"Mr. Ryan. You don't understand. What I'm trying to say that an A positive man and an 0 positive woman cannot have a child whose blood type is 0 negative," the doctor explained, not knowing what would happen next. Harry was visibly upset.

"So he's not my son, is he?" he asked with empty eyes.

"I'm so sorry for saying this, but no Mr. Ryan. Alex can not be your son." doctor said sadly, looking down at the floor.

"Thank you," Harry whispered, feeling totally betrayed. To live his life as such a lie was a big blow to him. He didn't know what to feel.

When he walked towards the corridor, he saw nobody was waiting for him. He actually felt really alone. When he realized everyone truly had left, he squatted down on his heels, and began crying quietly… crying for Alex and crying for himself… for not knowing the truth all those years… for his dreams and his land's future.

A few minutes later, just before he let out an angry, betrayed and devastated sob, a pretty young nurse walked by.

"Mr. Ryan?" she asked, smiling.

"Yeah?" Harry stood up.

"Alex is awake now. Would you like to go in and see him?"

It was one of the hardest questions he'd ever been asked. He wasn't sure what he wanted. He took one step forward, and then stopped, hesitating.

"No," he muttered. "No... Sorry…"

And with that, he turned around and left the hospital regretfully. He wanted to see Alex but he couldn't trust himself not to tell Alex what was wrong.

Meanwhile Nick, Tess and Claire were still on their way back home. Claire had calmed down and Tess, tired from her loss of blood, stroked her sister's hair, in an attempt to keep her that way.

"Everything's going to be alright, Claire," she whispered. Claire just nodded her head.

Then they heard Nick's mobile phone ringing. He pulled it out of it's holder and answered quickly.

"Hello?" He listened to the other side for a few seconds and suddenly stopped the car. Claire and Tess looked up at him, suddenly worried.

"Yeah, okay. We're coming back. Thank you," Nick said. He hung up the phone and turned to face the girls.

"He's awake!" he said with a huge grin on his face.

oOo

Claire walked towards the room, placed her hand against the door and pushed it to open. She saw him lying there, looking at her and smiling.

"Hey," he murmured quietly. She could tell he was tired but she was happy to see him..

"Hey yourself!" Claire replied, sitting on the bed near him, taking his left hand in her own. "You scared me so much."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to," he smiled back.

"How do you feel now? Are you alright?" she asked.

"Yeah I guess. Cant feel my feet, have a really sharp pain on my back and a buzzing in the head, but yeah, I'm aright. I wasn't feeling so good but you're here now," he placed his hand on her cheek and wiped the tears away. "Don't cry."

"I'm not crying," she denied it, in her typical Claire way. "I just… just… Oh Alex! I love you so much. And I thought I was going to lose you."

She burst into tears and buried her face in her hand. He pulled her hands away and carefully leaned over and kissed her.

"I'm not leaving you Claire, not in next hundred years at least," he said trying to laugh, but another stab of pain shot through his back and he groaned instead.

"What?" she said, trying to look serious. "What happens after hundred years?"

"Well," he smiled back. "I guess I'll have to think about it."

Then suddenly he put on a worried face.

"Claire?" he started, "Do you have any idea about why my father didn't want to see me?"

"He didn't?" Claire asked, surprised.

"He was here, I mean waiting outside, and then the nurse asked him if he wanted to see me, but he said no," Alex explained.

"That's weird," Claire replied, remembering the conversation between the doctor and Harry about blood types. She was suspecting their subsequent conversation had bought up some bad news, but she decided not to tell Alex about it, at least for now.

"Hey," Nick and Tess called softly as they walked into the dimly lit hospital room.

"Was it enough time for you guys? We couldn't wait outside anymore," Tess said with a smile. She walked over and leant down to kiss Alex on the cheek. "Alex, I'm so glad you're alright."

"Thank you, Tess. It's good to see you," he replied.

"Man, don't you ever do that again," Nick yelled as he held his brother's hand.

"Nick, don't be so emotional," Alex smiled at his little brother.

Nick gratefully returned the smile.

"Where are Mum and Dad?" Alex asked, showing he knew something was wrong.

"Don't know," Nick replied. "They were here before, but Mum ran out and then we saw Dad on the road driving back to Wylgul. Maybe they just needed some composure time before they saw you."

Meanwhile Harry ran around the house, crazed while looking for Liz.

"Liz!" he shouted. His eyes were full of rage, anger and disappointment. When there was no reply he shouted again. "Liz!"

"What?" she replied from the lounge. Harry stopped as he saw her. Their eyes met and the look in his eyes let Liz know he knew, and made her grip the arm of the lounge chair she was sitting in for strength. She didn't want to stick around to see what would happen next.

"He is not my son, is he?" he asked with sorrow, not really wanting to hear the answer. He knew it, in his heart, that Alex was not his boy but he didn't want to hear the words spoken out loud. It would make it a little to real.

"What?" Liz asked, taken aback. "What are you talking about?"

"You obviously know what I am talking about Liz, so don't deny it!" he raged, his arms flying around him. "Why didn't you tell me Liz?"

"Harry, I'm sorry," she began crying. "I'm so sorry!"

"IT'S TOO LATE TO BE SORRY LIZ! 30 YEARS! OH MY GOD," he exploded. "How could you?"

"I just couldn't tell you Harry. I just couldn't," she sobbed over and over again, not daring to look him in the eye. She was afraid of the retribution, the anger and the disappointment she would see.

"It's that guy, isn't it? What was his name?" Harry asked, looking calmer. In a way, he'd bought it upon himself.

"Bryce," she replied, "Bryce Redstaff."

"Yeah, I should have known that. But you know what Liz, I JUST DONT CARE!" he shouted again as he turned and began to walk out the door.

"Where are you going?" Liz asked, hesitantly.

"To the hospital, of course," he replied. When he saw the expression on her face, he needed to continue. "He's my son no matter what. I'm not leaving him when he needs me most. But I don't want to see you here when I come back, Liz. I mean it. GO! GET OUT!"

And then he turned on his foot and stormed out the door, leaving Liz to shake and cry as she sat on her lounge.