I don't own Ashes to Ashes
Ok... so maybe not totally angst-free...
----
Saturday morning came and went with a flurry of blankets and clothing, and although Gene tried his best to convince Alex that they could survive without food for the day, the afternoon was whiled away with a combination of shopping and eating. Occasionally he enjoyed himself; when she piled the basket high with new underwear in the lingerie store, with the explanation that her breasts kept falling out of her current sets, he liked to think he was more than enthusiastic. When she was talking about food though, he left her to it and spent the next half hour scouring the alcohol collection for a decent bottle of whiskey.
The evening found them curled up on the sofa, half-watching an old film from the comfort of the sofa, Alex holding a large tub of ice cream with one spoon, and Gene holding a bottle of wine; the floor was already home to several beer cans, and another empty wine bottle, which had fallen on its side. Fitz was sprawled comfortably on the other side of the room with his tennis ball resting idly in front of his nose, watching them absently.
"You still eatin' that stuff?" Gene asked, cringing as Alex lifted the spoon to her lips, polishing it off easily as she glanced round at him. "It tastes like bleach!"
Alex rolled her eyes. "That's because you've ripped half of your taste buds off with all of that rubbish you eat! It's Neapolitan; I used to eat it every Sunday after lunch, but I haven't had it in years." She smiled up at him, resting her head back on his chest as she sighed contentedly.
"I don't eat rubbish," Gene grumbled, pouting slightly, even as he stroked her hair gently with his spare hand.
"Of course you don't," Alex teased, offering him a spoonful of ice cream and laughing when he turned his nose up at it. "I'm sure you regularly partake of fruits and vegetables, and-!" She broke off with a gasp as Gene playfully jerked the spoon from her hand, splashing her face with ice cream as he did so. His chuckle was warm and hearty in her ear, and her attempt to scowl dissolved instantly as he snorted his laughter into her neck.
She was just about to speak when Fitz leapt up onto the sofa, his large tongue swiping across her face repeatedly, to the sound of shrieking laughter as Alex attempted to push him off. Gene could only laugh hoarsely along with her, attempting to avoid the enthusiastic tongue that seemed to stretch repeatedly towards him by tugging Alex more firmly in front of him.
"Y'know Bols," Gene chuckled, his mouth on her neck, watching as Fitz finished cleaning Alex's face, only to push his nose firmly into the ice cream tub. "If me an' you don't work out, I reckon Fitz 'ere wouldn't mind a punt; he can't keep 'is grubby paws off yer!"
Alex, who was busy attempting to keep the ice cream out of the dog's reach, half-laughed, shaking her head. "I'd like to think I could do a little better than a dog, Gene!"
"No," Gene chuckled, kissing her neck lightly. "I've ruined you fer other men, remember? Gotta be a dog..."
"Or a sheep?" Alex suggested, laughing as she pushed Fitz down onto the floor.
"Not for shit," Gene said quickly, shaking his head. "You ain't part Welsh, are you? Can't be shackin' up with a Welsh bird, love."
She giggled lightly, shaking her head in response as she answered. "No, I'm not Welsh... but Welsh people don't actually shag sheep, you know? It's just another excuse for racial prejudice!"
Gene rolled his eyes, pushing the bottle of wine to her lips insistently. "You ain't drunk enough, Bols," he muttered. "Shouldn't be able to formulate an argument at all, unless it's for the relative merits of my exceedingly impressive manhood." He tilted the bottle up as she accepted the drink, watching as she took two large gulps before she pushed his hand away.
"Of course, for me to argue that," Alex murmured, "there'd need to be a counter-argument against all merit..." she trailed off teasingly, and Gene snorted in derision.
"Not bloody likely," he smirked, his free hand slipping downwards to caress the underside of her breast through the fabric of her top. "Never 'ad any complaints," he murmured, "least of all from you." He took a swig of wine, grinning down at her as she rolled her eyes at his smugness. Her fingers toyed with the spoon in her hand, and she glanced up at him with mischief in her gaze; Gene frowned, eyebrows knitting together as he did so. "What?" he asked, glancing down at himself in confusion. "I got something on me face or summit?"
