----- Part Two -----

After a long and ridiculous conversation with old Mr Stevenson, Jonesy and Susie had managed to get him, although grudgingly, to give Nancy back, along with the kid. Susie turned to Jonesy as the old man slammed the door in their faces, both goats at their feet.

"Okay, you take Nancy, I'll take the baby." She scooped up the tiny animal in her arms and waited for Jonesy to oblige.

"Come on, Nancy" he drawled, in a bad Texan accent. He picked up the goat under its belly, and held her close to his chest. "Oh, good. She's not that heav—Ugh!" His face changed to a look of annoyance, and he quickly pulled her away again, revealing a small smear of dirt on his shirt from Nancy's foot. "Dirty bitch," he muttered, setting off across the field to the old woman's farm. Susie laughed at her friend's bad luck and looked at the baby goat in her arms.

"I'm starting to like your mum already." She joked, as she trotted to catch up to her workmate.

"I heard that, you know." Jonesy shot back over his shoulder, irritated. He quickened his pace, hoisting his furry cargo higher up his arms.

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Finally, Alex and Amy had gotten the hysterical woman restrained and sedated, ready to be taken by the ambulance to the psychiatric ward of the hospital. Josh and his father were fine and had gone inside to bed. The ambulance tooted as it drove off down the driveway. The two Heelers looked on.

"Poor bugger." Alex remarked sympathetically as he unlocked the car and headed towards the driver's door. Amy paused, her door already open.

"The mum, the kid or the father?" She asked, half serious. She got into the passenger seat and shut the door.

"All of 'em." Alex reached out for the door handle, his keys dropping from his hand. He watched as they bounced under the car. "Great." He muttered sarcastically as he got onto his hands and knees, reaching under the car.

"Alex?" Amy was getting impatient in the hot car. "Alex" she called again.

"Alright, alright, hang on a second." He lay flat on the ground, straining his arm to reach the keys. Amy clicked her tongue and reached across the car, opening the door and swinging it straight into Alex's head.

"Oww, shit!" he clutched at his head. "Jesus Christ, woman, what the hell are you doing!" He got to his feet, wincing in pain. Amy was under-reacting. She walked over to him on the other side of the car.

"What were you doing on the ground, you idiot?"

"I was getting the bloody keys." He held them up for her to see. "Don't see how I'm the idiot here, though." He muttered angrily.

"God, I'm sorry. Are you OK?" She pulled his hand away to see the damage. He shrugged her off.

"Nah, it's alright, I'm fine." He forced a smile, but Amy persisted.

"Just let me have a look." She pulled his hand away from his scalp. He bowed his head to give her a better view of the back of his head.

"See, I'm ok, it's nothin' "

"Shit."

"What?" There was a touch of concern in his voice.

"You're bleeding."

"Where? Let's see…" The concern started to sound like slight panic. Amy grabbed his hand where he was holding his head and showed it to him. There was a fair covering of blood on his palm. "Bloody hell, were you trying to kill me or something?" He wiped his hand on his shirt, and raised it to touch his head again. Amy slapped it away.

"Don't. It's not as bad as it looks; you bleed the most from your head. Hang on, I'll just get the first aid kit 'n patch you up." His dirty look followed her around to the boot of the car as she went to get the first aid kit.

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Susie rang the doorbell as they stood on the old woman's veranda. Jonesy put Nancy down with a grunt, stretching his back and rubbing at the mud on his shirt. Susie sniggered, but quickly silenced herself when the woman answered the door.

"Here we are, ma'am. Two goats, safe and sound." Jonesy announced, a hint of pride in his voice. She knelt down and hugged Nancy tenderly. She stroked her lovingly, much to Susie's amusement.

"Don't forget about this little one. He's— Ugh, gross!" She held the animal at arm's length, staring with disgust at the large brown smear all down the front of her shirt. The old woman grabbed the goat from Susie defensively, turning to go back into the house.

"Serves you right." She muttered, and shut the door without so much as a 'thanks for your help'.

By this time, Jonesy was helpless with mirth. Doubled over, he was supporting himself on Susie's shoulder. She smacked his hand away and stormed over to the car. Jonesy followed her holding his stomach, his laughter slowly dying down. The sight of Susie standing by the car, blind with rage, holding her shirt away from her skin was too much. He struggled to stay on his feet as he once more surrendered to his chuckles.

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Alex sat on the bonnet of the car as Amy fixed up his head with a dressing.

"There you go, all done." She patted him on the shoulders. He reached up and touched his head gingerly where the cut was. He didn't seem so sure. Alex slid off the car, and turned to get back into the driver's seat. Amy stopped him, his hand on the doorhandle. "You just copped a pretty nasty blow to the head… maybe it'd be better if I drive." Alex rolled his eyes and shook his head at her with a malicious look. He moved to walk around to the passenger side, but was stopped by Amy.

"Alex, come on. It was an accident. I'm sorry." He scoffed. "You don't really think I did that on purpose, do you?" she couldn't believe what she thought he was implying.

"You didn't seem to care very much." He looked down his nose at her, looking slightly hurt. Amy laughed in disbelief.

"Oh, come off it, I'd never do that… not to you anyway." His looked up with a start, ears pricked. He looked at her suspiciously.

"Not to me? What's that 'sposed to mean?" he crossed his arms, eyebrows raised, a slight sly smile appearing at the corners of his mouth. "Is there something you're trying to tell me, Foxy?" He uncrossed his arms and took a step towards her, smiling suggestively.

"No, it's just…" she hooked her finger into one of the buttons of his shirt, and looked up at him. She stuck out her bottom lip in a fake pout. "I'm sorry." She gave him her best puppy dog look. Alex chuckled, rolling his eyes.

"How am I meant to stay angry at you when you look at me like that?" he asked playfully. She smiled.

"That's the whole point." She stepped into him, crossing her arms behind his neck. His snaked around her waist, pulling her closer. They were only inches apart, when the Sarge's voice crackled over the radio.

"Mt Thomas 900 to Mt Thomas 2-0-8." Alex jumped back, shrugging at her apologetically. He cleared his throat before replying.

"Loud and clear, Sarge, what's the go?"

"Oh, just checking up on you two, everything alright?" Alex chuckled.

"Yeah, it's all sorted out here, just on our way back now, see you in 15." He winked at Amy before putting the radio back in its holder. "We should be getting back." He got out of the driver's seat and motioned for Amy to hop in. "It's all yours." He fake-crooned.

She nodded in thanks and got into the driver's seat, starting the engine.

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