Thanks once again for all of the reviews etc - they're wonderful to receive.
Not much actual plot in this chapter - it's all about Gene and Alex. And please note that the rating has now changed to M - for reasons which will become clear.
The Human Touch
"Bolly?"
Gene's face was a picture of confusion as he picked up Alex from the doorstep where she had collapsed in defeat. Not exactly what he had been expecting to find when he had opened his front door to the insistent pounding he had heard from his bedroom. He hardly had time to register his bewilderment when he was pushed back into the hallway with some force and the door slammed firmly shut.
"What the f…"
Alex looked into his face, her eyes wide with absolute terror. Whatever insult he had been about to utter died in the face of her genuine fear.
"What is it Alex? What's wrong?" His arms went around her again and she didn't resist as he pulled her against his chest.
"Something…don't know…evil…horrible…dark…" Her chest heaved as she stuttered between sobs.
"Course its dark out there…past midnight yer know?"
She shook her head violently. "No. Something else…I don't know what."
"Let me have a look then…" He moved to reopen the front door but Alex grabbed his arm and pulled him back.
"No! Don't go out there Gene please!"
"Listen love, I know it's a bit of a rough neighbourhood but…"
"You don't know – you didn't see…"
He shook off her restraining arm and opened the door and peered out. Once he had established that there was no mad axe-wielding maniac on his doorstep, he ventured down the path and onto the street. It was deserted in the main, and quiet except for a lone dog barking in the distance. This was the neighbourhood he had chosen to call his own since his self-imposed exile from Manchester and he knew it like the back of his hand, and as far as he could see there was nothing out of place, nothing to instil the sort of terror he had seen in Alex's face.
He sniffed the night air as he walked back towards the house. It was damp and miserable and there was a fog rolling in from the river which, along with an almost starless sky, which made for a depressing outlook. Not a night to be out wandering the streets.
She was waiting for him just over the threshold.
"Did you see anything?"
"Nope." He closed the door behind him and applied the safety chain and bolt – more for Alex's sake than his own. "Don't suppose you wanna tell me what 'appened out there? Or why you're running around the streets at night when I expressly told you…"
"Please don't," she interrupted. "Don't scold me Gene. Not now. I don't think I could bear it. You can yell and bawl all you want later but please…I just…just…" She took a deep shuddering breath and wiped away the tears from her eyes.
"Come here Alex."
He held out an arm towards her and she gratefully and unquestioningly surrendered into his embrace. He held her silently for a few moments as she pulled herself together. There were no tears now – just the occasional shudder as the aftermath of whatever ordeal she had been through abated. He kissed the top of her head as she nuzzled closer into his shoulder. He wondered for a moment if he should say something. He hated women crying normally and could never say the right words but he sensed with Alex that it was okay to say nothing. So he just held her, gently stroking her back as he waited for her to recover.
"Thank you." She took a deep calming breath and looked into his face.
"You okay now?"
She nodded. "I think so."
He used his thumbs to brush away the tearstains from her cheeks. "There. Good as new. Nearly anyway. So…now do I get to bawl you out?"
"I suppo…oh my god!"
"What?"
She stared in horror at Gene's shirt which now sported livid bloodstains. "What happened to your shirt? Are you hurt?"
"Don't think so." He quickly checked his shirt and then himself for wounds. Finding nothing he turned to Alex and a cursory examination quickly revealed the cause. He turned one of her hands palm upwards where blood was flowing freely. "It's you, you dozy mare! Bleeding all over my shirt."
"Bugger." Alex looked at her hand as though it belonged to someone else. "I must have reopened the cut when I was banging at your door."
"Well don't stand there bleeding all over the carpet!"
He took Alex by the hand and led her towards the kitchen, where he stuck her hand under cold running water.
"Ouch! That hurts!"
"Good. Serve you right for not staying where you were put for the night. Here – keep this cloth on it and press hard. Sit, while I get the first aid kit."
She took off her jacket and sat at the kitchen table and watched while Gene opened drawers and cupboards in his hunt for the elusive first aid kit. She might have known that Gene's sympathy wouldn't last for long but in a way that was okay. She knew where she was with this Gene – the rude, sarcastic and sometimes boorish Gene. It was the kind, compassionate and occasionally caring Gene who threw her off balance.
