"So explain to me again why the 'ell I'm doin' this?"

Alex shivered as Gene slowly raised the zip on the back of her dress, his fingers trailing over her skin just ahead of its metal teeth. He brushed aside her hair and kissed her lightly on the shoulder once he'd finished. Outside the window of the hotel room she could see the tall spire of Salisbury Cathedral in the distance. She shook her head, wishing she could remember everything. As much for him as for her.

She turned, reaching to straighten his tie, tucking it up tight against his neck. He pouted, loosening his tie again as soon as she let go of it.

"Gene!" She tightened it again. "You are doing this because with his cousin taken ill Ray needs another man to even out the wedding party." After calling all over London they'd managed to hire a morning suit in Gene's size - no small miracle on short notice, that came close enough to matching the rest of the wedding party. "You'll walk down the aisle, dance with a bridesmaid. I'm sure you can manage it. Besides" she dropped her voice to a whisper. "I think Cazzie's cousin fancies you a bit. You might get lucky."

Gene flashed her a slightly annoyed pout. "Cazzie's cousin? 'Oo the bloody hell is Cazzie's cousin?"

"Her cousin Alison. I don't remember her, obviously, but Shaz told me she was quite taken with you at the first attempted wedding. Said something about you looking like a sexy wolf."

Gene rolled his eyes, but Alex could tell he didn't mind the compliment.

"Well I'll hate to disappoint her then." He grabbed Alex quickly around the waist with one hand and kissed her softly. "You know Bolls," he growled "If it weren't a sure thing I do believe I'd 'ave to spend the better part of my evenin' charming yer knickers off."

"Oh really?" She raised one eyebrow. "What makes you think it's a sure thing?"

"D'you fancy takin' yer chances with one of Ray's knuckle-dragging mates from up north?"

Alex smiled in mock disappointment. "I suppose you're right. Are you ready to go?"

--

Turning with the rest of the guests as the wedding procession entered the church Alex had to admit that Ray scrubbed up well. Hair cropped shorter, so those permed curls were barely noticeable, 'tache trimmed – he was almost handsome. Even though he was wearing the shiniest black morning suit she'd ever seen. Was it the style in the early 80's? She supposed it could have been worse.

She was wondering idly how long they'd have to stay at the reception before they could wander off on their own when it was Gene's turn down the aisle, giggling bridesmaid on his arm. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw him. Walking straight and gorgeous despite the giggly girl, he even managed not to scowl as he passed her. He didn't look at her, but she would have sworn he almost smiled.

The ceremony was mercifully short, but Alex wasn't sure she would have noticed, so preoccupied was she with Gene. She was standing outside after the ceremony still thinking about the errant lock of hair that had fallen over his forehead as the wedding party exited the church when he came up behind her.

"Take these" he pressed the keys to the Quattro into her hand. "They want me t'be in the bloody pictures!" He lit a cigarette, a mixture of fear and annoyance etched into his face. "You drive it over to the 'otel. I'll 'itch a ride in one of those poncey motors they rented."

"Pictures are common at a wedding Gene." She scolded. Tugging on his tie, she pulled his face closer so she could kiss him on the cheek. Her lips lingered on his skin long enough for him to notice.

"Eh? Wot's that for? Not that I mind." He slid a hand to her waist.

"Nothing. But I can't keep from wondering exactly how long we'll have to stay at this party. If you get my drift." She placed her hands on his lapels and pulled him a little closer.

She shuddered when his eyes flashed, pressing herself even closer to him. "'Eard you loud and clear. Early exit, much shagging." He added a pat on her arse as she left him standing in front of the church, top hat under his arm, scowl on his face.

--

The reception was bigger than Alex expected. "So much for leaving early" she mumbled to herself as she wound her way among the tables to her assigned seat. She was relieved to find Shaz already there.

"Ah yes. The girlfriends – left out for at least the first hour." Alex laughed as she sat down.

"Chris is supposed to give a toast." She leaned closer to Alex. "I hope 'e doesn't mess it up too bad."

"I'm sure he'll do fine. Would you like a drink?"

