Aah, chapter 10. This has gone by fast! Anyway, thanks to you who have reviewed, and to Rolephant as always :)

Chapter 10: Kiss My Eyes and Lay Me to Sleep

He was in a church, dressed well, in one of his best suits. Gene looked down, puzzled. How had he gotten here? He was pretty sure this church was not in Manchester. Not that he'd exactly been in too many before. His tie was black, and his shirt was stark and white. Gene felt his hair, it was immaculately combed.

At the front of the church, a casket sat, lid opened. Who was in it? Was it someone he knew? Gene looked around at the people near it. Chris was there, as were Shaz and Ray. He didn't see Bolly. Could that mean...?

Gene started walking towards the front of the church, pausing as he listened in on the conversation between the three.

"...really unexpected."

"Of course it was, you div," Ray said, scoffing at Chris. "No one really imagined this, did they?" He glared at Shaz, as if daring her to admit that she had imagined it.

"Poor Alex," Shaz sighed. Gene's heart dropped. It was Alex in there? He started to rush forward when Ray spoke again.

"Is she coming?"

"Yeah. But she's been in a right state, poor thing. So, Ray Carling, be on your best behaviour."

He glowered at her. "Of course, what do you think I'm going to say? 'Gosh Alex, I sure am sorry that your lover went and snuffed it?'"

"Thanks Ray," came a dry voice from behind them. Gene jumped in surprise, and turned around to see Alex, dressed in a simple black dress, her face drawn with grief.

"Ma'am!" Ray exclaimed. "I...I didn't..."

"I realise you didn't mean it Ray."

Her voice was so flat. Where was the passion? The emotion that had made her Bolly? Where was her fire? Gene searched her face, but it was blank, a mask of sadness. The other three in the room receded, apparently to leave her alone with the person in the casket. Gene walked behind her, and listened as she talked to the still form within.

"You were supposed to fight. Why didn't you? I had something I wanted to tell you." She put her hand within the casket, apparently brushing the person's face. "It's all my fault you're gone. I'm sorry Gene."

No. It couldn't be true! He couldn't have left her! He couldn't really be dead! Gene ran forward, toward the casket, and froze. He was in the casket. His face, solemn and still was the face of the man Ray had called her lover. Had she really loved him? There was no way to know now. He was dead. Gene placed his hand on her shoulder once more.

"I'm so sorry, Alex," he whispered. She didn't acknowledge him, didn't notice his words.

"Bastard," she muttered. "You didn't even fight!"

He felt a drop of liquid on his face. Gene brushed it off, and realised it was her tears. He looked at her and realised that he was laying in the coffin, staring at her standing over him. He was dead. And there was nothing now he could do about it.

~(*)~

"ALEX!" he woke, screaming. He was immediately overrun with guilt. How could he have done that to Alex? He had died on her! There was no excuse for that. He should have fought harder, but he had had no idea how. How was he supposed to fight a stab wound in 1982 if he was stuck here, in 1949?

Gene had little hope he would ever meet her in the future. He remembered Gene Andrews visiting in his youth, the times at the park with Lexi, but then he had disappeared. Gene was unsure of the year. Would he die now in 1949 because he was dead in 1982? Gene knew that he would have to wait and see.

He stood, wide awake, and covered with sweat, and looked out the window. The sun was just rising. It had to be early yet. Gene dressed, and not caring of the time, left, heading straight for the river. He never tried to come to his favourite spot, the spot where he had found Lexi. It was too likely that he would see his younger self there. Though he did not mind talking, Gene knew that he could not explain to his younger self why that spot was so important to him.

Gene went straight to that spot. No one was out, and he revelled in the solitude. The air was quiet. The only sound was the rush of water as it ran past him, and he didn't mind. Gene took off his boot and sock, and rolled up his pant leg, daring to dip his foot in the cold water.

It was relaxing, calming, reassuring. He had always known he could never have Alex. She was too posh for him. Too good, too smart, too beautiful. What was he? Sam had described it perfectly.

"An overweight, over-the-hill, nicotine-stained, borderline-alcoholic homophobe with a superiority complex and an unhealthy obsession with male bonding."

How could she ever fall in love with a man like him? When he had fallen for her, hoped she'd realise how he felt, he knew he was just deluding himself.

"Up early, yeh are." Gene knew that voice before he even turned around.

"Gene," he said, not turning. "What are you doing here?"

"I like ter come down 'ere 'fore everyone else in the 'ouse wakes up. I like my personal time, an' they don' seem ter get that."

"I understand that. And here I am, in your favourite spot, taking that away," Gene said.

"No, Gene. S'fine. There's something about yeh. S'different from everyone else. Yeh seem ter think the way I do sometimes. S'like yeh know me or summat. It's like Lexi. She's seemed like that since the day she woke up from almost drowning."

"You were worried about her," Gene stated simply. "But you'd never met her."

"Yeah, I was. I dunno why either. Maybe cause I though' she'd make my father righ', like I've 'oped when anyone new comes inter me life. But no one can change 'im. 'E's a bastard, an' tha's all 'e's ever gonna be."

"You can't forget the man he was before."

"Tha's the thing though. I 'ardly knew 'im. I saw 'im when 'e was on leave sometimes, but that was it. I didn't know 'im really after I was three."

"I'll tell you this now, Gene. You probably won't remember this, but I have to say it all the same. When I was in the war with him, when he talked about you, his face shone. He was so proud that he was the father of Gene and Stu Hunt. One of the first things he did was show me a photo of you and Stu. When we would finish for the day, he'd talk about going back to see you. After we were blown up, he said that he wanted to stand next to another, just to see you two."

