Alex was flying, soaring. She couldn't see, or rather whenever she opened her eyes it was as black as when they were shut. Disorientation set in, and she found herself reaching out, trying desperately to find something in that darkness. She tried shouting different names, first Molly's, then Gene's, then anyone she could think of, from Luigi to her parents. Nothing happened for a while. But just when she was starting to think that she would never find out where she was, sound filled her ears, in the same, slightly eerie way it does when there are no images to go with it. There was beeping, the fuzz of voices, all interfering with each other so that none were clear. Some were growing louder, some fading in and out like on a dodgy radio signal. The only thing that was constant was the beeping, so she focused on that. But soon that too started to change. The beat became erratic, and then a different sound took over, one that seemed like an alarm. The voices took on a panicked edge, and in between them she heard one voice that she would recognise anywhere.
"Mum!" It wasn't the usual tone Molly used. It was screamed, in a painful howl. The voices were fading, even Molly's, but the beeping was growing louder. It turned suddenly into a continuous drone of noise that the longer it went on for, the more distorted from its original sound it became. It grew until she felt like screaming, and covered her ears, but the noise came from within her head, so there was no blocking it out. Just as it became unbearable, it stopped. And with its termination came a sensation of lightening, almost so she was floating. She felt all heaviness, all associations she'd felt with her physical body slip away, so that no pressure or gravity could have any effect on her. She felt so light, like a ghost, or a soul. Because that's what she was. Alex Drake was dead.
She knew she should be crying, it was all over. No Molly, no Gene, no life of any kind, as far as she knew. Nothing. Except for the faint patch of light that grew steadily brighter and closer, as if she was travelling towards it. Which, with the rate of its swelling, seemed to be ferociously fast she realised all too late. Before she even had time to yell, she was enveloped in it, all around her, stinging her eyes so she raised her hands protectively. Then, she had a sensation of dropping, until something struck her feet and the light faded.
She was surrounded by desks, all overflowing with half-done paperwork. To her right was a kitchen, to her left, the stationery cupboard. In front, dead ahead, an office, blinds undrawn. There, behind a desk, was him. Or what he was now. She had no idea when this was, but she could tell from the half empty bottle of scotch in his hand, it was quite soon after she had died. Slowly, hardly daring to breath, she stepped into his office. He didn't seem to notice; he was staring at a newspaper cutting on the wall. Beside the customary one of Sam Tyler, there was one headed 'Brave Officer Dies saving her WPC'. Her photo was beneath, the one that Chris had taken during his camera phase, at one of Ray's birthdays. He had caught her halfway between laughing and smiling. They'd all agreed it was the only decent picture Chris had ever taken.
"Must be the cheap stuff." His voice re-awoke her, and she turned to see him eyeing her in disbelief. "I'd prefer the pink elephants. Only cos they're less painful, not cos they're any more… beautiful…"
"You comparing me to an elephant now, even after I've died."
"Some things never change, ey Bolls. Like this, for instance. No matter how much I drink to forget, it only helps me remember the worst of it."
"This isn't the drink, Gene. This is me. I don't know how, but it is." And to prove it to him, she reached out her hand. Although they were touching, it was a memory of a touch. He could not feel the sensation of skin on skin that he so longed for, but a trace of pressure, enough to know that it was more than a dream, but not enough to mean that she was alive.
"Seeing ghosts. And I thought you were the one with the sci fi dimension. So what are you doing here? Why aren't you with Molly?"
"I died in 2008 too."
"So… you never made it. All our effort was for nothing?"
"No. Never ever for nothing. I went out fighting. I gave myself a chance to hear my daughters voice one last time. And anyway, I was shot. In the head. From short range. And then my soul was sent back to 1981. There was very little chance it would work. But trying… trying made it so much easier for me. Because I know I never gave up on life."
"If I ever find that Morgan BASTARD, I'm gonna kill him."
"You do realise, if he had never sent me back, that we would never have met? And as much as coming here secured my fate, at least it meant… what I'm trying to say is… my life would have been a lot less colourful, fun… happy ultimately. You helped a troubled woman lead a false, yet undoubtedly happy life for the past three years. And I'm so sorry that it has to end."
"Me too," he seemed to steal himself for a minute, and she knew he was going to say something that came from the heart. "I used to think about it. Not when you first came, I only thought about laying you good and proper, hopefully with you keeping your gob shut and all. But, during the Operation Rose years, when we were closer than ever. I thought about asking you, thought about what you'd say, where I take you. You know, couple stuff. I thought about, towards the end… moving in together, going out or staying in, takeaways on the couch, late night telly, cooking, all that boring, every day shit that usually drains the live outa most couples. But I know it would have been good with you. It would have been great. It would have been ordinary, but amazing." She was crying, not in the hysterical way she had in the barn, but singular tears falling slowly down her cheeks.
