Disclaimer not mine

Secrets

Molly was getting seriously fed up with her homework. Double maths on a Monday morning was not her idea of a good start to the week, especially when the teacher, Mr Jones hated her and Wes. She just knew it. Sighing she left her books on the table and wandered over to where Ruby was sat watching the lights on the Christmas tree flash on and off.

"Uncle Evan?" Molly sat on the carpet next to the baby. Ruby clapped her hands.

"Yes"

"I hate maths"

"I know"

"No I really hate maths, with a passion." She rolled her eyes for dramatic effect as Ruby laughed at her. Evan shook his head and smiled. His Goddaughters were as dramatic as their mother had been.

"Just finish your homework" He smiled at the young girl. "Alex and Gene will be home soon"

"Yey" Molly clapped her hands for the baby to copy her. Ruby just giggled.

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Gene sat in his office, he was glad that Sharon was safe. He blamed himself that she had been hurt in the first place. Terry Hughes had been arrested for various violent crimes and for a moment Gene wondered if he had arrested the right Hughes brother. He glanced through the office door to where Annie and Alex were talking quietly. He sighed, it was time they all went home. Tomorrow they could deal with the paperwork and the fall out from the explosion. He stood and walked to the office door. Sam and Ray were talking about something, Ray perched on the edge of Annie's desk.

"Oi" He yelled as all his team turned to face him. "Ain't you lot got homes to go to? Go on, see you all in the morning"

Gene shook his head, he hadn't needed to tell them all twice. He watched as Viv and Phyllis grabbed their coats. All the while Phyllis telling everyone how it was a miracle that none of them had been killed. Viv was nodding his head and muttering that she was right as Ray looked at his watch and realised that they were too late for Luigi's or the Railway Arms. Annie and Sam said their goodbyes to Alex as Sam ushered his wife out of the office. Gene leant on the frame of his office door and smiled. Alex turned and caught his eye. He couldn't help but smile.

"Gene"

"Yes Bolly" He smiled as she walked towards him.

"Are you alright Gene? You've been very quiet since we got back from the hospital" Alex frowned. Her husband was not known for being quiet. The last time she had seen him like this was when Keates had been trying to discredit him, and had tried to use her to do it. Gene shook his head.

"Never been better Bolls" He stared at a point in the distance. That was when she knew he was hiding something from her. Gene always looked her directly in the eye. She reached out and touched his chest, forcing him to look at her.

"Gene"

"We could have lost Grainger" He closed his eyes "She's just a kid and she could have been killed. Christ Bolls, it never ends does it?"

Alex sighed. She knew how much Gene cared about the team. He thought of all of them as family and they were his responsiblity. She shook her head.

"Shaz will be fine. She's tougher than she looks" She smiled slightly as Gene nodded.

"Bloody good job" He felt Alex run her hands up along his chest until she reached his shoulder. He couldn't believe how close they had all been to being hurt. How young and fragile Sharon had looked laid on the tarmac semi conscious. For once he could completely empathise with Chris. He knew how it felt to watch the woman you loved lay in a hospital bed.

"Yes" Alex sighed "Let's go home"

"Best suggestion you 'ad all day" Gene smiled as Alex wrapped her arms around his neck. Resting her forehead against his she closed her eyes. Gene held her as he thanked a God he wasn't sure he believed in that they had all survived. He knew he had to tell her what he was thinking, she would only nag him to death until he did. But the way she looked at him before she kissed him made him think that maybe it could wait a little longer.

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Annie was glad she was home. She had been worried sick about Sam and the others when they had gone off to look for Sharon. She was glad her young friend was ok but she was even more glad Sam had got back to her in one piece. Curled up on the sofa she flicked through the television channels while Sam made tea.

"You ok?" He walked in to the living room carrying two mugs.

"Yeah" She sighed "Nothing on tellie this time of night" She took the mug gratefully as Sam sat beside her.

"Nah? Didn't think there would be. Remember when there was only the test card to watch at this time of night? When there was just a high pitched noise after the programmes ended" Sam shook his head as Annie shuddered.

"When we were kids? Oh yeah I hated that test card. The one with the girl and the toy clown gave me the heebejeebes" She watched as Sam nodded.

