At the cottage the horse acted a bit restless. Alex tried to calm him with his voice. "It's all right mate." But in fact the horse reflected the feelings of his rider.

Alex jumped off, his eyes were locked on to the house for the past few minutes.

A little nervous he talked to Stevie's horse. "What do you reckon Banjo? Is she here?" The horse made a soothing noise, as if he really answered him.

Alex petted him on the neck "It's ok, you stay right here." then he carefully approached the cottage. He wanted to walk fast, but on the inside he was struggling, which made his feet heavy to walk on. His heartbeat quickened and he breathed through his nose.

When he reached the cottage he put down the door handle and noticed it was locked. It never was locked, why would it be? It was Killarney's property and Alex knew there was nothing of any value in there.

He yelled. "Stevie!" And tried a few times to open the door, maybe it was just stuck, but it didn't open. No answer came back to him...

Alex couldn't let go of the thought that Stevie might be in there, he hopelessly called her again. "Stevie? Are you in there?!" When it stayed quiet again he leaned against the door and let his head rest on his arm. He shook his head and felt sad, this cottage was his last hope, he whispered. "Damn it Stevie. Where the hell are you."

He startled when he finally did hear something inside the cottage. "Stevie." He whispered, a tiny smile appeared on his tired face. He almost couldn't believe it.

A soft voice answered him. "Alex.." She sighed. "Is that you?"

He widely smiled and full of excitement he had his hands on the door. "Yes of course it's me! Open up."

He heard her snif. "No."

Alex frowned, now he got worried again. "What? Why not?" It became quiet again. It was frustrating that she didn't want to see him...All kinds of emotions ran through his body, his voice was soft and concerned when he pleaded once again. "Stevie please."

She swallowed and anxiously asked. "Is it really you?"

"Yes." He almost cried, he could sense her fear. "Please say you're ok. So I can tell the girls your fine. Every one is so worried about you."

He could hear her sigh again, she wasn't far from the other side of the door.

"Tell them I'm fine." She responded, hoping he would leave.

He could feel that she wanted him to leave, but he had no intention to go anywhere, besides, he had to make sure she was fine.

"I'll do that. After you let me in for a sec."

Stevie didn't respond.

"I promise I won't give you a lecture." He said.

But unfortunately it stayed quiet. Stevie somehow hoped he would leave, but deep down she was longing to see him. She really wanted to let him in, but the fears kept her from doing what she wanted.

When Alex moved away from the door, he suddenly heard it unlock, he turned and saw the handle moved. He blinked his eyes and felt relieved that she opened up. But Stevie didn't fully open the door. She peeked through a small opening and looked directly in his eyes. Immediately she felt that warm familiar feeling, but that feeling was surrounded with fear. Alex got emotional when their eyes met, happy to see her alive, but he immediately noticed that she wasn't herself at all.

A soft "hey" was all he could say and she responded the same way.

Suddenly she opened the door in one fast swing and grabbed his arm to pull him in. There he was, suddenly inside, watching her how she clumsy locked the door very fast behind them. Then she turned, pressing her back against the door.

Now he could really see her and observed her for a while. It was quiet, Stevie felt naked. She looked bewildered, nervous and neglected. Her clothes were dirty and he noticed that her blouse was open, she wore a black top under it.

He immediately started asking. "Why are you here? Are you ok?"

Stevie ignored the questions and presented herself better then she really was. "Well it's not very cosy, but I'm safe here."

He now knew for sure that she was far from doing ok and wanted to ask her more, but al he said was. "You look dirty."

Stevie stared at him, she didn't know what to say. Then she started rubbing her face with two hands, she sank through her knees on the floor and took a deep breath. Her eyes drifted off to the ground, instead of looking at her best mate.

Alex walked a few steps towards her, he softly asked. "What happened to you Stevie?"

She sadly looked up to him again. "You don't want to know."

He kneeled in front of her. "Yes I do."

She fought the tears and whispered. "I can't tell you."

He felt that something must have been very wrong, but decided not to push her. So he did his best to try and make her feel as comfortable as he could and started talking about some farm stuff on Killarney, then what happened on Drovers and about the girls.

