Walford is: My Kind of Town

by MythMoonWitch

The beginning of the "Walford is" series in which some new arrivals shake up Albert Square. Please read and review-thanks!

36. Chapter 36

We do not own Eastenders, Ashes to Ashes or Waterloo Road

Chapter 36

Christian finally showed up, enabling Peggy to go upstairs and see what was wrong with Roxy. He went to her room and peeked in.

"Roxy?"

Roxy was lying on her bed staring at the ceiling. Her thoughts centered mainly on what might have happened to her if she hadn't seen or found out what Brian was like. What he could've or would've done to her.

She heard Peggy call her name and moved her head to look at her.

"Have you heard?"

"I heard a bit. Someone said they thought they saw you there," Peggy replied. "Are you all right?"

"Oh, love," Peggy said and reached out and folded Roxy into her arms. "It's good you found out about him before you got too involved," she said. She pulled away and looked at her niece. "He hadn't already been hurting you had he?"

Roxy shook her head and wiped at the tears that had started to fall.

"He had been getting a little rough, but nothing I couldn't handle," she sniffed.

"Oh Aunty Peg, what if I hadn't seen him push her into the cafe. What if I hadn't been jealous of them and gone to investigate? He could have killed her!" she gushed out "and then I'd be none the wiser and the same thing might have happened to me!" she whimpered and drew herself back into her aunt's embrace.

"Oh, Roxy I wouldn't go that far. Somebody would have seen, he would have been found out," Peggy reassured her. "Besides, I know you my girl; you'd never have stood for it. I didn't like the look of him anyway."

Roxy let out a shaky laugh and pulled back. She wiped her eyes. She had taken her make up off once she had got back from the station so she no longer cared about smudging her mascara.

"Thank you, Aunty Peg," she sniffed.

"Oh, you're welcome darlin'." Peggy told her. "Christian's here now so it's not so bad downstairs. Why don't you have a nap and come down later, okay?" Peggy suggested as she patted Roxy's hand.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Bradley sat on the couch staring blankly at the television. Charlie and Jean had come over and Stacey and Abi and Lauren all went off shopping for baby clothes. His dad had gone out somewhere, probably to see that blond woman Bradley was sure he was involved with. He pulled out his phone and texted Shaz.

"What time and where tonight? Can't wait to see you."

Shaz was lying on her sofa. She didn't want to get involved in the Brian case. Her personal life had also taken an unexpected turn. She had effectively agreed to get involved with a married man. He didn't love her, she knew that much, Shaz wasn't naive enough to think that he did. She knew it was only about the sex. But she liked the sex. She liked the way he manipulated her body and she loved the way he could make her feel. She was brought back to earth by her phone. She picked it up and read the text. She chewed her lip.

"No, plans all weekend," she sent back and drew her feet up underneath her and reached for her remote.

Bradley read her reply with disappointment. Something must have come up for her to cancel tonight, but he didn't have to like it. He dropped his head back against the couch and sighed. He ran his hands through his hair and wondered if he should get it cut. No, he decided, too much like the old him.

Max finally returned and looked at Bradley sitting there. He walked over and folded his arms as he looked at his son.

"What is it?" Max asked.

Bradley turned his head slightly and looked up at Max.

"What is what?"

Max looked at Bradley closer and moved to sit on the couch.

"Who is she?" he asked.

Bradley looked at Max, his eyes wide with surprise. He opened his mouth to reply and Max held up his hand.

"Don't even think about lying to me. I know that look, I've had it myself. Who is she?"

"She's nobody," Bradley replied shortly. "She's none of your business."

"I'm making it my business, Bradley you can't go doing this right now," Max said.

"Who are you to say that? You have no right to make judgement on anything I do."

"Bradley, I'm saying don't. I'm trying to help here. I think I know enough about this sort of thing to tell you not to do it."

"Why not? Stacey hasn't wanted anything to do with me for months now. I may as well not exist in her eyes. She doesn't see me anymore Dad. She wants me to be the same old pushover Bradley and I'm not. I've changed too much. The only reason I didn't leave her is because it was just me and her. Now, there's nothing holding me back," Bradley argued, his anger barely controlled.

"The baby…." Max began.

"Isn't mine," finished Bradley. "Maybe she should go find the father and get with him," he added bitterly. "I just can't cope with this anymore."

He stormed out of the house, shoved his hands in his pockets and began to walk.

Max sighed and scrubbed his face with his hands. Bradley was right. He had changed. Max didn't think entirely for the better.

Bradley walked and found himself in front of the police station. He sighed and went inside and walked back to the workroom. He gave a short wave to the tech and sat down and looked at his notes and tried not to think about Shaz. Why had she said no? What had changed her mind? He scrubbed at his face and stared blankly at the numbers that were wrong. Something suddenly struck his memory and he began tying the numbers in, changing the sequence of the groupings.

"That's it, that's it," he said in excitement as the details began to fill the screen. "Yes."

The tech came over to see.

"There's her money. She's broken it into four separate accounts," he explained as he pointed. "I think it might be possible to get the money back. If not, we can at least have a freeze put on it."

Bradley flipped through the pages of the notebook where he'd put his contacts and run his finger down the list. He picked up the phone and began to dial. He had a contact there.

"Hello, Jemima, yeah, it's Bradley Branning. Yes, it has been a long time. Yes, I need a favor," and he began to explain just what he needed.

Bradley hung up the phone excitedly. Jemima would have an answer for him on Monday. She would have to consult with management but she thought sure they would cooperate with a police investigation. He pulled out his cell phone to call Shaz and paused. He didn't want her to think he was just trying to find a way to see her and get her to be with him. He frowned and put his phone away. He stuck the notebook back in the drawer and with a quick wave at the tech, he left.

He stalked off in the direction of the allotments, annoyed and frustrated.

The tech thought it odd that Bradley didn't call DC Granger and let her know about the breakthrough. This was important!

He picked up the phone and dialled her number.

Shaz' phone rang this time. She groaned and identified the caller ID as the station.

"DC Granger," she mumbled unenthusiastically. All she wanted to do was huddle up on the sofa and watch movies for the rest of the day. She had planned to break out the wine mid-afternoon and then the ice cream in the evening. She didn't want any work related matters calling her away.

She sat up and listened intently as the techy told her about Bradley's breakthrough.

"Okay, and when did this happen?" she listened some more. No more than 10 minutes ago. She nodded to herself.

"Four separate accounts! No wonder it took us so long to trace the cash!" she sighed and wondered why Bradley hadn't called to tell her. The techy had told her that he had left shortly after his call to his contact at the bank.

"Alright. Thank you for telling me," she hung up and bit her lip as she held her phone in her hand.

She made up her mind an fired a text to Bradley.

"Well done on breakthro! 4 accounts! :O! X.S"

Bradley sat with his back against a tree, trying to work things out. He didn't want to hurt Stacey really, but she didn't seem to mind that she was hurting him. He heard his phone beep and pulled it out. He read Shaz' text in confusion. How had she known? Of course, the tech must have called her. He knew he was basically sulking at that moment but didn't quite care. He felt slighted all around. He hit reply and sent her a text back.

"Thanks—B"

He propped his folded arms across his knees and rested his forehead on his arms. He idly found himself wishing he was still on the run. It was amazing how much simpler everything seemed.

Shaz read his text and threw her phone under a cushion to muffle any noise it made. With any luck she wouldn't be distracted for the rest of the day. If she was needed at work then they would call her home number and if she ignored that, then no doubt they would send someone to fetch her.

Bradley got up and headed home when no return text from Shaz was forthcoming.

They were all back by the time he got there and he gritted his teeth and smiled as expected and they were all cooing and squealing over the baby clothes.

"Why don't I get us all lunch from the chippie?" Bradley suggested.

"I'll go with you," Abi insisted and put his hand into a death grip. Bradley nodded, realizing he really had no choice and led her out of the house.

Bradley walked along content to listen to Abi's non-stop rambling. It was soothing in a way, but he couldn't help keeping an eye open for Shaz.

Bradley avoided his father after they'd eaten and followed Stacey upstairs when she went, saying she was going to take a nap. He sat on the bed and tried to talk to her, to tell her about the breakthrough in the case.

"Bradley, I just want to sit by myself, go do something else. It's great that you're helping the police, but I'm really not bothered about the particulars," she said and picked up the remote.

"Stace, we just never talk anymore," he said.

Stacey looked at him, slightly surprised. "Of course I talk to you; I'm talking to you right now."

