Disclaimer : Thanks for the reviews. Still not mine. Please be aware this chapter contains a few episodes of bad language. Also describes violence. I dont mean to offend or upset anyone. Please not it is T rated, so not overly graphic. Please skip if offended and accept my apologies

Secrets

The drive home had been in almost silence. Gene swearing at the occasional cyclist that dared to be on the same stretch of road as him. Alex glared out the window, praying that she'd find out the truth sooner rather than later. She hated being kept in the dark. She'd always felt that she had to fight to find the truth, since the day her father had killed himself and murdered her mother in a car bomb she knew people had been lying to try to protect her. She hated it. If only she'd known Tim was trying to kill all three of them at the time she wouldn't have spent half her life idolising her father and trying to work out if her mother had even wanted her. Sighing she had hoped Gene would realise the best way to protect her was to tell her the truth. He swung the car in to a parking space outside their house as she thought about what Gene may have to tell her.

"Alex" Gene made no move to get out the car. "Look, I know you aint 'appy with me for not telling you this sooner. The only way Sam knows is because he found out about it years ago when I was really into the drink. Loosened me tongue a bit too much in those days. And me fists" He looked straight out the window as Alex opened the car door.

"We're not having this conversation here Gene" she stepped out the car pulling her white leather jacket around her. The spring air chilly as evening approached. Gene sighed. He had a feeling it was going to be a long night.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Annie was exhausted. Sat in her usual place in Luigi's she listened as Sam outlined what had happened to Gene years ago and how Sam had found out about it. The more she heard the more she saw how Keats could easily use the information to get to Gene and blackmail him. She felt sorry for Alex and Gene; just lately nothing had been going right for them.

"You knew about this?" Chris joined the conversation as Sam nodded.

"Yeah"

"Why'd the Guv trust you and not us?" Chris wasn't offended but genuinely surprised that Ray hadn't known about it.

"I was there I suppose. Remember after I joined you lot? When the Guv was getting divorced, drinking far too much and punching the crap out of anything that moved?" Annie and the boys nodded. "Well one bottle of scotch too many and I was moaning about how crap things were, how we were lucky not to be shut down. He told me then" Sam sighed. "Dunno why. He just came out with it. If Keats has got hold of the photo then I reckon he'll twist it to get what he wants"

"Which is Gene sacked and Fenchurch CID put under special measures" Annie glared in to her drink. Sam rested a hand on her knee

"Yeah, wiv 'im as DCI" Ray sighed. "I wont stay if that 'appens. No way. I came to London wiv the Guv and you three. That's how it's staying as far as I'm concerned" Ray drank his pint as Sam nodded.

"Well, we better do something about it then eh?" Sharon smiled at the team. Sam couldn't help but wonder how she hadn't ended up in CID sooner as he returned the smile.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Alex glanced at the clock. They had only been home for five minutes. Gene leant against the kitchen door, desperate for a cigarette. He knew Alex was waiting.

"Gene" she looked directly at him as he loosened his tie

"Bolly, that photo was taken over 20 years ago. I'd just left police training, was always desperate to be a copper. Show me dad I could make something of meself. Not end up like him" The distaste in his words evident. Gene knew if his father was in the room now he'd have to fight to stop himself from punching his lights out.

"You are nothing like him Gene. You know that" Alex knew how much Gene wanted to be the exact opposite of his father. He grunted once as she walked towards him.

"What does your father and Keats have to do with any of this?" Alex was confused. Gene was as awkward around her as he had been when she had turned up in his CID.

"Getting to that Bolls, just remember you aint gonna like it. Bloody hell Alex I aint really sure you gonna want to be in the same room as me once you know. I weren't much more than a kid. Stupid bloody kid at that" He avoided her eyes as she brought both hands up to the sides of his face.

"Gene. You are scaring me now" Alex shuddered as he closed his eyes, his hands on her wrists he sighed.

"I don't mean to. That photo is one of a pair. Me mam got both of them. Me and my brother Michael joined the force at the same time. My younger brother was a nightmare, got in to loads of trouble the little' gobshite. But Michael was the golden boy" He sighed as the memories resurfaced.

"Go on" She stepped back slightly as Gene drew breath. She had known he had two brothers, one of which was dead and the other he never saw.

"My old man didn't want his boys in the police force. Not his twins. Nah, he hated it. Suppose it was our way of rebelling. He was a no mark, ex army and happy to use his fists on anyone and anything. Remind you of anyone Bolls?" He slumped against the door as Alex shook her head.

"You are nothing like your father" she ran a hand through her hair as she leant forward "Do you think I'd be with you if you were? That I'd let you anywhere near Molly? That I'd even consider having this baby if you were anything like him Gene?" Alex was angry on his behalf. Gene's father had been brutal when his boys were younger. She knew that, but what Gene was suggesting was new.

"I bloody 'ope you wouldn't be! Jesus I'd rather you walked away from me the moment we met than put up with me if I were like him" Gene knew he was playing for time but the memories were difficult to articulate.

