FIC: Previous Convictions 14/26, Brown Cortina, Gene and Ray, R/C
Title: Previous Convictions
Word Count: This part 2,263. Total 70,000
Spoilers: None, really. I suppose if you’ve never seen Life on Mars there might be one or two…but it won’t make sense, either!
Pairings: None to begin with, Ray/Chris eventually.
Rating: Brown Cortina
Disclaimer: The only things which belong to me are the mistakes.
Summary: It’s a long and winding road. A bit of backstory, pre-1973.
A/N: Thanks go to xCazzie and Dakfinv for beta-dom. All remaining mistakes are mine alone.
Chapter one, Chapter two, Chapter three, Chapter four, Chapter five, Chapter six, Chapter seven, Chapter eight, Chapter nine, Chapter ten, Chapter eleven, Chapter twelve, Chapter thirteen
Ray parked up outside the station and climbed out of his car slowly, transfixed by the vehicle in the next space.
Gene looked across at him, from his relaxed pose leaning on the vinyl roof. “Alright, ain’t it?”
Ray nodded, sliding his palm over the bronze paintwork of the gleaming Cortina. “Bloody hell. You kept that quiet, di’n’t you?”
Gene smirked. “And don’t think for one second you’re getting’ the keys.”
Ray stood back and nodded, a touch of jealousy creeping over him. His own car was good enough - he still loved the Capri, but the Cortina was something else. This machine was beautiful. “Must’ve cost you a bit,” he commented, admiring the chrome fittings.
Gene shrugged. “Worth every penny. Get in, I’ll take you for a spin.”
They flew around the streets of Manchester, Ray holding on for dear life, a wide smile on his face. Gene took the car to its limits, and it felt as if they cornered on two wheels more than once.
“No fucker’s goin’ to get away from us in this!” Ray called over the roar of the engine.
Gene nodded, then reached down and flicked the radio on. Ray noticed it also had an 8-track in it and nodded appreciatively. The car was, perhaps, the most beautiful vehicle he’d ever been in. He felt privileged that the front seat was, apparently, his.
They arrived back at the station car park in a squeal of tyres as they skidded across the tarmac. Everyone turned around and, as Ray stepped out of the car, he felt good - special. He and Gene were a team, and people respected them.
As they walked up the steps he saw Chris staring down at the car, and he smiled widely at the young man.
Chris finally dragged his gaze from the Cortina and noticed Ray, then quickly smiled back, embarrassed that he’d been caught staring instead of working.
***
Gene leaned back in his chair, sipped whisky from his mug, and looked at his sergeant through narrowed eyes.
“You think he’d handle it?”
Ray shrugged. “Don’t see why not - he’s keen, loyal, Phyllis ain’t got a bad word to say about ‘im. He just needs someone to…I dunno, show ‘im the ropes. Look at what he did the other week - first time out an’ we wrapped it up in one. Took bollocks, that did.”
“Was hardly bloody rocket science, Raymondo,” Gene snorted. “He ‘ad to tell some greedy bastard a pack of lies, that’s all.”
“Still, Guv, we gotta take someone, so why not ‘im? Can always throw ‘im back to uniform if he can’t handle it.” Ray tried to sound unconcerned, and hoped Gene would fall for the act.
Gene finally nodded. “Fine. You better hope he lives up to your expectations though, Sergeant. I’ll leave you to break the good news, right?”
Ray nodded, suddenly nervous. He’d talked Chris up to Gene - he just hoped that Chris could live up to the image he’d created.
It was past the end of shift, but Ray stuck his head around the door of the locker room anyway, just in case. It was deserted, so he knew he’d have to try to catch Chris the next morning.
***
He got up early to get to the station in good time, and saw Phyllis walking in ahead of him, still in her civvies.
“Phyllis,” he called, jogging to catch up with her.
She fixed him with a stern look, knowing that when someone from CID decided to talk to her they invariably wanted something. “Yeah?”
“I talked to the Guv, Skelton’s goin’ to be movin’ into CID, as of Monday,” Ray said. “Thought you should be the first to know.”