"No, Stace, I mean talk to me, really talk. You treat me like I'm the way I was months ago. It's really frustrating Stace because I've changed, for the better I think, and you won't even see it and every time I try to talk about it you push me away. It can't all be the baby Stacey. I think it's just you don't want me around anymore."

She frowned at him. "Bradley, you're being ridiculous."

"No, I'm not. You act like my being around is an imposition, something to be tolerated. I can't even remember the last time you really kissed me, I mean a kiss, not a quick peck goodnight on the cheek. You act like being with me is a chore and I'm tired of it. I know you regret leaving with me, I do myself, a lot. I should have made you stay here with your family but I didn't. I was wrong. But you have to stop punishing me for it, Stace."

"Or what?" she asked.

"Or, I'll just go," he replied.

"You'll just go," she echoed, unconvinced.

"Yes, go."

She snorted. "No, you won't. Go downstairs, Bradley, I want some time by myself."

Bradley got up and walked out the door. "You can have all you want," he muttered.

"No, I'm fine, maybe later," Stacey called after him absently, not really hearing what he'd said.

He went out the kitchen door and took a shirt, a pair of boxers and pair of trousers off the line and folded them up neatly and tightly and slid them inside his jacket and zipped it up. He sat down and watched a DVD with Lauren and Abi and then got up and with a frown and brief wave to his father he left the house.

He walked over to the B&B and got a room for the night. He flopped back on the bed and sighed, wishing it wasn't so empty. He pulled his phone out and after a great deal of deliberation sent a text to Shaz.

"At B&B again. May not go back. Would like to see you. Room 7 if interested. B"

He lay back on the bed again and tried to think back to when it had all gone wrong.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\\/\/\/\/\/\/\\/\

Chris finished his toast and tea and walked over and picked up the bag. He slid Rowan's journal inside and zipped it up again.

"I know she's sleeping, but I'm going to go and sit there with her. I'll see you later," he told them and headed out. Elaine nodded at him when he got there and didn't stop him from going in to the room where Rowan was. He breathed a laugh when he saw her sleeping with a frown on her face. She hated sleeping on her back. He moved the chair next to the bed, laced his fingers with hers and leaned back in the chair and watched her sleep.

Peter walked nervously into the hospital. He asked after Rowan and was directed to where she was. He went inside and saw Chris sitting there and noticed Rowan was sleeping. Chris looked over and saw him and waved.

"Hi, just stopped by to see how she is," Peter said quietly. "I heard what happened."

"She's okay. She'll be out tomorrow. I don't know when the café will be open again though.'

Peter nodded. He held out a bag. "I brought her some grapes."

"Thanks, you can just put them on the table there. I'll make sure she knows you brought them."

"Okay," Peter shuffled his feet nervously. "Well, bye," he said and left.

/\\/\/\/\/\/\\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\\/\/\/\

Rowan woke up and rubbed her good eye. She saw Chris sitting in the chair and sleeping. He'd moved it right up against the bed so he could hold her hand. She shifted slightly and hissed in pain. She spotted the bag by his feet but couldn't stretch to reach it. She untied the gown and began to inspect the damage, glancing at Chris as she did so. She didn't like to see how high up some of the ones on her upper legs and inner thighs went. She hurriedly closed the gown and flopped back on the pillows. She took Chris' hand and held it between her own. She hit the button for the tele and stared at the screen until he woke up.

The low sound of the television finally woke Chris up. Rowan glanced over and smiled.

"Hey," she said to him.

Chris grinned and stretched.

"I brought your things, Alyssa got it all packed for you," he told her and put the bag up on the bed.

"Excellent," Rowan said. She opened it and saw her journal right on top. She glanced at Chris and he smiled.

"I thought you'd want it," he told her.

"Yes, thank you."

She leaned over and gestured him to come closer so she could kiss him. He did so. She spotted the grapes then and looked at him.

"Peter Beale," he told her.

"Aw, sweet of him," she said and opened the bag. She was pleased to see they were green grapes and not red grapes. She couldn't stand red grapes. She ate a few and held the bag out to Chris. He took a couple and she put the bag aside. She turned the television up a bit and took his hand again as they sat and watched.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Alyssa nodded and watched Chris leave. She decided to give it a few hours. She would go back when Rowan was awake. She finished her food and put the plate on the table in front of her. She picked up the coffee and drained half of the lukewarm liquid.

She put the mug down and licked her lips. She sighed and looked at Jack. She had promised herself that she wouldn't worry about Rowan, but she couldn't help it. What if she deteriorated? Alyssa was fairly sure that she wasn't going to but the anxiety was still there.

Jack could see she was upset and he put down his empty plate and gathered her into his arms.

"It will be okay," he reassured quietly as he stroked her hair. "She's going to be fine," he added.

He held her tight and rocked her.

Alyssa moved her arms around his waist and clung to him. She rested her head on his chest and closed her eyes as he reassured her. She felt safe in his arms. She took slow, deep breaths and paid attention to his hand stroking her hair.

Jack leaned back on the arm of the couch and leaned Alyssa against his chest. He closed his eyes and began to doze off.

Jack's head slipped down until his cheek was resting on the top of Alyssa's head. He adjusted his arms around her and sighed.

Alyssa slipped her arms from around his waist and rested her hands on his chest.

Alyssa opened her eyes and looked around. Jack's heartbeat had managed to lull her into a peaceful slumber. She could tell by the steady rise and fall of his chest and the constant, rhythmical sound of his breathing that he was asleep. Slowly and carefully she kissed his chest and eased herself off him gently so as not to wake him. Satisfied that she hadn't disturbed him, Alyssa crept to her room to get changed. She had stripped to her underwear and then remembered that in her concern for Rowan she hadn't showered. She padded to the bathroom, stripped herself of her underwear and climbed underneath the flow of hot water.

Jack forced open his eyes and noticed Alyssa was gone. He rubbed his face and heard the shower on. He thought a moment and then nodded, mind made up. He got undressed quickly and went into the bathroom. He peered into the shower and ran a finger down her wet back.

"Want some company?" he asked in a low voice.

Alyssa heard a voice and shuddered as she felt an unexpected finger trace her soaking wet back. She recognized the voice as being Jack and she turned. The water was running down her face and making it's journey down her body to the plug hole just to the left of her feet.

She smiled at him and pulled him under the shower head too. She pulled him into a kiss.

"Yes, please," she breathed against his mouth and grinned as she felt water dripping off the tip of her nose and onto his chin.

Jack ran his hands over Alyssa's wet body as she kissed him. He broke off the kiss and grabbed the soap and washcloth and smiled as he began to soap up the washcloth.

Alyssa leant back against the glass wall of the shower cubicle. She was a little out of the way of the jet of water that was still hitting Jack as he messed around with a washcloth. She smiled at him and tilted her head as she watched.

Jack moved towards her with the washcloth and began to wash her neck. He moved slowly to her shoulders and arms and then around to her back. He leaned and kissed her as he worked on her front, caressing her breasts with the washcloth and moving lower and lower until he finally slowly slid it between her legs.

Alyssa's arms had journeyed up his chest feeling the water gushing over it as she moved in the opposite direction, and had fixed themselves around his neck. She moaned into his mouth as he moved lower with the washcloth. He was moving slowly deliberately. He had to know how turned on she was by him.

Jack picked up one of her legs and started soaping it, then did the same with the other. He turned her and moved her under the water and ran his hands over her to help rinse her off. Then he lifted her leg and put her foot up on the side of the bath and stepped close to her and kissed her hard as he shifted his position and thrust inside her.

Alyssa's arms instantly went around him as she felt him press her back against the cold tiled wall. She was sure it was dripping wet too but so was she so she couldn't feel the water except for the torrent that flowed from the shower head above her.

Jack's hands slid over her slick, wet flesh as he pumped harder.

"Oh, Alyssa," he breathed in her ear. He slid his hands over her arse and pulled her to him, moving deeper inside her. "I could do this to you forever."

"Then don't stop," she purred back and her hands ran over his back, chasing water droplets as they raced over his skin.

Her lips moved to his neck ad she licked the water from it, tasting a slight hint of the soap that he had plastered over her body. She planted butterfly kisses over his neck, working her way back up to his lips.

"I don't intend to just yet," Jack growled that became a moan as he thrust faster inside her. He was so close.

Alyssa felt herself pushed over the brink.

She screamed his name and threw her head back slightly, she felt a thudding pain as it hit the wall but she barely registered it.

Her back would be bruised or sore at least from being pushed up against the wall.

Jack cried out with her and pressed against her when it passed. He caught his breath and kissed her.

