Ok, this is the final chapter. Thanks to all who have read and reviewed and my profuse apologies for taking so long to get there.

Disclaimer: Despite my best efforts, I still do not own Ashes to Ashes.

Alex tensed as she heard the footsteps come closer, trying to gauge Gene's mood from the sound of his boots on the floortiles. Brisk but not erratic, perhaps he wasn't angry; she hadn't heard his office door slam. As she heard him cross the carpeted area between the squad room and the kitchen, she took a deep breath and looked towards the doorway.

As he turned into the kitchen, Gene saw her sitting at the table, a serious yet expectant expression on her face. In the thirty seconds or so it had taken him to reach the kitchen, he had formulated exactly what he wanted to say. He just hoped she was willing to hear it.

"I told you the truth, Alex. Sam asked me to help him and I did. You made me feel like a fool. One minute, you're looking at me with those come-to-bed eyes, the next, I'm alone in your flat, 'cause you've buggered off without a word."

Looking at the despair in Gene's face, Alex realised that this was as much about her betraying him by doubting him, as it was about a wounded ego and desperate need to be in control. She knew she had to choose her words carefully but she needed to know how that film had come to be in his desk and what it represented.

"I believe you, Gene. I believed you when you told me. I just don't understand, the photos, the grave. It was all too much; I just needed some space to collect my thoughts."

At the word 'grave' Gene's ears pricked up. What was she talking about?

"Alex, what was in that box?"

Alex looked at him astonished. How could he not know what was in that box? It was in his desk, it belonged to him, he must know what was in there. The look of confusion in his eyes contradicted her thoughts and she reached into her pocket, pulling out the envelope of photographs that Keats had brought her earlier, sliding it across the table towards Gene. He contemplated it for a few moments before placing his hand on top of it and looking Alex straight in the eye.

"Before I look in there, I need to tell you how that box ended up in my desk."

"Gene..."

"Don't, Alex, just let me tell you."

Gene took the seat next to her and placed his hands one on top of the other. Alex placed one of her hands on top of his, tracing circles lightly across his knuckles, letting him know he could take his time.

"I told you that I helped Sam fake his own death, and it's true, I did, but that's not the end of the story. You see, after it was done, Sam said he wanted to meet for one last drink. I knew it was a risk to meet 'im but 'e was the best mate I'd ever 'ad. I cleared out 'is locker at the station and went to meet 'im somewhere on the outskirts of Manchester. I waited in the car and sure enough, 'e showed up..."

"Guv, I..."

"If you're coming over all Dorothy, Tyler, I really don't wanna hear it. Yer stuff's in the back if you want it."

"Thanks, Guv. I'm sorry you had to be involved in this."

"I'm not going to try and change yer mind, Sam. I don't understand why you've had to do this, but I trust you. Who'd've thought it, eh? A picky pain in the arse like you, needing 'elp from me. Bet it hurt you to have to ask."

Sam smiled wryly. "I want to tell you the truth, Guv, but you'll find out eventually, in your own time. When you do, this might come in handy."

Gene looked at Sam for the first time since he'd got into the car, then stared down at the tiny patterned tin box in Sam's hands.

"Bit girly for me, Sam. Kinda thing the missus buys for the mantelpiece."

"Sorry about that, Guv. But it's the contents that are important. Take it, put it somewhere safe and when the day comes, you'll know and open it."

Gene looked sceptical but took the box from Sam and put in the inside pocket of his jacket, a place usually reserved for his hipflask. Sam made to get out of the car.

"You comin' in, Guv?" Sam inclined his head towards the pub behind him, which Gene noticed was also called The Railway Arms, just like their local. A strange feeling took him over, a force that seemed to hold him down in his seat. He couldn't follow Sam into the pub yet.

"In a minute, Tyler."

Sam got out of the car and shut the door. He started to walk away in the direction of the pub. Gene leaned over to the passenger window and opened it, calling out to Sam as he did.

"Get one in for me an' all, Tyler"

Sam turned and grinned back at him. "It'll be waiting for you, Guv"

"And you never saw him again?"

Gene looked down at their hands, her pale, perfect skin contrasting with the roughness of his own. He shook his head.

"No. I never did go into that pub. I just couldn't. I can't explain why. It was like this other force just stopped me. Christ, I sound like a right crackpot. Too much time spent with you and Tyler, I think."

Alex gave him a watery half-smile and shook her head.

