Alex was scared. Really scared. The pain wasn't subsiding and it was a lot worse than she remembered with Molly. But then again, Molly was two days late, not four weeks early. A whole month early. Alex didn't want it to go wrong. It couldn't go wrong. Her baby had to be okay.
"ARGH!" Alex groaned as Waltham tried to manoeuvre her into the front seat. "Oh shit…it hurts…sir, it hurts…"
"You're going to be okay," Waltham said briskly as he drove, sweating, "the nearest hospital is only five minutes away. Keep that baby inside you, DI Drake, and that's an order!"
"Like I have a choice!" Alex wheezed. "ARGH! Oh God, you sound like Gene…ordering me not to bloody give birth…"
Waltham skidded round the corner as Alex screamed, feeling a contraction. At this rate she really was going to give birth in her DCI's car.
Alex started to breathe heavily as Waltham felt sick. She took great gulping breaths, puffing her cheeks out in a way that was actually quite comical. But there was nothing funny about what happened next.
Traffic lights. And Alex's second contraction.
As Alex began to whimper, Waltham beeped his horn viciously. Unlike Gene, he did not have the balls to run a red light. Instead, he prayed to God that it would flash to green soon.
As soon as the red flickered to amber, Waltham zoomed forwards and skidded round the next corner. Screeching to a halt in front of the hospital, Alex was now weeping in pain, convinced that something was wrong with her baby and therefore sending her blood pressure shooting upwards. Waltham slammed his warrant card on the dashboard as he parked on the double yellow lines and then sprinted around to the other side of the car in order to help Alex out.
"My baby…my baby…something's wrong, sir, something's wrong!" Alex wailed as another stab of pain shot through her. Waltham supported Alex through the doors, where he began yelling for attention.
"SOMEONE GET THIS LADY SEEN TO!" Waltham roared as everyone looked round in shock. "We have a police officer in labour a month early!"
"Gene…I want Gene…" Alex sobbed as the nurses began to call for the relevant equipment and assigned Alex to the labour ward. She was helped onto one of those beds on wheels that were frequently seen in hospitals just as the fourth strong contraction shot through her. Alex cried out in pain as the nurses dashed about frantically, trying to sort everything out.
"Gene! Please…I need Gene…" Alex wept as she was wheeled away, Waltham jogging to catch up.
He grabbed her hand, rubbing it soothingly, but Alex pulled it away. "I want Gene!" she wailed.
Waltham tried to hide his anger. "What? You want that bastard? The one that put you in this state and isn't man enough to even make contact with you?"
"Yes! Get me Gene!" Alex cried as she breathed heavily.
"It's all right…you'll be okay, Bolly…" Waltham panicked, resorting back to the affectionate nickname given to her by Hunt that he used to rile them both.
"DON'T FUCKING CALL ME BOLLY!" Alex screamed as the nurses jumped. Waltham stopped in the hall as the midwife beckoned the nurses into one of the rooms, taken aback.
Alex was in tears as the nurses gabbled away, ushering her into the labour ward. Alex was nearly out of sight. "GENE!" she screamed as the fifth contraction hit her.
A surge of jealousy flooded through Waltham's veins as he pursed his lips. Clearly five months of flirting had accomplished nothing. But hearing Alex cry, he knew he had to phone DCI Hunt. But just as Waltham was about to approach the payphone, one of the nurses hurried out.
"Mr Drake?" she puffed. "We've just received your wife's files through fax from her doctor. Even though your baby will be four weeks early, it's not highly unheard of –"
"So she's actually giving birth?" Waltham gawped, ignoring the mistaken identity.
"She is currently three centimetres dilated," the nurse explained, "but she's not yet in the active stage of labour. When the cervix reaches close to ten centimetres dilated, it will be time to deliver your baby."
"Not my baby," Waltham muttered darkly, "and she's not my wife. DCI Bill Waltham of the Metropolitan Police. My colleague in there is DI Alex Drake."
"Oh," the nurse frowned, "well where is Miss Drake's next of kin?"
Waltham gritted his teeth. "I'm just about to phone him."
The nurse nodded as she hurried back in to help the midwife. Alex's whimpering had got weaker as the contractions slowed down, but Waltham still had a feeling that it wouldn't be long before the baby was ready. Especially as she was getting this much rapid attention.