"You drive me crazy, Lyss," he confessed. He ran his hands down her body and then back up and cupped her face. He stepped away from her and moved under the water, drawing her with him so they could rinse off.

Once she felt cleaner and refreshed and had finally caught her breath, Alyssa stepped out of the shower and wrapped her body in her fluffy blue towel. She caught sight of her blurry reflection in a steamed up mirror and smiled slightly, as usual her hair had darkened thanks to the water. She reached up and gathered her hair into her hands. She leant over the sink and started to squeeze the water out.

Happy that her hair was as dry as it was going to get with her drying it by hand, she opened the door and walked to her room. No doubt Chris would still be with Rowan at the hospital.

Jack towelled off and picked up his clothes and got dressed. He was not going to go and watch her get dressed. They'd never get out of here if he did.

He tracked his shoes down in the front room and sat down on the couch to put them on.

Alyssa came out of her room in a fresh pair of jeans and a baggyish top, it hadn't taken her long to dry her hair and her make up was redone. She wasn't going out and Rowan had seen her in her jimmyjams and first thing in the morning so there was no point in dressing up. She came over to the couch and sat down next to him.

Jack finished tying his shoe and looked at her and stood up. "I'm ready."

He gave her a quick squeeze and headed out to the car.

Alyssa followed him out and climbed in beside him. She strapped herself in and tapped out a beat on her leg anxiously as he started to drive.

Jack drove her over and walked in with her.

"Should I wait outside?" he asked as they approached the room. "I Should have brought grapes, aren't you supposed to bring grapes?"

The duty nurse recognized Alyssa from earlier and nodded at her before returning to her paperwork.

Alyssa took Jack's hand as a sign she wanted him to come in with her.

She smiled at the nurse and entered Rowan's room. She smiled happily seeing that Rowan was awake and let go of Jack and held up her hands.

"I have no grapes but I bring company and concern," she smiled.

Alyssa moved to her bedside and carefully hugged her.

"Feeling any better?"

Rowan hugged her back, fresh dosage of painkillers allowing her to squeeze Alyssa without wincing.

"What do you mean no grapes? I think there's rules about that sort of thing isn't there?" she joked. "Actually, Peter Beale brought a bag of grapes earlier," she held up the now empty bag and passed it to Chris to put it in the bin.

She held out her hand to Jack and he came over and squeezed it.

"Hi Jack, thank you for c...er...visiting," Rowan said. Jack looked confused at the way she'd phrased it but shrugged it off. Rowan peered around her curtain.

"There's three empty beds over there so you can grab those chairs," she told them, then she looked at. Chris. "Will you go eat now please?"

Alyssa returned with a chair. She had held back at laugh at Rowan's change in words and Jack's obvious confusion.

"Yes," Chris agreed and leaned over and kissed her. He reached over and picked up the folded sheets of paper he had written his answers to Gem's questions on and tucked them in his pocket as he turned to walk out.

Rowan had a hard time hiding her disappointment and was glad Chris didn't glance back.

"Well, I've had a sleep and some lunch and more painkiller. He wouldn't go eat, didn't want to leave me alone, it's sweet but I can't have him doing that to himself. Glad you showed up when you did," she grinned.

Alyssa sat down. Rowan really had a fixation with making sure people ate, she rolled her eyes. The poor bloke was allowed to be concerned. God knows Alyssa was.

"When are they letting you come home?" she asked.

It didn't matter that both Jack and Chris had been in the flat. It had still felt empty without Rowan's presence.

She spotted the bag she had packed.

"Oh, did I get everything? I don't know where you keep your overnight bag so I lent you mine. I packed the stuff from your grandma too, just in case," she smiled.

"Tomorrow," Rowan answered absently, still frowning. She looked at Alyssa at the mention of the letter. "Thanks, I wasn't sure I'd want it, but then Chris was here so he did his questions. He was a bit confused but I helped him through it. He was a bit shocked at some of the questions," she giggled. "But he wouldn't let me see what he wrote for the last two questions," she said, frustration coloring her tone. She huffed out a breath. "Not fair, I let him read my journal."

She picked up the book and flipped through it. "Of course, I hardly write in it anymore and it's a bit boring," she said critically. "I wanted to be a writer, so I kept a journal," she confessed with a blush. "Now," she shrugged, "I love what I'm doing so that whole thing has sort of faded away."

She pulled out the letter and sorted out the pages with Alyssa's questions on them.

"Want to send the boys away and we can do your questions?" she asked, "or Jack can stay, I mean it's fine with me if it's fine with you." She looked the questions over quickly.

"She doesn't really ask you anything personal," Rowan added. She leaned over to Alyssa. "She asked Chris a lot of questions about our sex life, he was pretty taken aback. She doesn't ask you anything like that. Of course," Rowan said, as if it had just occurred to her, "you and I don't have a sex life so," she spread her hands and laughed.

"Sorry, Jack," Rowan turned to look at Jack, still laughing.

She handed the question pages to Alyssa and then tore some blank pages out of the back of the journal and handed them to Alyssa with the pen Chris had used.

"If you want to of course, no pressure," Rowan said and leaned back on the pillows. She rolled her lips under her teeth and looked with exaggerated casualness at the ceiling, then back at Alyssa.

"Oh, and while I'm thinking about it, you can read this if you want," Rowan said and held her journal out to Alyssa.

Alyssa rested the paper on the journal and looked over the questions. She could honestly say she had never been asked anything like this before. She furrowed her brow and chewed her lip as she read the questions through.

She glanced up at Rowan, then at Jack. She sighed and leant back in the chair and began to answer the bizarre questions before her as honestly as she could.

She really wanted to read the journal as she was curious about its contents. She knew it was a really personal thing though. She felt a little uncomfortable. Rowan had said she could read it. But even so. She wasn't sure she was brave enough.

Rowan watched Alyssa answer the questions and made small talk with Jack. She liked him. He laughed at her jokes, which was a point in his favor.

The doctor came in to check on her again and pulled the curtain around. He inspected her injuries, making sure nothing had broken open and moved to the ones on her legs.

"I may have to get this one stitched," he said, pointing to a particularly bad one on her inner thigh that had broken open. He stepped out and got sutures and made several small neat stitches.

"Now, stop moving that leg so much," he told her.

"Sorry, can't sit still," Rowan replied.

"Well, we'll have the nurse unhook you from some of this now. The stitches can be checked in a couple of weeks. If that wound is healing all right they can be taken out. Due to their location, I recommend you avoid intercourse at least until the stitches come out."

Rowan nodded and tried not to blush. She knew Alyssa and Jack could hear him.

The doctor made some notes and then shoved back the curtain and left.

Rowan fidgeted with the sheets and cleared her throat. "So, how are those questions?"

Chris came back from having something to eat and flopped down in the chair. He saw Alyssa was doing questions too, Jack now peering interestedly at the paper.

Rowan quietly told Chris what the doctor had told her. He nodded.

Alyssa looked up at Jack and saw him peering over her shoulder at the paper she was writing on. She had thought as much, she knew he was behind her and had guessed that was what he was doing.

"Nosy!" she exclaimed and kissed the tip of his nose. She turned back to the paper and chewed the end of the pen as she thought about her answer.

Jack leaned farther over. "Those have to be some of the most unusual questions I have ever seen someone asked," he remarked. He looked up at Rowan. "What is the purpose behind those particular questions?" he asked her.

Rowan shrugged. "Gem has reasons of her own. I'd say for certain it's how she learns about people but I've never asked how she interprets the answers to get the information. So far, I don't know anyone who's asked that she's actually answered in any way that wasn't a brush off."

Rowan grinned. "Feel free to write her and ask her," she offered and slid the journal out from where Alyssa had put it and tore a couple sheets of paper from the back and held them out to him.

Jack accepted them gamely and put them down. That question would take some thinking. He went back to reading over Alyssa's shoulder.

Rowan looked at Chris. "There are a couple of answers I think I can interpret very well on my own however," she said to him softly. "Please tell me what you said," she pleaded.

"No," Chris shook his head. Rowan reached her hands out to tickle him and he grabbed her hands and pressed them between his and kissed her fingers.

"That won't work," he told her. "You can't chase me. You'll find out, just later," he added and then saw Rowan look towards the door. He turned.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\\/\/\\/\/\/\/\

The jeweller took no time at all to replace the broken clasp since he had nothing on at the moment and then polished it for free. Gene thanked the man and headed back out to the car.

"What time is Molly back today?" he asked her as he started the car.

Alex jumped as he spoke. She hadn't heard him get back in. She breathed out in relief as she saw it was him. She shook her head to rid them of the thoughts of the baby inside her.