Phyllis nodded once, having guessed that such a move was on the cards. “Just you be good to ‘im - he’s a nice lad. None of your usual larks - ‘e’s got a heart of gold, that one.”
Ray nodded seriously, knowing that Phyllis was worrying unnecessarily. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep me eye on ‘im.”
“You better tell ‘im the good news then,” Phyllis gestured behind Ray to where Chris was trailing in, yawning widely, looking as if he’d just rolled out of bed.
Ray span around and smiled at Chris. “Hey, got some news,” he said.
“Sergeant Dobbs told me,” Chris said slightly sulkily. “You got ‘em all, bang to rights.”
Ray frowned for a moment, then realised that Chris was referring to the job they had done. “Oh, yeah. Sorry, I meant to tell you, but got caught up in other things.”
Chris shrugged, trying not to show how much it bothered him.
“Anyway, that weren’t what I was gonna say,” Ray continued.
Chris looked up, brightening up a bit. He hoped Ray might want him to help out again. He had found actually working on a case far more satisfying than pounding the beat each day, sorting out petty squabbles and just showing his face in the community. And, despite the ribbing his friends gave him, he did feel a bit more important in plain clothes.
“I ‘ad a word with the Guv, about what you did an’ all, y’know, undercover, an’ as of Monday you can lose the uniform. Report to CID at oh-seven-‘undred, right?”
It took Chris a moment to realise what Ray had said, then his eyes widened and a smile spread across his face. “You…me? Really? I mean…really?”
Ray held out his hand. “Congratulations, DC Skelton.”
Chris grabbed Ray’s hand and shook it hard. He really wanted to throw his arms around the other man and hug him, before cartwheeling around the car park and shouting from the rooftops. Instead, he found he was just grinning and laughing like an idiot. “Wait ‘til I tell me Mum an’ Dad! They’ll be made up, they will. This is great - a DC? I…this is great!”
Ray couldn’t help but grin back at Chris, and he knew he’d done the right thing.
***
The next Monday morning, Chris dressed in a clean shirt and smart trousers, even knotting a tie and settling it under the long points of his collar. Then he pulled on his best tank-top and a jacket. He looked at himself in the bathroom mirror and reached into his pocket, pulling out his warrant card and flashing it to an imagined suspect. “DC Skelton - you’re under arrest,” he said. Then decided he was being a bit too friendly. He frowned and tried again. “DC Skelton - you’re nicked!” That was better, he decided - sounded more like a detective should. He put away his card and straightened his clothing up, then heard his mum calling, so ran downstairs.
“Come on, Christopher, I’ve cooked you a proper breakfast, set you up for your first day in CID,” she gestured to the plate in his place at the table. His Dad was already eating, so Chris sat down and tucked in.
“Thanks Mum, ‘s great,” he said, mouth full.
“You just be careful,” his Dad said. “Sort of people you’ll be goin’ after now ain’t what you’re used to. Playin’ with the big boys now, Christopher.”
Chris nodded, although it annoyed him slightly that his Dad still treated him like a child. He knew the risks of his work well enough.
When it was time for him to go for the bus his Mum kissed him on the cheek and pushed his hair back off his face. “You take care now, and have a good day,” she smiled. “I know you’ll be just fine.”
Chris felt even more nervous than he had the first time he’d been in CID as he walked toward the door. He opened it and looked in to see a few people milling about, most with mugs of tea in their hands and cigarettes on the go. As he walked in, feeling lost, he looked for Ray. Then someone called over to him.
“Oi, Guv wants to see you, straight away,” the detective said.
Chris nodded, immediately worried that he’d somehow done something wrong already, and walked up to Gene’s office door. He knocked on the glass and waited for Gene to call him in, then stepped inside.
“Skelton,” Gene barked. “Come ‘ere, ‘ave this.” He held out a small oblong of card which read ‘This is to certify that Christopher Skelton holds the rank of Detective Constable. This is his warrant and authority for executing the duties of his office.’ He took out his warrant card and slipped it in front of his old one, stroking the plastic down over it.
