Jane

Jane reached down to pull on her left work boot. It was a strain and the effort of tying her laces had given her heartburn. Heartburn and acid reflux were her arch enemies and it seemed like no amount of medicine was enough to keep the burn at bay. She'd quickly gone from measuring the liquid using a spoon to swigging it straight from the bottle. The liquid had initially made her gag as it was thick and cold with a very snot-like consistency. She had, however, accepted the small amount of relief it gave her and no longer pinched her nose or screwed up her eyes as she swallowed a generous amount. Luckily she could purchase it easily from the Joja Mart store without the need for a prescription, or the need to speak to Harvey.

Her baby bump had begun to restrict her movements and she was feeling short of breath from just a small amount of physical activity. Her internal organs had moved northwards and her lungs had become compressed to accommodate her continually growing uterus. She watched her body shape change as the weeks passed by and although she smiled as she ran her hands across her stomach she was saddened by the sight of the stretch marks that blemished her skin. She'd seen an article online about how stretch marks were beautiful and should be loved as they were part of the journey to becoming a mother. Jane wasn't too sure about that. The marks on her abdomen looked as if the baby were trying to claw its way out.

She thanked Yoba the pelvic girdle pain she had been suffering from for the past few weeks had eased off somewhat, although she knew it most likely would return the heavier she became. She had been finding it more and more difficult to complete her daily chores on the farm, especially getting them done before sunset and most days by 8pm she was fast asleep in her bed. She was so fatigued by the end of the day and as a result had missed several of Lewis' nightly collections. By not shifting produce she had become increasingly low on funds and that wouldn't do.

She held her breath and finished tying her boot laces. As she pulled the double knot tight, an 'Uhhahhhfffff,' sound escaped her lips. Bending down and leaning forward was putting pressure on her lungs which in turn put pressure on her ribs which clicked and popped grotesquely. The way her floating ribs moved unnaturally made her feel uneasy; it was such a bizarre feeling.

She grimaced as she pushed herself to her feet, but then smiled when she felt movement inside her abdomen. She placed a hand against her t-shirt enjoying the feeling of her unborn foetus twisting and turning until the sensation stilled. Satisfied that both boots were on tight enough she pulled on her thick jacket and headed outside with Bear obediently following by her side. Jane worked her way up the narrow path behind her farm, taking the steps slowly so as not to over exert herself. The last thing she needed was to pass out in the snow. She'd done well to avoid needing medical attention, she reminded herself how strong and resilient she could be even though at that moment she felt far from it. She followed the trail up to the mountains and when she reached the Carpenter's Workshop she hammered her fist on the solid wood door harder than she intended to. The meaty part of her palm felt tender from the impact and so she massaged away throb as she waited for someone to answer. Her heart pounded in her chest and her lungs burned from the effort of walking. She was extremely fatigued and breathing heavily. Her legs felt like jelly and she needed to take the weight off them.

The lock released and the door swung inwards. Jane froze when she saw the image of the person before her, the very person she had come to see. Maru. It had seemed like a good idea at the time but seeing her made her stomach churn. The acid rose in her chest and the gas from it burned her throat. Jane swallows hard but it offered no relief.

'We need to talk,' she said and pushed her way past Maru and entered the reception area. Bear followed closely behind her, wagging her tail enthusiastically. 'Are your folks home?' She glanced around, there was no sign of Robin in her usual spot behind the counter and no noise coming from the hallway so she assumed everyone was out. She'd become accustomed to their schedules during her time living in Stardew Valley and was quite confident Maru would confirm they were alone.

Maru shook her head, and after defensively crossing her arms over her chest she asked, 'What do you want?' She offered Jane her best scowl and looked her up and down. Jane noticed her eyes lingered too long on her baby bump.

'I've come to talk.' Jane ignored Maru's facial expression, she had expected her to greet her in such a way. She glanced around, and for a moment she contemplated going down the hall to check but instead she repeated her initial question. 'So are your folks home or not?'

Maru let out an irritated sigh. 'Mom's at her fitness class and Dad is out doing his usual field research.'

Jane moved past Maru and pushed the front door closed. 'Good, then we won't be disturbed.'

Harvey

The temporary nurse had arrived an hour after he'd phoned the agency. She was young and petite, and a little unusual looking with dark purple hair that was shaved at the sides and pulled back down the centre of her scalp in to a long braid. She had a friendly smile, and her references were all good so her appearance didn't matter to Harvey. He had been in two minds about hiring someone but with the recent attack he realised he needed an extra pair of hands. Perhaps with Maru gone he should consider hiring someone permanently.