"They are all so worried about you. They have organised a search-party...and that's how I end up here."

Stevie answered. "You should never search alone. Most certainly not on this hour."

Non of the things he'd said got through to her, there was obviously a lot on her mind. But his presence was so nice, it made her calmer and she felt much safer. In that silence he put his hand on her wrist to comfort her even more, but suddenly her mood changed.

She pulled back and snapped. "Don't touch me." She even startled because of her own reaction. Her whole body became tensed again and she got up to create more distance. Alex didn't expect any of this, he frowned and followed her with his eyes, still sitting in the same place.

He realised they weren't as close as before, because of his marriage with Fiona and he hadn't really been there for her lately. But this response was a bit too much, he thought.

"I'm not here to fight." he promised and decided not to ask her anything yet.

Stevie walked to the old bed that was standing in the corner of the room. Alex got up and followed her. He sat down beside her with some space between them and just stared in front of him, hoping she would tell him something.

"I didn't mean to scare you." He said, still looking in front of him, but it stayed quiet. Stevie stared in front of her too and didn't knew what to say, she looked at her side every now and then.

She was glad that he had found her, but she couldn't mention it. It took her a while to start talking. And when she did her hands trembled. She folded her hands to hide it.

"It's not that I don't want to talk." She softly spoke "I just...I'm tired...and it's complicated."

Now he turned his head to look at her. "Ok, but you know can tell me anything, right? It's safe with me, I promise." He paused and explored her face with his eyes. "Let me know whenever you're ready to tell me what happened."

Stevie carefully nodded, she was thankful and in her heart she felt like hugging him. But something kept her from that, she was blocked inside.

Alex kept staring at her and suddenly pointed out. "You've got quite some bruises..." He felt his stomach ache when he said it.

She quickly and nervously answered, she knew he could see right through her. "Uh yeah, I fell on my way out here." She wasn't lying, but didn't get all the bruises from the fall.

Alex now looked straight into her eyes and he frowned. He turned a bit more towards her. He directly replied "That, is not just from a fall." and glanced at her wrists.

Immediately she tried to cover her bruises with her hands. But Alex didn't accept her answer and his concerns lead him, so he grabbed her hand and lifted it. She pulled her hand back and gave him and angry look. But he tightly kept holding her hand.

He couldn't stay calm any more, he just knew something bad had happened. "What the hell happened to you Stevie?"

She looked mad and sad at the same time. "Nothing!" she denied.

"Don't you fool me!" He lifted her hand and pointed at her bruises. "I'm not crazy. How did you get these bruises?"

Stevie looked away. Tears were welling up and the first ones poured down her cheek. She quickly wiped them away with her sleeve. Alex took her chin and forced her to look at him.

"Stevie?" He softly said, affected by her fears and sadness.

She shivered. "I just don't know where to start."

He looked concerned and now faught his own tears. He slowly moved his thumb on her chin. His voice trembled when he said "If you don't tell me anything, then I can't help you."

She cried and said. "It's already to late."

His hand moved from her chin to her cheek, where he put a lock of hair behind her ear. He couldn't say anything, it all touched him deep within.

She sniffed and wiped some tears away again. "I'll try...Ok?"

He softly spoke. "Try to start from the beginning." And he gave her a loving smile.

"It's dark already." She suddenly said.

Alex nodded. "I know, you just take your time, ok? I guess I have to stay here, if you're ok with that." Stevie nodded, Alex added "I brought your big friend with me by the way."

Stevie gave him a tiny but nervous smile. "I already heard you talking to Banjo outside." She sighed. "Thanks for being here."

He smiled back. "I'm glad I found you, I'll bring you home safely."

But she looked scared. "No. I can't go home."

He obviously hadn't responded the right away, he wondered why Stevie didn't want to go home. "Right. Well we'll see about that tomorrow. Now are you gonna tell me what happened?"

She took a deep breath and started, her mind went back to where it all started...It was hard, but she had to tell someone and it couldn't be anyone better then her best mate.

"A few days back we tried to make Leo confess the murder on Harry."

Alex nodded. "Yeah I heard that."

