"She doesn't wanna go"
"What?!"
"She doesn't want to go, man. You can't force her"
Rhys swings his arm backwards, preparing to deal Kane a blow. Kirsty and Kane shrink backwards, their bodies still interlocked and Shelley makes a move to stop her husband. Kirsty screams at Rhys.
"No dad! If you hit him you'll never see me again. I mean it"
"And I mean it when I say get off this wharf and into the car... NOW!"
Rhys' voice echoes around the wharf, startling all three people around him.
Kirsty stares at her father, her vision clouded with tears. Kane looks at her, nervously, trying to reassure her, wanting to make it better. But what can he do? It isn't his decision to make. Kirsty has her whole life to lose. All he has to lose is Kirsty. He prepares for the blow. Kirsty leaving him. Just like his whole family have deserted him over the years. There's no reason for her to stay. Love? But does the love between them even begin to compare with the love between Kirsty and her family. The Sutherlands were tight, he knew it. They always had been. That time in the bush, the despair Kirsty went through when her Mum was ill. He could never imagine that in his family. He remembered how his Dad had beaten him, how his Mum never stepped in to help him. Even Scott didn't seem to care and there was a stage at which he thought he and Scott were close.
"I'm not going anywhere Dad"
Kane looked at her in confusion and amazement. Was she going to choose him over her family? That'd be a first. Then again, it was a day for firsts. It was only hours before that she had said she loved him. No one had said that before. Not to him. He had been speechless, taken aback. He hadn't been able to say that he loved her back. All he managed was 'I mean it too'. For a moment he wished that he had said what was really on his mind. That he loved her as well. That she was the first person he'd ever loved.
"Kirsty don't be stupid. We need to talk about this. Think of Dani.... if she ever found out about this"
Shelley pleads with Kirsty, giving her a look of desperation, as if to warn her that Rhys would not stand for this attitude much longer. Kirsty ignores Shelleys' stare and instead cuddles up closer to Kane, wanting the world to stop. To give her a bit more time to think.
"This isn't about Dani anymore Mum. This is about me."
Of course, Dani. Kane winced at the thought. One mistake. It had cost him everything. His education at school, his friends and now he was sure it was going to cost him love as well. Why had he done it? What had he achieved? Hatred. All he had wanted was attention, power, to be listened to for once.
"You've got ten seconds to get out of my sight Kirsty"
Rhys gives her a warning look. Kirsty knew that it would be wise to listen to him. She had never seen Rhys this mad before. But a large part of her wanted to stay. Kane wouldn't let anything happen to her. He would support her against Rhys. Against the world.
"One"
Kirstys' mind was numb. She had to make a decision. Her family had always played such a large part in her life. They had stood by her after she had made the biggest mistake of her life. And Dani didn't deserve this.
"Two"
But on the other hand she had never felt this way before. Kane was special, there was no doubt about it. She didn't want to lose him. She didn't want to spend a moment without him. And if she left now she might never see him again.
"Three"
She was stuck between a rock and a hard place. At least that was the saying. She had never really understood it. Couldn't she just remain there for ever, not going either way. That's the way she had thought it would always be - sneaking around with Kane whilst still having her family's trust, and love.
"Four"
She should have known it couldn't last forever. She couldn't creep around behind everyone's backs for the rest of her life. She couldn't very well have a serious relationship with Kane - home, marriage, kids - without their knowledge. The time had come for her to choose. To make a decision. A potentially life changing one.
"Five"
Rhys stared in disbelief at his daughter where she stood. How could she just stand there, in his arms, after what he had done to her sister. He couldn't understand it. How anyone could even like this man was beyond his knowledge. He wanted to lunge forward and make Kane pay for breaking up his family. Just when he thought things were getting back to normal and he had turned up to ruin everything again. He hated him. Hated him for destroying the family. And he was still doing it. Still trying to come between them.
"Six"
Shelley panicked for Kirsty. Rhys was uncontrollable when he was in this mood. Why was Kirsty being so stupid? Why couldn't she see how much this was hurting her family? They say love is blind. But is it love? Kirsty's only a child, what could she possibly know? Shelley felt powerless, unable to understand her own daughter.
"Seven"
Kirsty remains in Kane's arms. He holds her tight. Is he being selfish? Wanting her to abandon her family for him. It was a solution for them. They could be together. But was it the right solution. Flynn had warned him about this. About driving a wedge between Kirsty and her entire family.
"Eight"
Time was running out. Kirsty prayed for her parents to leave her alone. To let her live her own life. They'd never bothered who Dani went out with, or Jade. She knew this was different, but Kane was different as well. She couldn't imagine him hurting anyone It was like he was another person. Was she the only one that could see it?
