This one's dedicated to my friend who is mad about a2a and very excited about series 2- as am I. She's sort of the Alex Drake of our circle yet is oddly nicknamed Genie :S anyway it was her who got me into writing fanfic so you have her to blame :p...

Heavy eyelids drooped as Alex slumped sleepily over her 1981 construct desk; the only light in the office other than her own lamp was that of Hunt's inner lair. She could barely concentrate as with each passing minute she became even more tired, yet still she trawled through seemingly endless case files as instructed by her incorrigible D.C.I who was increasingly reluctant to let her take on active service. Misogynistic Bastard, she thought. He'd have her doing Shaz's job before the year was out.

There was the creak of a chair and the slamming down of a glass as Hunt marched out into the main office making his way over to Alex.

"Bedtime Bolly, you've done enough 'ere- fer today."

She quirked an eyebrow at his 'bedtime Bolly' order which earned her a slightly sheepish tilt of the head before the smug smirk was firmly back in place.

"Oh c'mon Bolls, yer didn't honestly think I meant that! B'sides perfectly good desk in there- no need to go anywhere else."

"So I'd heard; amazing how much Chris and Ray can find out when you give them a push in the right direction- of course pinning evidence up on notice boards perhaps wasn't the best use of their time..."

He paled a little as she took her chance to smirk swinging on her leather jacket and swaying her hips right out the CID doors. Hunt followed quickly after her; he thought he'd managed to pull that down before she'd seen- probably that gobby Granger again...

"You're not too tired for a bottle of Luigi's house rubbish, are yer Bolls?"

She slowed and cast him a smoky look. "I suppose not."

"Good."

.o0o.

They'd drunk their way through enough bottles of 'house rubbish' for Ray to convince Chris to attempt to breathe fire. Thus Shaz had the displeasure of being sprayed with vodka as Chris attempted to accomplish the feat, Ray and the rest of CID cheering him on as Alex and Gene watched from the bar a mixture of bemusement and horror passing across their exhausted faces.

"Yer know Bolly, anythin' 'appens to us and those bloody morons are London's main line of defence against the ruthless scum that walks the streets."

"Let's hope then that nothing happens to us, Gene." She raised her glass slightly as did he in turn.

"I'll drink to that Bolls."

"Is that why you're keeping me chained to the filing cabinet 24/7, Gene? You want to make sure Ray's never the one left in charge? Or is it that you can't bear to have a woman running about getting under your feet?"

She caught him a little off guard and he downed the rest of the glass before answering. "Oh well welcome back Mrs bloody Fruitcake! You 'aven't made an appear'nce in a while, was wunderin' when you'd be 'ere to enlighten us again. Chained to a filin' cabinet? You're lucky you're even on the bloody team after all that bollocks you were spoutin' when Scarman was at the station- arresting the Prices, Bolly, settin' 'em up, 'ardly very becomin' of a senior member of 'er majesty's police force!"

"The Prices! Scarman! You expect me to bloody believe that's why you've got your head firmly lodged up your arse! You couldn't care less about anything Scarman has to say- and the Prices, Christ I'm shocked you didn't give Tim a bloody hand! You stone aged Bastard- everyone knows it's because I'm a bloody woman- so why don't you just admit it Gene!"

"Fine! Your always bloody right Drake so why not now? I'm such a bloody bastard that I want you kept in your place despite the fact that you're," he jabbed his finger harshly in her face, "the best bloody officer I've had since Sam poxy Tyler!"

He got up and stormed off into the street, Alex the one left to chase swiftly after him. Luigi, who was stood at the side of the bar polishing glasses, watched the pair letting out a barely audible sigh as he shook his head from side to side. Would those two ever get along? He thought not.

"Gene! Hunt, wait! For God's sake! Gene!"

"What? Not quite finished yet are yer, Alex? What else then, want t' criticise the way I run the 'ole of bloody CID- tell me Granger should be 'llowed to drive the Quattro? Cos I don't bloody think so, right? No one drives my car!"

"I wasn't going to say that. What is the matter with you- why can't you let me go out with you and Chris and Ray? You've been like this ever since the Hollis case!"

"Cos of what 'appened to Granger- alright?"

"Shaz? But she's fine now; she doesn't need me to babysit her at the office all day!"

"No y'dozy cow! Why d'you think I let Chris beat the living shit out of 'im? Cos it could've been you, yer mouthy tart!"

"Gene..."

"What Bolly? Reckon I'm goin' bloody soft in the 'ead"

She took his hand gently and moved close in to him. "You're not soft. Just shows how bloody tough you are that you want to protect everyone."

"Not ev'ryone Bolls- just you and that fruitcake 'ead of yours."

She smiled up at him. "You know Gene I think I'm starting to rather like you."

"See Bollinger knickers- no woman can resist the Gene Genie."

"In't that the truth Gene- I certainly couldn't- could I?" came a voice from behind Gene, thick with a Manchester accent but nonetheless seductive.