Disclaimer Not Mine- oh there is a bit of swearing in this sorry!

Reasons?

Alex stared at Sharon's desk thinking about what Keats had said. She knew Gene would be livid when he found out and so would Ray. Poor Ray, our very own action man out of action, he's going to be insufferable. Alex smiled slightly as she took the steaming mug from Sharon. There was still too much to be done. Sharon looked a little lost as she walked across to the white board and began reading what little information they had collated.

"Ma'am?"

"Sharon can you call the hospital? Check on Ray?" She stared in to the coffee mug.

"Yes Ma'am"

"Sam? Can you try to contact Gene? Tell him what's happened. Phyllis? Please can you keep an eye on my girls? Alex had to get back in to work mode, she knew the others would be panicking and looking for someone to sort them out. With Ray and Gene both out of the department it was up to her and Sam to be the ones that pulled the team together. She knew Gene would be relying on her to make sure the team kept it together while he was at the hospital. Sam swore as he put the phone back on his desk.

"He isnt answering. What is the point of even having a phone if you never answer the thing?" Sam rolled his eyes as he picked up the reciever and tried again. Alex shook her head, Gene had never wanted a mobile, thinking his police radio was enough to keep him in contact with his team. It was only when Alex had been shot by Layton that he gave in and bought himself a Blackberry. He had argued it was so Molly could get hold of him at a moments notice. She smiled as she remembered how he had muttered that it was bleedin' 2010 not 1983 and he wasnt that much of a dinosaur. Since her coma she couldn't help but see how close Molly and Gene really were, those that didn't know always assumed he was her birth father rather than her step father. These days no one corrected the mistake.

Sam replaced the phone as Phyllis walked towards Gene's office and closed the door.

"I'll keep my eye on them, but I dunno what I am gonna tell your Molly. She's a bright girl she's going to ask questions Alex. You know that" Phyllis pulled her cardigan tightly around here. It was the first time she could remember turning up to the station not wearing uniform. She felt slightly awkward in her skirt and cardigan. Alex nodded.

"Tell her the truth. Gene is at the hospital with Ray and I have to work. And yes even though she is nearly 13 she needs a babysitter whether she likes it or not" Alex knew that was going to be the cause of a few arguments over the next couple of years but tonight wasn't the night to fight that battle.

"Ok luv" Phyllis smiled

Alex walked across to the large white board where Sharon had labelled everything to do with the Hughes case and her own kidnapping. It amazed Alex how the baby of the team could remain so detached from the fact the case involved her. After all the kidnap had to be terrifying, whether the victim was a police officer or not. Sharon hadn't even mentioned it since she had found out Keats was on the scene. Alex just hoped her young friend wasn't bottling things up. Folding her arms she turned to Viv and Sharon who were stood just behind her.

"This is everything we have?"

"Yes" Viv yawned.

"How can he be connected with Keats?" She pointed at the picture of Frankie Hughes. "How do those brothers end up crossing paths with Keats? And when? How long has this been planned for?" Alex knew she was thinking aloud. Viv sighed.

"I could get Keats' records shipped over here from his old nick. See if there was anyway he was involved in arresting them over the years? That might explain it" He looked across to Annie who nodded and smiled.

"Yeah, good idea Viv. Look, I'll call the remand home where Keats is supposed to be living. You never know eh? Might be worth seeing if he met these idiots while he was inside" Her brown curls bounced around her face as Sam nodded.

"Your husband seems to be physically unable to answer his phone. It's like he has some phobia of the thing" He moaned as Alex raised an eyebrow.

"Phone phobia? Never 'erd of that" Chris leant back in his chair as Sharon rolled her eyes.

"Keep trying" Alex tried not to laugh. Sometimes she wondered how Chris had ever got such a responsible job, never mind how he got himself promoted to CID. The young DC smiled innocently as Sharon and Annie exchanged glances. Alex yawned, the night was wearing on and she had to admit she was exhausted. There was no time to rest though, with Ray in the hospital and Keats still lurking she had to keep going, even if she was running on coffee and adrenaline.

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Gene hated his phone. He had never seen any need for one until Alex had got injured. Then it had become invaluable, even if it had only been his intention to have one so he could track Molly down when she bunked off school. He shook his head, she hadn't done that since Alex had got home from hospital. It was understandable he supposed. It was hard for him when Alex was in a coma he reasoned, to her kid it must have been unbearable. He checked the phone as he walked through the doors of Fenchurch East Police Station and inwardly groaned, eight missed calls and six text messages. What the 'ell is so bleedin urgent? He instantly began to worry about Alex and his girls. It was then he heard his name called.

