34. WAIT UP FOR ME

Alex put on a new singlet after splashing some water in his face in the bathroom. Stevie was all crawled up under the sheets; trying to not fall asleep, hoping Alex would return soon. Hearing him step inside the bedroom Stevie closed her eyes, trying to look fast asleep and she could feel him move closer. He kneeled down next to the side of her bed, watching her peaceful face with a small grin upon his face. He gently leaned over her and brushed away a few locks of her hair, kissing her gently on her soft cheek. When he moved away Alex could see how her lips were fighting to not show a smile, making him starting to grin.

'Thanks for all the bruises on my arm baby', Alex let out seriously. 'Now I have to wear sleeves to cover them up'.

'No way you can have bruis...', Stevie spoke out fast and sudden, her eyes wide glaring at him, seeing how his face showed an annoying smirk. He let out laughter.

'Gotcha!'

Stevie hit his arm out of protest. 'There we go ...', Alex let out again, feeling how her eyes showed a sparkle and her hands claimed him and pulled him down. It always suprised him how much power she could have in that small body, but mostly the moment it self as a second later he was pushed on his back.

'Can you stay?', she now asked, hanging above him, her curls falling down, showing an endearing smile. 'I just wanna sleep here in your arms'.

Alex reached his hand up and brushed a lock behind her ear. 'You know Neil Thompson is having a look at the cattle. I rather sell it to him than having to go to the sales with this weather.' Stevie let out a dissapointed sound, being able to see in his eyes he wouldn't change his mind, rolling on her back next to him.

With one foot resting upon the second step of the fence Alex watched over his cattle of sheep. 'So what do you think?', Alex asked, turning his face slightly to get a glimpse of Neill's expression. The older man stood next to him, hands in his pockets and obviously doubted.

'I don't know Alex, at the sales I can get such a cattle for a lower price.'

Alex widened his nostrils for a small moment, shaking his head slightly. Looking at his boot upon the step, his arms resting upon the top fence, he made his remark; 'a cattle that's probably exhausted and nearly hydrated. Of course that's cheaper.'

Neill watched Alex, than shifted his view over the cattle. 'Good bunch', he heard Marcus remark behind them, while the blonde bloke walked to them. Neill turned his head to spot the guy, seeing how Marcus gave him a small nod to greet. Alex didn't move; his sight was getting endless.

Neill took a deep breath, staring in front him again. A second later he patted Alex on his back. 'It's deal mate'. A bit surpised Alex stepped off the fence and let Neill shake his hand.

'Well, great', Alex let out with a pleased grin. He looked over Neill's shoulder to catch Marcus' eyes. 'I reckon you can arrange it all with Marcus.' For a moment Alex could see a glance of doubt in his brother's behavior. He couldn't place it, but gave Marcus another stare, which made him turn to Neill and guide him along to the main house. Alex quietly looked over his shoulder to see how they walked away; shaking his head he wondered what exactly was going on.

Stevie hardly slept for half an hour. Arousing in this empty bed she was wishing for his warmth and so the girl had wrapped Alex' pillow tightly together in her arms. For a sec she found it stupid that could enjoy smelling his scent, but it relaxed her and she dozed a bit. A smile crept upon her face as she remembered how she had woke up this morning; so protected in his arms after an exhausting night of thinking, wandering and mind-fucking.

He had taken that feeling of not belonging away and this afternoon made her aware of the fact that they could start making memories of them; here in this big property, in this house and that every memory would make her feel more and more at home. Memories of them, of Rose, of ... she breathed deeply in, inhaling his soothing scent.

Closing her eyes she wondered how it would be to lay here in the future, to hear footsteps upon the strairs and the hallway; strong ones, soft small ones. To see that door open and to spot Alex with a young girl in his arms, a boy too keen to see her that Alex couldn't hold him back from climbing upon the bed to let her hold him; a family. The vision was so sharp, so clear that she wondered what hold her back? Turning in her bed, snuggled up in this comfort her smile only grew wider.

It wasn't a surprise to Alex that after diner he once again found his wife in the spare room with all the boxes. 'Geesh Steves, how long will it take you for moving them to the attic?', Alex grinned softly.

Stevie turned around and gave him a small glare, turning back to close one box and to pick it up to place it two meters to the right. 'I'm just checking the contents so it will be easy to find everything when Rose and I will give this place a female touch', she now smiled and let her teeth push in her lower lip. She started to twirl a bit around from excitement, just thinking of her daughter's coming. Alex had to grin, walking up to her and throwing his arms around her waist.

Showing her sparkly eyes Stevie could feel herself drift away in his arms. Breathing in she had wrapped her hands around his shoulders. 'I was thinking ...', she let out, causing Alex to nod with a pleased grin, her hand trailed to the colar of his shirt, '... what if we make your old room Rose's new room? Would you mind?'. She looked upto him, away from the sight her fingers caused playing with the blue fabric of his checked shirt.

Alex shook his hand; 'if she wants it, it would be great. It has started to become a rumble-room.'

