Okay first of all massive apologies for the huge delay in posting this chapter, I blame real life but mostly uni deadlines!
Massive thanks to Warbs1981 for beta-ing this chapter for me, please read and review.
Sadly I do not own Ashes to Ashes.
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Gene awoke first that morning, gently rolling over to gaze at the woman lying next to him. His eyes took in the soft brown curls tousled from sex and sleep, the scattering of faint freckles, the still slightly swollen full lips. His eyes traced a path down the elegant curve of her neck, watching the steady rise and fall of her chest as she slept. She was perfect.
'Stop watching me sleep Gene.'
Shit. 'I was watchin' yer tits Bolly not you.'
Without opening her eyes Alex firmly folded her arms over her breasts.
'Well now you've just made 'em look even bigger.'
'Go back to sleep Gene.' He could hear the faint hint of annoyance to her voice, the one that never failed to turn him on, he couldn't help it.
'Can't.' He moved closer, gently pushing her arms away and placing several insistent kisses to her neck, smiling into her skin as her moans of protest became moans of approval and desire.
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Two hours later Alex was seated at her desk, trying desperately to block out the story she could hear Ray telling Chris that apparently involved identical twins with their own nurses outfits. She doubted very much whether it was true but still didn't want to hear the details, imaginary or otherwise. Chris was eagerly hanging onto Ray's every word, oblivious to glares he was receiving from Shaz. Alex smiled sympathetically at the young W.P.C, before standing and making her way over to her desk.
'Shaz, I er, I wanted to thank you.'
Shaz gave her a vague smile, her attention still focussed on Chris. 'For what Ma'am?'
'When I was, when Rowlands… Gene told me how you figured it out, told him where to find me, I just wanted to thank you, if it hadn't been for you…' Alex trailed off, unable to finish. Despite her previous reassurances to Gene, she was still struggling to cope with how close she had come, if Gene had been even a minute later…
Shaz simply smiled. 'Well I reckon we're even then Ma'am after you saved me, an' anyway it was the Guv that saved you, I just told 'im where to look.'
'Bolly stop gossipin', what d'you think this is a flamin' mothers meetin', Raymondo same ter you'. Gene strode past them all out of the office, certain in the knowledge they would follow him as they always did.
'Wot's 'appenin' Guv?' Ray called.
'Tip off 'bout a car bomb.'
Alex felt her stomach turn over.
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They arrived seconds after the bomb squad did, and stood back as instructed while they went to work diffusing it.
Alex could sense Gene's impatience as he stood next to her, shifting from one foot to the other and she almost smiled, knowing how being told to stand back and wait rankled him.
After what seemed an age they were given the all clear and Gene marched over to the car, a battered old brown Peugeot, speaking briefly to one officer before shouting at them all to hurry up. Seemingly on autopilot Alex walked over. She stopped as she saw the officer carefully carrying the fragile device away from the scene, the memories hitting her almost as a physical force. She could hear the eerie lyrics of David Bowie, see the determined resignation in her father's eyes, the red balloon was floating along in front of her.
Gene looked at her; she was pale, too pale. Her eyes had glazed over, as she stood there, enveloped in whatever pain she felt was too personal to share with him. She had told him that she was fine, that she was dealing with what Rowlands had done, evidently she wasn't but she had no intention of telling him that. She wouldn't let him in, wouldn't let him help her in the way he wanted to, so he tried another method.
'Drake!'
She jumped, the memories vanishing, looking up at Gene. She saw the annoyance in his eyes but also the briefest flash of concern.
'Drake if all yer gonna do is piss around day dreamin' then you can go an' wait in the car, an' take Ray with you, the pair of you are about as useful as a rubber crutch!'
His words hurt but Alex was grateful for an excuse to escape the painful reminder of her parents' death, she turned to Ray and found him stood stock still staring at the car. She gestured towards the Quattro and he grunted and followed her.
The silence hung thick and heavy as they made their way back to the car, each lost in their own pain.
'I don't like car bombs.' The words stumbled from her mouth before she could stop them; she needed to let it out, needed to tell someone.
Ray looked at her, an expression she had never seen before in his eyes.
'Me neither.'
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Gene sat in his office chain smoking, feet on the desk, his mind racing. He hadn't said a word to Alex since they had arrived back at the station, he knew they needed to talk but he couldn't bring himself to instigate the conversation, he was afraid of what she might say.
They needed to talk, but not here, at the flat, they had already been acting unprofessionally. His apparent inability to separate their professional and personal lives scared him, more than he liked to admit, even to himself.
Making his decision he stood up, grabbing his coat.
'Right gentlemen lunch time.' He bellowed, wincing inwardly at the fact he was letting them off early again because of Alex, they needed to sort this.
He grasped Alex's elbow as she moved to follow the eager crowd out of the door. 'We need to talk, your place.'
Alex nodded a sinking feeling in her stomach. She knew he would want an explanation for the afternoon, and she knew she couldn't possibly give him one.
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Once inside the flat Alex perched gingerly on the edge of the sofa, tension in every muscle of her body. This feeling was not helped when she realised Gene was going to remain stood, looming over her as she sat on the sofa, feeling every inch the disobedient child. It angered her, his need to maintain his control over the situation, his refusal to sit next to her and speak to her as an equal.
