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Repetitions of the Future	By : gallygaskins Category: 1 through F > Ashes to Ashes Views: 1464 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Ashes to Ashes and I do not earn any money from this fanfiction.

Chapter List
- 8
- 9
- 10
Chapter 9 – Meanwhile … back in 1981! : Part 1

After speaking to several members of staff, DS Ray Carling was able to determine that DI Drake, after a spell in both A & E and the fracture clinic, had been taken to a ward for overnight observation. At least both Gene and Alex were in the same hospital so he would be able to swiftly navigate the corridors and floors between both parties.

A pretty petite blonde staff nurse greeted him as he walked onto the ward, pointing Drake out to him. He thanked her and sidled over, taking note of Alex’s appearance, the usual bouncy perm now lay flat against her head, her rosy complexion gone being replaced by a pallid forlorn outlook. She’d noticed him on his journey over to her bed and quickly looked up giving him an even quicker smile, replacing it again with a demeanour that was both lost and sad.

He decided to keep it short and sweet, ’for the best’. “’Ello.”

She looked up at him again; he was stood at the end of the bed looking her over. “Hi, Ray. How is he?”

Her question hit him like a ten ton truck; he’d expected she’d ask but not as fast as this. “Ne’er you mind ‘ow ‘e is at the minute. ‘Ow are you?” He asked sternly.

“Fine, as well as can be expected. Few cuts and grazes, a couple of stitches in my head and my leg will be fine. They’re just making sure I don’t get concussion before letting me go home tomorrow.” She smiled again, and then she forcefully asked once more. “How is he, Ray?”

He sighed, pursed his lips and shrugged before he began. “Gene’s got a punctured lung.” He closely watched her reaction to his news realising tears were creeping their way out from the corner of her eyes. “Sounds like it were a good thing I got Layton off balance when I did, could’ve been shot in ‘is ‘ead or ‘is ‘eart! That’s if you could find one!” He smiled trying to make a joke of it.

She smiled again, whispering “oh, believe me, Ray. He’s got one hell of a heart.”

Ray nodded, “Aye, I know, luv!”

“What’s the verdict then?”

“’E’ll be fine. Doctors removed the slug, patched ‘im up and ‘e’s comfortable. They say it’s just a matter of time before ‘e comes out of ‘is coma.”

Alex’s head shot up and stared directly at Ray, “coma?” she squealed.

Ray couldn’t help but look around him to make sure she hadn’t woken or upset anyone else; he got a stern look from the nurse and smiled back. Taking the seat that sat next to her bed he tried to console the now weeping Alex. “Drake … Alex, ‘e’s in a coma because ‘e lost so much blood, ‘e’s fine. ‘E’ll be back wit’ us all in no time. They’ve told me that.”

Unexpectedly, to both of them, Ray took hold of her hand and gave it a squeeze. Her dreary eyes and distressed expression made their way back to his face. “God, I’m so fed up of crying, that’s all I’ve done for the last bloody week. I need something good to come of all this.”

“It will, Alex, you’ll see. I think we both know how strong Gene is an’ I don’t think the doctor would lie to me. He’d know better than ‘at. Anyway, we’ve both gotta be ‘ere for ‘im when ‘e wakes up, like. Both gotta be strong. Don’t we, eh?” He encouraged her, giving her hand another friendly squeeze.

“I suppose, do you think they’ll let me see him tomorrow?”

“Well, knowing you as I do, I’d say ‘ey ain’t got much chance stoppin’ you.” She giggled, ‘thank god,’ he thought. He laughed along.

“No. I suppose not. Mind you, I’m going to need some clothes bringing in, can’t exactly walk in there like his can I.”

“Ooh, I dunno! Probably bring him ‘round quicker ‘e knows your stood there in nothing but your nightie and a leg cast!” She punched him playfully, Ray rubbed his ‘injured’ arm with mock suffering, and Alex giggled again. “I’ll get Shaz to bring you someat in.”

“Thanks Ray, but would you do it. I mean, I know this might seem really forward, but I’d really like to chat to someone, about things, and well, you’ve known Gene the longest, he trusts you.”

“Alex, you an’ me, we don’t really see eye t’ eye do we?” He spluttered, flabbergasted that she should want to cry on his shoulder. He certainly wasn’t very good at that kind of thing and with someone he didn’t particularly like …

“No, I realise that,” she answered, “it’s just that … it doesn’t matter. Just tell Shaz to bring in something comfortable.” She closed herself off again from him.

