"Alex…Alex, come on. Yer acting childishly now."

Alex slammed the saucepan she was drying down on the draining board, causing Gene to wince as he hovered in her flat's kitchen.

"Childishly?" Alex burst out. "Oh do forgive me, Gene. Maybe I'm annoyed about something or, I don't know, maybe surprised? Hurt you didn't tell me sooner!"

Gene sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose and closing his eyes in exasperation. He looked up at Alex, shaking his head.

"Bolls, what was I supposed to do? One week into our relationship or somethin' and I blurt out the fact I have a sixteen-year-old son and fourteen-year-old daughter?"

Alex shrieked then, knives clattering to the floor. Gene stared at her in confusion.

"What the –" Gene spluttered.

"Sixteen and fourteen?" Alex gasped. "They're teenagers? Oh this just gets better…"

"Alex, what is your problem?" Gene barked, reasserting his authority and getting annoyed now. "I was married for crying out loud! Only divorced about four years ago. Before then we were married about thirteen years. Of course it's bloody possible I had a family before you!"

"But you didn't tell me, did you, Gene?" Alex cried. "I'm not annoyed that you've told me two months into our relationship as partners; I'm annoyed that we've been close friends for about two years and not once did you mention them. Not ONCE, Gene!"

Gene slammed his fist on the table in frustration. "Well excuse me, Mrs Lady Woman! Excuse me if my personal life didn't concern my colleagues!"

"Oh, so I was just your colleague…"

"Don't give me that shit, Alex. If you were just my colleague we wouldn't be in the relationship we are now. I didn't bloody tell yer because it wasn't the right bloody time. Since things got…well…serious, if yer like, I've been waiting for the best moment to tell yer about them," Gene snapped, drawing breath roughly, "anyway, like you can talk, Bolls! You're not exactly open about yer life before me, are yer?"

Alex clammed up, returning to washing up the pots. She just prayed he wouldn't go there…

But this was Gene Hunt.

"Anyway, you've got a daughter ain't yer?" Gene threw at her. "Twelve or somethin'? So what's the big deal?"

"You know about Molly," Alex snapped back, "you've known about Molly since probably the second day of us knowing each other, not the second year!"

Gene shook his head angrily. Bolly just wasn't going to back down. He stared at her harshly. "Well at least I still contact my kids," Gene growled at her, regretting the words as soon as they spilled from his mouth.

That was the final straw for Alex. She slammed the cutlery down on the draining board and stormed into the bedroom, slamming the door behind her. Left in the silence, Gene could just make out tiny little sobs coming from inside.

Gene Hunt never was one for apologising, but he knew he had said something way too nasty. After giving her five minutes space to calm down, Gene opened the bedroom door and pulled Alex into his arms, kissing her on the head and muttering 'sorry' in her ear. Alex curled into him instantly, wanting his comfort as he soothed her. Gene's heart ached at the thought of upsetting her. Hurting her.

"Yer don't have ter meet them," Gene said flatly, rocking Alex as he leant on the headboard of the bed with his lover enveloped in his arms. "Not if it's goin' ter upset yer."

Alex kissed Gene's cheek lovingly before squeezing his hand. "No Gene, its fine. It…it was a shock, but I can see how much this means to you. I want to be part of your life so much, and this is one crucial step. If it's important to you, I'll happily go up to Manchester with you this weekend. You mean everything to me, Gene."

Gene kissed Alex's forehead. "And you do ter me, sweetheart. I know this could be…uncomfortable, but I promised my kids I'd stay in their lives even after me and their mum split up. And you're a big part of my life now. They need ter know that."

Alex nodded, sitting up to pull herself level with Gene.

"Will they like me?" she asked worriedly, her huge hazel orbs shining with concern. Gene chuckled.

"Bolls, you can charm the pants off anyone," he smirked, "I'm sure they'll love yer. Haven't seen them in three years, mind. Since a year after the divorce when the ex-wife made things difficult."