Eventually he found what he was looking for and she submitted gracefully as he cleaned her hand and put another dressing on.
"There. And keep it on this time – at least for a couple of days."
He also took the opportunity to examine Alex for further injuries and assess the progress of those she had received in the hit and run. She couldn't help smiling as he firmly but briskly ran his hands over her arms and legs.
Gene caught the look in her eye. "What you smiling about Smiler?"
"Just you. Are you sure you're checking me out or are you…checking me out?"
Gene returned a half-smile, as he ran his fingers over her head and checked some bruising near her cheek. "Are you flirting with me Inspector?"
"Possibly. Although it's a bit one-sided at the moment and I'm finding it a little difficult to keep it up."
"Whereas I'm not finding that difficult at all." He brushed aside a stray lock of hair and tucked it behind her ear.
She grinned appreciatively at the innuendo and then leaned forward and kissed his cheek. "Thank you."
"What for?"
"For being here when I needed you."
"That's what I do Bols." He snapped the first aid kit shut and stood. "Come on. Don't know about you but I need a drink."
Alex followed obediently as he led the way into a small but cosy lounge. It suddenly struck her that she had never been here before, never even imagined where he lived or even how he lived. She settled back into a well-worn but comfortable leather sofa and took the opportunity to examine Gene's home. She looked around and was struck by how ordinary it all was – a tv in the corner, a rug in front of a gas fire, coffee table and a bookshelf filled with well-worn paperbacks and a dozen VHS tapes. The décor was carefully neutral and the room was showing some signs of neglect – but then Gene had only recently returned from three months on the run and Alex presumed it had been empty in that time.
"Having a good nosey?" Gene said as he returned with a bottle and a couple of empty glasses.
"Just curious. I never thought I'd ever get to see where you live."
Gene poured the drinks and handed one to Alex. "It's just a place to stay. Nothing special."
Alex took a good reviving gulp from her glass and was surprised by the contents. "Brandy?"
"You don't like brandy?"
"No, it's not that – its just you always drink whisky."
"I keep it for guests."
"Ah." And judging by the fact that he only just cracked open the bottle, Alex presumed that she was the first 'guest' to cross his threshold in quite some time. She liked that.
"So. You gonna tell me what 'appened tonight?"
Alex took another sip of brandy and let the warmth reach her toes before she started to talk. She told him everything, sparing no detail no matter how insignificant she thought it might be. Gene sat quietly and listened, prompting her with the occasional question or clarifying some obscure detail, but otherwise he made no comment until she had finished her recitation.
"That it?" he said finally.
Alex nodded as Gene refilled her now empty glass. She felt drained, physically and emotionally, not only from the original event but reliving it for Gene. She took another sip of brandy and let a wave of exhaustion wash over her.
"You need to get some rest– we can talk about this tomorrow."
"I'd really like to know what you think – otherwise I might never sleep tonight."
"Well in that case…I think someone's tryin' to freak you out Bolly."
Alex stared at him as she tried to digest his words. "That's it? That's the great conclusion?"
"Oh there's a lot more where that came from but it all boils down to the same thing."
"But…but…"she spluttered, "….what about the sky? And the creepy darkness and…"
"It was dark Alex, and there was fog comin' off the river…."
"But…"
"Bound to spook you out – especially when you also heard a bloke's voice and some footsteps following you. I've told you before – you seem to attract nutters and weirdos."
"So I was just imagining it?"
"No. Like I said, someone was deliberately trying to freak you out tonight. Probably the same bastard who tried to make mincemeat of you the other night."
"You think it's connected?"
"Well unless there's more than one nutter out there who want to shut you up. Mind you, wouldn't be surprised."
"Thanks very much."
"Any time Bols."
"So what happens now?"
"Now? Well dunno about you love but I'm just about ready for me bed."
"But…but…someone wants to kill me!"
"Yes I know. But they're not going to do it tonight so I suggest we sleep on the matter and see what turns up. Okay?"
"Okay." Alex agreed reluctantly but recognised that there was nothing more to be done at the moment.
"Good. Now you can kip here if you want or I can take you back to your place. Choice is yours."