"Nine"
Shelley, Rhys and Kane exchange cold, nervous glances. Kirsty is motionless, her head buried in Kane's shirt. The shirt which had ultimately led to this moment.
"Ten"
Rhys lunges forward and grabs Kirsty's arm dragging her towards him.
"You're coming home."
"Leave her alone"
Kane makes a move to stop Rhys. He knew it was stupid. He had learnt it the hard way before. Never answer back a man who is in a foul mood. Especially if they're stronger than yourself. Rhys releases Kirsty, pushing her aside into Shelley, who tries to console her. Kirsty rejects Shelley's attempt at comfort. Rhys squares up to Kane, grabbing him by the collar.
Kane was shaking, and he knew it. He should be used to this by now. Being pushed around. It reminded him of when Scott had had one too many drinks at the pub and he had accidentally brushed past him on the stairs. Only this time it was about Kirsty. He had hit Scott before. It had never been much contest but he had done it. Could he bring himself to hit Kirsty's father? How would she react? Would she hate him? Kirsty was all he had. He couldn't lose her. Had he already lost her? She could still choose her family.
The two men glare at each other, their faces only inches apart. Kirsty's word replay through Rhy's head "hit him and you'll never see me again". Did she mean it? Could he risk it? He wanted to hit him, but could he bring himself to do it? He had never felt so mad... not since Dani's rape. Alf and Vinnie had stopped him hitting Kane then. This was his chance. He'd waited for this moment for so long. Payback. He was doing it for Dani. He released one hand from Kane's shirt and pulled it backwards, clenching his fist. Furiously, he flung his fist at Kane's face, throwing his backwards. Kane replied with a similar blow, catching Rhys by surprise. This guy was no amateur. Rhys threw his body weight at Kane. He was a footballer. He was in control. This was for Dani. Kane landed with a thud on the rough wooden planks, Rhys landing on top of him. Rhys dealt Kane a blow to his stomach, making him keel up in pain. Staggering to his feet and fuelled by his love for Dani he slammed his foot into Kane repeatedly.
"Rhys! Stop it. You're going to kill him!"
"Dad!"
Shelley grabs Rhys arm and pulls him back against his will. Kirsty makes an attempt to aid Kane, whose is seething in pain but Rhys pulls her back. Regaining clear thought, Rhys staggers back. What has he done?
"What?!"
"She doesn't want to go, man. You can't force her"
Rhys swings his arm backwards, preparing to deal Kane a blow. Kirsty and Kane shrink backwards, their bodies still interlocked and Shelley makes a move to stop her husband. Kirsty screams at Rhys.
"No dad! If you hit him you'll never see me again. I mean it"
"And I mean it when I say get off this wharf and into the car... NOW!"
Rhys' voice echoes around the wharf, startling all three people around him.
Kirsty stares at her father, her vision clouded with tears. Kane looks at her, nervously, trying to reassure her, wanting to make it better. But what can he do? It isn't his decision to make. Kirsty has her whole life to lose. All he has to lose is Kirsty. He prepares for the blow. Kirsty leaving him. Just like his whole family have deserted him over the years. There's no reason for her to stay. Love? But does the love between them even begin to compare with the love between Kirsty and her family. The Sutherlands were tight, he knew it. They always had been. That time in the bush, the despair Kirsty went through when her Mum was ill. He could never imagine that in his family. He remembered how his Dad had beaten him, how his Mum never stepped in to help him. Even Scott didn't seem to care and there was a stage at which he thought he and Scott were close.
"I'm not going anywhere Dad"
Kane looked at her in confusion and amazement. Was she going to choose him over her family? That'd be a first. Then again, it was a day for firsts. It was only hours before that she had said she loved him. No one had said that before. Not to him. He had been speechless, taken aback. He hadn't been able to say that he loved her back. All he managed was 'I mean it too'. For a moment he wished that he had said what was really on his mind. That he loved her as well. That she was the first person he'd ever loved.
"Kirsty don't be stupid. We need to talk about this. Think of Dani.... if she ever found out about this"
Shelley pleads with Kirsty, giving her a look of desperation, as if to warn her that Rhys would not stand for this attitude much longer. Kirsty ignores Shelleys' stare and instead cuddles up closer to Kane, wanting the world to stop. To give her a bit more time to think.
"This isn't about Dani anymore Mum. This is about me."
Of course, Dani. Kane winced at the thought. One mistake. It had cost him everything. His education at school, his friends and now he was sure it was going to cost him love as well. Why had he done it? What had he achieved? Hatred. All he had wanted was attention, power, to be listened to for once.
