"Shaz, I'll be back in 5 minutes, don't tell him where I am." Alex said as she grabbed her jacket and bag from her desk and headed for the door.

"What shall I say if he asks?"

"Don't know just think of something." She managed to say before the door to CID shut behind her. She ran down the steps of the station and towards her car. She drove as fast as she could hoping Gene didn't make it back before her. He had only gone out to pick up a suspect so shouldn't take that long. As she sped round the corner and came to a sudden stop she realised she had spent far too much time with Gene and she had even started to drive like him. She parked the car outside the shop and ran in.

"I'm here to pick up an order for Alex Drake."

"Ahh yes I've got it right here." The man behind the desk replied as he started rummaging through a pile of boxes. Alex taped her fingers impatiently on the counter in front of her. He finally appeared in front of her with a small box. He pulled of the lid to show her the contents. A small silver and black hipflask to replace the one Gene had broke in a fight with some suspect a week earlier. She lifted the lid back on the box, handed the money over and ran back to the car. As she drove back all she could think about was the look on his face when she hands the gift over to him tonight at the surprise party tonight at Luigis.

She ran up the steps and back towards CID. He was back, she could hear him shouting away in the office. She managed to slip in through the door and back to her desk before he could see her. Alex hid the box in her desk draw and locked it tight before Gene could get his hands on it. She picked up a file and smiled at Shaz. Shaz smiled back, relieved Alex was back knowing she could calm him down.

Gene looked through the glass walls of his office and got up from his desk. Alex saw him and knew what was coming. She braced herself.

"DRAKE!"

She got up from behind her desk and walked calmly into his office.

"Happy Birthday Gene" she said sweetly with a smile.

"And where exactly have you been!" He asked with a scowl.

"Errr..." Alex thought how to answer. I need to keep him happy yet not give too much away. "Personal earned. Sorry could help it. I make it up to you later, I promise" She said with that flirty look in her eye she uses to get her own way with him.

"Fine. Come on we've got work to do then Bolls." He said grabbing his coat and keys. She trotted behind him grabbing her coat as she went past, nodding at Shaz.

Work was finished and she was sat on the living room floor with Gene's present in front of her, paper, ribbon and tape lay everywhere as she tried her hardest to make his present look amazing. She could hear everyone arrive downstairs and she still wasn't ready. She finished the present and placed it on the table in the kitchen before running in to her bedroom to finish getting an hour later she emerged into Luigis and headed to the bar. Gene was sat slumped in the corner of the room in his usual chair.

"Singnorina Drake you look beautiful tonight." Luigis greeted her with a smile as usual. "The usual?"

"Yes and a bottle of you finest Whisky for Gene thank you." Luigis handed her the drinks and she headed toward Gene.

"Bloody 'ell." Gene said looking up at her. She was in a short black skirt pulled tight across her thighs and the gold top she wore on their date the night before the Prices died. She smiled at him.

"Is this my present then?" He asked with a grin.

"No this is." She said handing him the small box and the bottle of Whisky. He pulled and tugged at the ribbons unable to open it.

"What the 'ell is all this?"

"Give it here" She sat down beside him and took the box from him. She undid the ribbon and handed it back. He pulled the paper off like a kid at Christmas and pulled the lid off the box. He saw the flask and smiled at her. He took it from the box to inspect it closer. It was then he saw scratches down the side. He rubbed them but they didn't move, but when he looked closer her saw it was engraved.

To Gene Genie Lots of Love Bolly x x

She looked at him, he looked up and met her gaze.

"Thanks Bolls. So thats where you were today then?"

"Yeh. Glad you like it."

Luigis appeared with another bottle of wine and the hours seemed to melt away. She didn't notice everyone had left until she looked at the time and it was after 12. Then she looked at the table and saw the 2 empty bottles of wine and the half empty bottle of whisky.

"I better get to bed" Alex said standing up, a little too fast so she stumbled backwards but Gene caught her.

"I think I should walk you. Make sure you get up all right. You've had a little too much to drink." He said taking her hand and walking her toward the flat. They finally made it to the front door after a bit of a struggle getting them both up the stairs. Alex tried to unlock the door but the key just wouldn't go into the keyhole. She had drank more than she had first thought. Gene placed his hand over hers and guided her hand and unlocked the door. She opened it but turned back to face Gene. He bends in to kiss her check to thank her for the present but he turns to face her and stared at her soft lips. She leaned in and before both knew it there lips met. It was everything she had ever imagined it to be. She wrapped her arms around his neck pulling him closer. He pushed her up against the door forgetting that had left it open and they stumbled through the open door. They fell straight back and Alex fell on the kitchen table and Gene fell on her. He came to his senses and pulled away from her. He stood up and helped her to her feet. Gene stared at her panting for air. Alex stood there looking at him with a questioning look in her eye, and leaned in once more.

"You sure Bolls?"

Alex reached up and covered his mouth with her hand.

"More than anything." She removed her hand but before he had time to speak, she replace it with her lips once again. She pulled him toward the living room by the collar of his shirt. They stood there still connected his hand travelled down her spine and towards her arse. He grabbed it tight and pulled her closer towards him. He pushed her backwards and she fell on the settee with a squeal. She pulled him down and their bodies met again. Their hand exploring new and exciting places of each other, their lips and tongues immediately made short work of reacquainting themselves.

She closed her eyes and lost herself in him. She didn't care what tomorrow might bring. She was living in the here and now.

She opened her eyes and she was lying on the living room floor. Was it a dream? She regularly falls asleep on the settee. Then she felt a hand move across her naked stomach under the blanket. She rolled onto her side to be greeted by him, looking straight back at her.

"Mornin' Bolls" He said with a smile.

"Errr... about last night your not..?" he moved the hand that was placed on her waist to the small of her back and pulled her closer. As he did so their lips met in that familiar way. They stayed there for what felt like hours until Gene finally pull away from her.

"Answer your question?"

She nodded and placed her hand behind his head and leant in to him and they lost themselves in one another once more as the morning sun shone through the gap in the curtains.