"Three years?" Alex repeated. "So you last saw them at what, eleven and thirteen? Gene, kids change a lot as they enter their teens. They could hate me."

Gene stroked her cheek. "Don't worry. The ex missus will 'ate yer, but she even hates me so no problem there. Can't speak for the kids though."

"Your ex-wife?" Alex gasped. "I'm…you mean…"

"Kieran and Tiffany live with their mum, yer doughnut," Gene laughed, "so you're goin' ter get the pleasure of meeting Diana as well – the previous love of my life."

Alex swallowed. She was now even more nervous.

"Diana's an evil cow," Gene remarked, "but you can handle her. Scheming little bitch, but you're a tough cookie when yer want ter be, Bolls. Tiff's my little angel. Was a right Daddy's Girl when she was younger…don't know what the last three years 'ave done to 'er though. And Kieran…well, Kieran was always a little shit. Don't know if he's now a big shit or if he's sorted himself out."

Alex laughed, relaxing in Gene's arms again. "Do they know we're coming up this weekend?"

Gene shook his head. "Nope. Better give Diana a phone call though. Been absent ever since I left Manchester so I don't think she'll take too kindly ter me turning up unexpected three years later wi' me new bird."

Alex raised her eyebrow. "New bird?"

Gene winked at her. "Wear somethin' slutty, Bolls. You're ten million times better than she ever was, so bloody well let her know it!"

Alex laughed, cuddling up to Gene as he stroked her hair. She couldn't help but feel excited as well as nervous at the prospect of meeting the ex Mrs Hunt. Meeting the teenaged Kieran and Tiffany Hunt would also be nerve-wracking, but it would ultimately be a battle between herself and Diana Hunt. Looks, clothes, experiences with Gene…Alex had a feeling Diana wasn't going to let the fact Gene had a new partner go easily.

Gene wanted to keep it quiet that he was taking Alex up north. The week in CID passed with nothing out of the ordinary happening; a few arrests, many interviews and a lot of paperwork. They had had another visit from DCI Bill Waltham, and whilst Gene was out of the office he had managed to interview Chris and Shaz about their whereabouts during the Police Ball. Upon returning after an arrest, Gene had the rival DCI thrown out of the building with a string of swearwords tumbling from his mouth.

They were still none the wiser about the theft during the Police Ball, but as this was Fenchurch West's case, the CID officers didn't worry too much about it. The crime scene was fairly low at the moment, which was a good thing considering Alex and Gene were going to be away most likely until Saturday evening. The plan was to drive up Friday after work, sleep over in a booked bed and breakfast then go over to Diana Hunt's house mid-morning on Saturday.

Shaz was the only one that noticed that something was going on when Alex and Gene revealed they weren't going to Luigi's that Friday at six o'clock. Ray and Chris waggled their eyebrows at each other, thinking the Guv was going home to get some. Shaz rolled her eyes and pulled Alex aside before she followed Gene up the stairs of the Italian restaurant.

"I'll be up in a sec," Alex called to him, motioning to Shaz.

Gene nodded. "Hurry up though."

Watching him enter the flat, Alex smiled at her colleague. "Everything all right, Shaz?"

Shaz smiled back. "What's really going on this evening?"

Alex chuckled. Nothing got past this girl. "Don't tell the others, Shaz, because we don't really want people to know. But just in case you need to know where myself and the Guv are…well, we're going up to Manchester for a day or two. Leaving tonight. So I can…I can meet Gene's children."

Shaz's eyes widened as she gasped. "The Guv has kids?"

Alex nodded. "Two. I'm so nervous, Shaz, and I'm meeting his bitch of an ex-wife too. We're leaving soon. So…if anything goes wrong, we're about four hours away so look to Ray for judgement but trust your instincts. Anyway, I'd better go up before Gene wonders what's going on."

Shaz grinned. "Good luck, Ma'am. They'll love you. I'll let you go, and I'll keep Chris and Ray in line for ya!"

