"So when they launder money they don't actually wash it? Oh, oh they do? Oh, I see, Yeah, I've got it now, I've got it."

Gene looked at Chris in astonishment wondering how he'd possibly made it this far in the police force. His mind turned to the more pleasant idea of spending the evening with his DI.

"Right let's get you home, shall we?" He said standing up off the desk - her desk.

"All I have to say to you Gene Hunt is you should trust those ageing instincts because you haven't even approached your prime."

There was that feeling again in his stomach. Not butterflies, no, Gene Hunt doesn't get butterflies that's for little school girls with their first crush. This was something else entirely. He couldn't decide if it was pleasant or not but he knew it was too soft.

"Think you're right. In fact, I'm about three minutes away from reaching my sexual peak. D'you wanna celebrate?"

Always with the brush offs, the jokes. He wasn't sure if he thought they'd get him anywhere but they were certainly better than whatever that feeling was that wasn't - definitely wasn't - butterflies.

"Unfortunately, I have a headache."

"Course you do"

shit, too obvious there Hunt

He stood in the corridor for a moment after she'd walked away. He needed to regain his composure if he was going to have any chance at 'wooing' her that night. wooing? I do not 'woo' he thought.

When he rounded the corner there was Donny, the little boy who'd seen all too much before his 8th birthday.

"Hey"

"Hello, where did you come from?"

"Look what I done." The boy showed off his solved Rubik's cube " I got taught how to do it by the bloke who brought us here. It's brilliant isn't it?" He looked up and saw Evan White throughout the doors. His heart sank. He hated him. Hated how Alex loved him.

"Yeah it's brilliant"

"Great presents for kids, I gave one to Caroline's daughter the other day and she loves it." God he hated that posh voice.

"Course you did, it was you" He felt a stab of pain through his chest at her excitement and how easily he became a spare part in the conversation; in her life. "It was uh you who brought Donny in." She said not making much sense but when did she ever?

"I keep getting these reports from Caroline that you're ill or you're upset or both and every time I see you…" Why did her face have to light up? Why couldn't she look at him like that? He'd saved her bloody life only an hour ago.

"I'm also here cause Donny wanted to see his Mum and he wants to see his new brother; if that's okay."

Alex looked to him, he thought she was about to include him again but the small boy interrupted.

"Can you come?" His voice filled with excitement "You haven't seen my baby brother yet and you can now"

"Yeah, I can give you a lift home, I mean it sounds as if you haven't been to bed all night." Evan said with a smug look on his face that was just begging Gene to hit it off but he didn't. He didn't want Bolly to hate him. Maybe he did, actually, it would be better than this indifference she had for him now.

"Please say yes," The boy pleaded, "please do."

"Alright, yeah, sure," She said happily. That was all his hopes for the evening crushed. Idiot, hunt of course she'd rather go off with bloody Evan White than you

She turned to him as if he was merely an afterthought.

"I'm just gonna"

Okay, act unbothered, Hunt, you can do that. I mean, she's just going to the hospital that won't take all night.

"Yeah, yeah, see ya" he looked away unable to meet her eyes "see ya later" she looked back at him hesitant obviously struggling to find the words to turn him down, he took the hint. "Well, tomorrow probably."

"Yeah" she said lightly, stepping back further from him, trying to get away.

"Sometime, whenever" He said firmly, hoping he sounded uncaring while knowing he didn't.

"S'ya tomorrow" she managed to get out before turning and walking away from him

twat, idiot, twat

he berated himself turning on his heel and walking back into CID. No cosy night on her sofa then. He would've settled for small talk on the way across to her flat and an awkward goodbye on her doorstep. Anything other than the painful reality that she didn't care.

He slammed the door to his office not caring that all the eyes would be on him. they can bugger off for all I care

He poured himself a measure of whiskey before downing it, shrugging into his coat and storming out the office very similarly to how he entered.

He trudged across the road to Luigi's. A part of him knew he shouldn't, just setting himself up for more disappointment but the idea of seeing her, even fleetingly, was too much to resist. He sat himself at the bar and lit a fag. Luigi could sense his bad mood so waited for Gene to grumble, "Luigi, Whiskey." before hurriedly pouring a glass of Gene's usual.

He sat there for an hour or two smoking, drinking and thinking. He thought about her of course. He seldom thought of anything else these days. He remembered the feeling of her limp in his arms earlier that day when he carried her to safety. Then the sight of her black bra as he performed CPR. She was beautiful, he let himself acknowledge. His mind went back to the feeling of her hand on his cheek. It felt like there was no one else in the world at that moment; just the two of them forever. Thought about how close she'd been to seeing his doodle. Stupid twat, drawing that at work, drawing it at all

He could picture the disgust on her face if she'd seen it. She'd probably have treated him to another of her left hooks. Maybe even laughed at him. He decided that if she ever did find out he'd rather she was angry than amused. It hurt when she laughed at the idea of him romantically, sexually or anything more than a colleague and drinking partner. He knew the idea of 'them' was laughable and he didn't need her to remind him. He knew she was out of his league, knew she didn't feel the same but it didn't stop him. Nothing seemed to be capable of stopping him thinking about her, wanting her, helping her, saving her bloody life more times than he should have to. Normally if a bird wasn't interested he moved on and found someone else more willing but he couldn't. God knows he'd tried. He went out 'on the pull' the other week, didn't tell anyone of course, but he just couldn't go through with it. It wasn't right. It wasn't her.

Staring down into his whiskey he heard the upstairs door open accompanied by laughter. He could hear the laughs of Evan bloody posh twat White mix with her own. Luigi watched as Gene's face turned to stone at the sound. He watched him turn back and down his drink. He held it up, asking for more.

"Signore Hunt, this is not the answer eh?"

"Shut up. Whiskey."

"No, you English men are hopeless. She comes in here with that man, she laughs. It breaks your heart you do nothing. She comes in here alone, you laugh together, drink together, and you light up. I see it. I know don't lie to me. Nothing will ever change unless you tell her how you feel."

"And how do I feel?" He asked, venom seeping from every word.

"Ah that is not for me to say but you should tell her. Ask her to dinner with you. Somewhere, what do you say? Posh. Let her know you mean it."

"What makes you think she'd want to." He asked, embarrassed but understanding this was his best shot.

"She lights up with you, she's happy. That man, he's a friend. He wants more, she doesn't. I hear them talking."

At that moment he heard the upstairs door open and close again as Evan left.

"See she sends him home."

"Don't know why that means she'd want to be seen with me." Gene says morosely

"Signore Hunt, I am not a God. I do not know it all but I do know nothing will ever change unless you change it, sì?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah" He grumbled getting up from his seat and walking to the door.

"You ask her tomorrow?" Luigi asked but he was met with a customary Gene Hunt glare and pout combo that no man could rebuff.

As he lay in bed that night struggling to sleep as usual his thoughts drifted, unsurprisingly, to Alex and to Luigi's advice. He knew he was probably going to embarrass himself but maybe if he asked when it was just the two of them he could limit the damage. Whatever way she found to turn him down would hurt but he thought maybe hearing her actually say it, that she didn't want to take things further, would be enough to convince his brain to move on.