Thanks for all the great reviews for this story. I really appreciate all the feedback for what has been a bit of an emotional rollercoaster so far.
`Speak English!' said the Eaglet. `I don't know the meaning of half those long words, and, what's more, I don't believe you do either!'
(Alice's Adventures in Wonderland)
Chapter 4
July 2008
'She's here Guv – she's in the Royal London.'
Gene sat impatiently in his wheelchair as Shaz peered along the corridor and waited for the agreed signal. Ever since Shaz had confirmed that Alex was indeed in the same hospital, he had been on tenterhooks. If it had been up to him, he would have thrown caution to the wind and gone racing down there. Luckily, cooler heads had prevailed and he had been persuaded that a plan was needed; you couldn't just go barging in and expect everyone else to be happy about it after all.
"Anything?" Gene snapped.
Shaz turned away from the corridor to face him. "Shouldn't be long now Guv. Chris will give the signal when the coast's clear."
Gene grunted his disapproval but there was nothing else to do but wait. Of course, Shaz had been right – you couldn't just go barging in. What the hell was he going to say? Oh, don't mind me but I was just wondering if this is the same Alex Drake I was in a coma with – the one who I was married to in 1983? They'd lock him up and throw away the key. So with Shaz's help a plan had been devised. Ray would distract any nurses with his best chat up lines and then Chris would give the signal for the all clear. Once Gene had been granted access to the private room, Chris and Shaz would then position themselves outside the door as lookouts, using the excuse that they were here on protection duties just in case Layton showed up. Simple.
Gene's ears pricked as the sound of a faint whistle echoed down the corridor. Shaz turned and smiled encouragingly.
"Wagons roll Guv?"
Gene simply nodded his agreement as his mouth dried up. Shaz cautiously manoeuvred the wheelchair out into the corridor and towards the room where a certain DI Alex Drake was lying.
"You alright Guv?"
He nodded again. "Just need to do this Shaz. I need to know." I just need to see my wife. Of course even if it was his Alex lying there – and he had no reason to doubt it – she wouldn't be his wife now, at least not legally. And there were other complications that he hadn't even begun to contemplate – mainly the fact that she was in a coma and might never wake up. Gene grimaced and brushed that unpalatable thought away. Alex would wake up – or he would spend the rest of his life mourning her loss. One thing he already knew for certain – if Alex wasn't alive in this world, then he was damn sure that he didn't want to be either.
"Guv," Chris said, as they finally arrived at the appointed door.
"What's 'appening?" Gene asked.
"Dunno how long we've got before someone comes back. Ray's chatting up the nurses and DI Drake's visitors have gone but they'll be back later."
"Visitors?"
"Yeah. A little girl…"
"That'll be Molly – her daughter," Gene said.
"...and some other bloke – dunno who he is though," Chris finished.
A bloke? Could it be her estranged husband? Gene knew all about Alex's unsuccessful and unhappy first marriage – maybe he'd turned up when he heard about the shooting? Or maybe she's got a boyfriend here – maybe she's still married? Gene's imagination ran riot as a host of previously unimagined obstacles presented themselves.
"Shall I come in with you Guv?" Shaz enquired gently.
Gene shook his head. "No…no…I can manage."
Shaz opened the door for him and he slowly manoeuvred himself through the doorway and into the room. As the door closed quietly behind him, he closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath to steady his nerves. On opening his eyes again, he briefly took in his surroundings but his eyes soon settled on the silent figure lying in the bed. He couldn't see her face from this angle and so he took another deep breath and wheeled himself forward. Every second seemed to stretch out into eternity and he couldn't remember the last time he had been so nervous – not even on their wedding day and that was saying something. Finally he arrived at her bedside, his heart thumping so loud he could hardly hear himself think. And then he saw her.
"Alex," he whispered. His heart soared as he recognised her pale but still beautiful face. Gently he took hold of her hand and kissed it gently before returning it to lie on the bed. "Oh love, what's happened to you?" He felt a tear fall from his lashes and he quickly brushed it away. Apparently he was a sentimental bastard here in the year 2008 but at this precise moment he couldn't give a toss. There wasn't actually very much Alex to see but it was enough to banish all doubt from his mind. He had no doubt that this was his Alex, his love and his wife.