Alex's eyes glinted as she shifted closer, mouth an inch from his as she shook her head, closing the distance easily. Gene groaned slightly, lips melting into hers as his hand strayed down to her waist, eyes fluttering shut while her tongue played gently across his own. He tugged her slightly closer, fingers dancing up and down her spine, remaining oblivious to all but the taste and feel of her...
He remained that way until he felt something cold and wet sliding down his cheek, at which he jerked back sharply, only to be greeted by Alex's raucous giggles as she fell back against the sofa, with her spoon in one hand and the ice cream tub in the other; her body quivered with laughter as Gene's jaw twitched with reluctant amusement, moving slightly away and twisting his hand to place the bottle of wine firmly behind the sofa. His free arm snaked around her waist, hauling her giggling, protesting body on top of him as he rubbed his ice-cream smeared cheek against her neck.
"That wasn't very nice, Bolly," he growled, nipping at her collarbone as she squirmed against his hold. She giggled, continuing to writhe in an attempt to escape his embrace, but only succeeding in alerting herself to the insistent erection between Gene's legs. She rubbed briefly against him, the ice cream held away from her awkwardly as he grunted his approval, eyes glittering darkly. His arms tightened again at the same moment that she went to pull away, and the movement sent the pair of them toppling off the sofa with a loud shriek, which was followed quickly by a dull thump as Alex landed first.
"Bugger!" Gene grunted, groaning slightly as he shifted his weight to prevent crushing her, at the same moment that he glanced down at her; she was still giggling, but now her breaths were slightly sharper, the result of having the wind knocked out of her as she landed. Her chest was heaving as she lay beneath him, and there was a carefree smile on her face that was filled with unmistakeable joy and flirtation. Gene felt himself twitch in his trousers, and a moment later he had abandoned his attempts to move away, and was lying above her once again, ripping at the buttons of her shirt as he pressed his mouth hard into her neck, blowing loudly against the skin until she was shrieking and shaking, laughing loudly while his hands tickled playfully at her hips.
"Stop!" She shrieked breathlessly, pushing at his chest and writhing against his insistent mouth and hands. "Stop! Gene!" His arms wrapped more firmly around her, mouth falling to her breast and blowing another raspberry into the warm skin, chuckling to himself as she shivered and shrieked.
"Can't," he muttered bluntly, pressing his hips closer into hers. "Stuck." His lips followed down the curve of her breast and the flat plain of her stomach, dropping kisses at regular intervals before tugging her skirt off with enthusiasm. She laughed, slightly breathless as she lifted herself onto her elbows, giggling ridiculously at the sight of him, his ice-cream smeared face peppering feather-light kisses over each available inch of skin.
"You don't look very stuck to me," she giggled, pushing the tub of ice cream away as she tangled one hand in his hair, sighing as his elegant fingers teased the creases at the tops of her thighs.
"That," Gene murmured, blowing gently on her hip and grinning as she writhed slightly beneath him, "is beside the point..."
Alex smiled, biting down on her lip as he nipped firmly across her stomach and over her hip, fingers hooking under the hem of her knickers as he did so.
"Mmm..." Gene murmured, kissing back up her stomach slowly. "You're very stickable, though," he mused, sucking lightly on the curve of her breast and feeling her tremble with delight beneath him. "I reckon I could stick you with something a little more-!" He broke off with a splutter as a large, smelly, wet tongue swiped across his cheek, followed by a wet nose that nuzzled far too enthusiastically at his ear. Alex shrieked, whether out of amusement or shock Gene wasn't sure, trying to push Fitz away with the flats of her palms and failing miserably as he leapt back to swipe back at her with his tongue; Gene found himself torn between an odd desire to laugh, and a huge surge of frustration at the interruption. In the end, however, the sight of Alex squirming in discomfort and disgust was enough to win out, and he pushed the dog away with a full, deep and rumbling laugh. Alex leapt to her feet as soon as she could, wriggling out from beneath Gene and leaping up with a noise of digust, swiping at her face and cringing at the dog saliva on her cheek; Gene could only look up and laugh at her, rubbing at his own cheek as she pulled her clothes back on.
