Title: Holding On

Author: Lexi Summers aka Lady-Lexi

Word Count: 1 580

Pairing: Susie/Jonesy

Rating: PG

Dedication: For June May April – My Chrissie

Summary: At the end of the day, when a friend is dead, a home and a station destroyed, who do you turn to? This is the story of the Blue Heelers, and their struggle to go on when the only things they have is each other.

Authors Notes: This is being written after the episode "End of Innocence". All characters belong to Southern Star and Seven Network Australia. I don't know how old the Nelson kids are. In this they are primary school age.

Jo was dead. The Boss was in hospital. The station was gone – burnt to the ground, just like the police residence, Susie's home. PJ had gone into shock and was in hospital under observation. The only standing Blue Heelers – Jonesy, Ben and Susie, retreated to the Imperial, after being thrown out of the hospital and told to get some rest. Upon entering, all Chris could do was hug them, and offer what comfort she could.

They sat around a table, defeated. The Baxters had admitted they had placed the bomb in the backpack and left it at the crossing and were now in custody at St Davids.

"Susie?"

Susie looked at Chris. She had stayed strong all afternoon, being mother and daughter and sister to her friends. With Ben chasing up the Baxters and the others in hospital, she and Evan had had to be the entire support network to everyone. She couldn't cry. She had to stay strong. But right now, the tears she had held back all day were threatening to fall.

Chris put a set of keys on the table in front of her.

"Room 3 is free. I know you don't have anywhere to go," she added sympathetically.

"Thanks Chrissy."

"I'd best get some sleep. I'll see you all in the morning."

"Night Chris."

Jonesy neglected to add the 'Good' to it. It wasn't a good night. He wished he could wake up and find himself back at the station, laughing and joking with Ben, flirting with Susie and being the brunt of Jo's sarcastic jokes that could crack all of them up at the worst of times. He wished he could go back even further, to knock some sense into PJ and stop him and Jo breaking up. Or further still, to stop Dylan taking that drug...

"I'd better be off too, guys. Falcon-Price wants to meet us here at eight tomorrow morning. See you then."

He got up and studied the two constable's faces. The two youngsters, as the three older station men fondly referred to them, had been amazing. They were like parents to the Nelson kids. With their Mum murdered and their step-dad in hospital, the poor little buggers had no one, so Jonesy and Susie had taken care of them- cuddling them, stroking their hair and talking to them. They had taken care of the adults, too. Comforting Tom, being there for PJ. It had made Ben go on, seeing them do it. They made such a good team. Just like they were married. The other members of the station and he had a bet on as to when they would get together. Susie's face was full of hurt, Jonesy's full of compassion. He was a lucky man. She was a wonderful woman.

"Yeah, mate. See you."

As Ben left, Jonesy pulled himself together.

"Come on Suse, you need some rest. You were brilliant today."

She looked as though she didn't have the strength to answer. They got up, and walked upstairs to their rooms. Hers was next door to Jonesy's. She wondered if Chris had done it on purpose.

"Night, Jonesy."

"Night Suse."

They each went into their respective rooms. Chris had left an old t-shirt on the end of Susie's bed. She showered and slipped it on. It came to just below her knees. She emerged from the bathroom and curled up on the couch. She wished she had Jo there to give her a hug and tell her everything was going to be all right. She thought she could cope with her house and the station being destroyed, if only Jo was there to help them through it. Suddenly, the tears she had been holding back all day streamed down her cheeks. She put her head on her knees, and sobbed, harder and harder, wishing she had somewhere there to help.

Next door, Evan Jones was tossing and turning in his bed. If only he'd been at the station instead, if only he'd ... there was no point in that. His father had always taught him that you couldn't live in the past, and what was done was done and it was your job to live with the consequences. Wise man, although perhaps a little – was that ... crying?

