With Christmas around the corner I couldn't not write something festive =D

Fluffy little one-shot and I hope you enjoy it x

She was surprised at how easy she was finding this, Christmas. It was only her second Christmas here in the 1980's and it was going a lot better than her first in which she spent the whole day upstairs in her flat, drinking herself into a whole new level of drunk simply to try and erase the painful memories of her daughter. Every day was hard, but the holidays were near impossible to survive. However, this year was different. She had allowed herself to join the land of the living with her friends and colleagues at their usual spot in the corner of Luigi's, and it was wonderful. Drinks flowed freely, laughter echoed throughout the walls and kisses were beings shared under the carefully planted mistletoe that had been placed throughout the tiny restaurant by a merry Luigi. She couldn't remember the last time she had laughed so hard, especially when Ray and Chris had been caught under the mistletoe.

"There is no bloody way am I kissin' a bloke, especially Chris n' I don' care if it is Christmas" Rays face was priceless and it was times like these when she wished that digital camera's had been invented. She looked at Chris and chocked on her wine when she realised that he had no idea what was going on, he was simple looking around the room to find the source of everyone's amusement.

"Eh? What's so funny" this caused everyone in the restaurant to roar with laughter and Alex even saw a usual stone faced Gene chuckle.

She walked back over to their own round table in the corner of the room and refilled her wine glass before sitting in the chair opposite to that of Gene and inhaled a couple of deep breaths to try and take control over her never-ending laughter.

"I haven't laughed this much in – " she began giggling uncontrollably again as she saw a look of pure horror fall across Chris's face as he realised that he and Ray stood between mistletoe. Tears filled her eyes from her laughter and she had to quickly blink them back for fear of running make-up.

"Yer drunk" Gene stared at her with a kind a sparkle in his eye.

"No I'm not" she answered truthfully.

"Well that's a first" for some reason his eyes seem to pull hers in and they sat for a moment and just smiled at one another, soon it became a bit too much and she felt the need to speak, to break the silence.

"Merry Christmas Gene" and she held her glass in the air.

"Merry Christmas my Bollyknickers" and he rose his own which collided with her glass.

Then a voice raised from amongst the crowds "Misure Hunt, misure Hunt" The voice of Luigi, heavy with his Italian accent rose from the crowds from behind the bar and caught everyone's attention "Up misure Hunt, look up, I put it there special"

Everybody's eyes followed the instructions of Luigi and were soon looking up above the heads of Gene and Alex to find a small piece of mistletoe hanging between them. Her mind began to race; she couldn't possibly kiss Gene could she? No, it would be so unprofessional, he was her boss. Her mind kept finding reasons for why she shouldn't and yet her body became excited at the thought, her heart race tripled, her palms cold from sweat and her cheeks burned a fiery red.

She caught Gene's eyes and felt herself swallow. Did she want to kiss him? Everybody within the restaurant then began chanting over and over "Kiss, kiss, kiss" and soon there were fists banging the tables and feet were stomping on the floor, this caused her mouth to dehydrate. She picked up her wine and took a swig to rehydrate her mouth in preparation to speak, but just as she opened her mouth she saw Gene stand and begin to walk towards her and her words became stuck in her mouth. He wasn't really going to kiss her was he?

"Go on Guv!" Ray shouted above the crowd.

Alex found her voice.

"No we couldn't... You're not really going to –" she stammered still unsure if she wanted to or not.

"Oh shut up Bolly and take one for the team" he stood before her, his eyes devouring hers.

"One for the team?" she scoffed.

"Yeah there'll be a lot of this Christmas stuff goin' on t'night now what kind of example would we set as senior officers if we didn' obide to the tradition?" he stared down at her with a seductive look in his eyes and her mind silenced and her body spoke loud and clear. She wanted this, she really wanted this. The room lay silent now, waiting with baited breath for her response.

She took one last mouthful of wine before placing the glass on the table "Y'know I do believe your right Guv" a smile tugged on the corner of her mouth.

