Ashes to Ashes Just Friends

_A/N: "The Kiss" was ment to be the kiss for this story, but I took it out because I like it as a stand alone. So this kiss feel werid to me and its lacking smut, because I am reserving it for "You Can Corrupt Me" which I haven't finished._

* * *

They were in a bar. A nice, but over crowded bar and they were together.  
Although it was important to establish in what capacity they are 'together' apparently. This was not an undercover operation nor was it a date.  
Some how they had or rather, DI Alex Drake had decided that it would be better if they were to become friends, real Gene Hunt's ears this sounded a lot like "My knickers are out of bounds, get over it." Not that he was surprised by such a revelation.  
He was however taken aback when she voiced these facts, and that as a friend, she demanded Gene escort her to a new bar in town. Instead of spending the evening in Luigi's, with all of CID speculating on the terms of their friendship. It sounded like a date to him.

* * *

They had arrived later then they expected to, and the place was swarming with socialites, though none to Alex's caliber Gene thought.  
She tucked her hand into the crook of Gene's arm and tugged him through the crowd, which parted willingly. He did not blame them either.  
Her generous cleavage may not be on display, but the rust-coloured dress she wore silhouetted her figure perfectly. He had inwardly groaned when he had seen that it only just covered her supple bottom and judging by the open mouths of men and woman a like, they were having the exact same thoughts as him.

* * *

The night appeared to be going smoothly, until Alex returned from the 'ladies' and was surrounded by over eager Thatcherites.  
Gene watched with steel in his gaze as a 'Pretty Boy' tried to make his unwanted advances on Gene's female DI; successful ones.  
The jealousy soon changed into confusion when Alex disappeared amidst a vibe of excitement. Just as soon as she had left his line of sight the group of Yuppie's moved aside in a cheer admiration and wolf whistles as Alex strode away from them, and towards Gene.  
He watched Alex shaking her wrist and flexing her fingers, with a look of pure determination, actions he recognised as her cheeks pinked under his assessment.

* * *

"We need to leave, now!" Alex said urgently, pushing Gene away from the bar and his half finished pint.  
"What have you done, Bols?" he asked, his body yielding to the insistent nudging of her hands at his back.  
"Me? Why does it have to be me that's done something?" her voice going up in pitch as Gene caught sight of a lad with a split lip.  
"You seem to be making a habit of this, Drakey. What did he do to deserve that?"  
"Let's just say it was inappropriate and he cannot feel his gob as a result," she said, mocking the turn of phrase he had used after their own altercation.  
"If he didn't look like a twat, I'd almost feel sorry for the bastard," he lit up a fag as they reached the entrance of the bar, "Looks like he's coming back for a second round. 'ere flash your warrant card and he'll be gone before you have a chance to kick up a fuss."  
"Gene, where exactly am I supposed to keep it?" she asked, gesturing to her dress and the tiny clutch.  
"Hmm," he stared appreciatively at her covered breasts, before pointedly looking lower, "I can think of a few places."  
"I bet you can," she said with mild amusement at the turn in conversation.  
Alex was shoved forwards into Gene's chest when the Yuppie with the split lip spotted her.  
"Oi, you wanna watch where your going, son!" Gene growled as he put a protective arm around Alex's waist.  
"That tart..." The young man started.  
"Tart?" Alex squeaked in destain.  
"Sweetheart, shh!" Alex stared up at Gene perplexed, as he continued "That Tart" as you so eloquently put it, is my 'tart'. So be bloody grateful she only hit your ego, because I would have ripped your sodding jaw off. Now be a good boy and piss off before I act on that beautiful idea."

