Disclaimer: Wild at Heart belongs to ITV and have no copyright to the characters.

This story existed on another fanfic website but will post it here now.

1/10

Rosie's face was a picture of concentration. She was looking through the viewer at her target a few hundred yards away. The sweat was running down her browe. He elbow she was propped on was starting to ache, but she had to get this right.

"You know you can do it"

The whisper was close to her ear. Eric the tutor. He was tutoring all 10 of them, but he had a habit of being more focused on the fairer sex.

"Go on Rosie..."

She squeezed on the trigger and when she took aim, the dart went flying over the animal it was supposed to hit.

Rosie had jolted on her elbow she jumped up in sheer frustration as Eric shrugged at her, "bad luck girlie"

Rosie stormed to the jeep a little way in the bush. She should have hit it. A spirited blonde girl called Hope caught up with her.

"Bad luck...you were close"

Rosie threw her pack into the rear of the jeep and turned, "I was way off!"

Hope placed her pack next to hers, and looked at Eric coming forward with another student called Carrie at the rear.

"She sure hit her target...she was smug about it too"

Rosie rolled her eyes, "yeah...being smug is her thing"

Hope watched as Eric and Carrie shared some joke and he rested a hand on the small of her back, "Just look at that...Jim says he heard them at it last night in Eric's tent"

Rosie pulled a face, "Gross"

Hope climbed aboard the jeep, "I'm sure it's her ticket for a pass don't you"

Rosie pulled a face at her and climbed aboard herself sitting next to her. It wasn't long before the breeze was in her face, as the jeep rolled bumperly down the hill towards camp that was a good 2 miles away.

Next she was in the shower and washing away the dust and sweat of the bush. She was out and on the verdander of the bathhouse the campsite supplied. She sat and heard Hope and Jim fighting around the corner.

It made her think of Max...she blinked away the tears as she tried to force the memory out of her mind. The shouts, the cries...the gunshot and...the blood.

She swallowed down the lump in her throat and pulled the towel tighter around her. She owed it to him to finish this. Ever since she came back to vet school she had one ambition and that to make Max proud.

The tears ran down her cheek and she sniffed them back, and wiped away the ones on her face with the back of her hand.

"pull yourself together", she breathed.

The sun was low now, but it was still warm. She went back inside and removed her towel and began to get dressed.

Hope came in and shook her head, "Jim really needs to get a life"

Rosie was platted her hair, "what? You two had a row?"

Hope slunk down onto a wood bench, "Yeah...he says that I need to loosen up...that I shouldn't be jealous of Carrie"

Rosie finished off with her hair and nodded, "He's right...if Carrie is sleeping her way through this, then what is there to be jealous of?"

Hope nodded.

"And anyway...you and Jim have so much to look forward to...he proposed right? Life's too short...enjoy eachother while you can, because you don't know when life is going to..."

She stopped feeling the pain surface. Hope stood and took her hand, "Hey I'm sorry...I shouldn't moan about him so much...not when..."

Rosie gave her a brave smile, "just be happy, both of you"

Rosie exited the bathhouse and went into the direction of her tent as the sun set. Carrie joined Hope's side as she came out the door, "what's with her"

Hope looked at her, "you know what"

"She has nearly a year out, and is lucky to stay in the group she started in...others would be put back, or thrown off the course altogether", said Carrie in a scathing tone.

"and nor would you...I'm sure Eric would be on the case if they did"

Hope began to walk away, "What's that supposed to mean...I'm not sleeping with him contrary of what people say"

XXXX

The next day Rosie was up early. She watched the sun rise and then headed to camp to have breakfast. She had to smile when she saw Hope and Jim kissing under a jarrah tree. She felt elated today. She woke up and knew she could do this. She was going to hit her target.

And she did. Even with Eric in her ear. She hit the wilderbeast and she gained the air and confidence to dart a couple more.

Rosie shared her flask of tea with Hope at the jeep and managed the smuggest grin she could muster as Carrie breezed by, "you just can't stop me today"

Carried stopped in her tracks her dart rifle hooked on her shoulder, "it's about time..."

Rosie frowned, "What's that suppose to mean"

Carrie turned, "I mean english girl that, after all those months off, it's about time, that's all"

Rosie stood up to her, "why don't you just back off...I've had alot on my plate and..."

"Bully for you...I really do not care. Just because your father is this so called great vet, you think you can pass this all with flying colours...well, I'm sorry but i'm not going to feel sorry for you...life's a bitch..."

Hope could see Rosie was welling up, she the pushed passed them and ran off, "Now see what you've done" accused Hope.

Carrie shrugged it off, "that's what happens when you have a guilty conscience..."

TBA