Thank you again for all the reviews! I really do appreciate them! This chapter is kind of slow, but it'll pick up again in a few chapters! Once again, i do not own ashes, and this story is unbeta'd

Catherine walked out of Gene's office looking smug.

"So, is your husband going to come and rescue you?"

"No, Mr. Hunt. Unlike you chauvinistic pigs, he believes that women can stick up for themselves." She walked over an empty desk and sat in the chair.

"He does expect me home before tonight though, do you think you could make it so I could give my statement before then?"

Gene couldn't answer. She was sitting in Alex's desk. This was what he had longed for, to see Alex sitting in that desk. And it had happened. But she wasn't Alex. She was a completely different person. He watched her. Absentmindedly, she picked up a pencil from the mug on the desk and started fiddling with it, staring into space. God, Alex used to do that all the time. That and the lip bite. It drove him mad when she bit her lip, his libido had always increased.

Gene controlled his thoughts before his body would start to betray him. Instead he focused on the woman sitting in the desk.

"So, your husband, how did you meet him?"

"I don't remember. He says we met on holiday in America. We had both decided that we would see what was so great about the Great Plains, and ended up in Nebraska. We met at some absurd fast food restaurant, and continued seeing each other after our holidays ended. Eventually he proposed and we married."

"What do you mean, you don't remember?"

"It's none of your business, Mr. Hunt." Her cheeks flushed and her eyes looked worried. Gene knew, she had said something she wasn't supposed to.

"Any kids?"

"No. Neither Matt or I are particularly fond of children. What about you? Any children?"

Gene paused, surprised how quickly she had turned the question on him.

"I did."

"What do you mean, did?"

"I'll tell you when you tell me what you mean by saying you don't remember."

Her cheeks flushed again, in anger this time. God, he had missed provoking her. All he needed was a good fight, and he would nearly have Alex back.

However, that blow-up didn't happen. The doors of CID opened, and another brunette walked in and gave Gene a hug.

"Guv! It's been too long!"

"Hello, Annie," he said awkwardly. "You're right. S'been too long."

Annie pulled her arms back. "Sorry Guv, I know you're not one for hugs, but it's been near four years!"

"Yes, Annie, but I was hoping we could catch up a little later."

"Oh, right, you had someone you wanted me to talk to. Where is she?"

"Right behind you."

Annie turned to see Catherine staring at her with disdain. "Hello, I'm Annie Tyler. What's your name?"

"I am Catherine Williams, but they seem to think that I am their old DI. Alex something."

"Well Catherine, would you like to go with me to an interrogation room, and we can discuss this matter in private?"

"Yes. Any excuse to get away from him," she said, nodding at Chris, who was eating a sandwich and had somehow managed to get the condiments all over himself and his desk.

"Follow me then, Catherine."

With that, Annie walked out the door. Catherine nodded to Shaz and followed. Gene went into the office and slammed the door. He needed to think.

TBC...