Adult-FanFiction.org : Television / Streaming

Back to the Future	By : gallygaskins Category: 1 through F > Ashes to Ashes Views: 1342 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I don't own Ashes to Ashes and I don't earn any money from this fanfiction

Chapter List
- 16
- 17
Chapter 17 – Christmas is coming

As Gene Hunt walked through the front door of his house he had to smile. Christmas’ in this house had never quite been anything other than a few decorations pinned to the mantelpiece and the odd card on a shelf from Christmas Eve onwards. But he’d not been able to deny his daughter anything and decorating the house over a week before the big day had been no exception. “Jesus, ‘ave I stepped into Narnia?” He grinned, before shutting the door on the crisp cold Manchester winter and the snow filled clouds. A storm was definitely coming, he could smell it.

His coat was the first thing to be discarded on a hook by the door. As he bent down to take off his boots two hands found their way around his waist and inside his jacket. “Please tell her you like it, even if you don’t.”

He turned in her arms, a kiss placed lightly on her nose, “Alex, why would I want t’ do that, one moody cow at a time in this place is enough,” he said smiling at her as his arms found their way around her shoulders, bringing her to him in a bear hug. She leant up and kissed him. “Oh, welcome ‘ome me. You’re obviously in a better mood.”

“Well, I think the sickness has stopped, finally and after talking to the Commissioner and HR I got a letter today accepting my resignation whilst also agreeing for me to act as a consultant.”

He hugged her closer, “that’s wonderful, Alex. So you’ll be able t’ work from home?” She nodded, “we’ll ‘ave t’ turn that box room into an office for ya then. I’m goin’ t’ miss you at work especially when I’ve been able t’ watch that arse of yours wiggle its way down the corridor from me.”

“I’ll be in, every now and then, and I promise to call you Guv when we’re on our own.”

“Later, petal.” He smirked. “Right, let’s ‘ave a look at what you’ve been up t’ today.” He noticed the tinsel around the banisters first from which some baubles were hanging. A 2 foot high Santa and snowman which adorned the bottom of the stairs also raised an eyebrow, but he kept quiet.

Alex led him through into the living room. Only the lights on the tree and those that adorned the mantelpiece were on, slowly twinkling away. The tree stood tall in the window, virtually every branch had something hanging from it, all colour coordinated in rich greens, purples and turquoise. The smell of pine hit his nostrils. “A real tree?” His eyes shone, he’d not had a real tree since ... the first Christmas he had spent with Becky, she’d insisted upon it even though he’d moaned constantly about the needles dropping.

“Do you like it?”

“’Ow did you get that in ‘ere?” His eyes narrowed, looking down towards the tiny bump that was now evident beneath her jumper.

“I called in a favour,” her frustration taking over momentarily, “I’d spoken to Sam about it last week and he insisted on helping. He brought Ray and Chris with him as well. Did you really think I’d do something like that on my own?”

Bringing her to him, an arm around her shoulders, and his free hand on her belly, “of course not, I’m sorry love, sometimes I’m just a stupid northern bastard ‘oo lets his emotions take over.” He kissed her, “I just want you an’ baby t’ be safe.”

“I know.” She whispered, “and you’re not stupid, Gene. You’re just caring; it’s good to let your feelings known. At least I know you’ll always keep me, Molls and this little one,” she patted his hand for effect, “safe.” Drawing her closer to him once more he kissed her with overwhelming fervour and raw passion. He knew she could feel it too, returning the kiss with an emotion that rocked him to his core. Time stood still for them in those few snatched moments. Their foreheads resting together as they pulled apart, “do you like it?”

“Yes,” he replied, “an’ the tree’s not bad either.” He pinched her arse for effect, “blimey I can pinch a bit more down there now, maybe I should ‘ave ya pregnant more often.” That earned him a slap for his troubles. “Oi, that ‘urt!”

“Good!”

