This chapter...I just...I couldn't help it... *runs away*

Chapter 5: London

September, 1985

Mark lay on the blanket in Hyde Park, watching lazily as Sarah played with Iggy. After several months, Iggy had finally responded to being trained, and was now much calmer than he had been around Christmas, although he still loved chasing squirrels and tackling Mark. Because he was calmer, they were able to take him with them when they planned their first holiday as a couple. Mark had been itching to get back to London, even for a few days, and Sarah had wholeheartedly agreed.

"I love this place," Sarah said, flopping on the ground next to him. Iggy approached soon after her, licking Mark once and lying down. "You just forget how beautiful it is."

"You're right," Mark said. "I never got to appreciate it like I do now that I'm a tourist. Although I don't feel like a tourist."

"You feel like you're at home."

Mark nodded.

"I feel like that too."

"Maybe one day we can come back here permanently. Spend every day relaxing in Hyde Park," Mark said.

"Yes, but then where would we get the funds to support ourselves?"

"The streets can become our home," he said jokingly. "We'll wander wherever the wind takes us."

"Maybe you, but I don't care for wind," she responded.

Mark gave a long, fake sigh. "You make everything difficult, don't you?"

Sarah raised an eyebrow. "That's what I'm supposed to do, isn't it?"

Mark nodded vigorously, and Sarah pretended to be offended. She playfully slapped him.

"Ow!" Mark yelled loudly. "That almost hurt!"

Sarah burst into laughter. Mark, however, had frozen still. Iggy whimpered beside him, licking his hand. Sarah frowned. "What's going on? You've just gone all pale."

"It's...her," he whispered. Sarah followed his gaze.

"Is that...?"

"Alex Drake," he murmured. "Jesus Christ."

"Do you want to go say hello?" Sarah asked, all of a sudden sounding unsure.

Mark shook his head and smiled at her. "No. It'd be strange for both of us. Besides, look how happy she is."

They both looked at Alex, who was hand in hand with Gene. She was laughing, and he saw that Gene was offering a rare smile. She had put on weight in the past year, and no longer looked gaunt. Her hair had grown down to her shoulders, and she had grown a fringe, most likely to cover a scar from the time spent with Walter Green/Will Grey.

Mark looked down at her left hand and nudged Sarah, smiling. "They're engaged," he said. "Good for you, Gene Hunt."

Sarah stared at Alex a moment before turning to Mark, shock covering her face. "Arthur, what happened to her finger?"

Mark looked down.

"Is this one of those things you can't tell me?"

Mark bit his lip thinking. "I don't want to have secrets from you, Sarah. But I don't want to lose you either."

"I think I can handle it," she said softly. Mark noticed that she wasn't angry or jealous, just unsure now of where she stood.

"I'll start at the beginning. I'm guessing you know what my profession was before I left London."

"You were a Spook, weren't you?"

Mark nodded. "And when I said I messed up a case, I mean I really screwed it up. I nearly died because of it. It was her case, actually."

"What did you do?"

"She was being held hostage by a man with IRA connections. I told her who I was outright because I couldn't stand her hating me. They heard me tell her and tried to kill us both. After she got out of hospital, she came to live with me, even though she was traumatised. I had her start painting as a form of therapy. We got really close, entered a relationship for a few months. Then one of the men from where she was kept hostage kidnapped her again. Well, I say kidnapped. She went because he threatened to kill Gene and me. After we found out where she was, we raided the house. Guns went crazy, and I was shot in the chest. I thought I was a goner, so when I woke up in hospital, I was quite surprised. I had been thinking about leaving the service for several months before, and that made the decision for me. I told my boss to get me out. I knew I had to be away from Alex. She needed to be with Gene. I was going to disappear from her life anyway. When I told my boss to get me out, he did the only thing he could. He gave me a new identity, a new place to live, and a government pension."

"A new identity?" Sarah asked.

"My name wasn't Arthur Newton," he said softly, looking directly in her eyes. "My name was Mark Evans, but last February, he died after being shot in the chest. Most of what I've told you is true, though," he continued pleadingly. "My dad really was an MP. His name was Stephen Evans and he was assassinated. My mum didn't change her surname back though. We really were estranged at the time that I was shot. She doesn't know that I'm alive."

Sarah stared at him, like she was looking at him for the very first time. "I don't really know what I should say back to this," she said. "What do I even call you?"

Mark smiled sadly. "Arthur," he murmured. "That's my name. Mark Evans died. Sarah, I've been as honest with you as I could for how much I knew you. But now I know I can trust you with this. I've wanted to tell you for quite some time, but I didn't want you to run off."

Sarah stared at him. "You never told me what happened to her finger."

Mark stared at the couple a few hundred metres away. "They tortured her for information."

"You're not a Spook anymore?"

"As far as everyone but my boss and a few of his superiors know, I died of a haemorrhage the night of the surgery."

"And Alex?"

"She went to my funeral. She thinks I'm dead. We've both moved on. I don't love her, Sarah. I love you."

"I'm...I'm going to take Iggy for a run for a few minutes. I just need to think."

Iggy, sensing there was something serious going on, nuzzled Mark's hand. Mark nodded sorrowfully as Sarah grabbed the lead.

"C'mon boy," she murmured.

