Ashes to mars

Pleasures all mine

Looking at it now, Alex should have avoided the roof.

She should have kept him. Stay on the ground level she should have, but she didn't.

Ground level where there were lots of diners, but most importantly, back-up.

But she'd been so determined to get on with things, to prove to Gene, that she was a copper, a brilliant copper, a copper on his side not just a bit of skirt distracting the lads from doing real police work, or a bit of toffs nosed scrutiny.

If 1982 had really ended with the Guv having lost faith in her then Alex wanted that faith back, desperately.

Which is why she decided to accept Peters date invitation and now trying to get a confession, even though there was no likelihood of that ever happening.

She should have pushed Ivy, investigated Peters more thoroughly.
She should be collecting evidence and putting a case together, not pushing for a quick collar to impress the Guv and gain his trust back.

And his hunch was right. proven wrong by him had been awful for her in the 80's, Alex could only imagine the gloating now.
She pulled her fur coat tighter around her and looked anxiously down to the roads below, the city looked like a Christmas tree, the lights looked amazing, then she remembered she was in a beautiful setting, but with a less beautiful scenario.
She didn't like to think why he brought her up here, but deep down she did know, just the whole part of accepting it.

"It's a beautiful night." Alex said fondly looking out at the roads below, her tummy turning, seeing the squad van, despite for anyone to come save her. She was sure he smelt a rat, shed always been taught to keep the ball rolling.

"Beautiful night for a beautiful bird." He smiled back, coming to rest beside her and look out onto Manchester, lit up in the night sky the dazzling street lamps glare.

"D'you know, Alex, I knew you from the moment I saw you propped up at my bar, there was something in that brain of yours" She turned to him, raising a curious eyebrow. "You knew, that none of this is real, not really. That it doesn't matter what you do in this life, it's how far you get."

She peered back out at the view, considering all the double meanings of what he said.

Did he do all of that on purpose?

This world was real enough to her and the only way she knew how to live was by getting others far, by helping people out, by being a good copper.

"I don't believe that. And this is real, real enough for me, it's all Ive got now." She smiled sadly back at him, hoping whatever was controlling this whole time thing, weather it be her subconscious mind whizzing round or something in the cosmos - took note.

Don't let me die here. She thought back to the warmth of Gene and the Railways Arms. "Life's too short to think any differently."

"Oh, life's too short, alright." Craig agreed, sniffing dismissively and stepping back away from the edge. "Look at Parlin's boys mam, she knows I'm not exactly squeaky clean, knows I might even be involved in why her boy's dead but all she wants is for someone to care, and I can do that." Alex turned to him cautiously; with the smile on his face, she knew she'd been caught.

"I don't mind shelling out for the funeral of a boy who needed putting in his place, least I can do, am I right?" She tried not to flinch as Craig started rubbing her arms as if to keep her warm, as if he cared about her well being in this moment. "I would have cared for you, too, Alex."

"Would have?"

"All coppers are bastards, she says, bastards and one posh bitch. Not many of those up 'ere." His smirk spreading across his stubbled chin