Gene sat in the waiting room, elbows resting on his knees, his hands covering his face. He'd wanted Alex to get her memories back more than he'd ever wanted anything, and now that she had he was more confused than before. He wasn't sure why, but he couldn't help thinking about her as two different people. And he couldn't shake the feeling that he'd been unfaithful to the one he loved. And that he loved them both.
She had told him he didn't need to wait before heading upstairs for her brain scan, but he couldn't leave. He did, however, need a fag. Christ, he'd never spent so much bloody time away from work in his life.
The last few months weighed heavily on his mind as Gene headed out into the road. He loved her, he did, and there was nothing that could change that. But it gave him a headache to think about how different she'd been, and how different it had made him, that the things they'd gained in the last few months were lost. Again. What if he was different from how she remembered? What if she was?
He'd lit another cigarette and was still smoking it, one hand running repeatedly through his hair, when Alex came up behind him.
"Knew I'd find you here."
"You should be a detective." He threw his fag end into a puddle. "Clean bill o' health?"
Alex hooked her arm through his as they walked toward the car. "Well, everything was normal on the scan, but it had been normal over the past few months as well, so they said."
"So why all of a sudden? Why now?"
"No way to know. Could have been anything, really. A trigger form the past that jogged some memory. Maybe Salisbury. We had a lovely time there before, Gene, maybe it shook something loose."
He grunted as he opened the door for her. "Lunch?" Alex agreed and he drove them to a nearby pub. They settled down at a corner table with their drinks after ordering food.
"What about the time after, Alex? Will you never remember?"
"I don't know." She played with her glass, staring at the table. "I might. I might not."
"You don't seem that concerned." So why was he?
"I am. We don't know very much about the brain, Gene. Head injuries can have long lasting side effects. I am worried." She took a deep breath. "It must have been hard for you. My not remembering us."
"Not too. Slept on the sofa for six weeks. In the end you couldn't resist my charms anyway." He tried to shrug it off.
Alex wrapped her legs around his under the table. "I never could Gene. Doubt I ever will."
They were interrupted by the arrival of their food and ate quietly for a few moments before Alex spoke again.
"Gene I can tell there's something else bothering you. Please tell me. Did something happen?"
Gene sipped his beer. "No, no. Nothing happened. Just… it was you, and it wasn't. And now it's you again…" he didn't know how to finish the sentence.
"Was I different, Gene?"
He shifted uncomfortably, jerking his chin slightly. "A bit. Not a lot, just a little." He looked away.
"It's not uncommon for there to be differences after a head injury – "
"Yes, I know, you said that before. It's just that it's very confusing, not knowing. What about everything that happened between us over the last three months, am I supposed to forget it?"
"No, of course not. You'll just have to tell me, if something comes up. And I may remember things. It's not unheard of, it just may not all come back at once. Maybe you can tell me what was different. How was I different?"
Gene drummed his fingers on the table, taking a deep breath. "You were…nervous."
"Well Gene, that's to be expected, don't you think? I'm sure it was a shock to find out I was living with you."
Gene nodded. He wasn't sure he wanted to talk about it anymore. He'd been so sure before, about Alex, about everything. And he'd adapted because that's what she needed. But this was too much change in too short a period of time.
"Alex there's something else I need to tell you."
"What?"
"Well, once you'd decided that being in love with me wasn't the craziest idea you'd ever heard, we, uh, we bought a house." Gene ducked from the stunned expression on her face but he couldn't handle the silence. "In Stepney. It's nice. There's a garden, two bedrooms…."
"We bought a house in Stepney?"
"Yeah. We did the contracts last week, before we drove to Salisbury. They're trying to rush the completion so we can be in before Christmas." He took a deep breath. "If you don't want to Alex, we can get out of it. It'll cost us, but whatever you want. Or I can buy it and you can do whatever you want – move in with me or not." Suddenly he couldn't stop talking. "Whatever you want to do, Alex, whatever's easiest, makes you comfortable."