"You've got ten seconds to get out of my sight Kirsty"
Rhys gives her a warning look. Kirsty knew that it would be wise to listen to him. She had never seen Rhys this mad before. But a large part of her wanted to stay. Kane wouldn't let anything happen to her. He would support her against Rhys. Against the world.
"One"
Kirstys' mind was numb. She had to make a decision. Her family had always played such a large part in her life. They had stood by her after she had made the biggest mistake of her life. And Dani didn't deserve this.
"Two"
But on the other hand she had never felt this way before. Kane was special, there was no doubt about it. She didn't want to lose him. She didn't want to spend a moment without him. And if she left now she might never see him again.
"Three"
She was stuck between a rock and a hard place. At least that was the saying. She had never really understood it. Couldn't she just remain there for ever, not going either way. That's the way she had thought it would always be - sneaking around with Kane whilst still having her family's trust, and love.
"Four"
She should have known it couldn't last forever. She couldn't creep around behind everyone's backs for the rest of her life. She couldn't very well have a serious relationship with Kane - home, marriage, kids - without their knowledge. The time had come for her to choose. To make a decision. A potentially life changing one.
"Five"
Rhys stared in disbelief at his daughter where she stood. How could she just stand there, in his arms, after what he had done to her sister. He couldn't understand it. How anyone could even like this man was beyond his knowledge. He wanted to lunge forward and make Kane pay for breaking up his family. Just when he thought things were getting back to normal and he had turned up to ruin everything again. He hated him. Hated him for destroying the family. And he was still doing it. Still trying to come between them.
"Six"
Shelley panicked for Kirsty. Rhys was uncontrollable when he was in this mood. Why was Kirsty being so stupid? Why couldn't she see how much this was hurting her family? They say love is blind. But is it love? Kirsty's only a child, what could she possibly know? Shelley felt powerless, unable to understand her own daughter.
"Seven"
Kirsty remains in Kane's arms. He holds her tight. Is he being selfish? Wanting her to abandon her family for him. It was a solution for them. They could be together. But was it the right solution. Flynn had warned him about this. About driving a wedge between Kirsty and her entire family.
"Eight"
Time was running out. Kirsty prayed for her parents to leave her alone. To let her live her own life. They'd never bothered who Dani went out with, or Jade. She knew this was different, but Kane was different as well. She couldn't imagine him hurting anyone It was like he was another person. Was she the only one that could see it?
"Nine"
Shelley, Rhys and Kane exchange cold, nervous glances. Kirsty is motionless, her head buried in Kane's shirt. The shirt which had ultimately led to this moment.
"Ten"
Rhys lunges forward and grabs Kirsty's arm dragging her towards him.
"You're coming home."
"Leave her alone"
Kane makes a move to stop Rhys. He knew it was stupid. He had learnt it the hard way before. Never answer back a man who is in a foul mood. Especially if they're stronger than yourself. Rhys releases Kirsty, pushing her aside into Shelley, who tries to console her. Kirsty rejects Shelley's attempt at comfort. Rhys squares up to Kane, grabbing him by the collar.
Kane was shaking, and he knew it. He should be used to this by now. Being pushed around. It reminded him of when Scott had had one too many drinks at the pub and he had accidentally brushed past him on the stairs. Only this time it was about Kirsty. He had hit Scott before. It had never been much contest but he had done it. Could he bring himself to hit Kirsty's father? How would she react? Would she hate him? Kirsty was all he had. He couldn't lose her. Had he already lost her? She could still choose her family.
The two men glare at each other, their faces only inches apart. Kirsty's word replay through Rhy's head "hit him and you'll never see me again". Did she mean it? Could he risk it? He wanted to hit him, but could he bring himself to do it? He had never felt so mad... not since Dani's rape. Alf and Vinnie had stopped him hitting Kane then. This was his chance. He'd waited for this moment for so long. Payback. He was doing it for Dani. He released one hand from Kane's shirt and pulled it backwards, clenching his fist. Furiously, he flung his fist at Kane's face, throwing his backwards. Kane replied with a similar blow, catching Rhys by surprise. This guy was no amateur. Rhys threw his body weight at Kane. He was a footballer. He was in control. This was for Dani. Kane landed with a thud on the rough wooden planks, Rhys landing on top of him. Rhys dealt Kane a blow to his stomach, making him keel up in pain. Staggering to his feet and fuelled by his love for Dani he slammed his foot into Kane repeatedly.
"Rhys! Stop it. You're going to kill him!"
"Dad!"
Shelley grabs Rhys arm and pulls him back against his will. Kirsty makes an attempt to aid Kane, whose is seething in pain but Rhys pulls her back. Regaining clear thought, Rhys staggers back. What has he done?