Mark stared at the couple that was standing only a few metres away now. He lay down against the ground, covering his face, but leaving a peephole that he could look through.

"...Don't understand why you want me in a bloody morning suit," Gene was complaining.

"Because you'll look lovely in it," Alex responded.

"But we're not even doing a proper wedding!"

"You know what they say though," she said.

"I don't know who 'they' are," Gene growled.

"Women."

"Oh, I know what they say. About what you said they first day we met."

"I was unconscious for half of the first day we met."

He could hear the grin in Gene's voice as he responded. "Exactly. They say my name and are rendered speechless. Now, if only we could find a way to get you to shut up again...Ow!"

Mark was certain that Alex had swatted him on the shoulder. He saw Sarah coming back with Iggy running slowly, a look of ultimate concentration on her face, one that he recognised from when she was thinking extremely hard.

Please, get out of here before Iggy decides to attack me. Or, please let Iggy attack Gene, just for the hell of it.

Suddenly, Mark heard Sarah yell 'IGGY NO!'

Mark pulled his arm down just enough to see a giant black blur jump on Gene. Mark was trying his hardest not to laugh as Gene started protesting indignantly. He could see Alex doubled over in laughter, and Sarah looking quite concerned as she ran up to Gene and Alex.

Good dog, Mark thought, wishing he had a camera.

"Caligula!" Sarah said. Immediately, the dog's ears and tail drooped and he got off Gene mournfully. Sarah grabbed the lead that had been pulled out of her hands.

"I'm really sorry," Sarah said, positioning herself so that she would be facing Mark instead of Gene and Alex. Gene was getting off the ground, glowering, and Alex looked like she was about to burst into tears from laughing so hard.

"He won't listen to me, he only listens to my boyfriend, Arthur, who's on the other side of the park, and my son, who's in college."

I'm still her boyfriend? Mark thought.

"He found a squirrel, started chasing it and found you instead."

Gene glared at her, even as Alex was grinning. "It's okay," she said. "Gene's not injured. And I've got licence to mock him for the rest of my life now."

Gene glared at Alex and then at Iggy, who hid his face underneath his paw. Suddenly, Iggy looked towards Mark and started pulling on his lead furiously. Gene and Alex looked over, but Mark had covered his face with both of his arms, pretending to be asleep. When they looked away, Mark glared at the dog, which cocked his head. Mark waved his fingers in a no gesture, and Iggy sat down, whimpering mournfully. He covered his face just as Gene and Alex looked back over. He was certain that with his face covered, they couldn't recognise him. The running meant he was much leaner than he had been as Mark Evans, and the bottom of his face was covered by a beard. His hair was also longer; he actually needed it cut fairly badly at the moment. He peeked through the gap in his arms to look at what was going on.

"I'm really sorry," Sarah said. "He did this to Arthur as well. That's actually how we met; I offered to buy him a drink afterward. I would offer now, but Arthur would wonder where I've gone."

"That's okay," Alex replied kindly. "Thank you though. You've just made my year. I'm Alex Drake, this is my fiancé, Gene Hunt. I'd like to buy you a drink just for having that happen. Maybe we could meet up tonight?"

Mark could tell by Gene's whole body stance that he was inwardly screaming 'no.'

"I'm afraid that won't be possible," Sarah said sweetly. "We're heading back to Bath tomorrow and need to pack up."

"What a shame," Alex said, while Gene relaxed with relief. "Well, thank you again..." She left the sentence hanging, waiting for a name.

Oh, God, no, Mark thought.

"Sarah," Sarah said innocently. "Sarah Noble."

Alex stiffened, the blood disappearing from her face and Gene threw his arm protectively over her. Sarah stiffened as well, realising what she had said.

"Nice to meet you." Gene's voice was almost deadly. He pulled Alex to him and Sarah took off at a run, motioning to Mark that she was going to do another lap.

"You okay, Bolly?" Gene asked.

Alex shook her head. "Yeah. Just a shock. God. Of all names...But that's why we picked it. It was common."

"I know. Jesus, now I half expect that Evans is that homeless bloke sleeping by the tree."

Alex gave a half laugh. "Well you know that that is one thing that is impossible. People don't come back from the dead."

Gene nodded as they walked off. "I know."

A few minutes after they walked away, Sarah came back, Iggy trotting happily beside her. Sarah sat down next to Mark, staring at the spot that Gene and Alex had stood only minutes earlier.

"Well that was odd."

"Hang on a moment," Mark said, turning to Iggy. "Good boy," he said scratching the dog's ears.

"I can't believe you condoned that! That was one of the most awkward conversations I've ever been in! And then the end...shit!"

"She recovered," Mark said softly. "It just surprised her. They talked a few more moments before you came back. Gene half expected the 'sleeping homeless bloke' to be me, as well."

"Good job you covered your face then."

They relaxed into silence for a moment before Sarah spoke again.

"Arthur?"

"Yeah?"

"You know that hearing the person you love was actually someone else is quite a shock, right?"

Mark nodded.

"But, you've been as truthful with me as you could. And I said the first day we met that I understood the government had its secrets. This was just one of them. I do want Ben to know though. It can wait, but eventually, you have to tell him."

Mark nodded. "I expected no less."

Sarah smiled at him, kissing him. "Good. Now let's get out of here before Iggy jumps on someone else from your past."