"We bought a house while I was suffering from memory loss?"
Gene leaned on the table. "Alex, I was so happy you were alive, the fact that you couldn't remember was just another bloody obstacle. I wasn't giving you up. I couldn't." He shook his head. "We had to live our lives as if that's who you would be, we couldn't know if you'd ever remember. When you suggested it was time we move in together I agreed. We needed to get on with it. I'd do it again." He inhaled his cigarette, blowing smoke at the ceiling. "You know I want to, Alex. But if you don't we can work it out."
He grew more uncomfortable as Alex stared at him. "Alex, say something, please."
Alex put her hands on the table and slid them across, hooking them into his. "It's OK. I don't want out of it and I'm not sorry you did it. We did it." She took a deep breath. "I'm just surprised, that's all."
Gene sighed a tiny breath of relief, but the whole thing still made him uncomfortable.
--
Once home, Gene went straight to the kitchen and poured himself a drink. Alex followed him in.
"D'you want one?" He swallowed it, pouring a second as she shook her head.
Taking the glass out of his hand before he had a chance to drink more, Alex put her hand to his cheek and pulled him close, pressing her lips softly against his. He moaned just a little as he wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly against him. He welcomed her tongue against his and they kissed desperately, until neither of them could breath.
"Gene" Alex gasped between kisses "Make love to me." He wriggled uncomfortably against her. "What's wrong? Please tell me? Don't you want to?"
"Want to? Christ, I want to lock the doors pull the bloody blinds and spend the next month in bed with you." He pulled away slightly, running one hand through his hair. "But I…I feel guilty, Alex. I feel guilty because I didn't wait for you to get better."
"Oh Gene, but you did. You did wait. You're here, aren't you? You didn't give up on us and I am so thankful for that." She kissed him again. "Don't give up now."
Taking her by the hand he almost dragged her to the bedroom. Together they tugged and pulled on each other's clothing until they fell naked together onto the bed, Gene quickly rolling Alex to her back. Wordlessly he covered her face, her neck, her shoulders with kisses, licking and nipping gently at her flesh until her whole body arched against him. "I won't give up, Alex" he murmured into her ear as her hands moved over his arse.
He found one pointed nipple and Alex groaned as he took it into his mouth, sucking gently. "Oh god, oh Gene, don't wait. Please"
Nudging her legs wider with his knees he slid the tip of his cock into her, gently at first then thrusting hard into her as she wrapped her legs around him. "No waiting" he growled, pulling out slowly and plunging hard inside her again and again as she cried out under him. He felt her shudder, her nails digging into him as she quickly tightened around him, her body jerking almost helplessly against him. But he couldn't stop, didn't want to, thrusting again and again until he could feel the sweat pooling on his back, heard her gasp his name as she climaxed again. Finally he pushed off the bed, his long strokes becoming shorter, coming faster, harder, Alex begging him for more as he burst, his cock hard, aching, deep inside her long after he'd finished.
--
"So explain to me again why I have to work today and you don't?" Alex bit into her toast while Gene watched her across the breakfast table. A half full cardboard box sat open on the counter. It was Christmas Eve and they were finally moving.
"Because someone needs to mind the criminal element, even on Christmas Eve, and as I have seniority, I already 'ave the day off." Gene finished off his tea. "And it's a slow day. 'Ave Ray teach you 'ow t'play darts. It's about bloody time you learned anyway." He flashed his most charming smirk.
"I hate to leave you with all the moving, Gene. It doesn't seem fair."
'What moving? You made me hire a bloody mover. An' we 'aven't got that much stuff. Shouldn't take but a couple of hours. If you promise to be a bad girl later maybe I'll even unpack before you come 'home."
"I promise." His cock twitched at her wicked smile. Life was good.
"Now remember, Ray's goin' to drive you 'ome so don' let 'im forget."
"Ray doesn't need to drive me home. I'm perfectly capable of taking the tube Gene." She rolled her eyes at him as she pulled on her jacket.