“Thanks, Guv,” he smiled.
Gene nodded. “Right, when Carling shows his face stick with him. He’ll tell you his cases, show you how things work. In the meantime, find me a pack of Hobnobs and a cup of tea, right?”
Chris listened wide-eyed and nodded, then left to complete his first task for his new Guv.
Ray wandered into the office just as Chris headed back to Gene with half a packet of chocolate hobnobs and a mug of tea with milk and one sugar - he had asked someone else how the Guv took his tea, to make sure he got it right.
“Ray - I mean, Sarge,” he smiled. “I just gotta…” he gestured to Gene’s office door with the biscuits.
Ray nodded, knowing exactly what Gene was doing, but not about to stand in his way. Everyone needed to know their place on the ladder - that was the way the department worked. He set about clearing the desk in front of his of all the various mugs and newspapers and other rubbish that had gathered on it, then found a spare chair. By the time Chris exited Gene’s office again, the desk was almost in a fit state for use.
“’Ere, this is you,” he said to Chris, gesturing to the desk. “We’ll find you all the other shit later, when we’re back.”
“Back?” Chris echoed.
“Got things to do, c’mon,” Ray grabbed two case files off his desk and headed for the door.
Once in they were in Ray’s car, Chris opened the files Ray had thrown into his lap. “So what’re we doin’, Sarge?”
“You don’t ‘ave to call me that. ‘S Ray, right?” Once Chris nodded Ray continued. “Read the files, I’ll tell you the rest.”
Chris nodded, smiling. “’Kay.” He studied the various reports and notes, then looked at the photographs. It was a gang who seemed to be involved in some sort of protection racket, and Chris could feel the excitement growing inside him at the thought of doing some real investigative work. It seemed that everyone was too scared to talk, so Chris wondered what Ray had in mind to get a break in the case.
“What’re we doin’, then?” he finally asked. “Goin’ to see someone?”
Ray nodded. “Snout. ‘Opefully he’ll have something to tell me. He better ‘ave.”
Chris nodded, eyes wide, wondering what would happen if the snout didn’t know anything. He didn’t suppose you could make people know something they didn’t, and he wondered what Ray would do.
Half an hour later, when Ray had Toby McKay in an arm lock, face pushed up against the brickwork, Chris was starting to understand how sometimes people did know things…they just needed to be persuaded to tell those things to the police. Chris winced as Ray bounced McKay’s forehead off the brickwork again, when the answer to the next question obviously wasn’t what Ray wanted to hear. He could see the veins standing out on Ray’s neck, his knuckles white as they gripped McKay’s hair. Chris didn’t think that he’d ever be able to act like Ray did.
Finally Ray let go of McKay and turned him around. “If you’re lyin’ to me, you’ll bloody regret it,” he finally said, getting right into McKay’s face.
The man nodded, looking terrified.
Chris followed Ray back to the car, throwing glances over his shoulder at the man still clutching his head and leaning against the wall. He was now, if he was honest with himself, a little bit scared of Ray. And wondering exactly what he’d got himself into, if this was how being in CID worked.
“C’mon, let’s get some breakfast,” Ray smiled as he opened the car door.
It took Chris a few seconds to put together the Ray looking at him now, all smiles and bright blue eyes, with the Ray who had just slammed a man up against the wall hard enough to break his teeth. He sank into the passenger seat, unsettled.
He ate his bacon butty slowly, despite not really being hungry after his Mum’s fry-up that morning, and watched as Ray licked brown sauce off his fingers. There was something about his new partner that made Chris feel special. It wasn’t just that out of everyone in the station Ray had picked him, it was something else, something Chris couldn’t put his finger on. He didn’t have many close friends, but he hoped that he and Ray would become friends as well as workmates. In fact, he was desperate for it - he didn’t think he’d survive if he wasn’t friends with Ray.
***
At five pm Gene pulled his coat on and strode out into the office. “Skelton! With me. I shall allow you to celebrate becoming a member of Manchester’s finest squad by buying me a drink.”
It was the signal everyone had been waiting for, and shortly afterward the entire squad had relocated to The Railway Arms.
