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Disclaimer: (Forgot it last time) Don't own anyone or anything, unfortunately, but hey ho!

Chapter 3

Shaz sat at the dining room table finishing off the Christmas cards and invitations, "You know Alex has put in for a transfer, Chris?"

"When did this happen?" Chris asked whilst he was reading his music magazine.

"Two days ago, I heard her mention something about it not being too long now, and then I was speaking to Beth, the Super's secretary, and she told me she'd seen her request."

"Has he signed it yet then?" Chris was all ears, sitting on the edge of his seat.

"No, the Guv' has to do it! Beth says that the Super and Guv' are stalling 'cause neither of them wants her to go."

"Is this going to affect out little plan?"

"It shouldn't do, darling!" She looked over to Chris, winking at him. "These invites are going in the cards and I'm putting them on desks tomorrow. If there are any problems then at least we've got two weeks to try and sort them out!"

Chris sat back in his chair, feet up on a stool in front of him; Shaz had got up from her seat and sat in his lap putting her arms around his neck. She lent into his body, "I'm so glad we did this, Chris. It might not be the grandest palace but it's ours."

"Yeah, can't wait for Christmas either, this is goin' to be the best one ever!"

"Yeah, best one ever!"

Alex sat at her desk and put down the mug of coffee that she'd just made. As it was still slightly too hot to drink she went through some of the mail that had been left on her desk. On top of the pile was a crisp white envelope, 'Alex' was written in a fine hand she suspected to be Shaz's and upon opening the card that was inside she was confirmed right. A small piece of blue writing paper fell out of the centre when she'd opened to card to read the greeting. She picked it up and opened it.

'Dear Alex

We would be honoured if you would join us for Christmas day, we realise that you may have other plans or simply want to forget the day altogether, but we felt sure that you'd rather spend the day with us than on your own, so if it pleases you then we'd expect to see you about one in the afternoon, seeing as Christmas Eve is going to be a belter, we can have dinner then and chill out for the rest of the night.

Your friends

Chris & Shaz

RSVP xxx'

Alex had wondered what she was going to do for Christmas and this invitation was just the ticket. There was no doubt in her mind that they had invited every singleton they knew in CID but, she had to admit, it was better than spending the day on her own, attempting to console herself and fretting over Molly and what she was getting up to in 2008. "Shaz?"

"Yes, ma'am?"

"I'm RSVP'ing; I'd love to come to yours for Christmas."

"Oh great, best bring some stuff to sleep in, might turn into a bit of a slumber party." Shaz's eyebrows rose at the prospect.

"Will do, Shaz. Thank you!"

"No, thank you, ma'am."

Alex smiled at the younger woman, before getting back to the work in hand. 'Roll on two weeks,' she thought, a party was just what she needed.

"Skelton, is this some kind of joke?" Gene asked, bearing down on his young officer.

"No … no, sir! We would really like to 'ave your company on Christmas Day."

"Just mine?"

"No, we've asked Ray, too. An' the DI!"

"'Ave they both accepted?"

"The DI has!"

"Right, well, ok, I'm doin' now't else, I'll be there, at one right?"

"Yes, Guv'!"

"Drake?"

She sighed, waiting for the inevitable, "yes, Guv'!"

"You're goin' to the Skelton's for Christmas; well I'll pick you up!"

"Thanks, but I can …"

"Walkin' around on Christmas Day on your own, I don't think so, this is London not Bognor. I'll pick you up, half twelve. Alright?"

"Yes, Guv'!" She said, knowing that her response had been absolutely dripping with sarcasm.

"Good, that's settled then!" He walked back into his office and shut the door behind him. He sat down at his desk, cradling his face in his hands, this was so difficult and he didn't have a clue about what to do. She was there everyday just ripe for the picking and everyday it seemed as if she was moving further and further away from him. He was frightened by the prospect of losing her and if he didn't make any move soon she was lost to him anyway, but if he did start living his life like both Alex and the Super had said he should then would he finally get her. It seemed as if she didn't want to know him at the moment, everything other than in a work capacity had stopped between them. Their light conversations, their drinking together at Luigi's, their witty sexually charged banter that always seemed to get them through the rough and tumble of everyday life. 'I need some 'elp 'ere!' He thought.

He picked up the phone and dialled the extension to Shaz's phone, she finally stopped typing and picked up the receiver, "Hello, Sir?"

"Shaz, I'd like a word, also could you bring me in a cup of tea and some biscuits. Bring yourself a drink too."

"Ok, Guv'!" He watched as she cradled the receiver back on the phone, got up from her desk and went to the kitchenette in order to make the drinks. Within ten minutes she was outside the door politely knocking. He motioned for her to take a seat after she had closed the door behind her. She sat down and waited. Gene couldn't say anything, his mouth went dry and his body began to shake with his fears of inadequacy. "Am I in trouble, Guv'?"

"No, no, nothing like that, I just think I need a bit of 'elp. I'm sure Christopher told you about the other night when I got pissed and mouthed off about Alex," he muttered quietly. She nodded. "Well, thing is … Shaz, I know you were talkin' to 'er the other night, did she say anythin' 'bout me?"

"She said lots about you, Guv'!"

"Like what?" Shaz saw him visibly lift.

"Firstly, you were an arrogant bastard! Secondly, she never knew where she stood! Thirdly, she didn't know what to say to you anymore because you were always having a go at her, and she didn't understand why. Fourthly, she …" She watched him buckle again.

"I get the picture; I'm the big bad wolf an' she's little red ridin' 'ood!"

"No, sir, nothing like that, if you ask me, she's just a bit pissed off with you!"