"Sure you are, love. Ray will drive you home." He pushed her out the door. He had a lot of things to do today.
--
By some miracle the move did only take a few hours, and Gene had paid the removal men and sent them on their way before lunch. He looked around their new home. There was a lot of work to do. The previous owner had been an 87 year old woman whose kids had all moved far away and had wanted nothing to do with the house after she died. It helped them speed up the sale, but the house hadn't been properly tended to in years and it needed repairs. Alex had been keen on doing it, at least before her memories returned. He hoped she still was.
Gene set to work moving boxes around, making sure the electricity worked, that the plumbing was at least functional. He had a few other things to do as well. He expected Alex home around six, and he wanted to surprise her.
--
"Gene?" He heard her calling as she came through the front door and rushed to meet her.
"You're late." He kissed her, pulling her tight against him.
"I am sorry. We had actual crime today. You missed a late holiday jewellery blag, Gene."
"How disappointing. Catch 'em?"
"Yes, we did. They hadn't seemed to work everything out and got caught in traffic down by the church. Apparently they were having a Nativity play and they came out just as our boys were trying to make their escape. Even they couldn't run over children dressed up as the three kings."
Gene chuckled as Alex walked past him into the living room.
"How'd the move g – oh my god!"
"D'you like it?" He'd managed to drag home a good sized Christmas tree, decorating it with the small box of lights and ornaments he'd taken from his other life.
"It's beautiful Gene." He caught her in his arms as she turned around. "But I thought we weren't going to have time?"
He shrugged. "The move went quickly. And I had some time. First Christmas…I thought we should have something."
"I do love you" Alex threw her arms around him and he leaned in to accept her thanks.
"Careful Alex. Too much of that and we won't get to dinner or presents."
"I wouldn't worry. I've got something you can open right now if you like." She nipped his earlobe.
Gene groaned as his suddenly growing erection fought with his trousers. "We've got plenty of time." He growled, pulling away from her. "I got dinner."
Alex pouted, disappointed, but followed him into the kitchen. "What are we having for our first Christmas Eve dinner?" The kitchen was good sized, and had room for a large dining table, but they only had the small one that had been Gene's. Alex sat as Gene set several foil plates on the table.
"Found some curry around the corner." He sniffed it, making a face. "Not too sure about it, though." He lifted a bottle of red wine off the counter and opened it, pouring a glass for each of them. "Not exactly a posh Christmas, but it's a start." Gene kissed her on the head before he sat down.
Alex laughed. "I don't want a posh Christmas Gene. I want one with you in it."
Gene scoffed. "Very, very, bad girl, Alex. For that I do believe you will get a Christmas spanking before you get to open any presents this evening."
Alex giggled as they teased each other over dinner. They curry was less than spectacular, but they ate it all anyway, curling up together on the sofa with a second bottle of wine, and an after dinner whisky for Gene.
"What are all those for?" She pointed to a pile of blankets on the floor.
"The upstairs is still freezing. I thought we could sleep here on the sofa. It'll be a little cramped, but we'll be warm."
"OK." Alex poured herself another glass of wine. "Would you like your Christmas present?"
"Now? What will we do tomorrow?"
"Sleep in." Alex jumped up, running into the hall for her bag. "I left it at work so I wouldn't forget which box it was packed in." She dropped back on the sofa next to him as she handed him a medium sized wrapped package.
"Can't be a book." He shook it. "Don' think you've ever seen me read anything but a racing form."
"Oh it's not a book, Gene. It's too big."
It was. He sniffed it. "Smells good."
"Hurry up!" He was enjoying watching Alex bounce up and down on the sofa. In another minute he was going to forget all about the present and bounce her right onto his lap.
"Ok, ok." Carefully he slid his hand under the wrapping, snapping the tape and opening the paper at one end. Inside was a plain brown cardboard box, which he opened. "Bloody hell."
