China Girl

(An Ashes to Ashes Fic)

Okay so here is the next chapter as promised, which is again more of a filler chapter, leading up to the main part of the story, but I hope you enjoy anyway and I might possibly be able to get another chapter up tonight, so please review :)

Chapter 6 –

Glad I've got nobody

Alex continued to watch Gene, and she notice with astonishment that his eyes were infact glazed with tears. One of the rare occasions when he actually showed any hint of emotion and it scared her. It scared her because she realised now just how much she cared about this man. Gene Hunt. And she realised just how much he must care about her too.

'Gene?' she whispered 'Do you…Do you still trust me?'

On any other occasion, it would have been an extremely odd question and probably one that she'd never really thought of asking. Maybe that was because she'd always known that Gene had trusted her, until that moment when he'd found the tape; when Martin Summers had made sure that Gene had found the tape.

And now she needed to know if he still trusted her. She had to know.

'I do. I trust you Bolls. I always have done…'

'But what about…?'

'The tape? I haven't got a clue about any of the stuff you said on that tape or why you said it. I dunno whether it was that Boris block messin' with yer 'ead or what Bolls; but I don't care. To be honest I just wanna forget I ever heard it or any o' that crap you were spouting 'bout the future. I just wanna put it behind us and move on. Coz I care about you Alex. And yes I do trust you'

She smiled at him, through the tears that were streaming down her face, and it suddenly struck her that she must look such a mess in front of him. No make-up, her hair a mess, wearing hospital clothes and crying hysterically; but at this moment she honestly couldn't care less. Because she had Gene Hunt. And now all she needed was Molly too.

'Come 'ere Bolls' he said, as he moved so that he was sitting next to her and put his arm around her.

'Ya best stop crying soon Bolls, else I'll have to stamp on that pretty little 'ead o' yours…' he joked and she laughed slightly and rested her head on his shoulder.

'Ill have t'get back t'the station soon Bolls; can't leave them Divs on their own for much longer, else they'll be no city left…'

'Can't you stay? Just for a bit longer; please Gene?'

He sighed 'Just a bit…'

**

'Where's the Guv?' Viv asked, as he walked through the doors of CID to find Ray kicking around a football and Chris, sat at a desk in the far corner of the room, talking to Shaz.

'Still at t'ospital with Drake' Ray called, still attempting to kick the football without breaking anything.

'When's he back?'

'No idea'

'Well I've got someone at reception, with a huge box full of stolen garden gnomes; apparently they're stuffed with cocaine'

'Bloody great! Just when I thought it were gonna be a quiet afternoon…right skip stick 'em in the interview room…'

'What the bloke or the Gnome's?'

'The Bloke you div! Although y'can stick the Gnomes in there n'all…And Chris; get off you arse and into that interview room will ya. I ain't doing all the 'ard work around here'

**

A short while after Gene had left the hospital; Alex was lying in bed, contemplating what Sam had told her. It certainly wasn't going to be easy to convince both Gene and Annie about the whole time-travelling thing, especially when she didn't even understand it herself.

She'd figured that as soon as she got out of here then she'd go to Manchester and talk to Annie. Maybe if she'd talked to Gene first, he'd come with her. But in reality she knew that he would be the harder of the two to convince.

When Sam had first told her what she needed to do, she'd thought that it didn't sound too difficult, but now she was pretty certain that it was close to impossible.

She was started from her thoughts as the curtains opened and nurse came in to check on her.

'Hiya love; how're you feeling?'

'Fine thanks' Alex replied bluntly, not particularly wanting to make conversation with her; although she supposed anything was better than just sitting here for hours on end.

'You a bit bored here love?' The nurse asked, in one of those sickly-sweet voices as she noticed the expression on Alex's face.

'You could say that…'

'Tell you what; I've got an old radio in my locker. I could go get it for you if you like. Just something to take your mind off being stuck in here…'

'Yeah thanks, that would be great' Alex replied, although she didn't particularly care really. The only thing she wanted was to get out of here and back to work, so that she could talk to the Super and clear Gene's name.

**

It was approaching 6 pm when the Guv arrived back in CID, having been for a drive in the Quattro for a couple of hours. It hadn't been that he'd wanted to clear his head, he already felt a million times better just for talking to Ale; he'd just needed some fresh air and some time away from CID.

'Right you pair o' tonsils, what you been up to; it looks like me great Aunt's greenhouse in 'ere?' he said, kicking a gnome out of the way as the doors swung shut behind him and the gnome made some cackling sound, that could only be described as a cat in severe pain.

'Sounds like that song from the sixty's done it Guv?' Chris asked, and seeing the confused faces of his colleagues, he decided to demonstrate 'You know Guv… Ha Ha Ha, He He He, I'm a laughing gnome and you can't catch me…'

'Yes Christopher; incase you hadn't noticed this is CID, not the bloody circus. Now get your arses of those chairs. It's not like there's much happening 'ere, so you may as well all 'ead off home…'

There was a chorus of 'Cheers Guv' and 'Night Guv', as one by one they all disappeared through the double doors and Gene retired to his office.

Putting his feet up on the desk and taking a large gulp of single malt whiskey from his hip flask, he realised that he'd never felt more alone without Alex Drake.