Almost like ‘e never left by Jean Geanie (Sam/Gene)
Almost like ‘e never left.
Pairings: Sam/Gene some Annie/Chris
Rating: Blue/Green Cortina
Warnings: There’s nothing that falls outside the rating guidelines but it may spoil it a little bit. To read just highlight the text below.
References/allusions to character death.
Detective Chief Inspector Gene Hunt strode into his office and after closing the door behind him, moved to sit in his chair. Ignoring his company, he made sure that the whiskey was within reach, propped his feet up on the corner of his desk and (leaning back) loosened his tie.
“Why Tyler, do I seem to be forever blessed with yer presence?” He spared a glance towards the other man who was still standing and indulging in an obvious desire to avoid eye contact.
“Dunno. Nobody bothered to ask if I had an opinion on whom I was assigned to.” Gene shook his head.
“Well then what are you doing ‘ere talking to me about it? Aren’t there rules against that?” The words seemed to trigger a reaction because the too-familiar eyes finally rose to meet his, shining with something not completely unlike cheek.
“Sod the rules, Guv.” Pretending not to notice the way “Guv” came out as a term of endearment, Gene raised his eyebrows and tried to keep the rest of his expression blank.
“Don’t tell me yer finally chosen to rebel now Tyler?” he grinned. “Oh, be still my beating ‘eart." He drawled.
The response was a good-natured laugh and a slight shake of the head.
“Oh piss off. But since you mentioned it... if anyone else from H-“
“Hyde?” Gene couldn’t resist. He’d missed the way Sam would pause in mid-speech to roll his eyes. Without missing a beat Sam did exactly that before continuing in a slightly louder, more determined voice.
“If anyone else from you-know-where does visit you, it’s might be best you don’t mention this.”
“Tyler, I don’t think that I want to admit to myself we’re having this conversation.” And there it was the trademark Tyler smirk.
“Come off it, Guv. It’s not so bad me being here is it?” The tone was playful but Gene knew the man well-enough to recognise the genuine question.
“You know that’s not it. It’s just that you know as well as I do that you don’t belong ‘ere anymore.” Sam snorted and rolled his eyes causing Gene’s fingers to itch with the need to wrap themselves around the man’s collar, or neck.
“I’m bloody serious Sam. Wouldn't you be ‘appier movin’ on? Not always coming down here to visit me? I can’t understand why you’d want to hang around.”
“And what makes you such an expert on what I should and shouldn't do?!”
“Cos I bleedin’ care about y- about what ‘appens to you. You deserve better than spendin’ the foreseeable future as my shadow!”
“It's my choice to make!” The face was furious and petulant all at once.
“Well maybe you’ve made the wrong choice.” The words forced themselves out as a growl, taking Sam by surprise judging by the way he had blinked in shock.
“Gene...” he chose to respond by knocking back three-quarters of flask number four
(Tyler related emergency only) single-malt. Sam gave a disappointed sigh. “Alright, fine. Look Gene, it wasn’t my intention to burden you by coming back. If you don’t want me ‘ere I’ll leave. I just...well, the thing is...” the voice grew softer. “When I had to make the choice, this was always the only place I ever wanted to be...”
Gene finally looked up and cringed at the downcast expression. In his gut he wanted nothing more than to reach over and kiss the other man until there was no traces of it left, but he knew better than to attempt it.
“...and I want to say that, no matter what, I’m glad to ‘ave met you.” Touched, but desperate to steer the conversation to less miserable grounds Gene gave an emphatic yawn.
“Done bein’ soppy yet, Gladys?” Tyler’s head snapped up so fast it must have hurt.
“Done? I was pouring my heart out you ungrateful bastard!”
“Well if you’ve stopped acting like a plonk I thought you might like to know that it’d be ok by me ‘aving you round ‘ere" he paused when Sam gaped at him, and in rushed tones added "for as long as you want to stay.”
Gene may have felt like a fool saying the words but he was hard-pressed to regret it when they resulted in that smile. The one that started off like it were taking over Tyler's face against its will but still managed to make the entire man seem somewhat brighter.