Shaz nodded and Alex wandered off, returning a few minutes later with two glasses of champagne. After returning, she and Shaz sat and watched the wedding party at the top table, laughing uncontrollably as Gene's bridesmaid kept dropping her hand onto his knee, and he kept pulling it back up. After the third time Alex saw Gene lean over and whisper something in the young girl's ear, provoking a terrified look from his partner. Whatever he'd said, she didn't move her hand below the table again.

Once the meal and his obligations were over, Gene moved quickly to find Alex.

"Got you a drink." She dangled a double whisky between two fingers.

"Good woman." He gulped it down and set the glass back on the table. "Could do with a beer." He stood up to leave.

"I do hope you're coming back to dance with me Gene."

He snorted, half smiling. "Yeah, you might think so. You'll change yer mind when I actually do." He went off to find his beer as the DJ announced the first dance with the new couple. Alex was amazed at how happy Ray looked. You never did know.

Gene returned with two pints, and after downing one pulled Alex out onto the dance floor. He turned out to be an enthusiastic if awful dancer, not letting her sit while the DJ pumped song after song of what she considered awful old disco tunes into the big room. Even when he finally relented and played a slower song, driving half the couples from the dance floor, Gene wouldn't let her go.

"You said you wanted t'dance." He slipped both hands around her waist, turning his head slightly to place a kiss on her arm as she hooked it around his neck.

"Well at this point you're going to have to hold me up" she laughed.

He pulled her tighter, so they were barely moving. "If you insist."

"You look very handsome, Gene." She had rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. How could she be tired already?

"'Course I do. I am very handsome."

"What did you say to that poor girl earlier? She looked quite frightened."

He smiled. "I might 'ave suggested that if she really wanted a taste of the Gene Genie she could join us later tonight."

Alex jerked her head back, looking horrified. "You what?"

"That's right. Told 'er I was a bit too much fer ye sometimes, and you wouldn't mind an extra bird around t'pick up the slack."

Alex looked into his eyes. "You're lying."

He laughed. "'Course. I would never do that. Not without asking you, of course. I did tell 'er I 'ad quite a jealous bird of me own and if she valued the use of her hands she should keep them off my knee."

Alex shook her head at him, but smiled as she lay her head back on his chest.

--

Hours later, both drunker than they'd been in months, Gene dragged Alex out of the reception, out of the hotel and onto the street.

"Wait wait. Wherewegoin'? Rooms upstairs." Alex swayed a little.

"Walk." He grabbed her hand, pulling her along the street. "Air." He put his hand up. "Wait." He stopped long enough to light a cigarette, getting it after the third match.

It was too cold for this. She tried pleading with him. "Gene s'freezing. An' 'm drunk. Le's go back inside."

Gene just shook his head, peeling off his jacket and wrapping it around Alex's shoulders. "C'mon" He tugged her not gently. "'N be careful with those tails. I don' wan' pay 'ny extra cleaning charges."

Alex trailed as Gene led her along, walking speedily as if he had a destination. The cold air chilled her into sobriety and before long she realized they were standing beside the cathedral. Alex looked up at the spire as Gene stood behind her, one arm over her shoulder, the other around her waist.

"Remember? D'you remember Alex? We were 'ere before."

He pulled her tighter and she leaned against him, imagining the warmth of his body even though it was too cold to actually feel it. She shook her head.

"I don't know Gene. It seems…familiar, but it could be anything." Everything seemed familiar lately. Familiar but not remembered. "What were we doing here? Maybe that would help."

Gene chuckled. "Same thin' we do everywhere. Foolin' around." Alex felt him sigh behind her.

Alex turned to face him, sliding her arms around his waist as he cupped her face in his hands, curling his fingers into her hair.

"I'm sorry Gene." She kissed him gently.

"'Bout wot?"

"Not remembering. I know it's hard for you. That it's been hard for you living with this."

He shrugged, looking away. "Been 'arder for you, I imagine."

"Gene." She faltered a little when his eyes locked onto hers. "I love you now. No matter what I do or don't remember."

Pulling her face to his he kissed her, long and slow, his tongue searching for hers. "Yeah. Me too."

"Can we go back to the hotel now? Get out of these bloody clothes?"

