Kilarney….

Marcus strides into the kitchen freshly showered and shaved.

Stevie and Kate are sitting at the table drinking tea and chatting.

"What are you doing here?" Marcus snaps.

Stevie raises an eyebrow and waits for Kate's response.

Alex has wandered in as well as Kate looks nervously about the room.

"I said some things I shouldn't have, can we talk in private?" She asks.

Marcus glares at her and responds. "I don't think I want to talk to you."

Alex and Stevie wish they could disappear.

Kate silently gives several quick short nods and stands.

Marcus misses the cue but Stevie and Alex note that Kate is barely holding back tears as she turns and exits.

….

Stevie runs after her.

"Ow!" Marcus yells as Alex lightly whacks his brother across the back of the head.

"What was that for?"

"You made her cry, you're an arse." Alex snarls.

"She wasn't crying."

"Bet she was by the she left the house." Alex predicts.

"Not my problem. She started this." Marcus responds defiantly.

"Kate wait up!" Stevie calls.

Kate slows.

As she turns back Stevie arrives and placing her hand on her friends arm asks. "Hey are you alright?"

With tears cavalcading down her cheeks Kate sniffs and replies. "No."

Stevie gives her a sympathetic look and holds her arms up.

Kate rushes into them.

"Oh Kate it can't be that bad." Stevie soothes as she rubs her back.

"Yes it can." Kate sobs.

…..

"Wanna talk about it?" Stevie asks.

Kate shakes her head and replies. "I can't, well not with you anyway."

Stevie nods and says. "Maybe you should try Marcus again?"

Kate pushes back and says. "I wanted to tell him but he made his position perfectly clear. I gotta go. Bye."

Stevie stands with her arms folded across her chest as Kate drives quickly out the gate.

Breathlessly Marcus runs over to her.

"Why didn't you stop her?" Marcus accuses.

"Why didn't you talk to her?"

"She treated me badly before." He counters.

…..

Stevie shakes her head and says. "I've known Kate for a few years now and she doesn't have a mean bone in her body. If she treated you badly you either deserved it or she is stressed about something."

"I've never treated her badly." He defends.

"Then you need to find out what she's stressed about "Stevie remarks as she leaves him standing on the path.

"Stevie! Was she ok?"

Stevie turns back and slowly shakes her head.

Marcus stands mulling over what to do next.

He decides to let her have some space and think about her treatment of him.

He'll go and see her tomorrow and put things back on track.

Slowly he walks back to the house convincing himself he's in the right.

He's no doormat and won't be walked over by anyone.

….

Drover's Run…

Jodi is standing talking to Riley as Kate's car pulls up quickly at the shearer's quarters.

"Geez she's in a hurry." Riley remarks.

Distracted by Kate's arrival Jodi replies. "Yeah she is. Can you hang on for a minute and I'll see if she's ok?"

Kate mutters under her breath as she quickly packs an overnight bag.

Turning back to the door she squeals as she opens it and finds Jodi standing there.

"Kate you frightened the hell out of me!" Jodi exclaims.

Kate steps around her and snaps. "Well stop creeping around people's doorways."

"I wasn't creeping around anywhere, I came to see if you're ok."

"I'm fine." Kate responds as she throws her bag on the back seat.

"Are you going back to Kilarney?" Jodi asks.

"If I wanted you to know my movements I'd give you an itinerary." Kate retorts as she closes her door behind her.

Speechless Jodi stands as Kate drives away.

…..

Kilarney….

Marcus sits pretending to watch the television with his feet up on a stool and his third glass of whisky in his hand.

Every now and again the cheers and laughter from Stevie, Alex and Rose drift into his space.

He's trying not to think about his argument with Kate this afternoon or the fact he was rude to her.

As time ticks by his guilt builds.

…..

"Yay I won!" Rose cheers with her hands in the air.

"You cheated!" Alex teases.

"Did not!" Rose replies grinning at him.

Playfully she pulls at the sleeves on her jumper and exclaims. "See nothing up my sleeves."

Alex laughs.

Stevie smiles at them.

….

"Stevie can I ask a favour?" Marcus questions joining them in the kitchen.

"Yeah sure of course." Stevie answers.

"I've had too much to drink to be able to drive and I'd like to go and see Kate."

"It's almost nine o'clock Marcus she's not a bloody chauffer." Alex remarks.