'Hello you must be Lauren?' he offered his hand to her, and tried not to stare at her eyebrow piercing, the large hole in her right earlobe, or the obscure tattoo creeping up from her neck to just below her chin.

'Yes from the agency. It's nice to meet you Dr Henry,' she shook his hand and flashed him a friendly smile.

'It's Harvey,' he corrected her and felt his cheeks flush. He really didn't know where to look without being rude so he glanced away at a poster on the wall.

'Oh, so sorry!' She gritted her teeth and shrugged her shoulders apologetically. She followed his gaze to the poster he was staring at. 'It's a lovely set up you have here, and the town is very quaint.'

'Thank you, it's taken a while to get things just right. Allow me to give you the tour.' He gestured for her to follow him. He showed her his office where he did the majority of his consulting, and then lead her in to the hospital wing where Pam was recovering from her surgery. He gave her the run down on Pam's condition and her treatment plan. 'My private quarters are upstairs, which are umm… off limits.'

'Of course,' she smiled and popped a piece of gum in to her mouth. 'I'd better get to work then.'

'If you wouldn't mind… could you lose the gum?' His eyebrows knitted together disapprovingly.

In his office Harvey stuck the earbuds in his ears and placed the metal bell part of his stethoscope against Gus' back. He apologised when his patient complained about the coldness of the metal against his skin, but didn't offer to warm it up. He listened to Gus' chest and he asked him to breathe in deeply.

'Please take another deep breath.' Gus did as requested. 'And one more.' Harvey removed the stethoscope from around his neck, folded it in half, and placed it on his desk. He scribbled some notes down on his notepad and then tapped away at the keys on his computer keyboard, all the while staring distantly at the monitor.

'Gus coughed loudly in to a tissue and then wiped his mouth. 'So what's the verdict then Doc?'

Harvey looked up, confused at the question and then remembered he'd forgotten to give Gus his diagnosis. He had been run off his feet, had hardly slept, and the coffee was no longer keeping the fatigue at bay.

'Sorry – there's a slight crackle, but nothing to worry about. You have a bit of a chest infection so I'll prescribe you a course of antibiotics. Please ensure you take the full course.'

After Gus left Harvey put the CLOSED sign in the window and let out a yawn. He played with his moustache, the coarse hair rough against his fingers. He needed to oil it, or maybe he should just shave it off. No! He couldn't do that, he'd look far too young and baby-faced without his facial hair. He let out another yawn and turned away from the windows. He needed to check on Pam, she was in a bed in the hospital wing. She was recovering well considering her injuries and as long as her vitals continued to improve she would be well enough to go home in a few days.

Upon entering the hospital wing Harvey jumped when he saw Penny asleep in the chair next to the bed. She must have heard him as she began to stir. He picked up the clipboard from the bottom of the bed and read through the notes.

'Oh Doc... Dr Harvey,' she greeted him. She rubbed her hand across her face and then smoothed the creases out of her blouse, 'I must have fallen asleep. I didn't mean to stay this long.'

His cheeks blushed. He had never been good at talking to women and before Penny had straightened her blouse he had caught a glimpse of her cleavage. He scolded himself for having looked, and could no longer make eye contact. The last thing he wanted was more trouble, more accusations! Instead he focused on the task of reading Pam's vitals, and jotted down the necessary data on her record sheet that was attached to the clipboard. It was all good, nothing to be concerned about.

'Oh... uhh, it's not a problem.' He brushed his hand through his hair and let it rest at the nape of his neck a moment whilst he tried to regain control of his composure. He could feel the sweat perspiring from his head. 'I just came to check on your mother.'

'How is my mother doing?' she asked him, her eyes focusing on Harvey's shirt buttons. 'I'm confident she's in good hands of course.'

He flashed a friendly smile. 'Pam's a tough cookie, and she's over the worst. There's no need to worry, you'll be able to take her home in a day or two.'

Penny chuckled but it was her turn to look away. Harvey knew Penny had a nervous disposition and strangely it boosted his own confidence. He took the opportunity to study her features; she had fiery red hair and pale skin. She was thin and he surmised she needed to eat more. He watched as she wrung her hands together in her lap anxiously. Why was she so nervous… was she afraid of him? She seemed almost petrified; he could see her shoulders quaking slightly. He frowned trying to figure out what was going on.