Alex laughed. "Thanks, Shaz. I'll see you in the office next week."

"Yeah, let me know how it –"

"BOLLS! ARSE UP HERE! NOW!"

Alex sniggered, hugging Shaz quickly before she raced up the stairs after Gene.

-xx-

"Maybe we can wait another hour."

"No, Bolls. I phoned Diana and after a load o' swearing down the phone she's agreed for us to turn up at eleven. It takes ten minutes ter get there, so we're leaving now. We're not bein' an hour late."

Alex's shoulders slumped as she sat on the hotel bed, twiddling her thumbs nervously. She had opted to wear her skin-tight jeans that accentuated her arse perfectly along with a navy strapped top that displayed a generous amount of cleavage. Gene was adamant she looked good to show Diana up as his ex-wife was a good seven or eight years older than his Bolly and was probably not as good-looking as she used to be. Alex was young and sexy and Gene wanted to show that off about her. But having said that, Gene knew that Alex would even look stunning in a bin bag. Today, she looked casual and gorgeous at the same time, and it was taking an enormous amount of self-control from Gene to stop himself from ravishing her on the spot. Naturally, they had had sex a good few times during the night and the images were still fresh in Gene's mind, so that just made him want her even more.

Gene kissed Alex then, a long, sensual kiss that restored her self-confidence amazingly. "You're beautiful, Alex," Gene breathed, "and sexy and intelligent and gorgeous and funny…lovely ter be around…happy, stunning…Kieran and Tiff will love yer. Come on now. Shake a leg, sweetheart."

Alex took a deep breath and then finally took Gene's hand. "I'm ready," she nodded.

Ten minutes. Ten minutes was all Alex had to compose herself when she and Gene drove off in the Quattro. As they wound round the little streets in the city of Manchester, Alex felt her heart pounding as Gene spotted the road Diana and the kids lived up. She was surprised that she could hear anything due to the thumping of her heart that was shattering her eardrums.

"Here it is, Bolls," Gene said, slightly nervously, "me old 'ome. A couple o' happy memories and a whole load o' shit ones live in that house."

Alex felt sick as they pulled up on the drive. The house was small and quaint; a good old-fashioned semi with a bright red door. The garden looked like it hadn't been tended to in years and the curtains were pulled back unevenly. That was when Alex noticed the figure at the window. Cold eyes glaring towards them.

"Oh my God," Alex hissed, "Gene, is that…?"

Gene gulped. "Yes love. That's Diana."

The door opened then. Alex and Gene clambered out of the Quattro and set eyes on the woman at the door – a tall woman who was a about the same height as Alex with thick blonde hair that waved past her shoulders. She was slightly bigger than Alex, wearing a tight sweater and tight jeans that could give Gene's Bolly a run for her money. Alex swallowed, smiling weakly. Diana Hunt would have been quite pretty if she didn't look like she had a permanent bad smell under her nose.

"Gene bloody Hunt," Diana said with a smirk, "finally decided to show yer face after all these years then? Remembered you 'ad kids? Realised phone calls to 'em aren't enough from their dad?"

"Diana, lovely as always," Gene said snappily, giving her a peck on the cheek out of manners. Alex hovered, hoping that Gene would introduce her. However, Diana got there first, raising her eyebrows as if in disapproval.

"Who's this then?" Diana asked rudely, talking about Alex rather than to her. "Latest bit o' skirt you're shagging?"

Alex felt stung. "I'm Alex Drake, Diana. Gene's partner. Nice to meet you."

Diana smirked. "Ooh, nice to meet you too," she said in a false cut-glass accent, quite clearly poking fun at Alex's voice, "would one like some tea on the veranda?"

"Shut up, Di," Gene spat at his ex-wife, putting an arm round Alex protectively, "we're not 'ere for you. Where's Kieran and Tiffany?"

"Upstairs," Diana answered, still looking Alex up and down, "I suppose I'll call 'em. You better come in, I guess."

