Two more lonely weeks passed for Gene. The pain still didn't subside. He hated his life here without them. He hated the pokey little studio flat he was living in; he hated eating alone every night but most of all he hated going to bed without Alex. He was missing her so much he physically ached for her. He missed them, God, he missed his family. It wasn't that he hadn't thought about calling her; he'd even thought about going home to them, showing up on the doorstep... he just wasn't sure how Alex would react.

One dreary evening he was working late when the phone in his office at West Hampstead CID rang, startling him. No-one ever called him this late.

"Hunt," he answered, annoyed at the interruption.

"Guv?"

He'd recognise that voice anywhere. It caused his spine to straighten, his blood turning to ice in his veins. "Raymondo?" Definitely not a voice he was expecting to hear.

After all, he'd only given this number to one person: only Molly knew he was here.

"Guv, we're at the hospital. It's Alex... and Molly. They've been in a car accident. They're okay, don't worry. Molly's got cuts and bruises, Alex is a bit concussed, they want to keep her in overnight for observation. The doctor released Molly, I offered to take her home but she won't leave. She's pretty hysterical, won't stop crying or asking for you..."

"I'll be there." Gene hung up the phone without another word, so panicked he thought his throat would close up. All he knew was he needed to be there, he needed to be there for his girls.

"Dad!" Molly flung herself into Gene's arms as he was within arm's reach.

"Hi, Molly Dolly." He looked at her bruised face. "What happened?"

"Someone cut us up at a roundabout. The nurses are asking me all these questions I can't answer and..."

"It's alright." Realising Molly was still gripping him tight; he turned to his former DS and said, "Thanks, Ray I've got it from here."

"Sure?" Ray was reluctant to leave. He remembered the state Alex had been in the night they'd split up and how unhappy she'd been since.

"Yeah, thanks."

Ray kissed Molly on the forehead and left. Deep down he knew she'd be okay with the Guv.

"The nurse wants to see you; she wants to ask you a few questions about mum. They won't let me see her."

"Okay." Gene pulled his wallet from inside his coat and handed her a five pound note. "Go and get some stuff from the hospital shop."

"But Dad..."

"Please, Molly. I need to answer these questions, okay?"

Watching Molly retreat reluctantly down the hallway, Gene approached the nurse's station. Apparently Molly has glossed over the awkward truth by telling them he was Alex's 'partner.' The nurse asked a lot of questions, Gene growing more frustrated by the second. All he wanted to do was see Alex, no matter what her reaction. Gene felt like the nurse asked him at least fifty questions about diseases Alex clearly didn't have and surgery Alex had clearly never had and drugs Alex clearly didn't do. There was only one question that threw him, made his head spin and his stomach somersault.

"Is there any possibility Ms. Drake might be pregnant?"

Gene stammered his answer - and Gene Hunt had never stammered in his life. He'd been away for a month and Molly had assured him there was no-one else. "I... I don't know."

The Nurse didn't seem at all phased. "Okay, we can take some blood."

"How long for the results?"

"A couple of hours."

"Thanks. Can I see her?"

"Yes, but we can't let any under sixteen's in. She needs her rest."

He nodded. All he needed to do was make sure she was okay and look after Molly for her.

At least she looked peaceful. Gene hovered nervously as the nurse took a vial of blood for analysis and then she told him, "Feel free to sit with her, talk to her. You can't hurt her, the sooner she wakes up the better."

Gene nodded and then sat beside her bed. Cautiously, he took her delicate hand in his. "Hi," he said, feeling like a right pansy. "I missed you." He pressed his lips to her knuckles in a gentle kiss. "You're okay. Molls is okay. She's getting stuff from the shop, probably that horrible cherry pop she likes and a 'Wispa.'" He paused, watching her face. Nothing. "Bolls, I need you to wake up, we need to talk."

Since Gene wasn't the most patient man on the planet, when she didn't come around immediately, he left the room. He found Molly outside, as predicted her 'dinner' was Cherryade and a 'Double Decker' bar.

"Hi, kid," he said, sitting beside her.

She smiled and her teeth had chocolate in them.

"How are you feeling?" he asked her.

She shrugged. "Fine. Is Mum awake yet? Can I see her?"

"No sweetheart, sorry."

Her face fell. "You should go and sit with her. I don't want her to be alone when she wakes up."

"Okay. Are you sure you don't want me to call Shaz or Ray to pick you up?"