'That soon?' she asked. Harvey couldn't read her expression. Was she disappointed? Did she secretly hope her mother would need to stay longer? Or was she pleased to hear the good news? Or was it something else? 'I'd best be heading home, I'll check back in the morning if that's ok with you Dr Harvey?'

'Yeah, sure. I'll walk you out,' he offered and held the door open for her. Penny ducked under his arm and headed for the reception.

'Thank you Doctor... for everything. I wouldn't know what to do if I lost her. She can be a hard person to deal with at times but... she's my mom, and we've only got each other.' Her eyes focused on the leaflets in the mounted rack. Harvey followed her gaze and selected one of the Alcohol Addiction pamphlets. He turned it over, revealing the various useful telephone numbers on the reverse, and handed it to her. 'Thank you, but-'

'-It could help.' He moved away before she could hand it back to him. He was well aware of Pam's problem with alcohol but neither Pam nor Penny would face up to it. He'd seen the states Pam got herself in to, and he wasn't oblivious to the effect it had on Penny. She was extremely withdrawn from the community and so frightened to speak to anyone who wasn't her mother. From gossip he'd heard she spent her free time at the library and her evenings cooped up in her mother's trailer. In his opinion it wasn't healthy, but then who was he to lecture someone else on what was healthy or not when his personal life was crumbling and he was only just getting his asthma under control. The problem with Penny was she didn't talk about personal issues, or about family troubles, and was a very private person. The few conversations he'd had with her had been short and to the point, general chit chat and there was always an excuse she usually made up to get away from him. Such as she'd left the stove on, or she'd forgotten something and needed to run home.

'Thanks,' she responded and quickly placed the leaflet inside her purse. She cleared her throat as delicately as she could before she spoke again. 'She wasn't always like this you know – things used to be different. I know people think I'm... think that I don't hear their comments but I do! It does hurt to hear people refer to mother as the town drunk, and it's not fair. They don't know what we've been through.' She bit her bottom lip and looked away from him, not before he saw how glossy her eyes had gone.

'It's okay Penny, don't worry about it. It's only natural to feel emotional, but rest assured she's going to be fine. She needs a few more days to recover and then she can go home.'

'Her medical expenses... I can't afford to pay, not on my salary and mom – well she's drinking her earnings away.' Penny took a Kleenex from her bag and blew her nose, then dabbed at her wet cheeks.

'Don't worry about the money Penny,' he responded with a smile. He needed the money but it didn't feel right to charge her when she had so little to spare.

She looked up at him, right in to his face and searched his green eyes to confirm she'd heard him correctly. He widened his smile. 'Thank you Doctor, thank you so much.' She dabbed at the corners of her eyes with the same wet tissue. 'I should get going, I have chores to do at home.'

He hesitated for a moment, decided it wasn't appropriate, but asked anyway. 'I'm heading to the Stardrop Saloon if you fancy joining me?'

Her lips parted and panic showed across her face. 'No, I can't. I really must get home, mother won't be happy if I don't clean. I have to clean. I must or she'll be mad! It all has to be clean, nice and clean!''

Harvey's cheeks blushed and he smoothed his hair back with his hand once again. 'I shouldn't have asked, I'm sorry. I could just use a bit of company and I thought you might too.'

'Goodbye Dr Harvey!' Penny turned on her heels to make her escape but stopped suddenly. 'Perhaps you shouldn't go to the Saloon Dr Harvey. Drinking isn't good for anyone, it impares the vision and the mind and umm… it's not safe at the moment. Especially with that monster on the loose.'

'I'm a grown man, I assure you I can take care of myself.' He winked at her and smiled. He was actually touched she was concerned for him. He chuckled. 'Would you like me walk you home?'

'No, thank you. I'll text my friend Sam. He'll walk me home, he doesn't live far from here. I like Sam, he's nice. I just wish he wouldn't spend so much time with Alex. I think he's a bad influence.'

Harvey didn't think Penny would appreciate the words he would use to describe Alex so he chose to say, 'I'm glad you are friends with Sam. He's always seemed very pleasant whenever he's attended his annual checkup. Are you two an item?'

'Oh, no no no it's not like that at all. We are just friends, good friends! I really should be going now, goodbye Doctor.'

Harvey watched the door swing closed behind her and let out a groan. He really could have done with some company.

