"You are not going to work!"

"I bloody am!"

"You're bloody not!"

Alex turned her back, walked into the bedroom and slammed the door. Stupid, misogynistic, lumbering oaf! She felt fine, absolutely fine… there was nothing wrong… the merest trace of a headache which was nothing. She sat down suddenly on the bed… so perhaps her balance was slightly off but that didn't matter. Her stomach heaved and Alex lay back. The last thing she wanted was for Gene to see her dashing to the bathroom. She waited. He would leave before long then all she had to do was watch out of the window until the Quattro screamed out of Fenchurch East car park and then she could go and get some work done. It was a good plan. In the meantime there was no harm in getting back under the duvet and making him think he had won.

Sure enough before much longer there was a knock at the door. Alex didn't reply, wanting him to think that she had gone back to sleep. The door opened a crack and she heard his voice, no longer shouting, almost gentle.

"I'll be home early. Bring some paperwork for you."

Alex kept her eyes closed. She would have told him to piss off but she didn't actually want to talk to him. He was being an overprotective twat. She was certain that, if she'd been a man, he would have expected her to carry on as if nothing had happened.

She felt one side of the bed dip. Curiosity got the better of her and Alex opened her eyes to see Gene sitting on the side of the bed. He looked tired, she realised. As if he hadn't slept all night. Her lack of response was obviously annoying him.

"Don't play me for a fool Bols. You go behind my back and I'll have Viv lock you in a cell for the day. Understand?"

She nodded.

"Good. See you later."

Alex had no doubt that he would carry out his threat, but she was also confident in her ability to win over the desk sergeant. It was funny; in her previous life Alex had never even contemplated using her sexuality to get her own way but it was different here. A flash of her cleavage and most of the men she worked with would do anything she asked. They were easily distracted. But she hadn't figured loyalty to Gene Hunt into the equation. As soon as she walked into the station Viv very politely escorted her outside again.

"Sorry ma'am, the Guv would have my knackers on a plate if I let you in," he apologised.

No amount of pleading on her part would change his mind. Alex was left outside, still feeling slightly sick and with nothing to do apart from go back to the flat and stare at the walls all day. Disgruntled, she walked down the steps and almost collided with the man coming up them.

"Sorry…" she began not even realising who it was at first. Alex would have pushed past him if he hadn't put out a hand to stop her.

"Alex, how are you?"

It was Evan. Alex smiled at him.

"Better," she said. "Much better."

"That's good… great."

He looked at his watch, a gesture Alex had seen time and time again whilst she was growing up. Evan had somewhere else that he needed to be. She felt vaguely disappointed. The child that still lived within expected her godfather to be at her beck and call … on hand to take care of her if she wanted him to.

"You have to go," she tried to smile.

"Yes. I'm sorry. Life never seems to stop these days, what with work and Alexandra…"

Her heart went out to him. Alex knew only too well the strain of being a single parent. Even though you loved your child unconditionally there were times that you just wanted to get away from it all. She had forced this responsibility on him not just once, but twice. Alex knew without a doubt that he would be taking care of Molly in 2008, just as he had looked after Alexandra. She could see the traces of grey in his beard and hair, the first indications of the strain he was under. Without a second thought, Alex made an offer that upon reflection never she would have voiced.

"Why don't you come to dinner tomorrow night? If you can get a babysitter that is …"

Evan hesitated before replying,

"Are you sure DCI Hunt won't mind?"

"It's none of his business."

"Oh… DI Carling told me the two of you were living together."

Alex made a mental note to smack Ray the next time she saw him.

"Temporarily," she replied.

"Well in that case… I'd love to."

"I'll see you tomorrow then. About 8?"

She let Evan kiss her cheek before he hurried away. It was only after he had gone that Alex was left wondering exactly what she had done. Gene wouldn't be happy. She would just have to persuade him that he should be somewhere else on Thursday night. Alex was certain that he would jump at the chance to disappear to the pub for an evening. And Evan … Alex didn't know how she felt about him. Certainly he was good looking and charming and he obviously liked her. But there was something vaguely incestuous about it all. He was her Godfather, the man who had raised her. Deep down, Alex knew that she couldn't possibly have any kind of romantic relationship with him however she wasn't sure that he understood that. Her head was pounding more furiously than ever as she stumbled back across the road. .

