China Girl

(An Ashes to Ashes Fic)

Sorry for the delay in updating. I've been away over the weekend and haven't been able to get online until now. Hopefully i'll have another update up by tomorrow though :)

Chapter 9 –

Never let me down

It was around eight AM when Alex Drake was awoken by the sudden appearance of a nurse, as she came to check on Alex's progress.

She wasn't too pleased about being woken at this time, as she hadn't slept that well at all. Her dreams disturbed and traumatised by the constant thoughts about Sam Tyler and what he had asked her to do.

Sam had told her that she didn't have much time left before she had to talk to Gene and Annie.

'It's all about timing this life…'

'all about timing…'

'this life…'

'life…'

Life? What was life anymore? Was this life here in 1982 or had she infact been correct with her first opinion of this world, believing it was a dystopia, created by her own sub-conscious. And therefore was the world of 2008, where she had initially thought was where she belonged; just a memory, a face on an old photograph, an empty shell with no soul; was all this truly real? Or was everything a lot more complicated than that?

**

'Morning' Shaz called to her fellow officers as she strolled into CID at around 9 AM. She was then greeting with a chorus of 'morning', as she took a seat beside Chris, at his desk.

She'd arrived at CID an hour later than usual, having told Chris that she needed to go and see mum for a bit as she wasn't feeling too well. Truth was, her mum was perfectly fine, but there was something she'd needed to do before work, something she had needed to confirm, after having her suspicions for a while.

The only problem now was that she wanted to talk to Alex and ask for her advice before she told Chris or anyone else; but how was she going to sneak out of work to do that?

And how could she go to see Alex, while avoiding everyone else?

'You aright Shazza?' Chris asked, as he noticed her vacant expression and realized that she hadn't been listening to a word that he had been saying.

'What? Oh yeah I'm fine…'

'You sure?'

'Yes Chris! …Do you…do you know where the Guv is?'

'No, no-one's seen him all morning. Ray phoned the 'ospital to see if he was there, but he apparently he ain't…'

He wasn't at the hospital!

She stood up suddenly, flinging her chair aside without another word and running out of the CID office, leaving the double doors to swing shut behind her; not once stopping until she reached her destination.

'What did I do? Chris asked, looking around the room at the bemused faces of his colleagues.

She'd been acting strange for a few days now and he was worried about her. She was distant and almost bit his head off whenever he dared ask her a question about something.

He knew everything was a bit screwed up at the moment, what with Alex in hospital and very few people supporting the Guv's innocence in the shooting.

He just wanted everything to return to normal…

'Time o' the month' Ray shrugged.

**

'Ah Signor Hunt!' Luigi stated as he was interrupted from his cleaning of the restaurant, as the door swung open and Gene Hunt stepping into the restaurant with a woman, whom he was sure he didn't recognize.

'Mornin' Luigi; this is Annie Tyler. She were me WDC, back in Manchester…' Gene explained as he noticed the confused look on the old Italian's face.

He smiled at her briefly before his expression changed to one of great concern, and he turned to face Gene once again.

'Mr Hunt; how is the beautiful Signora Drake?'

'She…She's not bad Luigi…She should be 'ome soon hopefully…'

'Aha! That is wonderful news' he exclaimed; flapping his arms around, as he returned to his place behind the bar.

''Actually Luigi; ive just come to get some of her stuff for 'er…But I ain't got a key you see…'

'No worries Signor Hunt…I always keep a spare…' he said, disappearing through a door, behind the bar and returning only moments later with the key to Alex's flat, which he handed over to Gene, who smiled gratefully.

However as they turned to make their way in the direction of the flat, the small Italian called them back.

'Mr Hunt…promise me that you will look after her. She cares about you and although you deny it…I know you care about her too…'

Please review; even if it is only a few words :)