'Lauren - I'm popping out, if you need me I'll be at the Stardrop Saloon.' He sighed heavily when she didn't look up from her tattoo magazine. He saw the thin wires dangling from her ears and rolled his eyes. He grabbed his jacket and headed out of the door; he hoped to Yoba that Lauren was actually as good a nurse as the agency has assured him.

He needed some company; the loneliness was getting to him. He missed Jane. He wondered if she still thought he was a bastard or if she even thought about him at all.

He pushed the door open and headed to his usual spot. He hopped on to the bar stool and signalled to Gus that he wanted a drink.

'Could I have a beer please.' The bartender nodded and went to the fridge. Harvey looked around the room and spotted the usual patrons, although Pam and Shane were not in their usual positions. He could account for Pam, she was recovering in the hospital wing, but Shane... who knew where he was. Not that Harvey really cared. Shane had caused him enough trouble to last a lifetime.

'Here you go Doc,' Gus said and placed the icy cold beer bottle in front of him. Harvey didn't hesitate, he tipped the bottle and took a long glug, letting the cold liquid wash down his throat. 'Am I to congratulate you on the good news?'

Harvey's eyebrows furrowed together. 'Huh? Good news?' He was genuinely confused.

'Why – I've heard you're going to be a father!' He leaned over the counter and slapped a palm over Harvey's shoulder in congratulation.

Harvey put his beer bottle down a little too hard which caused the liquid to froth up over the sides of the bottle and then pool along the counter. Gus was quick to mop it up with a bar towel.

'She told you that?' he asked, his eyes watched Gus' expression. He felt his heart race in his chest. 'What did Jane say?'

'Well I didn't hear it from the horse's mouth per say, but it is common knowledge... everyone knows.' Gus paused when he saw Harvey's jaw clench. 'Uh, didn't you know?' he asked nervously.

'OF COURSE I KNEW!' Harvey bellowed. He felt the heat rise in his neck and cheeks, so he pulled at his shirt collar to loosen it. 'I... I... I'm sorry. I apologise for raising my voice.' He felt embarrassed for losing control... for losing his shit. He lowered his gaze to the remnants of the beer on the varnished wood in front of him.

Gus coughed a couple of times, almost as if to fill the awkwardness. 'It's fine Doc. You're clearly going through something right now. Have a beer on the house.' Gus opened the fridge and popped the cap before sliding the bottle in front of Harvey.

'Good man,' Harvey said and downed the rest of his first bottle, 'and don't forget to take those pills for your chest infection.'

Jane

Maru scowled, and screwed up her face. It made her look ugly; the way her nose wrinkled like a pig's snout and the childish way she stuck out her bottom lip. Jane wondered if Harvey had ever seen her looking so petulant. None of it bothered Jane, Maru could act immature all she liked, she just wanted the truth.

'Tell me what happened that night, after I left.'

'Why should I? Why is it so important to you?' She leaned back against the counter where her mom did business transactions with Jane and shoved her hands inside her pockets. 'You don't even want to be with him. You're not even together, and even when you were you treated him like shit.'

Jane felt annoyed that she had to explain herself to Maru; who was she to think she had to right to knowledge about Jane's personal life?

'How dare you! You don't even know me, so don't tell me what I do and do not want! Do you think I wanted this… to be a single mother? And I don't know why I need to justify myself to you, but I'm going to anyway. I never once treated Harvey like shit as you so politely put it.' She paused for breath. 'I loved him. I still do, so I need to know. I want the truth.' Bear nuzzled in to her side protectively and Jane thanked her by rubbing her hand through her fur.

Maru smirked. 'Why not ask Harvey yourself?'

'I'm asking you Maru.' Jane had begun to get impatient. 'This isn't a game, you may think it's amusing but I don't. It's my life and that of my unborn child you are screwing with.'

Maru rolled her eyes and sighed as if she was bored. 'It's all about you isn't it. You and your perfect freckles and your perfect red hair. You could be covered in cow shit and he'd still choose you over me.'

Jane considered Maru's comment. Maru sounded jealous, and that confused Jane. How could she possibly be jealous? It didn't make sense. When Jane first met Maru she felt so self conscious at how unkempt she looked in comparison to the younger woman who looked immaculate, so preened with not a hair out of place. Maru was clearly insecure. She was also a troublemaker, a hussy, and in Jane's opinion a harlot!

'We played pool.' Maru shrugged.

'Pool?' Jane asked puzzled; her forehead wrinkled.

'Yeah, pool... in the games room.' Maru rolled her eyes and let out a long deep breath showing her irritation at Jane. 'You know, you knock the little balls down the holes in the table with the long wooden stick. Yoba... how old are you?'