"God yeah, I hated that." He sipped his tea. "Gave me nightmares for years afterwards"

Annie nodded as she rested a hand on her husband's leg. She knew all about his nightmares. He had told her about his coma dream where she was the only woman on the team. Alex and Sharon had never even entered it, despite the fact Gene and the others were there. She smiled, even Mia hadn't made it that deep in to his subconsious. She also knew the test card girl had made it somewhere into the nightmares. She didn't understand it all, despite her psychology degree but she was glad Sam had told her about it. Sighing she placed her mug on the small coffee table. Sam yawned as he realised exactly how late it was.

"Sam" Annie started. Sam turned to her and brushed a lock of brown curls from her eyes.

"Yeah" She smiled as he kissed her cheek. She closed her eyes as the sensation overwhelmed her.

"Lets get some rest. I've got my scan tomorrow" Sam smiled widely as he pulled her to her feet.

"20 weeks? Won't be long until that little one is here" He watched as she nodded slightly. He knew she was going to be a great mother but she was terrified that she was going to mess up.

"I just don't want to sleep through the appointment" She kissed him as he pulled back.

"Bed then" He watched as she widened her eyes "To sleep Annie, to sleep" She smiled as he shook his head. It still amazed her that she was able to tease her husband and watch him fall for it so completely.

"Come on then" She walked out of the room, tea abandoned as Sam shook his head, turned the televison off and followed him.

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Ray was disappointed that the Railway Arms and Luigi's was closed. He really felt as if he had earned a pint. It was so late that some people would have classed it as early. He sighed as he picked up his phone debating whether he was going to call Mia or not. He ran a hand over his face and through his curly brown hair as he realised how close the team had been to getting blown up. If I hadn't seen that bomb on the landing. Would Chris or Sam have seen it? Would Alex and the Guv? Would they had known what it was? Too close today. Too close. He got up and walked around his living room. He knew there was going to be no sleep for him that night. Deciding tea and something to eat was the best plan he left the living room and tried to keep his thoughts from what could have happened and be thankful that he did see the small bomb that would have killed him and his friends. He tried not to think that once again Mia hadn't answered his calls.

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Chris bought a coffee from the hospital drinks machine for himself and Sharon's mother. She smiled slightly as she took the scalding hot drink from the young man. Sharon had gone to sleep but was doing well. He kept reminding himself that she was alive and the doctors were only keeping her in for observation.

"Christopher" The older woman began.

"Yes Mrs Grainger" Chris knew that whenever his full name was used he was in trouble.

"My daughter nearly died today didn't she?"

"Yes Mrs Grainger"

"I see" Fiona Grainger took a deep breath before sitting down on one of the faded plastic chairs in the corridor. "She told me you and your friends saved her life"

"Oh"

"Thank you. For looking after my little girl" Fiona sighed. She had no more tears left to cry, but the thought of someone abducting her little girl and locking her away made her heart turn to ice. She was incredibly angry with everyone but was trying not to take her anger out on her daughter's friends and colleagues. A nurse walked past them without a second look as Chris stared at the floor.

"I" He started "Sharon and I well, we have been seeing a bit of each other"

"I know" Fiona smiled. She liked the young man in front of her. She could see what her daughter saw in him. "She thinks alot of you"

"I think alot of her" Chris couldn't help but smile as he wondered exactly what Sharon had told her mother.

"Look Christopher" She rested a hand on his arm "I know you were engaged once. Before my ex husband died."

Chris felt himself turn pale as he sat on the chair next to her. He had no idea Sharon's father had died. She had shut everyone out and he had no idea why. They had broken up for a while. It was a time he didn't like to remember, now he cursed himself for not pushing Sharon for an explaination. "Her father and I were divorced, not something I am proud of. But Sharon rarely saw him. She idolised him though, despite the drinking and the womanising" Fiona paused "What I am trying to say rather badly is that if you were to ask Sharon again I would not object"

Chris nodded once. He didn't know what to say. Fiona Grainger had told him that she approved of him. He knew that was a good thing, but he wasn't sure if he could ask the DC to marry him. He sighed.

"She's amazing. And I do love her. Honest" He paused "She deserves better than me" Fiona was about to protest as Chris stood up and walked back towards her daughter's hospital room, the coffee now cold and forgotten on the floor.

"Oh you silly boy" Fiona sighed as she watched him walk away.

A/N Ok is anyone still reading this? Please let me know what you think. I am going to finish this story soon. Just a little Christmas romance to come. Will Chris ask Sharon? What is Gene thinking and how will Annie's scan go? More soon x