This is a slightly too short chapter for my liking but I haven't written for this story in a while and so I'm just trying to get back into it.
Alex was nervous as she sat waiting outside Hugh's office. She kept checking her watch, tapping her hands together repetitively as she waited impatiently. Nothing should go wrong if she pitched this right and proved the case was worth it Hugh might give them a second chance.
"Alex," the receptionist smiled, gesturing for her to go in and Alex stood, readied herself, knocked and pushed open the door.
She tried to smile as she made her way in and sat down in front of Hugh's desk, papers and CCTV footage in hand.
"DSI Drake," Hugh greeted her.
Well that was a good start. He was addressing her using her proper name this time and he'd obviously kept her rank as Detective Superintendent which was promising.
"AC Wainwright," Alex smiled back.
"What brings you here Alex, I believe it must be something to do with the closure of your unit?" Hugh asked.
"It is sir," Alex assured him as she handed him the case files from Molly's attack, "as you may already be aware my daughter was attacked yesterday and we believe it is the result of her overhearing a conversation about a planned identity scam, all the information should be in the files."
Hugh was listening carefully to Alex as he began to flick through the files, understanding quickly.
"I know you said you were closing us down but for Molly's sake and for the safety of other people I'm asking you if you'll let us take this final case to prove our worth," Alex continued.
"Prove your worth?" Hugh questioned as he closed the file he'd been reading.
"Yes prove that the Identity Unit is a success and that it's still needed here," Alex said, her voice getting quicker as she prepared to beg, "if we solve this case then I'm asking you to let us stay open, let us keep doing our jobs. You said I had a year to prove to you IDU could work, I haven't had that time yet."
"DSI Drake I hate to rain on your parade but I'm sure there are some other detectives in CID who could solve this case just as well as you and your team," Hugh said coldly, pushing the files back towards her, rejecting her offers and pleas.
"Well that's where you're wrong sir," Alex fought back, "you see my team and I may not have been together very long but we already know a lot more about identity crime than we did before. We know more about how it works and how the people committing the crimes work, we have more experience, I promise you we're the best people to solve this case."
"Alex," Hugh started again but he was cut off.
"Look at this sir," Alex interrupted him, holding out the disc with the CCTV footage on to him, "please just watch it?"
Hugh reluctantly took the disc from Alex and inserted it into his laptop, Alex feeling that his reaction could be crucial to her. She watched as he seemed disgusted and slightly saddened by the sight of what happened to Molly.
"Please sir, one case, one crime and maybe it could save this unit," Alex repeated her earlier offer as Hugh handed her back the disc.
"One chance DSI Drake, that's all you're getting, if you mess this up then there will be no more second chances, or third chances," Hugh warned sternly.
"Thank you sir," Alex smiled appreciatively as she stood up and walked towards the door.
"Oh and Drake," Hugh called out.
"Yes," she said as she turned on her heel to face him again.
"You have a deadline, I can't give you forever," Hugh started, "you have two weeks, if nothing's sorted by then I will close you down for good."
"Sir," Alex acknowledged before leaving his office, smiling proudly to herself as she headed back to IDU.
She was still smiling as she entered IDU and Tessa looked up at her first.
"How'd it go?" Tessa asked eagerly, wanting to know if she needed to be looking for another job.
"Good, it went good," Alex smiled, "We have two weeks, if we solve the case we can stay open."
"That's brilliant, well done," Tessa smiled back at her as Alex headed over to tell the others.
"Good news is it?" John asked Alex, noticing the beaming smile on her face.
"Yes," she told him, "we're doing this for Molly, if we solve this in two weeks we can stay open."
"I knew you could do it," Jose smiled at her too.
They began discussing the case and got back to work, Alex heading into her office and sitting down at her desk. It was only when she looked up that she noticed Gene standing in the doorway smiling proudly at her.
"What?" she questioned.
"You," he replied, "You look happy, it's the first time I've seen you like that in a while, you seem like the old Alex a lot more."
Alex smiled up at him as she got up and walked over to him.
"I'm proud of you Bolls," he told her gently as she reached him.
"This is still going to be hard work," Alex acknowledged.
"I know but we're a team Bolly, unbreakable," Gene smiled at her and she wrapped her arms around his waist, hugging him tightly and he responded, not caring who was watching them.
The separated and Gene leant down and placed a long gentle kiss on Alex's lips but they broke away when they heard a cough from the outer office.
"Can you two please not do that here?" Jose asked jokingly, "It's work, you're supposed to be professional."
They both smiled sarcastically at him before turning back and kissing again just to rub it in. They didn't notice that John had turned away grimacing as the others looked on feeling happy for their two superior officers.
All in all it had been a good day, the unit had been given a lifeline and it gave Alex the opportunity to find out who had hurt her daughter. Maybe once this case was over and everything was settled she could finally start planning things and get used to having a family again, having Gene and Molly back was the best thing to happen to her, having the unit too would make things complete.
So there should hopefully be more plot next chapter! Please review and keep reading!