A/N: Hello everyone! Here's my new story :D it takes place after Alex has woken up from her coma but will have no relation to Series Three (WHICH IS AMAZING! I HATE KEATS THOUGH GRRRR HE STOPPED THE GALEX KISS! Lol screaming fit over) apart from the fact that Ray is also a DI. Hope you enjoy, and please review to let me know what you think! Love Roxannaaaax

"Bollocks."

"I'm serious, Gene, these women are not being strangled by hand. There's some sort of weapon involved…a rope, a ribbon –"

"A ribbon?" Gene scoffed, downing a scotch in his office as Alex stood opposite him, her eyes blazing. "How many murderers do yer know that go around killing women wi' ribbons, Bolly?"

Alex glared at him, her lips pressed tightly together. She ran her fingers through her bobbed hair, flowing loosely today rather than clipped back in a quiff. Gene eyed his DI as she sighed in exasperation, his gaze falling on the slightly revealing top she had chosen to wear to work today.

Alex had awoken from her coma a couple of months ago, and gradually rebuilt her relationship with Gene. In her eyes, they were as strong as they were before. Friendly, flirty and fighting. But it still didn't stop their famous arguments and disagreements that echoed throughout CID.

"There are no heavy fingerprints around their necks, Guv," Alex sighed, "it's a very thin, bruised line. Like a rope. It was on Victoria Wentworth, Jessica Hampton, Ruth Anderson and now Miranda Lawrence. It's a link. A connection."

"Bollocks. They were found in alleys. Raped and murdered by some bastard scum. You wait Bolls; it'll be a knife or 'is hands or somethin' that did it when we 'ear back from the forensics."

Alex rolled her eyes and stomped out of Gene's office towards her desk. Four women had been murdered in the space of two weeks, and the only thing that connected them was the fact that they all had long blonde hair, were in their late twenties or early thirties and were slim.

"Right, Ray! What have you got for me?" Alex asked her fellow DI.

"They were all found in alleys," Ray reeled off, "and each one was dumped behind a dustbin. Like the killer just put 'em there to avoid detection."

"The first three 'ad also been drugged too," Chris piped up, "and we're just waiting on reports about Miranda to see if she matches."

"Any suspects?" Alex wondered, sitting down at her desk.

"Uniform 'ave just gone ter collect Mitch Roberts, thirty-four. Jessica Hampton was his colleague and Miranda Lawrence was his girlfriend. There may be a link," Chris explained, smiling at Shaz as the young WPC shot him a proud smile.

"Um, Ma'am?" Viv had poked his head round the doors to CID. "A quick word with you and the Guv? There's someone here to see you."

Alex nodded before getting to her feet and entering Gene's office without knocking.

"Yes, hello, what?" Gene barked.

"Viv has something for us," Alex said bluntly.

Gene raised his eyebrows. "A threesome wi' you as always been a priority in my books, Bolly, but Viv weren't the third party I 'ad in mind."

Alex sighed in disgust. "Honestly, is your mind always thinking about sex?"

"Not always. Occasionally it focuses on Man City's position in the league, what drink I'm having later or whether yer a C or a D cup."

Alex couldn't keep the smirk from creeping onto her face as Gene winked at her. "Anyway Guv, someone wants to see us. They might have information about the murders."

Gene made a large swooping gesture towards the door. "Lead the way, Bollykecks."

Alex knew full well that Gene only wanted to stare at her arse, so she made an extra big deal of swaying her hips in her tight jeans even more than usual. She could feel Gene's eyes on her as they joined Viv in the corridor, and as much as she hated to admit it to herself, she actually enjoyed it.

Alex and Gene approached the front desk together, side by side.

"Who's this then?" Gene asked Viv, looking at the young blonde woman by his side.

"This is Ellie Parker," Viv explained, "said she wanted to talk to you both."

Ellie swallowed as Viv walked away, turning to face Gene and Alex.

"Well spit it out, love," Gene said impatiently, "we haven't got all day."

"I…I just wanted…to talk about what happened to Miranda," Ellie babbled, chewing her lip nervously.

"You know something?" Alex prompted her.

"Shall we reconvene to an interview room, Miss Parker?" Gene decided, beginning to walk away.

"No!" Ellie burst out. "No! She was just…my friend…and I…no. No. I don't know anything."

Gene and Alex frowned at each other.

"I just wanted to make sure that you'll find whoever did it," Ellie continued, fiddling with her long hair, "they don't deserve to get away."

Alex nodded. "We'll solve this. You have our word."

Ellie licked her lips nervously. "Right…so…can I go now?"

Gene sighed. "To be honest, love, I'd rather ask yer a few questions if yer knew Miranda Lawrence –"

But it was too late. Ellie Parker had already bolted for the door, running out to the streets of London.

