OOM: Christmas Eve

[the_gene_genie]

Gene Hunt likes Christmas. Even though he tends to have to work like a bastard on the run-up (criminals seem to decide that they need some extra spending money, so try to nick it off the poor, working folk who can barely afford to put a turkey on the table), he generally has the day itself off and it's usually spent getting pleasantly drunk in front of the TV, devouring the missus's excellent cooking and seeing his mam smile a lot more than usual.

Of course, that was last year. This year there'll be no missus, less drinking than he'd like and his mam'll be the one slaving over a hot stove. He'd offer to help but they both know he'd likely burn the house down with his efforts.

At least he's got family though. Since that conversation over the darts game with Drake a couple of weeks ago, he's wrestled with himself...well. Wrestled with it for about a day, then made his mind up and has been waiting impatiently ever since. And now it's Christmas Eve, they all knocked off at four (mostly still suffering from immense hangovers from the Christmas do the night before) with well wishes for the holiday all 'round and a good bottle of something from the Guv to let them know he appreciated their efforts this year.

He'd gone home, packed a bag, shovelled a few tabs of paracetemol down his neck and headed out again. He's got a long drive ahead of him, but there's a stop to be made first.

'Bolly! Open up!'

Comments

[the_gene_genie]

He tsks, roaring on to the M25 without stopping for the just-turned red light.

'You been mopin' aroun' like a bird on the rag f'the last two months. An' I know why.'

Beat.

'Well, I don' know why but I know it 'as to do with the Price's. Just thought you needed y'mind takin' off it for a bit.'

And he doesn't like seeing her miserable. Gene Hunt does what's good for his team. There's nothing he wouldn't do for any of them.

But not this. He wouldn't take Ray to spend Christmas with his mother. This is personal but she turned him down two months ago too and as far as he's concerned, she doesn't want anything from him, even if he does catch her looking at him sometimes.

[lady_bols]

She hums under her breath, eyes still focused on the blur of the roadside, drifting farther away from him. She couldn't stop it, because she'd only been looking for outside forces. She'd completely missed the most common cause of domestic murder, the inside force. Her father's careful concealed psychosis. She'd looked with child's eyes instead of using all her training and all her resources.

She'd failed.

If that was the only way she'd ever get home, then not only had she failed her parents, but she'd failed Molly as well.

She tucked her hands under her thighs, shoulders hunched up under her ears, chewing on her lip. She was beyond tears at this point. She was numb.

[the_gene_genie]

Gene looks over at her, wondering at her silence and how he's supposed to break it.

In the end, he stretches out his hand and clicks his fingers in front of her face.

'C'mon, snap out of it Bols. It's Christmas.'

Some festive cheer is in order. And it's obviously Alex's lucky day as Herb Alpert's Christmas album is slotted into the tape deck and starts to blare out.

[lady_bols]

She blinks at him, like a sleep walker freshly awakened.

The quiet strains of a horn band turn quickly into something ridiculously cheesy with a quick step beat. The Tijuana Brass's version of Winter Wonderland.

"What's next, are we going to stop along the way for some wassail?" There may be the hint of a smile somewhere, lurking behind her eyes.

[the_gene_genie]

'No.'

His good mood of earlier has been tempered somewhat but he rallies. Or tries to.

'My car, my music.'

So there.

[lady_bols]

"As always," she says, not unkindly. They drive in silence for awhile, before she turns back to him.

She rests a hand on the back of his arm, just for a moment.

"Thanks. For thinking of me."

[the_gene_genie]

He never stops thinking of her. But he just grunts in response.

'S'alright.'

More silence, for a short time.

'Me mam'll be glad to 'ave someome to talk to, 'specially a bird. She don' much like hearin' about work, beyon' the basics.'

[lady_bols]

She smiles, shifts in her seat, stretching her long legs out, getting comfortable.

"Thanks for the head's up. My ex's mum, she used to ask all sorts of questions, and then make these -- faces when I answered her. I learned the hard way that she didn't really want to know the details."

[the_gene_genie]

'No mother likes 'earing about violence and drug dealin' and scum, I s'pose.'

He's never given it much thought.

