China Girl

(An Ashes to Ashes Fic)

Hey :) This is a slightly shorter chapter and I'm sorry if you find it confusing, but if you do then hopefully after the next few chapters everything will become clearer...Anyway please review and tell me what you think...:)

Chapter 8 –

Reality

'Christ Annie, what the ruddy hell are you doing 'ere at this time?'

She sighed. What was she doing here?

'Honestly? I don't know…'

'You what? Why aren't you in Manchester? Where's little Sammy?'

'He's fine, Phyllis is looking after him…and as for why I'm here and not in Manchester, well I don't have a clue…I just needed to be here and I think if the dream is anything to go by; then you have a DI called Alex Drake…'

'Eh?'

'…Who might be able to help me, so I can finally get some answers…?'

'What the bleeding hell are you going on about Cartwright?'

'She's in hospital right?'

'Well…yeah…but how do you know? I 'ant spoken t'ya in ages…'

'A dream…and yeah I know that sounds insane right…and…and you're probably thinking call the men in white coats and get 'er a straight jacket…but it's true…and I can explain…well sort of anyway…'

'Woah, woah woah… untwist your knickers love and get your arse in't that office pronto' he said, pointing to the door behind him.

**

'This is insane; I shouldn't be here…' Annie said, it suddenly having dawned on her that nothing she could say to Gene would make any of this believable, it was just crazy.

'Well you are 'ere aren't ya, so you might as well tell me why…'

She nodded, taking a deep breath as a way to keep calm. She wasn't angry about what she'd been told, she was angry with herself for actually believing any of it.

There was no way Sam was alive. How could he be? He'd been dead almost three years now after driving his car into the canal at a jewellery blag.

But then that niggling doubts that had formed in the back of her mind, came bubbling back to the surface. That voice in her sub-conscious telling her to believe in her instinct, just this once.

After all, his body was never found…

'I had a dream…'

'Go on' he said, taking a large gulp of whiskey and leaning back in his chair. All the time keeping his eyes fixed on her.

'It was a message…from Sam…and I know this sounds insane and I understand if you don't believe a word I'm saying but…it was just so…so real…'

She took another deep breath.

'…he told me about Alex…about how she's in hospital…and then…then he said something about the…the future…'

'I'm from the future…I was shot and I woke up here with you. Just like Sam Tyler only…only this is my reality. And I'm fighting not to die because if I die I will never get home…and it's insane…but there it is…and I trust you which is why I'm telling you the truth…

'…and he said that I should go and see Alex…because she'd know what he meant…and that I should trust her…

…And that you should too'

**

'Uncle Sam? How much longer do we have to wait?'

'I don't know…but everything will alright…I promise'

'because you always keep your promises Sam…'

'always keep your promises…'

'promises…'

He sighed to himself as he watched Molly pacing the small, dimly lit room. It wasn't like a normal room; there was no furniture, no doors; just a window. A window into reality, where they could watch what was happening in the world of 1982.

'Where are we Uncle Sam?'

'I don't know Molls'

That was the truth, he didn't know. But he had a good idea about where they might be.

'Somewhere between heaven and hell'

As though they were in Limbo. A place where a person is held up and nothing can be done until another action is achieved. This action being the task that Sam had given to Alex.

So how long would they be here?

'Uncle Sam; do you think he does trust mum?'

'Who trusts your mum?'

'Gene? Annie told him that he should trust her, because thats what you told her to say; but why did you say that Sam?'

'Because…because I need him to believe her about…you know…being from the future…and well the last time your mum tried to tell him…he erm…well he didn't believe her…but Molly we need him to believe her this time…or else…'

'Or else what?'

'Or else you'll never see your mum again…'