And so I'm back...from outer space...kidding. I've been toying with how to start this second story and I've come up with this. It's a little chapter to start with, but don't worry it'll pick up as we go through. I hope all those who followed Dedicated to the One I Love will come with me on this story!! You should read that story first (in the LOM section) before reading this or it might not make much sense!!

Please leave a review - keeps me going!!

There was no pain whatsoever. Only darkness. Darkness slowly fading into light. Silence, slowing fading into sounds. She found herself sitting on damp ground, the cold seeping into her backside, her head between her knees. The world was spinning on its axis, but if she kept her head down, instinctively she knew that it would stop. When it did, she opened her eyes and found herself looking at the ground. She tried to move, but her arms appeared to be tied behind her back and, subsequently, around some other object, making it impossible to move.

"No," she heard herself whisper. She had survived Wallace, had gotten away and survived. She couldn't be back here again. Not in that situation…could she?
"Another fine bloody, sodding, shitting mess!"

Alex's head snapped up and the sight that greeted her was one that made her insides fill with warm, that made the torment of the last few weeks worth it. It was a sight she had longed for, and yet had never dared hoped to see.

"Oh, back with us, Bolly, I see." Gene's expression was one of supreme irritation. "Typical woman to peg out completely at the first sign of bloody danger." He appeared to be in a similar situation, hands tied behind his back.

"Gene…" she breathed, almost unable to believe it was him.

"Save that saucy voice for later when I've got you over me desk," he replied. "Now then, Tyler, 'ow do you propose we get ourselves out of this little pickle?"

Alex turned her head slowly to the left and, to her complete and utter amazement, saw Sam Tyler sat next to her, tied up similarly to Gene and herself and looking extremely pissed off…………

London – May 1981

Sharp pain shot through her, carving her skull like a knife through butter. The room spun wildly, despite the darkness. It was like lying on your back on a roundabout with your eyes closed. Although you couldn't see it, everything still moved.

With a sharp intake of breath, Alex opened her eyes and found herself looking at the ceiling. But there was no strip fluorescent lighting, no doctors on white coats leaning over her, no Molly dancing at the side of her vision. There was only an incredibly hideous lampshade, the vulgarity of which she had never quite noticed until this moment, burning softly above her. Trembling, she tried to lift her upper body off of the floor, but nausea got the better of her and she lowered herself back down again.

"Bloody 'ell you're awake!" The next thing she knew, Gene's face blocked the lampshade from her view and all she could see was the concern in his eyes, "You ok? Went down like a sack of spuds!"

"I…" Alex struggled to speak, but her mouth felt so uncomfortably dry that she couldn't formulate proper words. In the next moment, Gene had put his arms under her and dragged her into a seated position so that she was effectively sat in his lap, her head resting back against his shoulder.

"'ere," he handed her a glass of water which she started to sip slowly, "Gave me the fright of me life, Bolly. Bloody selfish of you. 'aven't you worried me enough for one day?"

"I'm…sorry," she managed to say finally, "God…my head…" She felt his cool hands gently push her hair back and gingerly touch the lump that had formed where Wallace had hit her.

"You should 'ave stayed in the 'ospital," Gene said, "could 'ave done all sorts of damage to that pretty brain of yours."

"How long was I…?"

"Out for the count? About a minute."

"No," she said, pulling herself up so that she could turn her head slightly and look at him, "No, it must have been longer than that, surely?"

"Nope. I 'eard you get out of bed, followed you through 'ere, where you promptly hit the floor like the place was under attack, and by the time I'd gone to the kitchen and got some water you were back with us."

"But I…I went…" her mind rolled back through everything that had happened to her, "I went back. I went…home. I saw Molly and…and Daniel…"

"Mm hm."

"No, you don't understand!" She swung her legs round and knelt in front of him, momentarily wincing at the pain still coursing through her skull, "I went home to 2008 and I saw Daniel and he's…he's a doctor! And he has three children and you…you weren't there but…and then I went home and was trying to find out more about you and about what had happened…here…and then I was crossing the road and the truck…"

"Truck?"

"Yes! Yes, the truck hit me and then I woke up again and we were…we were tied up in some sort of…I don't know…garage...and Sam was there and…" she broke off at the look on his face. "You don't believe me, do you?"

"That my son's clever enough to grow up to be a doctor? Course I believe that. But as for trucks and Tyler…" Gene shook his head.

"But it's true! I…" Alex let out a frustrated groan, "I don't know why…I don't know how…"

"I do," Gene got to his feet and reached down to take her hand. "You're still not well." He helped her to her feet, "You should go back to bed, Bolly. Get some more rest and in the morning, I'm taking you straight back to the 'ospital."