TBC...
Word Count: This part 2,263. Total 70,000
Spoilers: None, really. I suppose if you’ve never seen Life on Mars there might be one or two…but it won’t make sense, either!
Pairings: None to begin with, Ray/Chris eventually.
Rating: Brown Cortina
Disclaimer: The only things which belong to me are the mistakes.
Summary: It’s a long and winding road. A bit of backstory, pre-1973.
A/N: Thanks go to xCazzie and Dakfinv for beta-dom. All remaining mistakes are mine alone.
Chapter one, Chapter two, Chapter three, Chapter four, Chapter five, Chapter six, Chapter seven, Chapter eight, Chapter nine, Chapter ten, Chapter eleven, Chapter twelve, Chapter thirteen
Ray parked up outside the station and climbed out of his car slowly, transfixed by the vehicle in the next space.
Gene looked across at him, from his relaxed pose leaning on the vinyl roof. “Alright, ain’t it?”
Ray nodded, sliding his palm over the bronze paintwork of the gleaming Cortina. “Bloody hell. You kept that quiet, di’n’t you?”
Gene smirked. “And don’t think for one second you’re getting’ the keys.”
Ray stood back and nodded, a touch of jealousy creeping over him. His own car was good enough - he still loved the Capri, but the Cortina was something else. This machine was beautiful. “Must’ve cost you a bit,” he commented, admiring the chrome fittings.
Gene shrugged. “Worth every penny. Get in, I’ll take you for a spin.”
They flew around the streets of Manchester, Ray holding on for dear life, a wide smile on his face. Gene took the car to its limits, and it felt as if they cornered on two wheels more than once.
“No fucker’s goin’ to get away from us in this!” Ray called over the roar of the engine.
Gene nodded, then reached down and flicked the radio on. Ray noticed it also had an 8-track in it and nodded appreciatively. The car was, perhaps, the most beautiful vehicle he’d ever been in. He felt privileged that the front seat was, apparently, his.
They arrived back at the station car park in a squeal of tyres as they skidded across the tarmac. Everyone turned around and, as Ray stepped out of the car, he felt good - special. He and Gene were a team, and people respected them.
As they walked up the steps he saw Chris staring down at the car, and he smiled widely at the young man.
Chris finally dragged his gaze from the Cortina and noticed Ray, then quickly smiled back, embarrassed that he’d been caught staring instead of working.
***
Gene leaned back in his chair, sipped whisky from his mug, and looked at his sergeant through narrowed eyes.
“You think he’d handle it?”
Ray shrugged. “Don’t see why not - he’s keen, loyal, Phyllis ain’t got a bad word to say about ‘im. He just needs someone to…I dunno, show ‘im the ropes. Look at what he did the other week - first time out an’ we wrapped it up in one. Took bollocks, that did.”
“Was hardly bloody rocket science, Raymondo,” Gene snorted. “He ‘ad to tell some greedy bastard a pack of lies, that’s all.”
“Still, Guv, we gotta take someone, so why not ‘im? Can always throw ‘im back to uniform if he can’t handle it.” Ray tried to sound unconcerned, and hoped Gene would fall for the act.
Gene finally nodded. “Fine. You better hope he lives up to your expectations though, Sergeant. I’ll leave you to break the good news, right?”
Ray nodded, suddenly nervous. He’d talked Chris up to Gene - he just hoped that Chris could live up to the image he’d created.
It was past the end of shift, but Ray stuck his head around the door of the locker room anyway, just in case. It was deserted, so he knew he’d have to try to catch Chris the next morning.
***
He got up early to get to the station in good time, and saw Phyllis walking in ahead of him, still in her civvies.
“Phyllis,” he called, jogging to catch up with her.
She fixed him with a stern look, knowing that when someone from CID decided to talk to her they invariably wanted something. “Yeah?”
“I talked to the Guv, Skelton’s goin’ to be movin’ into CID, as of Monday,” Ray said. “Thought you should be the first to know.”
