Epilogue

Kim glanced and Robin and shrugged as they listened to the message for a second time.

"I have no idea what that's about," she told him.

"Did he say anything to you in hospital?" frowned Robin.

"He…" she frowned, "I'm not sure. He was busy trying to psyche me out and said something about a proposal."

"I hope he's not getting down on one knee," Robin frowned.

Kim pressed the button to rewind the tape and listen to it one more time. They hadn't even heard the phone ring that morning, they were both still asleep after talking until the early hours.

Once Robin's pizza had helped Kim to believe that she was really not going anywhere they'd retired to bed with the rest of the food where they'd finished off the lot, getting tomato sauce on the duvet along the way. After they had finished they'd laid in one another's arms for hours, just talking; sharing everything they had missed out on in one another's' lives.

Being closer than they had in months, despite Kim's fragile state they'd indulged in a few mild bedroom pursuits before Robin raided the fridge to back up the previous pizza success with a few leftovers he'd been saving for Kim. It was almost three a.m. before they finally drifted to sleep and when they awoke at midday the flashing light on the answerphone had caused a riddle for them both.

"A little bird tells me you're out for good behaviour. Out of the bloody bed of nails they make you sleep in at least. You stuck to your end of the bargain, now I'll stick to mine. Need a word with you about a certain position. And I'm not talking about what you and Batman get up to with the objects I have been reliably informed reside under yer bed. Be here at five o clock this evening. My office."

"I don't even know what he's asking!" Kim wailed in confusion, "I thought at first he wanted me to bring the… objects along with me."

Robin shifted a little from foot to foot.

"It sounds very much to me like there's a job in the offing," he said and Kim looked a little nervous.

"I'm not sure I'm ready for that," she whispered.

Robin smiled at her fondly.

"Yes you are," he said quietly.

~xXx~

A shiver ran down Kim's spine as she walked through the unfamiliar territory of Fenchurch East. There had been myriad changes to the building in her absence thanks to the explosions and the rebuilding but although some of the building was aesthetically different the feeling she garnered as she walked along was extremely familiar. It felt like home.

She came to CID, barely even noticing the closed door to the new suite beside it. The office was mostly empty except for Bammo at one desk filling in his chart of the best condoms to use as water balloons and some young DC she didn't know who was pulling her coat on and had a suspiciously spice girl-esque manner about her.

"Bye Guv," she called as she hauled her bag over her shoulder and passed by Kim, hardly noticing her there. Kim swallowed and walked through the room, aware that Bammo was giving her a funny look.

"Hello," she said awkwardly. It had been a while.

"Stringer."

There it was; the stern voice that let Kim know it meant business and as her eyes moved around she saw Gene in the entrance of his office. His name was still on the door and the décor hadn't changed. It was like stepping back into her past. She bit her lip as he beckoned her closer and turned to move across to his desk. This was it; whatever Gene wanted to say there was no getting away from it.

Anxiously she walked into the office, peering around, all too aware of the fact that the door had closed behind her. It made her shudder.

"You wanted to see me," she said, surprised by the weakness in her voice, "Guv?"

Gene nodded slowly. He stepped around the side of the desk and reached for something. He was going to drag this put as long as he possibly could. Eventually he pulled out an expensive bottle of scotch and placed it on the desk in front of her.

"I watched a video," he began, "long time ago. Must have been part of the new year schedule." He looked her in the eye. "Feature film, two women, set on a boat. Bit of a snuff movie." Immediately Kim felt her stomach flip over and she swallowed hard.

"Yes?" she whispered.

Gene could barely breathe as he contemplated the fact that Alex may never have found her way home if Kim hadn't done what she did that day.

"I told your fella," he continued, "that I owed you a bloody big bottle of scotch for what you did." He pushed it towards her and just a tiny flicker or a relieved smile came over her face.

"Oh," she said, looking at him in surprise. "Thank you," she said as she reached towards it but Gene blocked her hand.

"But then you shagged me missus so I decided to keep it," he told her, snatching it back, and Kim's face fell.

"Oh," she said flatly.

Gene decided to compromise. Fetching a couple of glasses he broke into the prized bottle and poured a glass for each of them.

"You still got that flask, Stringer?" he asked her and Kim nodded.

"Of course," she said.

"Good," said Gene. He indicated the chair and they both sat down as he continued, "you might be needing it soon.

"Not sure I like the sound of that," Kim said worriedly as Gene lifted his glass and swilled the drink around inside of it.

