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Chapter 7: The Nightmare Returns

24 October 1943

Gene woke to the sunshine warming his face. It had been over two months since he had returned to Manchester, and he now had a home of his own. He had bought it quite soon after arriving, choosing the first cheap place he saw. He had some money stowed away in the bank from God only knew where, and Gene found that he could live quite comfortably.

Gene sat up, stretching and rubbing the stump he still had not become accustomed to seeing. He wasn't supposed to leave it bare for long, like overnight, but he couldn't resist. It felt good to take off the bandage at the end of the day, and leave it bare, like taking off shoes what were just a bit too small.

Gene sighed and stood, moving himself to the bathroom. He stepped into the shower, and enjoyed the warm water as it trickled over his head. He still had problems keeping his balance without his crutches. Because of this, Gene had fashioned a sort of bar to hold onto when he started to wobble.

Gene got out of the shower and dried the stump of his leg carefully before grabbing a bandage off the counter. He applied it slowly, making sure to do it exactly as they had shown him at the hospital.

"If Bolly could see me now," Gene thought. "I'm taking orders from a doctor and actually listening to advice!"

It wasn't his fault that he didn't always listen to her. Some of the stuff she came up with was just mad. Sure, most of the time it worked, but he had a tried and true way of policing. Sam had changed it a bit, but Gene enjoyed being the 'dinosaur' he was described as.

The problem was, he had never lost a leg before. He had never had any experience with it whatsoever. He had to trust the doctors on this, and through their advice, find out a way to manage it himself, to become an expert.

Gene put his trousers and a button up shirt on, and then moved over into the kitchen. There was more than one story in this house, but because of his annoyance with stairs, he tried to stay downstairs as much as possible.

He was making tea when he heard a knock at the door. Gene moved himself to the door and opened it.

"'Ey, yeh useless bastard. Miss me?"

Gene was speechless with shock. Max was standing in front of him.

"Finally. Yeh've learned 'ow to shut up."

"Max!" Gene finally found his voice, searching Max's face. He didn't see the sign of his father. "What are you doing back?!"

"I got blown up again," Max said, but there wasn't a laugh in his voice. Maybe his father was in there. "I flew in the air, an' landed on me face, 'itting my 'ead." He pointed to a giant bruise fading from the right side of his forehead. "They decided I'd 'ad enough apparently, cause a few days after I woke up, I was on me way home."

Gene just stood in the doorway, trying to register the fact that his father was back. He knew immediately, this was the head trauma that his father had been through. Alex was always on about the brain and brain trauma. After working with her for a year, she would probably disown him as her Guv if he didn't know that a blow to the frontal lobe could affect personality.

"Oi. Earth ter Gene. Yeh gonna let me in, or am I jus' gonna stand out 'ere all day?"

"What? Oh right. Come on in. I was just getting ready to make breakfast. You want any?"

"Nah. Adriana made a huge fry up. None of them knew I was comin' 'ome. I knocked on the door, an' when 'Ana opened it, yeh should've seen the look on 'er face!"

"I did see it," Gene thought grimly, remembering back to the day his father had come home.

The strange man named Gene had left the house quickly after he had come. Gene had liked him. There was something vaguely familiar about the man, and no matter what time it was, the man had put up with him following him and asking questions.

Gene had been disappointed when he left. It wasn't like he couldn't go and see him; the man had picked a house only a few streets away. It was just that he didn't like to be away from his Mam and baby brother for too long. He was head of the household now, and when his father came back, Gene wanted to make him proud.

It was October now, and a bite was beginning to be felt in the air. Gene was playing with Stu. Suddenly someone knocked at the door. Gene and Stu both looked up, knowing that only Mam was allowed to open the door. Gene secretly hoped that it was the Gene Andrews again. He had come to visit a few times, mostly spending time with Gene, to his intense delight. Gene would ask him questions. Usually they were normal adult to child questions, but sometimes they would trigger a memory in him, something that he thought that only he knew about.

Gene and Stu watched their Mam walk across the room to the door. She opened it, and her mouth dropped open.

"Max," she breathed. "You're back."

The only thing Gene noticed was that his father wasn't smiling. His father had always smiled, except when angry. Was he angry now? Gene stood back cautiously. He knew that his father had a temper on the rare occasion he did get angry, and he didn't want to cross that.

"Yes, 'Ana," his father said. "I'm finally back fer good." He embraced her, and noticed the two boys standing in the background quietly.

"Gene! Stu! C'mere an' give me a 'ug!"

Stu ran to his father, immediately wrapping his arms around his neck. His father picked Stu up, causing Stu to squeal in delight. Gene just stood where he was, watching. Being without his father for nearly four years had made him cautious and alert to everyone. He gained the ability to read people, even though he was so young. Not many people would have gotten the same treatment from him that Gene Andrews got.

Gene had always trusted his instinct, and right now, it was telling him one thing. This wasn't his dad anymore. There was something different. And it wasn't just the scar that now ran across his father's features. There was something else to it, something he couldn't yet place.

