Alex dressed quickly in her tight jeans and an oversized sweatshirt. Pulling on her boots and running a comb through her hair, Alex rubbed the sleep out of her eyes as she closed the door to her flat. Walking out into the darkness, Alex couldn't help but feel nervous. It was the early hours of the morning, pitch black and sinister. The alley near Luigi's was about thirty seconds walk away, but it was going to be thirty long seconds.

Wishing she'd brought a torch, Alex found herself losing her bearings. The alley was only around here…surely she couldn't be that lost…

Suddenly, Alex felt a strong arm grab her wrist as she went flying into the man's chest, screaming in fear as she slapped at him blindly.

"Whoa, whoa, bloody 'ell, Drake! It's me! It's me, Ray!"

"Ray?" Alex gasped, her heart hammering.

"Yeah – the body's down 'ere, you were goin' the wrong way –"

Ray stumbled as Alex shoved him roughly, her eyes laced with scared tears. "Don't you ever grab me in the dark again, Carling, do you understand? I thought you were…you were going to…"

Ray looked down awkwardly before nervously patting her arm.

"Sorry Alex. Erm, its just down 'ere…yer all right, yer safe…the Guv's down 'ere with forensics…"

Alex followed Ray down the alley, desperately trying to get rid of any evidence of tears before Gene saw, because after Ray's comment in Luigi's, Gene would put two and two together and make five by thinking Ray had intentionally hurt her again.

"About bloody time, Bolls!" Gene snapped, approaching her under the streetlights. "Couldn't find yer knickers?"

"Piss off, Guv," Alex muttered, "what's going on then? You said it was Ellie Parker?"

Gene sighed. "Yeah. Poor girl. Same MO as the others – raped and murdered. Strangled."

Gene, Alex and Ray approached the covered body of the young Ellie, a white sheet only leaving her head visible as the forensics babbled about the scene trying to collect evidence.

"Reported found about half an hour ago," Gene looked into Alex's eyes, "by one Mitch Roberts. That bloke just keeps popping up."

Alex rolled her eyes. "Oh give me strength, Gene. If Mitch murdered his colleague, his girlfriend and now his girlfriend's friend, why would he report it? Murderers just don't do that."

"Maybe to throw us off the scent," Ray offered, "ter make us think he didn't do it?"

Alex left Ray and Gene discussing as she approached Ellie. She sighed; another young life taken. It was then that Alex noticed the thin red line circulating Ellie's throat, once again as if she had not been strangled by hand.

"I knew it," Alex muttered to herself as the scene evolved around her.

CID was extremely busy the next day. Over the hours, they had made little progress on the cases apart from discovering that like the other three, Miranda Lawrence and Ellie Parker had also been drugged. As the day approached six o'clock in the evening, Ray and Chris were interviewing Mitch Roberts, Shaz was making phone calls and Gene and Alex had just arrived back from the forensics, bursting through the double doors with expressions that couldn't be more different. Gene was pouting moodily and Alex was smirking superiorly.

"Strangled by a thin rope," Alex announced smugly, "just what I said all along."

"Do you ever shut up, woman?" Gene snapped, slamming the door to his office. Alex caught Shaz's eye and suppressed a snigger as the WPC put the phone down.

"Guv don't really like being wrong, Ma'am, does 'e?" Shaz grinned at Alex.

"Nope," Alex laughed, "he'll come round. He just needs to re-inflate his ego."

"DRAKE!" Gene roared. "IN 'ERE, NOW!"

Alex sighed as she smiled at Shaz and sashayed into Gene's office, his eyes drawn to her long legs exposed by the tight, short skirt she had decided to wear to work.

"Tomorrow you're on paperwork," Gene barked, slamming the door as Alex's jaw dropped, "I want Roberts' statement typed and his files gone through."

"But Guv," Alex protested, "that's hardly DI work…"

"And," Gene continued, ignoring her, "I am takin' Ray with me to interview suspects tomorrow whilst you're sitting on yer sorry little arse in here reflecting on how to behave towards a superior officer."

Alex's lips pursed together tightly. "Just because I was right," she muttered, "you were wrong, and I was right, and you can't handle it…"

"Shut it!" Gene yelled. "Now march your pert backside over to yer desk and get started. I don't want you leaving this office tonight until you've finished writing the report on Ellie Parker."

Alex's jaw dropped, if possible, even lower. "But Guv!" Alex cried. "That'll take ages! You can't…I…I'm meeting Oliver Sarouche at eight, I've got to change and freshen up, you know that…wait…you know that!"

Alex's expression suddenly changed, her eyes narrowing and blood boiling as Gene blushed involuntarily.

"You know that!" Alex seethed. "You jealous bastard, you just want me to be late for Oliver! Make him think he's been stood up!"

"Don't flatter yerself, sweetheart," Gene snorted, "I don't give a rat's arse what fancy tosser yer gettin' yer knickers off for this week. I just want Ellie Parker's report done, tonight. Don't you dare show your face in Luigi's until you've finished it, Drake, and that's an order."

And with that, Alex stalked out of Gene's office, tears in her eyes.

-xx-

Whatever Gene had been hoping for, it wasn't this. This wasn't supposed to happen. Alex wasn't supposed to charge up to her flat at half-past seven, report finished, only to return at a couple of minutes to eight looking like the most gorgeous thing on two legs.

Gene swallowed his drink with difficulty as he clapped eyes on her. Alex was wearing an extremely short turquoise dress that clung to her curves, showed a tantalising glimpse of cleavage and barely covered her perfect arse, high black heels that made her already long longs look positively endless, soft makeup and her bobbed hair left loose, free of the quiff. Gene's mouth opened in awe, beer dribbling down his chin as turned away hurriedly, wiping his mouth in embarrassment.