"Told you he fancied yer," he grinned, standing up and laughing outright at the look of disgust on her face. "Don't look so insulted, Bols; he's got good taste – I'd make yer my bitch an' all if you'd let me!" He ducked away from her vicious slap, chuckling as he wound his arms around her waist and tugged her into his chest, mouth descending on her neck with a growl. "Now, play nice, Bolly," he teased, fingers tracing down her spine and arse, leaving a gentle tickling sensation in their wake. "Else I'll leave you to stick yourself..." he trailed off, grinning wickedly as his hand slid under the band of her knickers, stroking the soft flesh of her arse with his rough palm. He didn't give her the chance to respond as he lowered his mouth to hers, taking her lip between his teeth and growling lightly in his throat.
"Bed," he growled against her mouth, briefly swiping his tongue against her lip before she placed her hands on his shoulder, pushing him lightly away with a grimace.
"Shower," she insisted, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand and cringing in revulsion. "You're a fantastic kisser, Gene, but you taste like dog!"
"So do you!" He retorted, nipping at her throat with his teeth. "Still shaggable though..."
"Be that as it may," Alex grinned, pushing his head lightly away from her, "there's barely an inch of me that that dog hasn't slobbered all over, and I really think it-!"
"That's fine," Gene murmured, returning to her neck insistently and sucking gently on the sensitive flesh before he continued. "I don't mind slobber... an' there's about nine inches of me that are currently slobber free an' awaitin' your attention, so we really don't have a problem..." His voice trailed off with a suggestive lilt, hips pressing into hers insistently as he spoke. Alex simply laughed, shaking her head and pushing him firmly away.
"If you let me wash, I'll give due attention to any spare inches you happen to have going," she grinned wickedly, licking her lips suggestively before tugging herself out of his embrace, giggling as he blinked. With a coy backward glance, she raced up the stairs, giggling ever more delightedly when Gene pulled off his socks and ran after her, his arms around her waist as he brought her crashing to the floor of the landing with a hoarse grunt.
"Bugger," he groaned, glancing down at his knees as Alex laughed even more. "Too old for this, Bols," he murmured, rubbing his left knee and wincing slightly while she bit down on her lip. "Next time," he went on, cringing as pain shot up his legs, "just get yer kit off, lie back, an' think of England..." He shifted slightly, glancing down at her amused face and sighing to himself, "What is it?"
"Nothing," Alex insisted, though her voice was barely above a whisper, and it cracked with amusement. Gene sent her a warning glance and she giggled, shaking her head shyly as she shrugged. "I just prefer it when you rip my kit off and I lie back thinking of you..." Her tongue peeked out of her mouth and he groaned, resting his forehead on her shoulder as he inhaled deeply, attempting to calm himself as her fingers tangled in his hair.
"I really was gunna let you 'ave a shower y'know?" he murmured, hand teasing up her skirt and stroking her gently through the fabric of her knickers. "Reckon I'll just shag yer now though," he said, kissing up her neck. His fingers found slick, wet heat beneath her knickers, entering her slowly, and he thought she'd given in until his mouth found hers; she clammed up faster than a straight blokes arse in a gay bar, and he groaned as she shook her head and pulled away.
"Dog," she repeated, cringing. Gene sighed, rolling off her and lifting her to her feet with a frustrated pout, eyes running up over her legs as she smiled apologetically up at him. "Sorry..." she murmured, running a hand nervously through her hair; he simply nodded, then grabbed her hand and tugged her towards the bathroom.
"Don't see the problem," he muttered darkly, pushing open the bathroom door and opening the shower cubicle to set the water running, not once taking his eyes off her. "I drool just as much as the dog when you get yer kit off – we may as well just save the shower till later..." His hand tested the water briefly, and he smirked, turning to her without a word and pushing the skirt and knickers from her body; she didn't protest, kicking them off before he lifted her up in his arms and manhandled her into the cubicle with a sigh. "But since we're here..." he trailed off, closing the shower door behind him as he pushed her firmly beneath the warm spray, grinning as her blouse soon plastered itself to her body, begging to be peeled away as he lowered his mouth to her neck.
