Disclaimer not mine

Home

"Annie called." Chris stated as Ray and Shaz walked back into the CID office. Shaz smiled, relieved that at least one of her friends seemed to be ok.

"What did she say?" Ray asked before flopping down in the chair behind his desk. Two seconds later his feet were perched on the edge of the desk.

"They're all ok. Sam and the Guv arrested Layton and Manchester CID have agreed to keep him until we can bring him and Gloria back to London."

"They arrested Gloria?" Shaz raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah." Chris nodded. "So Annie said."

"How's Alex?" Shaz asked. "Is Ma'am ok?"

"Why wouldn't she be?" Ray pulled a face as Shaz rolled her eyes.

"Oh I dunno." She turned to him. "The man that has tried to kill her more than once along with the woman her husband used to be married to in the same place as her. It would do my head in."

"Oh right." Ray had the good graces to look sheepish.

#########################

Gene rested his hands on the roof od his Audi and stared at the police station he had once worked in. Alex watched him as she tried to imagine what was going through his mind.

"Gene?"

"You alright Bolls?"

"I'm fine." She smiled sadly. "You?"

"Me? I'm always ok Bolls. You know that."

"Yeah." She watched as he nodded once and looked towards the doorway of the police station. "Where the bleeding ell are Sam and Annie?"

"Tying up a few loose ends."

"Anyone would think they didn't want to go back to London."

"Maybe they don't." Alex sighed. "I mean both of them were born and brought up here."

"Sam's Mam is still living up here." Gene sighed. "I dunno."

"What?" Sam asked as he and Annie walked towards them. "The Guv admitting he doesn't know something? First for everything."

"Alright Ethel." Gene narrowed his eyes. "Get in the car."

"We were wondering if you wanted to move back to Manchester." Alex watched as Annie pulled a face. She clearly didn't like the idea of returning to her home town permanently.

"No."

"Really?" Alex got in the car as Annie opened the back door of the car.

"Fenchurch is home now." Sam replied before closing the door. Gene smiled to himself before getting into the car before starting the engine. It was time to go back to London.

#############

Shaz stared at the computer screen, typing up the last few reports on the Layton case before going to Luigi's with Chris. The others wouldn't be back before eight so she knew that it would be just her and Chris. She smiled to herself as she heard Ray and Chris bickering in the background.

"Boys." She kept her eyes on the screen, hoping that they wold stop acting like teenagers and help her finish the paperwork. She knew there was very little chance but it was worth a shot. Ray laughed before digging in his desk draw for the mobile phone that had just started ringing.

"Shaz." Chris perched himself on the edge of her desk. "When we get out of here."

"Um?" Sha frowned as she heard Ray begin to panic. It was clear that their friend was upset about something but trying to keep himself together. "Ray?"

"Maya's in hospital." He answered as he struggled into his coat. "The baby. She's having the baby and I'm stood 'ere talking to you pair."

"She isn't due. Is she?" Chris asked.

"You tell the baby that." He hissed as Shaz smiled before getting to her feet.

"There's no way you are driving to the hospital in that state. Come on." She grabbed her car keys.

"You don't even like Maya."

"But I like you. Now come on. Chris, you too." She ushered both men out of the office knowing that Ray was going to be the best Dad. She just wondered what the rest of the team would be like now that Layton was finally back in prison. She could only hope the damage Layton had caused her friends could be repaired.

##################

Alex closed her eyes as she rested her head back against the sofa. Ruby and Molly were in bed and Gene was in the kitchen making tea. She missed coffee but she knew there was no chance of having any until after the baby was born. She smiled as she felt Gene sit next to her. One arm came to rest around her shoulders as she let him pull her into his side.

"What now?"

"Now?" Gene kissed her hair gently. "Now we have to put up with Ray going on about the baby all hours God sends."

"It's sweet. And you were the same when Ruby was born."

"No I was not." Gene huffed. "Well, not really."

"If you say so." Alex smiled as she felt him play with her hair. "But?"

"Now little Jack has arrived Ray will be off on paternity leave for a fortnight. Layton is back in prison and facing further time. Gloria and Daffers are charged with aiding and abetting a known criminal and perverting the course of justice. So they wont be bothering us for a bit."

"That's true." Alex opened her eyes.

"So we go on as before." Gene sighed.

"We do." Alex turned to face him. "The Manc Lion and his team." She smiled as he rolled his eyes.

"Aye. And God 'elp anyone who tries anything on our patch. Eh Bolls?"

#######################

/N Not sure if I should write another chapter or leave it there. Another Ashes story will be up soon x