If, unknowingly, Alex wanted Ray’s attention, she’d certainly got it now. “Wait a minute, I’ve known Gene for a long time, we’ve worked together for years, been friends most ‘at time too, and too be honest this is the first time ‘e’s ne’er come t’ me. I’m not gonna deny it, I were jealous of the time ‘e were spending wit’ you and I knew there were somethin’ goin’ on inside that ‘ead of ‘is when I witnessed the first bloody argument you two ‘ad. And … you an’ me, well I didn’t like the way you went ‘round that business with Gil but you ‘ad your reasons, I see ‘at. An’ busting me nose. But, I’d ne’er forgive meself if our arguin’ caused a further rift. No, you asked me to do it an’ I will.” Ray offered Alex his hand. “Truce?”

Alex, still a little confused from Ray’s tirade, took the proffered hand and they shook on it. “Truce!” She smiled. “Come here?” She asked of him. Ray got up from his seat and stood over her, she reached up to him and he realised that she wanted a hug; he could do that, the smallest of gestures. He let her hold onto him for as long as she needed. “Thank you, for everything.” She whispered, laying a kiss on his cheek as they finally broke apart.

Ray hesitated, “my pleasure! Now get some rest,” he ordered, “I’ll be back in t’ morning.” He turned on his heel and strode from the ward; Alex couldn’t help but snigger at his speedy departure.

Replaying those few moments he’d spent with Alex, he came to realise that she wasn’t just some toffee nosed, stuck up, public school girl, tart that wanted nothing more than to take the lot of them down. She was just trying to cope with things that she wasn’t necessarily appreciative of, having been stuck in an office full of beer swigging, football watching, dart throwing men from the north. She was used to poncy southerners. But somewhere along the way things had most definitely changed, lines drawn had been smudged. For all their arguing, the Manc Lion had chosen his lioness. Alex had caught the Guv’s eye and in turn she had softened to his disguised advances and thoughtfulness. And if the Guv liked her then was there really any need for him not to as well.

He stood over Gene’s bed. “Right, I’m off now Guv’, I’ll see you in t’ morning.” Just as he was about to turn away he decided to say something he never thought he’d hear himself say. “Eh, she’s not a bad one after all, I can see the attraction. Might be a bit mouthy at times, don’t know when t’ keep quiet, but a good sort none the less. Don’t worry, Guv’, I’ll look after ‘er 'til you’re alright to do that on your own.” He turned away again and then realised something, “I’ll not look after ‘er too well though, Guv’, eh!” He called over his shoulder before finally departing, a smile playing on his lips.

*************

After having the best night’s sleep she’d had in ages, ‘apart from that dream’ she thought mischievously, she awoke to someone gently stroking her hand and pushing her hair back from around her face. Or so she’d thought. “I must have dreamt that as well,” she said to herself sitting up in her bed trying to ascertain what had happened. She lent back, they were all right, Evan, Caroline, Ray, Gene, she did think too much. She closed her eyes once more deciding that her best pleasure at that moment was to think of Gene, memories pounding her brain, most of them when they were in tight spots or very very drunk together. Always together, she and her knight, her Manc lion.

Images of her in a hospital bed invaded her mind, hooked up to monitors and all manner of machines keeping her alive. She could feel the bullet in her head. Blissfully she became aware that she wasn’t on her own, as a presence came and sat on the chair next to her bed. Not immediately recognising the man dressed in jeans and a pullover that took her hand, she knew instantly when he spoke, his broad Manc accent giving him away. “Well, Bols, you’ve been leading me a merry dance, I’ve been through ‘ell and ‘igh water for you, you’ve really ‘ad me by the short an’ curleys, for a while now!” He chuckled, “not that I minded, I knew you were the one for me since ‘at first day I met you. Mind you, you were in a skimpy red dress and black lacey stockings the day you arrived in 1981. You fainted, remember? You said my name and fainted, hah! I think my reputation really did proceed me that day.” He stroked the back of her hand gently smiling at the memory. “Where’s all the hair gone, then Bols, no more perm, probably not the fashion though now, not like then. I like it straight, suits ya!” He dropped her hand to quickly brush some of it away from her face, “so soft, always was.”

Coming too, she sat up rigid. Her heart was beating so fast it was as if she’d run a 100 metre sprint. Her head thudded and her mouth was dry. She brought her left hand up to her face, stroking the back of it, where Gene had touched her, over her right cheek. Her nose detected a smell and she breathed in a waft of the fragrance from her hand, ‘Hugo Man’, if she wasn’t mistaken, her ex-husband used to wear it only it’d never smelt that good on him.

As soon as Ray had entered the ward, he’d spied his DI acting strangely, and as he walked over to the bed he noted that she was stroking her cheek with the back of her hand and sniffing it. ‘Women weren’t half strange!’