His father put Stu down, and looked to where Gene was still standing.

"Gene! Don' yeh remember yer father? C'mere!"

Gene walked up slowly, still not trusting this man. His father wrapped him in an embrace, and Gene returned it, his heart not really in it. His father released him, and looked at Mam.

"I need a drink, Adriana."

A drink? It was early afternoon. His father didn't drink until later in the night, usually after he and Stu had gone to bed.

"A drink, Max?" his Mam questioned, obviously thinking along the same lines as Gene.

"Yes, 'Ana! A drink. I've been through 'ell fer the past few months, an' I want a drink." His father's voice was dangerous. Gene's mam ran from the room, getting his father a drink before he got any angrier.

~(*)~

By the time that it was Gene's bedtime, it was clear that this man was not his father. After draining his first glass of scotch, he had downed several others, becoming more and more inebriated as the night wore on.

Gene was sitting by the fire contentedly when his mother called his name from the stairs.

"Gene, it's time to go to bed," she called before moving back to the second level.

Not wanting to move from his warm spot, Gene groaned.

"Are yeh disobeyin' yer mother, Gene?" his father yelled drunkenly. "I'll teach yer a lesson abou' tha'!"

His father stood from the chair, swaying as he walked towards the fireplace, pulling Gene to his feet.

"Don' EVER disrespect yer mother! Go' it?" His father smacked him in the face. Gene accepted the blow and looked down at the floor.

"Oi! I asked yer if yer understood!" His father's hands bunched up into fists, finding Gene's stomach.

"Yes!" Gene gasped. "I understand!"

"Are yeh back talking ter me now?"his father yelled. "How dare yeh, yeh li'l shit! I'll teach yeh a lesson in respect, Gene!"

His father charged him, knocking him to the floor. Gene lay, whimpering, as his father drove kick after kick into his stomach.

His mother had come down at that moment, protesting loudly.

"Max! There's no need to..." SMACK! His father turned and hit her soundly in the face.

"I'm disciplinin' my child, 'Ana. Don' tell me the proper way ter do tha'. Le' me guess. While I've been gone, 'e 'asn't even received a wallop on 'is arse, 'as he?"

"No," Gene said desperately. "I did..."

"DID I SAY YOU COULD TALK?!" his father roared, kicking him once more in the stomach.

"Max..." his mother pleaded.

"Go to bed," his father said dangerously. "Now."

Gene struggled to his feet, and ran up the stairs quickly, tears streaming from his eyes. He had known something was wrong since the moment his father entered the house. Gene knew in that moment, as he laid himself down next to the sleeping Stu, that he would get out of that house as soon as he could, away from his father. And he knew that one day, he'd become a copper. Then he'd come back and arrest his father. Gene smiled softly to himself, although his stomach still ached. He was going to become the greatest copper ever, and even people down in London would know his name.

~(*)~

Gene looked back at the man sitting at the table. "Adriana said my Gene's taken a shine ter yeh."

"I dunno," said Gene. "I visited them like you asked me, and he was interested in hearing about the war. Wouldn't stop asking me questions about it."

"Tha's odd. Yesterday, 'e 'ardly would say two words ter me."

"Really?" Gene tried to be surprised.

"Yeah," said Max. "Bugger used ter be impossible ter shut up. Yeh didn't tell 'im 'orror stories about me while I was still in Italy, did yer?"

Gene tried to judge his father's mood. It didn't seem like he was kidding at all.

"No," said Gene honestly. "I visited them a few times. Kept him company a bit. He really missed you."

Max nodded silently. "Then what's turned 'im against me?"

"Maybe it's that you beat him to a bloody pulp," Gene thought, but didn't dare say aloud.

"Yeh know, 'Ana said that yeh spen' the most time with my Gene, an' tha' yer changed yer las' name ter Andrews. Why'd yeh do that?"

Gene thought quickly. He didn't want to anger this man at all. "Gene followed me, asking questions. I didn't mind at all. I actually enjoyed his company. You've got a smart kid there," he said.

"Tha' only answers one of my questions. Why'd yeh change yer surname?"

"Well, you were shocked by the fact that I had the same name as your son. How would you feel if some man came home from the war claiming that he had your name and was your father's best mate?"

Max nodded. "I see yer point, 'unt. Good idea, bu' now I can' call yer 'unt round me family."

"You'll never talk about me," Gene said without realising it.

"Well yeah, cause yeh went and changed yer name on me," he said. No smile crossed his lips, and Gene knew if they were still in Italy, there would have been a wide one crossing his face by now.

"Can you ever forgive me?" Gene asked sarcastically. He was amazed that he could still have this slightly playful banter with his father, even though this man was no longer the mate he had known.

"Yeah, 'unt," Max said, standing up. "On one condition."

"What's that?" Gene asked.

"Stay the 'ell away from my family." With that final statement, Max left, slamming the door behind him.

Gene swallowed. His father was back for another nine years, and there was nothing Gene could do to stop the fury.

TBC! Reviews are always appreciated