Phyllis nodded once, having guessed that such a move was on the cards. “Just you be good to ‘im - he’s a nice lad. None of your usual larks - ‘e’s got a heart of gold, that one.”
Ray nodded seriously, knowing that Phyllis was worrying unnecessarily. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep me eye on ‘im.”
“You better tell ‘im the good news then,” Phyllis gestured behind Ray to where Chris was trailing in, yawning widely, looking as if he’d just rolled out of bed.
Ray span around and smiled at Chris. “Hey, got some news,” he said.
“Sergeant Dobbs told me,” Chris said slightly sulkily. “You got ‘em all, bang to rights.”
Ray frowned for a moment, then realised that Chris was referring to the job they had done. “Oh, yeah. Sorry, I meant to tell you, but got caught up in other things.”
Chris shrugged, trying not to show how much it bothered him.
“Anyway, that weren’t what I was gonna say,” Ray continued.
Chris looked up, brightening up a bit. He hoped Ray might want him to help out again. He had found actually working on a case far more satisfying than pounding the beat each day, sorting out petty squabbles and just showing his face in the community. And, despite the ribbing his friends gave him, he did feel a bit more important in plain clothes.
“I ‘ad a word with the Guv, about what you did an’ all, y’know, undercover, an’ as of Monday you can lose the uniform. Report to CID at oh-seven-‘undred, right?”
It took Chris a moment to realise what Ray had said, then his eyes widened and a smile spread across his face. “You…me? Really? I mean…really?”
Ray held out his hand. “Congratulations, DC Skelton.”
Chris grabbed Ray’s hand and shook it hard. He really wanted to throw his arms around the other man and hug him, before cartwheeling around the car park and shouting from the rooftops. Instead, he found he was just grinning and laughing like an idiot. “Wait ‘til I tell me Mum an’ Dad! They’ll be made up, they will. This is great - a DC? I…this is great!”
Ray couldn’t help but grin back at Chris, and he knew he’d done the right thing.
***
The next Monday morning, Chris dressed in a clean shirt and smart trousers, even knotting a tie and settling it under the long points of his collar. Then he pulled on his best tank-top and a jacket. He looked at himself in the bathroom mirror and reached into his pocket, pulling out his warrant card and flashing it to an imagined suspect. “DC Skelton - you’re under arrest,” he said. Then decided he was being a bit too friendly. He frowned and tried again. “DC Skelton - you’re nicked!” That was better, he decided - sounded more like a detective should. He put away his card and straightened his clothing up, then heard his mum calling, so ran downstairs.
“Come on, Christopher, I’ve cooked you a proper breakfast, set you up for your first day in CID,” she gestured to the plate in his place at the table. His Dad was already eating, so Chris sat down and tucked in.
“Thanks Mum, ‘s great,” he said, mouth full.
“You just be careful,” his Dad said. “Sort of people you’ll be goin’ after now ain’t what you’re used to. Playin’ with the big boys now, Christopher.”
Chris nodded, although it annoyed him slightly that his Dad still treated him like a child. He knew the risks of his work well enough.
When it was time for him to go for the bus his Mum kissed him on the cheek and pushed his hair back off his face. “You take care now, and have a good day,” she smiled. “I know you’ll be just fine.”
Chris felt even more nervous than he had the first time he’d been in CID as he walked toward the door. He opened it and looked in to see a few people milling about, most with mugs of tea in their hands and cigarettes on the go. As he walked in, feeling lost, he looked for Ray. Then someone called over to him.
“Oi, Guv wants to see you, straight away,” the detective said.
Chris nodded, immediately worried that he’d somehow done something wrong already, and walked up to Gene’s office door. He knocked on the glass and waited for Gene to call him in, then stepped inside.
“Skelton,” Gene barked. “Come ‘ere, ‘ave this.” He held out a small oblong of card which read ‘This is to certify that Christopher Skelton holds the rank of Detective Constable. This is his warrant and authority for executing the duties of his office.’ He took out his warrant card and slipped it in front of his old one, stroking the plastic down over it.
“Thanks, Guv,” he smiled.