"Ummm..." she croaked.

"She's supposed to call me to let me know. I gave her my spare key so if she gets dropped back she can get in," she said absently. Her mind was still engaged elsewhere.

"Right, okay then. Let's go home for a bit and then later I can take this to Rowan. I've put Peterson in charge of the prisoner. He can do the paperwork. I have no desire to be there right now," Gene muttered.

Alex nodded. She looked at him as he revved the engine.

"I'll make you some breakfast when we get back. Mind you," she paused as she looked at her watch "it's nearly lunchtime," she sighed. The morning had been a long, eventful one.

"Food in general," Gene agreed. He was really hungry. He also harbored a vague hope Molly wouldn't be back yet.

Alex slipped out of the car as he pulled up at the flat. She pushed the key in the lock and twisted. She left the door open for him and she opened the fridge to check it's contents. She saw several combinations of things she could make and started pulling out ingredients.

Gene followed her in and closed the door. He went to the bedroom and tossed his coat on the bed in order to see if Molly was already there. He didn't see her anywhere. Gene went back into the kitchen and walked up behind Alex, wrapping his arms around her and pressing close against her.

Alex stopped what she was doing and pushed back against him. She wasn't in the mood for this, as much as she loved him. She felt weird now she knew there was another person growing inside her. She had been the same when she was pregnant with Molly, she guessed that it had been one of the reasons that Pete had packed his bags. But she didn't want to reject him either. She closed her eyes and tried to stay focused.

Gene kissed the back of her neck and then put his cheek next to her ear so he could see what she was doing.

"What are you making?"

Alex sighed and looked down at the range of ingredients before her.

"Brunch," she said with a smile. She pointed at the bacon, eggs, bread and various salad ingredients.

"What do you say to eggs and bacon sandwich?" she asked him.

Sandwiches were traditionally eaten at lunch time and Gene like his fried breakfasts. Combine the two and have egg and bacon sarnies, she thought this was a good idea but if he wanted a full fried breakfast she would make him one.

"If you want something else just say," she told him and turned her head to kiss his cheek.

"I say, if you cook it I will eat it. I am hungry," he said and hugged her. He turned her towards him and kissed her. "Now, get to work woman while I take a proper shower," he said and smacked her bottom as he walked away.

Alex smiled and turned back to her cooking. She had started on the eggs when she heard the familiar clunk of the water as it ran through the pipes told her that Gene was in the shower. She smiled at this thought as she pushed thought of a wet Gene Hunt out of her mind and reached over to turn the radio on to distract her from her current predicaments.

Alex began dancing around the kitchen as she cooked, singing along to the various songs that she knew and humming to the ones she didn't as they blared out of the wireless.

Gene walked back into the kitchen, hair damp and wrapped in his robe. He watched Alex's antics in the kitchen and burst out laughing. He went over and grabbed her hand and spun her to him and then back out again.

Alex had heard his booming laughter and had chosen to ignore it. She didn't fight either as his hand encased hers and twirled her. She let go of his hand when he twisted her away again.

"I thought Gene Hunt didn't dance," she said smugly and glanced at the contents of the frying pan briefly to avoid any cooking accidents.

She looked back at him and took in his appearance. She sighed and felt her tummy flip at the sight of him fresh out of the shower. She appraised him with her eyes then bit her lip cheekily as she made eye contact with him again.

"I wasn't dancing," he said and grinned as he folded his arms across his chest. "I was just standing here, holding my arm out. You were the one doing the dancing."

He chuckled and peered at the pans. "Is it ready?" he asked hopefully.

Alex shook her head at him. He was dancing. Just too stubborn to admit it.

"Eggs done," she said as she moved them from the pan to a heated plate to keep them warm. "Just waiting on the bacon," she sighed as she moved the rashers around the pan.

"It doesn't have to be that crisp," Gene said and leaned over to look. He shoved his damp hair back and flipped on the kettle.

Alex ignored him and kept the bacon cooking for a little while longer. Satisfied she divided up the rashers and arranged them neatly on the bed of lettuce that covered a slice of bread. She slipped an egg on top and placed another slice of bread on the side of the plate and picked up the ketchup. She handed him his plate the dug out some cutlery and sat next to him. She started to eat after placing a knife and fork down next to him.

Gene ignored the cutlery, slapped the slices of bread together and began to eat the sandwich. He was so hungry he made short work of it and then sat back and drank his tea and wondered if there was a chance of getting Alex in bed, at least once, before Molly got home.

Alex finished hers and collected the plates and unused cutlery. She dumped them in the sink and idly wondered if the shop did pregnancy tests or whether she would have to go to a chemists. She wanted proof. To be 100 percent sure before she told Gene.

Gene walked over to Alex.

"So, we're still alone," he said quietly in her ear.

Alex nodded and turned to face him. She was fairly sure what was on his mind. She didn't want to reject him, but didn't really want to follow his current train of thought either. But a baby changed everything. She wanted to do a test herself to be perfectly sure and have the evidence in front of her and until then she knew she wouldn't be ready to have sex. She cupped his face with an inward sigh and kissed him sweetly.

Gene could see Alex was a bit reluctant. He glanced at the clock, late enough that Molly arriving in the middle was a possibility, one he wanted to avoid.

He broke off the kiss and sighed. He cupped her face in his hands and put his forehead to hers.

"I should get dressed," he said reluctantly and rubbed her arms before turning towards the bedroom. He wasn't sure about all this domesticity. It wasn't him but for Alex he would do anything. He got dressed slowly, his mind preoccupied.

Alex sighed as he left. She turned back to the dishes and frowned. She wasn't in the mood for this. She threw a towel down in frustration. She wanted to know. She grabbed her bag.

"Gene, I need to get something from the shop. I'll be back in a minute," she yelled and slammed the door behind her to dispel her frustration.

She marched away from her home rubbing her temples as she went.

"Right," Gene called after her and put his head in his hands. Was he ready for this? He was just getting used to being with Alex. He felt a shiver of disgust as the thought of getting advice crossed his mind. But he'd never had these sorts of complications before, and before he always had Alex to talk to. He couldn't talk to her about this.

He shook his head. Who did he have to talk to? Ray? Chris? No. That wouldn't work. He found himself wishing Sam was still around. He could have talked about this with Sam.

He pulled his boots and went in to finish drying the dishes and put them away.

Alex wandered down the road. If she had been thinking, she would have picked up his car keys, but she wasn't thinking, that was the problem. She was too absorbed in the one train of thought to even consider thinking about anything else. She kicked at a pebble as she passed it and watched it as it skimmed the pavement and flew into the road where it was run over by a passing car. She followed the pavement and gradually made her way towards Albert Square.

Molly waved off Sarah's dad and ran up the steps, the Quattro was outside which meant that either her mum or Gene was home. She opened the door and stepped over the threshold. She shut the door and hung up her coat.

"HELLO?" she called as she proceeded to drag her overnight bag down the corridor. She caught sight of movement in the kitchen as made her way towards the open door. She recognised the familiar hulk that she had come to associate with Gene. She sighed.

"Heya," she walked past him with her bag and dumped it on her bed in her room she came back out after slipping off her shoes.

"Where's mum?" she asked him, Alex hadn't said Hi or responded to her call, that meant she was either asleep or out.

"Hello," Gene said. "She's gone to the shops, she'll be back soon," he told her and continued with putting away the dishes. He would leave it to Alex to see about Molly going to the hospital. He didn't feel it was his decision to make. He had brought his coat in and draped it over the back of one of the kitchen chairs and put Rowan's bracelet on the table. He wanted to see if he could find some box to put it in.

When he'd finished putting the dishes away he began to rummage in the drawers.

Molly saw the light flicker as it reflected off something shiny. She saw the bracelet on the table. She recognised it, she was sure she had seen someone wearing on almost identical recently. She walked over and picked it up. She studied it and realised who she had seen wearing one like it.

"Rowan has a bracelet like this," she commented.

Gene stopped rummaging and looked over.

"Yes, it's Rowan's bracelet in fact. It was broken." He left off the rummaging and went and pulled a chair out and gestured Molly to sit as he reached over to pull a chair out for himself. He was sure Alex would prefer to tell Molly but she wasn't here and he knew Molly would start asking questions. It was up to him. He rubbed his face and looked seriously at Molly.