"Very sure." She'd obviously bought a 'Cosmo' at the hospital shop as she picked it up and began to read. Gene knew it was way too adult a magazine for her, Alex was always telling her off for buying it (and then Gene would pull it out of the rubbish bin and read the sex tips.) Right now, Gene was too anxious to scold her.

He did as Molly asked; he sat with Alex in silence until she woke up. It took an hour and he thought he'd imagined her hand twitch at first. She opened her eyes and looked at him, groggy and confused.

"Gene?"

"Alex!" He was so relieved she was awake he'd forgotten he was holding her hand.

"Oh my God, Molly!" she realised suddenly, ripping her hand away from his and struggling to sit up.

"Whoa, easy." He gently pushed her back down by the shoulders, his voice soothing. "She's fine. I'm looking after her but she's not allowed in just yet." He saw the worry written all over her face. "She's *fine,* Alex, I promise, she's just not allowed in because she's too young, controlling bastards." Out of the blue, he swept her up into a huge bear hug, completely overwhelmed. He didn't say anything and then realising what a poof he was being, put her down and cleared his throat, embarrassed. "I'm just here to look after the little lady," he explained. "I'll take her home, stay with her. They want to keep you in overnight for observation."

"You don't have to do that," Alex told him, sounding groggy and definitely not fully cognitive. "I mean you don't have any obligations towards us, you never did and you don't now."

"She's still my girl," Gene said. "Even if you're not." He looked away, uncomfortable, no idea how to even broach the subject. "Look there's something I need to ask you. Don't get upset, okay?"

"What's the matter?" she asked, struggling to sit up. Gene helped her, even fluffing her pillows.

"The nurse asked me if you might be pregnant," he blurted unceremoniously. "Since we were... you know. I asked her to take blood, just in case, like."

Alex was shocked, not even thinking about the possibility. "But we were careful."

"The packet says 97% effective."

"Right."

Gene looked at her. He was still so in love it physically hurt him not to be with her. Now all he could think about was having a baby with her, hoping so much it was true, realising how much he wanted it.

They were both lost deep in thought when the Nurse bustled in to check Alex's vital signs. "Ah, Ms. Drake, good, you're awake." She proceeded to check Alex's vision, asked her some questions and confirmed she'd need to stay in overnight.

"And the blood test?" Gene asked. He held his breath and his lungs felt as if they might explode.

"Negative," the Nurse confirmed, nonchalant.

Gene heard Alex exhale, visibly relieved. He hadn't realised he was still holding her hand. Even though Gene knew it would have been near-impossible given they weren't even together anymore, he was sure he felt his heart break. He and Alex had never discussed the possibility of having children, after all, they had Molly, but it wasn't until now he understood how much he wanted it.

"Can I see my daughter?" Alex asked.

"We can't allow children in here," the Nurse told her. "Sorry."

The doe-eyed look Alex gave the Nurse nearly broke his heart. "Please?"

She relented. "Thirty seconds. I'll time you." The Nurse opened the door and beckoned Molly in, warning her to be gentle.

Despite the warning, Molly practically threw herself at her Mum.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart," Alex said, squeezing her tight. "Are you okay?"

"Why are you sorry?" Molly asked. Then, "Of course I'm okay, don't worry, Dad's looking after me."

Alex had to smirk, despite the situation. Even given the circumstances, Molly was still desperate to play matchmaker, or was it re-matchmaker?

Seeing them together made Gene's heart ache more. He wanted so much to be part of their little family again; to take both girls in his arms and to never let anything hurt them. He needed to be a part of it somehow, it didn't matter if he was married to Alex or not. He didn't care how soft that made him, he'd never stop loving them, after all.

"Okay, visiting time's really over now," the Nurse told them. "I'll leave you to say goodbye."

Gene knew Molly really didn't want to leave but he also appreciated how much Alex needed to rest. He'd been beaten up enough times to know Alex didn't need him and Molly constantly fussing over her, sleep would help her heal fastest. "Come on Molls, we'll come back and get her first thing."

"Promise?" she asked.

"I promise."

Molly kissed Alex on the forehead and then went outside to gather her things.

"See you in eight hours," he told her, trying to sound stoic.

"Yeah... thanks for taking her."

"Like I said, she's still my girl. Promise me you'll at least try to get some sleep?"

She nodded, her eyelids already drooping.

"I love you," he whispered when he was sure she was asleep, planting a gentle kiss on her forehead. "Can't stop."