Wow, I can't believe the lovely response I got from all of you for last chapter! Thank you so much for still wanting more of this story, and for not being mad at me! :D I went back to school today, which was fun and not-so-fun in equal measure... :P Anyway, got home, and decided it was high time to write the next chapter for this story! So here you go, enjoy...

X =D

Disclaimer – I don't own Ashes to Ashes, or Gene... Damn it. :D

Chapter 25 – The Long Way Home

"I could 'ave you reprimanded, yer know, Bols," Gene said gruffly between heavy breaths as they struggled with unlocking the door to Alex's flat, a tangled mass of limbs, his lips hot on her neck. His body was pressing hers into the door as they fumbled with the key, a mess of hot kisses and wandering hands.

She giggled as they finally burst through the door, falling unceremoniously to the sofa as they each tore at the other's clothing, desperate for release. "Oh, and what for?" Grinning, Alex threw his tie behind the couch somewhere and got to work on the buttons of his shirt. His lips were on hers again, kissing the breath from her as his own hands fumbled under her top, skimming the lace of her bra and holding her impossibly close.

"Wastin' police time," he gasped, feeling her hand drift playfully southwards. He caught the seductive glint in her eye, the smug smile on her face, and decided that she was a DI that most definitely needed teaching a lesson. "It's frowned upon, yer know, Bolly, a DI pulling 'er DCI off an important murder case just so she can 'ave her wicked way with him..."

Alex licked her lips slowly, her fingers making light work of his belt buckle as she pulled him back down for another searing kiss. "Well, who's going to tell?" she whispered. She wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him closer to her, desperate for more. She didn't think she'd ever get tired of this... It had only been a few days, and already Alex was sure that the saying 'too much of a good thing' was pure lies. Gene was everything she had ever wanted, even if she hadn't known it, and she never wanted this to end. Part of her felt guilty for feeling that way, for feeling so anchored to him, to this world in which he belonged... But it felt so right. Every time he was close, every time his lips brushed hers, every time they did this, Alex felt on top of the world, like he could see nobody else in the whole entire world but her. And that made her feel something she hadn't felt in a long time... Special.

"No-one, but ah..." A rare, wicked grin spread across Gene's face as he paused, slipping one hand out from underneath her top to reach around into his back pocket. There was an almost boyish, mischievous glint in his eyes as he dangled the glinting handcuffs in front of Alex's face.

Her eyes widened, mouth opening in protest. "Oh no, you don't-"

Too late. In one swift move, Gene already had both her wrists held above her head, his lips hovering above hers. He smirked as the handcuffs clicked into place. "You did mention role-play, Bolly..."

Before Alex had any time to reply, Gene's lips had captured hers in an almost bruising kiss, their tongues tangling together, clashing and fighting for dominance as she struggled against the handcuffs, writhing beneath Gene as he held her firmly in place. She bit down hard on his lower lip and squeezed her legs around him painfully tight, but the grin threatening to break out across her face as Gene kissed her was a dead giveaway.

"Now, now, Bols," he murmured, his fingers expertly undoing the catch at the back of her bra. "Play nice."

Half an hour later, Gene and Alex were sprawled lazily on the same couch. His arms were holding her loosely to him whilst her head rested on his shoulder and she played with the collar of his shirt, which in their haste hadn't even been fully removed. Gene had freed her of the handcuffs soon enough and now they laid in some sort of lover's bliss, both unsure of their abilities to walk completely straight for another few minutes. Biting her lower lip, Alex looked up at him through her eyelashes, a small, absent smile on her face.

"How long till you're sick of me then?"

Her soft voice stirred him into full consciousness, and Gene looked down at her, pulling her closer as his hold tightened. "Thought you were forever trying t' find a way home... Question should probably be the other way round, Bols." There was a tinge of bitterness to his voice as he said it, but it was hidden behind a sort of teasing nonchalance.

Alex frowned, her fingers stilling against his neck, feeling the gentle throb of his pulse there. It was just like the time she had felt his heartbeat beneath the palm of her hand the day she arrived...proof that this was real, that he was real. He had to be. Oh, how she wished she had just kissed him then and had done with it. She smiled. "I don't think getting home's an option anymore, I... I think it's too late." The smile widened. "I'm taking the long way home... care to join me?"

Gene wasn't entirely sure what she was on about, but he had got used to her funny way of saying things a long time ago. A small smile twitched on the corners of his lips as he pressed them gently to her temple, lingering there as the scent of her shampoo drifted over him. "Course I will, Bolly... Never going t' get sick of yer."

"Never?" she asked, slightly surprised.

"Let's just make the score clear here, Bols. I'm an over-the-hill copper who always drinks one too many, 'as the beginnings of a beer belly to prove it, and smokes like a chimney. And 'ere you are – gorgeous, the right side of forty, with more brains than Einstein and the best arse I think I've ever laid eyes on t' boot."

Sighing, Alex rolled her eyes, but smiled. "And what's your point, Gene?"

