Sorry it's been a while since I updated this story and Happy New year everyone!
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Chapter Seven
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I was needed and I wasn't there.
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Gene knew something was very out of kilter because he was drinking orange juice. He was sitting on the sofa and Alex was sitting dead opposite him on the coffee table, their knees touching.
'So Sam was from your time?' Gene was hoarse, he'd asked her so many questions and still things weren't making any damned sense. She'd told him her story so far but Sam hadn't figured much. It explained stuff though, explained a lot. With Sam and with Alex.
'He was in Manchester, he came back for a while to the twenty first century, and I was working on his case. Coppers who had suffered near death experiences' she spoke quickly, urgently.
'He wasn't near death, all the time I knew him, he was….the whole thing about Tyler was how alive he was.' Gene knew he was doing an impression of a goldfish and tried to stop.
'He came back, and then he went again.' Alex said gently, taking Gene's hand, 'He had this thing that he'd left you all in terrible danger, he said it was a train robbery? He couldn't cope with the guilt. He jumped off the roof. He was in a meeting, cut his hand on a paper cutter or something. The other officers I spoke to said he looked at them like they were all complete strangers. He told them he couldn't feel anything, and got up and left the room. They thought he'd gone to clean up his hand, but the next thing they knew he was splattered on the ground outside the station.'
'He topped himself?' Gene looked horrified.
'Only in the future' Alex said, knowing how incredible it sounded.
'He was here- I mean in Manchester….the train robbery…. I was shot-not much though' Gene said, as he spoke a grainy cine film rattled through his mind; Ray, Chris, Annie, 'In the tunnel, Sam disappeared, then he came back….' the memories of the train robbery were suddenly intercut with images of union flag bunting and a large gun, like a joke gun with 'BANG' on a piece of cloth at the end of it. He felt the scratchy serge of a police uniform and looked down at his legs. 'I was shot.' he repeated numbly. He did a double take as he looked over Alex's shoulder, in the corner of the ceiling there was a patch of starlight, the brightest stars he had ever seen.
Alex turned her head, 'What is it? Oh a cobweb, I'm not all that domesticated am I?'
Gene touched his forehead, felt something sticky, pulled his fingers away quickly and looked at his hand, it was clean. He looked at the corner of the ceiling, it was just a cobwebby corner again, no stars.
'So… you?' he asked her shakily.
'I think I'm still alive there.' she said, her bottom lip quivering.
'Bolls you can't be in two places at once, not even you could manage that.' he was trying so hard not to go insane but his world seemed to be gathering speed and spinning out of control.
'I know you think I'm crazy.' she said, a tear sliding down her cheek, 'But I'm in a coma in 2008, I haven't died- yet. I hear them. They talk to me, the people from my world, my time.'
'But ….look…' he seemed lost for words for once.
'Please Gene, just believe me.' she begged.
He sighed deeply and stood up, 'Need a smoke.' he went to the corner or the room and sat at the glass table.
Alex knew to give him some space, she went to the kitchen to pour more drinks, deciding his adventure into fruit juice had probably died a natural death she poured him a large scotch.
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DSI Henderson was at a dinner party when the call came through about the station.
His wife tutted and shook her head as he bent to tell her he was needed at work.
'Tell me something new.' she said crossly.
'I have to go,' he said. 'I've ordered a taxi for you at 12.30.'
As he hurried across London in the taxi he'd called for himself his stomach churned nastily. Why had Drake ended up in Hunt's care? Any fool could have foreseen that they would be attracted to each other. Except the fool on the hill apparently. Now things were breaking up, happening out of sequence, old Nick would be sending his representative along pretty damned smartish Henderson had no doubt, he just hoped it wouldn't be the slimy reptilian Keats, or the creepy Morgan. He was surprised the bad guys hadn't shown up already, but then things had happened very quickly, and Hunt in love was unprecedented.
At Fenchurch Viv greeted him worriedly, 'The files' he shoved one in front of the DSI, that particular one was concerning a crime committed in 1991, but there were others, with assorted jumbled dates, investigated by an assorted jumble of officers.
'How can this be from the future? I don't understand' Viv said.
Henderson saw a black cloud hovering over Viv's head and shivered, 'I don't know, it's a mistake maybe, a nine instead of an eight.' he said.
'What about the others then? All the dates are wrong.' Viv had lost his customary cool demeanour 'What the hell's going on?'
'Where's Hunt?' Henderson barked, stalling'- oh don't tell me .Let me guess' he grabbed the phone and called Alex.
'It's not a good time, he can't come to the phone right now.' Alex said when he asked to speak to Gene.
'I'll come to you two then.' Henderson said, putting the phone down before she had time to reply.
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As Gene smoked on the fire escape he looked across the London skyline. It wasn't home. It could never be home. Maybe he should throw in the towel and go back to Manchester, he would be able to think more clearly there.
Guv?
'Sam?' he would know that voice anywhere.
What have I told you about thinking too much? You're not equipped for it.
'Cheeky bastard as always' Gene said.
There are things you're better off not knowing, not thinking about. Put them back in the box.
'Too late, they're already out and running riot.' Gene said, crushing out his cigarette and flicking the dog end down to Luigi's backyard.
Just do your best for her Guv, it's all you can do, you're not God.
'But what can I do for her, what's best?' Gene asked.
I dunno, tell her to 'rage against the dying of the light' maybe?
'So she'll be gone from here? She'll leave?' Gene said miserably.
At the moment it's you keeping her here, she's stopped fighting to get home.
'I've got to let her go then.' Gene said.
If you love someone set them free.
'Who mentioned love? You ….girl!' Gene said, but he was close to tears. It was a strange feeling.
