So: I must thank you all for the lovely reviews! This chapter does have plot in it, even though it seems like it doesn't.
Thanks to 5A7AH for all the ideas, even if she doesn't remember half of them.
Chapter 7: Two Alex's
A man stepped out of the interview room, putting a notepad in his bag and zipping it up. Gene stared at him impatiently.
"So?" he asked rudely.
"Remind me of one thing. How long was she there?"
"Six months."
The psychologist nodded. "It's just what I thought. The solitary confinement got to her. Six months is not a short term to spend without any human contact. Even a week is difficult. She believes herself to be about five. You should expect all the same behaviours. And I would suggest finding 'Mr. Tiddles' and giving it to her."
"It's evidence," Gene said flatly.
"Be that as it may, it is apparent that Alex is more comfortable with the bear. Right now, you are going to have to treat her as she acts. But, at the same time, show her the adult world, adult responsibilities. Let her look through old case files. Maybe her brain will make a connection that way. But don't startle her. Don't just suddenly say to her that she's thirty-three. Approach the subject when it comes up naturally. Other than that, there's nothing to do but wait."
Gene nodded. "Do you think her memory will come back?"
"It's very likely. You just have to find the right trigger. Oh. And you might want to work on building up a better rapport with her. Right now, she calls you 'the mean man.'"
With that, the psychologist turned on his heel and left. Taking a deep breath, Gene entered the interview room. Alex sat at the table, drawing idly with a pen someone must have given her. As the door shut, she looked up at him. Gene tried to ignore the fear that flashed in her eyes for a moment.
Gene coughed, unsure of how to start. "Do...do you miss Mr. Tiddles?"
Alex looked at him and nodded her head slowly, her lips pouting.
"Right then." Gene got out his radio. "Raymondo."
"Yes Guv."
"You at the house?"
"Yes Guv."
"Do you see the bear at the table that's to your left of the empty chair?
"Yes Guv."
"Bring it back," Gene ordered, feeling ridiculous.
"Are you sure? That could be..."
"Yes, Carling, I'm sure! Now hurry up and get your arse back here!"
Ray muttered a yes and then the radio went silent. Gene looked at Alex, who was peering at him curiously.
"Mr. Guv?" she asked cautiously.
"Mr. Guv?" he asked back, unsure of what she was saying.
"My feet are cold, Mr. Guv."
Gene looked down. Of course her feet were cold. They were bare. Gene remembered having her hold his hand as they walked into the station. He hadn't even thought twice. But it was January. It was cold outside.
Gene felt guilty. He had made her wander around outside without a coat or shoes. "We'll get you some shoes, Alex," he said, much kinder than he had been earlier. "Do you want some tea?"
She nodded her head. "Can I have sugar in it?"
Gene shook his head yes. "Of course you can, love. I'll get Shaz right on it. You stay here. I'll be right back."
Alex gave a small smile and nodded. "Okay, Mr. Guv."
Gene stopped. "Alex, why do you call me Mr. Guv?"
She looked up at him, confused. "Isn't that your name?"
"No. Why do you think it's my name?"
"The man, with the perm, he called you Guv. And so did the man on the radio."
"That's my nickname," Gene explained. "People who work here call me that. You can call me Gene."
"Okay Mr. Gene."
Sighing, Gene left the room to find Shaz. He swore when he remembered that she was with Chris, questioning Evan White. He'd have to make the tea himself.
As he got the things ready, he considered all that was going on. Really, it should be him going out to question White. But when Alex was found, he knew that he had to be there. He had to know what was really wrong with her. He couldn't just expect someone to report what the psychologist said accurately. No. He needed to be here.
Gene was eager to hear what White had to say, as Chris and Shaz had taken a tape recorder with them. Ray had been sent to investigate the Price house, as had forensics. Gene was certain that Josh Burrow's fingerprints would be found all over the entire house. All it was now was a waiting game.
~(*)~
Alex sat, feeling a little lonely in the room they put her in. Mr. Gene had gone to make tea, and she was unsure of what to do. Usually, she'd talk to Mr. Tiddles, but he wasn't here. Mr. Gene said that he was coming though. He said someone named Ray was going to bring him back.