Gene led Alex into the living room and sat down next to her as Diana yelled upstairs for the kids to come and see their dad and his 'tart' as she so kindly put it. Coming back into the room, Diana sneered at Alex.

"Just a favour, put yer tits away when you meet my son, love," Diana said spitefully as Alex's face flushed, "Kieran's sixteen, yer know. Recently discovered birds and won't hesitate to stare at yer chest all day."

"That's enough, yer bitchy mare," Gene snapped defensively, "don't talk ter Alex like that, Diana. Not my fault I've moved on but no other sad bugger will take you."

Diana snorted, clearly enjoying the attention from Gene. "That's where we're different, Gene darling," she said sweetly.

"What's where we're bloody different?" Gene frowned, still holding Alex's hand.

"I don't settle for just anyone," Diana grinned maliciously, "I 'ave standards."

Gene barked something back at Diana as Alex's blood boiled. I will not let myself be intimidated by her; Alex told herself firmly, I won't. She's just a jealous, forty-one-year-old trout who can't bear to see Gene with another woman, let alone one that's nearly eight years younger.

Suddenly there was a pounding coming from the stairs as hurried footsteps got closer. Gene stood up, the beginnings of a beaming grin about to stretch onto his face. Alex's heart melted then; it was clear that Gene adored his children, even if they were teenagers now.

The door burst open and there stood an extremely pretty blonde girl. Petite with a beaming smile, her father's sea-blue eyes and the beginnings of a curvy body like her mother's, Tiffany Hunt squealed as she threw herself into her dad's arms, reunited after three years.

"Bloody hell!" Gene smiled as he hugged his daughter tightly, bringing a tear to Alex's eye as Diana sneered in disgust. "Tiff, sweetheart! Come 'ere, you. I've missed yer, poppet. I really 'ave. Christ, not a little girl now, are yer!"

"Nah," Tiffany grinned, letting go of Gene, "fourteen now, remember? Almost as old as you."

"Cheeky mare," Gene chuckled, enveloping Tiffany in his arms again. He looked up, his face lighting up again. "Kieran, me lad! Christ, you're a tall bugger now. How you been, son?"

"Fine," a grunt from the door answered. Alex looked up to see a sixteen-year-old lad that was almost six foot leaning against the doorframe, his eyes not on his dad whom he had not seen for three years, but on her. Kieran had his dad's build and slightly darker hair. The cold, piercing eyes staring towards Alex had been inherited from his mother.

Gene gave Tiffany a last squeeze before shaking Kieran's hand roughly and then walking over to Alex, pulling her up to her feet and snaking his arm round her waist.

"I, er, want yer to meet someone," Gene announced awkwardly as Alex swallowed, aware that Kieran's eyes were still fixed on her, "Tiff, Kieran…this is my partner, Alex Drake. Alex love, Tiffany and Kieran. My kids."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Alex said politely, her heart hammering. Tiffany and Kieran raised their eyebrows.

"Posh one yer got there, Dad!" Tiffany remarked, but not unkindly as they all sat down on the sofas. "Nice ter meet yer. You been with Dad long? How did you meet? Are you getting married? Can I be a bridesmaid?"

"Whoa, whoa, slow down, Tiff!" Gene spluttered as Alex's sunny laugh brightened up the room, a genuine liking for Tiffany evolving. "Only been seeing Bolly for about two months. Not rushing things, sweetheart."

"Bolly?" Diana snorted. "What sort o' name is that?"

"It's an affectionate nickname, Diana," Alex replied, finding her confidence, "short for Bollinger Knickers. Adorable, don't you think?"

"And why'd he call yer Bollinger Knickers?" Kieran grunted, his eyes still piercing Alex's skin.

"Erm," Alex blushed, "well, you see, when we first met…"

"Alex is a DI in my police division," Gene explained, "first met her as an undercover hooker. Said it would take a bottle of Bolly to get her knickers off."