"Rowan was attacked in the cafe this morning. The monster that did it is currently locked up, but Rowan is in the hospital. I found her bracelet on the pavement outside the cafe. It was broken so your mum and I took it to get it fixed and when she gets back I intend to take it to the hospital. I think it will be up to your mum whether or not the pair of you go along but I promised that girl I'd have it fixed and bring it back to her and I have no intention of breaking that promise so I'll be going myself no matter what. Now I have to find a box to put it in, if you've seen one it would be a great help," he told her. He had been careful not to sugar coat but also not to include any gory details, he hoped it would meet Alex's approval.

He drew in a deep breath, sniffed and swiped at his face and got back up to rummage in the kitchen drawers again.

Molly sat and listened to him, she thought nothing of the bracelet being broken but smiled slightly at the thought that Gene had fixed it for Rowan, and she looked up in alarm at his words.

"She's in hospital!"

Molly sat in shock for a moment. Then thought carefully.

"Hang on, I think I've got something in my room," she stood up and dashed into her room and rummaged around in her draws.

She had realized that Gene was not just a massive Neanderthal man. He was actually capable of emotion. He had said those words with passion and feeling. She knew he had given her a watered-down version but she would get the full story off her mum.

She found what she was looking for in her bottom draw, a black box, with a pink satin lining inside. She came out of her room and handed it to Gene.

"You can use this," she said.

He looked up in surprise and took the box from her.

"Thank you," he said and carefully picked up the bracelet. He was about to put it in the box when he noticed the faded engraving on the inside of one of the long pieces. "Claire~gra anois agus go deo acuisle mo chroi~Roland 1970."

Gene ran his thumb over it. He thought the foreign bit was Irish. He was pretty sure it was what Rowan was calling Chris now and realized where she'd got it. It was what her mother had called her father. He smiled in spite of himself.

He placed it in the box and closed the box. Then he propped his elbows on the table, laced his hands together and propped his chin on them and stared at the wall, waiting for Alex to get home.

A key turned in the lock and Molly looked up, jolted from her thoughts by her mother's arrival.

"Hey, Mum!" she called.

Alex looked up a little surprised as she heard Molly's voice.

"Hey, Molls," she smiled as her daughter ran towards her and caught her in a hug.

"How was the sleepover?"

Molly released Alex and shrugged.

"Good, watched movies, ate sweets, normal stuff," she yawned. Alex raised an eyebrow. And got very little or no sleep it seemed. She looked over at Gene and saw Molly's box. Pete had got her a pair of earrings for her 11th birthday a few years ago and had put them in the box that was far too big for one pair of earrings. Molly lost one immediately as it fell out when she opened the box. She raised an eyebrow and saw the look on Gene's face.

"What's wrong?"

Molly bit her lip. Alex surely knew about Rowan.

"Nothing really," Gene assured her. "Molly's been kind enough to loan the box for Rowan's bracelet. Need to be getting it over there. I said whether the pair of you come was up to you. I told her that Rowan was attacked and in hospital," he gave Alex a look to say he hadn't told the whole story.

He pulled on his coat, stuck the box in his pocket and pulled out the keys to the car.

Alex nodded. She smiled at him briefly to thank him and turned to Molly. Before she could speak Molly had asked a question that answered Alex's unspoken query.

"Can we go and see her mum? Please?"

Alex nodded with a smile. Molly grinned and ran to her room. Alex went and gave Gene a grateful hug.

"Thank you," she told him.

Molly came back out of her room and was seemingly oblivious to her mum hugging Gene. Her pockets were jangling with the familiar clink of coins.

"Molls, why d'you need money?" Alex asked, raising her head from Gene's chest.

"Because I'm going to get her some flowers," she shrugged. "Flowers cheer people up," she told them simply. And went to get her jacket and slip her shoes on.

Alex looked up at Gene and smiled. She kissed him.

"Did you see that? She didn't care" she smiled happily. Molly was accepting Gene or at least trying to.

"I did see that," Gene replied, slightly surprised. He kissed her and gave her bum a quick pat.

"Let's go," he spun the keys on his finger and headed outside.

Alex followed him and saw Molly waiting impatiently outside for him to open the car. She climbed in without hesitation once it was open and sat eager to go.

Alex smiled and slipped into the front seat next to Gene. She ignored the seatbelt as usual and looked back at Molly and saw hers was off too.

"Seatbelt, Molls," she said as Gene shut his door.

Molly pouted and folded her arms. The tell-tale sign of an approaching tantrum.

"You're not! You never do in this car," she argued.

Alex turned right round in her seat to face her daughter.

"Seatbelt. Now. Otherwise you're not going," she threatened.

Molly scowled and looked at Gene hopefully. Realising defeat she buckled herself in.

Satisfied Alex turned around to face the front. She smiled happily at Gene. Molly was accepting him, twice she had looked to him for support and she hadn't made a horrid facial expression about Alex and Gene having contact.

Gene was very careful not to smile at Molly's defiance. It wouldn't help Alex's authority at all. However, since she had seen fit to boss him about bedtime the previous night, he decided to get his own back. He looked at Alex and folded his arms, leaving the key dangling in the ignition.

"Seatbelt on," he said to her and waited.

Alex stared at him in shock. He was the one that told her NOT to wear a seatbelt. His exact words were 'You're a police officer not a bloody vicar! Take that seatbelt off!' She scanned his face to judge whether he was joking or not. She scowled at him seeing they weren't going to move until she buckled herself in.

Grudgingly she pulled the seatbelt and buckled herself in. He was doing this deliberately. She knew he was. She pursed her lips and folded her arms and scowled out of the windscreen.

Molly smiled delightedly. Her mum had got told. She couldn't help a laugh from escaping her. She grinned at Gene and happily watched her mother have a strop.

Gene allowed himself a small smile at Alex's tantrum as he started the car. Just to make a point he slammed the gas so the car leapt down the street then he swung the corner before reining in the wild driving.

He drove calmly to the hospital and parked. He got out of the car, shut the door and leaned on it and lit up a cigarette.

That had been fun, he had to admit.

Alex had to admit as much as she had hated Gene undermining her in front of Molly, not having to clutched painfully to the sides of her seat to avoid been thrown around like a rag-doll was very refreshing.

She was still pissed at him for telling her off though. Once he stopped she got out of the car and slammed the door as hard as she could.

Molly decided she rather liked Gene's driving. It was thrilling. She grinned the whole way through the journey and jumped out once he stopped. She smirked as her mum slammed the door. She wasn't happy.

Molly looked up at the hospital for a moment and ran inside.

"Molls! Where are you going?" Alex called after her. She didn't know which ward Rowan was in.

"Flowers!" Molly yelled back and ran into the hospital shop. She scanned the various bouquets. Some were wilting already so she would avoid those. She didn't know what kind of flowers Rowan would like. She decided to choose a colour-orientated one. Blue, pink or yellow? She debated. Blue was a sad colour and Molly didn't want Rowan to be sad. Pink was girly. Yellow was a sunny colour. She chewed her lip and picked up her chosen bouquet. She took it to the till and had paid for it by the time Alex had entered the little shop.

Alex smiled at the arrangement of flowers that Molly clutched carefully in her arms.

"Beautiful, Molls," she said and stroked her daughter's hair.

She came out with Molly and took Gene's hand, then remembered she was angry with him and dropped it immediately. She led Molly to Rowan's ward and looked through the door. Chris and Alyssa were there along with Alyssa's boyfriend.

Gene shook his head. What was wrong with the woman? Surely she had seen he was teasing! That he was merely getting her back for telling him it was bedtime!

Sometimes he got the distinct impression that she had different rules for the way they treated each other and this was one of them. He rubbed his face and wondered if it was because he'd driven the way he had with Molly in the car. He allowed that was a bit of a mistake, but he knew what he was doing and he would have stopped if he had thought there was any danger. It had only been for a short time.

No, she'd been mad from the moment he'd told her to put on the seatbelt. He crossed the lot and put his cigarette in the ash can by the sidewalk and joined them at the gift shop where Molly was picking out flowers.

He thought maybe she was done with her snit when she grabbed his hand but then she dropped it again. He ran a hand through his hair and followed them along.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Rowan saw Alex through the door and waved.

Alex smiled at Rowan and waved back as she opened the door with her free hand to reveal Molly who was clutching her bunch of flowers.

She ushered her daughter inside and let the door swing shut behind her. Molly blushed slightly and nervously made her way over to Rowan's bedside. She smiled at her as she studied the damage inflicted upon the kind lady.

"I got you these. I hope you feel better soon," she told her quietly as she handed the flowers to Rowan. She tried to hide her shock at Rowan's visible bruises.

Alex smiled at her daughter's uneasiness and moved forward to sit on the edge of Rowan's bed.

"Are you feeling any better?"