Gene stood stiffly, his gaze fixed on the wall; he needed to compose himself, to keep some distance if his temper was going to remain in check. Finally, taking a deep breath he began.
'Wot 'appened at the bomb scene Alex? You told me you were ready ter come back ter work, but obviously yer not.' Why couldn't she confide in him? 'If yer not fit for field work then just say… its understandable if you never wanna go out on a call again.'
Alex flinched slightly, he thought this was about Rowlands, of course he did, how would he ever realise the truth? She certainly couldn't tell him. Could she keep lying to him though? Look him in the eye and tell him such a blatant lie after they had gotten so close? Could she lie to the man that she…
'I'm sorry, I am ready I just…' She trailed off, not knowing how to justify feelings she wasn't even having.
'You froze Alex, I saw you, yer just stood there. Yer can't be like that in the job we do, someone could get 'urt, you could get 'urt.'
The concern in his voice stung her as the guilt became harder to bear.
'I know, I'm sorry.' She repeated pathetically, unable to argue with him.
He felt as though his insides were splitting as he looked at her, this wasn't his Alex feebly apologising for something that wasn't her fault, why was he doing this to her?
He slumped down onto the sofa next to her and she turned to face him, needing the conversation to be over before she had to lie to him again.
'I'm sorry; it really won't happen again, let me prove it to you please Gene.'
He nodded, giving in to her as he had known he would.
'Fine, but one more cock up like that an' I'll stick you on desk duty fer the rest of yer life, fer yer own sake as much as anyone else's!'
She nodded feeling tears pricking the back of her eyes. At last he put his arm around her, letting her cling to him until she was calm.
When eventually she pulled away her eyes were unusually bright but he could see a glimmer of the old Alex back, his Alex.
'So, what did you find in the car?'
Gene grunted. 'Nothin', left it ter forensics to check fer prints, got plod tryin' ter trace the owner.' He gave her a humourless smile. 'Don't worry somethin'll turn up, always does.'
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Something, however did not turn up. No finger prints were found on the car or the bomb device, and despite Ray and Chris's best efforts no one had come forward as a witness. The car had been traced back to a Mr Backhouse, a local school teacher who had an alibi for the time the device was planted, and had no idea why anyone would want to blow up his car. No amount of brainstorming and charts from Alex, or threats and bribes from Gene, had been able to turn up any new leads.
'Come on Bolls, may as well give up fer tonight, get yer arse down ter Luigis.'
Alex took a deep breath, she had been trying to decide all day how best to persuade him to do this and had so far only come up with the idea of promising to do things she really didn't want to do. She decided to just wing it.
'Actually I was thinking maybe we could do something a little different tonight.'
Gene surveyed her carefully, the faintest hint of suspicion in his eyes. 'Like wot, Spanish instead of Italian?'
'Well its just Shaz knows this great club, Blitz and she's managed to get us on the guest list, we can get in for free, we have access to the V.I.P lounge, might be fun.' She trailed off.
Gene was frowning. 'The blitz? Ain't that full o' them wotcha call em? New romantics? You feelin' suddenly overcome by romance Bolly, coz I 'ave ter tell yer I'm just not that sort of bloke.'
'Come on please, it'll be nice to go somewhere different for a change, you might even enjoy it.' That she highly doubted.
Gene planted his hands firmly on her desk, leaning forwards so his face was inches from hers. 'Wot you gonna do fer me in return then Bolls?' A filthy leer now fixed on his face.
She sighed. 'Anything you want when we get back to my flat... You know I wouldn't make this much fuss if you wanted to drag me to a football match or something.'
Gene laughed. 'I would never take you to the football Alex, there're some things you just don't do wiv a bird an' that's one of 'em.'
'Neanderthal.' Alex muttered under her breath. 'So you're coming with me then?'
'If you can promise me I won't 'ave to witness Skelton prancin' around in eyeliner.'
Alex grinned grabbing her jacket. 'Sorry Gene, I'm not a miracle worker.'
He followed her out of C.I.D. 'Well yer takin' me ter Luigis first then, I'm not goin' anywhere near men wiv slap on unless I'm pissed.'
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Several hours later Gene and Alex were making their way through the crowded London streets to Blitz.
Alex stumbled slightly clutching Gene's arm for support. 'I thought it was you that was supposed to get drunk not me.'
He wrapped his arm around her waist placing his hand firmly on her arse. 'Well I'm sure you'll think of a way ter make it up to me Bolls.' He glanced down the end of the street they were walking along. 'Bloody 'ell are we there yet?'
'Yes, it's just round this corner, come on.' Alex tugged at his hand and he quickened his pace.
The couple hurried along the pavement, Alex laughing as Gene grumbled, teasing him gently about applying some of her lipstick, squealing in mock horror as he threatened to throw the bloody thing down the drain.
And then it happened, a bomb blast, strong enough to knock both of them to the ground.
Gene was on his feet immediately, instinct kicking in as he pulled Alex up with him, quickly checking to see she had not been hurt and then running in the direction the blast.
They rounded the corner coming face to face with a building blown clean in half, the letters B and Z the only remaining parts of the sign that had once stood proudly on the front of the building; the sounds of chaos filled their ears.