"I always thought I was the one that was good with words. It would have been good."
"The best."
"Just like we were."
"Bolly and the Manc Lion."
"Unbreakable. But it was never going to happen. If I'd have lived, I'd have had to choose between you and Molly. And she would have always come first. But you're right. It would have been so good."
And since all the words were said, they leaned in. The kiss had none of the reality or feeling that their one's n reality had, but it was still so wonderful.
The doors opened, and into the office came Chris, Shaz and Ray, all of whom stopped dead in their tracks.
"Bloody Nora! I've gone mad."
"If you have so have I."
"Me an all."
"You're all barking the lot of you," Alex said, as both she and Gene joined them in the aisle.
"Ma'am!" Shaz yelled, and she flung her arms around her. "It can't really be you, can it?"
"It is, but I'm still dead. I don't know what this is, but I'm pretty sure it's a chance to say goodbye."
"Oh God, no! I feel so terrible! You were such a great officer, and you died for me, I should have gone, I didn't deserve to live!"
"Shut up Shaz, don't talk nonsense. You are a brilliant copper, and you are young with most of life ahead of you. You go get the future, run at it! Don't let anyone hold you back. And tell him you still love him, for goodness sake!"
"Already taken care of, Boss… Ma'am." She turned to Chris, who was grinning at Shaz in a way that she had missed.
"He was there for me after everything."
"Well, at least that's one good thing to come out of this. You take care of her Chris, and keep being the kind, sensitive guy you are, no matter what Ray calls you."
"Oi." He was smiling, thought there were tears in his eyes.
"The Great Manly Man Ray Carling, crying?"
"Even the strongest of us get upset when someone bloody annoying, but brilliant goes and shuffles on."
"Well said, almost anyway. Forget the little mistakes you make, it takes more than them to turn good coppers away. And you are a good copper. So don't let any more army recruitment forms find their way into your hands. Stay where you're needed."
While she had been speaking, others had entered the room. None of them had noticed, and they looked around, confused by the faces they did not recognise. Alex was looking around them with a weary smile.
"Alex!" It was Evan, the older one. He rushed forward to embrace her. "I am so sorry! If I'd told you about the whole thing sooner, none of this would have happened! You should know, your mother-"
"Shh," she said, and she took his hands in hers. "I know."
"How? How could you possibly-"
"That doesn't matter. All that matters is; I forgive you. You never wanted them dead. And you made up for it, over the years, what with me and Molly, picking me up after everything. I forgive you." They hugged once again, before he moved back amongst the crowd, everything that needed to be said between them said. Out stepped well known friends, but they just hugged, until one person stepped out she had not expected.
"I'm sorry, Alex. I'm sorry for all the shit I put you through. For being a shit husband, for leaving you, for leaving Molly. I'm sorry."
"It's okay. I can't say I forgive you, but it's not me you need to be apologising to. There's someone more important, who'll need you more than ever now." And at that moment, the group parted, and there she was. They stood staring at each other, until she ran, ran into her arms. Now the real tears were falling, on both accounts; they shook together, both feeling each other's emotions in the hug. All around them, others were crying. Ray was unashamedly bawling, his dignity completely forgotten. Chris was cuddling Shaz and trying to dry his eyes on her jumper. Gene stood in his doorway, a solitary tear making it path down his face. One of the few tears Gene had cried in a long time. Because Gene didn't just cry for anyone. He cried for his Bolly.
Eventually, they broke apart. Alex raised her hands to her daughters face for one last time.
"Be brave, my baby girl."
"I love you Mum."
"I love you too. Always."
"Forever."
And then they all knew, as if they felt it as one, that they should turn. The door to the office was glowing with the light by which Alex had come there. She walked slowly towards it, and saw through the doorway two faces she hadn't seen in 29 years. It was her parents, not the ones she'd seen again in 1981, but the ones she remembered from her earliest memories, when they were the happiest they had ever been. She paused in the doorway, looking back at all the people she loved in one room, spanning through all time barriers.
"Goodbye Mum." Her daughter was holding Evan's hand.
"Goodbye Molls."
"See you little Lady." She looked up, into the eyes of the last person in her life, the only one she could have wanted to see as her last goodbye.
"I'll always be here, waiting for you." And with that, she stepped through the door.

...

THE END

Thats how I thought it would End. I hope you enjoyed it, and sorry if their wasn't enough Galex in it for you.