Alex slept for most of the day, waking when she heard Gene's key in the door. As good as his word he was home early. She would never have admitted but the rest had made her feel much better and she actually felt like she could eat the meal that Gene had brought up from the restaurant. It was actually quite pleasant to sit together, with a bottle of wine, arguing over the day's cases.

"It was the wife, Guv! She is guilty!"

"Bollocks! The body was dragged down three flights of stairs and then dumped in the river. Look at her!"

He waved a photo in her face and Alex found herself staring at a petite blonde woman who looked as if she was a prime candidate for an eating disorder. A strong puff of wind would blow her away.

"There are other ways to move a body apart from brute force and ignorance."

"My money's on his best mate."

"Because he's a man?"

"Because he's guilty!"

Gene stood up and pulled on his jacket.

"Where are you going?"

"For a smoke. You don't get the keys to the Quattro that easy Bolly."

Alex sat back and took a sip of her wine, amused more than annoyed that he'd effectively walked out on their argument. She went to the window looking down on the street where she could see Gene pacing back and forth. Damn it but he did look sexy when he smoked. He glanced up briefly and seeing her standing there exhaled slowly before throwing the remains of his cigarillo away.

"Could they have been in it together?" he suggested as he walked back into the flat, picking up the discussion from where he'd left off. She considered the idea for a moment. It had merit except…

"According to their statements they hated each other," she said.

"Maybe that's what they wanted us to think? Maybe she's the brain and he's the brawn?"

"Call them in again and cross examine?"

"I'll get on it first thing tomorrow. Now what's next?"

Leaning forward, Alex picked up the next file and flipped through it.

"Rape case."

"Might as well throw that away. Your mate Evan got him off."

"What?"

"The wife wouldn't press charges so the case fell apart."

"Shit."

"My thoughts exactly."

Alex wasn't sure how she felt about that. As a child she had believed that Evan had only defended the innocent. Knowing that his direct intervention had allowed a dangerous man back onto the streets was a bit disconcerting. Her anger flared again.

"I should have been there… I could have spoken to her…"

"No you couldn't... you could hardly stand up this morning. Look, maybe she'll leave the bastard?"

But Alex shook her head. They both knew that was unlikely to happen.

"I doubt it. She'll have convinced herself that he didn't mean to hurt her… until it happens again and again…,"

Gene poured more wine into her glass.

"There's a ... a little girl," he went on. "She wants to keep the family together. I know these bastards, Bols. They'll say anything. Probably got her convinced that she'll lose the kid."

"And how long until he takes it out on the child?"

He didn't reply and for a moment he seemed lost. Alex suddenly had the feeling that he was taking this more personally than she had first thought. If that child was ever hurt then she knew his anger would be terrible and Alex found herself scared for him. Gene walked a fine line. In a case like this he might well take the law into his own hands. She could see it in his eyes, an intensity that was hard to ignore.

"Need something stronger than this," he said, draining his wine with some distaste.

"There's whiskey in the cupboard… and you can pour me one."

Gene returned quickly enough, two full glasses in his hands. Alex moved closer to him as he sat down, not quite touching but instinctively needing his companionship. She was thinking of home. Of Molly. Of how when the job got too much she had always been able to take pleasure in spending time with her daughter. That release was no longer available and Alex was left with a glass of whiskey … and Gene. She looked at him. Like her he seemed lost in thought, in memories. Reaching out, Alex touched his hand.

"We'll get him," she said, softly "Somehow …"

"'Course we will Bols," he said, his fingers twining with hers.

She almost expected some stupid remark, some smutty comment but none came. He just sat there, holding her hand as if it were the most natural thing in the world. With a gentle tug, he pulled her closer and Alex was surprised at how willingly her body obeyed. There was a moment of tension before she relaxed and snuggled up to him.

"Sometimes the kids learn to hit back," he said.

Alex looked at him, sensing that he was telling her something deeply personal.

"And sometimes… sometimes a wife will tell her husband that she doesn't like what he does to her," she whispered a memory she hardly dared voice. Eyes tight shut she buried her face in his chest, taking comfort in the beat of his heart.

"Alex," he breathed her name and his lips brushed against her hair. "What do you say we forget this daft bet?" he ventured. "You and me, tomorrow night… we'll go someplace nice."

She looked up into his eyes, seeing the hope that burned there. But then she remembered Evan and the only words that entered her brain were,

'Oh shit…'