A/N: This FF is a celebration! This is my 100th story on . So it seems only fitting that it should be a McLeod's Daughters story, considering my penname is STEVIELUVSALEX… thank you to ALL of those who read, review, favourite and subscribe. It's only because of you, that I got this far… =))

A/N2: Forgive me if anything I say about FERAL FIONA offends you, she is my most hated character in TV's history, Harry Ryan coming a close second. I can't apologize for the way I feel, but I am sorry if this upsets you.

A/N3: This FF takes places when Alex returns from the city with Feral Fiona and tells everyone he's going back to the city. In this story Alex and Harry haven't made up and he has no desire to stay on the land.

"How you doing?" Tess asked, as Stevie flopped into the nearest kitchen chair at Drover's Run. The day had been eventful, to say the least, and everyone was exhausted from chasing horses, phone calls about Nick's remains, confessions about DNA and new-found sisters, not the mention the return of Alex and his new plaything.

Stevie shrugged trying to hold it all in. "I'm fine. He's heading back to city. What else is there to say?"

"I'm sorry," Tess said, genuinely feeling bad for her. She had been hoping for a happy ending for the couple, since Stevie's confession at the windmill, and maybe even before that. It wasn't a secret that the two got along so well. They were best mates. They looked out for each other. It wasn't strange to think that they could make a real go of it. Besides, Tess had seen the way that Alex looked at her, it was the same way he had looked at Claire.

Stevie held back the tears as stood from the table, to grab a beer from the fridge. "Want one?" she offered.

Tess declined and rubbed her belly.

"Oh, right," she said, shaking her head. "Sorry."

Stevie flipped the top of the beer bottle and sank back into the chair.

Tess was always looking to save the peace, and she never intended to cause any trouble, but seeing her friend in this state, despite her determination to hide it, she couldn't help wonder if Alex was making a big mistake. "You should call him," Tess suggested. "Tell him to stay."

Stevie looked at her as if she had suddenly grown an extra head. "Um… no." Besides, she wasn't sure if she could sit back and watch Alex and his new-found toy, play together in Stevie's playpen.

"Why not?"

"Because I'm not going to humiliate myself."

"Even if it means you end up with Alex."

Stevie shook her head. "Look, Tess. I know that you're just trying to help, but this isn't a TV soap opera. There isn't going to be a happy ending. Okay? I'm too late, as always. Can we just drop it now?"

Tess nodded.

"I'm going to get back to work."

She rushed out of the kitchen.

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"OY! Cowgirl," Alex's voice sounded from behind her.

Stevie's breath caught as she turned around and saw him walking towards her – alone.

"Hey," she muttered, returning to her task at hand. She was fixing the tractor.

"You need some help?" he offered.

"Does it look like I'm a damsel in distress?" she snapped.

"I don't about the damsel part," he teased, touching her back with his palm. Stevie's heart began to pound and she felt the heat of her body heighten at his touch. "But you're looking distressed."

She shrugged him off. "I'm fine."

"Come on, Steves," he said. "Aren't you going to be nice to me before I leave?"

"Who says I'm not?"

"Ur… the tone in your voice. The shrug off. That look of hatred in your eyes. Did I do something wrong?"

"Nuh," she said. I did.

"Then what's wrong?"

"Nothing," she said, pulling hard on the lever. It came loose and she fell backwards, landing on her bum.

Alex laughed.

"Oh, yeah it's freakin' hilarious."

She stood up and brushed the dirt from her jeans.

"What happened to your sense of humour?"

"Get lost, Alex."

He looked hurt, and for a moment she reached out a hand to pull him back, but his fiancée's face flashed through her mind and she dropped her hand to her side. If he wanted to marry some stupid dark-haired girl with big teeth, then who was she to argue?

"Well, I guess there isn't much more to say then, is there?"

"I guess not," she replied, not bothering to look at him.

"Have a good life," Alex scoffed, and without another word, he walked away.

Stevie groaned and covered her face with her hands. This was not the way she had wanted his reunion to play out. First of all, his return didn't involve another woman, if that was even what she was. And second, it didn't end in him walking away or her falling flat on her ass, either.

She didn't look back until she heard his Ute pull out of the driveway at Drover's Run.

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"What happened out there?" Tess demanded, the moment Stevie walked into the kitchen. "Alex called and said you completely blew him off. He was trying to talk to you."

"I can't pretend, Tess. I just- I can't."

"He was pretty upset."

"I'm sure his fiancée can make it all better," she said, her voice dripping with bitterness.

"Stevie…"

"WHAT?" she snapped, turning on her. "I don't know how to act. I don't know how I'm supposed to react to all of this. I don't know. Okay?"

"There is no right or wrong way," Tess said calmly. "I just want to make sure you're okay."