'I guess it always was', Stevie chuckled slightly, earning herself a glare from Alex.

'It was quite neat when I was younger', Alex protested.

'Must have been the yearly challenge of the Ryan's charwoman', Stevie chuckled, pressing her lips tightly together; not looking in his eyes to supress her smile. Her fingers now played with his first closed button.

'Hey, besides that how are you supposed to know, missy'? He tipped the top of her nose, letting out a small laugh.

She rose upon the tips of her toes and let her fingers hold on tightly to his shirt, pulling herself up close to him. With a smile she reached his face till a few centimeters distance. 'For you information Alex. I've been in your room once.'

'What?', Alex frowned. Not able to remember anything.

She nodded playfully. 'I believe we would hit the road to go to the rodeo and you were so damn lazy and no one was home so you walked upstairs in a hurry and I followed and you pulled out some bag from under your bed and threw in some clothes, which mostly lay upon the ground or your chair. So I wasn't quite sure if there was anything clean among them. It was quite a mess, but I remember no one was at home and you were muttering that nor Rhonda or your mum had packed something for you.'

Slowly Alex could remember something of the happening. 'Than you were one of the rare girls that ever been there, uhm like that, probably the only one.' He now started to grin stupidly to himself, remembering all kinds of moments, feeling how Stevie smacked the back of her hand onto his chest. 'Hey you know how I was like', Alex protested, watching her.

'Luckily you've changed and I made it to the master bedroom', Stevie grinned and let her tongue rest against the back of her teeth, lifting herself up again, to slip her hand to the back of his neck and to pull him close for a soft long kissed.

Outside Marcus sat upon the veranda floor and held a beer in his hand. Taking a small sip he looked up when he heard a car driving upon the homestead. Not much later he heard footsteps coming his way and was quite surprised to see Kate standing there.

It startled her a bit, not expecting anyone to sit here. 'Oh Marcus', she let out, her fingertips pressed into the back pockets of her tight jeans. One hand got out and aimed to the direction she just came from. 'I just came back from Fisher, thought I should pay a quick visit to see if Stevie is okay.'

'Stevie?', Marcus asked wondering. Looking up at the girl. 'Is she sick?'

'Oh no', Kate let out with a smile. 'Just very tired, she nearly felt asleep so I basically send her home.' She had to grin saying that last fact. It was fun to feel the power to give people orders.

'Right', Marcus lifted his head. 'You're overseer now, aren't you?' Proudly Kate nodded. 'Congrats. That asks for a drink', he said, standing up to make his way to the kitchen. She wasn't even able to say something to it. It was clear he had made up his mind to share a beer with her. She shifted a bit from heel to toe, staring around, when she saw him return. With a smile he offered her a bottle of beer. 'I guess you wanted one.'

'Uhm yeah', Kate muttered and a bit unsure she sat down when Marcus reached low. Her knees closely together, holding the bottle she watched in front of her. 'So what were you doing here all alone?', she now asked without looking at him.

'Just thinking a bit', it sounded short.

'Ah', Kate let out, shifted her gaze to him for a sec. 'So you're settled again after your trip to Melbourne?' Suddenly she noticed how his hands twisted his bottle nervously. 'Everything okay?' she asked gently. Slowly Marcus turned his face to her. His eyes moved away when he met her gently watchers. Unsure what to do she shifted her head closer, in the hope she would encourage him to tell her what was on his mind. Obviously there was something.

'I dunno', he finally let out. Gazing to the darkness, of the falling night Marcus let some thoughts cross his mind. What?' 'That you will be pulled of the case when Killarney is completely Alex' again. Just like Ashleigh you are just stationed there. You know that.' 'Well yeah ...' 'If that's all; than I would say we have a deal'. Marcus now looked at Kate for a moment, deciding she would probably understand. He wasn't sure with whom else he could talk so he grabbed the opportunity to get it of his chest. 'It's just ... before I left to Melbourne I knew perfectly well what I wanted to do. To stick around here for the long term. Make something out of it all. Taking care of Killarney when Alex was on honeymoon. It all just made sense.'

Kate slowly nodded, understanding. He stopped for a moment and she took the change to encourage him even more. 'But that changed?', she asked.

He widened his nostrils, his face rigid. Marcus shifted his eyes to her again. 'It's just ... this will be just for the time being. When Killarney is succesfull I will be off the case. It's Alex. This is his home, his and his family. As simply as that ... So what's in it for me?'

Kate frowned a bit, silently and instinctively she lay her hand upon his upperarm. It made him look at her and suddenly she realized her gesture, but her fingers didn't seem to want to leave him. 'It's okay to be searching', she uttered. 'I know I was after I returned from Africa. Just didn't know my place. Maybe you should give it some time. Alex won't kick you off when he has Bryce's share back.'

Marcus shook his head and took a swug of his beer, glancing down. 'Maybe you're right', he mumbled. 'Thanks anyway', he added, giving her a small smirk. A moment of silence followed till he broke it. 'So tell me, what's it like to be overseer next to Grace?', he asked with a grin.