Tiffany laughed as Diana looked extremely jealous. Kieran smirked. "And did it?"

Tiffany spluttered. "Kieran!" she gasped as Diana snorted.

Gene frowned at Kieran. "Don't push it, son," he said sternly as Kieran grinned smugly. Alex smiled weakly, trying not to look Gene's teenage son in the eye.

"Lunch will be half an hour," Diana piped up, getting to her feet, "you kids can get ter know yer dad's bird more at the table. For now though…Alice, come and 'elp with sorting the food out? Leave the kids with their dad for a bit; ain't seen the bastard in years."

"It's Alex," Alex shot back, her dislike for Gene's ex growing more by the second.

Gene glared at Diana as he gave Alex's hand an encouraging squeeze. "Go on, love," he mumbled, "need some time with me kids. Don't take anything Di says too seriously."

Alex sighed, kissing Gene on the cheek deliberately in front of Diana as she got to her feet, following the older blonde woman out and into the kitchen as Gene caught up with Kieran and Tiffany.

As soon as the door to the living room closed, Diana wasted no time in sneering at Alex.

"Like sloppy seconds do yer, sweetie?" she said patronisingly, getting the food out of the oven. Alex's jaw dropped.

"Excuse me?" she spat. "If I'm not mistaken, Diana, you and Gene split up about four years ago. It's perfectly acceptable of him to move on. Just because you haven't doesn't mean Gene isn't allowed to be happy."

"And you really think he's happy wi' you?" Diana snorted, putting the main meal on the side and getting the cheesecake out of the fridge. "Oh sweetheart, you really are deluded, aren't yer? Gene don't do love an' romance and all that bollocks after a divorce. He just wants a shag, some rough sex and someone ter get it from. You look like yer fit the bill."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Alex barked back, resisting the urge to shove the cheesecake in Diana's face.

Diana raised an eyebrow cockily. "You only 'ave ter look at yer to tell you've 'ad more men than the local prozzie. Bet you lost it to an older man when you were about twelve or something?"

"How dare you?" Alex gasped, humiliated. "I don't know what your problem is, Diana, but you're going to have to accept that I'm Gene's new partner. I'm not taking this from you."

Suddenly the door slammed, and Diana and Alex looked out the kitchen window in alarm. Luckily, it was just Gene going to fetch a couple of drinks from the Quattro. Staring out at him, Diana licked her lips. Alex noticed this.

"You can't seriously still have feelings for him after a divorce?" she said doubtfully, even though in her heart she knew that Diana was purely trying to mark Gene as her own. She didn't still love him; she just didn't want him to love Alex.

Diana ignored Alex's comment and replied with a rather spiteful one. "Not engaged yet?" she asked in mock sympathy. "Just proves it won't last. Gene proposed to me after one month. I guess that means he just loved me more than he can ever love you. Not too worry, sunshine. I'm pretty 'ard ter compete with."

Alex was about to retaliate, her temper finally reaching its boil, but then the door burst open and there was a roar of fury from Gene.

"No wonder I fucking left this place!" Gene thundered. Alex beamed. He was coming to protect her, to defend her, stand up for her…

"And why's that, Gene my love?" Diana simpered. Gene drew a furious breath.

"These streets are full of scum," he growled, "some bastard's punctured the Quattro! It ain't going anywhere. Where's the nearest mechanic?"

Alex felt sick. No. This couldn't be happening.

Diana cocked an eyebrow gleefully. "I'll call 'em, but the earliest they'll arrive is tomorrow morning. And I ain't driving you anywhere."

"Oh God…" Alex groaned. Gene stared at his ex.

"Well what the hell do yer propose we do, smartarse? Sleep in the car?"

Diana grinned in satisfaction. "Nah, I ain't that much of a bitch. Stay the night, Gene love. It will be…interesting."

And with that, Diana shot Alex a superior, sly smirk. Alex's stomach bubbled. She was not leaving Diana alone with Gene tonight. No way.