"Gene," she murmured softly, one hand in his hair as the other struggled against the buttons of his already water-sodden shirt, "where's the soap?"
"Dunno," he chuckled, discarding her blouse and snapping the bra free as he crushed her against him. "But now you're in the shower..." he trailed off, lifting his head up to meet her eyes and grinning wickedly as he pressed her up against the cool tiles, pushing a lock of hair from her eyes as the water continued to shower down upon them. She laughed, reaching down to his trousers with a grin and shaking her head.
"Next time," she murmured, pushing them and his boxers down his hips with an appreciative glimmer in her eyes, "get these off beforehand, ok?"
Gene grinned, lifting up her leg and hooking it around his waist as he rubbed teasingly against her. "Mmm..." he agreed, glancing down at her discarded clothing with a lustful smirk. "Same to you..." he leaned forward, nipping her lip briefly and sighing in frustration as she moved away to pay careful attention to the sensitive flesh of his neck. He groaned, his mouth next to her ear as he spoke.
"If yer can't kiss me on the gob, what the bloody hell are yer doin' there?" He growled, eyes fluttering closed despite himself as he spoke.
"No dog down here," she murmured in reply, lips still paying careful attention. Gene waited a moment, his breathing heavy as she nipped and kissed at his warm skin, before finally he spoke, voice gruff and lustful.
"Soaps on the shelf," he told her softly, reaching between them to slip two fingers into her heat. She gasped, biting upon his collarbone in response as she shivered against him. He waited for a few moments, his body pressed firmly against hers, fingers moving slowly and surely, thumb brushing against her clit as he went... "Now can I shag you?" He asked, biting back a grunt.
She shook her head, lips on his throat once again as she reached blindly for the bottle, her wet hands slipping slightly against the tiles before she found it. "Not just yet," she murmured, squirting the soap onto one hand and lifting it up to his face, giggling as he consented enthusiastically to having his face smothered with soap. It rinsed off quickly, and Gene crashed his mouth down to hers a second later, inwardly wondering if he had ever, in all his years, heard such an absurd excuse to delay a shag... Then he shook himself vehemently, his hand tangling in her hair as he devoured her mouth with his and pushed the thought aside.
Grabbing the soap from her hand, he squeezed it absently, allowing it to trickle down between her bare breasts before moving one large hand to massage her, rubbing gently at first, then more firmly as her kiss became deeper, more demanding. His teeth nipped her lip, fingers of one hand toying with the pebbled nipples, whilst the other hand slid to her hip, squeezing firmly as he dug his nails into soft flesh...
He was faintly aware of the cascading water, and could dimly detect the scent of fruity shower gel, before her leg was around his back and he'd pushed into her with a groan of delight; everything but the feel of her was lost to him, and nothing mattered more than being inside her, joined with her... Her hands scrabbled at his shirt, pushing it from his chest with difficulty, her nails accidentally scratching down his back as she tried to rid him of it. She fumbled an apology, but it was lost against his groan of lust, amidst the violent pleasure that shook through her body as he pounded into her, pushing her repeatedly up against the wall with the force of his thrusts.
Somewhere in it all her hand found his, their fingers tangling together and around each other as he pressed her firmly up against the tiles.
As she tightened around him, as he spilled into her with a blinding flash of light before his eyes, he felt, just as much as he heard the gentle whisper against his lips; "I love you..."
---
Ciaran's trial was set for a month later; the day they found out, Alex was too ill to make it into work, and so Gene reluctantly phoned her to share the news. She was quiet at the other end, curled up on the sofa in their duvet, and apparently not feeling up to a great deal of conversation, as she simply murmured a single word of acknowledgement before swiftly excusing herself to run to the bathroom; he went home at lunch to find her fast asleep on the sofa, with Fitz stretched at her side and his head pillowed on her stomach. Resisting the urge to wake her up, Gene had simply pressed a kiss to her forehead and left, briefly tousling the dog's fur before he went.
