A/N: SET IN SEASON 6:

Let's just say it's incredibly complicated…

The truth was out now.

Alex had found out Fiona had never been pregnant, he'd told Stevie and she had confessed that she knew. He'd yelled at her, but as their relationship went she only yelled back. But in the end it wasn't Stevie's mistake it was Fiona's and she was the only one to blame.

Leo had not killed Harry. Stevie was unsure who did it and now that she had no backup plan she had attempted to run away. Alex had stopped her. She wished he hadn't. What did it matter now? She was going to jail. She just had to accept that until a miracle came along… if it ever did.

She was walking towards the pub in Gungellan when she saw Alex, as she came closer her heart stopped beating. He was with Fiona. Ordinarily this wouldn't have surprised her but since she had lied to him about being pregnant and he had found out she assumed he would at least be mad at her for a while. They were smiling at each other.

As he turned to look at her, she shook her head in disgust. It didn't matter how may lies she told, he always went back to her. She turned and walked away.

"Stevie!" he called out. She chose to ignore him and continued walking. It wasn't long until he was following her. He grabbed her by the arm, pulling her to a stop.

"What?" she spat angrily. How stupid could he be? If she got away with it once she would only keep doing it again.

"What's with you?" he asked reluctantly letting go of her arm. He feared she would run off again.

"Are you and Fiona back together?" she asked bluntly. She wasn't going to play games with him – not anymore. It was a simple answer. He immediately stepped back and looked uncomfortable. Then he nodded indicating the answer was yes.

"Fine," she turned away from him again but before she could walk he grabbed her again by the arm. She was forced to face him. "What Alex. You've made your choice. You don't need my approval."

"I wasn't asking for it."

"Then why are we standing here? Let me go, you obviously don't need advice from me."

"You're still my mate, Stevie," he stated with a shrug. "I guess you're angry."

"Why would I be angry?" her voice was cold and hateful. It was easier to be cold than to be hurt by him, when he just didn't see the truth. "She lies to you about marrying someone three weeks before she gets engaged to you. She lies about being pregnant to trick you into marrying her. She lies about miscarrying the baby that she could never have, again Alex, why would I be angry that you're going back to her without a second thought?"

"What's it matter to you? You're my mate Stevie, you're supposed to be support me no matter what?"

"I'm supporting you Alex. I'm trying to make you see what a fool you look like."

"Yeah you're acting like a friend now! I don't need your advice or your opinion about this, Stevie. You lied to me too remember. You could have told me about the baby but you didn't. What kind of friend does that make you?" he said with sarcasm. She rolled her eyes and pulled her arm from him and stormed off before he had a chance to stop her.

"I quit!" Riley screamed. "I'm stick of this I don't have to put up with your crap. I can get a job elsewhere. You think you can handle it, run it your way." Riley walked away.

Stevie looked at Alex as though he'd suddenly gone mad. What the hell was his problem? He was being such a jerk. He didn't have to take out his marriage problems on everyone around him.

"Good one," Stevie snapped.

"Come on Stevie. The guy's a knob."

"And you're an idiot." She walked off but he immediately went after her to finish their heated argument. "God, Alex what is your problem? What does it matter that Riley didn't do the job the way you want it done, as long as the job is finished what's the big deal. You're sounding like Harry." She knew that he wouldn't be pleased with her comment. But she didn't care. He was stupid enough to go back to Fiona then he would have to put up with Stevie's cold comments until she got over it – and she would. She had to. Because in the end he didn't love her, he loved Fiona.

"Get stuffed. What are you defending him for you're supposed to be my mate."

Stevie was fuming now. What right did he have to tell her what side to choose when he was so completely blind by the fact that she was so deeply in love with him. She was ready to give up on him. She couldn't only be his mate it was too hard. He asked too much of her and she was pained every time she saw him with Fiona. She was tired, physically and emotionally of being just his mate. She had always wanted more. "You can't have it both ways. You can't choose when I'm your friend and then when I'm not. You either want me as one the whole time or you don't…"

"Of course I want you!" he grabbed her. They were now face to face and Stevie's heart was beating rapidly. Unknown to her so was Alex's. With a deep love in his heart and the same in hers, slowly Alex leaned down. She was terrified but relieved at the same time. Finally he knew what she was feeling. He felt it too.

But before he kissed her she pulled away. He was married. She couldn't let him do that. He would feel guilty later on and she didn't want him to feel that way. If she got him at all she wanted his whole heart. She would not play the other woman and if he cared about her at all he wouldn't expect her to be.

When Stevie opened the door to Alex, she smiled. She was freed from all charges against the murder of Harry Ryan. The murderer had come forward. But her smile faded when she remembered what had happened between them the previous day. They had almost shared a kiss. Alex looked just as uncomfortable as she felt.

But they had to get past it because they needed to be friends. Stevie couldn't survive without knowing that she had Alex as a mate. Stevie didn't have a normal family. She only had her sister, Michelle and her daughter, Rose, and right now Rose was still dealing with the fact that Stevie was her mother – they weren't exactly on first-base speaking terms. Alex was all she had. She didn't want to lose him.

"Hi," Alex finally greeted.

"Hey. Wanna come in?" she offered.

He nodded and Stevie opened the door to her bedroom. He stepped in.

"You just gettin' out the shower?" he asked. Her hair was drenched from water and she had on one of her thick brown denim jackets. Ones she never wore anywhere but around the house. Alex knew what clothes were for working, what clothes were for outings and what clothes she wore when she was bumming around the house. That jacket was one of her house clothes.

"Yeah. What are you doin' here?" she asked.

"Just came around to see how you're goin'."

"Good," she smiled. "Great actually. I'm not going to jail. Sandra Confessed."

"You're kidding me?" Alex looked as shocked as Stevie had when she first found out. Now she was only relieved that she didn't have to go to jail for a crime she didn't commit.

"Nope."

"Wow…"

"I know! Alex I was so scared that I was going to have to go to jail. I didn't know what I was gonna do…" She started to cry, all the pent-up tension seeping out, but Alex reached out and comforted her.

"It's all right mate. You're all right." He pulled her at arms length. "I was worried too, mate. I didn't know what the hell I was supposed to do if I lost you. I'd be a mess." A look passed between them. The same look they shared the previous day right before Alex almost kissed her. It was a look of love and respect. A look that said everything they wanted to say.

"Alex I think you need to go," Stevie sighed deeply. She didn't know how to deal with this. He was still married none of that had changed between then and yesterday. And he didn't love her like she loved him; he loved his wife. Alex didn't love many women, he used more than he knew what to do with, but he never loved them. Stevie was only aware of three women he loved. Tracy was his first love, Claire was his all-time love – in this life and the next – and Fiona was his new love. How could she compete with any of them?

"I don't want to go!" Alex said.

"Please… I can't do this!"

"Do what? What can't you do?"

She shook her head as the tears fell from her face. "I can't… please go." Alex reached out and placed both his hands on her face and slowly without even realising it she moved her hands and clasped them both around his left arm. "Alex I…" she wanted to tell him how she felt but she was so scared.

"I know mate." but he didn't know. He only thought he did. "I do too."

"Alex," she shook her head as more tears sprang to her eyes. But before she could utter another word he leaned over and kissed her. It was a soft and graceful kiss, one that she had dreamed about for a long time one she thought would never come. Soon enough she was kissing him back with as much passion and craze has he had.

The two of them were in love.

"I left Fiona…" he murmured against her mouth.

She smiled and pulled him closer.

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