Chapter 20

"...We thought you two would never get off your arses and get it on."

Alex leaned her head wearily against Gene's shoulder as they stood at the bar in the Railway Arms, listening to the kind words their friends had to say before they departed the pub. The doors to Bask and Luigi's had closed; the smooooooth DJ was busy trying to wipe up the blood from the victims of Susannah's quest to perform first aid while Luigi was attempting to rid the floor of random clunky boot prints. Behind the bar of the Railway Arms stood Sam and Nelson, arms folded, smiles upon their faces as they listened to one tale after another of the man and woman who had been a rock and a guide to so many.

It was Ray's turn to speak, standing as he was unsteadily on a table, a pint in one hand while he gestured emphatically with the other. Around them their friends were smiling, some were crying from an over-abundance of nostalgia and booze. The faint barking of a lone dog on the street outside was the only other sound to be heard, aside from Robin sneezing when the bubbles from his beer went up his noise, occasional embarrassing protests from Kim's digestive system and Nelson admonishing anyone he found using his I Love London merchandise as target practice. To Alex and Gene, it was perfect. It was everything the world meant to them, all in one place.

"...But," Ray continued, "somehow you managed it. Times we nearly booked you a room..."

"You couldn't have afforded it, Carling," Gene piped up, "not on your wages."

A few laughs and cheers went up around the room as Ray carried on.

"Guv," he addressed Gene, "you were always the best at your job. We were proud to work for you. Proud to be part of the A-Team and proud to harden up that soppy southern station, too. But there's more to life than work -"

"Like beer," someone volunteered and Ray raised his glass.

"Can't argue with that," he said, before returning his stare to the happy couple at the bar, "Nah. Mushy stuff. Not easy to find..." he nodded to them both, "...what you two have got. We might not be with you tomorrow but we're going to be raising a glass."

"See if we can get the old idiot box working," Nelson indicated the TV in the corner.

"It'll be like the royal weddings all over again," Sam commented

"So think of us tomorrow," Ray's eyes shone with genuine happiness as he turned back to Alex and Gene, "because if we could be there, we would. And we'll be there in spirit."

"In spirits," Gene interrupted, "like all the scotch I'll have to drink to get rid of the memory of you lot."

More laughs and cheers went up at Gene's remark and Ray held out his glass.

"To Ma'am and the Guv," he said.

"Ma'am and the Guv," the rest of the pub cheered, toasting them for the fifth time.

"It's such a shame you're not going to be there, Ray," Alex told him.

"Why? Got a couple of nice bridesmaids you could hook me up with?" Ray asked expectantly, rubbing his hands together.

"Actually I had you pegged as the bridesmaid," Alex said innocently and watched Ray's face drop as those around them laughed.

"You what?"

"I don't have any close female friends really," Alex said, "so someone needs to stand there in a pink frilly dress."

"What about the hedgehog with guts-ache?" Ray cried, jabbing a finger at Kim.

"There's more chance of getting me in a pink frilly dress than 'er," Gene scowled at Kim across the room.

"So," Alex smiled at Ray, "let's get your moustache tinted to match the material and get you fitted for a dress right away."

"Bollocks to this, sod the happy couple," Ray muttered, climbing down from the table.

"Alright, OK," Nelson began, "one more, and then I have to close up for the night," he smiled innocently, "wouldn't like the local law enforcement to think I'm opening after hours."

Sam stepped out from behind the bar and climbed onto the table, his foot slipping a little in a pool of condensation which brought laughter from the gathering.

"Break a leg, Gladys," Gene cheered.

"Alright, alright, that's enough," Sam tried to quell the cheering. He stood up carefully and looked across the pub at all the faces; the ones he knew of old, the ones he'd met in recent times, the ones he knew well, the ones he wanted to get to know better. Then he turned to Gene and Alex.

"it's a wonderful thing you do," he told them seriously, as though it was only just dawning on him, "it really is. And it always has been. But," he swallowed, "but it's even better now that you're doing it together."

"Way-hey!" Ray cheered.

"Not like that!" Sam protested.

"They are though," Chris chimed in.

"Yeah, all over the station," Simon blanched.

"The things we've seen," Robin howled in distress.

"Excuse me, what was that?" Alex demanded, "mister practical-demonstration-of-new-relationship-in-hospital-chair?"

"One time!" Robin protested, "that was one time!"

"And all the other times in other places," Alex shuddered at the memory.

"You lot running a brothel these days?" Ray asked curiously but Sam wanted to get back on track.

"You work well. As a team. Not just... on the streets, keeping the law," he began, "but doing what you do for us. Helping us, getting us here." he looked at them very sincerely, "so keep doing it. And tomorrow," he realised he didn't have a glass to raise so he mimed holding a pretend one instead, "tomorrow... have the best day of your lives. Because you've given us the best days of ours." He nodded to them. "Congratulations."