Later, when he finally returned home after having taken a slight detour to drink far more than his fair share in Luigi's after, Alex was sat up with a book on her lap, the healthy flush returned to her skin as she read, completely relaxed; he briefly contemplated dragging her up the stairs for a 'welcome-back-to-wellness' shag, before deciding against it, lifting the duvet from the sofa and slipping in beside her with a smirk, before wrapping his arms firmly around her waist.
"Better?" He asked, hand stroking gently across her stomach as he pressed a gentle kiss to her throat. Alex smiled, covering his hand with hers as she nodded.
"Much," she answered, squeezing gently at his fingers and shifting to rest more comfortably against his chest. Gene glanced at her doubtfully, searching her face for any tell-tale signs of illness; she did look better, he reasoned, but it wasn't the first time she'd been ill recently, and there was no knowing whether she really was feeling better, or whether she simply couldn't handle another day slumming it at home alone.
"You're sure?" He asked, eyebrows crinkling slightly.
"I'm fine," she assured him, stroking his cheek almost dotingly. "It's just a stomach bug – Viv was off with it the other day too; it's nothing to worry about, really!"
"Viv wasn't off fer three of eight shifts," Gene replied, narrowing his eyes.
"Well, no," Alex agreed, disentangling herself and pressing her lips to his forehead with a smile, "he wasn't – but then, he's a man, and the lot of you seem to have an incessant need to pretend to be macho, even when you're having your innards chewed by rabid animals." She cut off his retort by catching his mouth with hers, fingers in his hair for a few moments before she drew back, smiling, and evidently pleased with herself. "Now," she murmured, "I'm going to go to the loo – after that, do you think I'll be well enough to merit myself some attention, or should I retire to the bedroom and find other forms of entertainment?" Her eyes twinkled, and Gene groaned, his hand reaching out to tug her closer as his tongue tangled with her own.
"You're a bloody devil, woman," he muttered, standing up and gathering the duvet under his left arm, whilst the other remained wound tightly around her waist. "And one o' these days, I'll 'ave you dress up in red leather and attend to my trident like a naughty little-!" He broke off when she tugged out of his hold, crinkling her face apologetically at the look of bewilderment on his face.
"Sorry," she whispered, "I really do need the loo... but, you keep thinking about it, and I'll-!"
Gene shook his head, sighing slightly to himself. "Mood's gone, Bolly; you can't say leather and loo in quick succession without deflatin' the old todger. I'll just-" He broke off, realizing that she'd already absented herself and hurried into the downstairs toilet. With a sigh, he lifted the duvet and headed up the stairs.
---
Alex slipped into bed a few minutes later, stripping off completely before aligning her body alongside his own; Gene felt his own arousal stir beneath the fabric of his boxers, and he eagerly accepted her kisses, his lips moving against hers both tenderly and passionately as he rolled her to her back. She sighed beneath him, her body soft against his own as he pushed the boxers down on his hips, his other hand tracking gently down over her waist and towards her legs. With a gentle touch he spread her thighs, fingers stroking deftly across her slickness as he deepened the kiss, moving himself between her legs with a groan of anticipation.
"Gene..." Alex murmured, stroking his hair softly.
"Mmm..." Gene replied, kissing down her neck and across her collarbone. "Alex... God, Alex..." His mouth was warm and insistent, his eyes closed as he guided himself to her centre, teasing her entrance with the tip of his erection and sighing in bliss.
"Gene," Alex repeated more firmly, pushing him gently in the shoulder. He stilled, glancing up to meet her eyes as his hand stroked up the outside of her thigh.
"What's up?" He murmured, attempting to keep the frustration out of his voice as he spoke.
"Would you mind if I go on top?" She asked, managing an embarrassed smile. Gene grinned, about to make a smutty reply when she spoke again; "I feel a little bloated, that's all- it'll be better if I-!" She broke off as he rolled away with a groan, hands covering his face as he spoke.
"An' there he goes," he muttered darkly to himself, glancing down at his crotch tellingly, before allowing his head to fall back on the pillow with a sigh. Alex blinked in confusion, propping herself up on her elbow as she frowned down at him.