"But…" Alex tried to protest as he steered her back into the bedroom and helped her back into bed. "But you have to believe me," she said, her lip quivering as he pulled the covers up around her, "I'm not making this up."

Gene smoothed her hair back from her face and kissed her forehead, "I'll kip on the couch."

"No!" She reached out quickly and grabbed his arm, "No, don't…don't leave me here alone…"

"Not afraid of the dark are you?" he looked at her with mock disdain, "Tough bird like you?"

"Please. You promised, remember? Forever and ever and ever amen."

He sighed heavily. "I knew that phrase would come back to 'aunt me one day. Come on then, shift over." Alex slid over in the bed and he climbed in beside her. She cuddled close into him, her head resting on his chest, her hand firmly positioned over his heart, as if she had a need to feel it beating. "Never really struck me as the kind of woman who needed anyone else, Bolly," he commented, "least of all someone like me."

She didn't reply for a long moment and he thought she had fallen asleep, when she at last spoke. "I'm scared."

He looked down at her and saw real fear in her eyes, more real than he had ever seen before. "Of what?"

She shook her head slightly, "I don't know."

"Yeah well," he tightened his grip around her, "Gene Genie's 'ere now. Nothing can 'appen to you while I'm 'ere to protect you. Can't be unlucky enough to lose two girlfriends, can I?"

XXXX

She dreamt of nothing. There was nothing to dream about. Nothing but a darkness that seemed to close in around her. She clung to Gene through her restlessness, tossing and turning, yet dreaming of nothing. There was no nightmare. Just nothing. An endless darkness. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't seem to focus on one time, one place. She couldn't seem to ground herself. 2008, 1981, 1983? Which was real? Which was the one she needed to be in? Was she dying in 2008, mown down by a truck? Was she dying in 1981 of some injury relating to her capture by Wallace? Was she dying in 1983, tied up in some garage with Gene and Sam? Nothing made sense, nothing, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't find the peace of sleep, the peace she so desperately needed.

Exhausted, she woke to bright sunshine and an empty bed.

"Gene!" Sitting bolt upright, she scanned the room and found him not there. "Gene!"

A few seconds later he appeared in the doorway, his shirt unbuttoned to reveal his vest, his face half covered in shaving foam. "What?"

"I thought…" relief flooded through her, "I thought you had gone."

"Not bloody likely," he replied, "I'm going to 'ave you for assault you know," he pointed his razor at her.

"What?"

"Bruised and battered, that's what I am after spending the night in bed with you. Was like sleeping with a restless bear! Tossing and turning and grabbing me…" he shook his head, "If I'd done that to you…"

"Sorry."

He looked at her as if he couldn't quite believe what she had just said, "What?"

"Sorry," she repeated, suddenly feeling very cold, like icy fingers had grabbed her and were pinning her tightly.

"I could 'ave sworn you just said…"

"Yes, all right!" she snapped at him, her teeth chattering.

"Touchy," he remarked, "I better mention that to the doctor."

"I'm not going to the hospital," she replied, but he had already gone back into the bathroom, "Gene, I said I'm not…" Sighing, she swung her legs gingerly out of bed and stood up. Her head was still painful, but nowhere near as bad as the previous night. Walking over to the mirror, she looked at her reflection and took in the sunken eyes, the wild hair and the paleness of her skin. As she continued to gaze at her reflection, she felt another sudden shiver and the unmistakable feeling that someone was watching her. She turned slowly, not sure what to expect, but the room behind her was empty.

She left the bedroom and walked into the living room to make some coffee. That simple task seemed to take an age. Her body felt so tired, her muscles so weak, and the cold feeling continued to course through her.

"Bloody 'ell," Gene said, coming into the kitchen and finding her sat at the table nursing a steaming cup. "I can practically see through you, you're so pale."

"Thanks."

"You should get dressed."

"I will."

"Now, Bolly. I'm taking you to that 'ospital right now before you keel over again right in front of me." He lifted his car keys from the table.

"Where are you going?" Alex asked, suddenly fearful.

"I'm going to bring the car round to the door, ok? Get dressed now." Gene opened the front door and then looked back at where she still sat, "Now Bolly, before I drag you into that bedroom and strip you naked and I do not mean for another round of hot Gene Genie sex!" With that, he slammed the door behind him.

Immediately, Alex began to shiver uncontrollably. Her whole body felt as though it was in spasms and if she looked at her skin, she could almost see it turning blue. It felt as though she was sinking in to a bath of ice, her breath frosting with every movement of air.

"No…" she whispered to herself, "Not again. I can't be dying again…I can't...can I?"

"Trust me, when that moment comes, you'll know."

The voice. Female and unfamiliar, yet not…almost comfortingly familar. Alex looked up across the room and screamed.

"Sorry," Meg said, "I didn't mean to scare you."