He slipped his arm around her as they walked back to the hotel. "I'm a bit frozen. You may 'ave t'warm me up before I can do yeh any good."

"Oh goody" Alex giggled. "I love warming you up."

--

Alex tore at the buttons on Gene's shirt, leaving his tie dangling from his neck as she pushed his shirt over his shoulders. Gene unzipped her dress, as he tugged on her sleeves, letting her dress pool into a tidy pile on the floor as his fingers trailed over her bare skin. She kicked off her shoes as he kissed her shoulders, her neck, nipped her earlobes. "I love you" he growled as she removed his belt and unfastened his trousers, pushing them to the floor.

"I don't think you need a warm up Gene." She stroked his full erection, barely contained within his boxer shorts.

Gene groaned, mouth open, his tongue reaching, teasing, claiming hers. "Do it anyway." He placed his hands on her shoulders, pushing her lightly until she sat on the bed.

Alex pulled off Gene's boxers, her fingernails grazing his arse along the way. She stroked him firmly with one hand as the other guided his straining cock to her mouth, her lips covering his sensitive flesh, pulling him slowly into her mouth. "Oh yeah, yeah." He grunted as she ran her tongue over the length of this shaft. She felt his body tense when she licked the sensitive flesh underneath his swollen cock. It wasn't enough, she wanted more.

Grabbing his tie and wrapping it around her wrist Alex pulled herself standing. She captured his mouth with hers, turning him around and pushing him onto the bed without letting go of his tie. Gene sat, leaning back on both his arms, erect flesh reaching for her as she climbed over him. Alex could feel his heat tugging her very center as she slid over him, slick, wet, aching for his touch. "God, Gene, oh god. I love you, I love you." She held on – one hand on his shoulder, the other tangled in his tie, while she rode him slowly, taking him deeper until she lost herself completely. "Alex, my god, don't stop, don't." "Gene, can't, Gene, oh god!" Alex screamed as she came, fingernails digging into his shoulder as she shook and Gene buried himself inside her groaning as exploded.

Wrapping his arms around as they fell sideways into the sheets, still tangled, neither moving as they fell asleep.

--

"Mummy you need to remember."

"Remember what? I don't understand. Molly? Remember what?"

"Oh mum. You can be so thick sometimes. Wake up and die or stay here and live. You can't wait anymore."

"Wait? I'm not waiting. I'm here. I'm staying. I'm living!"

"No you're not. You started over. It's not fair to them. It's time to remember."

--

"Molly!" Alex sat up, looking around the room. In the dim light she didn't recognize where she was. She tried to move and realized she was trapped under Gene's leg. "Gene" she shook him. "Gene wake up."

"Mmpf. Wot?" He rolled over. "What time is it?"

"I don't know." Her eyes finally adjusted to the room. "Gene where are we?"

"'Ow much did you 'ave to drink? You didn't seem pissed last night."

"What day is it?" Don't panic Alex.

"The 25th." Gene sat up. "Alex what is it?"

"Gene where are we? The 25th of what?" She looked at him, it registering suddenly that he was wearing a tie and nothing else. "Why are you wearing a tie?"

He looked down, chuckling. "You wanted me to leave it. Alex what's wrong"

Alex took a deep breath. "Gene please tell me where we are."

He shook his head. "Salisbury. Ray got married last night. We got pissed. I wore tails." She saw him swallow hard. "Can't you remember?"

She shook her head, terrified. "Why can't I remember?"

Alex watched Gene as he quickly dressed, throwing his hired suit into his bag. "Pack your stuff Alex. We have to go back to London."

"Gene?"

"What's the last thing you remember Alex?" He'd stopped packing and was staring at her, eyes blazing.

What was he talking about? "Pierce. The Pierce case." There were other muddy thoughts, images, but that was the last thing she remembered.

"You don't remember gettin' shot? I shot you, Alex. In the shoulder. Do you remember? You were in the hospital. You have a scar." He nodded toward her shoulder and Alex looked down to see a round scar, like a star, etched into her left shoulder.

She shook her head slowly. "Gene what has happened to me?"