“Look, sweetheart, I’ll always love you, whatever, but I prefer ya with a bit o’ meat on your bones.” She was smiling so that was a good sign, he nuzzled into her neck, “an’ these boobs of yours are better for bein’ a bit bigger too.” He gave one a good squeeze, feeling the nub spring to life beneath her clothing. Her body reacting to him as she giggled at his advances, her breast pushed firmly into his hand.

“Oh, God, would you two please get a room!” They sprang apart as Molly entered the room, crimson blushes all round. She walked into the kitchen to get herself a drink.

Each parent smiled knowingly at the other, “I think you better tell her how much you like what she’s done.”

“As long as I get to tell ‘er mother later on ‘ow much I like what she does for me too.” His eyes twinkled as he moved towards the kitchen. Molly had sat down at the table in the centre of the room; Gene joined her picking up one of the biscuits she’d placed in front of her and taking a bite. Her face was a picture, Gene sighed, “look, Molls, you’re mum an’ me ...”

“Dad, it’s ok, you don’t have to say it. Evan told me about it, remember?”

“Hmm,” he took another bite of the biscuit. “Well, we should still apologise, you live ‘ere too. An’ we do try t’ keep that side of our relationship as personal as we can, it’s just sometimes ...”

“Dad, it’s fine, you’ve been apart a long time and I know how much you love mum. And I know about where babies come from, we’ve had the talk at school.”

“Right. Good. We’ll try t’ be’ave better from now on though.” He finished the rest of the biscuit. “I love what you’ve done with the decorations, Molly. The tree’s brilliant.”

Molly got up from her seat and climbed into her dad’s lap. “Thanks, I didn’t go too over the top did I? I love Christmas and I wanted it to be so special.”

“It will be kiddo, an’ it’s just perfect as it is. Thank you.”

Pulling herself up and placing her arms about his neck she kissed his cheek. “My pleasure, dad.” And with that she was sliding out of his embrace and running back up the stairs. “Got to finish off making the paper chains.”

“Paper chains? For where exactly?”

Alex shrugged, “I guess we’ll find out soon enough.” She began pulling food from the fridge for tea, “by the way I’ve spoken to Evan today, he’s coming up on Monday and insisted on taking a room at the hotel down the road.”

“’E could’ve stayed with us.” Gene said as sincerely as he could. Alex eyed his suspiciously, “what?”

“You know perfectly well what?”

“I’m sorry love; I know ‘e brought you up and looked after both you and Molly when I wasn’t around but there’s somethin’ about ‘im. Not sure what it is but somthin’s not right. Why ‘as ‘e decided to stay there?”

“He says that he’s spoken to the hotel and Molls can go and stay with him there a couple of nights if we’d like. Give us a bit of time to ourselves.”

“That’s good of ‘im.”

“Gene. I thought you’d jump at the chance of having some alone time.”

“Actually, I’d already arranged some alone time. It was goin’ t’ be a surprise. Moll’s is goin’ to stay with some friends over New Year an’ I’ve booked us a room at a really nice place.”

She sniggered. “Where? Premier Inn?”

“Boll’s, what d’ ya take me for?” He pouted getting up from his seat and disappearing for a few moments. Placing the opened brochure in front of the chopping board Alex was using, he stood back awaiting any kind of response. “So?”

Alex stopped what she was doing, picked up the brochure and slowly flicked through the pages. “You’re taking me here, for New Year?” She asked, turning around and flashing him her best smile. She noticed one of the corners had been bent back, she opened up the page. “Are we staying in this room?”

Taking her into his arms his lips found the sensitive flesh just below her ear. “It’s a suite actually,” he whispered, “only the best for my Bolly. An’ we’ve got it for three ‘ole days an’ nights.”

“Luxury king sized bed, champagne on arrival, double whirlpool bath.” She turned in his arms kissing him fully on the mouth, her hands in his hair at the nape of his neck. Her eyes glistening once they had pulled apart. “Can’t wait,” she breathed seductively.

“I’ll do it more often if I know I’m goin’ to get that reaction every time.”