“Are you sure you mean that, Guv? Cos’ that could be quite a while.” Once again the teasing tones hid the important question. Allowing himself a small smile, he placed his feet back on the ground and walked round the desk until he was looking down at Sam, closing the gap between their bodies and making sure he had the undivided attention of the eyes staring back up at him.
“I'd like that Sam.”
They stood like that for a minute, staring at each other with childish grins before there was a knock at the door.
“Guv?” the voice caused Gene to groan and Sam to look around with eyes wide.
“Shit is that Annie?” he whispered. Ignoring him, Gene moved to open the door.
“Yes Cartwright?” he said, not bothering to keep the displeasure from his voice.
“Guv, I thought I heard voices...” she peered round Gene into the office with a slightly troubled air.
“Heard of a phone, love?” he asked, laying on the sarcasm.
“Ah of course, silly me.” She made to leave but looked close enough to tears that even without Sam saying anything he knew he had to pull her back.
“Annie, I know we’ve all had a rough time of it but the Gene Genie isn’t quite ready for the asylum.” He said softly.
“That’s it Gene, refer to yourself in the third person. Then she’ll never doubt your sanity.” It took willpower to ignore Sam’s less than helpful advice and concentrate on WDS Cartwright.
“No, course not Guv.” She gave the most morose giggle Gene had ever heard. “Might be me you should send the men in white coats for. I could’ve sworn I heard you say Sam”. Under the pretence of looking away Gene sought out Sam who had paled noticeably. Looking miserable he nodded towards Annie and then gestured toward the phone. “Tell her you were trying to find some family.” The suggestion was a good one, but Tyler looked anything but proud of himself.
Turning back to Cartwright, Gene gestured towards the phone.
“I was just enquirin’ with Hyde to see if Sam had any next of kin.”
“Oh... Did you find any? He always spoke right fondly of his Mum an' Dad.”
“None left. According to Hyde both parents died in a train crash sometime in the fifties. Our Sammy was a ward of the state til he turned eighteen and joined the force." Gene consoled himself with the fact that It wasn't entirely a lie. They were the details Hyde had given him when he had called, three weeks ago.
“He never said anything about that... no wonder he was so fixated on the Tylers. He must’ve always wanted a family like that.” Gene reached for a handkerchief as the tears in her eyes looked ready to fall. Passing it to her, he gave her an awkward pat on the back.
“Why don’t you take the rest of the night off? Get Chris to drive you home?”
“No thanks Guv, I'll be right in a minute. I’ll go grab a cuppa instead.”
“Good girl, a fairy told me there might be some pink wafers hiding in the filing cabinet under ‘X’”.
“X?” Cartwright and Sam asked in perfect unison.
“How many criminals have you heard of with a surname starting with that particular letter?”
Sam snorted and Cartwright smiled.
“Thanks Guv.”
“No problems.”
He made to shut the door but stopped when he noticed Cartwright still hadn’t moved anywhere. She was looking down and fiddling with the ring on her finger. Gene had to hand it to Chris for finally getting up the nerve to ask her. The two had been an item long before Sam’s death, one the man himself had pushed together by plying Chris with alcohol at the last Christmas party and giving him a nudge in the right direction.
“Do you think Sam would have minded?”
“What? You an’ Skelton?” He didn’t turn to look around at Sam, but felt that the man had moved closed to him all the same.
“Tell her no, I'd be happy for her” the tone was warm. “She couldn't find a better kid.” Gene grinned down at Annie.
“Nah, he'd be happy for you both I reckon, couldn't find a better div.”
“Gene!” Regardless of Sam’s indignation Cartwright seemed contented and amused by the answer and after saying goodnight finally left.
Shutting the door he turned back around to face Sam. Wanting to reach out and touch him but settling for standing close enough that he could almost feel him.
“So what now Sammy Boy?” Sam smiled and straightened his jacket.
“Well... how do you feel about pottery?”
“Pottery??” Gene was oddly comforted by the fact that not even death could make Tyler talk sense for long.
“Oh... never mind. How ‘bout a walk down the canal?” Gene smiled.
“I'll grab me coat.”