Molly moved back and looked around for something to sit on. She looked up at Gene as she saw him lingering at the doorway. Had he and her mum had an argument? Molly's tummy turned over, a few days ago she would have loved that but now, she had grown to quite like Gene.

She gave him a weak smile and then wandered over to him. She took his hand.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Alyssa smiled at Alex and nodded at Molly as they came in. She smiled at the flowers Molly had brought and then looked behind her at Jack who was still reading over her shoulder.

She frowned at him in minor frustration, Rowan had given him something to do yet he was still poking his nose around in her answers to Gem's questions.

"Would it make it easier for you to read if I just gave you the paper?" she asked sarcastically and lifted her pen from the paper and held out her unfinished answers to him.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Rowan smiled and took the flowers.

"Oh, thank you Molly, these are lovely," Rowan said and swiped at her eye. "I'm feeling better already."

She leaned over to Chris and asked him to get something she could put them in. He nodded and went to see the nurse, nodding at the Guv as he went through the door.

Rowan looked at Alex and nodded.

"Yes. They gave me some more pain killer and the doctor has been to see me again. I had to have a few more stitches but no big deal," she sighed. "Looks like I'll still get to go home tomorrow. I'm glad, I don't actually like hospitals."

She looked around and then back at Alex. She frowned and hurriedly smoothed her face, trying to figure out the odd spikes in Alex's aura. She wanted to ask Alex if she was okay but there were too many people in the room. She saw Gene hovering by the door and smiled at him as she saw Molly take Gene's hand.

Gene glanced down at Molly with a raised eyebrow and then looked back up and saw Rowan smile at him. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the box and walked over to the bed, pulling Molly with him.

"Here ya are, love," he said holding out the box. Rowan looked at him and took the box and opened it and smiled when she saw her bracelet inside.

"Fixed now," he told her.

"Thank you, Mr. Hunt," Rowan said cheekily and handed him the bracelet and then held out her wrist. Gene's expression went flat but he let go of Molly's hand and put the bracelet on for Rowan. Rowan clasped his hand and squeezed it before letting it go. Gene cleared his throat and backed up to lean on the empty bed next to Rowan's.

Molly looked around for a chair as Gene released her hand. She spotted one near to where he was sitting and dragged it to Rowan's bedside. She looked over her shoulder at Gene and then looked at her mum. Something was clearly wrong. She wondered if it was her fault. Gene had got her mum back for telling her to put on a seat belt and had merely done the same thing to her. Molly bit her lip and fiddled with the hem of her top.

Chris came back with a plastic jug to put the flowers in and Rowan handed them to him.

Rowan looked at Molly.

"What are your plans when school is finished?" she asked the girl curiously.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Jack blushed at Alyssa's comment and backed up a step.

"Sorry, I'll stop," he apologized and gave Alyssa a pleading smile. "I'll go have a smoke," he said and put his hands on her shoulders and kissed her cheek.

Alyssa smiled and closed her eyes at the smell that drifted off him as he came close. She shook her head as she opened her eyes and looked down at her questions again after a brief glance at Rowan.

"I'll go too," Chris said as he finished putting the flowers in the jug. He touched Rowan's hand and she winked as he turned to follow Jack outside.

Rowan glanced away from Molly and looked at Alex with a half smile on her face as she shifted her eyes in Gene's direction and then back. Gene ran his hands through his hair and got up to go outside too. Rowan snorted and began to giggle as soon as the door closed then looked back at Molly.

"So, plans for summer while here. I had a thought maybe if your mom would let you maybe you could help out for a couple hours a day at the café. I'll pay you of course," Rowan suggested and gave Alex a quick look.

Alex smiled at Rowan's offer and nodded her appreciation. She hadn't looked at Gene since she had released his hand. She knew she was probably being unreasonable but in her mind it made sense. He had deliberately undermined her in front of her daughter. He had done it on purpose. She sighed and looked down at Molly, she was distracted and fiddling with her top, she only did that when something was worrying her or she was anxious.

Molly stopped playing with her clothes and composed her face into a bright smile.

"You're offering me a job? Really?" She replied excitedly. It meant that she wouldn't have to be in the police station, she had done that almost every summer since she was considered old enough to be able to deal with it. It was either that or stay with Evan, and as much as she loved her godfather he was not the ideal choice for a fun summer adult. A job would be something different and meant she would be able to have a valid excuse to avoid going to work with her mum.

"I didn't really have anything planned. I was going to go with the flow" she shrugged. Going with the flow no doubt meant 'working' with Alex.

Molly turned to her mother.

"Can I?"

Alex smiled and nodded at her. "But you have to do everything Rowan tells you," she said sternly before smiling reassuringly at her.

Molly nodded eagerly and turned back to Rowan a grin plastered over her face.

"Yes, really," Rowan assured and smiled when Alex agreed. "Of course, can't do anything until the café is my own again. However, I have another request for a morning meeting assortment and I will need help with that. I can do that at home if you're willing to help. I warn you though, it can be really unpleasant having to taste all the cakes and things to make sure they turned out all right," Rowan joked. She glanced at Alex and saw her aura spike again. She turned back to Molly.

"Can you do me a huge favor? Can you ask the nurse if I can have some coffee? Please?" Rowan knew she could just press the call button for the nurse but she wanted to ask Alex what was wrong and didn't think she'd talk in front of Molly.

Molly's eyes grew wide in anticipation at the thought of being paid to eat Rowan's cooking. If it was anything like the buffet at that party in the pub then working in the cafe would be a dream job.

Alex smiled at the tell-tale signs of her daughter's excitement growing. She couldn't help the grin that spread across her face. She was about to send Rowan another grateful look when she sent Molly away. Alex looked at her in confusion as the little girl danced out in pursuit of a nurse. Why hadn't she pressed the call button?

Once Molly had left Rowan grabbed Alex's hand and looked at her. "What's wrong? Why are you so upset?"

Her eyes widened in shock at Rowan's sudden actions but let her hand stay in the other woman's grasp.

"What makes you think I'm upset?" she challenged defensively.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Gene leaned against the wall outside and sighed as he lit his cigarette. Chris glanced at the Guv but wasn't sure if he should ask what was wrong. He decided against it.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Alyssa kept her eyes on the paper before her but bit her lip. Alex's voice was sharp. She was hiding something or unwilling to tell her troubles. She was tempted to look up at the two women and watch the little scene before her but thought better of it. She stayed silent and tried to look absorbed in Gem's questions.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Molly looked around for a nurse that didn't look too busy. She knew that they probably had more important stuff to do than ferry coffee from patient to patient. If she couldn't find a free one then Molly had decided to get one herself. Visitors could get coffee from the coffee machine, and she still had change jangling in her pocket that was left over from when she had bought the flowers.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Rowan raised an eyebrow and looked at Alex.

"What indeed?" she asked softly. "Alex, I can feel it radiating from you," Rowan said and squeezed Alex's hand.

"Gene's upset and so is she," Rowan gestured in the direction of the door to indicate Molly. "So, please, what is wrong?"

Alex slipped her hand from Rowan's grasp and chewed the inside of her lip. She exhaled sharply and looked after Molly. She saw the young girl tailing a nurse as she was clearly lead somewhere. Her expression softened as she admitted the truth in Rowan's words to herself.

"I'm fine," she attempted to reassure her.

Alyssa finally looked up. She took one look at Alex's face and was unconvinced. Rowan was right. Alex's behaviour was evasive.

Rowan snorted.

"What did he do that's got you in such a state? Was it really so bad because Molly went to his side when he was stood over there avoiding you and she took his hand. I think that's saying something."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Gene chained another cigarette, unwilling to go back in and face Alex's hostility. Any other time, she would have found him teasing her back the way he had funny. Now, she seemed to be on an unbelievably short fuse. He could not figure the woman out. Although, now Molly seemed to be warming to him.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Molly followed the nurse back into the room and went back to her seat. She smiled brightly at her mum and Rowan and looked at Alyssa curiously. She had seen her before at the pub but she hadn't really been socialising.

Alex moved back slightly, grateful for Molly's timing. She wasn't ready to tell anyone about the baby yet and she fully intended the first person she told to be Gene.

Rowan huffed out a breath and hid her annoyance at the timing. She smiled back at Molly and peered over at Alyssa to see how she was doing on the questions.

She glanced at Alex. She hated seeing people so upset but Alex didn't seem willing to talk about what Gene might have done to upset her.

"So, how goes it there," Rowan asked Alyssa with a gesture at the papers and leaned back against the pillows.

Jack felt ridiculous standing there and not saying anything. He exhaled smoke and glanced at Gene.

