Gene loved this feeling. The feeling of waking up and remembering something amazing that you had convinced yourself was a dream.
He could feel her in his arms, her light breath on his neck, her leg swung over his body and her palm resting on his chest. Gene looked around the room – Alex's bedroom. It was very early morning and he knew they would have to get up for work soon, but Gene wanted to salvage this moment. Alex in his arms, the two of them intertwined in her bed and their clothes scattered all over the floor.
Pressing a light kiss to her forehead, Gene saw Alex smile adorably as she gently opened her eyes.
"Morning gorgeous," Gene smiled.
Alex mumbled a reply and then snuggled up to Gene once more, burying her face in his chest.
"Hey, c'mon Bolly No-Knickers," Gene winked, "up yer get."
Alex looked up at him with her huge hazel orbs, and a spark of need shot through Gene. Before he knew it, his lips had claimed hers as he kissed her passionately, slipping his tongue into her mouth as Alex gave a gentle moan in appreciation. Gene carefully untangled their limbs and positioned himself on top of Alex, settling in between her legs as he continued to kiss the life out of her.
Alex was in paradise. As Gene tenderly made love to her, she ran her fingers through his soft hair as their tongues danced. It was perfect. Complete bliss.
After lying in each other's arms for what seemed hours, both Gene and Alex knew they were going to have to put in an appearance at work. They still had scum to catch and crimes to solve.
"Gene," Alex said carefully as the pair began to put their shoes on after getting dressed and washed, "erm…what are we going to do about…arriving together?"
Gene stood up, his boots on, and stared at Alex thoughtfully.
"I'll drive us over," he decided, "then you go in first. I'll follow ten minutes later."
Alex's heart sank. "Oh. Okay."
Noticing her glum expression, Gene took Alex's hand in his. "Bolly…I just don't think its wise for CID ter get the wrong idea –"
"The wrong idea?" Alex repeated, astounded. "You…you mean…this was just a one off? Gene…you…you…"
"No, no, Bolls, not like that!" Gene panicked, grabbing her shoulders and squeezing them lovingly. "I mean…Jesus, I'm shit at this. I just mean we should keep…us…on low key for a couple o' days. For us both to get sorted what we want before the others start making our minds up for us. Yer…yer get me?"
Alex relaxed, and kissed Gene tenderly on the lips. "I understand. Sorry, I just…thought I was being walked out on again, you know…so…so you do want an…an 'us'?"
Gene grinned. "Course I do, yer daft tart. Who else am I goin' ter want?"
Alex snuggled into Gene's embrace, her panicked heart rate slowing down. "Good," she sighed, "because so do I."
Gene kissed the top of her head. "C'mon then, Bollykecks. We've got a murder to solve."
-xx-
"Ma'am definitely got her knickers off last night."
"Quiet, mate, she's only in the Guv's office. She might 'ear you."
"Shut up, Chris. She's probably gettin' a bollocking from the Guv about something. But I tell yer, she got some last night."
"How do yer know?"
"Easy. Her lips are swollen, she can't keep the grin off her face…she obviously sucked someone off."
"Ray, don't be so disgusting!" Shaz snapped at her male DI. "Ma'am 'as more respect for herself than to go with random blokes."
"Oh-ho, you clearly don't remember that Thatcherite a couple o' years back, then?" Ray laughed. "The one whose face she was eating in the middle o' Luigi's?"
The three of them jumped and pretended to be working as the Guv's door slammed open, Gene and Alex leaving it confidently.
"Right," Gene boomed, "anything new?"
"Stone's still in the cells," Ray explained as Alex sat down at her desk, "and no more murders 'ave been reported. There hasn't been a murder for a week, when before Ellie's murder the killer struck about twice a week."
"And how convenient that our little friend Ed Stone is locked up," Gene smirked, "I think I smell a link."
"We can't just close the case, Guv," Alex butted in, "we don't know for certain it was Stone, especially if he had alibis."
"Probably made up," Gene snarled, "a couple of them were just him hanging out with those bastards he calls mates. They could be covering for 'im."
"We can't just assume that," Alex said in exasperation. Gene ignored her.
"Talking of his mates, I asked Viv to find out about 'em," Gene remembered, "Ray, go and get Viv and bring 'im in 'ear. I want ter know if he's found anything."
"Guv," Ray nodded, leaving the room. He returned in a matter of seconds, Viv right behind him, carrying some files and statements.
"Viv," Gene said loudly, everyone in CID's attention on the Desk Sergeant, "what 'ave yer got for me?"
Viv grinned. "Not a lot could be found on two of them – Liam Turner and Carl Jaspers," he reeled off, "and as you already knew, Ellie Parker was Ed Stone's stepsister. However, I did find something on the leader, Richard Gordon, that might proove of interest to the investigation."
"Go on," Gene prompted him as everyone listened eagerly.
"Gordon used to be in a long-term relationship with the deceased Ruth Anderson," Viv revealed, "and she split up with him about a month ago."
"Which would give him and his gang the perfect motivation to kill her," Gene insisted, "excellent, Skip! These tossers just keep popping up. I think we can as good as arrest all four of them, or at least Gordon and Stone."
"Guv!" Alex said desperately. "Just because Gordon dated Ruth and Ellie was Stone's stepsister it doesn't mean they're the murderers!"
"Oh for God's sake, Alex!" Gene snapped. "Why do yer want ter protect them so much?"
