Grace arrives back upstairs huffing and puffing with a huge smile on her face.

"Well done Alex nice work!" Grace grins.

He roughly makes Fiona sit on the floor and says angrily. "Grace watch her and if she tries to move hit her with something heavy."

Grace nods and asks. "Who in the hell is she and what's she doing at Stevie's window?'

...

Alex ignores Grace momentarily and moves swiftly over to Stevie who looks very uncomfortable.

Sitting beside her he touches her face then hugs her and asks "Stevie how are you?"

Whispering she replies. "Alex my water has broken."

He looks alarmed and asks. "Isn't that too early Stevie?"

She looks frightened and nods then asks. "Can you get everyone out of my room please?'

Nodding he rises and grabbing Fiona growls "Stand up."

Looking at Regan he asks "Can you ring the police and an ambulance Regan please?"

Regan looks puzzled and asks "An ambulance? What for?'

"Stevie's waters broken." He states.

"Oh shit." Is all Regan says as she rushes downstairs.

...

Over an hour and a half ticks by before the police arrive.

Alex is furious and yells. "I'd hate to call you blokes in an emergency what bloody took so long?"

They explain that they were on a call miles on the other side of the district.

"Yeah well we caught this bitch peering through our window. Throw the book at her and lock her away and lose the key would you. She threatened my girlfriend earlier today and I don't want her anywhere near any of us."Alex snarls.

"Well need to get a statement from Stevie, Alex!" The younger office states.

"Might be a bit tricky mate we're waiting on an ambulance because she's in labour." Alex answers his voice full of emotion.

"Alex!" Regan calls from the top of the stairs.

Looking up he says "Yeah I'm coming how is she?"

Regan answers. "Scared."

Looking back at the officers he says. "I have to go."

Then looking at Fiona he threatens. "And you, if anything thing happens to Stevie or our baby I will hold you one hundred percent responsible and I'll come looking for you."

Turning he runs upstairs.

...

Finally the ambulance arrives but Alex isn't angry about the late arrival as he's too concerned with keeping Stevie calm and focused.

Labour began within half an hour of her water breaking and they both know it's too early especially for the baby's lungs.

As they load Stevie into the back of the ambulance Alex feels some relief and listens intently to the paramedics as they explain they're not equipped for premature babies but have organized to have a helicopter at a nearby airfield to transport both Stevie and Alex to a bigger hospital.

Alex holds Stevie's hand as the ambo checks every detail and radios ahead with what is happening.

By the time they land and Stevie is admitted and set up in the delivery room Fiona's father has had his lawyers working hard and Fiona is released on bail.

...

Nick has his tiny daughter in his arms and his arm around his wife's waist as they disembark their international flight in Sydney.

"Australian soil Nick we're home." Tess says smiling broadly.

He smiles and replies "Not quite Tess we've got our flights to Adelaide and then the one up to Gungellan."

She laughs and says "Just a technicality Nick we're in Australia."

He kisses the top of her head and hands the baby to her and says "I'll turn my phone back on and see if anyone has missed us."

She smiles at him and says "Let's get a coffee once we clear customs."

He nods and ushers her forward.

...

On Drover's Run everyone is tired, excited and concerned.

"Wow what a night?' Grace states.

Kate laughs and says "Never a dull moment that's for sure.'

The phone begins to ring and Kate says "I'll get it."

The girls organize breakfast and as Kate returns to the room she announces. "Tess and Nick have just come through customs in Sydney and are about to board for Adelaide but have changed their flights and will stay in Adelaide to support Alex and Stevie for a few days."

Everyone is thrilled and Moira offers. "Perfect timing isn't it."

Regan agrees but adds "Yes it is but we'll be down two workers. One here and one on Kilarney and we'll have to let Riley know what's going on."

Grace offers. "I could extend my holidays by two weeks! Would that help?'

Regan asks. "Can you do that?"

Grace shrugs and says "Well I can try?"

...

In the delivery room Stevie is close to giving birth and Alex is a nervous wreck.

He's had little sleep and the burden of caring for Stevie and the worry about the maturity of their unborn child weighs heavily on him.

Alex is thankful that they're in Adelaide and have access to specialists and state of the art equipment and that Stevie to a certain degree is drugged up and too busy with the effort of giving birth to think about the consequences.

Holding her hand he knows she's contracting again as she just about breaks his hand as she squeezes through the pain.

He kisses her forehead as she loosens her grip and he offers words of love and encouragement.

...

Finally Stevie pushes their child into the world and as his little warm, slimy body slides from her, she feels an overwhelming relief and then tears cascade down her cheeks.

Alex holds his breath as the doctors and nurses hover over the greyish mass of arms and legs at the end of the bed.

They talk in a language Alex doesn't understand and poke and prod and suction the bundle.

Alex feels like his heart will break as his lungs remind him he needs to breath and then a tiny squeal announces Alexander Hall Ryan is alive .

Alex inhales and instantly a lump closes his throat.

He leans onto Stevie's chest and he cries.

...