"It's a humidor. It's um, zebrawood, I think he said."
"I know what it is. Thanks Alex." He kissed her thank you. "But I thought you didn't like when I smoked cigars."
"I don't, really. But you like them." She grabbed his hand. "Is it OK? Can you use it?"
"Yeah, of course. I love it." He kissed her again, lingering.
"Your turn." Gene sat for a minute, enjoying looking at Alex while he wondered which pocket to reach into. He fished into the right one, as planned and pulled out a small black velvet box.
Alex looked at him questioningly as she took it, opening it slowly. Inside was a pair of pear shaped topaz earrings. Alex shook her head – they were the exact color of Gene's eyes.
"Are they OK? You know I'm not good at this sort o' thing."
"They're perfect. Thank you. But you do know what this means, don't you?"
He felt a small flash of panic in his stomach. What did it mean? Had he missed something? "Wot?"
"You are going to have to take me out somewhere I can wear them. I do believe I see more posh dinners in our future." Alex poked him in the shoulder and he relaxed, grabbing her around the waist and pulling her closer.
"Merry Christmas love." He kissed her slowly, thankful that she was there, that they were together, not believing his luck.
"Gene" Alex pulled away, just a little. "I know I've said it before, but I really want to thank you for sticking with me, for not giving up when I couldn't remember us. It must have been awful, and I can't have been the easiest patient."
He chuckled. "No. Not the easiest. But it wasn't a hard decision, you know."
"There must have been times when you thought it wasn't worth it."
"Never. Times I thought you'd never remember, times I was sure you'd never want me again. But never worth it?" he shook his head. "It was always worth it. You're the last one."
She scrunched up her face, as if not understanding. "The last what?"
"The last bird. My last go at it." Alex shook her head dismissively. "I'm serious. I'm not young, Alex, and I'm a pain in the arse. What we have is already a bloody miracle. I didn't think I had it in me, and I really didn't think you'd ever fall for me. There are still days I wake up thinking it's not real."
"Well let me know when you do, Gene, I'll be happy to pinch you." She giggled and started playing with the buttons on his shirt.
"I'm serious Alex. This is it." He looked at her, trying to read anything in her expression, some indication in her eyes that he wasn't about to make a huge mistake. Suddenly his palms were sweating, and he rubbed them on his thighs. He swallowed. Shit. "And, um," he took a short breath, almost gasping for air. Did she notice? Why didn't she notice he couldn't breathe? Was it supposed to be this hard? He didn't remember it being this hard the first time. But then he barely remembered the first time. "I was thinking that, maybe, we could, um," Shit. He could barely get the words out. "Maybe we could make it official."
"What? Make what official?" She leaned over the edge of the sofa for the wine bottle.
Maybe he'd throw up. "Us. Me an' you. Get hitched."
That was it, she froze staring at him, wine bottle extended in one hand. "Wot?"
Gene laughed nervously. "That's not exactly the response I'd hoped for."
"Did you just ask me to marry you?" She still hadn't moved.
"Yeah. Yes. Yes." He took the bottle out of her hand and set it on the floor, curling her now empty fingers into his. "So what d'you think?"He watched as she swallowed. "Alex?"
"I'm just surprised, that's all." She looked at him, puzzled expression covering her face. "I thought you didn't want to get married, Gene? You said, more than once, that you'd never get married again. Why now?"
"I love you Alex." He looked away. This was really not going the way he wanted. "Things change." He released her hand, sitting forward on the edge of the sofa. "If you don't want to, it's OK."
Alex moved quickly, catching his chin in her hand and turning him to face her. "I didn't say no Gene. I just need a little time to process it." She kissed him. "Are you sure it's what you want?"
He nodded. "Yes."
"Can I think about it? Not long, I promise."
Think about it. Thinking about it wasn't good. He looked away. "OK."
"Gene." Alex straddled his lap, tangling her hands into his hair. "I didn't say no." She kissed him on the forehead, on the nose, carefully on his mouth. He couldn't resist her. Even if he'd wanted to. And he didn't want to.