'I know what pool is,' Jane said through gritted teeth trying not to react to the insult about her age. She felt like punching Maru in the face. In fact, she imagined she would feel extremely satisfied doing it.

Maru shrugged again, 'Harvey gave me a fast track lesson on how to play.' She giggled and moistened her bottom lip, clearly remembering the scene. 'He got quite... close in fact.'

Jane's jaw clenched. She caught the inside of her cheek between her teeth. She didn't care that it hurt, she bit down hard. She knew Maru was enjoying winding her up. 'What happened after that?'

Maru glanced away, her cheeks reddened slightly. 'Harvey offered to walk me home.' She glanced at Jane but quickly looked away.

Jane was becoming impatient. 'So after he walked you home what happened?'

'Oh no, I didn't say we actually made it back to mine,' she giggled again clearly enjoying delaying the punchline.

'Maru, stop playing games. Just tell me what the fuck happened next.' Jane bit down harder on her cheek and felt a trickle of warm blood.

Maru looked Jane dead in the eyes. 'We kissed, well I kissed him first.' She watched for Jane's reaction. Jane stared at her, and tried to subtly swallow the hard lump in her throat. 'Then he kissed me back and wow it was quite the kiss - not what I expected at all!' Maru placed her fingers to her lips dreamily.

'That's all you did?' Jane felt bile rise up in her throat. She felt the tremble in her voice, 'You just k-k-kissed?'

'Well... yeah, I guess.'

'What do you mean... you guess?' Jane watched Maru intensely, waiting for the answer she didn't want to hear.

'Well if Shane hadn't interrupted us we would have fucked each other right outside the saloon.' Jane felt faint, she grabbed on to the counter to support herself. She felt betrayed. She could not believe it was true! 'My panties were down and Harvey was unbuckling his belt.' She bit her bottom lip and smirked as if reliving the moment.

'You fucking bitch! Stop! I don't want to hear anymore!' Jane felt like she'd received a punch to the stomach. Maru smirked, clearly satisfied by Jane's reaction. Jane doubled over, placed her hands on her knees and gagged. She vomited on to the wooden floor. 'I can't!'

'Eww, that's disgusting!' Maru grimaced at the sight of the throw-up. 'But, nothing happened. I mean it could have but it didn't.'

Jane wiped her mouth with the back of her sleeve. 'Nothing happened? Do you really expect me to believe that after what you just told me?' She heaved again but nothing further came out. Bear whined and let out a sharp yelp.'

'Trust me... nothing happened. I mean I wanted it to. I even let myself in to the clinic hoping Harvey would give in to temptation and screw me like he wanted to outside of the saloon. He didn't though...'

'What?' Jane stood up and gave Maru her attention again. She felt flushed and really needed some fresh air.

'He must have come to his senses.' Her expression changed instantly and she no longer appeared to be enjoying the memory. She looked sad. 'He didn't want me.'

'Do you really expect me to believe that? You are a liar!'

'I'm not lying. I offered myself to him and he turned me down. I waited for him but when I realised he'd probably gone to bed I grabbed my things and left.'

'What things?'

'My clothes, I was naked okay!' She looked away, her cheeks glowing with embassessment.

Jane slapped her palm to her own face and closed her eyes. 'Yoba! You have no shame do you?'

'Fuck you!' Maru raged at her. 'Why don't you piss off now that you have what you came for. Go and play happy families with the father of your baby.'

'Why do you have to be so horrible? Harvey has been nothing but nice to you over the years, and how he ever had feelings for you is beyond me! All you've done is make a mess of things.' Jane had unconsciously taken a step towards Maru and was pointing her index finger in her face.

'You think you're so special don't you, little miss farmer going around the town gifting people with produce from your farm.' Maru snorted a laugh. 'You've got the whole town fooled in to thinking you are so kind and caring, but not me. You don't have me fooled.'

'I don't think I'm special… I do, however, hope people genuinely think I am kind.'

'Why does Harvey even like you? Look at how you dress, you're fingernails are always grubby, and you don't even make an effort with your hair!' She paused for a moment to look Jane up and down. 'Do you realise that by getting pregnant you've ruined your figure?'

'You are a jealous little girl, that's what you are! You didn't want him when he wanted you, but the moment he found his happiness you had to ruin it for him. Why couldn't you have just left us alone?