Her body was hidden under pristine white hospital sheets and her head swathed in bandages – the only thing visible was her face. He studied her intently but there was no movement, no hint that she had heard his voice or perhaps recognised it. He almost laughed at himself. What had he expected – that she would instantly wake up and throw herself into his arms? Even if she woke up, there was still no guarantee that she would remember him or even admit to knowing him. Gene shook his head slightly and pursed his lips in determination. No. That wasn't an option. He still wasn't entirely sure how they had ended up in a coma together – if that was in fact what had happened, but he was convinced they had been in that strange collective coma for a reason – they belonged together.
"So," he cleared his throat and started to speak quietly to her, "this is a bit strange." He took her hand and squeezed it as he spoke. This was what you were supposed to do wasn't it? Try and talk to them as though they were awake. He desperately wanted to know what exactly was happening with Alex – what her condition was. He glanced around the room but there was nothing much to help him here and he began to wish that one of the nurses would come back and maybe explain what had happened – what her chances were. Then again – why would they tell him? A man who was, to all intents and purposes, a stranger?
He stroked her fingers as he began to talk. "Here's the thing love. Seems we were both in a coma – together. Funny but now that I think about it, some of those strange things you used to say are starting to make sense. Maybe you're not such a fruitcake after all." Mrs Fruitcake. He smiled as he remembered one of his many nicknames for her. What he wouldn't give to hear her yammering on now.
"Anyway," he continued, "you need to wake up now love. I need you to wake up." He cast his mind back to the last painful moments of his life in 1983. He could still remember the events of his 'death' quite vividly. He could remember hearing the panic in Alex's voice as she realised he was slipping away. He could remember the warmth of her fingers as she stroked his face and her soft breath as she whispered against his ear and told him about their baby.
"Oh God – the baby," he whispered. He couldn't begin to imagine what she was feeling – always presuming that she was still locked into her 1980's coma world. He knew she was strong, but even if she had loved him only half the amount that he had loved her, then she would be feeling like her world had ended. And on top of that she was pregnant. Was that the reason she hadn't woken up yet? Maybe the fact that she was pregnant was holding her back somehow?
"Alex sweetheart." He reached over and touched her cheek. "I dunno if you can hear me, but you have to wake up now – you have to come back to me. I know it's tough – what with the baby an' all – but you can't stay there. It's not safe for you Alex – not without me." When he remembered the unfinished business he had left behind, the warnings that Turpin had given him, it made his blood run cold to think of Alex left to their tender mercies. "Alex…"
Chris stuck his head around the door. "Guv? We have to go. Nurses are coming back."
"Yeah alright. Two more minutes. Try and hold 'em off." Gene watched as Chris reluctantly closed the door before turning back to the silent Alex.
"I might 'ave to go now love – not sure if I'll be able to persuade 'em to let me stay, suave and silver-tongued as I am," he said with a wry smile. He turned his head as he heard voices outside the door; undoubtedly Chris trying to delay the returning nurses for as long as possible.
"I love you Alex," he said, "not sure I ever told you enough when we were together but it's true." He got to his feet, a trifle unsteadily, and leaned over her sleeping form, brushing her cheek tenderly before kissing her lips. "Sleeping Beauty," he whispered, as he watched for any flicker of movement. "I'm no Prince Charmin' though am I? Worth a try though, eh love?" He wearily sat back down in the wheelchair, just as the door burst open and Chris fell through.
"Sorry Guv."
"You're alright Christopher – you and Shaz get yourself off home now." Gene eyes turned towards the nurse who had by now walked over to Alex's bedside. A male nurse. No wonder Ray hadn't had any luck in delaying this one.
"Can I ask who you are and what you're doing here? You're a patient I take it?"
Gene nodded. "DCI…sod it…I mean Superintendent Hunt." Might as well use the rank if he had it. "These other officers are under my orders. I take full responsibility for their actions."
