Well, here we are. The final chapter. Just want to say thank you so much for all the reviews favourites, story alerts etc that I've had for this story – they really make me smile. When I first started writing it, it was for the sake of my own sanity - I never imagined so many people would read and actually like this story. So thank you, again.

I'll stop babbling now so you can get on and read. (Oh and you can thank Jazzola for this update - I wasn't planning on putting it up for a couple more days, but as Jazz is going away and going to be without internet for 2 weeks, I made a special effort to get it done!)

Chapter 18

It was gone six when Gene finally left the station and headed over to Alex's flat. He'd hung back when the rest of the team had left for Luigi's, telling them he had a few things to finish and would join them later. But the truth was he wanted to be able to visit Alex without any questions or hassle.

He reached Alex's door, nerves building and knocked insistently. A couple of second passed before the door swung open and he came face to face with Molly who, upon seeing it was him, had a face like thunder.

"She doesn't want to see you," she told him firmly. She obviously knew about their argument

"Let me in Molls?" he asked. "Please? I know I've bin a bit of a twat but I've come to put things right." Molly regarded him for a moment; he looked tired and worn and she had an idea of how big a deal this was for him; he wasn't normally one for apologising. She stepped aside to let him pass,

"She's in the shower but I suppose you can wait," she told him less than enthusiastically. They sat on the couch in silence for a couple of minutes before Molly finally spoke; her curiosity getting the better of her, "So, what did you do?"

"Eh?"

"To upset my mum," she clarified. "I've not seen her this pissed off since the time I spilt coffee on her laptop."

"Her lap-what?" asked Gene, confused.

"Never mind; err I don't even know why I said that. I thought I knew what it was but it's gone. Forgotten," she told him, feeling a little confused. She was so sure she knew what a "laptop" was! Why couldn't she remember? Gene just shook his head,

"Yer as nutty as yer Mum," he commented.

"Well, if you treated her to that wonderful brand of charm, no wonder she's annoyed!" Molly quipped.

"She's 'eard worse from me."

"I can imagine. So go on, what was it this time?" Gene sighed; he knew there was no escaping this interrogation if he wanted to speak to Alex. Molly was fiercely protective of her Mum and unless he convinced her that he was truly sorry then there was no hope for his relationship with Alex. He took a deep breath before speaking,

"I may have implied that she was a bad mother." Molly looked at Gene in shock; she couldn't believe what she'd just heard.

"What?" she cried, standing up, "Why on earth would you do that?" Gene had the decency to hang his head in shame,

'Great,' he thought, 'now they're both pissed at me!'

"She's a fantastic Mum!" continued Molly. "The best!"

"I know," protested Gene.

"The why tell her otherwise?" Molly countered.

"I was annoyed," Gene explained. "Yer Mam had done somethin' that I told her not to do and we got into an argument; things were said in the heat of the moment. Things I wished I could take back as soon as they'd left me mouth." Molly could tell that he deeply regretted what he'd said, so sat back down and softened her tone a little,

"What did she do? Has this got something to do with where she went last night?"

"Yeh. She went to Manchester; to see my daughter."

"You have a daughter?" Molly asked, shocked. Gene found himself telling Molly the whole sordid tale. She sat and listened intently; didn't interrupt.

"...and then she stormed out. I tried to get back into our normal banter this afternoon, but she took that the wrong way and left before I 'ad chance to speak to 'er."

"What exactly did you say?"

"Something about wimmin causing hassle."

"And last night?" Molly pressed.

"I told her she wasn't really in a position to be giving me advice on parenting considerin' how she upped and left you." Molly sighed.

"She had her reasons," Molly defended, "and I understood them. I have never once thought badly of her for leaving me." Gene put his head in his hands,

"I know. I just wish I could tell 'er how sorry I am."

"Go on then," prompted Alex who had entered the room unnoticed. Gene and Molly looked up guiltily at having been caught talking about her. Alex's eyes were red; it was obvious she'd been crying.

"Bolls..." Gene gasped. Molly motioned to her bedroom door.

"I think I should...yeh...I'll be in my room," she told them, but she doubted either of them were listening; they didn't tear their gazes from one another.

"Well?" asked Alex coldly. Gene got up and moved so he was standing directly in front of her. He tried to take her hand but she flinched away from his touch.

"I shouldn't 'av said what I did. I was outta line. I didn't even mean it. I was angry and I just lashed out." Alex looked unconvinced.

"So you just plucked those words out of thin air, did you?" she snapped, tears welling in her eyes, "They must have been in there somewhere Gene or you wouldn't have said them."

"I don't know what to say," Gene admitted dejectedly, "I'll admit I thought it were strange that you were separated from Molly and yer never told me why so what was I supposed to think? But I've certainly been put straight now; Molly saw to that."