Waltham reluctantly phoned Hunt's number, half-hoping that he would be out on a job. Much to his annoyance, Gene picked up the phone quite quickly.
"You better 'ave information for me, yer tosser, or I am goin' ter hang you from your ball sack before yer can say –"
"Well luckily for me, I do have information."
"Hey? Who the hell is this? Nick yer twat, stop acting like a dickhead and tell me what yer found," Gene's voice barked through the phone.
Waltham rolled his eyes impatiently. "Sorry to disappoint, Gene, but its not Nasty Nick. It's DCI Waltham."
"Oh. What the 'ell do you want?"
Waltham sighed. "I just thought you might like to know, Gene, that Alex has been taken into labour and is screaming for you. Closest hospital to Fenchurch West. You know the one? Then get your arse here."
And with that, Waltham slammed down the phone, seething.
His emotions however were completely different to DCI Gene Hunt's.
Gene put down the phone, frozen in fear and shock. His eyes were wide and his heart hammered. Bolly was in labour. Bolly was giving birth to their child. Now. Four weeks early. Shit. He wasn't ready. God, the baby wasn't ready…
"SHAZ!" Gene roared as he stormed out of his office, startling the young WPC at her desk. Shaz looked up, panicked as Chris and Ray also turned their attention to their DCI.
"What happens when a baby's born at eight months pregnant?" Gene demanded forcefully.
"What?" Shaz frowned, confused.
"What happens?" Gene barked, feeling scared for Alex and his child as sweat trickled from his brow.
"Well, it's born at thirty-six weeks," Shaz explained, "which is classed as premature. But thirty-seven weeks is classed as full-term, so it shouldn't be too bad. It's okay. Why?"
Gene breathed heavily. "Alex is having the baby now," he spat in worry as he stormed out the doors. Shaz gasped as Chris and Ray's jaws dropped.
"Oh God," Ray said quietly. "Oh bloody 'ell. I hope ter God that everything's okay. Drake can't take anything else going wrong."
Shaz bit her lip. Please, please just let the baby be okay, she thought desperately.
-xx-
Gene skidded to a halt outside the hospital, deliberately scratching Waltham's car. Slamming the door, he ran up the steps and inside, charging to the reception.
"Alex Drake," he wheezed, "just come in…in labour…she's…I'm the father of the kid…please, where is she?"
"HUNT!" Gene turned at the voice. Clocking Waltham, he saw the fellow DCI beckoning him down the corridor.
"Don't worry," Gene nodded apologetically, charging towards Waltham like a madman.
"Where is she, Waltham?" Gene ordered as they walked briskly by all the different wards.
"In there," Waltham pointed, coming to a stop, "go in, tell them you're the dad. They wouldn't tell me anything once they realised I wasn't the father."
Gene took a deep breath. "Cheers," he muttered, walking in.
"AAAARRRGHHHHH!" Gene gasped as he took in the sight of his beautiful Alex lying on the bed, sweat trickling down her forehead, tears pouring down her cheeks and the midwife hovering between her legs.
"Excuse me!" the nurse gasped. "This is a private –"
"I'm the dad," Gene burst out, "she's…giving birth to my child."
"GENE!" Alex cried out. "Gene…arghhhh!...oh Gene, it hurts so much…"
Brushing past the agog nurse, Gene sat down on the plastic chair next Alex and grabbed her hand, bringing it up to his lips and kissing it lovingly.
"Hey there, sweetheart," he smiled, his voice brimming with affection as he spoke to her for the first time since she transferred, "come on, yer doing so well…"
"You're almost nine centimetres dilated, Alex," the midwife revealed as Alex whimpered at another contraction, "we're almost ready to push!"
"Make it stop, Gene," Alex sobbed as she squeezed his hand for comfort, "please…owwww! It hurts…it hurts…"
"Yer doing so well…so well…" Gene praised her, squeezing her hand and trying not to let on how scared he was.
"She's fully dilated!" the nurse called out to the midwife as Alex screamed with a contraction.
"Okay Alex, on this next contraction I want you to PUSH!" the midwife ordered Alex as she howled with pain.
"Come on Bolls, you can do this," Gene spurred her on, rubbing her hand as her breath hitched with intensity.