“Oh yes please, especially when we’ve got two screaming children running around the place, I think I’m going to be in need of the occasional dirty weekend away.”

“Good, that’s decided then, palm the kids off with someone as often as we can so that I can get you unashamedly screaming my name out at the top of your voice.” Noticing his daughter’s footfall on the stairs he reluctantly put Alex down, “we’ve got later first though,” his hand lightly tapped her behind, “can’t wait for that either.”

“Insufferable,” he heard Alex mutter as he met Molly in the hallway, “but definitely worth it!” He grinned, life was good.

.oOo.

“Jar in the local, Evan? Just whilst we’re waiting for tea t’ be finished?” Alex smiled up at the two men; Gene was certainly making an effort.

A perplexed Evan looked between the two of them, “well, I’m not sure? Alex?”

“Humour him, Evan; he just wants to get to know the man who brought me up a little better before the big day.” Alex got up from her seat in the living room. “Besides Molly won’t be home for at least another hour and I don’t intend to have dinner ready until after that, I’ll text you when it’s nearly done.”

Nodding, Evan followed Gene out into the hall and proceeded to protect himself from the northern chill that he’d subjected himself to. Why Alex had wanted to move to a colder climate he could never understand but he knew that despite everything she loved Gene and would’ve moved anywhere to be near him. Neither said anything as they took the short walk to the pub and even though the ambience was that of a modernised coffee house it was still Gene’s local. “What’ll you have?” Gene stood at the bar, peeling the long black woollen coat from his torso before removing his gloves and scarf.

“Bitter, please. Not much of a lager drinker these days and I’m sure Alex will have a bottle of wine chilling to have with dinner.”

Gene smirked, “two pints of mild love, please. Evan, do you want to get us a table, I’ll bring these over.” Watching carefully, Gene half closed his eyes and pursed his lips as Evan made his way to the back of the pub choosing a table that wasn’t closely occupied by anyone else. ‘He’s either astute or careful.’

Pints in hand, Gene made his way across the lounge to the alcove that Evan had chosen. “Nice place,” Evan smiled, taking a sip, “oh, that’s good!”

“Yep, it’s a favourite of mine. We’re stayin’ for a bit Evan, you might want t’ take your coat off.”

Evan did as he was bid leaving his scarf still around his neck, “I’d imagine you’re thinking I’m a soft Southern Nancy?”

“Somethin’ like that.”

Evan’s smile was brief, his eyes resting back on his pint before taking another swig. “Come on then, let’s have it.”

“What?”

“The real reason you’ve brought me down to the pub. Something tells me that this isn’t some attempt at us bonding, the guardian and the boyfriend.”

‘Astute,’ Gene pouted, “Ok, Evan, cards on the table. When we last ‘ad a chat I were askin’ you about Alex’s parents. You told me that you knew nothin’ more about the bombin’ that killed them than Alex ‘ad already told me.”

“That’s right!”

“Bullshit!”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Bullshit, Evan. Bullshit. I’ve found out a couple of very interesting things about you an’, obviously, you’ve never chosen t’ disclose these t’ Alex or anyone else.”

Fear found its way into Evan’s eyes, “like?”

“Like the fact you were sleepin’ with ‘er mother. Did Price know about this?”

Evan dropped his head, “yes,” his voice shallow, “he found out. I loved her and would’ve taken her away from him but I was nothing to her really, nothing other than a quick fumble and something different to the only man she was used to.” Gene looked confused. “Caroline and Tim had met at college, he was the only man she’d ever ... before me.”

“Oh, I see.”

“No, I don’t think you do.” Evan’s eyes glistened, “I loved Caroline very much but I was played; by her, by him. They both played me to their own end exactly as they played the system too.”

“An’ you spran’ Arthur Layton from the Scrubs?”

“Yes, but I didn’t know why. Tim had used his influence to get Layton out of jail, the last job I did for Tim Price was pick that man up, then, when I got back to the office, Tim confronted me about my affair with Caroline. He was calculating, using terminology that should’ve only been fit for the courtroom, suggesting that I had engineered the affair to gain the practice as well as prise his family away from him. He didn’t let up even whilst I was trying to work. In the end, I told him where he could stick his job.”

