If An Illusion Is All I Have
Chapter 1: Post-it Notes
Author: Jess_Who
Fandom: Ashes To Ashes
Pairings: Alex, Gene, CID, Molly, etc
Rating: 12 (Rating may change)
Word Count: 737
Disclaimer: Only a fan, not the owner.. :'(
Spoilers: None really. Set in 1982
Note: Set my self the challenge of writing more then just a short story. Beta'd by the wonderful Rantandrumour.
....A2A...A2A....
A day off for Alex was never as simple as it seemed. They were rare and would have been treasured things, if her mind would have allowed it.
More often than not she would spend the day waiting, for a glimpse of her past or rather future life. Hoping for a word of encouragement from her daughter or a clue that would set her on the yellow brick road, to home.
The days when Alex’s television did not click on of its own accord or she did not get called into work, those were the days she could do without.
Today is that day. Today instead of hearing from either of the important aspects of both her lives, she gets a second post-it note.
As soon as the letter box rattles, she runs to the window, trying to seek out the delivery man, but there is no one in sight. Moving back to the door, she picks up an envelope, her stomach pitching to the ground.
..*..
The following day Alex went to work feeling less than her usual perky self. She had not had a wink of sleep and unfortunately, she was not convinced the application of an extra layer of make-up was going to hide the darkness below her eyes.
She settled into her seat, pulling out two sandwich bags, both containing the letters from the two previous days and locked them in her bottom draw. Alex lent against the back of her chair, after having slid the key under her desk lamp.
"Ma'am, letter for you," Shaz smiled, handing out the post she had collected.
Alex slid her finger beneath the seal, dread pooling in the pit of her stomach. Pulling out the familiar yellow post-it note, her face depleted of any remnant of colour at the red smudges on it.
"Time's running out Alexandra. I have a little girl who wants to see you. Do not keep me waiting; Molly doesn't like it when I get angry"
Breathing heavily and trying her best not to start visibly shaking, Alex put the post-it note down covering it with her hand, as Shaz came tottering over with a steaming cup of coffee.
"There you are, Ma'am. Did you enjoy your day off?" she enquired politely.
"Yes Shaz, thank you. Did you and Chris get up to much?" Alex asked, trying to sound as though she was fully engaged in what Shaz had to say.
Was Molly in danger? Why was Evan not with her? Alex had so many unanswered questions, each one craving her immediate attention. The loudest of which was, Molly, was she here in 1982?
"... I really wanted to thump him one" Shaz finished, glaring at a sheepish Chris. Alex rolled her eyes and shook her head for good measure as she handed her the file for last week's blag.
..*..
Once alone again Alex looked down at the post-it note, tracing Molly's name "Oh Molls."
Picking up the envelope, she tilted the contents that had previously weighed down the package into her hand. Her heart leapt savagely in her chest.
In her hand, lay a Swiss army knife, the blade open and painted with blood and a twist of matted hair.
Alex gasped with an audible rapid intake of breath, just loud enough to get the attention of her nearest colleagues.
"Ma'am? Ma'am you all right? Oh you're very pale" Shaz observed as she moved swiftly to her side, Chris and Ray following.
Alex open her mouth briefly to respond, but feeling bile at the back of her throat, merely shook her head.
"Why are you gossiping like a bunch o' pansies and not working?" Gene Hunt bellowed from his door way, giving Chris a stern look.
"Its Ma'am," he said nodding to the shaking figure.
Gene took one look at her and started barking orders. "Chris take that," he said pointing to the blade, Post it-note and envelope. "I want dabs, everything. Ray get onto your snotty nosed informants, see if they've got wind of any funny business. Shaz, tea for the lady, with enough sugar to make her foam at the mouth." Gene crouched down in front of her, turning her in her chair so she faced him.
"I can't," she said, swaying slightly as she stood up. "I'm gonna..." Alex's hand cut out the rest of her sentence as she stumbled out of Gene's reach with it clasped across her mouth.
....A2A...A2A....
Chapter 2: The Wounded Deer