-xx-

"I thought that Ellie Parker was proper nice if yer get what I mean," Ray winked at the lads in Luigi's that evening, "right tasty bird. Wouldn't 'ave minded interviewing her!"

"Oh for God's sake, Ray," Alex muttered from her seat at the bar with Gene, "you seriously have absolutely no respect for women. Her friend has just died and all you can think about is getting her in bed. She's about half your age anyway."

Ray snarled at her. "If I shove my dick in your mouth, will you shut up?" he spat, causing a gasp to come from Chris and Shaz as Alex's eyes widened and Gene stood up threateningly.

"Apologise ter the lady," Gene growled, "NOW!"

"All right, Guv, all right!" Ray burbled. "Calm down…she just never shuts up…"

"DI Drake may not be your superior officer anymore, Carling, but she is still part of this team. Do not think you can talk to 'er like a common whore just because you miraculously achieved the same rank," Gene seethed.

Alex's jaw slowly dropped at Gene's protection for her. Ray quickly downed his drink and left Luigi's, embarrassed at being reprimanded by his Guv in the middle of a restaurant. Gene turned back to Alex, swigging back his drink.

"Thanks Gene," Alex said quietly, a little smile twitching on her face.

Gene met her eyes shyly. "No problem, Bolly," he nodded. "Luigi! Another drink for Lady Bolls 'ere."

"Certainly, Signor Hunt!" Luigi grinned cheerfully as Alex chuckled lightly, her eyes never leaving Gene's.

Alex and Gene sat at the bar together for at least an hour, alcohol loosening their tongues as they chatted away, about work, the cases, Chris and Ray, and finally, each other.

However, just as Gene was finally getting somewhere with Alex she seemed to snap out of the zone, grabbing a wallet on the bar and shouting after a retreating stranger.

"Excuse me! Excuse me!" Alex called to him, hopping down off her stool. "You've left your wallet!"

As soon as the man turned around, Alex felt the breath being knocked out of her. He was gorgeous. Olive skin, dark hair and eyes, well built and about six foot two. His eyes widened when he saw Alex and then his mouth split into a million dollar smile.

"Oh cheers babe," he beamed, approaching Alex and taking his wallet, tucking it into his jacket, "I really appreciate it," he added, stroking her arm. Gene's blood boiled.

Get yer slimy 'ands off her, you sleazy bastard…

"It's no problem," Alex smiled at him.

"Oi Bolls, pull yer top up," Gene cut in jealously, "yer giving the perv one hell of a view."

Alex whipped round, horrified. "Gene!" she gasped. "Don't be so rude!"

"Put yer tits away then," Gene snapped as the man laughed.

"You look ravishing, sweetie pie," he charmed her, "my name's Oliver. Oliver Sarouche."

"Alex Drake," Alex purred, shaking his hand which clung to hers for a little too long, Gene noticed.

"And I'm Hunt," Gene butted in again, "sometimes known as Hunt the Cu –"

"Cor, you pulled a right tasty one, Oliver!" A gang of beefy skinheads in their late thirties were now approaching Oliver, Alex and Gene, all over six foot and fourteen stone. The four of them eyed Alex up and down as she visibly recoiled, backing away towards Gene as he was only too happy to take her waist protectively.

"S'all right, gorgeous, we ain't gonna hurt ya," the biggest skinhead leered at her, "any friend of Oliver's is a friend of ours. You his bitch?"

Alex pursed her lips tightly, insulted, as Oliver held his hands up.

"Back off, lads, yeah? I just met this lovely woman. She gave me my wallet back, that's all." Oliver flashed a smile at Alex. "But I wouldn't say no to seeing you again, sweetie. May I buy you a drink? Tomorrow night? Eight?"

"I'll be there," Alex smiled at him, trying to ignore the skinheads nudging each other and mentally undressing her.

"Right," Oliver grinned, "bye Alex. Until tomorrow."

"Yep," Alex said softly, watching the gorgeous Oliver and his skinhead mates leave Luigi's.

Alex turned to Gene, and wasn't surprised to see him glaring at her.

"What?" she asked innocently.

Gene swigged back the last of his drink.

"Sometimes you are such a tart."

-xx-

Alex didn't want to admit it, but Gene's last comment really stung her. She lay in bed that night tossing and turning, replaying the scene in Luigi's over and over again. He had no right to be jealous. Just after she woke up out of her coma, Alex had tried to show Gene that she was interested, but he never made a play for her. Eventually, she gave up and slipped back into their routine of harmless flirting and sexual innuendo. Now someone else was interested in her, and he was absolutely divine.

A shrill ring echoed throughout Alex's flat, causing her to jump and grab the phone off its handle quickly.

"Hello?"

"Get yer knickers on, Drake."

"Excuse me?"

"Get your arse in the alley by Luigi's. There's been another murder. Found just now. It's Ellie Parker."