so here it is, the final chapter. longer than i thought but ties everything up! and major decision making and surprise at the end :D thank you all for reading, reviews would be lovely xx

In fact Alex was doing exactly as Molly had said, using Ray, Chris and Shaz to ensure this case was wrapped up. And that meant a stakeout on Michael Carson, the final piece to their puzzle.

Stakeouts were always boring, it wasn't in their nature to be exciting and action packed. This one involved Ray and Alex and Shaz and Chris sat in plain cars at opposite ends of the building they had seen Michael walk into forty-five minutes ago.

"We've been here for ages, wha' are we waitin' for exactly?" Ray asked as he proceeded to bring out another cigarette, his third. After a deadly glare from Alex he sighed dramatically and put it back in his pocket.

"We can't storm in there, we have nothing. We need to wait for them to leave. Then we can follow and stop this whole thing and catch the bastard."

"Spoken like the guv." Chris' voice came up on the radio in Ray's pocket.

Earlier that day when Ray had been left to interview Edward again, Mallory finally confessed officially and brought Michael down with him. He told Ray all about the drug sale that Michael had set up for the afternoon, the name of the building they would swap merchandise and that it would be taken to a secret location afterwards.

Ray had chosen not to tell Alex, Chris and Shaz exactly how he had gained the information but Mallory had emerged with a puffy lip and a slightly suspicious looking bruise by his eye which Ray had insisted was because 'the twat fell of the chair and hit his face against the bloody table'. Alex didn't believe him for a second, but knew it wasn't worth arguing about.

After an hour and a half of waiting and waiting and in Ray and Chris' case smoking Michael finally emerged. He quickly ran to a black ford car parked out front, the same car Alex noted that had hit Gene. After allowing them a head start Ray put the car into ignition, signalled to Chris and Shaz and drove off at a steady pace, keeping the ford in sight.

It led them through a series of streets, alleyways and a main road but it didn't take long before the team worked out where they were heading…the docks. Of course, it was the only logical place for a drugs run to take place.

The final route was a twisting road between fields of mud and grass, leading down to a forgotten river, the perfect hiding place. With tall looming tree's the sky became flickers of sunlight and the ford camouflaged into the background. It made spotting them harder but, Alex thought with gritted teeth, this would be just what Michael was after.

Giving up after ten minutes of driving Alex signalled for Ray to pull into the shadows. From their spot they could keep an eye out for approaching vehicles and they could just about see the boat moored against the edge.

"Are you in place?" Alex quietly contacted Chris and Shaz, whose car they couldn't see at the minute.

"Yeah, got a good view of the drop off ma'am. Michael won't know what hit him." Shaz piped into the radio. Alex was actually relieved to hear her voice, she felt more alone in the shadows than ever. She had never felt like this before, not on a drugs bust or anything similar. With Gene Hunt constantly at her side she never felt alone, even when she was ready to kill him and wanted to be anywhere else. Why is it always when they aren't there you realise how much you miss them?

"We're gonna need updates from you guys, we can barely see from him, certainly not enough to class as accurate." Alex's professional mode was never going to be deterred, not when it could be their only chance at getting back their DCI. Alex made a silent vow to herself to never take Gene for granted again, and never wish he was gone.

"Ma'am? Ray? This is it." Chris's voice was the first human sound the two of them had heard in what felt like forever. In truth it had been about ten minutes but Ray and Alex had spent it in silence, absorbed in their own thoughts. It had started raining, a light drizzle that made sight even more untrustworthy. They were almost entirely relying on their own senses. Getting out of the car they followed signals on their radios until they finally met up with Chris and Shaz. The rain was still making vision blurry but Michael Carson was a cutting figure who could clearly be seen.

"Without Edward and Nigel looks like the twat is left to his own devices." Ray commented, the first time Alex had heard him complete a sentence since they had arrived. His voice was thick like he was nervous, but if he was he'd never show it. Gritted teeth and steely eyes Ray Carling was the epitome of bravery.

"Let's go." Alex whispered upon seeing Michael studying a bag of goods. The others were a bonus for CID but Michael Carson was the prize and Alex didn't feel like waiting any longer than necessary.

"Michael Carson you drug selling bastard you're under arrest. Drop the bag and put your hands where I can see him!" Ray's commanding voice had the others running but with the surrounding circle of uniformed officers they didn't get very far. Michael however didn't seem to fazed, he'd probably stared officers in the face before and got away with it. Not this time.

"Ah DI Drake I wondered when we would meet up again. So this is the secret my good friend Edward had for me is it. That the idiot had blabbed to the cops in order to save himself. Well it's only to be expected eventually I suppose, I'm surprised he didn't do it sooner. Of course he had to go for this. I'm not surprised. But you can be proud of yourself for only so long 'Alex'. I mean what did you expect? For me to go…quietly?"

The next happened so fast Alex wasn't really sure what went on. But suddenly his calm exterior had gone, his left hand held a gun and his right? Shaz. Alex swallowed as she looked at the terrified young girl. Ray had hold of an anguished Chris, probably for the best. Alex had worked through hostage situations before though, that's what got her here in the first place right? When Arthur Layton had her Molly…it wasn't worth thinking about.