"I see. Still doesn't explain what you were doing in here Mr Hunt and …."
"Ah, there you are Gene."
He turned as yet another nurse entered the room – but this one Gene recognised as one of those who had been dancing attendance on him until recently. He turned to her and smiled what he hoped was one of his most charming smiles.
"Marie, I was just…"
"Hold on a minute," the male nurse interrupted, "what did you say his name was?"
"Sorry Tony. This is Gene Hunt. He's a recovering coma patient from the next ward over."
"Oi" Gene raised his voice slightly, as the nurses conversed over his head. "I am here you know."
"We'd better be getting you back to bed Gene," Marie said, "You're not nearly strong enough to be gadding about."
"Hold on Marie," Tony said, "this is a bit strange."
"What?"
"Well, Alex hasn't said much since she was brought in – understandably. But she did say one word just as she was taken down to theatre for her operation."
"What?" Gene demanded.
Tony looked directly at him. "She said your name – she said 'Gene'."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Alex…Alex…wake up Alex." Gene sat next to her bed, intently watching her face for any reaction. He thought he saw a slight twitch of her lips but he couldn't be sure.
"Come on Bols!"
Nothing. He was kidding himself wasn't he? The nurses had decided to let him stay by her bedside for another hour – just to see if he could prompt a response where others had failed. And he had been so sure that he could – especially when he had found out that she had said his name. Of course, for Gene this was only confirmation of what he already knew; this was his Alex, the very same Alex who had been beside him in the 1980's. Still, it was something to work with and it certainly made the nurses more amenable to his presence at her bedside and to filling in the missing details that he so desperately needed to know.
Naturally they had wanted to know how he knew Alex and even more naturally Gene had told them what they wanted to hear – and if that involved some stretching of the truth – or even downright lies – then he wasn't going to feel too guilty about it. He told them they were work colleagues and also managed to hint that they were good friends. Very good friends indeed. Marie had smiled indulgently but there was also a hint of sorrow in her eyes when she looked at Alex. When he had asked exactly what had happened and when Alex would wake, both nurses had turned to him with matching sympathetic expressions.
To Gene's mounting horror, they then told him all about Alex's ordeal – how she had been shot in the head by Arthur Layton and not discovered until many hours later. Miraculously she was still alive when found by the paramedics – it was only their prompt action which had saved her life and enabled Mr Gerrard to operate to remove the bullet which had lodged in her frontal lobe.
Gene's eyes flickered towards Tony, the male nurse who looked after Alex, who was now monitoring the drip attached to Alex's arm and making scribbled notes on her chart.
"Any change?" Gene asked hopefully.
Tony shook his head. "Still the same – but that's good. I think she's stabilised a little since you came on the scene."
Gene nodded thoughtfully. "Tell me again what the consultant said – about the brain damage."
"Well, as a police officer you must have seen your fair share of head injuries caused by bullets?"
"Me fair share."
"Then you'll know that a high percentage end in death…"
"She's not going to die," Gene interrupted.
"We hope not, but you have to be realistic. Even if she recovers consciousness she may well have sustained some brain damage."
"You're a cheerful bastard. Go on."
"On the plus side, the bullet didn't penetrate any further than the frontal lobe and it stayed intact – that lessened the chance of any further injury. Mr Gerrard performed a craniotomy and supraorbital osteotomy…
"Speak bloody English!"
"He removed the bullet and repaired the damaged brain tissue as far as he could. Now all we can do is wait for Alex to wake up. Still early days yet," he glanced at the clock, "she's been in hospital less than 48 hours."
"And the minus side…the brain damage?"
"I should get Mr Gerrard to explain…"
"No. You explain," Gene insisted.
"Well, it could be something relatively minor like loss of strength in the arms and hands, some difficulty in language, using the right words that sort of thing. But there could also be some changes to her personality, mood swings for example."
Gene thought for a moment. "But I woke up and I seem to be alright?"
"Yes, but your injury was quite different and your long-term memory loss is a major symptom. That could be permanent – or it might not be. You haven't got away scot free Mr Hunt – you almost died."
