Disclaimer I do not own Ashes to Ashes or Life on Mars also one minor blink and you miss it reference to Pretty Woman. Again I do not own it. No copyright infringement intended or should be inferred.

The End of the Beginning

Gene returned from the car with a crow bar in tow. Shaz shook her head as she watched her boss approach the lock up. She could see he was worried sick and angry beyond belief. She stepped back from the metal door as Gene thumped the metal door with the end of the crow bar.

"Bolls! You in there luv?" Gene yelled "Stand back from the door if you can. It's time to go 'ome"

Sharon stood next to him as he yelled. She knew there was a good chance Alex was in the garage. She also knew there was a good chance her DI was injured. She didn't want to point that out to Gene.

"Shaz, get to me car. Bring it as near as you can. Radio Annie, find out what the ell is appening with the kids. I need to know what is going on wiv me girls"

"You want me to drvie the Audi? Your Audi?"

"Yeah, tell anyone else and you'll be back in uniform before yer arse touches the ground" Gene half smiled at her but Sharon had a feeling he was deadly serious. Everyone knew how much he loved the bright red car.

"Yes Guv" she nodded as she ran back to where he had parked the car.

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Alex stared at the door. She was going mad. She wascertain she had heard Shaz and Gene she was certain of it. She would know her husband's voice anywhere. Closing her eyes she did as she was told and stepped back from the door.

"Gene!" She yelled "Gene! Shaz!"

"It's ok Bolls. It's ok" He whispered under his breath. For a moment he was sure he had heard Alex. He heard his name yelled again and almost dropped the crow bar in shock.

He wedged the crow bar in the crook of the door when he realised three thin coloured wires led from the door to a small box where the hinge of the door should have been. He swore profusely as he pulled out his phone. He cursed himself as he realised the one person he knew that had any idea about explosives was heading towards the other side of London.

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Annie pulled the car up outside Evan's house and took a deep breath. She knew she had never been a particularly good actress but she needed to pull of an Oscar winning performance if she was to get Ruby and Molly away from Evan. She closed her eyes as she heard Phyllis speak.

"Isn't that skinny bloke Evan related to our Alex?"

"Sort of. He's her Godfather. He's Molly's Godfather too. Brought Alex up after Tim and Christine died" Annie opened her eyes as she looked towards her old friend.

"And that, luv is what makes this 'oole thing so twisted" Phyllis shook her head. "He brought Alex up from what? Six years old? 'e wants to be glad it's me and you that are ere not the Guv"

"Yeah, I'll talk to him. You get the girls" Annie looked up at the window to see Molly holding a sleeping Ruby in her arms. She had never seen the young girl looking so determined. Annie smiled up at the window as Molly waved while trying to hold the baby.

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Sam drove like a madman towards Evan's house. He was worried sick that something would go wrong. He knew Annie was supposed to be on desk duty, he knew there was a good chance she wouldn't listen. He took a corner almost too fast as the car tyres screeched in protest. Ray sent him a look. For some reason he trusted Gene to drive like an idiot but it was worrying when Sam did the same thing. He answered his mobile as Sam's knuckles turned a deathly shade of white as he held the wheel.

"Yeah? Guv?" He paused "Slow down" Ray ignored Sam as he tried to listen to Gene.

"Sounds similar to the one in the bridal shop. Yeah? Timer? No? Shit" Sam cast him a curious look as Ray continued to ignore him. "Is there a small box. Bout the same size as a match box? Good" Ray paused. "Get round it if you can. If you can't cut all three wires. That should disable the damn thing. Either that or kill the lot of you" Ray winced as he heard Gene swear down the phone line. He shook his head. "Joking Guv. Just cut all three wires at exactly the same time. Ok? We're two minutes from Evan's now"

"Right, get me girls from that lanky string of " He sighed as he stopped "Just get Molly and Ruby away from him yeah? Cheers Raymondo" Gene wiped his sleeve away from his face glad that he had sent Shaz back to the car. He held his breath as he pulled his penknife from his pocket and cut all three wires. He hadnt realised he had been holding his breath until he heard Ray almost scream down the phone line.