"Can I stay?" Alex wasn't sure that she could face being alone quite yet.
"I just said you could didn't I? The box room's a tip mind so…"
"I don't mind sleeping on the sofa – I'm quite used to it. I actually prefer it to be honest."
After some minor haggling, Gene finally gave in to Alex's request and he fetched blankets and pillows to make the sofa more comfortable – and as Alex had rightly pointed out it made more sense for Alex to sleep here than Gene given that he was far too tall to fit comfortably. Alex didn't mind at all and by the time Gene retired upstairs, she was very nearly asleep, comfortably ensconced amid the cushions and clutching a pillow for security.
Gene watched her fall asleep as he stood in the doorway, illuminated only by a small table light that Alex had insisted on leaving switched on. She looked so small and helpless as she slept and he felt an almost overwhelming urge of protectiveness towards her. "Get a grip you soft soppy Mary." He closed the door quietly behind him and climbed the stairs to his own bed.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
It was later, much later, but still before even the first sparrow had chirped or the first chink of daylight cracked the bedroom curtains that Gene suddenly found himself awake and alert. He lay quite still for a moment, senses fully aware and probing the darkness for clues. And then he heard it again. The slight creak on the staircase that heralded someone's approach. He was just about to get out of bed and investigate when he remembered. Alex.
He was so used to be alone living here that he had almost forgotten about his unexpected, but not totally unwelcome guest. He relaxed again but rolled over onto his back as he listened. She was probably just visiting the bathroom but Gene kept an ear out anyway, recognising the click of the bathroom door as it closed behind her. His mind wandered for a while and it was only when he heard the flush of the loo and running of the tap that he realised he must have fallen asleep for a moment. Content that she was okay, he rolled over and tugged the duvet around him and closed his eyes.
His eyes shot open as the bedroom door opened. Shit.
His body froze as his mind raced with competing possibilities. She was sleepwalking…or she was lost…yes that was it! She'd lost her way in the dark and opened the wrong door. Or maybe, just maybe she wanted….
"Gene?"
He opened his mouth but to his surprise nothing came out and he continued to lie there with his back to her. Come on, say something you great pillock! His brain refused to cooperate and provide the necessary words. With a lightening flash of clarity he recognised the emotion that was holding him prisoner. Fear. Total and debilitating fear. He had no idea of what she wanted and no idea if he'd be able to provide it if she asked him. That was pretty frightening. But there was something else he was afraid of although he wasn't exactly sure what it was. He just knew that the woman standing in his bedroom was its embodiment.
He was just about to attempt speech again when the mattress sagged under the weight of someone sitting down.
Shit!
This was bad. This was very bad. What if she was sleepwalking and then woke up in his bed? He'd never hear the last of it. But what if she isn't sleepwalking? He pushed the thought away before he could react to it. Maybe if he just lay very very still then she would go away?
He stifled a groan as he felt the mattress dip further and felt the warmth of Alex's body as she lay next to him. At first she just laid quietly beside him, her fingers resting lightly on the skin of his back. But then as if that wasn't torture enough she then moulded her body around his and slipped one arm loosely around his waist.
Gene held his breath and listened to her breathing. God she smelled good. And soft, she felt soft and warm and…good. It felt good to be held like this, to be held by this beautiful woman. Alone with his thoughts in the darkness he could finally admit – to himself at least – that he had missed this. He had missed having a close physical bond with another human being. He couldn't remember the last time he had laid like this with a woman – probably when he was married…when they were still sleeping in the same bed. Since then it had been one-night stands whenever he felt the urge – but never here, never in this bed, never in his own house. Sex recently had been a simple biological function, an itch that needed scratching every so often. But now he was reminded sharply of that other human need. Touch. Simple human contact. Skin against skin, heat against heat. Intimacy.
And now Gene knew why he had been so afraid. Because this was what he wanted. And once tasted he wasn't sure whether he'd be able to live without it again.
Of course, he was never going to be able to sleep now – unlike Alex who had obviously fallen into a deep and dreamless sleep the moment she had wrapped her arms around him. How could he possibly sleep when he had Alex's body wrapped around him? How could he sleep when her very essence filled his nostrils and he could feel her lips pressed between his shoulder blades? How could he sleep when…
The thought remained unfinished as sleep claimed him.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Alex woke slowly and reluctantly, revelling in the snug warmth of the duvet and the utter bliss of the comfortable mattress. She stretched languidly, eyes still closed, perfectly relaxed….until she came into contact with Gene.