"Yeah, suppose you're right."
"Now, I can let you sit here for another half an hour but I think you should probably disappear before Alex's visitors come back – unless you know them of course?"
"Err no…not really. We were keeping it quiet...our friendship that is."
"Enough said."
Gene watched thoughtfully as Tony made one last check before leaving him alone with Alex. He took her hand again and squeezed it – he wasn't really sure if it was for Alex's benefit or for his own.
"I don't care what they say love – you are coming back to me. I don't care if you've got a few mental problems – you always were a fruitcake."
He sat there for what seemed like an eternity, holding her hand, talking about the cases they cracked and the villains they put away. But mostly he talked about their lives together; how he had loved her almost from the start, how he had tried to resist her and finally given in and how the best days of his life had been spent with her. He tried his best but he hadn't felt this hopeless since the last time she was in hospital - the time when the IRA had almost blown her to kingdom come.
"Hello."
Gene turned around at the sound of a young girls voice, but he knew who it would be without even asking.
"Hello," he replied.
She put her head to one side and observed him with an intense scrutiny that instantly reminded him of Alex.
"Are you a friend of my Mum?"
Gene nodded. "Yes I am. Are you Molly?"
Molly smiled and nodded. "Yes. How did you know?"
"She talks a lot about you…all the time."
"Is your name Gene?"
Gene's eyes widened with shock. "Yeah but how…I mean when…"
"I heard the nurses talking," Molly said calmly. "And I know Mum said that name when they brought her into hospital. They asked me if I knew anyone called Gene but I thought it was a girl's name."
He tried not to smile – she was so like her mother. "Well, it's not just a girls name – it's short for Eugene." He stuck one hand towards her. "Detective Superintendent Gene Hunt at your service."
Molly shook his hand firmly. "I'm Molly Drake."
"Pleased to meet you Molly."
Molly gave him another appraising stare. "Are you ill too? Is that why you're in hospital?"
He nodded. "I was in a bit of an accident. Well, some bas… I mean somebody hit me over the 'ead. I was in a coma."
"Oh. But you're alright now?"
"Seems so." Gene decided not to explain about his memory loss for the moment.
"So that means that Mum could wake up too – just like you did?"
"I hope so Molly." He glanced towards the door as Molly sat on the bed next to Alex. "You 'ere on your own then?"
"Nah. Evan's busy talking to someone on his mobile – he'll be here in a few minutes."
Evan? Evan White? Gene's mind raced with the implications. Although Evan had more or less disappeared from their lives once little Alex Price was left orphaned, he had always retained an illogical distrust of the man where his Alex was concerned. And now it appeared that Evan White wasn't just another imaginary figure from his coma – he was real.
"Maybe I'd better go." He reluctantly let go of Alex's hand and started to manoeuvre his way towards the door.
"Do you have to? It's just…" she glanced nervously towards Alex and then back to Gene, "…it's just I'm not really sure what to say to her."
Gene smiled. "Just tell her you love her and that you want her to come home. That'll do the trick." He winked at her reassuringly and he was rewarded with a bright smile. He had just about managed to make it to the door when it opened, crashing into his legs with some force.
"Buggering 'ell," Gene glanced at Molly, "Sorry Molls."
"God, I'm so sorry," Evan said, "I wasn't expecting anyone to be behind the door." He frowned slightly. "Do I know you?"
Gene quickly recovered both from the pain of his encounter with the door and from the shock of seeing a much older Evan White – he must have been 60 if he was a day!
"No I don't think so," Gene said quickly. While he was reluctant to leave Alex to the likes of Evan, he wasn't really sure he wanted to stick around and try and explain himself. And besides, it was all starting to get a bit weird around here and it was making his head hurt just thinking about it. "I was just going…"
"Not so fast Mr…?"
"Hunt…Superintendent Gene Hunt."
Evan's eyes widened a little, but he otherwise gave nothing away. "Can I ask what you were doing in Alex's room?"
"He was only talking to her Evan," Molly piped up, "He's a friend of Mum's."
"Really?" he said dryly. "So, you're the mysterious Gene?"
