Hi all, this is the last chapter! The song used in this chapter is U2's 'Sunday Bloody Sunday' if you're not familiar with it, it is the song used when Gene marches into the prison during the riot scene in series 3. I have wanted to put it in here because a)It's Irish connection and b) because it's about people working together and uniting to make a stand. I appreciate it was a very sensitive song when it came out in 1983. I dreamt up this story long before the recent events in Ireland i just wanted to make clear I didn't want to upset anyone by using it.

Chapter 34

Roly had taken the hint and had decided to let Simon and Alice have some time together. He had said his goodbyes and climbed into the car to head back to London, muttering something about an appointment he had anyway.

Alice gazed upon her injured husband as if he was a little, lost boy. She studied his haunted, apologetic expression, noting how gaunt and drawn he looked.

"I'm so sorry Alice, I didn't mean to hurt you. I just got carried away with the excitement of moving to London and becoming an MP." Simon fixed her with an appealing stare, torment etched on his face.

"I...I know I've screwed up big time and this was supposed to be our big break..I really didn't plan for it to go to shit. You know I did it for you?...became an MP and that, I wanted us to have a much better life...put the past behind us...move on." His pale blue eyes were starting to well with tears. He felt so guilty for having put her through this hell. He loved her so much he couldn't bare the pain he had brought upon his family.

Alice gave a little sigh and took hold of his hand, "Oh Simon, I married a young, dashing Police Officer who just wanted to make a difference in the world. I never wanted an MP for a husband. Yes the salary would have been useful, but I just wanted us and the children to be happy." She squeezed his hand and gave him a reassuring smile, "You may have been a first class idiot, but you're my idiot." She added affectionately.

Roly having reached London, was now in what was formerly the Glitter Club. He looked around at the brash, glitzy decor, memories from every corner being stirred in his brain. To Roly the place looked quite sad, with the shutters closed, curtains drawn, chairs lying upturned on the tables. He wandered from room to room taking in every little detail.

"There are more rooms upstairs at the back of the building, plus a private gaming lounge." A young letting agent, dressed in a sharp suit complete with braces, eagerly interrupted his thoughts.

"Yes, I know." replied Roly, a small smile creeping across his lips, as he opened the door to the corridor at the back of the snug room.

The agent looked perplexed as he realised Roly knew his way round "You've been here before Sir?"

"Oh yes, my boy, many a time." He stated glancing into all the rooms leading off the corridor.

"Er...so you know what type of club this was?" tentatively asked the agent, shadowing Roly

"Yup!" Roly having satisfied his curiosity, made his way back into the bar area. He grabbed a bottle of single malt off the shelf and poured himself a measure.

"Do you have any plans for it Sir?" The young agent was staring to grown impatient, eagerly anticipating Roly's intentions.

Roly parked himself on a bar stool and smiled at the youngster. "I have a good friend who's having to go away for a short while. When he returns he's going to join me and become my business partner. We are going to turn this den of vice into a proper gentlemen's club. No half naked women and certainly no drugs. I'm going to keep the roulette and card tables and make this one of the most special clubs in London." Roly grinned with satisfaction "Where do I sign?"

After a blissful two hours in Alex's flat, Gene and Alex had showered, changed and were heading into Luigi's. Armed with a small barrel of beer Gene made a beeline for Chris.

"There you go Christopher, don't drink it all at once. I'm sure Luigi doesn't want to clean up the mess." Gene announced plonking the beer in front of his DC. Chris gazed up at the Guv in surprise.

"Wha...?

"Technically neither me nor Dempsey won the bet as it was you who floored the bugger." Gene pursed.

Chris looked over at Dempsey for confirmation. "Tis true, you used your initiative for once. It's all yours." sang Dempsey.

"Well-done baby, I'm so proud of you." beamed Shaz

"Yeah, good on yer mate." Ray patted Chris's shoulder.

"Thanks Guv, Dempsey." replied a delighted Chris.

Later on, Makepeace was sat with Gene and Alex watching the rest of CID and a number of SI10 officers indulging in a peculiar game of balancing various objects on the end of one of Dempsey's crutches, instigated by Dempsey himself, of course.

Whoops of raucous laughter erupted around the restaurant as Chas failed miserably to keep a pepper grinder from hitting the floor. With a resigned sigh Chas flipped another 50p into a pint glass, the pot growing bigger as the challenge increased in difficulty.

Makepeace and Alex tutted rolling their eyes. Turning her attention back to their conversation, Alex continued. "So what's next?" she asked Makepeace

"Well...Spikings wants us to go over to Spain to arrest DCI Hughes. He won't be happy until he's got the whole set. So; as soon as Dempsey has had his cast removed, we'll be heading into the sun. Two weeks the doctor said."

"As soon as my leg stops looking like salami." Called out Dempsey, catching the girls' conversation.

"Do you know where to start looking. Spain's a pretty big country." asked Gene

"Simon has pointed us in the general direction, but he wasn't sure what David had planned. We'll find him." Harry smiled "Gosh is that the time? We'd better get going. I promised Dempsey I'd take him to dinner."

"Where are you going?" asked Alex, enthusiastically

"Claridges. Dempsey likes to think big. I fear my bank balance is sorely going to regret this. Dempsey time to go." She said rising from her seat. Dempsey hobbled his way over.

"I guess this is goodbye...for now." Harry extended her hand to Gene "DCI Hunt it's been a pleasure to work with you and your team."

"And you Harry." Gene shook her hand warmly.

"Alex, you too, I hope we can go for that drink sometime."

"Yes we must." Alex agreed

The two women smiled at each other sensing they had found a friend. They embraced in a girly hug pecking each other on the cheek.