She told him what happened that day and that she ended up almost shooting Leo.

Then she started to tell Alex everything that had happened after that and why she was gone missing.

"I was sitting on the porch, thinking, when I heard his voice again..." She started.

... ... ...

What happened a few days earlier...

"I knew you were still up." He said with a nasty sound in his voice.

Stevie jumped up from her seat on the veranda. "Leo."

He pointed a gun at her and walked towards her. "Surprise, surprise."

Stevie was frightened. "What do you want?"

"I want to finish what I started here. But this time I won't let you interrupt me."

Stevie knew he was serious. He still had blood on his forehead and looked a bit pale.

She responded without showing her fears "I don't think you need a gun for that. Tell me what you want and lets get this over and done with."

Leo laughed, he sounded mean. "Right." He walked towards her and put the gun on her head. "I think a criminal should be treated like a criminal." He pushed the gun against her head, it hurt her, but she kept quiet.

"This time you do what I say. Get up!" He raised his voice, but not as loud that he would wake up someone.

Jodi had checked earlier on Stevie, but she wanted to stay on the veranda. To make sure everyone was safe. Regan had warned her and suggested to call Alex, but she didn't want that. Stevie thought Alex had enough problems of his own. So everyone went to bed and Stevie stayed outside on her own. No one expected Leo to come back, except for Stevie.

He repeated. "I said, get up." He waited until she did what he said. Stevie hesitated if she should try and take the gun from him, but he was in a state of mind that he might shoot her. Leo quickly moved the gun from her head to her back and stood behind her "You're never that slow. Move."

"Where are we going?" She tried to get control of the situation.

He laughed again. "This is not your party Stevie. Just keep on walking."

She saw his red car on the driveway and started to think of a way to escape from him. He made her sit in the back of the car and took a rope that was there.

"Your hands." He commanded.

She put them in front of her and he tight her hands together. Then he laughed. "Now we're going for a ride."

They drove to Sellkirk's, where he had his job and a room in the sheerer's quarters. So it wasn't a long drive, which surprised Stevie. What was he up to?

When they were inside his room, he suddenly pushed her real hard, which made her fall on the bed. He had a nasty laugh and sat down beside her.

"So Stevie. I was wondering...Do you remember our romantic night?"

She just laid there, it was hard to get up because her hands were still tied with the rope. She didn't answer but only nodded.

"Then why did you shoot me? I thought we had something special." He caressed her leg with the gun.

Stevie kicked her leg upwards, to get rid of him, but fear made her froze after she did. She swallowed and wanted to yell. "Because...because I thought you had murdered Harry."

He laughed. "Noo, you wanted me to confess so you don't have to go to jail." Suddenly he pushed the gun into her stomach. "You don't want to pay the price you deserve. And that's why you also searched my room. I hate it when people come here uninvited."

He started to caress her cheek wit his other hand and tried to sound nice. "Oohh Stevie...You could have just asked me. I would let you in." He moved his eyebrows and his voice went down. "Such a beautiful lady. How can I say no to you?"

Stevie knew she was in big trouble, but she couldn't do anything. When he caressed her arm and then her breasts with the gun she started to yell.

"Oh yeah, go ahead! Jim isn't around anyway...And you know what? I like women who scream, it turns me on."

He got on his knees to the bed and crawled on top of her. Still holding the gun, Stevie struggled, but she had no chance.

He continued. "I was thinking...How do I get you down? How do I brake you? What can I do to make you understand that you've crossed the line?" Stevie stopped yelling and looked in his eyes.

Her voice was full of fear. "I know I went to far. And I know now that you didn't kill Harry. Leo, please don't do this. I'm sorry, ok? I really am." She desperately said and cried.

"Shut up. Let me finish what I was about to say." He looked at her, her chest quickly moved up and down, she obviously was scared. Just what he wanted.

"Then I thought...No...We've had such a great night together. And you let me believe we would date another time. But you did that to make him jealous right? That cowboy of yours. Who obviously choose someone else to be with."

He sighed and shook his head. "You were so incredibly frustrated, so you killed him. You killed Harry."

