"What the bloody hell did you think you were doing, Molly Alexandra Drake? You terrified the life out of poor Gene and me as well, created unnecessary work for the whole department and just about reduced Mandy to a nervous wreck, thinking she'd let you go missing on her watch. If you get lost, you go into a shop with people in it and ask for directions, you don't just wander around hoping you'll get somewhere! Gene was almost in tears when he spoke to me- what do you think this has done to his confidence? There had better be nothing else like this before I get back!"

Molly, knowing she deserved the rant, simply replied "yes, Mum, sorry", letting her finish her tirade before handing the phone back to Gene and heading up to her room, feeling a rat. Her mother had a point- Gene's confidence must be shot to bits by now. This was meant to help him, not hurt him even more!

The crackle of her mother's voice down the phone, although unintelligible, made Molly stop; she hoped that her mother would be able to reassure Gene, but her hopes were shot down by Gene's quiet, saddened words.

"Bolls, I can't cope, I just can't."

The speech sliced through Molly; she turned without a second thought and ran to her bedroom, burying her head in the pillow and sobbing, crying so hard she didn't hear her door opening or Gene walking over and sitting down next to her, putting his hand on her shoulder carefully, as though he expected to be shrugged off.

"Gene, I'm sorry, I really am, I- I just got s-scared, I'm sorry!"

"Ssh," Gene murmured to her, lifting her up so he could see her face. "Molls, I'm not angry wi' yer. I'm disappointed, but not angry. More angry at meself, fer not bein' there."

"Well, that's stupid! You had to go to work and I couldn't go with you. I was the idiot who went off to the shops and got lost. You found me as well, you were the one who actually turned up and carted me back to Mandy's. You remedied my mistake. You were awesome."

Gene gave a quiet "harumph" and pulled her up to hug her, feeling her solid warmth against his body, closing his eyes. Jesus, if I'd lost 'er, I wouldn' 'ave been able ter live wi' myself.

They stayed there for a long time, disturbed by the phone ringing downstairs and Gene heading through to answer it. Molly rubbed at the stains on her pillow and tried to catch snatches of Gene's conversation; from the sounds of it, it was someone from his department, asking questions.

"Yeah, she's safe now... what? No, I bloody well was not cryin'!... I've informed DI Drake, yes... Yer'll 'ave me blushin', Raymondo. Now ring off an' stop wastin' electricity."

The next sound was the phone being dropped onto the cradle and Gene walking back up and into her room once again.

"Tha' was Ray, askin' about yer. An' 'e told me I was the best dad ever ter yer. Never knew 'e was so dumb. Yer'd better get inter the shower an' ter bed, it's almost eight an' yer've 'ad a long day."

Molly grabbed him, refusing to let him go, shaking her head insistently at him.

"You are the best dad ever. You go way out of your way to help me, you take me into work with you, you take me places and talk with me and you're a million times better than my real dad. I wish you were my real dad. No joke or anything like that. You're awesome."

Seeing him frozen to the spot, she got up and hugged him again, feeling him quickly respond so that she didn't fall over. He protects me every second of every day, when he can. My real dad pushed off and left me when I was six months old. Bastard. Gene's a thousand times the man he'll ever be.

"Oh, Molls..."

Molly leaned up to whisper in Gene's ear, a smile on her face as she pushed the matted blond hair out of her way and found his ear.

"Can I call you Dad instead of Gene?"

Gene gulped, turning to stare at Molly, all his dreams come true in one little bundle holding onto him. Her bright blue eyes stared back at him, and he realised with a jolt that they were just like his.

"Yeah. Yeah, yer can, Molls. I- it'd be great."

Molly squealed with delight, hugging Gene so fiercely the buttons on his shirt made tiny circular marks on his chest and stomach before running into the bathroom and turning the shower on, beginning to sing "The Land of Make Believe" at the top of her voice, happy at last.

Gene had never thought he would like the sound of Bucks Fizz so much.


"'E said I was a brilliant dad."

"He's right, you know. You've done a great job, considering you've only ever looked after yourself full-time before."

"An' my team, Bolls."

"But Molly doesn't go into armed shoot-outs or catch murderers for a living. Which reminds me: could you go to the library and get out some maths, science and English books for her to read while her school's closed? I'll give you a list when you've got time. I'm always here, you know."

"Yeah, I know. Fine."

"You do know where the library is, don't you?"

"Yes." Pause. "Well, I'm sure Molly will."

"Such an educated man, Gene Hunt."

"Educated in the stuff that matters, Bolls."

"Yes. Including looking after a little girl."

"She asked me if she could call me 'er dad today."

"About time, too. What did you say?"

"What d'yer think, Bolls? She's my bloody life now, 'er an' yer. I love 'er."

Alex sat there, the biggest smile possible on her face, and let the tears of adoration fall.