"Had the builders round," he told her, "not done a bad job. Could have done with a few extra filing cabinets for," he coughed, "staffing purposes but they didn't do a Llewellyn-Bowen on it and that's good enough for me." He watched Kim nervously take a sip of her scotch. "Thing is, me world just keeps getting bigger. Always room for someone else. Or a few someone's." he drank some of his own drink before he continued. "Thing is, we have an opening." He scowled a little, "and before you ask, I'm not talking about Bolly's legs."

Kim scowled back.

"Harsh," she told him.

Gene ignored her.

"It appears that Fenchurch East has a brand spanking new unit for dealing with crimes of a serious sexual nature," he said, "rape. Assault. Having it off with Evan White." He noticed Kim cracked a tiny smile. "Couldn't think of anyone better to head up the unit."

Kim hesitated, not absolutely sure that she had understood him correctly.

"You're talking about me?" she whispered and he nodded. "After everything with Keats –"

"No one round here is better qualified," he told her, "than a tough bird in clunky boots that stood up on court and looked Jimbo in the eye." He sipped his scotch again, slurping it a little as he watched her expression. "Got your name on it, Stringer. Literally. Letters on the door and everything." He sighed, "Even Bolly never got that."

Kim swallowed nervously.

"Keats demoted me…" she began but Gene shrugged.

"Do you really think the world's going to listen to the likes of him?" he asked, "besides, he's long gone. The only decision of his I can't overturn is what he had for breakfast." Kim swallowed down another mouthful of scotch as Gene watched her carefully. "So," he began, "what's it gonna be: setting up down the hall and dealing with the hundred and one Jimbos of this area, or Monday morning in the job centre, looking to fill the post of Head Elf when the local grotto opens for Christmas?"

Kim looked Gene in the eye and saw how deadly serious he was. She breathed in slowly, closed her eyes and finally nodded.

"I would be very pleased to accept your offer," she said quietly.

Gene nodded and grunted his acceptance.

"Good," he said, you've made a wise choice, Stringer. Yer kettle's worth it by itself."

Kim frowned.

"What kettle?"

Gene finished his scotch.

"You'll see," he told her. He rocked back on his chair. So when are the docs approving you for work?" he asked.

"I don't know," Kim shrugged.

"Well yer not coming back 'til you've got at least half an arse on you," Gene told her, "yer ribs stick out so much you'll scratch the new paintwork.

"Not a problem you have," Kim commented before she could stop herself. She hesitated and bit her lip. The old antagonism between them was starting to come back. She did worry she had overstepped the mark but there was a flicker of something on Gene's face. It was the promise of a challenge. She suspected that this was the start of a beautiful rivalry.

"November," he told her, "first Monday of the month I'll expect you in here with meat on yer bones and yer head in the right place. And," he continued, "a decent pair of walking shoes."

Kim frowned.

"May I ask why?"

Gene smirked.

"Yer initiation," he said, "Lattes haven't developed the power to walk since you were last here, you know."

Kim rolled her eyes.

"I should have known," she mumbled.

Gene got to his feet and held out his hand which surprised her. She followed suit and accepted his gesture, shaking his hand with a nod.

"Looking forward to working with you again, Stringer," he told her, "now piss off before you turn me missus and nick another of me bloody cars."

Kim raised her eyebrows and pulled a face.

"At least I've got a month to work on my retorts," she told him and turned around to leave. As she walked to the door it opened in her presence and she froze. She glanced back over her shoulder, shaking just a little. "Guv… the door… just…"

Gene swallowed and gave a nod.

"Must be a new bloody technological masterpiece," he said dryly. He watched her give a nervous smile before she left the office and walked through CID, running into a familiar face on the way. It took her a moment to place his face though.

"Oh," she said, "good evening, sir."

Superintendent Fletcher nodded.

"DCI Stringer," he said, "I see you're joining us."

Kim nodded.

"Apparently I am," she said, still in a state of shock.

Fletcher nodded again.

"Good to have you on board," he said.

Kim felt a little overwhelmed.

"Thanks," she said nervously. She took a deep breath. "I suppose I'd better go." She glanced back to Gene. "Goodnight," she said before she hurried from CID to re-join Robin in the car park.

Flecther stepped back to let her pass then continued through to Gene's office, papers in hand. He held them out towards Gene who took them questioningly.

"What's this?" he demanded, "new menu for the canteen?"

"DCI Stringer's paperwork," The Super explained and Gene sighed heavily as he tossed them onto the desk.

"Great, a detailed description of all her rivets and what bits of her anatomy will fall off if she takes them out," he said but Fletcher picked up the papers and handed them to him again.

"No," he said, "I think you should read them."

Gene hesitated. Suddenly the papers felt like fire in his hand.