"Never wrong Bolly" and with this he grabbed her by her wrists and pulled her from her chair so rough so that she was standing pressed up against him and before she knew it his lips had crushed against hers and the entire restaurant erupted with screams, laughter and wolf whistles, but all that was a blur to Alex all she could concentrate on was the feel of Gene's lips against hers. The kiss was rough and passionate and she allowed her hands to roam through his hair as she felt his hands explore their way down her spine and land on her arse. Tongues explored mouths and all she could taste was whisky and tobacco, a taste that was strangely arousing. He was good, so very good that she felt herself falling into the kiss, forgetting that she was in fact standing in front of everybody she knew. Her only thought was that she wanted more.

She felt Gene break from the kiss and release his grip on her and soon every male from CID was patting him on the back, buying him drinks and asking him questions leaving a very flustered Alex to try and compose herself. She fell back into her chair, her cheeks burning for passion and her blood boiled from arousal and she found herself reliving that kiss just wanting to have it again.

She touched her lips where his had been only moments ago and smiled lightly and looked over to the bar to see a very happy looking Luigi smiling in her direction and it was then she realised how clever Luigi really was. Gene's voice broke her thoughts.

"More Champoo Luigi"

"Yes misure Hunt" and his smiling face was sent on its way.

Alex turned to look at Gene back in his usual seat and their eyes met and she suddenly found herself very embarrassed, sending him a quick smile she turned her attention back onto her wine.

"Y'know I could be mistaken but yer not blushing there Bollykegs?"

"Don't be ridiculous" and yet silently she cursed her brightening cheeks.

"Our little kiss didn' embarrass yer did it Bolls?" his voice filled with amusement

"Well I wouldn't exactly call it little" she met his eyes again; his eyes that usual seemed cold and yet now seemed to contain a certain glisten and she couldn't stop thinking about the kiss. Her eyes kept darting down to Gene's lips before she broke his gaze and look amongst the rest of CID who still seemed to be pointing and glaring in their direction.

"Y'know that we're going to be the talk of the department for the next few months" she giggled lightly

"They're jus' jealous"

She stared at him and smiled.

"Jealous?"

She watched as he took light a cigarette and light it "Yes, jealous Bolly"

"And why is that? She rested both her elbows on the table and leaned in.

"Well, coz" he exhaled smoke and then continued "y'know you're ... um... 'ow you look and everything"

"And how do I look?"

There was a moment of silence and she continually stared at him enjoying every moment of it, she knew what he was trying to say, but making the Gene Genie squirm was not an opportunity that came along every day.

"Well it's not every day someone gets their tongue down such a beautiful woman's throat is it?" with this he downed his whisky.

"Beautifully put as always Guv" she paused and leaned back in her chair thinking over what he said "Y'know what? Beneath all of that I think you may have just paid me a compliment"

"Think what you want"

She smiled to herself and spotted Luigi bringing over the hundredth bottle of champagne of the night and after placing it on the their table he simply stood and smiled at them, but his smile was more than that of happiness, it was a knowing smile as if he knew something about both her and Gene that she didn't even know herself. Gene seemed to have spotted this as well.

"Yes Luigi?"

"You both look very happy together yes?

"What is this, question bloody Gene day? First 'er and now you. What would make me happy is if I could sit and enjoy Christmas in peace without all these bloody stupid nancy questions"

This only seemed to make Luigi's smile grow wider, but within a second he was gone. Alex had to try and retain a laugh as she noticed Gene's pout and his deep frown creasing his forehead; his typical sulking face.

Alex looked out amongst the rest of the restaurant and saw Chris and Ray racing to see who could down a pint in the shortest time, Shaz laughing at her future husband acting like such a fool. She wondered that if she was to ever get home how she would ever live without them, she couldn't quite believe how they had managed to worm their way into her heart, but she wouldn't have had it any other way.

She sighed "what now?" she turned back to look at a more relaxed Gene.

"Open that bottle of Champoo, get pissed, and if yer lucky we might jus' find ourselves under another piece of mistletoe"

She sent him a cheeky smile and leaned in speaking in an almost husky tone "Okay Mr Hunt, get me pissed"

The End! I hope you enjoyed it and If you wouldn't mind spending two minutes telling me what you think, I would be very grateful =D And I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!