Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the plot, no infringement of copyright is intended.
A/N: This is my 50th fanfic posted here! 50! In a bit over four and a half year. More than one hundred twenty thousand words posted! Wow!
Summary: I thought it was strange that after that pointed scene with Fiona and Stevie the pearls never returned. Bit of a loose end there, I thought. So I came up with my own interpretation.

A Sting of Pearls

Stevie turned around the string of pearls in her hand, vaguely aware of the smooth feel of the precious beads as they slid through her fingers while trying to figure out what to do with them. Her decision was easily made, but gathering the courage to do it took a bit longer. At long last she gave up her loitering, chucking her tool in the proximity of the wheelbarrow and heading towards the jute. Better get this over with as soon as possible.

-xxx-

Riding onto Killarney, Stevie saw Dave returning from the direction of one of the paddocks.

'Hey Dave,' she called as she pulled up to him, 'have you seen Alex?'

'He's over there,' Dave said, jabbing his thumb over his shoulder into the direction he'd just come from, 'but I wouldn't go there if I were you, he's not feeling so chipper right now, if you know what I mean.'

'That's alright,' Stevie responded, a tense set to her jaw, 'I won't be a minute, just have to return something.' She got out, slamming the door of the jute behind her and started into Alex' direction with a brisk pace. 'But thanks!' she shouted back at Dave, already halfway across the yard.

'You're welcome. And good luck, you'll probably need it.' Dave muttered as he saw her back disappearing behind the house.

-xxx-

Once she was out of sight from Dave, Stevie slowed down, looking around her to see where Alex had gone to. As she reached one of the fences, she could just make out the figure of someone quickly walking away from her, visible just behind the second hilltop.

'Alex!' she called after him, but he didn't respond. 'Stubborn bastard,' she grumbled as she jumped over the fence and headed out after him.

She had to resort to a jog to catch up with him and even so it took a while to get near enough. After a while he must have heard her footsteps, but he never looked back.

'Oi, Alex!' she tried again when she was just a few meters behind him.

'Go away, Stevie,' he finally responded.

'Alex!' she responded irritated, grabbing his arm to get him to stop.

'I said to get off my property, Stevie!' he lashed out at her harshly as he turned around to face her, his eyes shooting pure fire.

'Fine, I just wanted to return this to you!' she snapped back at him, shoving the pearls in his hand and taking off for her jute angrily. Alex looked down at his hand in surprise, his eyebrows shooting up when he saw the pearls.

'Hey Stevie, where'd you get these?' he called after her.

'What do you care!' she shot back at him, not slowing down her pace in the slightest.

'Hey!' Now it was Alex' turn to jog after Stevie. 'Will you hold on already?' He stopped directly in her path, forcing her to either stop or go around him. She stopped and looked him in the eye defiantly, an annoyed 'what?' in her eyes if not her mouth. 'Stevie, where did you get these?' he tried again, keeping his voice carefully neutral.

'Fiona gave them to me,' Stevie answered succinct.

'Why would she do that?' Alex questioned. Despite his best efforts, it sounded like an accusation and Stevie's response was immediate and snappish.

'Apparently to give bad luck to the next 'Mrs Ryan',' she said, the last two words holding a distinctly sardonic undertone. Alex meant to shoot back a scathing answer but the words died in his throat as he noticed Stevie's defensive posture, how she was purposely avoiding his eyes, and he felt sadness flood him.

'How did we get to this, Stevie?' he asked in a sorrowful voice, 'just a few days ago I wanted nothing more than for Fiona to leave so we could be together and now look at us. We're this close from ripping each other's throat out.'

At his words, Stevie closed her eyes and took a deep breath and he could see her slump slightly as she visibly let go of her anger and released her defensive attitude. Then she looked at him with a pleading look, willing him to listen to her, to believe her. 'Nothing happened with Drew, Alex. I thought you'd gotten back on your promise again, that we were never going to happen, and that hurt. So I went to the pub, had a few beers, thought some company might help; it didn't. I knew as soon as Drew kissed me what a stupid idea it was, so I sent him home. End of story. I love you, Alex.'

'And I love you, Stevie,' he responded solemnly.

'So what do we do now?' Stevie asked uncertainly.

'Now,' Alex said, 'we see if we can make it work between us.' Stevie's face broke into a beatific smile.

'That would be great,' she answered, her smile growing as he whipped up a grin to match hers. They stood like that for a while, grinning at each other like idiots, until Alex glanced down at his hand again. He tossed it up and caught it reflexively with one hand, drawing Stevie's attention to them.

'I guess I could tell you to keep these, just in case,' Alex started in jest, 'but I don't think they're really your style, ay Stevie?'

Stevie scrunched up her nose as she looked at the white beads and then back at Alex. 'Not really, no,' she answered light-heartedly, 'bit too shiny for me, I'll probably get sheep poo all over them.'

Alex grinned at the picture she was painting. 'Then I guess I'd better hang on to them for now, ay?' he said.

'Guess you'd better,' Stevie agreed. He calmly shoved them into a pocket.

'You don't need them anyways,' he said affectionately as he cradled her face in his hands tenderly, stepping a bit closer to her, 'you're already beautiful.'

'Just shut up and kiss me already!' Stevie ordered. He was happy to oblige.

Fine