"Michael you'll want to think about this. You know the police have got you under so many counts. You know that you're so called friends have given you up and no matter what, you're going to prison. You've just been caught red-handed handling illegal drugs but a dozen police officers. And do you really think these lot are going to keep quiet for long? The amount of offences we have you down for it's a least ten years in prison, if not more. But adding murder to that as well?! You'll be looking at life. Don't you want at least a chance of freedom?" Alex spoke slowly, calmly, her eyes fixed on Shaz's, keeping her calm and as relaxed as possible. Alex had been a hostage in the past as well, she knew what Shaz was feeling and she knew what kept her calm. If she could keep her focussed on her own eyes they had a chance but if Shaz saw Chris, the girl would crumble right before her eyes. One quick movement and Shaz would be shot, Michael wasn't bluffing.

The business dealer looked at her. He knew Alex had far to much at stake to lie to him, especially when this PC was a member of their own. It was true, he didn't fancy a lifetime imprisonment, especially when both Nigel and Edward would use the time to make him pay. Looking at the cheap hire he'd used to import the drugs, he wouldn't be surprised if all of them sold him out at the last minute, he wasn't paying him that much after all. Reluctantly he pushed Shaz away and immediately the curly haired man grabbed him from behind. It could have been worse, he was expecting a punch to the groin.

One minute Shaz was alive and safe, Chris was happy and Ray had hold of Michael. Everything had worked but it all went wrong so quickly. In seconds a shot rang out and Michael slumped over, dead. One of the men they had arrested had broken free from his grip and held a gun out, a look of satisfaction on his face.

Gene.

Alex screamed out, launching herself towards the man.

"What have you done you bastard!" She was in amongst sobbing also, she couldn't lose Gene, not after everything. But all she saw was a flash of the gun's metal, felt it against her face and everything went black.

The world was a blurred mass of navy, orange and something indescribable. As everything came into focus the orange glow returned to the streetlights and the navy blended with the sky and the buildings. Alex was no longer by the river, and the others were nowhere to be seen. Was she dead? Something didn't feel right, she didn't recognise the corner she was standing on.

A door creaked open, a warm light filling the street. It came from the pub down one of the streets and a familiar figure stood in the doorway.

"Come on bolls wakey wakey! We're parched in 'ere and your buying the firs' round." It was Gene Hunt, her Gene. He was standing there, bold as anything with his floppy mane of golden hair, suit that had been through everything and an almost empty glass of what had to be scotch in his hand. He was alive.

Alex grinned and nodded, beginning to make her way over to the pub, the 'Railway Arms' when she heard another voice.

"Mum? Mum can you hear me? Mum it's you, it's me Molly!" her daughter was standing there in the other street, the one that seemed to stretch on forever, waving madly at her mother.

"Molly? My baby it can't be…it's you!" With that Alex broke out into a run towards her daughter when something invisible hit her like a tonne of bricks.

"It's time DI Drake. Make your choice, DCI Gene Hunt, or Molly Drake."

"No. No that's not fair, I can't, that's not fair, no!" Alex couldn't do this, choose between her DCI, her boss and her love, and her daughter.

Both were watching Alex, their faces painting in serenity, they didn't understand, they were just figments, picturing a real life Molly and a real life Gene. Going into that pub would keep her with Gene forever, something she wanted with all her heart, but going in there would take away any chance, any hope of seeing her baby girl ever again.

But walking down that street, getting her daughter back would mean the 21st century, and a life or normality without Gene Hunt. Both worlds were completely different and despite knowing she had this decision coming, Alex had pretended it was all a lie, all pretend and she would never have to choose.

"Bolls come on we're dyin' o' thirst 'ere.

"Mum, it's me. Tell me you can hear me!"

"Drakey we 'ave some celebrating the bastard's behind bars and the Gene genie is back on the scene."

"Mum come home, come back to me."

"I saw Molly bolls."

"I saw Gene mum."

Alex looked between them both in surprise and silence. In the time that Gene had been in a coma she had never imagined he'd find her Molly.

"She's just like you Alex. Amazing. Annoying. With more brains than a bloody rocket scientist and the common sense to boot."

"He misses you mum. I hope he found his way back. You know he solved it all, with a little bit of help."

"She'd make a great detective one day bolly. Now we've got your favourite in 'ere Bollinger for bolly. but I know why you won't come. I knew this day would come. If you come in 'ere bolly don't get me wrong I'd be thrilled. But you'd regret it for the rest of your life and I would know that. Do what's right." With that Gene looked at Alex and gave her a rare, genuine smile. A wink. And he raised his glass to her before disappearing back into the pub. He left the door open but Gene had given Alex the permission she needed and she ran to her Molly with all the strength she had left in her. Lifting her little girl higher into the sky than ever before and bringing her back down in a tear filled grip of a mother who hadn't seen her baby in ever so long.

"Mummy's home baby."

One year later.

"Molly is at school, she's got that career interview with the police woman today. Okay so you'll pick her up at four. I'll be home for tea. Thanks Evan." Alex put her mobile back into her pocket and focussed on the computer screen. It had been a year since everything and despite believing she'd forget, she remembered every detail. It had filled her dreams and she was lucky she had Molly to talk to about the past.

"Can I have your attention please ladies and gentlemen. As promised, I am here to present you with our new boss. I know a few of you recommended colleagues but we decided a fresh face to our team was something we'd all need and enjoy. So I'd like to present, our new DCI. Gene Hunt."

THE END