"Arrrrgh!" She sat bolt upright with shock.
"Wha…wassup…what the…" Gene woke with a start, fell out of bed and then sleepily reached for the truncheon he kept in the bedside cabinet.
"Oh god…sorry." Alex suddenly remembered where she was – and more to the point, who she was with.
"Bloody hell Alex. You might warn me if you're gonna wake up screeching." Gene picked himself up off the floor, returned the truncheon to its hiding place and rolled back into bed and under the covers.
She raised an eyebrow. "You keep a truncheon?"
"Yes. Gotta problem with that?"
"Nope."
She stared curiously at Gene's back – the only part of his body she could actually see. Now it all came back to her. The nightmare as she slept on the sofa had woken her and then she couldn't get back to sleep. She told herself that she had only intended to visit the bathroom but somehow that didn't quite ring true. The need for the comfort of human contact had proved too much and so – here she was. In Gene Hunt's bed.
Despite the potentially embarrassing situation, she was overcome with a sense of mischief. She playfully prodded him on the shoulder.
"What?"
"Aren't you getting up?" she enquired.
A muffled voice emerged from beneath the covers. "Up? I'm already up." There was a pause. "I mean awake. I'm awake."
Alex grinned. "Oh. I see."
Suddenly Gene turned over to face her. "Are you always so bloody perky in the morning?"
"Possibly. Only one way to find out though. Are you always grumpy?"
"I am not grumpy." Christ knows he shouldn't be. He was laid in bed with a beautiful woman who was wearing only a pair of knickers and one of his old shirts. He reached over and tugged at the shirt sleeve. "Nice shirt."
"Sorry. One of yours. I found it downstairs."
"Looks good on you."
"Thanks." Alex's eyes flickered over the tempting bits of Gene's body that she could actually see and she felt a flush of warmth that owed nothing to the central heating. His hair was ruffled, his face bleary and he had a healthy growth of stubble – but her stomach still flipped over at the sight of him.
Gene took a deep breath and stretched out. "Having second thoughts?"
"What?"
He shrugged. "Only now you've seen the reality you might change your mind – about us?" He turned towards her, propping himself up on his elbow. "See, this is what a real, middle-aged, smoking, beer-drinking DCI from Manchester looks like. Not pretty is it?"
"No. Not pretty. But I'm not looking for pretty – I'm looking for real." She mirrored his position and propped herself up opposite him. "Are you real?"
"Last time I checked." He shivered as Alex reached over and ran her fingers over one shoulder. "What about you? You real?"
"Good question."
He tentatively traced the outline of her jaw with his fingers, flitting lightly over her neck until he came to rest at the deep v where his shirt lay open on her body. "You feel pretty real to me."
"That's a relief. To be real I mean." She had a feeling she was gabbling but she just couldn't stop. "I mean I know I might be dead…or dying but at least I'm real."
"We're all dying Alex." His eyes held hers as his fingers continued their exploration.
"Are we?" Alex held her breath and waited.
"Course we are. We're all dying from the minute we're born. Some of us get there faster is all."
"You're a cheery soul to have around in the morning."
"Just being realistic Bols."
They looked at each other in the early morning silence, each taking the opportunity to drink in each other's features as if for the first time. Alex wanted to ask what happened next, how did they move forward from here? But then she looked into Gene's eyes she saw exactly the same questions there – he was waiting for her to take the lead. The notion was intoxicating and somewhat arousing. With a secret smile she inched closer to his body, until she could feel the heat from body next to hers. Her lips moved ever closer to his but still he didn't move. For a split second she began to have doubts. He did want her didn't he?
"Gene?"
"Hmmm?"
His eyes were darker now, an almost midnight blue, but there was a hint of humour there along with an obvious need. Alex sighed with relief when he touched her face and brought their lips even closer.
"Nothing." She smiled as their lips finally met.