"What's wrong?" She asked, trailing her hand down his chest suggestively, heading ever lower as her eyes glimmered with lust. "I thought you liked-!"
"I love you ridin' me," Gene muttered through gritted teeth, catching her dancing hand in his own with a stifled groan. "I jus' don't need the extra details about you feelin' bloated!"
Alex rolled her eyes, lying down next to him with a half-laugh. "It's just a little excess air in my stomach, Gene, I'm not-!"
Gene looked at her darkly, as if in explanation, before shaking his head. "Get some sleep, Bolly," he murmured, lifting his arm and letting her cuddle up to his chest, "I'll de-bloat you in the morning." With a resigned sigh, he reached over to shut off the bedside light; not five minutes later, Alex got up to re-visit the toilet, to Gene's intense annoyance – she shrugged off his protests as she padded across to the bathroom, and he frowned slightly as he heard the door click quietly shut behind her, pulling his boxers back on before laying down to wait, his forehead creased in thought.
---
"Bols," Gene murmured tentatively a few minutes later, his hand in her hair as he gulped slightly in a bid to wet his dry mouth.
"Mmmm?" Her reply was tired, followed by a yawn, and Gene hesitated before he spoke again, his voice careful as he did so.
"When did yer last- y'know...?" He trailed off, glancing down at her and feeling her frown against his chest.
"When did I last what?" Alex asked, stifling a yawn as she draped her arm over his stomach, eyes fluttering closed as she listened. Gene's hesitance was telling, and she felt him gulp slightly yet again before he spoke, his voice sounding both dry and uncertain.
"Y'know... the last time you-" he hesitated, glancing down at her again before changing tact completely. "When did we last not shag?"
"Last week," Alex replied, kissing his chest gently. "Now go to-"
"Before that," Gene implored, biting his lip and attempting to make out her expression through the darkness; all he could see was confusion, and he sighed, waiting for a reply.
"The week before that?" She said, frowning. "Or the one before that, after I spoke to Joe? Or after the tape? Or-?" She stopped, hesitating for a moment; her voice was quiet as she went on, attempting to choose her words carefully as she skirted around what she really meant. "When we went up to Manchester?"
Gene sighed, rolling his eyes as he slipped his arms more firmly around her back. "No," he sighed, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. "Wake me up when the penny drops, would yer? Though I reckon it'll clang loud enough to wake the whole street anyway." He closed his eyes, resting his head on the pillow and sighing contentedly at the scent of her hair. She was tense, her face scrunched up in thought, and Gene briefly wondered if her brain had been addled by her stint of sickness before she shot bolt upright.
"Shit!" She gasped, hand over her mouth as she stared straight ahead.
"There it is!" he muttered, unable to resist the opportunity to tease her as he reached over to click the light back on; the sight of her was priceless, and it helped disguise the immediate panic that rose up in Gene's chest at the rapidly dawning prospect. Her eyes were wide, her skin slightly pale, and the hand that wasn't over her mouth was tangled in her hair as though she were about to tug it out - if it hadn't been for the hammering muscle in his chest, or the fact that he himself was counting back the days for the third time in an effort to reinforce his own sense of clarity, Gene might have laughed.
"Shit," Alex repeated softly, lowering her hand to the bed with a slow movement. Gene frowned, sitting up hesitantly as he tried to figure out what she was thinking; his arm went to snake around her shoulders, but she'd already leapt from the bed, rummaging hurriedly through her bedside drawer like a woman on a mission.
"Bols, I-!" He stopped, eyebrows knitting together in a frown as she drew out a small white box. "What the bloody hell 'ave you got one of them lyin' around for!" He asked bluntly, his voice completely bemused. She glowered at him for a brief moment, her expression full of annoyance.
"Why do you think I'd have a spare pregnancy test in my drawer, Gene? To curl my hair and play music on?" She slammed the drawer shut, moving to leave the room with the unmistakeable air of someone on edge; Gene was out of the bed with his arms wrapped around her less than a second later, stopping her in her tracks as he drew her back towards him.