"Nothing mysterious about me mate," Gene said, attempting to keep a lid on his temper. If this was the same Evan White that he had known previously, then he had nothing but contempt for the bastard. It was probably down to him that Tim Price had killed himself and his wife in a car bomb – with the help of Layton of course.
"I think you should leave now," Evan said.
"Do you now? And why's that? Afraid I know too much about you?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about Mr Hunt. What I do know is that Alex is very seriously ill and her only visitors should be her family."
"Family!" Gene exploded. Jesus Christ on a bike. "I'm more bloody family to that woman than you are. Who the hell are you to her anyway?"
"I'm her godfather – but if you knew her as well as you claim to, then you would know that."
"Evan," Molly interrupted, "I think…"
"Not now Molly."
Godfather? Gene rapidly tried to process this new piece of information but nothing was making sense. "And what about little Alex Price – what happened to her?"
Evan looked bemused and then gestured towards the bed. "This is Alex Price."
"Eh?"
"Price is Alex's maiden name. Now I really want you to leave this room Hunt."
"Evan," Molly said more insistently, "I really think you…."
"Later Molly."
Gene stared for a long moment but suddenly it all clicked into place. In 1981 Layton had helped to blow up Alex's parents and White here had unwittingly supplied the vehicle that Tim had used – and helped to spring Layton from prison. And then in 2008 Layton had shot Alex. There had to be a connection – but as far as Gene was concerned the only reason he needed was standing right in front of him.
"You bastard," Gene hissed as he struggled to his feet. "You're the reason Layton shot Alex!"
"No…that is I don't…."
"Don't give me that crap." He grabbed White by the arm not really knowing what he intended to do next, but luckily he was saved from making that decision.
"Evan – Mummy's waking up!"
"What?"
They all moved towards the bed, Evan reaching her side first as Gene slumped into his wheelchair and then quickly wheeled to her side. At first Gene could see nothing – her face was serene and unmoving, her arms still by her side. "You sure Molly?" he queried.
"Yes – I saw her lips move."
"Go and get a doctor," Gene barked at Evan.
"I really think I should stay and…"
"Trust me on this one. Alex is more likely to respond to my voice than yours. Now do something bloody useful for a change and get some help."
Evan hesitated for a moment but then moved quickly, almost sprinting out of the room in his quest for assistance.
Gene turned his attention back to Alex. "I know you can hear me love, so I want you to pay attention. You have to wake up now – can you do that for me?" He took her hand again and smiled encouragement at Molly. "Molly's here Alex – she needs you to come back. Can you squeeze my finger?" He stared hard at Alex's hand, willing it to move. He closed his eyes and prayed.
And then he felt it. A tiny almost imperceptible movement – but a movement it was.
"Well done love. You can do it."
"Is she waking up Gene?" Molly said anxiously.
"I think she is love. You talk to her as well."
"I'm here Mummy. I love you so much."
"Come on Alex you can do it."
He watched her face for any slight movement, any indication that she could hear them and was trying to wake. He knew from recent experience how difficult it was; it felt like you were making huge movements when in reality you were hardly moving at all.
"Look," Molly said. "Her eyelids."
Sure enough when Gene looked closely, there was a faint tremor as she attempted to open her eyes.
"You're doing great love. Now open those eyes Bols – that's an order."
Gene felt his stomach lurch and his heart pound, as slowly but surely her eyelids flickered open, blinking furiously as she tried to clear away the fog she had been mired in.
"She's awake!" Molly said excitedly, as Evan rushed back into the room, quickly followed by the nurse and a doctor whom Gene didn't recognise.
"Yes she is Molly," Evan said, "Thank God."
Alex was focused on her daughters face, squeezing her hand with increasing strength as she gradually surfaced towards full consciousness. Gene could only look on, rendered speechless by the huge well of emotion that threatened to overwhelm him.
"And guess what Mum? Gene's here too."
Gene held his breath as Alex slowly turned her head towards him and the rest of the world melted away. Her eyes grew large with shock and disbelief as she finally focused on his face.
"Gene?"
to be continued. . . . . .