Alex wasn't coming over to him. She was still hurt from his actions at the station, and Gene didn't blame her. Why would Alex want him when Oliver Sarouche was interested? He should have taken his chance when he had it. Now he had no right to stop her dating.

Oliver arrived at five-past eight, approaching Alex confidently and not hesitating to kiss her on the cheek. Before Gene could so much as blink, Oliver had bought Alex a drink and whisked her away to a secluded corner booth. Gene looked on, his eyes never leaving the scene.

Many drinks later, Gene's blood was continually boiling as he heard Alex's sunny laugh one too many times and witnessed Oliver affectionately stroking her leg. He had half a mind to waltz over to the bastard and smash his head against the wall.

"It must be difficult," Oliver smiled at Alex, "working in a police station ruled by men. I do hope they treat you right, sweetheart."

"They do," Alex nodded, "they're a bit of a misogynistic lot at times but we all look out for each other."

"So what made you want to become a detective?" Oliver asked her, leaning in softly so his lips were inches from hers. "I would have thought modelling would be more up your street."

Alex blushed. "I don't know really. I just wanted to make a difference. Get inside the criminals' mind, and stop crimes that way, you know?"

Oliver took a breath as if to answer her, but then a loud rumble was heard from behind him.

"Wahey! It's Oliver and 'is totty!"

It was the four skinheads, all pulling up chairs and joining Alex and Oliver at their table. Gene looked on protectively, ready to step in if anything got out of hand.

"We ain't been properly introduced, darling," the beefiest skinhead said lecherously, "I'm Rick Gordon, this is Ed Stone, that fatty is Carl Jaspers and he's Liam Turner. Oliver's mates. Who are you then, sweet tits?"

Alex tried not to look repulsed. "Alex Drake," she said primly, scooting closer to Oliver as he swung an arm around her.

"Posh totty, 'ey?" Gordon winked. "Face of an angel, figure of a slut," he leered, reaching out to stroke Alex's leg before she whipped it away quickly.

"Piss off, lads, yeah?" Oliver sighed as Gene watched furiously from afar.

"Nah, we're gonna buy the lovely Alex a drink, ain't we boys?" Stone decided. "Jaspers, get off your arse and get this babe a drink!"

"I'll go with him," Turner said quickly, nudging Jaspers and winking before they nodded at Gordon and Stone. Alex looked at the four of them worriedly, but was reassured by Oliver's hand in hers.

"One more drink, love?" he suggested. "You can get to know my lads. Top blokes."

-xx-

'Top blokes' did not match the description of Oliver's rough mates in Gene's opinion. An hour later, the four of them were completely pissed. The problem was, so was Alex. She was uncharacteristically drunk. Gene had seen her at her worst, but this even topped that.

Gene was worried about her. She was sitting on Gordon's lap, her arms flung round his neck as Stone sat close by, stroking her leg. Turner and Jaspers were singing loudly and very out of tune, winking at Alex as she applauded dramatically and howled with laughter. Oliver was sitting in the corner, seething.

Gene had had enough as he marched over to the drunks and Alex, but was quickly intercepted by Oliver scrambling to his feet and approaching Gene.

"We need to get them off her, Hunt," Oliver gulped, "she's out of it…I don't know what…"

"Oh save it," Gene spat, "this was your date with my Bolly, sunshine. You were supposed to be protecting her, not letting your scumbag mates put their 'ands all over 'er!"

"C'mon darling," Gordon slurred, "let's go back to our place, yeah? Play you some music. We're a band ya see, us four."

"Oh I don't think so!" Gene interjected, his face thunderous. The four drunks all stood up, Gordon still possessively holding up Alex.

"Gene!" Alex squealed. "S'Gene, my Gene…s'my boss, he is…Gene Hunter…no…Hunts…Hunt. S'hard name to say, isn't it? Hunt…"

"Bolls, sweetheart, yer pissed," Gene growled, "come on…I'm takin' you 'ome…"

"I believe Alex wants to come wiv us, pal," Stone sneered, "listen to our music, yeah babe? So back off!"

Alex erupted into a frenzy of laughter, sliding to floor as Gordon pulled her up by her arms and flinging her into his chest, one hand on her waist and the other on her arse.

Gene stepped forwards threateningly. "Don't be bastards," he hissed, "don't take advantage…"

"Gene, I want to go!" Alex insisted loudly, arms flailing. "A band, Gene! It's going to be amazing!"

The men began to stalk out, all of them scrabbling to support Alex as she swayed on her feet, tottering helplessly in her ridiculous heels.

"Lads, piss off," Oliver said desperately as they all exited Luigi's and began to unlock their van, "let Alex go…"

"She wants to come," Gordon spat, "now beat it."

Alex climbed in the back of the van, unaware that Turner and Jaspers were looking up her dress appreciatively as they clambered in after her.

"No!" Gene thundered, rushing forwards. He wasn't prepared for Gordon and Stone's fists to come flying out of nowhere. They floored him, causing Gene to gasp as he hit the concrete ground, hollering angrily after the retreating van, Gordon and Stone swearing from the front seats.

"Hunt! Hunt, get up! Come on, my car's just down the street!" Oliver said desperately. "I know where they live. We can get her back."

Gene got to his feet, fuming and seething. "You better be right!" he shouted at Oliver as they ran to the car. "They've done somethin' to her!"

"They wouldn't!" Oliver insisted. "I was there the whole time. She just got wasted!"

"Alex is never normally this bad," Gene growled furiously, "they must have messed with her drink, the fucking bastards. If anything happens to her, it'll be your bloody fault!"