She stopped abruptly as soon as she’d noticed he was stood at the end of her bad watching her. “Just feels good to be clean,” she explained.

‘Oh yeah!’ Ray thought, a bemused grin appearing. He placed a carrier bag on the foot of her bed. “For when you get discharged,” he said, motioning to the bag. “Shaz helped me, ‘cause I’m useless with things like this t’ be ‘onest. Some leggings and a big jumper. Shoes too. Had to think of that cast didn’t we!”

“Thanks, Ray.”

“Did you sleep ok?”

“Yeah, not bad actually. Be glad to get off this ward though, I hate hospitals!”

“Mmm, so, will you be seeing the boss straight away?”

“I want to! Why?”

“’Cause, I’ve promised the Guv’ I’ll look after you, which means makin’ sure you get ‘ome alright, makin’ sure you’re safe, that kind a thing!”

“You’ve promised Gene?”

“After I left you I went t’ see him! Look I’ll leave you to it, just give us a ring when you’re ready, ok?”

“Thanks Ray, I’ll speak to you soon. Bye!”

It wasn’t long before she’d been discharged and she was able to see Gene. She’d been directed up to the ICU and with a flash of her warrant card she was shown into the small basic room that Gene was in. “So this must be what I look like then, in 2007, all wired up and looking vulnerable. Not that it’s much better here, seeing as I’ve got a bloody cast on my leg. Oh God. This is all my fault,” she cried out, taking his hand in her own and putting it up to her face and kissing it as she took as seat in the obligatory chair. “If I hadn’t been shot in the bloody first place, none of this would be happening, I would be with my daughter and you would be living your life.” Calming herself she carried on. “But then I’d have never come here, and I’d have never met you. And that, Mr Hunt, would be a very great tragedy.” Her hand instinctively went to his face, stroking his cheek.

“I’ve never been very good with relationships, probably never having a full and happy relationship with my parents didn’t help, but any that I’ve had have never worked for one reason or another. I’ve always tried to find things in them that didn’t exist. You’ll find out that in 2007 it’s very different, the way the sexes are meant to act and react to one another, it’s very confusing sometimes. No one really knows what to do or say for the best, everyone is so PC afraid that the wrong thing said will land them in jail. We’re still allowed to have freedom of speech, just the right kind of speech.

“God, I’m prattling on again about stuff that doesn’t matter, I definitely do think too much. I suppose what I’m trying to say is, you’ve made me feel alive. You may have neanderthal tendencies but you’re still a gentleman, always making sure that I’m alright, looking after me in your own sweet way, saving me from myself as well as others. I never realised that such a male domineering factor could be such an attraction, your caveman capers actually turn my knees to jelly. I have always been so independent, standing on my own two feet, looking out for myself and my daughter. But here in 1981 I have you and I never have to rely on my own instincts because I know you’ll always be there looking out for me.

“I wish that I could say that everything was going to be ok but I can’t, you’ll be fine, the doctors are hopeful that you’ll be out of this coma soon enough, whilst I’m still strapped to a bed in 2007. I don’t even know how long I’ve already been there. Will I return home or will I stay here? Mind you, this now feels like home to me, I prefer it here with you. If you can bring me any information back then I would be grateful, I think you can hear me. I heard you, telling me you liked my hair being straight. I saw you, wearing jeans and a green pullover, your hairs shorter too, I like that. But the most surprising thing was that I not only felt you caressing my hand and brushing my hair out of my face, but I could smell you too, Hugo Boss, you smelt wonderful.

“Short of actually having you here in my arms, I’ll have to do with my dreams, for now anyway. I’m staying here, by the way. I know Ray said he’d look after me and take me home when I was ready and I do hate hospitals, but I’m not going anywhere until you damn well wake up out of this coma, alright.” She smiled, “Besides, this is where I feel safest, next to you.” Never letting go of his hand she got up from the chair and, leaning on the edge of his bed, she bent over his sleeping form. She kissed his forehead before shifting over toward his ear. “Come home soon, I miss you … very much. I love you, my Manc lion and my ever attentive pussy cat.”

She settled back, another thought coming into her head. “One more thing, whilst you’re there, in 2007, there’s a song I want you to listen to. Get someone to help you find it, but please find it. I have it playing in my head at the moment as it seems to sum us up, especially the first verse. It’s ‘When Tomorrow Comes’ by the Eurythmics. I’m not going to sing to you, my voice is hideous, mind you it might be just what’s needed to get you to wake up and tell me to ‘shut it’!”
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Repetitions of the Future