Thank you for the lovely reviews from chapter ten, I have had a few people asking me to get this chapter up quickly to put their minds at ease over the way I left the last chapter, so here you are. I hope that it answers questions left by the last chapter and it will also answer a few more, it does jump a little bit but I will clearly mark it where it does. Hope you enjoy, and please review and let me know your thoughts. Even criticise me - I can take it!

Chapter 11 - Savings from a Rainy Day

"Explain what GENE?" she fumed pulling away from his grasp, and marching into their bedroom pulling more of his clothes out of the cupboard and onto the floor.

"While I've been here with OUR children, you've been off shagging another woman!"

"It's not like that Alex…" gain Alex had cut him off.

"Then what is it like then Gene?" she shouted, "and don't you dare stand there and lie to me telling me it's nothing!" she screamed, "How long has it been going on for? I bet it was after the accident you smarmy GIT. After I couldn't…"

"Would you just shut up and listen for a minute!" he bellowed.

Jack and Fiona had followed Gene home after he had left the station; fully aware of what he would be going home to after Alex had let the station both angry and upset.

"What do you think she'll do?" Jack asked Fiona as they sat outside Gene and Alex's flat in his car.

"I don't know," Fiona whispered, "If it was me I'd kick him out."

"But it' not you Fiona it's Alex."

"I know, but she's a strong willed woman and I don't think she'll put up with him treating her like that."

"Do you think he'll try and defend himself?" Jack asked,

"He'd better not!" Fiona replied staring up at the flat windows.

"We'll need to be there for her," Fiona smiled weakly.

In response to which Jack placed a comforting hand on top of hers to which Fiona squeezed slightly before smiling at Jack who replied,

"We'll help her together."

A window which was open in the flat allowed Jack and Fiona to hear the argument, and although muffled they could hear Gene shout, "Would you just shut up and listen for a minute and listen!"

"What?" Alex asked a few minutes later, totally and utterly shocked at what Gene had just told her.

"Prove it Gene, prove to me you're telling the truth," she yelled, still visibly shaking.

"Bolly, when have I ever lied to you?" his voice calm.

"Well…" she trailed, trying to think, "never…" she whispered, "but that doesn't mean that you're telling me the truth now."

Just then a knock at the door interrupted them; Alex turned her back on Gene to answer it, to find Jack and Fiona on the other side of it.

"You o.k.?" Fiona asked giving Alex a hug, concerned by the puffiness of Alex's eyes.

"Yeah thanks Fiona," Alex smiled weakly.

"Who is it?" Gene appeared behind Alex, "Oh you two!"

"So what lie did you tell her for her not to have chucked you out by now?" Fiona asked "She deserved to know what you've been up to, how long has it been going on Guv?" Jack asked, "How long have you been feeding her lies.

"For the last time I AM NOT LYING!" Genes bellowed.

"You two had better come in," Alex sighed holding the door open for Jack and Fiona to enter.

"You're staying with him? Aren't you?" Fiona asked Alex upon entering the flat.

"Just come in and we'll tell you what's happening" Alex's eyes were still pink and puffy from the crying she had done.

Taking a seat on the sofa next to each other, Jack and Fiona glanced from Gene to Alex and back to Gene again, their rage obvious from the tension in the room, especially towards Gene.

"You can tell them," Alex nudged Gene in the ribs, "It's your fault anyway for keeping this a secret for as long."

"I know…" he sighed.

"I followed you with that woman earlier," Jack raged, "how could you to that to Alex?"

"I haven't been doing anything Jack, that woman you saw me with was Pauline, she's an estate agent."

"Why do you need an estate agent?" Fiona asked looking confused.

"Well…" Gene trailed, "That house I was at earlier, well I've bought it; she was showing me around it again before I handed the paperwork over to her."

"Is that why you've been acting strangely then?" Jack asked as a wash of relief washed over him.

"Have I?" Gene asked, looking at Alex.

"I thought you… I Thought that…you were…" she choked back the last words unable to belive that she had actually thought that Gene would be cheating on her.

"How could I?" He asked, slipping a hand around her neck, his blue eyes sparking in her brown ones, "when I'm totally and utterly besotted and in love with you?"

He placed a light but tender kiss on her lips.

"So that's what all the secrecy was about then?" Jack asked.

