest away from the bar as Sam and Viv sat down opposite him.
"What?"
"How did you know? That Ma'am was the one?"
"Same way every bugger knows." Gene answered. Talking about feelings was not his strong point. He barely managed it with Alex, so talking about them with his junior officers was not something he was going to find easy. He shook his head as Sam smirked. "What about you and Annie?"
"The minute I met her, I knew." Sam answered honestly. "I just didn't want to mess things up."
"But you nearly did." Chris narrowed his eyes. "I would never do that to my Shaz."
"Glad to hear it." Gene sighed. "She's a good girl."
"And I was an idiot." Sam stared at his drink as he remembered the look on Annie's face as she found out about his one night stand on his stag night. He had promised never to hurt her again. He knew while he was forgiven, it wasn't forgotten.
"But Guv?"
"Alright, you nosy sod." Gene started. "She stood up to me. Made me think, made me a better copper."
"And has a great pair of."
"Shut it Ray." Gene warned. "But yeah, she 'as. That isn't why I fell for her. She's clever, posh, got a right hook that could floor Amir Khan and she cares about the job. It wasn't until we were locked in that bloody boiler room for half the night that I realised. There was nothing I wouldn't do for that woman. So, Chris , you know the one when there is nothing you wouldn't do for them and you can't imagine your life wiv 'em not in it."
The men all fell silent for a moment as Nelson appeared with a tray of drinks. Gene had a feeling it was going t be a very long night.
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A/N More soon xx
