Apologies, apologies. I can't believe I've left you all hanging about waiting for the next chapter of this one. Blimey, what am I like? Er, better not answer that one…
So, in recompense, here's chapters 6 and 7. And the good news in two parts; 1 - I've finished this fic. Yay! And 2 - I've had another idea for another A2A fic off the back of this one! The Froggy Muses truly are gracing me with their inspirational presence aren't they?
As usual, enjoy.
Oh, and if I haven't already said this: Disclaimer. I own nothing, okay? Not the Quattro, not Gene's appalling taste in footwear, not Alex's inability to keep a top on both shoulders at any one time. Not even, and again, sorry, not even the UST.
Still, I've done my best.
Moving on….
Chapter 6
Gene stood in the station toilets and looked in the mirror.
No. It obviously didn't count how many times he'd tried to wipe the huge stain off the middle of his tie, it wasn't going to budge.
And now the tie just looked like it had been on a weekend long pub crawl.
He turned the tie over and saw a label there.
'Dry Clean Only.'
The second expletive of the day rang out.
Pulling his jacket closed, he returned to the office to find Alex emerging from the kitchen with her customary mug in hand.
He couldn't help it, but Gene felt his colour rise slightly.
And dropping his eyes he missed the fact that Alex too seemed a bit hot this morning too.
'Morning!' she said, cheery and a little too airily.
'Mornin'' Gene replied.
He looked at her mug.
'Bolls, what the heck are you drinking?' He leaned forward to take a look.
Alex stepped back and hugged the mug to her in both hands.
'Just hot water and lemon. Nothing to get excited about!'
''Ere, you're not on one of those weird diets are you? Because you certainly don't need to lose any weight! You get any skinnier and I won't be able to see you in bright light!'
'You certainly know how to shower a women in compliments first thing in the morning don't you?!' Alex retorted and stepping round him, walked over to her desk and sat down.
'Damn!' Gene muttered under his breath.
Kicking himself mentally for blowing his chance to start the week on a positive note with her, he retreated to his office and slung his jacket over the back of his chair.
Ray came in, needing some overtime forms signed off.
'Thanks Guv,' he said as Gene snaked his signature over the paperwork, ''Ere - did you know you've got half your egg butty down your tie?'
'Yes, thank you, Ray. You may go!' Gene growled.
Ray grabbed the forms and retreated.
A little while later, Shaz knocked on his door and bought him some case files she needed to send off to archives, but which needed his signature on before they went.
'Thanks Sir. By the way - your tie has got a nasty stain on it! You did know, didn't you?'
'Thank you Miss Marple!'
Shaz retreated swiftly.
And then after lunch, Chris came in. He too needed Gene's signature, this time on the last page of his evidence book.
'Desk Sergeant won't let me have another one without it, Guv.' he explained.
Gene wielded his pen again.
'Brilliant, thanks Guv. Hey - did you know….'
But he never got to finish his sentence.
'Yes! I bloody do know Christopher!' Gene exploded.
'Okay, okay Guv!' Chris fled, slamming the door behind him.
Gene sat down, breathing heavily.
He opened his desk drawer and pulling out his whiskey bottle, he poured himself a generous measure.
Looking up, he saw Alex looking at him through the half drawn blinds in his office.
He placed the glass back down, alcohol untouched, and grabbed his jacket and coat.
Opening his door, he buttoned his suit jacket up and slung his coat over his shoulder by one finger.
'Right! I am going out.' he announced.
He glared around the silent room, daring anyone to make a comment.
He strode to the main office door, and holding it half open, called: 'And you're with me, Bolly!'
He heard her walk over to him.
'Is it absolutely necessary? I do have some work to do you know.'
'Yes! It is!' Gene hissed at her.
She sighed heavily, and retreating only to grab her own jacket, and pass some files over to Shaz, she followed him out of the station and into the Quattro.
They drove in silence, windows wide open, through the crowded streets.
Eventually, Alex broke the silence.
'Do we have anywhere special to be?' she asked, a little uncertainly.
Gene prevaricated, indicating to turn left, then swinging the car to the right, causing a squeal of breaks and some indistinct but doubtless ripe language in his wake.
'You know, if you want to cause a major RTA or indeed, commit suicide, I really would prefer you let me out first.'
Silence from the driver's seat.
'Unless you are going to let me talk you out of it.'
Continued silence.
'Oh for God's sake man!! What the hell is up with you?!'
Gene pulled the Quattro over and switched the engine off.
They sat in silence. Alex staring with a quizzical look on her face, Gene finding his keys all absorbing.
Finally, Alex could stand it no more.
She swivelled in the passenger seat, opened the door and got out of the car.
She bent back to stare back at Gene, who looked up at her with a blank expression on his face.
'And you've got half your breakfast down your tie!!' Alex told him, slamming the door behind her.
The car rocked and Gene snapped.
No one disrespected the Quattro! Not even Bollinger Knickers!
'Oi!' he shouted out his open window, 'Come back!'
But Alex was striding down the street and disappeared round the corner.
Gene fired up the Audi again and screeched round the road after her.
And nearly caused a major claim on his insurance by narrowly missing the back end of a red Routemaster bus.
Third expletive of the day.
By the time the bus has moved, leaving behind a large cloud of carbon monoxide in it's wake, Alex was nowhere to be seen.
Gene pulled over, and switched the Audi's ignition off.
Some days, it seemed, whoever was in charge hated you, no matter what you did.
He dug in his pocket and pulled out a cigarette. Lighting it and drawing in deeply, Gene closed his eyes and tried to bring his racing mind to a more sedate pace.
In so doing, he missed the traffic warden crossing the road behind him, and it wasn't till the ticket had been slipped under the Audi's passenger side windscreen wiper that Gene clicked.
He leapt out of the car, causing a passing cyclist to have to swerve violently in the path of an oncoming taxi.
'And to you mate!' Gene yelled at the two wheeled curser.
'Oi!!' he continued, to the traffic warden, 'Doesn't this mean anything?'
The warden rolled her eyes at the sight of him bellowing and waving his warrant card at her.
'Not when you're parked on those!' she told him, smugly, pointing at the double yellow lines, and set off at a brisk pace down a side street.
Leaning over the bonnet and retrieving the maliciously coloured parking ticket, DCI Hunt muttered his fourth expletive of the day.
He started the Audi back up and flicked on the radio, hoping to hear something that might be a balm to his increasingly frayed nerves.
'Ever fallen in love with someone, ever fallen in love, in love with someone, ever fallen in love, in love with someone you shouldn't have fallen in love with?' sang the so-called lead singer.
'Arggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!'
Some days the entire world hates you. And there's nothing you can do about it.