K, so first off, I tried about a hundred different ways to change this chapter, but the end always got written the same. Just for insurance, I really did try, but this chapter in my mind could go no other way... Anyway, thank you for all the marvellous reviews! They are appreciated as always! I sadly don't own Ashes...

December 21st, 1983

Alex was sitting in CID, fuming. The Guv had walked in here this morning, and announced that they were going after those kidnappers. Then he told her to stay behind. They argued for quite a while over whether or not she would be going. The argument was longer than usual, she suspected, because Gene had not had anyone as stubborn as he was for so long, and he was enjoying it. Finally, it had somehow ended in her giving in and being left behind to do Chris and Ray's paperwork.

Alex started to daydream. Suddenly, CID went quiet. She looked up, but couldn't see anything. The lights had gone out. She heard the beeping of a heart monitor.

"Mum! Mummy! Come back! You've been unresponsive for so long, Evan's gonna take you off your life support. You can't let him do that Mum! I don't want you to die! Mum, please..."

The lights snapped back on. Shaz was in front of Alex's desk, grabbing her stomach.

"Ma'am!" she gasped. "It's coming!"

*

Shaz was lying in the bed asleep. Chris was sitting next to her, holding her hand. Ray, Gene and Alex were all sitting around the new parents. The baby boy, named David, had been passed around and cooed over for a while, but eventually he went into the nursery. The room was quiet, but in a celebratory way.

Shaz woke up, exhaustion still clearly showing in her eyes.

"Congratulations, Shaz," Alex said again. Gene was looking at Shaz with a pout on his face.

"Your waters broke on my nylon tiles."

"Oh shut up, Guv," said Alex rolling her eyes. "It's not like she could control it!"

"Yes, imagine my surprise when I turned up in CID, expecting my DI to be happy that we caught one of the men who kidnapped her! Instead, I get there, no women in sight, my floor soaking and have to drive Christopher to the hospital, who by the way JUST barely got out of my car before he threw up! You would have been paying that cleaning bill Chris."

Chris blushed slightly.

"You only got one?" Alex asked.

"Yeah. The other bastard ran off before we could get him. I put a call out, and all the other stations in London are looking for him. We'll get him Bolls." His voice was reassuring.

They talked for a while with Shaz. Gene stood up.

"C'mon Bolly, Raymondo, lets hit Luigi's. I need a drink."

Alex and Ray stood up, and started walking out the door, only to be followed by Chris.

"Christopher," Gene said. "Your wife just had a baby! Stay with her!"

"I was just gonna walk you out," Chris said.

They walked out of the hospital towards Gene's Quattro. It was snowing lightly.

"Before you go, Guv," said Chris, "I want to talk to Ray in private."

"Fine, but don't make it too long. I am dying for a scotch over here."

Ray and Chris walked off, leaving Gene and Alex alone. Gene brushed some snow out of Alex's hair. Alex shivered.

"Jesus, Bolls, you must be freezing. Get in the car!"

Alex started walking round to the passenger side of the car. She heard two shots ring out. Pain exploded in her chest. She looked at Gene. His face was in shock. Blood was blossoming from a hole in his torso.

She fell. It seemed like slow motion. Someone approached her from behind.

"Matt told me all about you, Alex," a voice hissed in her ear. "Six month limit's been reached, love, and as far as Matt's concerned Hunt's killed Catherine twice now. So now you both die."

Two more shots rang out, and the man behind her fell, grunting in pain. Gene was on the ground now too. He looked at her, pain showing clearly in his molten silver/blue eyes.

"Alex..." His hand reached out.

She reached out for it, but their fingers missed by inches. Her world faded to white.

*

Chris and Ray stood by the hospital.

"Ray, I just wanted to ask you this in private. Will you be David's godfather?"

Ray smiled. "Of course I will Chris. And I'll raise him right too. Teach him how to handle a bird."

Two shots rang out. They ran toward the Quattro, and saw DI Drake drop to the ground. The Guv was on his knees, an arm resting on the door of the car. A black-haired, green-eyed man was standing next to Drake and whispering something in her ear. Chris and Ray both aimed, and fired. The man toppled over, dead from a shot to head and a shot to the chest.

They ran over to the Guv and DI Drake. The Guv looked at Alex and mumbled something, too low to hear. Their arms reached out toward each other, but they were just far enough from each other that their fingers couldn't meet. Alex's eyes glazed and she sighed one last time.

"Never got that dinner, Bolls" whispered Gene. His eyes had tears, but whether it was pain or anguish that caused them was unclear. His turned slightly as his body went limp. They had been so close to admitting it in the end, but death cruelly kept them apart.

Ray's eyes filled with tears. He knelt down, and closed Alex's eyes. Chris just sat by Gene looking lost. They looked at each other. Alex and the Guv were gone forever, living on only in their legacies.

K, so yeah, I'm really really sorry if you completely hate me now... the good news is, I do have one more chapter. Maybe I could redeem myself?

TBC...