Placing her hand on his arm Stevie replies. "Alex I'm fine. You're in luck Marcus we've just finished our game."

Drover's Run…

"Hello!" Stevie calls.

"What are you doing here at this time of night?" Nick asks looking puzzled.

"Marcus wanted to come and see Kate but he'd had a few too many whiskeys." Stevie replies.

Nick grins at her and quips. "See that's what happens when you get pregnant and you can't drink….Designated driver."

Stevie grins at him.

The back door bangs and Marcus appears in the kitchen.

"Geez that was quick." Stevie exclaims.

"She's not there." Marcus states.

Tess, Grace and Jodi arrive in the kitchen.

….

"What's going on?" Jodi asks.

"Where's Kate?" Marcus questions.

"Didn't she come back to Kilarney?" Jodi asks.

"She came around six but then she left." Marcus replies.

"No she was here at around a quarter to seven and she left with an overnight bag. I thought she was going back over to you." Jodi tells him.

He exhales loudly and moves nervously around the kitchen scratching his head.

"Did she say where she was going?" Stevie asks glancing at Marcus then back to Jodi.

"No she didn't but she wasn't happy. She said if she wanted me to know what she was doing she would have given me an itinerary." Jodi answers.

"That's not like Kate at all." Stevie offers.

"No its not, something's wrong." Tess agrees.

Jodi rounds on Marcus and snarls. "What have you done to her? What did you say to her?"

"Nothing." He defends.

"Bullshit Marcus Kate isn't behaving like Kate at all." Jodi growls.

"Where would she go?" Marcus asks.

"Home! Would she go home?" Tess asks.

"I doubt it." Jodi answers.

"Why wouldn't she go to her family?" Marcus asks.

"Because if she's upset they'd know and if you've upset her she'd be trying to hide her failure from them." Jodi suggests.

"She's not a failure. "Marcus snaps.

"Maybe not in your eyes but in her own. Kate's her harshest critic." Stevie comments.

"Anyone want a beer?" Grace asks bored with the conversation.

"No thanks." Comes the replies.

"Did you try her phone?" Nick asks.

"She's not answering." Marcus answers.

"Come on Marcus we'll head back home you'll just have to wait for her to come back." Stevie suggests.

He nods and moves from the room.

"If she comes home can you give us a bell?" Stevie asks.

"Yes of course." Tess responds.

…..

The road between Drover's Run and Kilarney...

For fifteen minutes Marcus and Stevie drive in silence.

"What do you think is wrong Stevie?" Marcus asks.

"I haven't got a clue Marcus but whatever it is she couldn't discuss it with me."

"Did you ask her?"

'Yes I asked if I could help. I suggested she try talking to you again." Stevie replies.

"She didn't want to?"

"No she said you'd made yourself perfectly clear to her."

"I was angry because she snapped at me today for no reason." He offers.

"She tried to apologise."

"Yes I know but I was hurt."

"And pigheaded."

He looks across at her and replies. "Yeah maybe."

"No maybe about it! You're related to Alex he'd do the same thing."

"What do I do now?'"

"Hope she comes back."

"She'll come back…wont she?"

He hears her inhale and as she exhales she responds. "I've never known her to run before Marcus. Kate normally faces things head on so as it stands now I haven't got a clue what she'll do."

They drive on in silence….

Kilarney…... Eleven o'clock…

As they wind their way down the drive Marcus offers. "Thanks for driving me Stevie."

"That's ok."

Stevie shifts in her seat and leans forward. "She's here Marcus that's her car."

He straightens up and says softly. "Thank god for that."

…..

The back door opens and Marcus walks into the kitchen closely followed by Stevie.

Kate is sitting at the table with Alex.

A cup of tea in her hand.

"Kate I'm sorry." Marcus offers hurrying over to her.

She stands and replies. "Me too Marcus."

He moves to hug her.

….

She puts her hand on his chest stopping his advancement.

"We need to talk." She says forcefully.

"Come on Cowboy bedtime for us." Stevie suggests.

Alex nods and leaves the room with her.

….

Kate waits for them to leave.

"Are you alright?" Marcus asks.

"Let's sit in the living room." Kate replies.

Dutifully he follows her anxious to hear what's wrong.

She waits for him to enter and closes the door behind them.

….