Maru shrugged. 'Keep him, he's all yours now… well whatever's left of him.'

'What do you mean by, 'whatever's left of him?'

Poor Harvey, I hope he doesn't get too roughed up.'

She grabbed hold of Maru's clothing and spoke through gritted teeth. 'Maru, what have you done?'

Harvey

'Give me another beer Gus,' he called to the bartender and then downed the last few drops of warm beer, which was more foam than liquid, from his bottle. Gus lifted the cap off a fresh bottle and slid it towards Harvey. He fumbled it and cursed as it slipped through his fingers and hit the floor. The bottle shattered, sending shards of glass and beer across the tiles. 'Ahh shit… sorry!' The beer pooled around the legs of Harvey's stool and trickled along the grout in between the tiles as the puddle increased in size.

'It's fine Doc, I'll clear it up. Here, try not to drop this one.' He opened another bottle and pressed it in to his Harvey's hand. He gave Harvey a look of concern. 'Maybe call it a night after that one.'

'I might just do that,' Harvey responded but returned his attention to the beer mat he had been tearing up. He'd been thinking about Jane and the baby. He wondered how she was doing, was she struggling with morning sickness? Did she need anything? Should he buy something for the baby? He wished she would let him see her so they could talk. He didn't want to be excluded from his child's life, even if Jane didn't want anything to do with him.

'She hates my guts,' he whined and tore another piece of cardboard from the beer mat.

Gus looked up from sweeping up the glass; the dustpan handle in his hand and the pan full of glistening shards. 'I'm sure that's not true Doc.'

Harvey rested both elbows on the counter and held his head in his hands. He let out a groan. 'She thinks I've betrayed her but I haven't.'

'Feeling sorry for yourself again?' Out of the corner of his eye Harvey saw a figure appear beside him at the counter. The sound of amusement in his voice made Harvey's lip curl and the playful slap on his back stung. 'Gus, get the Doc a drink on me, maybe it'll cheer him up.'

'Remove your hand from my back, and get the hell away from me!' Harvey snarled taking in the youth's athletic shape and returned his attention to his beer. He took a long swig from the bottle and spluttered when some of it went down the wrong way.

'Careful now Doc, people might start thinking you can't handle your drink.'

'What's that meant to mean?'

'Oh, just you know how people like to talk. You are a bit of an asshole when you've had a few.'

Without rising from his stool Harvey planted a hand on Alex's chest and grabbed a handful of his T-shirt. 'I'm not in the mood for this shit so leave me alone!' He shoved Alex hard and turned back to his drink.

Anger momentarily flashed across Alex's face but Harvey didn't see it. 'You're a jerk you know that! Aren't you meant to have a bedside manner? How you still have a job is beyond me.'

'Come on now guys, either have a drink or take it outside.' Gus looked at both men. Alex shrugged and zipped his jacket up to his chin. Harvey knocked back his beer, took out his wallet and tossed some notes on to the counter.

'I just want to drink my beer, I didn't come here looking for trouble.' Harvey returned his gaze to the counter in front of him. 'I want another drink Gus.'

'Fuck this bullshit!' Alex growled and stormed off.

'That's it. Run home to granny.' Harvey snorted a laugh, then guffawed at his own comment.

Alex gritted his teeth. He stopped in his tracks and glared at the back of Harvey's head giving him daggers. The muscles in his face contorted as he clenched his jaw. Without another word he walked away, letting the door swing violently shut behind him as he left the building. Ker-clunk ker-clunk ker-clunk ker-clunk before it settled in to its resting place within the frame.

'You want to watch that one Doc,' Gus unscrewed the plastic lid off a bottle of water and slid it in front of Harvey. 'He's trouble. Here, drink this and maybe sober up.'

Harvey shoved his spectacles up his nose. 'I can handle him.' He grinned stupidly and clumsily knocked the bottle of water over himself.

Outside the saloon the air was icy; it irritated his lungs making him cough. Harvey fumbled with the zipper on his jacket; he'd zipped it up wrong and the material of his T-shirt was caught. He jiggled the metal tag in frustration trying to release the little teeth from their grip on his clothing. It wouldn't budge.

'Do you need some help with those teeth?'

The force that struck him almost took him off his feet. He staggered backwards, rocked by the impact. It caught him perfectly on the jaw; the sweet spot that rattles your brain and turns out the lights.

Raising his hand to his jaw he felt for the damage. He was numb from the booze but was pretty sure someone had punched him. He stumbled forward, turning his head in confusion searching for his attacker but his chance to focus was taken from him when the second strike landed.