"Congratulations!" the crowd cheered and whooped and clapped, surrounding Alex and Gene, shaking their hands, kissing them on their cheeks, hugging them and getting pushed away by Gene until eventually Nelson made his way to the door.

"Mon Brave, it is time to say goodbye," he told Gene, "but we're with you. All of us."

Gene nodded.

"Your beer will always be with me," he said, "in me nightmares."

Simon, Robin and Kim gathered slowly at the door with the happy couple.

"Thank you," Simon told Nelson, "thank you so much for this... for everything.

"It was a pleasure," Nelson told him, "and besides, I do love London."

"We know," five annoyed voices chorused as they began to make their way out of the pub. At the last moment Kim caught Nelson's eye and he gave her a wink.

"Next time, Boots," he smiled, "remember. Just ask."

Kim felt a shiver down her spine, a strange sensation that there was more afoot than she was privy to but this wasn't the time to ask. She simply nodded with a nervous smile, reaching for Robin's arm as they left the pub together. Simon stepped out after them and Alex and Gene followed on behind.

"Three cheers for the Guv and Ma'am!" someone began from back inside, "hip hip, hooray! Hip hip, Hooray! Hip hip -"

But before they reached the final hooray the voices faded and the pub once again vanished into the ether. With a strange sense of knowing and from the people still passing by on the streets they came to realise that barely a moment had passed out in the real world from the second they'd set foot inside of the pub.

The five figures came to stare at one another in silence. There were so many things each and every one of them wanted to say and yet no one knew how. Finally it was Gene of all people who knew exactly what he needed to say. He turned directly to Kim and held out his hand.

Kim stared at it, confused, then looked him in the eye. He was sincere. She didn't question it. Didn't dare. It was a gesture she'd not expected but slowly she reached out and shook it, nodding at him as he nodded back. The tiniest flicker of a smile graced her lips. Acceptance. Respect. It was something neither had thought they would feel or find for one another, but there it was. Grudging, but there.

"Tonight," Gene said stiffly, "perfect. Good work."

Kim nodded again, trying not to smile.

"Thanks, Guv," she whispered.

Gene nodded back, then belched under his breath and made a pained face.

"Now bugger off while I go and raid me medicine cabinet for indigestion stuff," he told them.

"Yes, Guv," they chorused.

Before they departed, Gene turned to Simon.

"Tomorrow morning, son," he began, "I'll expect you round with a large quantity of alcohol to settle my nerves."

"Well that's not going to settle mine," Alex said anxiously. She turned to Kim and caught her arm. "Hey," she said quietly, pulling her back a little. She smiled as Kim caught her eye. "Thank you," she said warmly, "for everything tonight. It was perfect."

Beforre Kim could blunder her way through an embarrassed reply Alex folded her up in a warm hug and gently kissed her on the cheek leaving her reeling as her face reddened. She looked at Alex, slightly shocked, trying to bite back a grin and said,

"It was nothing."

"Kim, is that a blush?" Robin teased and Kim shot him a glare.

"Not if you want your backside to remain piercing-free," Kim warned.

"Goodnight, all of you," Alex smiled as she waved goodbye and departed with Gene muttering things about Spice Girls and cushions while Kim turned around and waked in a daze with Robin and Simon.

"She is blushing," Simon agreed.

"I do not blush. It's the exertion from repetitive ice-cream spooning," Kim told him crossly, letting out an almightly burp.

"Charming," Simon reeled back.

"Sorry," Kim protested half-heartedly.

"That's the Kim we know," Robin commented, risking an attempted ruffle of her hair.

"There will be arse piercings all round," Kim warned, burping again and groaning. "Oh god, is there a late night chemist anywhere around here?"

"You still want mew to make you that steak and chips pizza when we get home?" Robin teased as Kim clutched her stomach.

"Do it and die," she warned.

The three of them linked arms and fell silent as they walked in the general direction of their homes. It had been a night full of surprises, and not just for Alex and Gene. Above all it was one none of them would forget – they had most definitely found the best wedding present ever.

~xXx~

"I hope Shoebury remembers the scotch in the morning," Gene mumbled as he and Alex walked lazily home.

"I just hope your suit still fits," Alex told him.

"I'm at me physical peak," Gene informed her.

"Well that bodes well for honeymoon night," Alex teased.

Bathed in the orange glow of the streetlight they waked, arm in arm, on their final night before their union was made complete. It had been a long journey for them both but the road ahead was as clear and simple as the rest of their walk home.

As Alex turned and caught Gene's eye, making him smirk just a little, she had to agree with the song choice Kim had made. Her time in the world had been strange and unexpected but she wouldn't have changed it for anything.

"I've really had the time of my life," she whispered.