Yes. It was. And it was Susie crying. His partner, his friend, his ... love? He got up, crossed to the door and stepped out into the hallway. The chilly Victorian Winter's air chilled his bare feet, but he didn't worry about it. She was all that was important. He knocked, and when there was no response, he carefully pushed the door open.

She was curled up on the couch, head on her knees, shivering and sobbing, her whole frame shuddering violently. He went to her, and crouched in front of her, putting a hand to her cheek and bringing her face up to look at him. Her eyes, her beautiful blue eyes, were bright, her cheeks wet with tears.

"I'm sorry," she whispered hoarsely, "Did I wake you?"

He shook his head before drawing her to him in a comforting embrace. She sobbed into his chest, clutching the front of his t-shirt to him as though he were her last lifeline. He sat on the couch and she curled up against him, still clutching him. He stroked her blonde hair, noticing how soft it was.

"I'm here, Suse."

Her reply was muffled and soft, barely a whisper.

"Please ... don't leave me ..."

"I won't Susie. I promise I won't."

He kissed the top of her head and murmured to her, nothing really, just a comforting whisper.

"I love you Susie."

It was unexpected, quite out of the blue, and for a moment when she put her head up, he thought she would pull away. But instead she said what they had both known all along;

"I love you too, Evan Jones."

He looked into her eyes and kissed her softly. And in that moment, both knew that they would spend the rest of their lives loving each other.

TWO YEARS LATER

Susie Jones looked down at her baby daughter and smiled. She was so beautiful and full of life.

The Mount Thomas Police Force never did recover fully. A new station was opened, and although it was bigger, more modern and more effective, it didn't have the feeling of a home that came from the old veranda and office ...

Four new police officers came to the station. Probationary Constables Joss and Kelly were both full of hopes and dreams, and with the help of their new 'family' grew up a lot and became fine police officers.

Senior Detective Amy Fox was an asset to the station. Her good instincts and impeccable manners combined with PJ's experience and determination became the stuff of Mt Thomas legend. And rumour has it that the two detectives are a little more than friends ...

The last member, Sergent Mark Jacobs, only stayed in Mt Thomas for six months. His determination to take Tom's job seemed only to force the other officers to dislike him and eventually he transferred to Melbourne.

As for Tom, he retired soon after and became a full time grandad and step- father, although he always had time to drop into the station for an chat and a cuppa.

The Top Job was then passed onto Ben, who became the head of the family, although Grandad Croyden still had a fair bit of influence. He, funnily enough, started dating Senior Constable de la Rue of Widgeree, and their relationship is still going strong.

And that leaves Evan and Susie. When Ben became Senior Sergent, Susie became Sergent and Evan became Senior Constable. They are still firm friends to this day, or so we hope, as they were married a year after they began going out. They are still a force to be reckoned with in Mt Thomas.

No one ever forgot what had happened, and although the three new station members fitted in well, there were times when the others would share a glance, or a joke, and remember the things that had shaped their friendship. No one could ever take the bond that had been formed between them away, and at times it felt as though their colleagues were there with them ... You could sometimes hear Jo's sarcastic comments on a quiet night in the CI car, or see Maggie's hazel eyes as they stared levelly into you own, or Dash, or Adam, or Wayne, or Tess, or Nick, or Jack ...

Susie was pulled from her thoughts by a pair of strong arms circling her waist and pulling her back, and a light kiss beneath her ear.

"And how are my beautiful wife and daughter this fine afternoon."

She turned, and her arms circled his neck.

"Just fine, thankyou, Senior Constable."

He leaned down and kissed her, before they both turned to look at their sleeping daughter.

"Joanna Grace Jones. A credit to both her namesakes."

"That she is. It's funny. Jo really did bring us together in the end."

"She'll never be gone. Not while we're all together here." They both turned their eyes to the photo on the wall. Of Jo and PJ and Tom and Ben and them. Some hurts go too deep to ever heal completely. Sometimes it's better to leave them be. And while both missed their friend everyday, she would always be with them in spirit.