"Stevie can I talk to you please?" Daryl asks first thing the following morning.

"Yeah sure." She replies.

"I wanted to talk to you about last night." He offers.

She inhales deeply and says "Daryl can we just forget about it please?"

He smiles and says "Stevie you're great worker and fantastic with the other staff and I want to apologize for my behaviour last night. I promised you it was just a beer and I broke that promise when I tried to kiss you."

She inhales taken aback by his apology she's close to tears.

Quickly she says "It's ok Daryl really."

The sincerity in his tone and on his face makes her feel dreadful.

"No it's not ok Stevie I've over stepped the mark as your boss and I'm so very sorry. I'd really like you to still come to Darwin with me and I promise I'll behave myself from now on." He offers.

Her eyes prick with tears.

Instinctively he steps forward and hugs her.

...

Nick and Alex walk through the airport to collect their luggage and hire car keys and head out to find their car.

"Everything is so green here and look at the size of the palms." Nick states.

Beside him Alex offers. "Yeah "

Nick has tried talking to him all the way here but his answers have been short or just a grunt.

Trying again Nick says. "Once we get settled we might go and have a swim or would you rather a beer first?"

"Yeah whatever you want." Alex grumps.

Nick sighs and offers nothing more.

Spending a week with his brother used to be great fun but already he can see this is not going to be anything like fun.

...

Bryce is in his office dealing with the final details of Alex's marriage he wonders how Nick is going with him on their trip away.

Everyone has been concerned about Alex since he left Fiona.

Although Bryce doesn't know him as well as he should he can see clearly that Alex isn't himself.

There is no joy in him, no spark and definitely no anger which is more concerning than anything else.

Alex is normally quick to anger with a fiery temper but he's been reduced to someone who just exists.

Moving through his day with a minimum on conversation or interaction with anyone else.

Bryce picks up his phone and dials Alex's number.

...

"Kate have you finished the rosters?" Tess asks.

Kate smiles and replies "All done there on the table outside Tess."

Meg has Claire for the day as the girls have to bring a mob in for drenching.

Tess walks onto the veranda and grabbing the roster sits to drink her tea as she reads.

Jodie, Kate and Regan join her and do the same.

Tess places her roster in her pocket and smiling says "Kate you are so good at this everything just flows. Thank you."

Jodie asks "Have you heard from Stevie lately Tess?"

Tess answers "I spoke to her last week. She loves her job and the heat but she misses all of us and Drover's too."

Kate asks "Do you think she'll come back Tess?"

Tess shakes her head and answers "No I doubt it. She 's still too hurt and embarrassed."

"I thought once she knew about Alex leaving Fiona she'd come back." Kate offers.

Regan states" I doubt she even knows that. If you try to bring him into the conversation she shuts you down."

"Regan's right I tried a couple of times to tell her about him and she changed subjects straight away." Tess adds.

"Have you heard from Nick?" Regan asks.

Tess replies "Yes he rang when they landed; Alex hardly spoke the entire trip."

"Maybe once they've been there a few days he'll lighten up." Kate offers enthusiastically.

All the girls agree, each hoping something will change.

...

"Hello Alex Ryan. Hi Bryce. Yeah oh ok. So what do I do now?"

Alex listens and then says "Yes Ok thanks for that. Yeah I will bye."

Putting his phone back on the bar, he picks up his beer and drinks the last of it.

Beside him Nick asks "Another beer Alex or a swim?"

Alex glances through the window at the pool outside and Nick sees Alex's expression change.

Nick follows his gaze and notices Stevie.

She looks as beautiful as always.

Toned, tanned and emerging from the pool.

Before Nick can say anything Alex is up and moving.

Nick watches as a tall man hands her a towel.

She smiles at him says something and he laughs and ushers her away.

...

Alex winds around the hotel looking for the door that leads out to the pool.

Finally he finds it and stands searching the area for her and finds no trace.

Disappointment washes over him but leaves hope.

She's here.

So close.

His heart pumps a steady beat.

...

Upstairs Stevie showers and changes into a new dress she bought earlier today.

They've got a meeting with the man who owns one of the biggest quarter horse stud farms in the southern hemisphere.

Daryl organized it so they can get some inside information before the sales tomorrow.

He'd gone to school with the guy's son so it's a friendly catch up as well.

Answering the knock at her door she finds Daryl.

Smiling at her he quips" Wow you look so much better out of your jeans."

He blushes and apologizes for the way that can out.

She laughs and closing the door behind her strolls downstairs.

...

Nick finds Alex beside the pool enjoying a beer.

"Nice of you to come back." Nick quips.

Alex grins at him and says " I saw Stevie, Nick she's here."

Nick nods unsure if he should tell him she wasn't alone so he leads with." Mate she cut you off just because she's here doesn't mean she'll speak to you."

Alex looks at his brother and states "I haven't seen her in months Nick and you have no idea how happy I am just to have caught a glimpse of her."

Nick nods and smiles at him at least he's smiling Nick surmises.

"Did you see her Nick? She looked fabulous." Alex gushes.

Nick grins at him and quips "No normal man could look at Stevie in a bikini and not think she looked fabulous Alex."

Alex doesn't answer but the smile on his face broadens.

...

Later that night Nick and Alex are sitting in the hotel bar and have struck up a conversation with a big fella sitting beside them.

They talk about the weather, the hotel, the beer and when they get to the reason they're here they discover their all here for the quarter horse sales.

Stevie has quickly run upstairs used the bathroom and returning to the bar she walks in confidently and finds Daryl talking to someone that looks a lot like Nick Ryan from behind.

As she reaches them Nick turns and a smiles.

Hugging him she says "Oh Nick it's so good to see you."

He beams and answers "God we've missed you."

...

Stevie introduces Nick to Daryl.

Stevie asks "What are you doing here Nick?"

"We're up for the quarter horse sales Stevie."Nick replies.

Stevie's face lights up and she enthuses "Oh my god Nick is Tess here?"

"No Cowgirl he's here with me." Alex says from behind her.

She spins the smile dropping from her face." Alex" is all she manages to say.

Daryl grins and says "What you know him too?"

Stevie looks at Daryl and he sees something in her he hasn't seen before fear.

Concerned he asks "Are you alright Stevie?"

"I have to go!" Is all she says as she begins to walk away?

Alex grabs her arm and begs "Stevie please talk to me. Don't run again."

"Let go of me Alex you're hurting me." She states.

He holds her arm but loosens the grip and says "I'm sorry Stevie please talk to me."

"She asked you to let go of her mate." Daryl warns standing.

Alex glances at him and snarls "Mind your own business mate; this has nothing to do with you."

Stevie looks at Daryl and says "It's ok Daryl."

Looking at Alex she growls "Let go of me Alex we have nothing to say."

He loosens his grip and is about to let go when Daryl's fist hit's him square on the jaw knocking him to the ground.

"She said let go mate." Daryl growls.

He places his hand in the small of Stevie's back and ushers her away.