Alex didn't know what to make of Mr. Gene. One moment he was mean, but now he was being extremely nice. Maybe he was trying to make up for earlier. Unsure, Alex peered out the window of the room. He was holding two mugs, but he was talking to a couple people. One she recognised as Shaz and the other was the man who had burnt his trousers on a cigarette earlier. Alex let herself laugh as she remembered that. It certainly was funny.
Suddenly, the door opened and an older girl walked in, followed by Mr. Gene with her mug of tea. "Alex, you play nice," he said softly.
She looked at him a moment before nodding slowly. "Where's Mr. Tiddles?" she whispered seriously.
"Ray is on his way back with it."
Alex nodded and Mr. Gene walked out of the room. Suddenly, the older girl spoke.
"Your name is Alex?"
Alex nodded.
"Mine is too," the girl said.
"Did they steal you too?" Alex asked.
"Steal me? What do you mean?"
"They took me from my room. I don't even know who they are."
"They brought me here because my godfather is being interviewed," the girl said. "They're really nice here."
Alex shook her head. "Not to me! Especially that man with the blonde hair."
"Gene?" the girl laughed, suddenly growing serious. "Wait a second. I know you."
Alex stared at the girl doubtfully. "You do?"
"Yes! When my parents were...killed...a year and a half ago, you helped Gene. But Evan said that you were gone too."
Alex frowned. "I have no clue what you're talking about."
The girl frowned back. "But...you are. Alex Drake right?"
Alex was confused. What was her last name? The two lapsed into silence as she sat, thinking.
~(*)~
"There is something in Alex Drake that reminds me of Alex Price," Evan White's careful voice said from the tape recorder. "That was just one of the things I didn't like about her. One day, back when she was harassing Caroline, she said that her room was exactly like my Alex's was. So when I created the room, I made it like Alex Price's was."
Shaz's voice came on the recording. "But why did you do it?"
"She harassed Caroline from the day she met her. She passed judgements down on us like she was high and mighty. Tried to get involved in our lives like she was Caroline's long lost daughter or something. And I was willing to accept the stalking, the judgemental attitude before Hunt was suspended. Then we had drinks in her flat, and couldn't stop talking about Hunt. What does that oaf have that I don't? And then that day. When Caroline died. That comment, it just has hung over me since. Of course I'm not going to tell Alex that her father tried to kill her. I'm not a horrible person. But she made it sound like I was. And that made me mad. So when I found out she was still alive, I made the man give her to me."
"Where's the man who tortured her?" Chris asked.
"I don't know. I only know that his name is Josh Burrows."
Gene pressed the stop button on the tape player, completely disgusted. Evan White was down in the cells now, leaving him with yet another problem. Alex Price had no more family to take care of her. He would have taken her in, but he couldn't handle Alex Drake and a ten year old on top of that. He didn't have the slightest clue with kids.
As Gene opened the door to his office, Ray came into CID, drawing sniggers because of the bear that was dangling from his right hand. Looking embarrassed, Ray walked up to Gene, handing him the bear.
"Thanks Raymondo. She wouldn't shut up about the bloody thing."
Ray merely nodded, ducking to his seat quickly. Gene set the bear on his desk, realising that the effect of his next words might be altered by him holding a toy in his hands.
"Right. We have two Alex's in the interview room. One is almost ten, one thinks she is five. The one who thinks she is five will be going home with me tonight. What I need from you lot is someone to take care of Alex Price."
DC Jeff Riley raised his hand. "Guv? I can do that. My sister's had loads of kids, I'm pretty good with them."
"Good. Bring her to work with you tomorrow and we can talk to her a little bit. She probably didn't know anything about Evan, but it doesn't hurt. Now. It's lunchtime. Mush."
CID jumped up excitedly.
"Shaz."
Shaz stopped turning to look at Gene.
"Would you happen to have an extra pair of socks in your locker? Alex came in barefoot..."