"So, what happened Gene? Why is Keats using this against you, us?" Alex was getting tired. It had been an awful day.

"Blackmail I reckon. Can't see what else the twerp could 'av in mind. Dragging this up after 28 years. He must have really been desperate to dig back that far. He's right though, only Sam knows."

"Only Sam knows what Gene?" Alex closed her eyes in exasperation.

"My brother Michael was shot. Dead on our doorstep. Bastard blew half his face off." Gene paused as he remembered seeing his brother lying dead on the hallway floor.

"I was upstairs, getting ready to go and meet this bird I'd met. Mam was at work, me 'ld man was down the pub. Think our Peter was playing at his mates. He would 'av been 11 at the time. Anyway there was a knock at the door. Kids I thought taking the piss. Next thing I hear is this bang, like a car backfiring. Only its too bleeding close to be a car" Gene's eyes swam with tears as he fought to keep control.

"Christ Gene" Alex could feel her own eyes well with tears.

"I was too late. Michael was dead before I got down the stairs. No one was arrested. I knew who did it though, 'ave always bleeding known. Keats must know that." Alex crossed the room to him once more as he hung his head.

"Who was it Gene?" Alex could feel her heart break for him. She'd never seen him so quiet, her Gene was loud and confident. Seeing him like this she could imagine the scared teenager who had found his brother's body. The Gene before the world had got to him.

"My father and his mate. Both off their head on drugs and booze. Only reason I'm still walking the earth is the gun jammed or something. I yelled at them to go, do one. I never told the police. That's what Keats has on me Alex. I protected a murderer. At the time I thought I was protecting me Mam and kid brother." Gene was exhausted. "It's enough to get me kicked out. Even after all this time"

He knew Molly would be home soon from her netball game. He didn't want her to see him like this, the girl didn't need it.

"Oh Gene" Alex sighed as Gene glared at the floor.

"So, that's me. Aided and abetted a murderer. Protected a drunken wife beater who killed his kid because he was jealous of 'im. Found out years later he wanted to make it look like we 'ad been robbed." Gene glared as Alex pulled him in to her arms.

"If Keats wants to use that to destroy us. He's a fool Gene. I'm not leaving you. I'm not going anywhere" She ran a hand along the stubble that was forming on his jaw as he leant in to her touch.

"Alex" He sighed.

"Keats wont win Gene. I wont let him" He couldn't help but smile at her words as she reached up and kissed him. The couple broke apart as the slamming of the front door caused them to break apart. Molly stormed in to the kitchen.

"We lost 3-2! Urgh do you two have to do that!" Molly threw her sports bag on the kitchen table as she threw herself on to a chair.

"Can you believe we lost? They were thugs. You should have seen their goal attack! Looked like Ray in a skirt!" Molly was not happy. Gene smiled; suddenly his thoughts were back in the present day. Alex looked briefly from her daughter to her husband. She knew there was only one way she could make Gene see she was never going to leave him.

"Molls, listen. There's something Gene and I need to tell you" Molly was suddenly focused on her mother rather than the injustice of the netball game defeat. Eyes wide she suddenly looked worried.

"Are you ok Mum? Gene is she? Has Dad been causing trouble again? You can't make me see him, Uncle Evan said so" She bit her bottom lip as she spoke. Gene sat at the table next to Alex as she shook her head.

"No he hasn't. Evan was right about that. I'm, well we're going to have a baby" Alex watched as Molly raised her eyebrows.

"You're still doing that? At your ages!" Molly tried to look indignant as Gene's jaw dropped. Alex looked slightly embarrassed.

"I'm 34, er Gene" Alex looked to her husband who looked slightly shocked by the turn of events since Molly arrived.

"I'm teasing you. It's brilliant!" She dived out the chair, flinging her arms around her parents. "Never wanted to be an only child" Alex kissed her daughters cheek as she hugged her.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Oh my God" Sharon sighed. She wanted to cry for the Guv as Sam recounted his story.

"He never wanted anyone else to know. We can't let him know that we all know what happened" Annie held Sharon's gaze before turning it on to Chris

"This is enough for him to be seen as corrupt isn't it? To get him kicked out the force. Get us put on special measures" Ray downed what was left of his pint.

"Yeah, well at least suspended while they investigate us all. It wont just be Gene. We'll all be under the spotlight. Gene is finished if Keats gets his way. Looks to be he's trying to use Alex to expose Gene." Sam watched as Ray nodded.

"Yeah" Luigi came over as Ray answered, if he was surprised when they all became unduly quiet he didn't show it. Handing Sam the bill he left the team to it.

"So, what do we do? If we want Fenchurch East CID to stay as we are what do we do?" Chris was genuinely worried.

"Fight Keats" Annie smiled as she squeezed Sam's hand.

author's note. How much does Keats really know? Will the team be able to stop Keats from destroying the team. Will Ray run in to Nelson again and if so will he be able to help? More later in the week. Thanks again for the reviews, they have made my