"You didn't say yes."
"Come on, it's not like you bought a ring or anything." She started unbuttoning her top.
He looked away, he couldn't say anything.
"Oh my god. You did. Oh, Gene. I love you." She kissed him, her lips wet, mouth open.
Her hips rocked gently on his lap and before he knew it his hands had moved under her shirt and unhooked her bra, pushing her clothes off as she sat bare, exposed over him. "Love you, I love you Gene." He pinched one nipple between his fingers as he guided the other into his mouth, Alex writhing, gasping above him, her hips a relentless rhythm working him hard as she told him she loved him over and over and over. She tore at his shirt, popping buttons as she ripped it open, her bare chest against his as their tongues found each other.
"Alex" he gasped. "Get up. Take off these bloody jeans. One more swivel o' yer hips and I'll be looking at a very embarrassing trip to the dry cleaners."
Giggling, Alex lept off of his lap and Gene quickly unfastened his trousers and slid them to the floor. His eyes never left her hands as they unhooked her button, slid down the zip, pushed off her jeans and knickers in one motion.
With a groan his hands moved to her arse and Alex screamed as his tongue slid roughly over her clit on its way to the pulsing heat at her core. "Jesus, jesus, oh god Gene." It didn't take long for her to come over his tongue and he lapped at her greedily. She tasted so good, he'd always want her. Her knees buckled as he parted her legs, his long fingers gripping her thighs as he guided her over him, pulled her onto him as he raised his hips off the sofa to meet her. "I love you Alex" he growled, thrusting into her, grinding against her as she gripped the back of the sofa to keep from falling over. Reaching between them he teased her clit until she came again and he felt her tighten and spill over him as he exploded, letting go over and over as he thrust again and again.
--
Hours later Gene lie awake, staring at the tree lights as they played on the ceiling. It could have gone worse. She didn't laugh at him, and she woke him an hour later, coaxing him hard with her tongue, not stopping until he came into her mouth, her tongue continuing its relentless assault long after, until he had to beg her to stop.
So she hadn't said yes. Here he was, the poshest bird he'd ever pulled lying naked in his arms, almost a year later, still in love with him. And she'd just given the most thorough holiday seein' to he could remember. They'd bought a house. He'd even proven to himself he wasn't the bastard every other woman he'd ever known had thought he was.
"Gene" Alex wriggled in his arms and he kissed her on the forehead.
"What?"
"I will" she said sleepily.
"Will wot?"
"Will marry you." She yawned sleepily.
"Wot? I thought you wanted to think about it."
"Did think about it. I will."
Shit. He sat up, Alex protesting as he shoved her from her warm spot next to him. Reaching over her he grabbed his trousers, reaching his hand into the left pocket. Carefully he opened the box and slipped the ring on her finger. He watched her smile in her sleep.
"Alex."
"Hmmm?"
"Aren't you going to look at it?"
She wriggled again, and his hand slid to the inside of her thigh as she propped herself up on her elbow.
"It's beautiful Gene." She pulled him close kissing him.
"You know, Alex, it has been a couple of hours." He kissed her again, his tongue parting her lips as his fingers slipped inside her. He felt himself harden as Alex groaned a yes and she swung her leg over his, wriggling lower as he shifted over her.
As Gene slid inside her he couldn't help thinking that maybe he'd been wrong all along.
Maybe everything did work out in the end.
--
It may not be the end of the story for our heroes, but I'm a little sad to say it is the end of this one. Thanks to everyone for reading, and hopefully enjoying if you've got this far.
Beyond extra special thanks to my tireless editor, who often put off family, sleep, and who know what else to turn chapters around with lightning speed.
I'm hoping to write more in the upcoming year, so keep checking, especially after the next series of Ashes airs.
And finally thanks to everyone involved in the creation of the show and the characters I seem to have, er, used to further my own wicked ends.
THANKS!!!