"Alex," he murmured softly, tightening his arms around her. "Don't go in there pissed at me." His voice was pleading and soft, and the rigidity that had previously taken over her body lessened considerably as she turned around to look at him, biting down upon her lip, her eyes glistening slightly.
"What if I am pregnant?" She asked, ignoring his previous comment as she met his eyes with desperation. "I mean – do you want me to be?" She trailed off into silence as Gene's jaw tightened, the vein in his temple throbbing with nervousness as he glanced over her shoulder towards the open door.
Gulping slightly, he nodded slowly. "Yeah..." He murmured. "I mean..." he ran a hand through his hair, wetting his lips with his tongue before he went on. "I mean, it's a bit sooner than I thought," he admitted, gulping once again. "I- I mean... I thought we'd-" He stopped, seeing the fear in her eyes and instantly wrapping her in his arms, heart pounding. "Bugger it," he muttered, kissing her forehead hard. "Yes."
She frowned, glancing up at him. "Yes?" She said, sounding confused. "You mean-?"
"Yeah... I-..." he stroked her hair tentatively, trying to find something to do whilst he attempted to get his mouth around the words that stuck rebelliously in his throat. "Christ, Alex..." he murmured, tracing the tip of his finger over her cheek. "I'd love it, Bols," he finished, watching her carefully.
"You're- you're not scared?" She asked, disbelief edging into her tone. "I mean, you're not-?"
"I'm crappin' it, Bols," he muttered honestly, holding her as close as was physically possible so she wouldn't register the drawn fear and anticipation that clouded his face. "But if you piss on yer stick an' it comes out blue, I'll be cock-a-hoop..." Alex seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, her arms slipping around his back and squeezing tightly. After a few minutes listening to the pounding of his heart, she drew away, nodding to herself and breathing deeply.
"Ok," she murmured, squeezing his hand gently and biting on her lip. "Right... ok..."
Gene frowned, watching her nervously as she inhaled deeply, the white box still clenched in her hand. "Alex?" He murmured softly, stroking her hair and frowning worriedly. She met his eyes, and then shook herself, nodding again.
"Yes... right... Ok... I'll -" she glanced at him hesitantly, then down at the box in her hand as she bit her lip. "Come with me?"
Gene snorted in derision, shaking his head with a defiant laugh. "I ain't watching you piss on a stick, Bolly, no matter 'ow pregnant you may or may not be." His snort carried on, even as Alex glowered at him.
"It's not like it's anything you haven't seen before!" She protested, rolling her eyes.
"Answer's still no," Gene said resolutely, turning her around and pushing her firmly towards the door. "I'll wait 'ere with a fag an' you can go fiddle about with yer piss-stick." He slapped her lightly on the arse, pressing a swift kiss to her cheek before drawing back, hoping she didn't see the grimace that spread across his face at the thought of watching the whole event. She looked at him with pleading eyes, and he gulped, scratching his neck self-consciously.
"Please?" She murmured softly, and he groaned in annoyance at the pleading note that crept into her voice.
"Alright," he grumbled. "I'll stand outside, but that's it!" Still grimacing at the thought of it, he followed her onto the landing.
---
As it transpired, standing outside was equally as bad, if not worse than sitting in the bathroom with her. Though he was spared her odd desire for him to stand by and watch, somehow the noise of her taking the damn thing was just as bad as leaning over and shoving it between her legs for himself. And the whole experience was not helped by the fact that every now and then he'd hear her counting quietly to herself, or quietly encouraging the process along with murmured words.
After hearing her repeated grumblings of "come on, come on, come on!" for what felt like an hour, but was probably in fact as little as three minutes, Gene was inordinately relieved when Fitz appeared, apparently oblivious to the significance of the moment as he dropped his ball at Gene's feet and began wagging his tail encouragingly. With a half-grin, Gene tossed it down the stairs, watching as the dog scrambled to his feet and bounded down swiftly, his paws making such a loud noise on the wooden stairs that Gene flinched away from it; the clattering was repeated a few moments later as the hound raced back up, yapping his delight at the same moment that Alex opened the bathroom door.