Stevie yelled. "No I didn't kill Harry! And Alex has nothing to do with this." She had to come up with something good, to make him believe she didn't hate him. "I really liked you. You're right, we've had something special. I usually don't take a guy with me on a first date."

He looked at her as if he believed her. "Well then, let's make up and forget about everything bad that has happened."

She frowned and tried to believe him. "I was just mad when you ruined our organic status. You have no idea what it meant to Tess."

He sounded irritated and lied once again. "Yes and I have told you that was an accident. I didn't mean to spray your land."

Stevie felt so vulnerable and completely out of control with him still on top of her, holding the gun. "I believe you ok? Now can we sit down and talk? Without the gun?"

Then his mean laugh returned. "No. I thought you wanted to make up?"

He widely smiled and put the gun on his drawer. He moved a bit, but tightly held her right where she was, he was strong. Suddenly he took some fabric of her blouse and ripped it open, buttons spattered off and you could hear a few roling on the ground. The sound of that echoed in her mind when she realised what he was up to.

"You were so great in bed..." He said with a nasty smile.

Stevie began to struggle and pushed him away with both of her hands, that were still tied together. "No! Don't do this, please stop."

"Oh I will stop, after we've made up." He was determined to continue.

She started to cry, she was scared to death because she knew she had no chance at this point.

"Please...Don't." She begged him.

He got hold of her hands and untied her but didn't let her go. It hurt when he squeezed her sore wrists, but she didn't make a sound. He started tying her hands to his bed, that was when she saw a chance to escape and so they got into a fight. Stevie hit him with her feet, real hard. With all the strength left in her she wanted to kick his head, to knock him out. But all he did was laugh about it and got off the bed to take his gun again.

"You want to kick me you crazy bitch?! Is that how you want it to end? Oh wait, maybe that's just perfect, then it will be 'self defence' for me. The police would love to hear that I was attacked by a murderer, twice on the same day. What are you thinking you stupid bitch! Now you lay still or I promise you I'll shoot you!" He demanded.

He had a nasty smile on his face when she finally did what he said so he could tie her hands to the bed. Tears were pouring down her cheek when he crawled on top of her again.

"There that's better. Isn't it? Oh don't be scared...It will be just like old times. Let's have some fun."

Stevie now was in shock, she didn't expect him to go this far. But Leo made it clear that he really wanted to hurt her, revenge for what she did to him. He hated her strong personality and couldn't let go of what happened in the past, so he wanted to show her who was boss. And that he would win this dangerous game they were playing for a long time now.

Stevie screamed for help one last time, but it was useless, no one heard her...

"If you want to see your daughter again, you better stop screaming."

He looked into her sad and scared eyes when he got up a bit to pull her jeans down.

He encouraged himself by saying "You want this too. Last time you were almost begging for it." He continued and moved her top above her breasts so that he could touch her there.

Tears were pouring down her cheeks. Her body froze when he raped her. She stayed quiet and stared to the sealing, her pupils were big and the white of her eyes became red. She tried real hard to block from her mind what was happening to her and tried to think of everything that was important to her...

'This will pass, this will be over soon' she kept convincing herself over and over. Stevie thought that if she let him, the sooner he would release her.

He seemed to enjoy himself, he was proud of his way to take revenge. Leo knew this would destroy her inside. He was convinced that she deserved this punishment and he was completely satisfied afterwards.

…. … ….

When Stevie was busy telling Alex the whole story, she fought her tears. The last part was the hardest part. "So I stopped fighting and he managed to tie me to the bed."

Alex was so shocked of everything that Stevie was telling him! He glanced at her bruised wrists again and suddenly understood. Then looked into her eyes, they were full of sadness, he had never seen her like this. Stevie was struggling to tell him the last part...

"End then he..."

But she couldn't say it and slapped her hands before her face, she burst out in tears. He knew what she was about to say and carefully lay his arm around her. Stevie let her head rest on his shoulder and when she did he turned and wrapped his arms around her and held her.

Stevie took a deep breath and restlessly moved her head, pressing her face onto his shoulder. Then she lifted her head a little bit so she could finish her sentence, her lips were still touching the fabric of his shirt and her voice trembled when she softly said it

"He raped me."