Just do your best Guv. The right thing.
A breeze crossed his face tenderly and he felt an absence. He knew that Sam had gone.
When he got back inside the flat Henderson had arrived and was looking grim.
'Sir' Gene frowned.
'Yes, Detective Inspector, you'll never learn to do as you're told will you?' Henderson said, taking the glass of whisky Alex had poured him.
Gene nodded, 'Seems that way, but every now and again I have a habit of surprising people. Could I have a private word with my DI? If you wait for me outside I won't be long.'
When Henderson had downed his drink and gone Gene turned to face Alex. She looked wary, scared.
'Gene' she started to move towards him.
He held up his hands and shook his head, 'He's right. He's been right all along.' he said gently, 'We don't belong together Bolly. We're from different worlds. You told me that.'
Her face had turned ashen, 'Please don't do this. I need you Gene, so much, you don't know how much.' her hand reached up to his face.
He closed his eyes and tried not to shiver at the effect her touch had on him, ' You don't need me. You need your daughter, your world.'
'I need you too.' she whispered. 'I'm so alone here.' she grabbed his hand desperately.
'You have to fight to get back.' Gene told her, even though he tried not to his fingers entwined hers,, 'I can't help you, it's something you need to do alone, I'm putting you up for transfer.'
'No!' she dropped his hand.
'We have to do this for both our sakes.' he said.
Anger flashed into her eyes, 'That's it isn't it? I'm upsetting your world, making things uncomfortable for you. Of course Gene Hunt would never put anyone above himself and Fenchurch East would he? I've been closer to you than any other human being, we've done things I'd never have done with anyone else. I trusted you completely, and now, when it comes down to the nitty gritty you're scared , scared to take me on, to believe in me. That's the real truth of it all isn't it?'
'Maybe.' he nodded. 'Thing is Bolls, it was good, you and me, professionally, and in other… er…ways, but Henderson has a point. How can we work together? You'd always be putting me off my stride. I've always been able to trust my own judgement, my gut feeling, but lately I'm wondering about stuff, hesitating- he who hesitates is lost.'
'Of course.' Alex hauled back her pride and stood tall, staring him out, dry eyed. 'Can't have a little woman putting you off your stride can we? Messing things up, making you question yourself and your methods. You know, a week or so ago I was thinking of asking for a transfer and then we got….close. It was a mistake, getting close I mean, and while we're rolling out the platitudes, I guess you never should mix business with pleasure…'
'Don't think it wasn't great…' Gene said.
'Wasn't that great if I'm honest.' Alex cut in coldly, 'I've had better.'
His eyes looked wounded, she could see how hurt he was, but she was hurting too.
He picked up his coat, 'Well, I'd better….'
'Yes, yes, scuttle off.' she said, 'Mustn't keep the Super waiting.'
'I think it's best if you stay away from the station until the transfer comes through.' Gene said.
'Yes, so do I.' she agreed.
'But if you need anything I'm on the end of a phone….' he said.
'I won't.' she said.
Their eyes met and shared what they really wanted but they didn't back down.
As Gene left the flat he wanted to go back and hold her for one last time but he forced himself to keep walking; it was the only way.
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Henderson took Gene to a bar in a back street and bought him a triple scotch.
'I know it's hard in your position.' he said, 'But you did the right thing.'
'Gene Hunt saves the world again.' Gene smoked and knocked back the scotch, 'I knew it was too good to be true, woman like that, there had to be a catch.'
'You've still got your station though, that's the main thing isn't it?' Henderson said.
'Apparently.' Gene said dryly, as he drank, the image of the bunting with the union flag flashed through his head again. 'Who am I?' he said, almost to himself.
'Don't dwell on it.' Henderson told him, 'You're Gene Hunt, the guv'nor of Fenchurch East CID, that's all you need to remember- focus on that.'
Gene nodded, 'Good advice Sir, another drink?'
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The next day he was back at the helm, raging at his team, hung-over, bellowing like a maddened bull. Only Shaz had the courage to face up to him.
'Guv?'
'Yes Granger?' he snapped.
'Where's the Ma'am? Dentist's again?' she stood firm in front of him.
'She's finally had enough of us. Put in for a transfer.' Gene said, 'Next question?'
'But….she wouldn't just go would she?' Shaz said, puzzled, 'Not without saying goodbye.'
'Dunno' Gene shrugged, 'I'll never understand you women.'
'You don't seem very worried.' Shaz accused, 'I thought she was part of us, part of the A team.'
'So did I' Gene replied, 'Seems like we were both wrong.'
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'What's the time?'
Alex heard a strange female voice. She was dreaming, she had to be. She was in her bed in the flat. Gene wasn't there, his side of the bed was unbearably cold.
'9.06' another female voice said.
She could hear music fading out; back to life, back to reality…
'So what year is it on the time tunnel today?' a Smashie and Nicey type DJ was babbling.
'1989?' Alex murmured.
'She spoke!' the first female voice said.
'No, it was the machine bleeping.' the second said. 'her readings are changing though, look.'
'Bleep the surgeon' the first said. 'Quickly!'
By the time the surgeon arrived everything had returned to normal. Alex had stabilised but was as deeply in her coma as she had ever been.
'The machine could be faulty' the surgeon said, 'I'll get it checked.'
The first nurse, Anna, knew she hadn't been mistaken though. She spoke to Alex each time she went to her.
'I know you're in there somewhere.' she told her, 'Come on, wake up, Molly's waiting for you.'
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Alex woke and looked around the flat. She had been so sure this time. The music had been so clear, Soul II Soul, Back II Life. Then she remembered that Gene had given up on her. She got out of bed and made the blackest of black coffees. She really was alone now. All alone in 1981.