"Any particular reason why?" he asked thinly. There was a hint of something on Fletcher's face, something Gene couldn't quite put his finger on. He watched the Super shuffle uncomfortably and head toward the door

"Just make sure you're fully familiar with the personal circumstances of your top personnel, Gene," he said. He gave a sombre nod, turned around and exited the office, leaving Gene standing with the file in his hand, burning his skin with its hidden possibility. He held it out in front of him and ran his tongue along the inside of his teeth. He took a deep breath. He didn't like Fletcher's words. He wasn't sure he wanted to know want they meant, either, but eventually he felt he had little other choice.

Staring at the file, he flipped it open and began to run his eyes down the facts. There was nothing that he didn't already know. Not until he found himself near the end when the words on the page suddenly became a time bomb with the power to emotionally destroy half his team. He swallowed and closed his eyes.

"Bugger," he mumbled.

"Gene?" he turned his head quickly, his heart thumping as Alex caught him unexpectedly. "What did she say?"

Gene took a moment to realise what she meant.

"Oh, yes," he cleared his throat "looks like we're getting a metal member of CID."

"Yes," Alex smiled broadly, rushing across to hug Gene excitedly, "At last, everyone is together." She kissed his cheek and leaned back contentedly, "Me, you, Kim, Robin, Simon – it feels right, doesn't it?"

Gene stared at Alex's face, her happiness, her certainty that everything was as it should be. There was a horrid sinking feeling inside of him. He turned his head to the papers in his hand and momentarily thought about destroying them so that no one else would have to know but he couldn't do that. Like she'd adopted a lost dog, Alex was getting far too attached not to be affected by the truth. He steeled himself, drew in breath and held the file out.

"Think you should lay yer eyes on something, Alex," said quietly.

Alex only had to look him in the eye to know that something wasn't right.

"What is it?" she whispered.

"Papers for yer other third," Gene grunted, "It turns out," he flinched, "her story isn't quite a fairy-tale after all." She took the file from him, "not got that happy ever after yet." He watched her expression carefully and caught the moment that she read it; the moment that her hopes and her happiness began to slide away from her.

"Oh… oh my god… no…" she swallowed then stared at Gene, her mouth open. "That has to be a mistake… I mean, she can't… there no way she could be –"

"Bolly, it's there in black and white."

Alex stared at the page, then back at Gene.

"No…"

Gene flinched.

"Sorry," he whispered.

"No Gene, this isn't fair," Alex started to shake her head fretfully, "this doesn't make any sense, she jumped from a building to get here…"

"I know.

"And she went through hell…"

"I know, I know."

"She can't lose it all again, Gene, it can't –" Alex started to tremble and couldn't stop. "It's not fair," she whispered, "It isn't bloody fair!"

Gene wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly, trying to soothe away the anger and the tears that the papers had brought to Alex.

"Sorry," he mumbled, "I'm sorry, Bols."

"Do you think she knows?" Alex whispered and Gene shook his head as he pressed her cheek to his neck.

"Not a chance," he mumbled, "and it's not our place to say."

"But –"

"Let her be happy," Gene told her firmly, "let her be happy for the time she's got. You know how this works. Could be a lifetime."

"Could be days or weeks," Alex whispered.

Gene tried to think of an answer to that; something to take away that possibility but he couldn't. He knew it was true. Instead he just held her as she let tears escape and fall from her eyes.

Over Gene's shoulder she could see Kim in the car park through the window, embraced by Robin in excitement at her news. So happy, so full of life. It hurt even more to see that.

"It isn't fair," she whispered one last time.

And it really wasn't. But there was nothing she could do to change things. All she could do was to hope that things would work out as they were meant to for everyone's sakes but she couldn't count on that.

Kim's feet were not as firmly planted in the world as they should have been.

That was one thing even the clunky boots couldn't change.

The End

~xXx~

A/N: Pffffffttt still counting this as a happy ending – ish! Ahhh I can't believe another fic is over. Thank you for following this world as the series continues, I hope you enjoyed reading Keats's downfall as much as I enjoyed writing it. So much thanks to everyone who's been kind enough to leave a review, with enormous thanks to Jessie for the epic reviews that really kept me going, Charlotte for giving me so much support since we first met and Steph – well, red bras and Lurpak is all I have to say to you, missus! Also thanks to 80s Babe, Sillivan, Turkish Fan, ashleighcheryl and everyone I've talked to on Tumblr too. Your continued support is just amazing, I can't believe I'm over halfway through the total lifespan of this universe!

So, sequel then? Shall we say, tomorrow? The next fic will be called Remember Me – thanks to Jessie for helping me pick titles again! – and will be a bit of light-hearted relief after the dark times everyone has been through lately.

Anyone for pizza?