"Yeh, I heard," she admitted, the tears finally falling. Gene reached out to her, pulling her into his embrace, comforting her.

"Honestly Bolls; yer a great Mum. I really 'ope yer can forgive me."

"You hurt me Gene," she told him, pulling away.

"I know, and I'm really sorry." Alex nodded,

"You must be; it takes a lot for you to apologise,"

"Yeh well, yer worth it."

"What about Chris? Is he worth it? Because he looks up to you; you're like a father figure to him and he looked gutted about what you said."

"I know. I'll make it up to 'im"

"And Shaz? I hear you were pretty hard on her last night."

"Yeh, 'er an' all." Alex managed a small smile and led Gene over to the sofa. She sat next to him but there was no contact between them. An awkward silence fell over them; neither really knowing what to say next. Alex decided that maybe an explanation of her actions about Lucy was in order,

"Y'know, I only did what I did because I care about you. I really did think I was doing the right thing. I expected you to be pissed off but I didn't expect it to turn out like this. I thought I'd lost you Gene." She was crying again and Gene hated it,

"Come 'ere yer soppy cow," he instructed but with a tenderness he rarely used. Alex scooted towards him and snuggled into him, still sniffling. "Yer ain't lost me Bolls. I'm goin' nowhere unless yer tell me to," he paused, unsure about his next words but plucked up the courage to say them anyway, "I love yer." Alex stilled as those three little words washed over her. She hadn't expected to hear him say that, but as she realised that he had a smile crept onto her face.

Gene meanwhile was kicking himself for opening his big gob; she'd gone stock still when he'd told her; frozen in fear. Had he rushed in? Was she not ready? This was all brand new to him; no one had ever made him feel this way before so he was unsure of the rules.

"I just wanted yer to know Bolls; I'm not expectin' yer to say it back or owt..." he trailed off as she shifted in his embrace and looked up at him. Her eyes were wide and she was sporting the biggest smile he'd ever seen.

"Oh Gene! I love you too." smiling widely, Gene moved in and kissed her, deeply and lovingly. When he pulled back, he looked into her eyes and said quietly,

"Y'know Bolls; we really need to work on our communication skills; start been honest wi' each other."

"That has to be a two way street though Gene," Alex told him. He nodded and Alex took this opportunity to broach the subject of Lucy once again, "Do you want to know what happened in Manchester?"

"I already know," he told her causing her to raise an eyebrow. "After you left the station last night I got a call," he explained.

"Annie?" she questioned.

"Lucy."

"She phoned?" Alex was elated. "How is she?"

"Upset and angry wi' er Mam, but I think that's understandable after what she did. But she wants to see me; I'm gonna go up at weekend. I were thinking…yer could come too...if yer want."

"Thanks for the invitation but maybe it'd be best if you went on your own." Gene's face fell slightly, so Alex quickly clarified, "Lucy wants to see you; she won't want me gate crashing." Gene considered Alex's statement before conceding that she probably made a good point,

"Don't you ever get tired o' bein' right?" he teased.

"No, not really."

"Yer'll come up wi' me next time though? I'd really like to introduce yer to Lucy properly."

"How d'you mean?"

"Well, yer know introduce yer as...me girlfriend rather than me 'too nosy for 'er own good' fruitcake of a DI." Alex smiled, glad to get back to the banter between them,

"I'd like that."

"Good." Gene assented, before silence descended over them again. But this one wasn't awkward like before; it was comfortable, reflective even. Alex snuggled closer to Gene and laid her head on his chest, listening to his heart. The steady rhythmic beating quickly lulled Alex off to sleep. Gene rested his head on the back of the couch and let out a thankful sigh; he'd been an idiot and could so easily have lost Alex. The things he had said to her were unforgivable, yet she'd found it in heart to forgive him. He was a very lucky man.

Molly had turned her tape player on as soon as she'd entered her bedroom; she hadn't wanted to listen to the argument; she hated confrontation. She sat at her desk and pulled out her French homework; the third piece this week. She'd be glad when school was over; only a couple of weeks til summer now.

When the cassette player clicked off about 30 minutes later she sat, chewing on the end of her pen, listening for any sound of life from the living room. Hearing nothing her she immediately assumed the worst; that her Mum and Gene hadn't been able to make up. She rushed out of her room to comfort her Mum but to her surprise she found them both sound asleep on the sofa, wrapped in each other's arms. They looked happy; content. There were no signs of the trauma they'd been through in the last 24 hours. Molly, not having the heart to wake them, retrieved the blue blanket from the cupboard and draped it over the sleeping couple.

'Maybe things will be alright after all," she thought with a smile.

That's all folks! Hope you enjoyed. A sequel is already in the works if you want one, so don't fret.