Shaz smiled. "Yeah. I've got a clean pair and all. I'll bring them in for her, and maybe even some shoes from lost and found."
"Good. Thank you," Gene said, almost smiling.
As Shaz left the department, Gene grabbed the bear, and walked to the interview room, Riley tagging along behind. As he opened the door, he was amazed by how quiet it was. Both were lost in their own thoughts.
They both looked up as the men entered the room.
"Mr. Tiddles!" Alex squealed, running and grabbing the bear out of Gene's arms, squeezing it hard.
Alex Price frowned. Gene knelt in front of her. "Something wrong love?"
"That bear...I had one just like it. And it was named the same thing. Daddy named it as a joke, and it stuck. I got it when I was about three. It was my favourite toy."
Gene frowned. That was an odd coincidence.
"Who's that?" the girl asked, nodding her head toward Riley.
Alex Drake stopped hugging her bear to look at the new arrival. She frowned, before starting to whisper in the bear's ear.
"That's DC Jeffery Riley. He's going to take you home with him for a while until we find you somewhere more permanent."
"But what about Evan?"
Gene didn't want to have to explain this. But he knew that the girl couldn't grow up not knowing anything about anything. At some point, someone would have to tell her the truth about something. "Evan kept her locked away in the loft of your old house for five months. We had to arrest him. It's false imprisonment."
The girl considered this. "Is that why Alex seems completely mental?" she whispered.
Gene smiled sadly and nodded. "Solitary confinement."
A look of recognition dawned on her face, and she nodded.
DC Riley smiled at her. "I know this is going to be odd tonight, so how about we go out to dinner. You can choose the restaurant."
The girl smiled, and walked out of the room with Riley, discussing restaurants they could go to. Gene turned back to Alex, who was sitting against the wall, staring up at him.
"I don't like that man," she said quietly. "He scares me."
Gene frowned. "Riley's harmless, Alex. Just like yours truly."
Alex just peered at him untrustingly. "My feet are still cold."
"Shaz is bringing up socks."
"I'm hungry too."
"After you get some socks on, I'll take you to dinner. There's a nice Italian restaurant across the street."
Alex grinned. "I like Italian. I like spaghetti and meatballs."
"Well, I'm sure Luigi will be more than happy to cook up some for you."
"Mr. Tiddles likes pizza," Alex said, giggling and shoving the bear in front of him.
"I'm not sure if Luigi makes pizza for bears," Gene replied, inwardly cringing.
Suddenly there was a knock at the door, and Shaz walked into the room, holding a some socks and a pair of trainers. Alex, who had been ready to start pouting, looked excited.
"Are those for me?" she asked excitedly.
Shaz nodded, giving them to the hyperactive Alex. She plopped herself on the floor, and started wrestling the socks on. Shaz looked apologetically at Gene.
"I dunno if I can deal with this," Gene murmured.
"We'll get through this Guv," Shaz muttered back, patting his back. Gene moved away from the contact. "Oh. Sorry Guv. Didn't think."
"Don't let it happen again, Granger," Gene warned.
Alex suddenly looked up. "Granger?"
"That's Shaz's last name, Alex," he explained, sounding more patient than he felt.
"What's your last name?"
"Hunt."
She paused a moment, seeming to consider whether or not to ask the next question.
"Is my last name Drake?"
Gene nodded, and Alex frowned.
"I don't understand. That other girl said I worked with you. And she said my name was Alex Drake and that she knew me."
Gene looked at Shaz desperately. Shaz jumped in, kneeling in front of Alex.
"Alex, when was the last time you saw a mirror?"
"I don't know. I don't remember."
Shaz produced a small mirror from her pocket, handing it to Alex.
Alex stared into it for a moment the frown increasing on her face. "I've seen that face before," she whispered. "But that's not my face." She grinned suddenly. "Good trick. I'm really hungry," she whined.
Gene and Shaz both sighed as Shaz put the mirror back in her pocket.
"Righto, you terror," he said, not unkindly. "Let's get to Luigi's.
to be continued