"Guv? Gene? You still there?"

"Where else would I be? You pillock" Gene snapped.

"It worked" Ray sighed in relief.

"Yes Ray I owe you a pint"

"Or several"

"Yeah" Gene ended the call and began attacking what was left of the door with the crowbar.

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Evan answered the door to find a very calm looking Annie on his doorstep.

"Annie" He smiled as he ushered her into the house "Any news on Alex?"

"Hi Evan" Annie tried to keep her face neutral "Sorry for calling so late." She was glad Phyllis had remained in the car to text Molly. All Annie had to do was distract Evan long enough to let her get Molly and Ruby out. Annie stepped into the modern living room as Evan kept his back to the door. Annie suddenly felt nervous. She had been in the house a dozen times since she had moved down from Manchester with Sam. She knew the layout of the house well.

"Is there any news on Alex?"

"Yes" Annie lied as she perched on the side of the sofa. "I wanted to tell you myself.

"Annie?"

"Peter Drake has been arrested for attempted murder" Annie lied "Gene and Alex asked me to come and collect the children"

"No Molly is to stay with me" Evan looked horrified.

"Just Molly? What about Ruby?" Annie stood up and straightened her skirt. She knew Molly had left with Ruby and Phyllis. All she had to do was get herself out the house.

"And the baby of course"

"Ruby. Her name is Ruby"

"Oh course"

"Evan" Annie sighed "It's over. Alex is safe. She's with Gene at the station. In case you were about to ask. You remember Alex? The woman who was practically a daughter to you" Annie glared as she shook her head. Brown curls bounced round her face as she spoke.

"What? No" Evan shook his head as Annie walked to the door.

"Yes. Molly and Ruby are in the car with Phyllis." Annie stepped back as Evan grabbed her wrist. "Let me go Evan. Don't make this worse for yourself"

"Annie" He pulled her across the room to him. She hoped Phyllis just took the girls and left as she fell across the room.

"Evan, let me go" Annie barked as Evan held on to her.

"You have to understand" Evan held both her wrists "You have to understand how difficult this is"

"Let me go. I don't have to understand anything" Annie shouted. "I will never understand how you can do this! You brought her up and now what? Sell her out to her ex and Keats? Why Evan? If I must understand then explain it to me" Annie felt her back hit the wall as he gripped her wrists.

"I did what I had to do"

"Is that so?" Ray delivered a sharp punch to Evan's back as the thin man fell to the floor.

"Good timing" Annie smiled as Ray took her hand.

"Cheers, you alright Annie luv" Ray took her hand "Sam is outside with Phyllis. Told him to look after them"

"Bet he took that well"

"Yeah" Ray laughed "Right, I better read the lawyer 'ere is rights"

"If you must" Annie glared.

"My rights? What are you arresting me for" Evan barked.

"Accessory to abduct Alex. Perverting the course of Justice. Being a pompos prat" Ray shrugged as Annie began the caution.

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Gene swore as he realised he could get through the gap he had created. The rain that had been threatening earlier began to fall as he squeezed through the gap. He could barely see in the dingy half light of the garage.

"Bolls?" He knelt on the floor beside her as she lifted her head.

"You came for me" Alex almost slurred.

"I'll always come for you, you daft bat" Alex smiled as he pushed her hair from her eyes.

"Gene" She smiled slightly.

"Can you stand?"

"Yes" Alex nodded. She felt sick and a little dizzy as she stood up.

"What the Hell happened to your face?" Gene noticed the bruise on her cheek and the bruising under her eye as she leant heavily against him.

"Got hit. What is it with you men? How come you all know exactly where to hit so that it feels like your face is about ot explode?" Alex winced as she took a step forward. Her foot burned as she tried to take a step forward.

"Not all men Alex. Not me" She nodded as she felt him brush her hair from her face. "Come on, you aint gonna be able to walk far" He scooped her up in his arms as he carried her out of the lock up. "Lets get the girls and go home"

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A/N Just another chapter and an epilogue to go now x Please review.