Enjoy! And big thanks to AshGurl2897 for her beta duties! You're a star!
Chapter 2.
The following day, everything seemed just as it should be until Ray Carling entered the building. It wasn't the man himself that was strange. It was his clothing. Instead of the leather jacket and tight t-shirt and jeans, he was stood in a dark suit without his t-bar moustache. He sat at his desk, trying to blend in, but then Gene arrived.
"Who's the lucky lady, Raymondo?" Gene asked the question that had been on everybody's lips from the minute he entered.
"Huh? No one, Guv," he said, blatantly lying.
"Well, I am afraid Chris and me are taken Raymondo. Don't worry, I am sure there are plenty of fudge packers out there," he said, laughing his way to his office.
"Ok, fine. It's Nina," he said, refusing to be the centre of every homosexual joke, "Nina Acabowa?" he said, hoping for some kind of reaction.
"Ah, yeah, I remember her. Didn't think you were still seein' 'er" Chris said, interested in the new discovery.
"I wasn't. But I bumped into 'er yesterday, and she asked me out fer a drink," he said, stuttering and fidgeting in his chair.
"She asked you?" Gene said, stopping in his tracks.
"Don't sound too surprised will yer. I just figured that she wasn't interested, but there she was, asking me out," he finished, his face flushed.
"So, where are you two lovebirds going?" Shaz piped up from behind her typewriter.
"What so I can bump into you two? Don't think so," Ray said, shuddering at the thought of bumping into Chris and Shaz on a date.
"You nervous, Ray?" Chris asked, noticing Ray clam up.
"Nah, not really. Well a bit. Not much," he said, unconvincingly as Gene walked his way.
"Let me guess, Raymondo," Gene paused, leaning over Ray's desk, "You don't know how to act 'cus she's different to all the other birds. Means more t'yer?" he asked, looking his sergeant in the eye.
"'Ow d'you know that?" Ray asked, surprised on how transparent he had become. Gene shot him an all-knowing raised eyebrow that explained everything. Gene had been in this exact situation with Alex. "You gunna 'elp me out Guv?" Ray asked, hoping for the best.
"She may be different, Ray, but she is still a women. They are different in thousands of ways, but there is one thing a lot of them cannot resist - with the exception of me of course," he paused, hoping he was listening, "and as stupid and fairy-like that this sounds, it's spontaneity. You give 'em summit nice that they're not expectin' and they will be eatin' out your hand."
Just as he was about to continue his lecture, he spotted Alex Drake walking down the corridor towards the squad room. Leaning closer to his sergeant's desk so only he and Chris could hear him, he said, "Watch this."
Just as the two tall wooden doors swung open, Gene stood several feet in front of his DI, raised an offered hand, which she took. As their hands connected, he pulled her towards him as if they were dancing, as she twirled into his embrace. At this point, all jaws had dropped. Then Gene bent forwards, guiding Alex's upper body towards the floor while his hands supported her back and kissed her passionately in full view of CID. He then gave a wink at Ray, and stood Alex up properly and retreated to his office as if nothing had happened, leaving Alex lost for words.
Alex could not understand what had just happened, completely and utterly speechless, shaking her head like it was some sort of dream. Bringing her back to reality was the sound of applause from everyone in the station when she felt herself blush.
"And that, DS Carling, is how it's done," he said, before finally closing the door. Not bad for a Tuesday morning, Ray couldn't help thinking, finally looking forward to his date. If the Guv could do it, then so could he.
"What's wrong ma'am? You look all flushed," Ray said, smirking.
"Nothing, Ray. Nothing at all."
"If you say so," he said, getting on with his work.
"Did you know that was going to happen?" Alex asked, unsure of what had come over Gene.
"Oh, yeah. The Guv was just demonstrating," Ray said, not wanting to talk about it.
"Demonstrating what, Ray?" Alex was intrigued, much to Ray's distaste.
"I didn't know how to act around Nina, so the Guv told me to be sponatained."
"Spontaneous, Ray," she said, correcting him, "Well, he's right."