"I don't want to protect them!" Alex gasped, horrified. "I'm just thinking rationally! We're looking for a skinny bloke for one, and all of them are heavier than about fifteen stone! Plus, they have alibis…well Stone does at least…"
"They're linked with rohypnol drugs," Gene spat, "they get off on sexually assaulting women, they both 'ave connections to at least one of the targets and they're bastard scumbags. It's good enough for me. Right, Raymondo, Wonder Chris! With me. We're goin' ter arrest Gordon. Bring Turner and Jaspers in as well."
"I'm coming with you," Alex insisted, "I'm not letting you lot go off on your own with these biased thoughts in your head."
"You're not goin' anywhere near 'em," Gene growled, pushing Alex back in her seat, "I want you where it's safe."
"Gene, I'm a DI!" Alex complained. "I'm coming! Anyway, like they're going to try anything with you, Chris and Ray with me." Alex widened her large eyes and pouted. "Please Gene?"
Gene sighed. "Fine," he muttered, "but they so much as think about touching you and you're back in the Quattro. Comprende?"
"Yep," Alex nodded, lightly brushing her fingers against his as the four of them made for the door. Gene's heart leapt at the contact.
Bloody woman, he thought fondly.
With Gene driving, they managed to reach the skinheads' place in just over twenty minutes. Screeching the wheels of the car, they pulled up outside the wrecked house.
Just as Gene was about to ram the door down, it opened. Alex's eyes widened as the gorgeous, olive-skinned Oliver Sarouche stepped out, seemingly confused at seeing the four CID detectives standing there.
"Alex," Oliver breathed, "how are you?"
Alex swallowed. "I'm fine, thank you. Now's not really the time though, Oliver. We're hear to speak to Rick Gordon."
Oliver frowned. "Well, he's in there with Liam and Carl. How are your bruises, baby?"
"Ray, pass us the sick bucket," Gene butted in, earning a scowl from Alex.
"Healing," Alex smiled weakly, "now if you'll just let us pass –"
"Christ, your lips look swollen still!" Oliver gasped as Ray and Chris sniggered with laughter.
"Right, that's enough!" Gene burst out as Alex blushed madly. "CID business now, you airy-fairy poofter, so if you don't mind we're goin' ter arrest the tossers. Move."
Oliver moved quickly, leaning in to give Alex a peck on the cheek before he walked down the road. Gene looked on jealously as Alex frowned in confusion, gently touching her cheek.
"When you're quite finished, Bolls," Gene muttered, bashing down the door, oblivious to Alex's look of disgust at the intimate contact from Oliver.
Gene, Alex, Ray and Chris charged into the skinheads' house and into their large living room. Gordon, Jaspers and Turner stood up in shock.
"What the hell?" Gordon boomed. "Get the hell out of our house!"
"Rick Gordon, you're under arrest," Gene barked, getting straight to the point, "now we're taking you down to the station for a few questions. You two dickheads as well. Now shift yer fat arses and move!"
"Na, I don't fink so!" Gordon snarled. "You already took Stone! We ain't done shit!"
"Ray, cuff 'em," Gene growled as Ray stepped forwards. The three skinheads stepped away.
"What we done?" Jaspers ordered.
"We have reason to believe the three of you may have connections to a murder," Alex explained calmly, "you don't have to say anything, but anything you do say may be held against you as evidence."
It seemed as if Gordon, Jaspers and Turner had only just clocked Alex. Their grins stretched into lecherous leers, and Gene didn't like it one bit.
"Hello gorgeous," Gordon winked at her, "come back for some more?"
SMACK. Gene's fist had connected with Gordon's face, blood spurting from the man's nose.
"Gene!" Alex screamed. "Gene, stop it!"
"GET OFF HIM!" Turner fumed, lunging at Gene and punching him, Jaspers joining in.
"OI!" Ray and Chris yelled, grabbing both Turner and Jaspers and dodging a few punches of their own.
"STOP IT!" Alex shrieked. "JUST STOP IT, ALL OF YOU!"
It was chaos. Ray and Chris were fighting off the furious Jaspers and Turner, scrabbling desperately to get the cuffs on them both. Gene and Gordon were fighting tooth and nail, both their faces sporting smeared blood and cuts.
"STOP!" Alex screamed, grabbing Gene and trying to pull him back. "STOP!"
"Ma'am, get away!" Chris yelled at her desperately.
Gene shoved Alex backwards and she collapsed on the ground with a yelp as he continued to fight. But this didn't stop the fiery DI as she got to her feet instantly, ignoring the bruise that was certain to form on her side.
Suddenly, Gordon had Gene pressed against the back of the sofa, hitting him thunderously. "YOU PIG!" Gordon seethed.
"GET OFF HIM!" Alex shouted, hitting Gordon with all her might. Just then, Gene kicked Gordon firmly in the crotch and clenched his fist, hurtling one of his most powerful punches towards the man.
Alex screamed as she saw what was coming. As Gordon had ducked in pain, cradling his crown jewels, Gene's fist was spiralling towards her.
It happened in a flash. There was a horrific thud as Gene's fist connected with Alex's cheek, lifting her off her feet and sending her flying backwards, knocking into a cabinet with a bang.
Then there was silence.
The devastating air as everyone realised what Gene had done.
Gasps of shock from Chris and Ray as even the three thugs were stunned into stillness.
The gentle whisper of 'Bolls' as Gene's voice sounded broken and ashamed.
And then the gut-wrenching, heartbreaking cries of Gene's precious Alex hurt and in pain.