Pain, unbelievable pain burned at his side as the fist sank in to his ribs. He dropped to his knees, grit and broken glass grazed his palms and fingers as he slid them out in front of himself. Breathing inwards was painful. Tiny stars darted about in front of his eyes obscuring his vision. He could taste metal; and as if to confirm he was bleeding he spat blood on to the ground between his hands.

He collapsed on to his side when the attacker's boot connected with his ribs. The pain instantly worsened; Harvey cried out and spat more blood. He couldn't breathe, and he gasped for breath.

The next kick to the ribs came but Harvey saw it early and managed to barge in with his shoulder. He hooked his arms around the guy's leg and pulled him to the ground. He was exhausted, and as he moved to get up he cried out from the sharp pain he felt at his side. He didn't need to be a doctor to know his ribs were broken. He breathed out heavily and took a moment before pushing himself on to his knees. He kept a tight grip on the man's pant leg, even as he received a kick to the shoulder and chest. Harvey pressed his knee on the man's crotch, dropping his weight in to it, and enjoyed the scream that followed.

He caught another fist to the side of his head which knocked him down. His head landed on his attacker's abdomen and he received another strike to the side of his face. He slumped sideways and lay there for a second or two when he caught a glimpse of Alex's face. Him! It was Alex! The bastard was trying to get up. He couldn't let that happen. He gained a second wind and pushed through the pain, fatigue, and dizziness.

'No you fucking don't!' Harvey moved quickly; he clambered up Alex's body until he was sitting on his chest pinning him down. Harvey was a big man, he might not have been as quick, as athletic, or as physically capable as the younger man was but he definitely wasn't going to let the little shit get one over on him. His breathing was raspy and strained but he chose to ignore it, focusing on the asshole beneath him and considered the beating he was going to give him .

His blood boiled, he felt the heat rise through his body like the furnace on a locomotive, and the smirk on the blond haired youth's face stoked the fire. He grabbed Alex's Varsity jacket collar and leaned in close. Bloody spittle sprayed from his lips as he roared in to Alex's face.

'You fucking asshole! You fucking piece of shit! Why couldn't you just leave me the fuck alone! Don't you think I've got enough problems to deal with?'

'Get the fuck off me man!' Alex squirmed and tried to get out from under Harvey's weight. He bucked his hips, frantically grabbed at Harvey's chinos and even thumped his fists against Harvey's thighs but it was no use. Harvey had gained the advantage, the top position and he wasn't giving it up. 'Fuck! I'm serious, get the fuck off me!'

'Why Alex? Why couldn't you just let things go?'

Alex's laugh added more fuel. Harvey balled his fists up, their grip tightened on Alex's clothes. He resisted the urge to shake him, to smash his head off the cobbles.

'Because I fucking hate you!' The movement was quick, his forehead connected with Harvey's orbital bone.

'Shit! Shit! Shit!' The ground seemed to curve up at the edges of his vision. He was wobbly from alcohol but the blow had rocked his brain. He planted a hand on the ground to support himself, and his other cupped his eye. 'That fucking hurt!'

Alex howled with laughter but suddenly stopped. He must have seen the fire burning in Harvey's eyes because he covered his head with his hands protectively. Harvey didn't hold back, he punched through them sending hammers smashing down on the younger man's face. Blood gushed from Alex's nose and an unintelligible sound escaped his swollen lips as Harvey's punches rained down on him. He continued to beat him even as Alex began to sob and call for help; all he could see was that smirk on his face and he wanted to beat it to a pulp.

'Please! Help me, please someone help me!'

The sound of footsteps, muffled voices, and a barking dog could be heard as people ran towards their location.

'Harvey no! This isn't who you are, please stop!' A woman's voice shouted over his shoulder. He turned his head and glanced at Jane. He watched her two wobbly images merge in to one and then separate again. He studied her face for a moment, took in her red hair and freckles, and then averted his gaze. He turned away from her, placed his hand to his forehead and squeezed his eyes shut. Shit!

He had contemplated landing a few more punches but looked at Alex's face, wet with tears and blood, and thought better of it. He was about to stand up when two sets of hands grabbed the shoulders of his jacket and dragged him off Alex. He found himself on the ground on his side once again and groaned at the pain he felt in his ribs. He gritted his teeth and hissed. His earlier rage had masked the pain, but it had returned with a vengeance.