"PUSH, ALEX, PUSH!" the midwife instructed her as Alex shrieked. Alex could feel it. The familiar sensation as she began to welcome a life into the world.
"AARRRGHHH!" Alex screamed as her baby began to crown.
Gene was really panicking now. He hated to see Alex in pain, and to know their baby was early was a truly scary thought. But the nurses and midwife weren't too fazed. Surely, surely that meant everything was proceeding normally?
Gene didn't know what to feel as he watched his baby literally be born. He didn't know where to look, so resorted to kissing Alex's hand and muttering reassurances into her ear as she screamed, his heart soaring as Alex gave that final push and the cry of a baby graced the air.
Gene's heart seemed to have stopped as Alex let out a great gulping breath of relief and the midwife delivered the baby successfully. Gene couldn't help it. He reached over and hugged Alex's exhausted, tired body, wrapping his arms around her as he practically lay on top of her, nuzzling into her neck.
"Oh Alex," he whispered, "I am so, so proud o' you, sweetheart. You did it, Bolls. You did it. Well done, love. Well done."
"We did it," Alex corrected him, her breathing slowing down as her eyes drooped, physically drained. Gene kissed her forehead and was then interrupted with the cough of the midwife holding their baby in her arms.
"Congratulations," the midwife beamed at the pair of them, "you have a son. A beautiful baby boy."
Gene guided Alex into a comfortable sitting position, her back leant on fluffy cushions as she took their son into her arms. The baby had finally stopped crying and thrashing his tiny little fists around. After a quick clean-up, he lay content in his mother's arms.
"My baby," Alex whispered, her voice cracking with emotion and pride. Gene sloped round to sit on the bed beside her, tentatively putting an arm around her shoulders as he stared at their son in awe. Gene's heart soared as Alex rested backwards into him, relaxed in his arms as he supported her and their baby. The midwife and nurses left them for a second, smiles on their faces as they watched Gene and Alex bond over the little bundle of life in that blue blanket.
"He's beautiful," Gene said quietly, "Bolls…I…"
Alex smiled up at him. "Gene Hunt, are you crying?"
Gene wiped his eyes. "No. Got somethin' in my eye."
Alex chuckled as she leant down to kiss her son's head. "I love you," she whispered to her baby, tears in her eyes.
Gene kissed Alex's head. "Have yer…have yer thought of a name, Bolls?"
Alex froze suddenly, remembering the daunting reality that this was the first time she had seen Gene since she'd transferred. He hadn't been there for her at all. Sure, he was here now, but this was a magical, fairytale moment. Alex knew what would happen when they left the hospital.
"Yes," she said quietly, "Zachary. Zachary Bryan…Drake."
Gene expected that.
"It's…lovely, Bolls," he nodded, "can I…can I 'old him?"
Alex froze slightly, but then reminded herself that this too was Gene's son. Even though he wasn't going to be as involved as she was, he deserved this moment.
Taking baby Zachary into his arms, Gene felt an unexplainable rush of pride, warmth and love. Cradling the little bundle in his arms, Gene pressed a small kiss to his tiny forehead.
"Hey there, little 'un," he whispered, "I'm your dad."
The baby shuffled slightly, his hands in tiny fists, each finger topped with a tiny slither of a nail. He was so perfect.
Alex still lay supported against Gene, itching to have her baby back as they didn't have much time before the nurses would come back to weigh him and do the usual checks before putting him in the nursery. Gene noticed this and carefully transported their son back into his mother's warm embrace.
"My baby," she sighed happily, still clearly exhausted, "my beautiful little Zac."
"He's…goin' ter be okay, ain't he?" Gene asked carefully, stroking Alex's shoulder affectionately.
Alex nodded. "Not that you care."
Gene swallowed. He knew she wouldn't stay sweet forever.
"Alex," Gene said awkwardly, "I'm…well…things were difficult."
"Oh poor you," Alex said sarcastically, "yes, poor you, Gene."
"You didn't want ter see me!" Gene burst out. "You transferred! You told me yer didn't want me in the baby's life, which, by the way, ain't happening love. And I still loved yer. I still do. It was bloody hard, Alex."