He took a deep breath and started at the beginning, the case, the tube station, shooting her, all while gathering his things. He practically had to dress her as well, she was so stunned.

"Three months? I've lost three months?" She didn't know what to do.

"You could look at it as if you've gained the last year back. I can talk you through the last few months." He picked up both of their bags. "Come on Alex. We're leaving now."

--

All the way back in the car Gene went over in detail everything that had led to her memory loss, and the difficult weeks following it. She wished they hadn't been driving. She wanted him to hold her instead. She didn't remember any bit of the shooting, or of Ray's wedding, but some of what happened in between seemed familiar, if hazy. Maybe it would come back to her eventually.

Gene didn't stop at their flat, but drove directly to the hospital. They waited what seemed like hours, but eventually the on call doctor met with Alex, and they arranged for her to have a head CT the next morning. Until then, he told her, she should go home and rest. And she should consider the return of her memories a positive development.

--

At home Gene drew her a bath and she sat in it for a long while. Thank God Gene was here.

"Alex?" He called through the bathroom door.

"You can come in." She was ready to get out anyway and pulled the plug to let the water drain out. She was stepping over the edge of the bath as he opened the door. Alex smiled as his eyebrows jumped. "Would you hand me that towel?" She pointed to one hanging on the back of the door.

He made a slightly frustrated noise as he reached for the towel. Alex watched his eyes move over her as he wrapped it around her.

"You 'ungry?"

Alex wrapped her wet arms around his neck, kissing him lightly. "Mmm hmm." He seemed nervous. "Gene are you alright?"

"Wot? Oh. Yeah." He shrugged. "Confused a bit."

"About what?"

Gene shook his head. "Come on. Let's eat something."

Alex stopped in the bedroom for her dressing gown then curled up on the sofa, taking the plate of spaghetti Gene handed her. She closed her eyes. "Smells wonderful."

Gene sniffed. "Since when?" He forked some into his mouth. "Tastes the bloody same to me."

"No, it's wonderful." She swallowed several bites, thinking food had never tasted so good. Was this because of the memory loss? Why would it make Luigi's spaghetti taste better? The mind was a mystery. "What are you confused about, Gene?"

He set his food on the table before answering. "How does it work? How do you forget a whole chunk of time, then when you finally remember, forget the chunk in between?"

"No one knows." She shrugged. "The brain is a mystery – you can't exactly cut it up and look at it while it's being used, and it doesn't work properly when it isn't. We only guess." She set her own plate on the table and took his hands in hers, moving closer to him on the sofa. "I may never remember the events that took place while my memory was off, or I may remember some and not others. The times around the trauma, though – I'm not likely to ever remember. Being hit in the head, being shot." She looked into his eyes. "I'll probably never remember that." She saw him flinch and held on tighter to his hand. "It's alright. I believe what you've told me. It was the only way."

"Alex when you woke up and couldn't remember…couldn't remember us, I didn't know what to do. I thought it was the end. I thought you 'ated me. I mean that you'd gone back to 'atin' me" He seemed to be forcing the words out. "Then you were different. Everything was different. Bloody hell I was different." She could see him struggling.

"Gene, you don't have to say anything –"

He stopped her. "But then you fell in love with me anyway. How? Why? I don't understand it."

Alex shrugged, smiling at him. "Because I am in love with you. Not remembering that couldn't change it, apparently. You're stuck with me."

Gene shook his head, talking almost to himself. "Makes no bloody sense."

Alex stood, picking up the half empty plates. "Come on Gene. Let's go to bed."

"OK. But I didn't shower this morning and I could do with one. I'll be right in."

--

Alex had curled up under the duvet and was waiting when Gene climbed into bed next to her. His hair was wet and he smelled like soap and cigarettes.

"Feel better?" She rolled her naked form next to his, her hand roaming over his chest.

"I think so." His hands were linked behind his head. "It's a lot for one day." He didn't say anything for a long time. "Can I come with you in the morning? To the 'ospital?"

"Of course. I was hoping you'd drive me."

Gene shifted, finally putting one arm around her. "'Course. 'Night Alex."

Oh. Alex frowned to herself. "Good night Gene."