“What ‘appened then?”

“I don’t remember much, I went to see a couple of friends to see if I could get a job with them, then I had an attack of conscious and went to find Caroline. I didn’t care if Tim was there or not, I was going to confront her, find out if we had anything worth salvaging. Tim had already asked to borrow my car to take Caroline and Alex to the station to which I’d agreed. I knew that Caroline had arranged to pick Alex up from school and knew that if I hurried I’d be able to catch them. I got to the school just as the bomb went off, looking around the area I saw a man I could’ve sworn to have been Layton but wasn’t sure. Another man, who I later found out to be a DCI Hinkley, took care of Alex, took her hand and shielded her view. Made her feel safe.”

“I’ve spoken t’ Mr Hinkley, that’s ‘ow I found out about this. You ‘ad nothin’ t’ do with their death’s?”

“Do you really think that?” Stricken, Evan shook his head.

“No, but I ‘ad to ask.”

Evan nodded, “the only thing that connects me to their death is my involvement with Caroline and the fact that it was my car that was blown to kingdom come. Tim made a tape.”

“I know about that too. You have t’ tell ‘er.”

Evan looked at Gene, “is this where you tell me that if I don’t, you will?”

“No. It’s about doin’ the right thin’. I know you’re a decent man, Evan. Your decision t’ take on little Alex proves that. An’ you did a decent job bringin’ ‘er up too. But she needs to know what ‘appened an’ why.”

“Yes, you’re right, I need to tell her. Everything.”

“Can I ask you somethin’?” Evan nodded, “Any idea why Layton would be in Stockport?”

Evan shrugged, “I have no idea.”

“What did you get ‘im out on?”

“A technicality, something to do with the way he was arrested was what I was told, although Tim may have had other reasons.”

“Like? Layton ‘adn’t got form for bombs an’ with it being wired up t’ the tape player as it was then that someone ‘ad t’ know what they were doin’.”

Realisation crossed Evan’s features, “wait a moment, Layton was very anxious when I went to get him out. When I asked him if he was ok he told me that ‘I’m happy, hope you’re happy too’, I just thought he was referring to that song by David Bowie.”

“They got a message from the action man,” Gene smiled, “bit of a Bowie fan. Wonder if ‘e was referrin’ t’ a compatriot, t’ the person that made the bomb? Major Tom? I’ll ‘ave t’ get Sam onto that.” He looked at his watch; they should’ve had a text from Alex by now. “I’m just going to give Alex a ring, see how far tea’s off?” He watched Evan nod as he rang the familiar number from his phone. Ringing out he tried it again, making sure that the number he had input was correct. It was but there was still no answer. “Shit!”

“What’s up?” Evan sat bolt upright.

For the second time in his life Gene’s eyes shone with fear. “She’s not answerin’,” he was now ringing the home landline. Still nothing. Dialling another number it was picked up, “Molls, where are you? ... Good ... Thank God ... Stay there, I’ll get Annie t’ come an’ pick you up, you can stay with her an’ Sam for a bit ... no, no, everything’s fine. Ill speak to you soon, scamp. Love you.” He put the phone down only to begin ringing another one. “Hi Sam, look there’s a problem at ‘ome, get some of the boy’s t’ meet me there. Evan an’ me are on our way back now. I’ll tell you more when I get there, also can you get Annie t’ pick up Evan from mine an’ then pick up Moll’s from ‘er friend Lucy’s? ... Thanks, make sure she keeps ‘er safe for me ... see you in a bit.”

Quickly donning their outside gear, both men hurried to Gene’s home. The place was dark when they arrived and although nothing appeared wrong from the outside, apart from the lack of lighting now that the night was drawing in, it was totally different when they walked through the front door. Instructing Evan to stay where he was, Gene made a quick sweep of the house noticing places where several struggles had ensued. His smile was brief, she’d not given in without a fight, hopefully she was still struggling.