"Oh well I am sorry!" Alex spat, getting worked up. "I'm so sorry that I overreacted, I mean, you only slept with your ex-wife! You only cheated on me whilst I was pregnant, but hey, life goes on! And I'm sorry, Gene, but not once did you make contact. If you really cared about me or Zac, you would have asked how my scans were going, asked to see photos of your developing child, asked me how I was feeling after throwing up every morning, asked me how I was getting on at work with my DCI hitting on me every minute, asked me how I was coping with mood swings and cravings and a sexist team and every other shit thing that was happening –"
"Hey, hey," Gene soothed her, pulling her into his arms as tears slipped from her eyes. One hand resting by Zac and the other squeezing Alex's shoulders, Gene kissed her head. "I know. I'm a bastard. I'm a bloody, cowardly, stubborn bastard. I'm sorry, Bolly. I really am."
Alex sniffed. Gene bit his lip suddenly.
"But ter be honest, Bolls, I didn't really want ter get involved if it meant meeting yer latest lover-boy," he said jealously, eyes darkening.
Alex looked dumbfounded. "What on Earth are you on about, Gene?"
Gene pouted. "That bloke. The one you're always with. I…I was coming ter patch things up on…on Valentine's Day. And you were with him."
Alex couldn't really remember the day in question, but there was only one man Gene could be referring to. James.
"Oh Gene," she sighed, laughing slightly, "that's DC James Farmer."
"Yeah I know, the smarmy bastard."
"Shut up. He's my best friend. He's really helped me settle in but I think of him as a brother and he thinks of me like a sister. Nothing will ever happen. He's ever so protective and loyal and I love him dearly, but I'm not in love with him."
Gene felt a hell of a lot better. "Really?"
Alex lightly shoved him, careful not to knock her beautiful baby. "Yes, really. You don't have to be jealous of James. If anything, it's DCI Waltham you should be watching out for. He tries it on non-stop, but in such a way that most of the team don't even realise. James is the only one who picks up on it and stops him if he's going too far."
Gene's blood boiled. "Bastard," he spat. Alex looked up at him.
"But you don't have a reason to be jealous, Gene. I don't belong to you."
Gene pouted. "Yeah yer do," he muttered protectively.
Alex sighed, too tired to argue as she rocked Zac lightly, a smile creeping onto her face as she noticed that he had fallen asleep, breathing deeply.
"He has your pout, you know," Alex grinned weakly. Gene chuckled.
"That's my boy," he muttered. Alex looked up at him once more, hearing voices outside and realising that Zac was going to the nursery soon and Gene would be sent out so Alex could rest.
"I…I really appreciate you being here, you know," she smiled at him, "and…you're right. You do deserve to be in Zac's life."
Gene smiled genuinely back at her, gazing into her huge hazel orbs. Before he knew it, Gene had dipped his head lower and pressed his lips tentatively onto Alex's, smiling into the gentle kiss as they moved their mouths in time with each other.
As the kiss became more intimate, Zac gave out a cry and Alex pulled back. She felt awkward as the midwife entered the room and detangled mother and son. A stray tear leaked from Alex's eye as she and Gene kissed Zac tenderly, watching as he was taken to be weighed.
Hugging her tighter, Gene tried to resume the kiss but Alex pushed him away.
"No, Gene," she said firmly, "I…I can't go through this again. I…I want you in Zac's life. I want him to have a father. But you can't be my partner. We can't be together."
Gene felt crestfallen. "But why?"
Alex smiled weakly. "You know why," she sighed, "it didn't work. I'm not putting myself through that heartbreak again. I want to focus on Zac. He needs me. I want you to be there, but not for me. For our son."
Gene looked sad before he squeezed Alex gently. "I will change your mind, yer know," he grinned.
Alex giggled, relaxing in his embrace. "In your dreams, Hunt. No, I'm happy like this, Gene. Friends. You being there for our son. No barriers between us. It's…nice."
Gene snorted. 'Nice' was Alex underneath him screaming his name. Not parting as friends. But he had to accept her wishes. As painful as it was for him, he loved her.
Gene smiled as Alex's eyes drooped closed and she fell into a blissful sleep against him. Rocking her in his arms and kissing her cheek, Gene vowed to always be there for her and his son. Whether they were friends, enemies, partners, lovers…Gene was always going to be there for Alex. And he was going to help her. He was going to be the best dad in the world to little Zac Drake.