A shock of tingling warmth raced through her body as long forgotten sensations took hold. She tangled her fingers through his hair and dragged him closer, eager to savour every single moment of this first kiss. His kisses were light and teasing at first, nibbling at her lower lip until she moaned into his mouth. She felt herself being pressed deeper into the pillows with each kiss – but she didn't mind one bit. Things quickly grew more heated as their tongues tangled and Gene's hands delved underneath the shirt she wore, tracing the shape of her hips and waist and pulling her body closer to his.
Eventually they surfaced for air.
"I knew you'd be a good kisser," Gene said.
"How?"
"Dunno. You've just got that filthy look about you."
She laughed and slowly licked her lips. "You haven't seen anything yet."
"Oh goody."
She dragged him down for another quite literally breathtaking kiss – all tongues and heat and unadulterated longing, breaking only when the need for air became an imperative. They looked at each other for a long moment and Alex had to take a deep breath to hold back the emotions she felt were just under the surface.
"What?" Gene looked at her with a hint of confusion in his face.
"It's just…I've wanted this…you…for such a long time."
His fingers traced her cheek. "I know…me too."
They rolled over on the bed until Alex was on top – a position Gene didn't think he'd mind one little bit. He watched with narrowed eyes as Alex sat up and slowly began to unbutton the shirt she was still wearing. Somehow he kept his hands to himself as she slowly and tantalizingly unfastened each button until the shirt was gaping open, revealing only naked flesh and a small pair of white cotton knickers.
"Not very sexy," Alex said, as she caught his gaze. "But I wasn't exactly planning this – not tonight anyway."
"On the contrary," Gene said with a growl. "Looks good to me."
Gene's hands moved to her waist as she slowly peeled off the shirt. She felt the hitch in his breath and saw the admiration in his eyes and it warmed her to her very core. His hands moved with aching slowness, until his thumbs brushed over her nipples, circling until they peaked with desire. He raised himself up from the mattress and kissed the valley between her breasts, nuzzling with his lips and tongue until Alex felt as though her whole body were on fire. She felt a huge surge of desire mixed with protectiveness- she wanted to hold him close and keep him safe – and at the same time she wanted to shag the life out of him! She held his head against her body as he continued to worship her breasts.
"I so wanted to do this properly," she gasped, "I had plans…I wanted…ohhhh..."
"Dunno about you Bols, but I think we're doing it properly already."
"I know I meant…stockings…suspenders...the works."
"Stop talking Bols."
"Why?"
He stopped kissing for a moment and shifted uncomfortably beneath Alex. "Because if you keep on talking about…those things…there's a distinct possibility I could reach the finishing post before you – and we wouldn't want that would we?"
"Probably not," she agreed.
"Good. So in the meantime," he neatly rolled them both over until he was on top again, "I think its time to investigate those prissy white knickers of yours."
Alex shivered with anticipation as he slowly tugged down her pants, carefully easing them over her hips and throwing them carelessly away. Almost immediately he frowned as the full extent of the bruising to Alex's hip and thigh became apparent.
"Bastards." He mentally renewed his vow to catch the scum who had done this.
He gently kissed the affected area before moving over to her belly, slowing dotting light kisses downwards, around her belly-button and then further down. With satisfaction he noted Alex's shallow breathing, the way she clutched at the bed and then gasped as he tentatively lapped at her heat.
"Oh god….yes….please..."
His focus was all on her pleasure now, his own predicament forgotten for the moment. He held down her writhing hips and devoted himself to the task, his tongue dipping in and out of her heat, gently licking and teasing her intimately and relentlessly.
Alex was rendered speechless with the overwhelming pleasure of his touch and his mouth doing wickedly exquisite things to her body. She thought she was almost at the very limit of what she could endure when he spread her thighs further and dipped his fingers into her moist core, even as his tongue still worked its magic.
A cry of unbearable bliss was torn from her lips as the orgasm washed over her. She bucked and shivered as the pleasure spread throughout her body, closing her eyes to savour each tingle and finally lay gasping for air as the wave of sensation abated. She lay there grinning like the proverbial Cheshire cat.
"Alex?"
She sighed with contentment. "Gene." She opened her eyes slowly to see him looking at her. "That was…heavenly." She opened her arms and gathered him in, kissing him lingeringly if not very energetically.
After a while Gene propped himself up to look at her. "You know this changes nothing – and everything?"