Uniform was soon at the house doing a more thorough search, relieving Gene and Evan to put together some much needed clothing for Molly. A job that was soon concluded with the arrival of Sam. Gene’s promises to Evan that he would find Alex safe and well ensured that Evan was soon on his way with Annie and as soon as he was sure that they were safely on their own he confronted the team. “Remember it’s imperative that we find ‘er within the next forty eight hours, any longer than that and we’ll probably be looking for her ...” He choked back the impending tears along with his final word, hoping that his sudden exit hadn’t been too readily noticed by the officers. Sam was quickly by his side. “I can’t lose ‘er, Sam.”

“I promise you, Gene, we will do everything we can to find her.”

“I know you will.”

“Perhaps you should go and stay with Annie too?”

“No, I want t’ be ‘ere.”

Sam knew he was fighting a losing battle, “ok. Well, is there anything you can tell me that might give us a clue as to who may have her?”

“When I confronted Evan earlier, ‘e said that the last thin’ ‘e remembered Layton saying to ‘im was ‘I’m happy, hope you’re happy to.’ May be a reference t’ our bomber – they got a message from the action man – Major Tom. I don’t know. I was goin’ t’ ask you t’ see if you could trace anyone that would fit.”

“I’ll get Carling onto it right away, he’s good with army rosters. Maybe there are other clues in the song, I’ll get Chris and Shaz onto that. And in the meantime, let’s see if we can find out anything from the address that I have for Layton.”

“You found ‘im?”

“It took a little while but I have a snout out in Stockport that is less than enamoured with our friend from the south. Been taking away some of his business by all accounts.”

“Come on then, no time like the present t’ see if we can catch the bastard.”

“My thoughts exactly, Gene.”

.oOo.

Scared and shivering from the cold, Alex sat on a pile of blankets in the vast dank hull of a large barge. She’d seen these on the Thames when she had been a child little thinking that one day she would end up on one wondering what her fate would be. “Gene, please find me,” she whispered into the air hoping that the man in question would hear her plea, knowing that it was unlikely but wanting to try all the same.

Pulling the blankets around her, she knew that she must do all she could to keep herself healthy, not only for herself but for her unborn child. A child that would rekindle Gene Hunt’s faith in the world as it was being born. The child that would live as she would live and make Gene the happiest man on the planet instead of the lost man she could envisage if she lost hers and her child’s fight for life. She would make sure that that wouldn’t happen to him again if it was the last thing she ever did.

But this man, sallow and thin with a bony nose, a man that had used her first name and had forcefully dragged her from her home before pointing a gun at her head and making her drive to the pier that the boat she now resided on was moored against; this man, what did he want with her? She tried to ascertain if she had ever met him or seen him before as part of her work but nothing was coming to her. She even tried a form of self regression to see if she had met him in her distant past but nothing was coming to her. She pulled the blankets closer, dirty as they were, but that didn’t matter, it was survival that only mattered now.

She heard footsteps above and over her, then moving away before coming back towards her on the level that she was at, the man was back and walking back into the hull. He stepped tentatively toward her across the beams, his phone to his ear as he talked into it. His accent southern, a Londoner by all accounts. “Layton here, I’ve got a piece of your past. Tim and Caroline Price’s daughter. And I’m gonna tell her all about her parent’s dying. You’ve got two days Tom, take it or leave it!”

“What do you know about my parent’s?” Alex asked, without thinking as she watched him shut his phone and severing the connection.

“Later Alex, you’ll hear all you need to know soon. Just pray that I get what’s coming to me otherwise you’ll be joining them.”

Underneath the blankets an arm secured itself protectively around her belly, she had two days. Gene had two days to find her, find them and then it would be over. As the door was locked behind Layton and imprisoning her into the wretched cold space, she spoke once more before making herself as comfortable as she could. “Gene, please hurry.”
- 16
- 17
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Back to the Future