Thanks once again to the lovely reviewers – you know who you are!! I know this story is a little long in getting started and a little boring up to now but I promise more and more excitement in the next few chapters! If people like enough for me to continue that is!!

Alex slid the chain across and pulled back the door to reveal Gene stood outside, one arm on the doorframe supporting his rather large bulk as he leant forwards.

Oh my God, he's drunk, she thought. Looking at the state he was in quickly stilled the little flutters that she had felt in her stomach as she realised he had finally come to visit her.

"Bolly . . ." he slurred attempting to straighten himself up. He moved too quickly though and ended up off balance, stumbling into the flat and towards Alex. She just about managed to catch him and support his weight as he tried unsuccessfully to regain his balance, trying her best to ignore the pain shooting from the wound on her stomach as such sudden physical exertion.

"Come on Gene, over to the sofa", she instructed, half-guiding and half-carrying him. Once he had collapsed onto the cushions she pulled his boots off, before lifting his legs onto the sofa so he was in a more comfortable position.

Alex stood up, taking a step back to get a good look at her boss. How does he always manage to look so good even when he's paralytic? She drank in his appearance. The soft blonde hair, the piercing blue eyes she knew were there under his lids, eyelashes to die for, broad shoulders and long legs. Definitely looks good to me.

She knew what she was doing was insane, knew that if he woke up now to find her staring at him he would think she had finally gone over the edge. But she couldn't help herself. Before she could talk herself out of it, she was leaning over his sleeping form, one hand on the back of the sofa to steady herself, as she placed a gentle kiss to his forehead. Lingering there for longer than she should, she closed her eyes and inhaled his scent. That unmistakable mix of whiskey, cigarettes, aftershave and tonight a seemingly powerful smell of beer. A lot of beer.

Thinking about all that had happened over the last week she pressed her lips to the corner of his mouth. "I'm sorry", she whispered.

Alex was woken the next morning by the sound of her front door being slammed shut. Instantly recalling the events from the previous night, she tried to push away the disappointment she suddenly felt. You knew he wouldn't stay. Knowing that hadn't made her want it any less though. I wanted to apologise to him properly, with him awake. Apologise for leaving him and getting him arrested. He was only trying to protect me even after I hurt him so much.

She got out of bed as gingerly as she could, aware that the pain in her stomach worsened considerably if she moved too fast. Slipping her dressing gown on over the big shirt she slept in, she went out into the kitchen.

She frowned, confused, as she went to fill the kettle up and noticed an old envelope on the side covered in familiar scrawl. She picked it up.

Alex,

Thanks for last night – I was really pissed.

Didn't want to wake you. Ring me when you get up.

Gene

Rig him? He wants me to ring him? He shoots me, avoids me like the plague for over a week and wants ME to ring HIM? And although she knew she shouldn't, she also knew that as soon as the clock struck nine and he would have arrived at work she would be on the phone. It's probably just about work anyway, she told herself. He wants to know when I'll be back at work. Either that or he wants to tell me he's had me transferred to Glasgow. She didn't smile.

Gene was sat in his office leant back in his chair with his legs up on the desk. It was still some time before nine and the office was quiet, giving him a chance to think. He couldn't stop thinking about last night. He remembered being in Luigi's downing pint after pint and he remembered climbing te stairs leading up to Alex's flat and her opening the door, but after that things got a little hazy. He hoped he hadn't made a fool out of himself. More than I already have anyway.

He had felt so awful after the shooting, so lost. Unable to function properly with the thought that he had probably killed Alex hanging over him. Alex. The one person who makes me feel alive in this world. Alive and not alone.

They had arrested him afterwards of course. He knew they would, knew how it looked but he didn't care. If Alex died then it didn't matter that him shooting her had been an accident, that he'd been trying to save her. If she dies, then he deserved to rot in prison. None of it would matter anymore.

But then she had woken up. She had come back to life. Always knew she was a stubborn cow. He had been so relieved when he'd heard her voice calling for her daughter. But then everything had gone wrong. She'd seen him and started screaming. He'd wanted to apologise, to take her hand and reassure her but the fear he had seen in her eyes had stopped him dead. She was afraid of him. And he didn't blame her.

He had stayed away from her since then – making sure she was well looked after by the team but staying away himself. She needed space. That much had been crystal clear.

He didn't know what he'd been thinking last night. Too much booze.

The shrill ring of the telephone on his desk jerked him back to the present as he instinctively knew who was calling.

"DCI Hunt", he answered. There was a pause on the other end.

"Gene hi, it's Alex." She sounded nervous. He had expected more anger than nervousness.

He forced himself to sound more confident than he felt right at that moment. "'iya Bolls, how ya doin'?"

"Erm . . . ok thanks. I'm feeling a lot better."

"Good." There was another pause. "Listen Bolls, i just wanted to say thanks for last night. I was a bit worse for wear and . . ."

"So you said in your note."

"O yea', sorry 'bout that, it's just . . . well I didn't wanna wake ya an' I . . ."

"Gene I'm not shouting at you", she interrupted his attempted explanation. "It's just . . . well . . ."

"Wha'?" Here it comes. She's going to politely ask me never to step within fifty bloody yards of her flat ever again.

"Well it would have been nice to see you."

Huh? Whatever Gene had been expecting this was definitely not it. He didn't know what to say.

Alex obviously misunderstood his silence. "It's just I haven't really had a chance to say thans for saving my life with Martin Summers and sorry for getting you into trouble with the Super and for . . . getting you arrested. I just thought it would have meant more face to face. I mean i haven't really seen you since . . .", she trailed off aware she was babbling.

"Since you told me to go away", Gen supplied quietly.

"What?" She sounded genuinely surprised.

"In the hospital when you came round. You told me to go away, practically screamed it in my face actually."

"Gene -" she began but he interrupted her.

"I'm not saying I blame ya Alex 'cause after what 'appened I don't, but ya asked me t' stay away so I did."

"I did . . . I remember . . ."

Gene was utterly confused now. Don't you get memory loss with a head injury not a bullet to the abdomen?

"Oh God, Gene, I am so sorry. I thought you were avoiding me. I forgot, I thought . . . Gene, what are you doing tonght?"

"Erm . . ." the question had caught him off guard.

"Can you come over? I need to explain. Please?" she sounded almost desperate.

"Bloody hell Bolls ya don't have t' beg. I'll see ya later ok?"

"Ok."

He put the receiver down. Well she doesn't hate me, that's a start.

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