TITLE: Time and Emotion

AUTHOR: bolly69

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters or concept; they belong to the BBC/Ashley/Matthew, etc.

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Inspired by you clever, clever fanfic - ers

Please be gentle, it's my first time…...

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Chapter 1

Clean. She would get these fucking tiles clean. She'd scrub every inch of them until they were spotless. Untainted. Clean.

Alex puffed tousled curls away from her ashen face as she plunged a well-worn sponge into the bucket of hot bubbles and continued to scrub at the tiles that covered the walls of CID's kitchen area. Tiles that a few hours earlier had been splattered with blood. Red sticky blood that she could still see the ghost of.

Not her blood thank god, but from Danny Jackson. Danny Jackson with the black, stoned, non-blinking eyes. Danny Jackson who had held a gun to Alex's temple and threatened to pull the trigger. Danny Jackson who had been shot in the head by armed police. Danny Jackson whose brains she was now scraping off these fucking tiles.

"Bolly?"

Fucking tiles that wouldn't come clean.

"Bolls"

Fucking Danny Jackson's stupid brains.

"Alex!"

Gene's voice jolted her back to the present. Or rather, the past. Well, 1982 anyway. She'd expected him to be well on his way to getting pissed in Luigi's by now, him and the other bloody lardy fascists celebrating another notch on the gun barrel; one more piece of gutter trash taken out by armed bastards.

He strode to her and firmly took her sleek wrist, stopping the sponge in mid scrub. "Come on love, leave it now. There's no need for you to be doing that. Let's get you home" His voice was gentle, caring.

Alex blinked tears away and shook her head, "Have to finish this; clean the mess up in here", her hand sploshed in the bucket again, sending bubbles cascading down the sides and over the floor. Alex's eagerness unbalanced the bucket, toppled it over, water flowing freely, gushing. A small strangled cry came from Alex's lips, she frowned, tears welling.

"Alex, love, please.…."

Lifted effortlessly by Gene, Alex stood shakily, leaning on his arm to stop the room tilting again. She gulped down hard, a cry, a scream, vomit, something that was fighting to not stay down. The room swirled again, that rollercoaster feeling that's not so much fun when you're not riding one. Then she was up in his arms and felt safe at last; her head on his shoulder, nuzzled into his smoke and whisky scented overcoat; comforted in its perfume she closed her eyes and let welcome dark peace envelop her.

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The meeting with the Super had gone as badly as Gene had expected. He'd defended his team and derided the officers responsible for allowing Danny Jackson to give them the slip, barely able to disguise his anger and frustration at the danger Alex had been exposed to. If he got his hands on Benson and McKenzie ……

CID was deserted by the time he got back, more than time for a large whisky, before heading off to Luigi's and the rest of the team. Light from the kitchen area caught his attention, and he wandered in to check it out. His heart pounded in his chest, rushed deafeningly in his ears, as his eyes settled on Alex on the floor meticulously scrubbing the tiles; like a lost child kneeling there, hunched by the far wall, white bubbles spilling out of the bucket and onto the tiled floor, compelled by some hidden urge.

She hadn't heard him call to her, too immersed in the task in hand.

Gene squinted and scanned the tiles; the clean-up team had been in earlier, there was no trace of Danny Jackson, except in Alex's eyes. Alex's astonishing eyes. Huge hazel orbs glistening up at him, failing to conceal the torment she was feeling. Christ, what he'd do to take that pain away. For Alex. His Alex. If only.

Gene cursed under his breath; he thought Shaz and Chris had taken her back to the flat; Shaz had brought her a change of clothes and helped clean her up, why hadn't she got her out of there? Shit, he should have made sure she was looked after before he charged off all hell and fire to the Super's office. Stupid bastard. Called in for an account of the afternoon's events, he hadn't considered that nobody would look out for her. That no one other than him would look out for her.

He pushed his arm around her waist and lifted her off her knees, shaking the sponge out of her grip as he did. He searched her face as she came up into the low light; she looked pallid and drawn. Well, that was understandable given the day's events. Bastard Jackson, brought in for questioning, had wormed his way out of the bogs and into CID before anyone could say 'where's the slimy nonce gone'. He'd caught Alex off guard sharing a joke with Shaz and dragged her backwards into the kitchen. Gene flinched as he remembered the terror in her eyes. He'd tried to grab out for her, but Jackson had warned him off; druggie eyes flashing a very real threat, weapon pushed firmly into Alex's flesh; her pale skin furrowed around the barrel; perfect mouth wide, silently crying out to him; eyes staring and fixed on him telling him, something, what exactly?

How long had it lasted? He wasn't sure, every second that filth had his hands on Alex, whispering his insane ramblings into her ear felt like an eternity to Gene. No time, or point, for Alex's style of negotiating; a quick warning from Gene then a careful aim by one of the armed response team, steadied on a filing cabinet, and it was over. Good bloody riddance.

Gene's arm took more of Alex's weight. She was off balance, body trembling, eyes glazed, and the only thing he could do, wanted to do, was scoop her up into his arms and stride out through the double doors of CID, banging them into the walls on the way through.

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Alex opened her eyes slowly, still aware of being carried. It was too dark to see clearly, except for the vague shape above her, lowering her gently onto her bed. She knew the familiar reassuring presence instantly, the safe strong hold. Of course.

"Gene….." She managed to whisper, trying to sit up, her head swirling again.

"Now then, Bolls, you just take it easy, you're not looking so good"

His voice was calm, soothing in the darkness.

"Don't leave me, …..please…..Gene…." Her voice trembling, just audible, exposed her fear. She was too afraid to be alone tonight, afraid of her demons; those Gene knew of, and the ones he didn't.

"I won't leave you love. I'll stay right here. I shouldn't have left you with that useless bunch of.…" His voice trailed off, the words unimportant right now. He sighed his anger away, "I'm not going anywhere Bolls".

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Thanks for reading!

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