As they sat there together in the interview room, Alex couldn't help admire the complete sense of ease that Hunt had about him. One of his legs was rested on the other at the ankle and he was leant back on the little plastic chair with his arms crossed, completely drowning it. She glanced down at the way she was sat – slightly leant forward, her elbows on the table - and adjusted herself so that her body language didn't scream out 'I am fascinated by you'. When on earth did she become so easy to read?

'And why was it you hit PC…' she glanced down at the paper which lay between them 'Peters?' she asked. Hunt looked to the side, his head tilted back slightly and let out a sigh of impatience.

'Because 'e was a twat' he told her shortly, not even glancing in her direction. 'Anything else, Break? Any more bloody daft questions for me or can I leave this shit'ole?' He finally looked towards the woman across the table from him and raised his eyebrows at her. Alex stared back at him for a moment, countering his stare with an equally steely front. After silence had filled the room in which Hunt was waiting for her to reply and she was trying to get an idea of what the hell this guy was, she broke the stillness by taking a sudden deep sigh, turning her head to the side and leaning back in her chair. She arranged her limbs into a relaxed position and tried to hide the fact that she was getting increasingly annoyed with this 'Hunt'. She didn't know why – she rarely got this frustrated – but she could feel her blood pressure rising and was trying hard to keep a lid on it. Meeting his eyes again, she tried to give off an air of confidence.

'It's Drake' she corrected him with one of her signature sarcastic smiles. Hunt stared at her with a small frown line between his brows.

'What'a you on about, woman?'

'My name. It's Drake. You called me Break. My name is Alex Drake'

I've just been shot and that bullet has… what? Has what? Her mind clawed at the words but it was no good. They were gone.

'Yeah, fabulous. I'll be sure to look you up in the yellow pages when I 'ave a minute' Alex felt her blood boil that little bit more.

'Look Mister Hunt, we're not get-'

'It's Gene' he interrupted. Alex looked at him questioningly so he continued. 'Don't call me 'Mister 'Unt' like I'm some kinda ponce. It's Gene. Mista just does my 'ead in.' Alex stared at him for second. It was clear from his expression that he really hated being called 'Mister Hunt'. She decided that was something that she could maybe explore – they didn't seem to be getting anywhere fast anyway.

'And why is that, "Gene"?' She waggled her fingers as she said his name and even as raised her hands to do it, she saw his eyes flash and she wondered where the airquotes had even come from.

'There it is' he replied shortly. 'Knew the psycho shit would come along soon.'

'Alright "Gene"' - Again with the waggling finger. What the hell, Alex? Stop it - 'Jesus, I've tried to talk to you and you're having bloody none of it. You apparently have no respect for anyone. I haven't tried to push you into answering my bloody questions and you've been like an insolent child the entire time I've been here. I give up. Well done. I'll send someone else in to talk to you.' Alex had had enough of him. Once again, she asked herself why this man seemed to wind her up so much, but she just couldn't find an answer. He was managing to get under her skin more than anyone she had known for a very long time. Standing up and turning to leave the room, she was painfully aware of the piercing stare which was fixed on her. Her hand automatically went up to her hair to try and push it into place and she realised that she really should start taking a bit better care of herself. Her regular ponytail was firmly in place, her makeup minimal and she found herself suddenly wishing that she'd spent a little bit more time applying it. Her trouser suit wasn't as tailored as she unexpectedly now found she wanted it to be, and she wondered why the hell this man was having such an effect on her. She had found that for the last couple of years, her appearance had really taken a back seat and she just couldn't be bothered to spend time finding clothes that showed off her figure or applying makeup to accentuate her cheekbones or eyes. She lived each day on semi-autopilot and personal appearance wasn't one of her functions.

As she reached the door, she threw one last glare at him, grasped the handle and ripped it open, but her name being called surprised her and she unintentionally stopped.