"An' 'e did, an' 'e ended up like this," the thirteen-year-old said bitterly.

"Yeah, he is a bit of a twat. If I were him, I would have been running from that bomb as quickly as possible."

"Yeh get scared, Gene?" Gene knew what his answer would be to anyone else, but this was himself. He could not lie to himself anymore.

"Yes, Gene. I do. What about you?"

"Yeah. I do. I can' show it. My father'll jus' say I'm sof', and beat me, but I'm scared of 'im, Gene. Wha' if one day 'e kills me? Or Mam? Or Stu?"

Gene stared at himself in amazement. He had no answer for this child that was going through more hell than any child ever should.

"One day, Gene, the world will right itself, and your father will get what's coming to him. You'll have to head the family then, and life will seem shit, but really, its better than you can think. You'll be afraid that if you acknowledge that it really is good, everything will fall apart. You'll have a best mate, a girl, everything you've ever wanted. But then, because you can't acknowledge it, it'll all fall apart anyway."

"My life's gonna be shit, innit?" Gene said, miserably.

"It'll seem like that. But then, just when you are at the brink of throwing yourself in the Thames, everything will look up. A new woman, one much different from your wife will come into your life."

"An' what'll 'appen from there?"

"That's up to you," Gene said. He didn't want to how awful some parts of his life had been to the kid. Then he would have no hope left whatsoever.

The boy smiled at him. "Yer jus' talkin' from yer life experiences, aren' yeh?"

Gene smiled. "Yeah," he answered honestly.

"If yer miss yer Alex tha' much, go find 'er Gene. Tell 'er 'ow yeh feel."

Gene smiled at this boy, who could boldly state what he should have done in 1982. One that was so bold now would become so shy in thirty years, hiding behind a dinosaur like, loud exterior, just afraid of being hurt.

There was the sound of footsteps from behind them. "Gene, c'mon, it's time for breakfast."

Both turned, to stare at Adriana Hunt. She was more drawn than Gene remembered.

"Mr. Andrews. What are you doing here?"

"Hello Mrs. Hunt. I just came down here to think. I like to do that in the mornings."

She nodded at him. "It was good to see you again. I'd invite you in, but you know how Max has gotten. C'mon Gene."

The boy left, and Gene started to head home. Halfway there, he became aware of someone shouting his name.

"'UNT! OI! 'UNT!"

Gene turned, to see his father storming towards him, face contorted in fury. Max stopped in front of him, and knocked his crutches out from under him.

"Yer sleepin' with 'er aren't yeh? Yer sleepin' with my Adriana! 'Ow could yeh, yeh stupid bastard?!"

"No, Max. I haven't slept with her!" Gene said, panicked. "I would never sleep with her, I swear!"

"Bullshit 'unt." Gene was struggling to stand. He never really noticed anymore how much weight he actually put on his crutches. Max noticed the problems he was having, and with a cruel grin kicked Gene's leg. Gene fell to the ground, realising what was happening. His father had transformed him into the helpless fourteen year old, only this wasn't in his nightmares. This was real.

"I'm gonna make yeh pay fer this 'unt. There are some lines yeh NEVER cross, and sleepin' with yer mate's wife is one of 'em." Max lapsed into silence, focussing all his attention on giving Gene a sound beating.

"Yeh know what they say 'unt? 'Fer the wages o' sin is death.' I find yeh sleepin' with my wife a 'sin', don' you?" Max pulled out a knife.

"No! I didn't sleep with her! Listen to me Max! I didn't!" Why could his father always do this to him? He had been reduced to a quivering, pleading heap.

"Tha's bullshit! An' yeh know it as well as I do! Screw you 'unt!"

Max descended on him in that moment, lunging at him with the knife. Gene felt the blade enter into his stomach. He gasped in pain as Max laughed evilly. "'Ave fun in 'ell."

With those final words, Max left, leaving Gene gasping on the ground, waiting for the darkness to claim him.

"Gene?" A soft voice called his name. He looked around for the voice. A figure knelt down beside him. "What happened to you?"

Gene looked at the face of the person who had knelt next to him. "Lexi," he gasped. "Max..."

"Shh. Don't talk Gene."

"I'm gonna die. Dead in 1949...and in..." In 1982. He couldn't say it to Lexi. 1982. Alex. He had left Alex.

"I left her behind. Failed her."

"Who, Gene?" It was harder to speak, to know what he had said to Lexi.

"Her. I'm supposed...to fight death...like I did her." He had said Alex, right?

"Then fight for her Gene. C'mon, stay with me."

Gene tried. He fought the blackness closing in on his vision with all his strength. No matter how hard he fought, however, it seemed as though each breath was more difficult. The feeling changed now. He was completely numb, staring up at Lexi.

"Mm'sorry. I...can't."

Tears formed in Lexi's hazel eyes, and ran down her face. The darkness ate away at more of his vision.

"Didn'...say....goodbye."

"What's her name Gene? I'll write her for you." He thought he had told Lexi her name. Did she not hear him?

He grunted. "Lex."

"Yes, Gene?"

"No...not...you." His voice was growing weaker, and longer pauses were heard between each syllable. "Bo...Bo..."

His chest tightened even more, and Gene gasped, trying to get air into his lungs. He couldn't. It was too difficult. Gene exhaled one last time, thinking how much Lexi looked like Alex did when she tried to save his life in 1982. As his eyes closed, he knew. Alex and Lexi had to be the same person.

~(*)~

Lexi held on to Gene long after he went limp in her arms, long after he had exhaled his last breath, tears falling freely about her face. "I hope you find her Gene. Eventually, wherever you are, I hope you find her."

To Be Continued