Yey I managed to get two chapters up in one week. Well hope you enjoy it.

Chapter 6

Alex entered CID expecting to find Gene sat in his office as usual feet on his desk smoking. But he wasn't. His office was empty and dark. She took off her coat and placed it at her desk, made a drink and waited for the rest of CID to join them. Once they were all there she quietened them down.

"Right as you may know DCI Hunt has been suspended and I am taking over. I don't like this any more than you do but there is nothing we can do. So as there is nothing going on it will give you time to catch up with the stacks of paper work lying about AND if you are lucky I may let you go early." She left them to it and head to Genes office closely followed by Ray Chris and Shaz.

"Ma'am can we talk to you?" Chris said rather nervously.

"Look what's happening with the Guv and everything?" Ray rather bluntly asked.

Alex sat on the desk facing the three of them.

"I really wish I knew. We are not dealing with the case so there is nothing much we can do but wait."

"I told you she wouldn't help, she's the only one benefiting, she was always after his job and now she's got it. Wouldn't surprise me if she set him up in the first place." Ray snapped before storming out of the office closely followed by Chris shouting after him.

"I'm sorry Ma'am." With that Shaz leaves also, shutting the door behind her leaving Alex alone. Alex gets up and notices the filing cabinet was open; she goes over and looks inside. She notices there is one of Gene's shirts inside. She lifts it to her face self-consciously and breaths in his scent. She stays like this for what seems like hours. The shrill ring of the telephone cuts through the silence of the room.

"Hello DCI Hunts phone, DI Drake speaking." She said in her usual chirpy way. Momentarily she forgot what had happened and it was just another time she was left answering his phone.

"Don't you mean Acting DCI Drake?" It was Superintendent Richardson. Then reality set back in.

"Yes Sir what can I help you with? We are very busy here." She couldn't bear to speak to him. He was the person taking her Gene away from her. Hold on 'her' Gene. Since when was he 'hers.' She didn't want him to be hers. Did she? Her thoughts were broken when she realised the Super was talking and she hadn't hear a word of it.

"So have you seen him?"

"Seen who?"

"DCI Hunt. I phoned him to tell him a witness has come forward supporting Deans Allegation. He wasn't in so I left a message at home earlier, however I still can't get hold of him and I was wondering if you had seen him." He almost made out he cared about Gene.

"No I haven't seen him since yesterday Sir. Sorry I must go." With that she hung up the phone and fell into the chair behind her. How, how was there a witness? He said he did nothing. Had he lied? No, no he hadn't. That's it

Alex strode through CID grabbing her coat from her coat from her desk on the way, pausing at the doors before turning to Ray.

"Ray"

No answer.

"DI Carling"

Still no answer. Alex picked up a piece of paper from by the door, crumpled it into a ball and threw it at him.

"What?" Ray shouted with a jump.

"DI Carling I am off out. I shouldn't be too long." With that she turned to leave.

"Chris I'm in charge now. Go get me something to eat."

Alex was just through the doors when she heard this.

"Ray I want some work done when I get back."

And then she left. She got in one of CID's cars she using whilst Gene and the Quattro was not there and drove hoping she could remember the way to genes house from the once she had dropped him off. Finally she found her way there and noticed the Quattro was not there. She got out anyway hoping he was in and had left the Quattro somewhere last night. After 5 minutes of knocking at the door she came to the conclusion that he was not in and got back in the car. Where would he go? Luigis? No I would have seen the car. Where? The river. That's where he went last time. Alex started the car, heading towards the river frantically looking for Gene or the Quattro. Finally she reached the river and spotted the Quattro parked by the side of the road. She parked up behind it and noticed Gene was not in the car. She got out and looked about. Nothing. Great where the hell can he be? Then Alex noticed something, blowing in the wind further down the river. As she walked closer she saw it was a coat blowing in the wind, and a figure leaning against the wall looking over the river. Closer still and she noticed his shaggy blonde hair. It was her Gene. Again with the 'her'. Alex you don't want him. He is just a good friend nothing more. The closer she got she found herself running. He didn't even notice her until she was stood next to him shouting.

"Where the hell have you been? I have been looking everywhere. I thought something had happened to you. Do you know how scared I was?"

By this point she was hitting his arms, tears falling freely down her face. Gene turned catching her wrists and pulling her into a tight embrace. Her tears kept coming as she sobbed into his chest, while. Gene held her close stroking her back and whispering soothing words to comfort her. Finally her sobbing settled and she pulled back. Gene cupped her face, wiping the tears from her cheeks.

"I was so worried about you."

"I'm sorry Bolls," he whispered, his hands still cupping her face.

"The Super phoned explaining what had happened and when I couldn't find you I didn't know where you were or what you were thinking. I … err thought you … you had done something… stupid." Alex's voice changed to a whisper but Gene still heard. She looked down at the floor and Gene let go of her face.

"Bolls you aint getting rid of me that easily. I got the supers message after getting out the shower and I just needed to think. I come out here to breathe sometimes."

"Gene, whatever it is your holding on to you have to let it go cos it's just going keep on eating you up in here." Alex said bringing her hand to rest on his chest looking so deep into his eyes he felt she could see into his soul.

"Alex I don't want you getting involved in my case."

"But Gene"

"No Alex I don't. It's not going to end pretty so I don't want you dragged down with me. You can do great things for the team and the rest of the force. I'm not having you ruin your career for a washed up over the hill, nicotine stained DCI like me. I know I'm not in charge any more but please promise me."

"Gene please you're so much more than that. I want to help you please let me. We need you, the team need you, I need you."

"Alex you and I both know that now there's a witness I have no chance. And Bollykecks you have always told me you don't need my help."

Alex took her hand from his chest and looked out over the river, trying to hide her blushing at what she had just admitted.

"Yeh well what would I do with my day if I wasn't filling your head with all that Psychology you love so much."

"Come on Bolls you better get back, better make sure there is still a team left to need me."

With that they both turned and headed back to the cars. Gene left Alex by her car and headed to the Quattro, but Alex stopped him.

"It'll all be ok you know."

"Yeh thanks"

Alex got in the car and waited, waiting for gene to leave. It wasn't that she didn't trust him just she was worried about him. She saw him take a swig from his hipflask then drove off. She followed and headed back to the station.

Did anyone spot the little dialog copying from series 3?

Please read and review, they really do give me the drive to carry on writting this.

Steph x x