---
She stood silently in the doorway to the bathroom, the test still held firmly in her hand as she met Gene's blue eyes. Her lip quivered with emotion as she attempted to speak, but she seemed incapable of making any noise whatsoever; despite trying desperately to think of something to say, Gene could only stand there, watching her carefully and attempting to guess the result through analysing her expression... It was impossible.
He thought he could see tears, but whether they were good or bad was hard to tell in the dim light. She was shivering slightly, but again, it could simply be because she was stood butt naked in the bathroom late at night, slap-bang in the middle of winter- shivering didn't mean anything.
Nervous, and still unable to think of anything sensible and assuring to say, Gene scratched at his neck, willing himself not to blurt out some blunt and offensive remark in an effort to cover up his discomfort. So instead, he stood silently, gulping and watching, his eyes fixed concernedly on hers; she didn't say anything.
It was Fitz who eventually broke the silence a few moments later, sniffing most interestedly around Alex's hands, and sneezing pointedly a moment later, his large head hitting against the floor once, then twice, before he shook himself firmly, settling down on the landing with his eyes fixed suspiciously upon Alex's hand. Gene found himself laughing despite himself, watching Alex carefully as her lips twitched up into a small, almost reluctant smile. He waited a moment, seeing the way she bit down on her lip nervously, before suddenly she was holding the test out towards him, her mouth set thinly as her hand trembled.
He reached out tentatively, his long fingers closing around her wrist as he pulled it towards him, shivers of anticipation tracking up and down his spine as he looked at it... For a moment, his father's all-too familiar, angry, bitter face flashed before his eyes, and his hands clammed up with sweat as he found himself overwhelmed with the reality of the situation; fear gripped at his stomach, clenching and churning repeatedly in his gut, and for a few terrifying milliseconds, he hoped it was negative...
And then Alex's familiar, yet distant voice broke through the haze, words that were said months ago echoing in his ears as he remembered the feel of her hand in his hair, the sensation of holding her, the scent of her shampoo, and the overwhelming assurance that her presence had instilled within him as she'd met his eyes and spoken; "you could never turn out like him."
Warmth spread through him as he glanced down, and as his eyes were met with the sight of a thin blue line, his heart pounded with excitement and adrenaline; the fear was still there, lining his stomach with nerves and clamming his hands with sweat, but the joy won out, the prospect that Alex was carrying his child ousting almost everything else from his mind.
Practically giddy with emotion, he looked up into the depths of her hazel eyes, and gulped, seeing the same combination of fear and joy reflected in the flecks of colour that he loved so deeply, wondering if she knew what he was thinking, if she understood how much it meant...
Without thinking, he drew her into his arms, her naked body stretched wonderfully along his partially clothed one, feeling her trembling with excitement and delight as his lips found hers; the kiss was hard, desperate, tender and loving all at the same time, and he lost himself in the thrill of her response, in the tide of delight cresting in his stomach as she returned the fervour ounce for ounce.
When he finally pulled away, he reached out to cup her face, his hands framing her cheeks delicately as he met her eyes again, unable to keep his mouth from twitching into a grin. "Happy?" He asked softly, stroking away the delicate tears that trickled from her eyes with the pad of his thumb.
"Yes," she whispered, smiling widely through her tears and swiping one-handed at the few he missed. "You?"
He pulled her closer, his arms tight around her back, mouth next to her ear and heart hammering wildly in his chest as he nodded. "Yes," he murmured, stroking her hair.
"Really?" Alex whispered, her head resting against his cheek.
Gene nodded, pressing his lips to her forehead before allowing a smirk to grace his lips. "Yes," he repeated, grinning as he leant forwards to growl softly in her ear. "Come back to bed and I'll show you."
---
;-) Did I fool you? Couldn't have you guessing what the thin blue line was now, could I?
Hope you liked it! As far as the spare test in the drawer goes, I have a friend who keeps three at all times, just in case.... And I could see Alex doing it lol...
Probably only the epilogue to go now – thank you so much to everyone who's read and reviewed so far – I hope it's been worth it. I've got an idea for a sequel, but it depends what Series three brings us!
Mage of the Heart