* * *

They had left soon after that. Gene's arm still around her in the pretence of being a possessive partner.  
Together they walked along the side of the road, which was naked of traffic. Where as the path was alive with a sea of both sober and intoxicated bodies.  
The sky was illuminated with a scattering of stars and although the night was a cloudless one, Alex had been unable to find the moon. It was the beginning of summer, but without a blanket of clouds above the days warmth had quickly been lost and the hairs on Alex's arm were now standing on end. The unfortunate fluorescent glare of nearby restaurants making her goose bumped skin appear a deathly blue in colour.  
Gene felt Alex shiver against him as a breeze blew at them from behind. He removed the hand that had been residing dangerously low on Alex's hip and took off his suit jacket for her to wear. Gene held it out for her as she slipped her arms into the still warm fabric. Another shiver skipped up Alex's spine, leaving a tingling sensation at the base of her skull as he lifted her hair out from the collar and his fingers brushed over sensitive skin.  
She smiled at him as she held up her arms, the jacket sleeves hanging over her hands, both of them thinking about one particular dwarf.  
Alex shoved her purse into the jacket pocket and buttoned the front up one handedly in a vain attempt to block out some of the wind curling around them. At the same time Gene forcing himself to resist the urge to recite a filthy joke about Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs that would inevitably lighten the atmosphere and instead began rolling the sleeve up around the wrist of her unoccupied hand.

* * *

Once Gene had located his trusty Quattro in the car park, he had immediately turned the heating on.  
The heating was up so high Alex felt as though the air around them was ablaze, especially with the addition of the orange glow from a neighbouring street lamp.  
Alex held her hands under the hot stream of air coming out of the dashboard, her icy fingers warming along with it. She studied the red swell of her knuckles, moving them stiffly and cringing as she felt the bruising.  
Gene watched her cautious movements, but held back from checking her over just yet. He did not dare touch her in the close proximity of the car, "We'll get some ice for that at Luigi's."

* * *

Ray Carling might be a certified boob man, but even he had watched his DI walk into Luigi's with his mouth open slightly in awe.  
Alex would have looked all, but naked if it was not for the rust-coloured silk showing beneath the low V-cut of Gene's suit jacket. The black velvet heels she wore, were recklessly high and added unwarranted length to her already spectacularly long legs and it was those legs that everyone stared at unashamedly.  
"Wow!" Shaz's voice carried over the silence.  
"Yeah, Boss...er Ma'am, you look bloody gor...erm nice. You look nice," Chris said hesitantly looking between his girlfriend and boss.  
"Yes well enough of that," Gene coughed uncomfortably at his team eyeing up his colleague, "Luigi could we have some ice for the lady's hand," he called across the restaurant as he took Alex by the elbow and led her to a secluded booth.

* * *

"Is the signorina hurt?" the host rushed over to the ice bucket.  
"Don't act so concerned. Self inflicted. DI Drake gave a lovely young gentlemen a demonstration," he motioned for a whiskey "...on how to defend ones self against unwanted advances."  
"It was a bit more then that, Guv. I don't condone violence, but he deserved what he g..." she trailed off as Gene took the ice from Luigi and slid into the seat next to her. Alex sat watching him unravel the twisted napkin to take out a singular cube of frozen water. She muffled a startled gasp by closing her mouth tightly, when he took her hand in his. She reveled in the sensation of skin against skin as he gently turned her hand over so that they sat with their palms together, his calloused fingertips travelling over life lines to hold her wrist between his slender fingers.  
Luigi put a large whiskey in front of them, "Drink it," Gene commanded, pushing the drink across the counter with his arm, smirking at the crinkle in her brow as she swallowed back a mouthful of it.

* * *

Alex sat transfixed by the closeness of her boss and friend, holding her hand in a firm grip at the first touches of the cold ice on her skin. His thumb stroking across her wrist, as he experimentally slid the ice over the least swollen part of her hand.  
"Where does it hurt the most?" he asked, a sultry tone to his gruff voice that she had never heard from him before, "Here?" She gulped and shook her head, having already been assaulted by the scent of him, his close proximity did nothing to help her speechlessness. He moved the ice over the smooth pale skin to the rise of her smallest knuckle, "How about here?"  
Gene continued over the following slightly pink bump allowing the coldness of the hard water to seep in. The next peak of flesh, and bone was turning a dark purple, Gene moved the cube slowly around the edge of the bruise, "If it hurts tell me to stop." he said and with a gentle test of pressure he moved over the darkened skin in careful circles, water from the melting ice trickled down the back of Alex's hand and underneath Gene's thumb, that still proceeded with gentle caresses.  
Alex suddenly had a vision of Gene's sweeping gentle kisses across her hand and an unbidden whimper let her lips.