"So, been back to Manchester recently?"

Gene looked at him in surprise and shook his head.

"I haven't either, not since I've come here," Jack remarked.

"I remember reading about you in the papers," Gene told him. "Nasty business that."

"Yes, it was," Jack agreed softly. "I should go back in."

He stuck his cigarette in the ash can and headed for the door.

Gene nodded and looked over at Chris.

"Yea, me too," Chris said and followed Jack in.

Gene watched them go and then kicked the ash can before shoving his cigarette in it and then heading back inside.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Alyssa swept a lock of hair behind her ear as she looked up at Rowan. She glanced back down at what she was supposed to be doing and looked at the last question.

"One more and I'm done," she smiled back. Her gaze drifted to Alex who had stood off the bed and was looking around the room. She raised her eyebrows at Rowan and sighed.

Alex looked back at the two women and decided she needed to get out of the room.

"Anyone want anything from the coffee machine?" she offered as an excuse.

Alyssa shook her head and gave Rowan a look. Molly nodded.

"Can I please have a hot chocolate?"

"No, thank you, Alex," Rowan replied. She watched her leave the room, wishing she could help.

Alex nodded at her daughter and swept out of the room. The coffee machine was near the entrance to the ward and she got there as Jack came through the doors. She spotted Chris and sighed. Gene wouldn't be far behind.

Rowan looked back at Alyssa and sighed and then smiled when Chris came back in the room. He leaned over and kissed her before he sat back down in the chair next to her bed.

Jack walked up behind Alyssa and put his chin on her shoulder and grinned cheekily at her and tugged on a lock of her hair before standing back up and bringing another chair over to sit next to her. He looked over at Molly.

"So, you going to be one of my new students when school starts again?" he asked her.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Gene walked up to Alex at the coffee machine and stood next to her. He shoved his hands in his pockets and cleared his throat.

"I'm not sure what it is I've done, Alex, but I'm sorry whatever it is. My jokes seem to go all wrong lately, I seem to go all wrong lately. I don't know why but," he shrugged, "there it is."

Alex looked around at him. She was torn in two. Part of her crumbled at his words and was desperate to fall into his arms and tell him everything, about the baby, the mess in her head, just everything. She wanted to apologise profusely and reassure him.

But the other half of her still held the stony demeanour. She didn't want his apology. She wanted him to leave her be until she was ready to talk. That part was frustrated by his presence.

Alex compromised with herself. She left the coffee dripping into the polyester cup and cautiously moved towards him. She reached out and touched his cheek.

"It's not you Gene. I've got a lot going on in my head that I'm not ready to share yet. If I'm waspish with you I don't mean it," she told him with a small sigh. She reached up and kissed his cheek gently, he hadn't shaved and the stubble grazed her cheek deliciously as she pulled away. She blinked back the tears that had threatened her for most of the day and that his words had brought to the surface again.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Alyssa narrowed her eyes at him in mock annoyance and reached a hand up to flatten her hair where he had messed it up. She looked down at the paper and wrote a lengthy answer. She finished and re-read everything she had wrote. She cringed slightly at the way she had rambled on in places, going completely off the topic. She sighed and handed the paper back to Rowan.

Molly looked up at Jack. His school? Was he the head of Walford High? Molly shrugged.

"Maybe. Depends on what I feel like doing," she replied vaguely.

Rowan wrinkled her nose at Alyssa and folded up the papers with her answers on it.

"Gem loves it when people ramble on," Rowan told her. "So what are you two up to tonight?

Jack raised his eyebrows at Molly's answer and shrugged. "Well, I'll give your mum some brochures about Walford High just in case."

He turned to Alyssa and grinned at Rowan's question. "Good question," he commented.

Gene wrapped his arms around Alex and gave her a squeeze and then hurriedly stepped back. He tweaked her chin and went back into Rowan's room.

Alex breathed him in as he hugged her and shook her head as he walked away. No words of wisdom from the Gene Genie then. She had expected that. He hadn't questioned either which she was grateful for. She picked up the coffee and pressed the button for hot chocolate.

Rowan nearly breathed an audible sigh of relief that Gene didn't seem upset anymore. She hoped whatever was up with Alex they had worked it out.

Alyssa smiled a little relieved at Rowan's comment. She looked at Jack and smiled cheekily at him.

"I'm sure we can find something to do," she said with a shrug.

Molly nodded at Jack. She looked around and swung her legs as she started to feel bored. She looked up at Gene as she spotted him and smiled to herself and then looked back at her legs and resumed her activities.

"Dinner and bowling?" Jack suggested, a half-smile on his face.

Rowan looked at the ceiling and then back at Alyssa and grinned.

Rowan chuckled at Jack's tone.

Gene walked over and stood near Molly and leaned against the other bed and waited for Alex to come back in.

"Well, Drake and I need to go over to the station now, check on how things are progressing."

Molly looked up at Gene as he came over and stopped swinging her feet. Drake. He meant her mum. This could get confusing.

Rowan looked at him and nodded.

"Any idea when you'll be finished with the cafe?" she asked.

"Shouldn't be long, most of the evidence isn't there. It helps he admitted everything," Gene replied quietly.

Rowan gave a quick nod and felt Chris clutch her hand. Rowan looked at him and then up at the door as Bianca poked her head in.

"Howaya?" she greeted.

Rowan nodded. "I'm okay, come on in."

Bianca walked in, Peter trailing in behind her with another bag of grapes clutched in his hands.

Chris stood up and moved so Bianca could sit down.

"Not staying long, we just wanted to stop in and see how you are. I told Ricky any extra time you need for my help you have it."

"Thanks, Bianca, I'll likely need it."

"Me too," Peter put in as he handed the bag to Rowan.

She smiled gratefully at him.

"Oh, this is Molly and she's going to also coming in and helping out," Rowan said gesturing at her. She turned to Molly.

"This is Bianca, she works at the cafe with me and Peter is also helping out for the summer," Rowan introduced.

Molly stared inquisitively at the new people as they came in. She smiled shyly at them and looked at the boy. Peter and Bianca. Okay. She memorized the names and faces and made her smile more welcoming.

"Hey," she said to them as Rowan made the introduction.

"All right?" Bianca nodded to Molly and smiled.

Peter gave Molly a quick wave and shoved his hands in his pockets.

"We best move," Gene said and patted Molly's back. He walked to Rowan and patted the top of her head.

Molly looked back up at Gene as he left and slid off the seat to follow him. She gave Rowan a careful hug goodbye and wished her well then waved at the others and hurried after Gene.

Rowan patted Molly on the back as the girl hugged her.

"Take care of yourself and keep him in line," Gene gestured at Chris.

"Yes, Mr. Hunt," Rowan replied flippantly and wrinkled her nose at him. He sighed and rolled his eyes and walked out to the hall to wait for Molly and Alex.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Alyssa chuckled at Jack's suggestion and nodded. She hadn't been bowling in ages. She was also eager to win.

"I'll kick your ass at bowling," she informed him, her cheeky smile becoming more prominent. Her gaze drifted to Rowan and she cocked an eyebrow at her before returning to Jack, her eyes shimmering with the promise of a challenge.

"Oh, will you now?" Jack said with a grin.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\\/\/\/\/\/\

Alex came back with a hot chocolate for Molly and saw her and Gene loitering outside Rowan's room. One look at Gene's face told her he was impatient to go. She handed Molly the hot chocolate which she took eagerly and instantly blew to cool it. Alex squeezed Gene's wrist as she passed him to say goodbye to Rowan. She felt she had some major making up to do.

Alex entered Rowan's room and smiled at her as she approached.

Rowan looked up at Alex as she came into the room.

"Thank you," she said. She was glad to notice Alex didn't seem to be upset anymore but there was still something odd about the woman's aura she couldn't place.

"I'll see you soon. We'll try to clear the café of forensics as soon as we can for you," she assured her and gave her hand a quick squeeze. She nodded at Alyssa, Jack, Chris And the others before releasing Rowan's hand and sweeping out of the room with a sip of her coffee.

Rowan chuckled at Alyssa and looked back at Bianca.

"Look, I'll leave you to it, yea?" Bianca said and patted Rowan's shoulder. "Gotta make the kids' tea. Let me know when we're back in business."

"I will as soon as I know," Rowan nodded.

"Yeah, I'll um, see you Rowan," Peter finally said and turned to leave.

"Thank you, Peter," Rowan called after him and let Bianca give her a quick hug.

She watched them all leave and sighed. She put her face in her hands and would have wept if she'd been able. She looked at Alyssa and smiled to cover. She didn't want anyone to see she was upset.

