"Gene, I can't leave you. I don't want to leave you," cried Alex, tears falling freely from her face.

"It's your time, Bols," he replied. "Come here." He took her hands and then wrapped his arms around her in a tight embrace.

"No, it's not. It's not! It's not fair, we haven't…" she trailed off, not wishing to voice what it was she really wanted.

"We haven't what, Alex?" asked Gene with a gentle smile.

Alex kissed him then, unexpectedly, full on the lips, a sensual and emotional kiss, full of pent-up longing and loss. Still crying, she broke off to tell him, "We haven't done this or anything else…"

Gene looked at her for a long moment. His face was unreadable. He seemed to reach a decision. Placing his arm around her shoulders, they walked together, away from the Railway Arms, and Nelson and Shaz, Chris and Ray.

"Maybe we could catch up with them after we've made things fairer Alex?" teased Gene with a look of longing that matched that on Alex's face. "Where shall we start?"

Jim Keats was still lying in the road, jerking and barking like a man deranged. "No!" he shouted, seeing them together.

Alex jumped, tears still slipping down her face. Gene looked at Jim with disgust. "Go away scum," he commanded. He wiped away the tears on her cheek with care, and led her quietly back to the flat.

They kissed again as they reached her doorway, and then moved towards the bedroom. "I love you Gene," Alex admitted looking into his bright blue eyes. They were so beautiful. Urgently, she began to take his clothes off. "Why have we wasted so much time?"

"I love you too Bolly," Gene returned, his hand moving her chin so he was looking at Alex clearly, "I always have, and I always will."

They kissed for a long time, making up for missed opportunities.

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"I always wanted to sleep with you Gene," said Alex as they lay together under the burgundy satin sheets, at last having acted on all their impulses.

"Of course you did," said Gene, with a smirk. "And I couldn't wait to get in your knickers, ever since I saw you dressed in that red dress, as a prostitute. Were you even wearing knickers?"

They laughed together, happy to play the game, now sure of where they stood with each other.

"Gene, will you come the pub with me?" she asked, suddenly overcome with poignant sadness that she might soon lose this new found happiness. "I don't want to be alone. We should be together."

"Alex," Gene responded in a soothing tone, stroking her hair slowly. "Who would help the future, if I wasn't here? Stay here with me now, but you will move on eventually, and I will stay. You'll be fine."

He kissed her again, softly and tenderly, the one person who understood her, who she trusted, who cared.

"Gene Hunt, you are a good man," said Alex.

"Shush, don't tell everyone," Gene smiled as he kissed her neck and worked south, with electrifying effect.

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