* * *

He was not sure he had heard it at first or if he had simply imagined the sound escaping from deep within her. When he looked up at her, he was sure his eyes must have been a deeper shade of blue then usual because she seemed unable to look away and he realized he had not imagined the involuntary sound because she blushed and turned away from him with embarrassment.  
He felt Alex shift as she uncrossed her legs, her bare calve sliding against his in a slow, sweet motion as she placed her foot on the floor, her knee knocking into his when he pulled her back down as she tried to get up to leave.  
"Gene?" she spoke his name softly, a clear lilted sound of want and curiosity in her voice.  
"Before you go," his voice was like an open invitation as he bent his head over bruising hand. This time he heard it without a doubt, the rush of air as she took an unsteady breath and the mixture of a hiss and a moan of pleasure as his lower lip caught on the skin of her red knuckles. He lay a kiss on each individual joint and turned his head back up to look at her. "All better?" he asked, his voice a low rumble as it fought its way out of his dry throat.  
The want he had heard so clearly in her voice was now displayed in the depths of her eyes, and with a slight nod of her head she stuttered out a, "Yeah, yeah better," in reply.

* * *

For a thrilling second the world stilled and everything around them blurred until it did not matter anymore. It was just them. Gene and Alex sat in a private booth, their bodies pressed close together in intimacy. His hand still holding her wrist after having taken care of her wounds and literally having kissed them better.  
She stood and he followed suit. Alex whispered his name, desperately clinging to their moment as their colleagues studied them from afar.  
Gene met her eye with a look of mutual understanding. Neglecting his uncertainties and every other barrier that had sustained him over the years, and spoke just loud enough for the room to catch, "Luigi, a bottle of your decent wine if you will. Bolly can't take the fun of a good fist fight. Look at her, poor girl can hardly stand," he put his hand on her lower back and shared a small amused smile with her, "Wouldn't be a gentleman if I didn't escort her to-"  
"Your wine Signor your wine is on the house." Luigi bustled forward.  
"Thank you Luigi. Right Shaz I expect you to keep the rabble under control while I'm away," he called over the chatter as they left through the side entrance, Alex's wrist still held in his hand.

* * *

Alex unlocked her door. "Don't move, I need to..." She said looking about her for a place to put the bottle of wine they had collected and ended up keeping it in her custody, unwilling to use up the precious time it would take to walk though to the kitchen and rest it on the counter.  
Whatever it was she was feeling had set like stone, deep in her chest. She wanted this, every inch of her body wanted his. She could feel the sharp tingle of butterflies and her smile was big and warm. She wanted him.  
Her ridiculously high shoes leveled their height and she leaned into him pressing her warm mouth on the soft skin of his cheek, his evening stubble chaffing her lips. She stayed where she was only moving her head back to gage his reaction. She could feel the beat of his heart against her breast. As the stillness grew, she imagined she could hear the uncertainties she was sure she had left behind, creeping up the stairs towards them and then with a dip of his head Gene kissed her.  
His lips were soft and honest as they skimmed across hers. His movements deliberately testing, each press a chance for her to escape. When she did not flee he trapped her bottom lip between his teeth and she mewed softly, his tongue seeking access as it soothed the plump swell of her bitten lip.  
He pulled away slowly resting his head against hers, "So this just friends business."  
Alex smiled lazily as she closed her eyes and replied in a voice husky with desire, "Over rated. Ignore what I said about it, this is much better." She shifted her body closer to his and with a slight bend of her head kissed him again, but with more pressure so he would have no doubts of her intentions.  
With a hand firmly twisted into the hair at the nape of his neck she guided him into her flat, making sure his mouth remained locked with her. The door slammed shut as Gene pushed her up against it, Alex giggled when his lips sort the delicate piece if skin behind her ear and there was a dull thud as the wine bottle hit the floor.

* * *

Thank You for reading.


End file.

Ashes to Ashes, Friendship, Romance