By the miracle of Christmas, the M25 is nearly clear - the only time of the year it is - so it's not all that long before he's pulling on to the M1.

'Well, you'd know better'n me.'

[lady_bols]

"Know what?"

[the_gene_genie]

'...'bout what mothers want to 'ear.'

He assumes.

[lady_bols]

She laughs a little under her breath, the corners of her mouth turning down a bit. Her fingers toy with the seam in the arm rest.

"Well, it's different with Molly and me."

[the_gene_genie]

'How?'

She never talks about her daughter. He's interested.

[lady_bols]

Her voice takes on a bit of a distant tone.

"Well, I want her to be able to talk to me about anything. Anything at all. She asks about my work, I tell her. I ask her about her friends, she tells me. It's a two way street."

[the_gene_genie]

He shifts a bit in his seat. He knows nothing about mother-daughter relationships and isn't sure what he's supposed to contribute. He's interested but also already floundering.

'All the gory details? You'd tell 'er them?'

[lady_bols]

"Have done. She's got no illusions about what certain lifestyles entail. We don't keep any secrets from one another."

Some parents try the Just Say No trick, and fat lot of good that does. She knows Molly is more clever than that. And she respects her daughter. She doesn't see the need to protect her to the point of crippling her for her future life.

[the_gene_genie]

He says nothing. He doesn't know what he can say except to point out that he didn't know how little he knew about this stuff, or how strange it'd make him feel to be asking it.

Basically, that he didn't realise how bad he was at having a conversation of any kind of depth with a woman he's interested in.

So he just drives.

[lady_bols]

She feels the silence between them. Not precisely uncomfortable. More -- awkward. Finding their way.

"So your mum will be there. Any one else? Your dad or -- brothers and sisters?"

[the_gene_genie]

'No. Jus' her.'

He doesn't want to go into details on that, not on Christmas Eve when he's been in a good mood and is still clinging to the remnants of it. Not that its her fault, just that he hadn't been prepared for anything past the thought that doing this would be fun.

'You hungry or anythin'? We can stop for a sarnie or somethin' if y'are.'

[lady_bols]

"Well, I was in the middle of finding something for dinner when you dropped in so unexpectedly."

That's a yes, please.

[the_gene_genie]

'Alrigh'. Next services. I need petrol anyway.'

They're spaced every thirty miles or so and the speed he drives, it doesn't take long before he's pulling in.

'Disgustin' tea an' a half mouldy sandwich, comin' up.'

He gets out of the car, stretches and reaches for his fags. It's cold, dark; the cheap decorations over the front of the building look garish and sad. He wishes they were there already, in Manchester, where things are real.

[lady_bols]

"Thanks." Sounds lovely.

She gets out as well, stretching her arms over her head. It's chill enough she wished she'd brought a scarf. Doesn't matter. The cold air feels good, wakes her up a bit. The trip so far as seemed a bit of a dream.

She wanders over to the little store front, pokes around through the aisles at all the last minute gift ideas. He's busy paying for and pumping the petrol, so she takes her time and when she's found something she likes, she pays for it and returns to the car, the little paper bag tucked in her pocket.

[the_gene_genie]

'Cheese an' tomato or egg mayo? S'all they 'ad.'

He hands her tea; probably disgusting but at least its hot. He drinks half his hip flask before starting on his tea, in no hurry to start the car suddenly. A weariness has stolen over him and he scrubs at his eyes, hating this half-way world between home and work.

'Y'ever been to Manchester before?'

[lady_bols]

She takes the tea and takes a big drink, pulling a face. Disgusting is a kind description. She finds a place for it in the console and then eyes the sandwiches.

"Cheese and tomato." It's better than taking her chances with egg mayo. She takes the packet from him, unwrapping it with precise little gestures.

"A few times, actually. Mostly for work. Seminars and the like. You grew up there, didn't you?" She takes a cautious nibble of the sandwich. It's a testament to how hungry she is that it actually tastes not half bad.

[the_gene_genie]

''ardly ever left, until last year.'

He starts the car and hits the accelerator all the way down the slip road, nearly at 70 even before shooting out back onto the motorway.

'You liked it? When you visited?'

This sounds like a casual question.

It is not.