"Oh bugger off you two," Gene said sternly to Fiona and Jack,

"Me and the missus are going to spend some quality time ALONE!"

The next day Gene took Alex to the house they would be moving into in a few weeks.

It was situated on a quiet tree lined street, there was children playing in every garden, wrapped up in scarf's and hats.

"Ooh, the girls will love this street, there's loads of children for them to play with," Alex sighed looking out the car window, a smile crossing her face.

Gene pulled the car into the driveway of a large detached house.

"Gene?" Alex whispered in shock.

"What do you think then?" he asked unable to read the expression on Alex's face.

"How can you even afford a house of this size?"

"Well you know me, I've had savings from years back, and now just seems the right time for me to spend them on the ones I love, fresh start and all…"

Gene opened the front door to reveal the house's beauty.

Alex hadn't noticed it till now, but the house was a traditional old style, which made her feel warm and fuzzy.

There were real wooden beams along the ceiling, and real wood floors, which by the look of them had recently been refurbished, a seal had been put across them.

There was a real fire in the living room, enclosed by a fireguard.

Moving through to the kitchen, the kitchen had a country feel to it, with big sinks and lots of storage space.

"Oh Gene," Alex gasped, "how did you mange to find a place like this?"

"I thought of you, and knew you would love it," he smiled placing an arm around her waist.

"It's like a country house in the city!" she smiled.

"You haven't seen upstairs yet," he smiled, taking her hand and leading her up the stairs.

When they reached the landing, Gene grabbed Alex from behind, covering her eyes with his hand.

"Gene-what?"

"I need to show you something," he whispered into her ear.

"Then you can remove your hands from my eyes then, how else am I meant to see?" she giggled as Gene led her along the landing.

He pushed open the door at the end of the hall and released Alex's eyes.

There was that split second that there was deafening silence, until Alex spoke,

"It's beautiful Gene," she breathed.

The bedroom had wooden beams on the ceiling, and a real fire which this time wasn't enclosed. There was a traditional four poster bed on one wall, and opposite it there was an en-suite bathroom,

"The bed comes with the house, by-the-way," he smiled leaving the room and turning right.

There was another three bedrooms of a fair size; two were definitely doubles and the other as ingle. There was a good size family bathroom as well.

"Gene, it's perfect, it's what I've always dreamed of," she sighed placing hand on his chest.

"So I take it you like it then." He asked hugging her tightly.

"No." she said.

"Hat, but you've just…" he looked confused.

"I don't like it Gene, I LOVE it!" she smiled, "It's perfect for us!"

"Look I'm sorry I didn't discuss it with you Bolls, and I'm also sorry that you thought I was…"

"It doesn't matter Gene, what matters is us, and our girls.

"Really?" he asked.

"Yes really" She smiled, "now when can we move in?

Six weeks later…

It was the day of the move, the day they would move their lives from this pokey little flat to their new large house.

It was the start of December and the weather was bright and crisp.

The flat was all packed up, their lives from the past five years packed up in boxes that were stacked around the rooms.

The only things still to be packed were the kettle, the toaster and their bed sheets.

After breakfast that morning, Alex packed up the remainder of their possessions and stared out the kitchen window. She felt a pair of strong arms wrap themselves around her waist, holding her tightly.

"I'm going to miss this place," she sighed, "So many happy memories, Leah's first steps… Olivia's first steps…"

"I know… I know…" he whispered, "We've always got those memories to recall, but this move is fresh start for all of us Bolls."

"Oh god, I love you Gene," she sighed.

Half an hour later the removal van was parked downstairs, and Gene and Alex began lifting the boxes containing their lives down the stairs to the van with the help of Jack and Fiona who had arrive a few minutes earlier.

Two hours later the flat was empty, Leah and Olivia were strapped into the car downstairs waiting, on their parents locking up their first house for the last time.

"The flat seems that big without all our things, so big and empty," she sighed.

" I know," he whispered into her neck, his arms around her waist.

"Leah took her first steps over there," she smiled pointing at a spot on the carpet,

"And Olivia there," she pointed at another spot.

"We need to go now Alex," he whispered gently, leading her out of what was their living room by the waist.

"She eventually feels health again," he thought to himself, "not just skin and bone."