"Oh Phyllis luv" He turned to face her and sincerly hoped he didnt have to stay in the main entrance of the nick for long. He looked down his nose as a uniformed officer half dragged a girl dressed in a mini skirt, screaming and swearing to the main desk. The girl looked about 18 and was swearing at the police man who had arrested her.

"Charming" Phyllis glared at the girl

"Police brutality thats what this is!" She slurred. Gene swore under his breath.

"Look luv, if you want police brutality you are in the wrong bleedin country. I could show you police brutality. Pick any bleedin country where you are locked up for looking like the slapper you look like now! Pick any bloody country on God's earth where you get thrown in the clink for voting the wrong way, for shagging the worng bloke and thats police brutality. What this is luv is you being a gobby mare because you are as pissed as a parrot!" He drew himself up to his full height as Phyllis raised an eyebrow. The girl looked him up and down.

"Fuck off dickhead" She spat.

"Thats DCI Dickhead to you. Get that tart out my sight" Gene watched as the young woman walked off towards the cells with the policeman.

"You" Phyllis shook her head "Will never change Gene Hunt"

"Nah, too old for that now. Anyway you'd miss my northen charm if I turned in to a toff now" He smiled at her as Phyllis rolled her eyes "Anyway, what did you want me for?"

"Keats phoned"

"Shit" Gene closed his eyes "Look I thought you should know. He caused a bit of upset"

"I bet 'e did"

"Alex seems ok. I just popped down to check something here. I'll be back up to watch the girls in a bit"

Gene had no idea what she was talking about but he didn't like it. He nodded once to Phylllis before almost running up to the CID Squadroom. His heart was in his mouth, if Keats had talked to Alex he had no idea what affect it would have.

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"Guv" Sam looked up from his paper work as he saw Gene storm in to the squad room.

"What the bleedin 'ell is going on 'ere?"

"Keats called. He has been watching Alex and the kids. This guy is a first class creep. It seems he attacked Ray because he knew it would get you away from her" Gene leant against Alex's desk and swore profusely. He wanted to kill Keats. He knew if the man walked in to the room he would not be able to stop himself from commiting murder.

"Dad?" Molly rubbed her eyes as she appeared in the doorway of his office. Gene closed his eyes as Annie stood, ready to usher the young girl back in to the room.

"Molls, what are you doing 'ere luv?" He knew Molly had heard almost everything, there was no way she would have missed anything that had been said since he had arrived. The whole squadroom was quiet. He sighed as he saw the impossibly young girl work out what was going on.

"Mum said Ray was in hospital. Is he ok? She said there was no way she was going to be able to get Evan to come over to stay with Ruby and I so we had to come to work with her." She yawned. "How is Ray?"

For some reason unknown to Gene it seemed Ray and Molly had struck up a friendship. It seemed she appreciated the fact Ray had no idea what to do or say with kids and talked to her as if she was an equal. Gene sighed as he looked at Annie before returning his gaze to his step daughter.

"He's ok. Well he will be, seems he's got an 'ard 'ed" He smiled "Had a scan, and don't ask me how but he seems to 'av a functioning brain in his head" Molly smiled as Gene looked around the room. "Where's Bolly?"

"Ladies" Annie tilted her head slightly as Gene nodded.

"Go and get her Molly luv, you know what she's like when she's wound up. Probably talking to the mirror in there" Molly smiled slightly before nodding. She closed the door behind her as Gene turned towards Annie and Sam.

"Right" He clapped his hands together "What's really going on?"

Annie and Sam glanced at each other. Sam cleared his throat as Annie sighed.

"Guv, he wants Alex. You know that was his main motivation last time. He wanted you and the rest of us out of the picture. I did a bit of digging when you were with Ray. He was released from remand for good behaviour if you can believe that, but on the understanding that he kept away from us and made no attempt to enter Fenchurch"

"Well that condition worked" Gene glared.

"Apparently it was due to his previous good character" Sam interjected as Chris scoffed in the corner.

"Good character? Christ on a bike, thats like saying Herod had a GCSE in childcare!" Gene bellowed as Molly pushed the heavy squad room door open.

"Dad? I can't find her. Mum's gone"

A/N is anyone still reading this? More soon. Please review.