Gene nodded. “Right, when Carling shows his face stick with him. He’ll tell you his cases, show you how things work. In the meantime, find me a pack of Hobnobs and a cup of tea, right?”
Chris listened wide-eyed and nodded, then left to complete his first task for his new Guv.
Ray wandered into the office just as Chris headed back to Gene with half a packet of chocolate hobnobs and a mug of tea with milk and one sugar - he had asked someone else how the Guv took his tea, to make sure he got it right.
“Ray - I mean, Sarge,” he smiled. “I just gotta…” he gestured to Gene’s office door with the biscuits.
Ray nodded, knowing exactly what Gene was doing, but not about to stand in his way. Everyone needed to know their place on the ladder - that was the way the department worked. He set about clearing the desk in front of his of all the various mugs and newspapers and other rubbish that had gathered on it, then found a spare chair. By the time Chris exited Gene’s office again, the desk was almost in a fit state for use.
“’Ere, this is you,” he said to Chris, gesturing to the desk. “We’ll find you all the other shit later, when we’re back.”
“Back?” Chris echoed.
“Got things to do, c’mon,” Ray grabbed two case files off his desk and headed for the door.
Once in they were in Ray’s car, Chris opened the files Ray had thrown into his lap. “So what’re we doin’, Sarge?”
“You don’t ‘ave to call me that. ‘S Ray, right?” Once Chris nodded Ray continued. “Read the files, I’ll tell you the rest.”
Chris nodded, smiling. “’Kay.” He studied the various reports and notes, then looked at the photographs. It was a gang who seemed to be involved in some sort of protection racket, and Chris could feel the excitement growing inside him at the thought of doing some real investigative work. It seemed that everyone was too scared to talk, so Chris wondered what Ray had in mind to get a break in the case.
“What’re we doin’, then?” he finally asked. “Goin’ to see someone?”
Ray nodded. “Snout. ‘Opefully he’ll have something to tell me. He better ‘ave.”
Chris nodded, eyes wide, wondering what would happen if the snout didn’t know anything. He didn’t suppose you could make people know something they didn’t, and he wondered what Ray would do.
Half an hour later, when Ray had Toby McKay in an arm lock, face pushed up against the brickwork, Chris was starting to understand how sometimes people did know things…they just needed to be persuaded to tell those things to the police. Chris winced as Ray bounced McKay’s forehead off the brickwork again, when the answer to the next question obviously wasn’t what Ray wanted to hear. He could see the veins standing out on Ray’s neck, his knuckles white as they gripped McKay’s hair. Chris didn’t think that he’d ever be able to act like Ray did.
Finally Ray let go of McKay and turned him around. “If you’re lyin’ to me, you’ll bloody regret it,” he finally said, getting right into McKay’s face.
The man nodded, looking terrified.
Chris followed Ray back to the car, throwing glances over his shoulder at the man still clutching his head and leaning against the wall. He was now, if he was honest with himself, a little bit scared of Ray. And wondering exactly what he’d got himself into, if this was how being in CID worked.
“C’mon, let’s get some breakfast,” Ray smiled as he opened the car door.
It took Chris a few seconds to put together the Ray looking at him now, all smiles and bright blue eyes, with the Ray who had just slammed a man up against the wall hard enough to break his teeth. He sank into the passenger seat, unsettled.
He ate his bacon butty slowly, despite not really being hungry after his Mum’s fry-up that morning, and watched as Ray licked brown sauce off his fingers. There was something about his new partner that made Chris feel special. It wasn’t just that out of everyone in the station Ray had picked him, it was something else, something Chris couldn’t put his finger on. He didn’t have many close friends, but he hoped that he and Ray would become friends as well as workmates. In fact, he was desperate for it - he didn’t think he’d survive if he wasn’t friends with Ray.
***
At five pm Gene pulled his coat on and strode out into the office. “Skelton! With me. I shall allow you to celebrate becoming a member of Manchester’s finest squad by buying me a drink.”
It was the signal everyone had been waiting for, and shortly afterward the entire squad had relocated to The Railway Arms.
TBC...