"Yeah, that. And if I did it right, then she would be eatin' out of me 'and," he added.
"Did he now? Hmm, we'll see about that," she said, as her mind conjured up ways to get him back.
"Well, it works both ways, Ray. I know you don't want to hear it, but us 'birds' know what men are going to say before they open their mouths. And we know exactly how they're going to act. So, if men can surprise us, their chances are higher."
"So, you know how the Guv is going to react before he does anything?" Ray was intrigued.
"Well, not all men, Ray. That man surprises me almost all of the time, that's one of the reasons I am with him. But, I can usually guess his reactions."
"Oh yeah? Like what?" he said, not believing for one second that she could control the Guv.
"Well, ok. Try and think of something that you think the Guv would never consider. Then I will make it happen." She said, so confident.
"Okay, fine. The Guv would never let you drive his Quattro. So, I bet that if you ask him, he will shut you down instantly." He said, not believing she could drive it for a second.
"What's it worth?" she asked.
"I'll do tea duty all week," he said. With an offer like this, you could tell he was confident.
"Well, its two sugars in mine, Ray. Watch and learn," she said, flickering her hair back and walking towards his office. She stood there, in her jean clad legs with her trademark leather jacket and placed a gentle knock on his office door.
"WHAT!" he yelled, clearly this was a bad time, but Alex wasn't fazed. The second he opened the door to see Alex stood before him, his face softened. So far, so good.
"Hey, what can I do for you?" he said, that playful look in his eye emerging.
"I was wondering if we could have a chat?" she said, hoping this would work. Alex hated to be proven wrong.
"Sure, my pleasure," he said, gesturing into his office. But she knew fine well that he was going to close the door the moment she stepped in, and she wanted Ray to witness this. Gene didn't think they were going to do much talking. So, as Alex gestured for him to sit down, she stood in his doorway and began her plea for all to see.
"Gene?" she paused, tilting her head to the side as she wrapped once of her ringlets around her finger, "I was wondering," she said, watching him get excited, but with the door wide open, his chances were slim. I wish she wouldn't look at me like that. She's up to something, was the thoughts rushing through Gene's head. "Well, I was wondering if I could borrow you're car?" she said, leaning over the desk so he could catch a glimpse of the creamy flesh beneath her clothes as she looked directly into his eyes.
"Well, I don't know about that, Bolls. I mean, last time you drove it, you smashed the lights on it. And the time before that, you filled it with fish guts and meat from the bins." He had a point she had to admit, and Ray was so confident. She could see he was tempted, and so she upped her game. She brought her mouth as close as possible to his ear, and tried again.
"Are you sure?" she said, as seductive as possible as her lips grazed his earlobe. "I promise not to scratch it," she said, convinced he was going to reconsider.
"Well, I I I don't thi-" he said, stuttering as he tried to calm his growing erection.
"I'll clean it up real nice?" she said, raising an eyebrow, looking at him.
Catching the smile spreading across his face, she snatched the keys from his desk without him even realising. Just as he leant forward to kiss her once more, she pulled away and walked out of his office, keys in hand. "Thanks," she said, looking over her shoulder as the closed the door behind her.
As she sat down, she chanced a look at Ray, who was gobsmacked for the second time today. Pleased with her actions, she buried her head in the files surrounding Evan White. Before she had chance to read the first line, Gene Hunt emerged from his private sanctum.
"Oi! Bolls" he said, walking over to her desk. She knew what he was about to say, and she knew how to deal with it. "About my car," he paused, reaching her desk. The second he looked at her, he wished he hadn't. She was leaning forward - another treat, her eyes wide and pleading, looking right into his with a pet lip and a tiny pout among her other dazzling features. "Just give it back once you're done," he said, defeated as he walked back over to his little world. He hated that she could do that to him.
"Ray?" Shaz said, trying to wipe the shocked look from his face, "Any chance of a cuppa?" only to replace it with a menacing stare as she sat giggling.
"While you're there, Ray," Chris called as Ray dragged his feet to the kitchenette, "I could do with one too. I'm parched," he said, bursting into laughter, "And don't forget the wafers."
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