He shrugged, and the small smile on his face was threatening to quirk into a smug grin. "No point particularly, I'm just saying... Result."

She slapped him on the chest for that, but couldn't suppress a laugh. "You're despicable!"

"Thanks, Bols."

Her eyes narrowed slightly at him, but her smile was teasing. "It's not a compliment, Gene."

"I know what despicable means!"

Laughing quietly, Alex untangled herself from his arms and got up, retrieving her top from the floor where it had been carelessly thrown. "Come on, we better get back, the others will wonder where the hell we've got to."

Gene shrugged again as he reached for his tie and set about buttoning his shirt back up, watching with hungry eyes as Alex bent to pick up her jeans, giving him the perfect view of her lace-clad backside. "I can always tell 'em you just needed a good seeing to."

"Gene." Her no-nonsense tone and glare put a stop to that idea.

"Or I could just say we were 'on enquiries'?"

She grinned: "Better," And leant over to do his tie up for him, swatting his hands away.

"Where the bloody 'ell have you two been?" Ray exclaimed as Alex and Gene entered CID, both doing their best to look professional. Gene put on his very best I'm-a-tough-bastard-who-has-most-definitely-not-just-been-shagging-his-gorgeous-DI-silly expression and rounded on Ray.

"We were on enquiries, Raymondo, 'ave yer got a problem?"

"Neither of yer would answer yer flamin' radio, we've been trying to get through to you!"

Alex stepped forwards. "Why, what's happened?"

"Someone's come in, says they think they saw Delilah and Thea at the airport, gettin' on a plane."

Hope that the case might be one step closer to being solved rose within Alex. "Really? Did they see who they were with?"

"That's just the thing, Ma'am," Chris cut in, looking up from his Rubix cube. "This bloke says he couldn't see anyone with 'em. They were just stood in line at the gate, ready to get on a plane."

Gene's eyes widened at this revelation. "What, she's run away with the tyke? Bloody hell, where were they getting on a plane to?"

"He thinks Paris, Guv, but he says he can't be sure, he wasn't looking properly... He only really thought about it when he saw their faces on the news afterwards."

A grim silence fell in CID for a moment as Gene's eyes flickered to meet Alex's gaze, and then to address the rest of the team again. "Right, well you two get on t' the airport, I want to know what flight they were on. If it was Paris, then it looks like I'm going t' be on the phone to the bleedin' Gendarmerie then, doesn't it?"

"I could do it, Guv," Alex piped up, offering a brief smile as she leant back casually against her desk. "I do speak French, after all."

Trying to ignore the suggestive glint in her eye as she said that, Gene clicked his tongue sarcastically and resisted a roll of the eyes. "Course yer do, Bolly. If it is Paris they've swanned off to, then you can 'ave the pleasure of liaising with the bastards. As for me, I'm off to bring Greg and Samuel Harris in again to ask 'em why the hell they think the lovely Delilah has decided to take her niece on a sudden holiday!"

With that, he stormed into his office, the door swinging to an impressive close behind him. The others stared after him, wondering why their DCI seemed to be in such a bad mood – they'd just gotten a lead. They looked to Alex for an explanation, who thought that perhaps he was trying just a little too hard to not look pleased about a lunchtime shag.

"He gets his knickers in a twist when someone mentions the French," she said, hoping it would suffice. She even earned herself an amused snigger from Ray. Taking that to be it, Alex swung her jacket from her shoulders and dropped down behind her desk, her eyes falling to the psychological profile she had been trying to construct of Delilah Harris.

Alex could understand that if Delilah had anything to do with the two murders, she might want to flee the country. But why take Dorothea? She frowned, her pen hovering over the mind-map she had scrawled on the page. It didn't make sense. If no-one had abducted the two of them, what had made Delilah decide to leave so suddenly, and with her niece, too? Unless... Unless she found something out, something that made her not want to be near her husband, or her brother in law anymore... Something that might also mean she didn't think Dorothea should be anywhere near her Dad or uncle anymore too... What if they had been right? Maybe the killer really was either Samuel or Gregory...? But they had both seemed so distraught by Delilah and Thea's disappearance, genuinely shocked... So, that left just one thing. The question was, Alex thought, which one of them was the exceedingly good actor?

Delilah glanced sideways to check Thea was still stood beside her as the dialling tone continued to ring in her ear. She readjusted her hold on the payphone and gave her neice a small smile. Finally, someone picked up.

"Bonjour, qui parle?" (Hello, who's speaking?)

"Maman...c'est moi, Delilah..." (Mum...it's me, Delilah...)

"Delilah?"

She swallowed, feeling her grip on the phone tightening as she bit down on her lip. "Maman, j'ai besoin d'aide. Je veuxrentrer à la maison...s'il vous plaît?" (Mum, I need some help. I want to come home... please?)

Some plot *and* Galex there for you to enjoy! Hope it was okay, and please review!

X =D