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This is probably the fluffiest Ashes thing I have ever written, if you are feeling fragile or cynical, look away now or grab a sickbag- thanks to everyone who read this fic, and especially to Ocean County as it was written with her in mind.

Epilogue

One year later.

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'Wake up!' Gene's voice came to her through a long tunnel of blissful sleep.

Alex opened her eyes. He was leaning over her looking down. 'Hello you.' She murmured.

'Hello beautiful' he brushed his lips over hers. 'time to get moving.'

'We could just stay in here all day.' she said.

'Yes we could, but today's our special day.' he said, 'We've got to get ready. I shouldn't be here, if prophet of doom Evan finds out we spent the night together he'll be over the bloody moon- it's bad luck.'

Alex wound her arm around his neck and pulled him to her, 'That's only for brides, this is our 'not getting married' day so we have no worries on that score.'

There was a knock on the door.

'Ah…breakfast' Gene said, getting out of bed and putting on a luxurious robe provided by the hotel. A waiter wheeled in a trolley laden with silver domed dishes, white roses and champagne. Gene passed him a tip.

'Have a lovely day.' the waiter said, 'the sun is shining so it's a good start.'

Gene opened the champagne and poured it into flutes as Alex stretched lazily, he added a couple of strawberries to the Bolly and passed a glass to her.

'Bolly for Bolly' he said, getting back into bed.

'One whole year.' Alex said. 'I can't believe it.'

Gene whipped out a cream and gold ring box, 'What's this?' he said, 'Could it be a not getting married ring?'

Alex flipped it open and took a deep breath as she saw the double diamonds on a platinum band; simple yet stunning, 'Oh how absolutely incredible.' she gasped.

Gene was cramming down crispy bacon and scrambled eggs, 'Have to leave in about five minutes' he said with his mouth full, 'Can't have Tyler wandering around the smoke by himself, he'll cry. Better step on it if I've gotta get to Euston- which finger?' he hovered the ring over her hand.

Alex held out her wedding finger.

'Glad you said that one- it's the one I measured.' he told her.

'How?' Alex asked.

'With a piece of string while you were asleep one night.' he replied, slipping the ring on.

'We are doing the right thing aren't we?' Alex said, 'Moving in together?'

'Feels right to me.' Gene was in the middle of a tussle with a shirt.

Alex held up her hand to admire her new bling, 'I don't want you to feel trapped, bogged down with a readymade family.'

'Do I look like a man who's trapped?' Gene said, falling on the bed beside her with the buttons on his shirt half undone.

'No you look like a man who can't dress himself' she said, leaning down to kiss him and gazing at the fine golden hairs on his belly. She couldn't resist running her fingers over them.

'Oi, you'll wake the sleeping monster.' he pushed her hand away, 'I really should be on the way to the train station, right now. Eat your breakfast.' He sat up, applied himself to his shirt buttons and then pulled on his boots.

As he grabbed his jacket and headed to the door he turned and looked at her swigging the champers and nibbling on strawberries, 'See you in a couple of hours.'

She blew him a kiss.

'Soppy mare.' he said.

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Alex had a lovely morning being pampered in the hotel's beauty parlour. Molly arrived as she was heading into the hairdressing section of the parlour. They were both having their hair done.

'I wish I could have a colour treatment.' Molly said, 'But I'll just stay as mouse I guess.'

'You can have a wash out colour if you like.' Alex said, 'Not purple though, or emerald green.'

She looked sideways at her daughter as they were being styled to within an inch of their lives. There was no getting away from it, Molly was growing up.

'It doesn't take hours to get to Euston Station and back does it?' Molly said.

'I expect they've gone to some watering hole somewhere.' Alex replied.

'Shaz said that Annie from Vice knows Sam, she met him once on a course.' Molly said, 'She says he's really, really fit.'

'Yes and he's also about thirty, so don't you go getting any ideas.' Alex said.

'I think I'd have to get past Annie first.' Molly giggled, 'Anyway, I invited Damon.'

Alex's head spun, 'Damon? Kenickie Damon?'

'We've been spending a lot of time together.' Molly said, 'We're thinking of applying to the same unis, when the time comes.'

'Hmm' said Alex.

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'You look beautiful mum.' Molly said, as Alex slipped on a fitted linen dress the colour of bluebells.