"Alex, what's wrong?" he asked noticing Alex's eyes glazing over,

"Just sad, but happy that we need to move on from here," she sighed as Gene guided her out of the front door for the final time. Gene turned the key in the lock for the last time, before he and Alex headed down the stairs to the car, and start on a new journey with their girls, a fresh start for them all.

It was 8pm that night before Gene and Alex managed to sit down again. After arriving at the house, they began the tedious job of unpacking box after box of their belongings.

Alex had the job of lifting the girls thing upstairs, box after box of clothes, and toys, whilst Gene had the heavy job of sorting the fridge, washing machine and tumble dryer.

There was a lot still to be done but the house that was empty earlier in the day was beginning to look and feel more like home.

"Right girls, bedtime," Alex announced.

"Awww Mum!" they chorused together.

Gene lifted Leah, whilst Alex lifted Olivia, carrying them upstairs to show them their new bedrooms.

"That's not fair! Leah's got a bigger room than me!" Olivia shouted two minute later.

"I have not" Leah shouted back at her sister.

HAVE SO!" Olivia stomped away pushing Leah over as she passed.

"OLIVIA HUNT!" Alex shouted in her stern voice, "Say sorry to your sister!"

"NO!" Olivia stomped her feet, crossing her arms, her top lip pouted.

"Olivia!" Gene warned, "Say sorry!"

"Sorry Leah…" She whispered, her top lip trembling.

"I think there's two tired little girls who need their beds," Alex smiled, picking Olivia up again carrying her to her new bedroom.

"Get into bed Leah and I'll be back in a minute to tuck you in,"

As soon as Olivia's head hit the pillow she was sound asleep.

"For someone who wasn't tired, she sure fell asleep quickly," Gene smiled, closing Olivia's room door, leaving it open just a crack.

Entering Leah's room they noticed immediately that she was already sound asleep as well, cuddling into her pink teddy that she had since she was born.

"It's been a long day for them Gene," she whispered as he closed Leah's door, also leaving it open a crack.

"For them and us both, I'm shattered," Alex managed through a yawn.

"Lets open that bottle we brought with us, we deserve a drink tonight," he smiled as they headed down the stairs.

An hour or so later, Alex had polished off her second glass of wine, Gene had finished the rest of the bottle, and they were now headed upstairs to go to bed.

Alex slipped into one of her skimpy night dresses, whilst Gene slipped into a pair of pyjama bottoms.

"Warm the bed up for me, I'll be back in a minute," she smiled as she headed for the bathroom.

"Well hurry up woman and we can warm it together," he smiled as he got into the bed.

He lay in the middle of the bed, covers hunched around his waist, his bare chest on view.

Ten minutes later when Alex still hadn't came out the bathroom, Gene began to worry, so got out from between the warm covers and knocked on the bathroom door, calling through the crack,

"Alex, are you o.k.'?"

"Not really…" she replied in a tiny voice.

Gene opened the door worried by her response, to find her sitting on the toilet seat.

Upon seeing him enter the bathroom she handed him what she had been staring at for the past ten minutes.

The white stick she had just handed Gene had two blue lines down the middle of the little window.

"I'm pregnant Gene." she whispered as tears filled her eyes, at the same time Gene's look of confusion changed to happiness as he dropped the positive pregnancy test wrapping Alex in his arms, kissing her softly.

"Oh Gene, I thought it would never happen again," she smiled as he kissed her neck.

"God, Alex you were lifting those boxes earlier, I'm taking you to the doctors Monday morning to get checked. No point taking risks."

"Oh God, I had that wine earlier," she suddenly remembered, putting a hand to her mouth.

"Right you're definitely going to the doctors then!" he said pulling her close to him as they lay in bed.

"You know I was beginning to think that you were a bit healthier round the middle," he laughed.

"Well I've got an excuse for eating more of Luigi's macaroni, now that I'm eating for two!" she giggled in response.

"C'mere," he huffed pulling her even closer to him, wrapping his arms around her, his hands over her stomach.

Alex placed her own hands on top of his protectively; drifting off to sleep at the thought they were going to be parents again.

Well I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I hope that all questions raised from the last chapter were answered. Please review and let me know if you want more of this story, because I have a few ideas where to take it but your feedback first would be very helpful.

Thanks again for reading!