-1Stevie tried to smile at Tess, Jodi and Kate as they sat beside her hospital bed. They all seemed so happy and she tried to go along with it. But she felt so tired, and so confused, and no one seemed able to tell her exactly what had happened. She could tell her friends were keeping something from her. When she asked a question about what happened, Jodi and Kate didn't speak, they looked to Tess. Tess was the only one who would answer. And always with an answer that didn't answer anything at all. Stevie would have kept trying, but then the thought struck her, perhaps she really didn't want to know.

The one thing she did want to know was where was Alex. He was the person she longed to see more than anyone at that moment. He had been here when she first woke up. Or had she been dreaming? As she drifted in and out of consciousness she called his name, many times. She was sure she had heard his voice whispering in her ear. But as she called for him again and again, she received no answer. Only Tess, Jodi and Kate were beside her. And finally she gave up calling.

As things became clearer in her mind, she did ask Tess once where Alex was. Tess didn't really answer, she didn't have to. Her look explained that not only was he not here, but that he was not coming. And Stevie didn't ask after him again. She tried to hide her disappointment from the others, which proved impossible. She tried to count herself lucky that her friends were here for her, it was more than Alex seemed able to manage. But still, she had this compulsion to ask them to leave. She wanted to be alone with her fragile thoughts, her broken dreams, her precious memories. Before she could open her mouth to speak Tess took her hand. Stevie looked over to her with curiosity as Tess was suddenly smiling.

"I wasn't going to tell you, I wanted it to be a surprise, but I just cant keep quiet any longer." Tess announced. She was going to let Rose surprise her mother, but Rose wasn't here, and Stevie had looked so sad to hear that Alex wasn't coming. Tess had to do something to cheer her up, and this news would do nicely. It was probably the only thing in the world that could have brought a smile to Stevie's face right at that moment, and Tess couldn't resist.

"Tell me what?" Stevie asked, not really interested at that point, but glad the conversation had moved on from Alex.

"We have a visitor at Drovers." Tess announced.

"That's great." Stevie managed to reply, although it was hardly exciting. She didn't care to hear any more about it, but they were clearly waiting for her to ask, and so she did. "Who?"

"Your daughter." Tess answered.

"My daughter?" Stevie uttered.

"Yes." Tess nodded

"Rose?" Stevie asked in disbelief.

"Yes, Rose." Tess replied.

"What is she doing at Drovers?" Stevie asked confused.

"She came to see you. " Tess said smiling.

Alex wandered aimlessly through the fields of Drovers Run. He replayed that moment over and over again in his mind, that moment she had woken up, spoken his name. Every part of him wanted to turn back and run to her side, to hold her and to never let go. But something stopped him. He walked for hours. Until he came to stand at the tree house. He had somehow known he was heading here. He cast his mind back to a day weeks ago she stood at that exact same spot.

He had stood for a moment in stillness that day, watching her as she sat at the foot of that old tree. He wondered if she was aware of his presence.

"I've been looking for you everywhere." He finally spoke.

How difficult could it have been to find me Alex? she wondered. Didn't you know I would come here? Instead she spoke calmly "What for?"

She waited to hear his response, looking to him, her eyes hopeful and fearful to hear his words.

He returned her gaze, suddenly feeling a great weight on his shoulders. As if what he says will somehow make such a big difference, will shape their future, will heal, or destroy. It was a responsibility he was not willing to accept.

"I just….." He began, unable to finish. Think, He scolded himself Why were you looking for her? Think what does she want to hear?

But it made no difference. The words didn't come easily. Words had never been the way he reached her. He stepped closer towards her, she made no move as he sat beside her.

"I just wanna be with you." He said finally.

"Funny, that's not what you said last night." She replied coldly.

He sat looking down at the dusty ground. Indeed it was not what he had said last night.

He had said the wrong thing then, perhaps he had said the wrong thing now. But he was trying, really trying. Didn't it count for anything? So he made one mistake. Did it really have to end everything because of it?

"You're still angry." She stated.

"I'm not." He answered defensively.

"You don't even want to touch me." She accused him, noticing he was sitting as far away from her as he was able.

"That's not what you said last night." he threw back at her, but gently.

"Fair enough." She conceded. Without adding how she hadn't meant those words when she yelled at him last night to never touch her again, or how much she wanted him to touch her then, how much she wanted him to touch her now.

He was trying really trying, but she wasn't making it easier. And in that moment it hurt too much to keep trying. It seemed they had all been right, Nick, Tess, Harry. All those people who told him it just wouldn't work out.

He looked over towards her for the longest time. She turned her head away, but his gaze never faltered. His words were gone, but he tried somehow to reach her with his eyes, somehow even though she refused to look back at him he hoped he could show her what he was feeling. But she sat still as a stone, her head and her heart turned away from him. And finally, sadly, he stood and walked away.

Alex shook his head to escape from the memories, and looked up towards the tree house. He wasn't sure what it was that made him climb up that dusty old ladder, only that he was somehow drawn there. He had finally come to accept this place was more than an abandoned old tree house. It was something special, at least it had been. Slowly he lifted himself up to the top of the ladder. It was then that he realised he wasn't alone.