"Dempsey, you look after her." Alex said as she moved to peck him on the cheek also.

"I didn't get a kiss." Gene pouted

"Chief you're not my type." teased Dempsey

Harry grinned at Gene and planted a kiss goodbye.

"Dempsey you're a pain in the arse and too loud, but I hope we can work together again, soon." Gene was sincere as he shook the American's hand.

"Come on, we'll miss our reservation." Harry beckoned

As Dempsey and Makepeace made their way to the exit Dempsey called over his shoulder to Gene "Hey Chief don't forget to tell Bob Malone I sent yer."

"Will do." replied Gene giving Dempsey a knowing wink.

As Gene and Alex sat back down at their table Alex turned to him confused "What was that about?"

"I promised I'd do Dempsey a favour, y'know cos he can't go home."

Alex wrinkled her eyebrows puzzled.

"So; Madame fruitcake, we'll have another drink and then go and pack." He gave her a cheeky grin.

"Pack?" replied Alex suspiciously

"As of now we have two weeks leave. The super felt we could do with a holiday." The grin widened as Gene enjoyed teasing Alex.

"Gene, what have you done? Where are we going?" she said slowly.

"Told yer, I have a favour to do for Dempsey." Gene patted a brightly coloured parcel on the seat next to him. He chuckled as he studied the quizzical look on Alex's face.

"Some detective you are." He sighed playfully as he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out two flight tickets. He handed them to her.

Alex blinked in surprise "These are tickets to New York!" she exclaimed in excitement as the penny dropped.

"Yup."

"Oh Gene Hunt, you wonderful, wonderful man." She squealed as she threw her arms around him, giving him a big, wet, sloppy kiss on the lips.

The other officers stared aghast at the two superior officers. Gene pulled away slightly embarrassed at Alex's display.

"Steady on Bolls, we don't want everyman and his dog knowing...do we?"

"I don't care, really don't care." She said pulling him into another clinch.

"Ok then, I don't either. Come 'ere yer daft mare." Gene responded by wrapping his arms around her. A huge cheer went up around the restaurant as the officers overcame their shock. Shaz was clapping the loudest as she had guessed it had only been a matter of time. She knew something had happened when Gene had phoned asking her to buy the tickets for him.

Dempsey and Makepeace heard the cheer as they got into their waiting taxi. Dempsey leaned into Harry as he manoeuvred his plastered leg into the cab. Having given the driver instructions, the cab pulled away to the opening bars of U2's Sunday bloody Sunday playing on the radio.

'I can't believe the news today.

I can't close my eyes and make it go away.

How long must we sing this song.

How long, Cause tonight we can be as one...tonight.'

Dempsey smiled at his partner affectionately. She returned his smile as he raised a hand to the back of her head to play with her hair. Harry grinned and responded by sinking into him, bringing his arm around her and resting her head on his shoulder.

'Broken bottles under children's feet.

Bodies strewn across the dead end street.'

Liam Daly jumped at the sound of cell doors being slammed and locked shut down the never-ending white corridor of the prison. He sat motionless on his hard, basic metal frame which served as his bed, his blue, piercing eyes glued to the wall. He felt mixed emotions, fear, dread, hatred, revenge as he contemplated his fate.

'But I won't heed the battle call.

It puts my back up, puts my back up against the wall.'

Roly still sat on the bar stool, signed the agent's paperwork and handed it back to him. He then raised his scotch high in the air and shouted "Cheers!" with a broad grin.

'And the battles just begun.

There's many lost, but tell me who has won.

The trench is dug within our hearts.

And mothers, children, sisters, brothers torn apart.'

Alice sat on Simon's bed cuddling him, rocking his shaking body as he sobbed uncontrollably. Months of terror, fear, worry and guilt at the hands of Daly, poured out of Simon in a stream of tears. Alice just held him tight as the emotion flooded from him. Alice was in no doubt that her husband had learnt his lesson. She sniffed as she also fought back the tears.

'How long, how long must we sing this song.

Cause tonight we can be as one...tonight.'

Gene motioned to Alex that it was time to go. She sprang to her feet, barely containing the excitement at the thought of spending two weeks in New York with Gene. She scooped up the parcel and card from the seat and grinned as she read the tag 'To Mom happy birthday love James.'

She frowned slightly as she discovered an envelope which had been underneath the gift, addressed simply 'Simone'.

'Wipe the tears from your eyes, wipe your tears away.'

The party between CID and SI10 carried on into the night much to Luigi's dismay. As Gene and Alex made the taxi journey to Heathrow, the early morning editions of the newspapers rolled hot off the Fleet Street presses. On the front page, a full sized picture of Gene and Alex sharing their intimate moment in Postman's park was blazoned across it along with the headline 'SHE'S A FAIR COP GUV.'

'Wipe your tears away.'

Gene and Alex carried on their journey, snuggled together in the back of the taxi, completely oblivious to the media excitement they were leaving behind.

THE END.

34 chapters! Who'd have thought that this story would be this long? Many thanks for all your reviews, they have been great and I would wellcome reviews of the story as a whole. just a few points...top marks to those clever bunnies who worked out they had been photgraphed. I wasn't going to put Gene and Alex through anything nasty with it. I think in this day and age it would be a problem a senior officer snogging his DI, but in the 80s this sort of behaviour from a boss to a female member of staff wouldn't have shocked that much. I think the press would have wanted to make a story out of their romance with an arrrrrr factor. For those of you that aren't familiar with D&M ,Simone is Dempsey's ex girlfriend in New york.

So; Hands up who wants to see Gene & Alex go off to New York? and hands up who wants to see James & Harry go off to Spain to find DCI Hughes? If you would like me to write a part 2 I will. I think there is a lot more fun to be had with this 4