'Thank you' Alex replied, feeling quite choked, 'So do you.' even though Molly was dressed in an ensemble of her charity shop finds comprising many different eras and styles, she did look lovely.

Molly looked out of the window to the marquee in the hotel grounds. 'Everyone's arriving, oh yuck, Evan's brought Jonty, do you think he's gay?'

'Evan or Jonty?' Alex asked, joining Molly at the window.

'Evan- Jonty's definitely gay, he's quite open about it.' Molly shrugged, 'You don't think poor old Evan's been repressing his sexuality all these years?'

'I don't know' Alex said thoughtfully, 'How sad if he has, what a waste of his life.'

'You need to talk to him mum, tell him to go for it.' Molly said.

Alex put an arm round Molly, 'I think you're mature enough to do it. I'll leave it to you.'

'Fuck me- have the aliens stolen my ma?' Molly asked, 'You just called me mature.'

'Yes, maybe I was a little hasty' Alex said, 'Stop swearing!'

'I enjoy it!' Molly giggled. ' Oh bugger me sideways, who is that hunk?'

Alex followed her daughters gaze and saw Gene, laughing and chatting to a group of people including a very jolly looking Super.

'Yes, I like your taste.' she told Molly, 'I did ok, didn't I?'

'More than ok.' Molly said. 'Don't you think we'd better get down there before someone else snaps him up?'

Alex slipped on her matching shoes, 'Yes, come on.'

.

'Oi! You do know she's only fifteen?' Gene loomed over Molly and Damon.

'Sixteen' Molly said.

'Sod it-You do know she's only sixteen?' Gene said fiercely.

Damon nodded.

'It's ok dad, we're just friends' Molly said.

'Yes well, I'm gonna be keeping an eye on you two.' Gene told them.

He went back to Alex,' Molly just called me dad.'

'Are you ok with that?' Alex asked.

He nodded, 'But that means she's going be emptying my wallet from now on, doesn't it?'

'Probably.' Alex agreed.

Gene smiled, 'Tyler's well in there with Cartwright.' He nodded towards Sam and Annie.

'They've met before on a course, according to Molls.' Alex said, 'Apparently Annie said he was really fit.'

'Always thought he was a tad on the wimpy side.' Gene said,' Mind you, Cartwright could do worse.'

Sam looked up and saw he was being observed. He made his way over to Gene and Alex.

'Well, congratulations on not getting married.' he grinned. 'Great party.'

'Thanks Sam.' Alex said.

'You two actually look sickeningly happy.' Sam said, 'What's your secret?'

'Wall to wall shagging.' replied Gene.

'Schh!' Alex said, looking down and feeling herself going pink.

'You look as though opportunity could be hammering on your door.' Gene said, jerking his head towards Annie.

'She's very…attractive.' Sam agreed, 'I could be persuaded.'

'You and Maya really through?' Gene asked.

'Yep' Sam nodded, 'We had so many fresh starts but you can't flog a dead horse. I just don't know if I'm ready for….'

'Oh shut up Gladys!' Gene scoffed, 'Go and have a bloody dance with her. she's looking all lonely and that tufty headed bloke who's been eyeing her up all afternoon is looking like he's about to make a move.'

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'So' Sam said, as he joined Gene at the bar as the party ended, 'You must be the bloody jammiest sod I've ever known. Nabbed Hamblin and got yourself a beautiful woman- remind me to go for demotion in a few years time.'

'Yep, worked out well.' Gene said.

'So what next?' Sam asked.

'Just gonna enjoy life.' Gene swigged his single malt.

'Are you staying here tonight?' asked Sam.

'No- I have plans.' Gene said, 'Got a cab booked for midnight.'

' You're whisking her away somewhere exotic for a not honeymoon?' Sam asked.

Gene nodded, 'Oh very exotic- yeah. You know me.'

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'Where are we going?' Alex asked.

'It's a surprise.' Gene said.

'Ok' Alex said doubtfully as the cab pulled into Luigi's back yard.

Gene paid the driver and pulled Alex out of the cab. 'Hungry?' he asked.

They rushed up to the flat. 'I don't know why I didn't guess.' spluttered Alex as he jammed her up against the kitchen cupboards.

'After we've worked up an appetite.' he told her, pulling open the cupboard door, 'I 'ave 'oops.'

xxxxxx