Shane helped him to his feet whilst Sebastian picked up his wallet and inhaler which had fallen out of his pocket during the scuffle. He held them out to Harvey who practically snatched them from his outstretched hand.

'I don't need anyone's help,' he growled, his eyes set on Shane, 'especially not from you.' Harvey removed the cap from is inhaler and placed the mouthpiece to his lips. He inhaled two doses and welcomed the relief it gave him but winced at the sharp pain in his side. He tried to return it to his pocket but dropped it.

'Fine, whatever.' Shane shrugged and headed towards the Stardrop.

Jane picked up Harvey's inhaler and placed it in his jacket pocket. 'Oh Harvey, what have you done? I'll come with you to the clinic, I'll make you a coffee and help you get cleaned up.' Again he glanced at her briefly but returned his attention to Shane.

'And you should be resting that arm. Why aren't you wearing the sling I gave you?' Harvey scolded him. Shane held his bad arm to his chest as if he suddenly remembered it hurt. 'Come to the clinic tomorrow morning and I'll check on your dressings.'

'You are not going to be in any fit state to open the clinic tomorrow,' Jane tried again. He looked down at her when he felt her pulling his on his shirt. Her nimble fingers worked to loosen the material from his jacket zipper. 'How the heck have you managed this?'

'Harvey are you planning to fight the whole town tonight?' Demetrius was standing next to his stepson. He raised an eyebrow at Harvey. 'Shall I send Sebastian to fetch Mayor Lewis?'

Harvey's eyes went wide. That was the last thing he needed. He shook his head. 'No.'

'I didn't think so.'

'I was merely defending myself.' He removed his spectacles and attempted to straighten the frames.

'I know.' Demetrius gave his stepson a knowing look, 'Sebastian came to me, he told me about how you were in some kind of trouble.' He addressed Sebastian directly, 'Believe me son, I will get to the bottom of this.'

Sebastian stared at his stepdad, eyes wide like a deer caught in the headlamps. His shoulders were slumped forward, and his hands were shoved in to his jeans pockets. He then looked at Harvey and opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something but changed his mind and looked away.

Harvey returned his glasses on to his face. He frowned at Sebastian. He wasn't entirely sure what was going on but he knew it must have had something to do with Maru. He'd never had any trouble from him before, so it had to be her.

'Harvey, can we please talk?'

He finally acknowledged her. 'Why Jane? Why now? What's so important that you have decided that after weeks of not bothering with me that you need to talk to me right now? Did you find a new reason to berate me?' He saw her lip quiver and instantly felt a sinking feeling in his chest, but became distracted when he noticed Alex was trying to get up. Harvey made a lunge for him but before he could get anywhere near him a set of arms gripped him around the body causing him to groan. He strained against his captor, flailing his legs as he tried to land at least one kick, but it was no use. The pain in his side was sickening, so he stopped resisting.

'Harvey calm down,' Demetrius warned as he held him back.

'Don't you ever try that with me again!' he roared at Alex.

Alex got to his feet. Blood streamed through his fingers as he held his hands up to his broken nose. He took one last look at Harvey and then ran off in the direction of his grandparent's home.

When Demetrius removed his arms from around him, Harvey looked around at the small crowd that had formed. Had they all witnessed his drunken rage? He considered his behaviour, Alex's bruised face, what Jane must have thought, and suddenly felt ashamed. What kind of man had he become? He sighed heavily, allowed his shoulders droop, and walked towards home. The zipper on his jacket still caught on his t-shirt, Jane's attempt at releasing it had been unsuccessful.

'Wait! Please Harvey!' Jane ran after him, taking two steps to every one of his. She stepped in front of him forcing him to stop. She placed her hand to his chin and tilted his face down to get a better look. 'Your poor face, does it hurt?.'

'You should have seen the other guy.' He grinned stupidly; amused by his own joke.

'I did, you both really went to work on one another.'

He shrugged, and removed her hand from his face. 'Why do you even care?' His eyelids were heavy, his head was pounding, and he needed to get away from the onlookers.

'Why wouldn't I care? You are the father of my unborn baby, of course I care about you.' She reached in to her bag and pulled out a small travel size first aid kit. 'Let me take a look at your eye.'

'I'm fine, stop fussing.' He batted her hand away and let himself in to the clinic. 'I'll get Lauren to take a look at it for me.'

'Lauren?' She glared at him through the door window as it closed behind him, her eyes widened. 'Who the fuck is Lauren?!'