'Drake. Wait.' She looked back to see his eyes still firmly fixed on her and she wasn't sure why, but she let go of the door handle and turned to face him. She rubbed her hands over her face, moving her fringe out of her eyes in the process and then crossed her arms and shifted her weight to one leg. Neither of them spoke or a while as they looked one another over. Why hadn't he let her leave? From his demeanor he didn't want her to be anywhere near him, so surely he'd have been glad to see the back of her?

'Sit back down?' he asked. Alex frowned. His question had been more of a command with only the slightest hint that it had been a request. His face was still perfectly emotionless, just the steely sort of frown that he had worn the entire time she had been in the room. She was starting to think that it wasn't a frown at all, just his natural look. After not moving for a couple of seconds, Alex let curiosity get the better of her and crossed the room back to where her chair was. There was something about this man that she couldn't put her finger on, but he seemed to take all the emotions that she usually felt and intensify them. Sitting down, she leant back on the chair again and waited for him to speak. From past experience, she knew that it was sometimes best just to sit in silence and see what happened. After the first minute she noticed the stubborn way his jaw was set. After the second, she let out a sigh. After the third she realised that maybe this wasn't the best idea. The silence really was becoming quite uncomfortable and she hadn't ever been one to sit for any amount of time and just do nothing so maybe if she just spoke then –

'Is this more psychoshit?' he asked, interrupting her thoughts 'Or a game you like to play?'

'Only with my very favourite people' she replied giving him another sarcastic smile. Where the hell did that come from? So much for being professional, Alex. Gene let out a short bark of a laugh, followed by a deep breath as he leant forward on the desk between them, moving his face closer to hers.

'Ask me your bloody questions so I can leave then' he ordered, shifting his elbow slightly. Alex looked at him for a second. He was going to cooperate with her then? Finally. Maybe she could get some answers out of him at last.

'Why did you tell me to stay?' What? Alex, why ask that? Do your job and leave. Jesus Christ. Her face didn't betray her screaming thoughts, rather remained with a slight frown and hint of curiosity. Gene seemed to contemplate the question and she thought that he wasn't going to answer it at all until –

'Because you were gonna walk out' he said simply. The frown on Alexs' face deepened and she cocked her head at him questioningly. His eyes rolled as he saw that she wanted him to elaborate on his answer. 'Ya were gonna walk out! Ya didn't wanna take my shit and were gonna leave. Ya didn't seem like some posh bird who lay down and took it. Well, ya didn't then. I'm 'aving my doubts again now.' The disinterested look settled over his face again and Alex couldn't help but roll her eyes and look at him with her jaw slightly dropped. She too leant forward on the desk so their faces were level and probably slightly closer than was acceptable when one was in a police station for assault of a police officer.

'You really have no idea how insulting you are do you?' she asked slowly, her head tilting slightly to one side as she spoke. Her eyes were narrowed a little in a questioning way and her lips were parted.

'Oh I do…I just don't give a rats arse' Gene replied, a big false smile filling his face. They stared each other down for a couple seconds before Alex pulled back, shook her head, scratched her forehead with exasperation, leant one elbow on the table and then propped her head up on it.

'We're really not getting anywhere here. So just tell me why you hit PC Peters and I'll leave' she picked the pencil which lay by the forms up in her right hand and looked at it, poised to start writing, with boredom on her face as she waited for an answer. He surprised her by actually providing one.

'Because he was beating up a prozzie' he told her shortly. Alex slowly lifted her head.

'What?'

'He was kickin' a prozzie about and didn't like it when I told 'im to leave 'er alone.'

'Are you sure?' Alex asked, eyes wide. He couldn't be telling the truth, surely? Peters was a police officer. Surely he wouldn't… would he?

'Bastards think they're above the bloody law. He'd be off my team quicker than a whore off a soft dick' His expression turned into a confused frown almost as soon as the words had left his mouth, as did Alexs' as soon as she got past his vulgar choice of words and realised what he'd actually said.