"So, suppose I should call the bookies and put my money on you then?" she joked to Alyssa.

Alyssa grinned back and tapped his nose.

"Yes, I will. I get competitive" she warned him, she knew full well that if he was beating her then she would cheat. She had a few distractions up her sleeve if that was the case.

She turned back to Rowan with a laugh.

"That depends on my odds," she replied back.

Rowan and Jack laughed at the same time.

"I probably shouldn't bet on a sure thing," Rowan chuckled and looked at Chris as he sat down next to her and rummaged in the bag of grapes.

"So, should we shove off then?" Jack asked Alyssa.

Rowan grabbed the grapes back from Chris and popped one in her mouth.

"I'll keep you posted what time I'm out tomorrow," Rowan told her.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Alex returned to Molly and Gene and paused to watch them for a moment. Molly seemed more comfortable in Gene's presence. She was quite happily leaning against the wall sipping her drink and occasionally blowing to cool it.

Alex walked over. She had noticed the sign for the pharmacy when they had come in and knew that she could get what she wanted there. She would have to find some excuse. Summer was nearly here, Molly's hay fever would kick in soon. She could get some eye drops and tablets for her aswell.

"I need to pop to the pharmacy before we leave. Won't be a moment," she told him and turned in the other direction as she rummaged in her bag for her purse.

She returned a few minutes later. The pregnancy test and receipt was safely in the zip pocket of her bag while she carried a white paper bag with Molly's hay fever medication inside.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Shaz grumbled as her phone beeped again. She set down her glass and dug around trying to locate her phone. She found it after some intense rummaging. Fumbling slightly due to the effect of the wine she read the text.

Shaz sat back down and thought. Deciding that the size of her desire to see him was bigger than her current amount of common sense and therefore overruled it, she fired one back.

"5 mins. S"

Shaz grabbed her coat and switched off the TV. She grabbed her keys and ran out of the flat. She navigated the quiet streets with considerable ease and walked through the reception of the B&B and found room 7. She knocked on the door.

Bradley jumped out of his light doze at the knock on the door. He shook his head to clear it and rubbed his face as he walked to the door and opened it.

He was delighted to see Shaz standing there. He pulled her into the room and into his arms and kissed her, shutting the door closed with his foot.

Shaz wrapped her arms around him and kissed him back. She heard the door shut and smiled. She broke the kiss.

"Bradley," she whispered and planted a quick kiss on his jaw. "Well done on the breakthrough with the money. That woman is sneaky. 4 accounts!" she exclaimed.

She wanted to give her congratulations in person rather than just by text. She was still curious why he hadn't called her to tell her and left it to the techy instead.

"Thank you, Shaz," Bradley said as he ran his hands over her arms. He closed his hands around them and moved her over to sit on the bed.

"It wasn't that bit though, we weren't looking for it by the monetary amount. I finally remembered where I'd seen that sort of routing number before. It's an American bank we worked with once, but just the once so it took a while to remember. She'd have been a lot more clever with multiple accounts if they hadn't been linked," he explained as he unbuttoned her top and slid it from her shoulders. He removed her bra and caressed her bare flesh as he leaned towards her.

He kissed her neck, moving up to her ear.

"We'll find out Monday if we can get the money back or just freeze it. The contact I had there is pretty confident they'll cooperate since the money is stolen, though they may want to talk to someone in charge," he paused to yank off his own shirt and went back to kissing her neck again.

He moved down to her breasts.

"I'm sorry I didn't call you myself but I didn't want you to think I was trying to get you to talk to me. I didn't know the tech would call," he chuckled and laid her back on the bed and put his mouth back to work on her breasts.

Shaz moved her hands to hold his hips and began tracing the patterns that his muscles made on his back. Her fingers followed the indents religiously up the contours of his back as she thought.

"Would I count as the 'someone in charge'? Or would the Guv have to be spoken to?" she questioned him; her speech was punctuated with small gasps and moans at the actions of his lips on her skin. His mouth was clever, a lot cleverer than Chris' had been, she mused.

"And if it's something to do with work, you are obliged to talk to me. I'm in charge remember!" she told him sternly trying to resist vocalising her body's reaction to him as he worked, she wanted to sound authoritative, for the moment anyway.

Bradley lifted his face to hers and replaced his mouth with his hands.

"I can let them talk to you first and if they need to speak to someone higher then I suppose they'll say so," he explained, his mouth by her ear and slid his hands to her waist to unfasten her jeans.

"I'm sorry for not informing you, ma'am," he breathed into her ear. "It won't happen again."

He slid a hand into her jeans and worked it between her legs and touched her.

"I'll take whatever punishment you think is necessary," he added, his voice thick with lust as he looked into her eyes.

Shaz threw her head back as his hand slid under her waistband and crept inside her jeans. She let out some incoherent mutterings and then took his face between her hands. She raised her head and pulled his down simultaneously as she took his lips and kissed him demandingly.

"Stop talking," she breathed into his mouth and kissed him again.

Bradley broke off the kiss and stood up long enough to pull the rest of her clothes off and divest himself of his own. He crawled back onto the bed moving between her legs and kissed her as he buried himself inside her...

Bradley rolled onto the bed gasping for air. Shaz was simply something else. He looked over at her and twined his fingers with hers.

Shaz turned her head to glance at him and squeezed his hand briefly. He certainly knew how to wear her out. She didn't think she had ever been this tired. He was incredible though. He did things to her that she had never dreamed of.

Bradley rolled up onto his side and propped his head in his hand.

"I really am thinking of leaving her you know, Stacey I mean. I tried to talk to her again before I left and came here. It was a disaster," he sighed.

Shaz looked at him a little alarmed. This was uncomfortable. She turned her head around to face him properly.

"You mustn't give up, Bradley. You love her. It's obvious," she insisted.

"I don't know Shaz. I'm so tired of trying. When she told me to leave her alone earlier I felt relieved to be honest." He ran a hand through his hair and flopped onto his back.

Shaz sat up to get a better look at him as he lay back. Clearly his wife was a fool. He was gorgeous. She sighed and drew her legs underneath her.

"She's probably just anxious about the baby. Maybe she wants to feel independent and she's trying to cope on her own. Prove something to herself?" she suggested.

Bradley shrugged.

"She doesn't seem to mind anyone else being around and fussing over her," he sighed and rubbed his face. "I don't want to think about it anymore," he glanced at her and moved onto his side again to face her. He reached for his phone and looked at the time and showed her.

"Why don't we take a shower, order in a pizza and watch Dr. Who?" he suggested.

Shaz smiled at the idea of Doctor Who. She nodded encouragingly and stretched before slipping off the bed. She wasn't especially hungry. Food was not the first thing on her mind right now.

Bradley smiled and led her to the bathroom.

"Let's get you washed up," he breathed in her ear as he slid his hands over her flesh and lifted her into the bath.

/\\/\/\/\/\/\\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Stacey came downstairs and discovered Bradley was gone. She noticed Abi in the kitchen and asked if she'd seen him.

"I think he left, don't know where he went though," Abi shrugged.

Stacey frowned and went outside. She walked across the Square looking for Bradley. She walked across to the pub and ran into Ryan as he was walking out.

"Sorry, Stace," Ryan said as he grabbed her arms to steady her.

"Thanks for watching," she snapped and jerked from his grasp.

"No need to be nasty," Ryan grouched and turned away.

Stacey sighed.

"Ryan, I'm sorry. Just in a bad mood," Stacey explained.

"Aren't we all," he agreed.

"Have you seen Bradley?"

"No, sorry," he gave her a quick smile and walked away.

Stacey put a hand on her belly and watched Ryan walk away. Now she was back and he was still around, she wondered anew if she should tell him that he was the father.

Stacey turned around and nearly walked over Abi and Lauren who had decided to come after her and help her look.

"Nobody's seen him anywhere," said Abi. Lauren nodded in agreement.

"Well, that's a bit weird," Stacey commented.

"Not so weird," a husky female voice spoke from behind her. Stacey turned around and saw Janine standing there.

"What are you on about?"

"Well," Janine began as she licked her lip, "you have to admit the time away has done him good. Looks like he was working out and with his hair longer, well, who would recognize him? He's almost fit you could say," Janine prodded and then turned and flounced away.

Stacey glared after her. Bradley didn't look that different did he? she wondered.

"Let's go home," Stacey said and turned and stalked back to the house. Ryan stood in the shadow of a building and watched Stacey walk home then glanced over at Janine. He really was getting tired of her pettiness.