"I don't know that either," she admitted. Stevie shrugged as the tears filled her eyes. "I don't know how to be happy for him. I want to. I do."

"But?"

She shrugged. "I don't know."

Tess pulled her in for a hug and held her as Stevie sobbed.

"I guess the question is," Tess reasoned, a few minutes later. "Are you willing to lose him completely?"

Stevie couldn't imagine a life without him. It had taken her a long time to want to stop running from place to place. She had finally made a home for herself. She depended on the people around her, unlike the old Stevie, who depended on nobody at all. "I don't want to lose him. I just don't know how to watch him with her. It hurts."

"I know," she nodded.

"When does he leave?"

Tess checked her watch. "I think he already has. He was packing some things from Killarny and then leaving from there. He already said goodbye to us."

Stevie took a breath. If she hurried, she might get lucky enough to meet him on the road.

She had Banjo tacked up and ready to go a few minutes later, and galloped along the paddock, eager to meet him on Gungellan road. She was at the crossroad a little while later, looking in all directions for a glimpse of his black Ute. She waited for five minutes, praying that he hadn't left already.

Just when she thought she'd give up and go home, she saw the Ute headed towards her. Stevie felt her heart quicken as she slipped off her horse, the reigns gripped tightly in her hands. Alex saw her in the middle of the road and came to a stop. In the passenger's side was her.

Alex opened the door and climbed out. "What's up?"

"I didn't say goodbye," she said, locking eyes with him.

Alex crossed the road to where she was, away from earshot of Fiona. "Goodbye?" he asked.

"I was hoping that you'd change your mind," she said. She'd rather see him with her, than to not see him at all. It was a tough decision, but it was better than nothing. Besides, she'd learn to live with it, eventually, wouldn't she?

"Change my mind for what?"

"Stay," she said. "Don't go back to the city. You don't belong there, Alex. Running away from Harry is not the answer. He's not the only family you have here," she expressed.

"Thanks, mate, but I-"

"Please don't go," she begged.

He reached out to hug her. Stevie clung to him desperately. He couldn't leave.

"I have no reason to stay," he said.

"Yes, you do."

"What?"

"Me. You have me. I'm here. Please, Alex. Please."

"Listen, mate. I'm only a phone call away. You can come up and stay with us as often as you want," he offered.

Fat chance of that, she thought.

"Bye, Stevie." He hugged her once more and then turned to leave.

"I love you," she called, unable to stop herself.

Alex paused by his car door and turned around.

Their eyes met and she shook her head. He walked back to her, stopping short of standing on her feet. They were inches apart. Stevie could feel the heat of his body project off his skin. "Did you just say…?"

"I did," she smiled.

"Why now?" he frowned.

"I tried to tell you before you left, I- I couldn't bring myself to say anything. I wanted to, I just- I get so close and then I stuff it up."

"I'm engaged," he told her, as if she had forgotten.

"I know that," she nodded.

"What am I supposed to do with this?"

"Whatever you want," she shrugged. "Just don't leave."

He stood there staring at her. "I can't do this right now… I'm going. I have to go."

Stevie watched heartbreakingly, as he got into his Ute and drove away.

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The truth wasn't always for the better, she realized, as she brushed down her horse. Her honesty hadn't paid off, not that she had really expected it to. She had just been hoping that those three little words would somehow make a difference. He had told her opinion mattered. That it always had. But he hadn't meant it, not really, or else he would have stayed.

"Is she the reason you've been such a grumble bum over the last few hours?" he asked, standing behind her.

She jumped at the sound of his voice. She hadn't heard him approach.

"What?" she asked, not understanding what he was trying to say.

"You've been moodier than a bull on heat."

"I thought you'd left."

"I changed my mind. Fiona's heading back to the city."

"Oh."

"Yeah, it was a pretty quick engagement. I didn't really know her all that well."

"Really?" she smiled.

"Yeah, not really my kind of girl. I'm a pure breed country boy. I need a pure breed country girl."

Her smile widened. "Yeah?"

"Yeah, you know any?"

"I might," she grinned.

He stepped closer to her and slipped an arm around her waist and drew her to him, pressing her body to his. Stevie's breath caught as she looked at him. This was how it was supposed to end. This was the fairytale.

"I think I love you, Stevie."

"Is that right?"

"Yeah, how do you feel about that?"

"I think we should talk about it over a beer, what'd you reckon?"

"I reckon we can come up with something better than that," he said, pressing his lips to hers.

Stevie pulled her arms around his neck and kissed him back, the events off the day fading with the happiness that enveloped them both. They'd found each other. Finally.

A/N: Hope you got that warm and fuzzy feeling that comes with happy endings. =))

Feel free to leave a review… they make warm and fuzzy feelings, too.