'You're team? What team?' she asked. Gene didn't answer, just seemed to stare into the distance, the frown line between his eyes deep and his face the image of confusion. Alex waited for the fog to clear in his mind until he vaguely said;

'I don't know…' he looked at her and met her eyes for a second before looking back down at the table, his fingers tracing the line of his chin as he tried to think of the team that he had mentioned. It was clear that it had just popped out of his mouth before he had time to even think about it and now he was trying to get to the reasoning behind it.

Alex leant forward slightly in silence as she gave him time to think. She knew exactly what he was trying to do. God, she'd done it enough times herself. Not so often anymore – but definitely after she first woke up. The strangest things would come out of her mouth and the people she was with would look at her like she was crazy as she tried desperately to cling to whatever it was that had made her say it, but she could never quite hold it and would eventually have to just move on and forget whatever she had said. So maybe if she gave Gene a bit of silence, he would be more successful in holding onto his half-memories.

Rubbing his forehead in puzzlement, Gene tried as hard as he could to pull the memory back but it was like a brick wall had been built around it, rendering it completely inaccessible. With the same distant and vague tone he had used before, he broke the silence that had fallen over them.

'I really don't know, Bolls…' Gene frowned as he looked down to expect his hands. A split second later, his eyes flew up to meet hers which were frozen on his face. Neither of them breathed as he realised what he had said and her mind pelted some long forgotten memories at her. Hard.

'In my office, Lady Bolls'

'You and me Bolls. We're a team.'

'I'm everywhere Bolly. I was needed and I was there.'

'Why did you call me that?' she asked, her tone a little sharper than she had intended.

'It just slipped out' he replied, wondering why her tone had gone from mild to quite harsh and snappy in a matter of seconds.

'How could it just 'slip out'? What does that even mean, 'just slipped out'? Bolls? How many other people do that you've just met do you go around calling 'Bolls'?' Gene stared at this seemingly crazy woman who was suddenly growing ever more hysterical before his very eyes.

'I don't bloody know, woman! Jesus, calm down before ya break your knicker elastic' his tone was starting to become impatient as he watched her stand up and pace a few steps in front of the desk that he was sat at. At his words, Alex turned sharply, leant towards him with one hand propping her up on the desk and one pointing a finger directly in his face as she snarled

'Don't you tell me what to do. Don't you ever tell me what to do' quickly pulling back from his face, she waved her hands around in the air as she continued. 'Ohhh the mighty Gene Hunt always has to have everyone under his control and giving out the orders. Well I - ' she jabbed a finger at herself – 'for one will not take orders from you' – then jabbed the finger at him, once again leant forward close to his face as she breathed heavily. In her head, she was asking herself where the hell this had come from and why she was overreacting so much but deep down she knew it was because she had had such a reaction to him calling her Bolls and he didn't even know why. Why had she heard him say it to her so many times before? She'd just met the bastard! How did she have so many memories of herself reacting to that very name as if it was the most normal thing in the world? Her head was all over the place and it seemed that the way her mind had chosen to express that confusion was through anger.

Gene looked pointedly from the finger which, was still pointed firmly at him, to the woman who was staring daggers his way.

'Would you kindly remove your finger from my face, Madam Fruitcake' he asked, his tone sharp.

Well, does it say who it could be in your crystal ball, Madam Fruitcake?

'And DON'T call me that either!' she yelled, spinning on her heels, letting out a scream of frustration and stomping towards the door. Glaring at Gene as she ripped the door open, she stormed through it and let her feet take over, leading her outside and to her car. Before she had even really registered where she was, she was clutching the steering wheel of her bright red car and shaking with frustration. Knowing she couldn't drive in the state she was in, Alex just let her head fall forward and rest on her hands which held the wheel.

This shit was supposed to have stopped. It was stopping, and along comes this great oaf with his shitty attitude and nicknames and she's right back at square one.

Fan-bloody-tastic.