This has been lurking at the back of my head since Harry Venn strolled onto our screens three weeks ago looking drop dead gorgeous. Not quite sure where it's heading yet, hopefully it'll be fun finding out. Clearly, I don't own any of the characters mentioned – wish I did …

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When Harry Met Alex

Chapter 1

Harry took another sip of his wine and absent-mindedly watched Lauren moving about the room retrieving her clothing. Odd how he always ended up back in his ex-wife's bed whenever his mind was in a state of turmoil. Not that she ever complained: the sex had always been great, after all. She still had a nice body he mused, although his mind was currently preoccupied with another woman. The beautiful, enigmatic Alex Drake.

She'd walked back into his life unexpectedly earlier that day and he was still a bit baffled by the outcome, if he was honest. He'd scanned the list of appointments for that morning and wondered if it was actually her: he supposed it wasn't that uncommon a name and it could have been a male client after all. He replayed the scene in his mind again.

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Alex was sipping water from a plastic cup and reading a magazine when he opened his office door and stepped out to greet her. Her mouth dropped open, the cup fell to the floor and all the colour drained from her face. Her voice was barely a whisper.

"Gene? Oh my God, is it really you?"

She tried to stand up, swaying dangerously, and Harry was by her side in a second, helping her back into the chair. As he knelt in front of her, huge hazel eyes met piercing blue and her hand went to his face, fingers stroking his cheek gently as though checking he was actually flesh and blood. Slowly her whole face lit up.

"Gene. It really is you! But how …?"

This Gene was one very fortunate bastard he thought, patting her other hand in what he hoped was a reassuring gesture.

"Alex, it's Harry. Don't you remember? We met at a party a couple of years ago. We were supposed to be going on a date, but you never called …"

She looked puzzled, eyebrows knitting together, and then she shook her head firmly.

"No, you're definitely Gene. Your hair's a bit shorter but otherwise … everything's the same …"

She turned one of his hands over in hers, examining the long elegant fingers and the distinctive bendy thumb. Harry was completely mystified. Maybe she'd had some kind of a breakdown? He saw his assistant watching in fascination and decided they needed some privacy.

"Alex, come into my office and we'll talk about all this."
He indicated with his hand and she followed obediently, seating herself in the visitor's chair while he turned back to Matt.
"Organise some tea, will you?"

He closed the office door and sat down opposite her, wondering how to proceed.

"Alex, why did you come to see me today?"

She'd hardly taken her eyes off him, but now she looked down at her feet, her brow furrowed in concentration. She was just as stunning as he remembered, but there was a vulnerability in her which he hadn't noticed previously.

"A will. I want to make a will, make sure everything's sorted for Molly and Evan if anything happens to me."

Harry nodded. He was getting somewhere.

"And how did you find me?"

She scrabbled around in her bag and eventually produced a slightly battered business card.

"This was pinned to the notice board at home."

"And what does it say on the card, Alex?"

She peered down at it and blinked hard a couple of times, glancing up at him and then back down to gaze at the name again as if not quite believing it.

"Harry Venn. Solicitor."

She stared at him, the confusion clear in her eyes.

"But you can't be Harry. You're Gene … I don't understand …"

She shook her head as if to clear it, biting her lip and staring at the floor. Matt arrived with the tea and Harry passed her a cup, watching as she added a little milk but no sugar. He studied her for a few seconds. She seemed sane enough, but who could tell?

"Alex, I don't understand either. We met at a party. We got on exceptionally well, I asked you for a date and you accepted. I gave you my business card … and that was it. I never heard from you again. Did something happen to change your mind? I often wondered …"

She wrinkled her brow, thinking back.

"I had an accident. Someone shot me and I was in a coma for a time …"

He looked at her in concern. Now it was all making a lot more sense.

"Oh God, Alex. I had no idea. Are you fully recovered?"

She sipped her tea.

"Physically, yes. But my memory still plays tricks on me sometimes. I had very vivid dreams while I was unconscious, and sometimes that world seems as real as this one …"

She got to her feet looking lost.

"Would you mind if we didn't do this today … Harry? I really need some air."

He escorted her to the door and paused, reaching for the handle then he looked round, his eyes searching hers.

"You will come back, won't you?"

She nodded briefly, and he opened the door for her, watching her intently as she walked across the reception area and possibly out of his life. Again.

"Alex?"

She was halfway down the stairs when she heard his voice, and she turned, looking up to meet his eyes. Gene's eyes.

"He's a very lucky man, whoever he is …"

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Reviews are always very welcome, but especially on this one as it's a bit out of the comfort zone …