"It makes sense to me, Gene. I wish you'd told me this before. Maybe we could have worked out what's going on here together."

Gene contemplated her words for a moment, a strange sensation washing over him as he did, as if he was trying to remember a dream. Fragments of memories danced in the back of his mind and he felt an overwhelming energy run through him, as if it was emanating from the envelope beneath his fingers.

"Alex, what you said in your letter, about being from the future. I'm sorry I got so angry before, I'm sorry I didn't believe you. I mean, it's impossible, isn't it? But I do believe you, now, I mean, right this minute."

A single tear rolled down Alex's cheek as she reached out to cup his face.

"Thank you," she whispered.

Gene gently wiped her tear away, wanting to take her into his arms there and then and hold her until the rest of the world just fell away. That would have to wait, however, until they'd got to the bottom of the riddle Sam had left him with. Bloody Tyler, he thought, not for the first time that evening. Tearing his eyes away from hers, Gene looked down at the envelope on the table in front of him. Inhaling deeply, he picked it up and gently pulled back the ragged edge, reached inside and pulled out the photographs. He didn't dare look at them for a moment, hesitating, glancing at Alex and then returning to the photographs.

He smiled as he saw the faces of Sam and Annie smiling back at him, himself, Sam, Chris and Ray beside the Cortina, back in the days when he'd felt at ease in his kingdom, surrounded by his unshakeably loyal team. As he worked his way through the photographs, he finally came to the farmhouse. It was familiar to him, but he didn't know why, the forgotten dream still hovering at the back of his mind.

"I know this place." Gene's voice was soft, softer than Alex had ever heard it, almost unrecognisable. "I don't know how I know it but I do."

"Maybe this will help." Reaching into her coat pocket, Alex pulled out the photograph that was so much smaller than the rest. The photograph of PC 6-6-20. Gene just stared at it, the haze and fog hanging over the dream in the back of his mind lifting and the terrible memory coming to the fore.

When he looked up, Alex saw the sadness and confusion in his eyes, as well as something else; an emptiness. Alex realised it was the same desperate look she had when she looked in her mirror. At that moment, she felt a sadness for Gene she had never felt before. Suddenly all the distrust, the mystery, Keats, none of it mattered to her. Gene needed her and she needed him. They were one and the same.

She placed her hand over his again. He was trembling a little and put up no resistance as she gently took the photos from him and placed them back in the envelope. Standing up, she took his hand and pulled him to his feet.

"These are going back in the box, Gene. We'll deal with this tomorrow. It's been a long night and I think we both need some sleep."

Normally, Gene reflected, he'd be furious with her. She'd wheedled a deep personal truth out of him, made him bare his soul and now she just wanted to put it all back in the box and forget about it. Yet he could see in her face that she was deadly serious, they would deal with this tomorrow. Still holding her hand, he followed her out to the squad room, into his office, where she stopped in front of his desk.

"You do it," she said simply, handing him the envelope. He took it from her and placed it back in the box, hesitating for a second, before closing the lid and putting it in his pocket, as he had done back in 1980.

"Alex..."

"Shh, Gene," she whispered, moving towards him, never averting her gaze from his. His scent was intoxicating as her lips were touching distance from his. "Just take me home," she breathed, before capturing his lips in a tender kiss.

Gene responded instantly, the raw memories so recently evoked replaced with memories of earlier that evening, holding her, wanting her. His desire overcame him, pulling her tightly towards him, running his hands up her spine and into her hair. He never wanted to let her go, yet he wanted to do this right. Tearing his lips from hers, breathing hard, he somehow managed to regain his composure.

"I love you, Alex Drake."

Alex smiled, tears running down her face, as her heart broke for the man she loved, the man who'd never had a real chance at life but whose spirit had been too strong to simply fade away. Tomorrow she would cry for herself, for the daughter she knew she would never see again but right now, it was Gene she cried for. She buried her face in his chest, as her sniffs turned to sobs and Gene wrapped his arms around her.

When she eventually stilled, Gene gently rubbing her back, she looked up into his silvery blue eyes.

"I love you too, Gene."

Wrapping her arm around his waist, him throwing an arm across her shoulders, they left the station together and made their way back to Alex's flat. Tomorrow was another day, tonight, what was left of it, would be their own little part of paradise.

Fin.

A/N: Thank you very much to everyone who has read and reviewed, I really appreciate it. That really is it for this story, but thank you to everyone who has read and supported me. xx