She nodded. "I know. We'll work it out. Together. And until then…" she rolled over on top of him, "I believe we still have unfinished business. Time for the main course?"
"Well there's definitely meat and two veg if you're interested?"
"Oh I'm very interested."
With a smirk she turned her attentions to Gene's body, running her hands over his chest and shoulders and then over his belly. She traced the lines of old and long-forgotten scars, kissing them better as she went along. She nimbly hooked her fingers into the waist of his boxer shorts and pulled them down over his hips, her eyes widening in surprise and delight.
"My my Mr Hunt, I think you've been concealing some impressive evidence."
"I know where I'd like to conceal it," he muttered.
"All in good time."
Her hands grazed over his hips, brushed his thighs and then finally and blessedly took him in hand. He was already hot and heavy as she began to work him to a slow rhythm, her hand running up and down the length of him as his hips flexed and released in appreciation. She was lost in the feel of him, the touch and sight and smell of him – it all combined to turn her on, even more than her actions were turning him on.
"Alex…please…"
"Hmmmmm?"
"It's just…oh god…if you keep doing…shit…I might not…"
She looked up to see the expression on his face – a strange mixture of pleasure and pain and fierce concentration."
"Blow jobs are overrated anyway."
Gene whimpered but managed to hold on. "If you say so love."
Alex lay down opposite him, still gently holding his cock. "Anyway, I can think of much more interesting things you could do with it."
"Come to mention it, so can I."
Urgent kisses quickly followed as they moulded their bodies together, mouths kissing and nipping, hands stroking and caressing, bodies rubbing against each other until Gene nudged her thighs apart and eased himself inside her body. They both stopped moving, gasping at the newness and yet recognising a strange familiarity. Alex wiggled underneath him, adjusting to the feel of him inside her and then wrapped her legs around him.
"Stop wriggling woman," Gene said, his voice hoarse with passion, "unless you want me to go off like a bloody rocket."
"Well it could be interesting, although I'd rather have a ban…"
"You are asking for it!"
"I'd rather hoped I was getting it," she teased. But she relented and held very still until Gene had composed himself. In a way it was quite flattering.
After a moment of stillness, he began to move, slowly at first and then with increasing pace. The friction was delicious and yet almost unbearable in its intensity. Alex met every thrust equally, welcoming him deeper into her body, straining as they both reached out for that ultimate expression of pleasure. They found a pace and rhythm that was natural to them both, bodies now slick with sweat rubbing against each other, fingers grasping for purchase and gasps of delight and need uttered without embarrassment.
Alex felt the first twinges of orgasm and she grasped at Gene even more desperately, their bodies colliding with even more force as the pleasure took hold. She jerked and convulsed as the lightening flash of ecstasy ran through her body, shaking her from top to toe and then depositing her in a limp heap on the bed.
"Oh shit!" Gene was lost from the moment he felt Alex squirm and shiver beneath him and his own orgasm quickly followed, slamming through him like a shock wave until he collapsed on top of Alex, gasping but sated and replete.
After a minute they both managed to look at each other. Alex smiled and then started to laugh, her body shaking with mirth as Gene held onto her and rolled over to lie by her side. Her giggles were infectious and soon tears were running down his face as he attempted to stifle his laughter. When was the last time he had felt this good? Never that's when. And when was the last time he had laughed – really laughed? Never.
"God," Alex said finally, "that was good."
"No Bolly. That wasn't good…it was great. We were bloody great."
"Yes we were."
They lay wrapped up in each others arms, teasing and talking, the way that all lovers do – especially new lovers, still alive to the novelty of their naked bed-mate. Slowly, lethargy and post-coital bliss crept over them and Alex was just on the point of sleep when she heard Gene's voice.
"Bolly?"
"Hmmmm?"
"We are gonna do this again sometime? I mean, I don't think I got it quite right."
Alex stifled a sleepy laugh. "If you say so. Practice makes perfect."
Gene sleepily spooned into Alex's back and wrapped his arms around her and kissed the back of her neck. "Night love."
"Night."
He let his hand linger on the curve of her hip - just because he could. Then he smiled at nothing in particular and let sleep claim him.
. . . . . . . .to be continued
