Hey everyone! Thanks for all of the lovely reviews so far and for all of the favourites and story alerts. I thought I'd post this chapter quickly as your reward ;) and because it's sort of just a filler. Please continue to read and review as that's what keeps me going Please let me know what you think of this chapter, as it's quite long for a filler and I'm not too sure about it. Thanks again xx

Alex arrived late to the CID office the next morning to glowering looks from Ray over his morning paper. She almost didn't hear Shaz offer her a cup of tea; she was too preoccupied with finding out if Ray had told Gene. If he had, it wouldn't only be the case that could fall apart.

As she looked through the glass of the gov's office and remembered how close they had came to being together, so many times now. Looking at him now, she had no idea how she could even look at any other man. But then she thought about Alastair, about how he had kissed her, wanted her unashamedly. Alex had never understood how some people could be in love with two people simultaneously, but she was learning quickly. Although, she knew with Alastair it was a purely physical thing and she didn't love him, Alex loved the way he made her feel. And, with Gene... it was complicated to say the least, but she knew, deep down, it was love she felt for him.

Alex sat at her desk with no real intent of working and managed a small 'thanks' as Shaz brought her a mug. She took a sip and began sifting through paperwork to make herself look busy; she wondered why, as no-one else seemed to bother. Ray had his paper, Chris was looking nervous as he always did just be before he talked to Shaz, and even she was looking rather distracted. Everything seemed normal, which should mean Ray had kept his mouth shut.

"Bolly!" Maybe she had spoke too soon... "Get your arse in here!"

She took a deep breath and felt Ray's eyes follow her into Hunt's office. Alex closed the door and felt nerves overcome her as Gene proceeded to close the blinds. She brought her hands to rest on her hips in an attempt to seem relaxed but she realised it must look stiff and so perched on the side of Gene's desk instead.

"So? Any progress?"

'Thank God, he didn't know'. "Well, he hasn't asked me to do any more deliveries..."

"I knew it," Gene barked, "it was too soon to cross him like that. And you managed to get that poor sod Bartlett a few nights stay at the local hospital!" Alex gave him a blank stare, indicating she had no idea who Bartlett was. "Bartlett! The guy whose drugs you stole! Jesus Christ, Drake, what the bloody hell's going on?" She never forgot a victim's name, ever.

"I'm getting there, Gov, it's early days yet. He trusts me, I know he does. Actually, I think he has a bit of a thing for me..." Well, it wasn't a lie; it just wasn't the whole truth.

Gene's face turned white. "He hasn't... tried anything, has he?" Alex's silence told him more than she could or would have. He leapt from his chair, but Alex stopped him, knowing he what he was going to do. "You're not going back, it's too dangerous... I bloody told you!"

"I can't just not go back! He trusts me. Maybe it'll be useful that he has feelings for me."

"However bloody flattering this is for you, it's not worth risking your life over! I'm pulling you out of there."

"Wasn't this the reason you put Ray in there with me, to keep me safe?" Alex felt an immediate pang of guilt on Ray's behalf. "I can handle this, I promise. Let me nail Stoke." 'Bad choice of words, Alex,' she thought while trying to suppress a blush.

"Tell me what happened."

"What? Why?"

"Why? I am your DCI, Drake and don't you forget it. I am responsible for your safety, and... well, I deserve to know what happened."

"Well, he invited me up to his office for drinks..." Gene put his face in his hands. "Don't you dare lecture me about drinking on the job!"

"...Continue," he said with a slight nod.

"He started talking about power..."

'The lie begins.'
..."and how some women found it very attractive in a man. He, um, put his hand on my neck and, before I knew it, he was kissing me. I pulled away..."

'Bit of a fib.'

"...but his hand slipped under my shirt and he continued to kiss me."

"Alex, did he stop there?" Alex sensed the hope in his question, even though there was no hint of a rising inflection. She nodded. "Why, what made him stop?"

"There was a noise outside which sounded like a scuffle in the bar, like glasses being smashed."

'Not a complete lie...' There was no way she could have told him that Ray had burst in. He would wonder why Ray hadn't told him before now. It would have to a secret between Ray and Alex. And Alastair.

"You do realise that you were incredibly lucky he didn't rape you. What happened when he came back?"

"I told him that the interruption meant that I wasn't in the mood anymore."

"So now he thinks you're up for it? Fantastic, fandabe-bloody-dozy!"

'I was.' "What else could I have said? You said it yourself, he could've raped me! And surely, the fact that he accepted that I wasn't going to sleep with him then shows that he has feelings for me?"

Gene slammed his fists on the desk and stood up. "You sound like you bloody want him to have!"

Alex rolled her eyes, hoping it was convincing enough. "Don't be ridiculous..."

"What's your excuse going to be next time, eh, Alex? 'Oh, I'm too tired'", he began, mimicking Alex, " 'I can't cos I'm saving myself', 'I can't, Alastair, I've got the decorators in downstairs..."

"Don't be so disgusting. I'll think of something, okay?"

"You better had. And soon."

Alex gave a slight smile and left his office. She sat down before realising that Ray had followed her over. He still looked as angry as he had the night before..

"I hope you told him what happened."

"I did. Sort of... Well, I couldn't tell that you'd burst in because then he would've wondered why you hadn't told him straight away, and if I told him everything then he'd have pulled me out of there and..."

"And you want to get your leg over before that happens?"

"If we weren't in this office I'd have slapped you for that. You know it isn't like that. You know I'm not like that."

"I thought I did, DI Drake, but now I'm not so sure. We need to come up with a plan if this is going to work, and you need to be straight with me, senior officer or not."