"Enough to want to transfer, eh?"

"I had heard that," she looked at him with a small smile, "look, Guv', this might sound a little bit forward but although things haven't exactly been going well between the two of you I truly believe that you mustn't lose heart. She still loves you, even though it might seem like she doesn't!"

"Love me?" He asked, his body stock straight in his chair. He eyed her intently.

"Yeah, she admitted the other night that she loved you. Even though you've been an absolute pig, in my opinion!"

"Thanks!"

"My pleasure, sir!"

"Right, so it's to yours then for Christmas Day, then?"

"Yes, Guv'! I'm sure you'll enjoy yourself!"

"'Ope so, Shaz, 'ope so!"

Shaz set down the two plates on the dining room table and sat down next to Chris, "well that was easier than I thought it was going to be, today, with the invites!"

"Yeah," Chris said between mouthfuls, "As soon as I told the Guv' that Alex had accepted the invitation then there were no stoppin' 'im. Phase one completed!"

"And phase two already started!"

"Eh?" Chris questioned actually stopping his feed in order to find out from Shaz what she was talking about.

"Guv' was asking me about Alex this afternoon, about what she'd said that evening I went up to her flat. So I told him, all the bad bits and ended on the fact that she'd admitted she was in love with him!"

"But is that really 'ow she feels now? It don't seem like it, the way she's being!"

"She is acting as if she doesn't, but don't forget Chris, I tried that tack with you. I acted like I didn't like you when really I was falling for you, hook, line and sinker."

"So this is an act?"

"I think so, she just wants to keep her head down and get transferred at the end of the day. And that's what I told him, that he'd been a pig towards her. He knows he's been a bastard, could see it in his face when we were talking earlier on. And I think you're right; he's in love with her too."

"So now what?"

"Leave it to me, I have to convince Alex that the Guv' is in love with her now! And then we'll be ready."

Alex wandered aimlessly around the shops; she'd bought everyone their presents for Christmas except Gene. 'Typical,' she thought, 'the one person I should know the most about and I haven't got a clue what to get him.' "Should I actually be getting him anything?" She pondered as she walked into a small suit shop in Oxford Street and began looking around the suits and shirts, feeling a little self conscious. She saw the tie stand and moved over to it glancing at the range that was there. She noticed a black silk tie with a grey diagonal stripe and looked at the price; it wasn't bad for what it was so she decided to buy it for him. Sorted, well she certainly would be when she bought him a bottle of his favourite whisky.

The cashier handed over her purchase to her and she moved back a pace, straight into someone. She turned to apologise finding herself looking into the bright blue amused eyes of her DCI. "Oh god! Are you following me?" She asked him.

"No, Bols, this is where I normally buy my suits from, ask the girl behind the desk if you don't believe me. Buyin' someat for Evan?"

"Er …" Alex couldn't decide what to say, "um, yes!" What was she doing? Lying to him now. "I was just on my way home actually, done all of my Christmas shopping now."

"Got anything for me?"

"Of course I have, I may not like you very much at the moment," she said, flustered, "but I'm not a complete bitch!"

"Alex," he cooed, hoping that his use of her name would calm her down, "I never said you were, I just think that maybe we should let bygones be bygones and lay all the crap that's happened in the past to rest. What do you say?"

"I'm sorry Gene, of course. I didn't mean …" She watched him extend his hand to her, like he'd done before and she hadn't taken it. Her instincts took over as her hand went to his and a silent truce was shaken upon, both of them smiling at the unwritten contract.

"I've got you something, I hope you like it!"

"I'm sure I will, look I'd better be off, Gene, got things to do and with tomorrow being Christmas Eve!"

"Can't persuade you to have a drink with me, then?"

"Not tonight, sorry. I'll be in Luigi's though tomorrow night."

"I should hope so, 'cause if you didn't show I'd come up them stairs and drag you down bodily!"

She laughed, for the first time in absolute ages she laughed at his joke. Maybe Shaz had been right, once he'd let his usual façade slip she could tell that there was something in what Shaz had said to her. 'Well,' she smiled to herself, 'I do hope this is all worth it!' She'd spent a fortune on stuff for both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day hoping that he would eventually want to unwrap his last present … her!

Gene watched her as she walked out of the store. "Right love," he said to the cashier, "I need to know what she bought!"

She shrugged her shoulders so he pulled out his warrant card, "I'll show you!" Reluctantly she went over to the ties and pulled out a matching tie to the one Alex had bought.

"Thanks love," he said, carefully examining the tie. There was no way she had bought that for Evan. His mind went back over the events of that afternoon. He hadn't wanted to admit it to her but he had been following her, he'd wanted to know what she was up to as he'd not believed her story about going to the dentist. He'd actually thought she'd gone up to Scotland Yard to see about the 'new programme' that was being set up, but when he'd realised she was actually going shopping he was intrigued.

He'd seen the jewellery she'd bought for Shaz, the music cassettes for Chris, the cheesy pewter tankard she'd bought Ray and now the tie she'd bought for him. Not that that came anywhere close to the outfits and underwear he'd seen her purchase, he only hoped he'd get another chance to see them.

He made his way out of the boutique and down to a tiny perfumery a few doors down the road. He asked the shop assistant for some help and after describing the scent was offered a bottle of perfume that he felt sure was the fragrance Alex chose to wear on special occasions. Then he realised why, at the price he paid for it it was little wonder that she never used it every day. "She's worth it," he heard himself say as he handed the money over to the assistant, "worth every penny!"

He wandered back to his car happy with his purchase. "Roll on Friday!" He muttered as he started his car and drove home.