PART FIVE

Disclaimer: Mt. Thomas and all characters belong to Blue Heelers, Southern Star and Channel 7.

The night grew older and people started to leave, saying their final goodbyes to PJ.

Like the rest, Alex was sad to see him go, but he found his mind preoccupied with other thoughts. He felt bad about the way he had acted earlier with Amy. She had as much right as everyone else to have a good time, have a drink and dance with a guy. He had thought he was protecting her but maybe it was something else? What was it? Why didn't he want her to be with that guy, why did it feel wrong?

One word crept to his mind, but it was so hard to admit that he didn't want it to register. But as anything else unpleasant, it manifested itself in his mind until it landed – deep, hard and true.

Jealousy.

Jonesy looked to see Amy with her hands around the guy's waist and the guy leading him outside.

"Jonesy!"

He looked up to see Susie standing there.

"Can I get a lift or scab a few dollars? I put down my wallet and now its gone."

Jonesy smiled.

"Typical girls! You'd lose your head if it wasn't screwed on!"

Susie punched his arm.

"I may have lost my wallet, but I haven't my fist!"

"Well when you put it that way, how can I refuse? But there's one condition…"

"I am not doing your paper work!" Susie cut in quickly. "I'd much rather walk!"

Jonesy rolled his eyes good naturedly.

"I wasn't going to say that! I'll give you a lift, on the condition that you dance with me."

Susie grinned, as Jonesy worked a smile onto her face as only he could.

"You're on!"

They move to the floor and started to dance, feeling the music and Susie threw her head back in laughter as Jonesy exaggeratedly swung his hips to the beat.

"You're not going to make this easy for me are you?" She laughed.

"Nope! I'm getting my money's worth!"

Alex sat back, alone at the table. He watched Susie and Jonesy dance away, laughing and joking and he smiled. They were right for each other and he knew deep down they knew it too. The whole roundabout route was getting tiring but Alex knew sooner or later they would fall into each other's arms.

He took another swig of his drink. As much as he liked to flirt and joke, deep down he craved stability. Someone he could rely on, trust…someone who would always be there for him. His friends were as close as it got, but sometimes he just wanted more.

He surveyed the room which had thinned considerably in the last half hour. He noticed PJ and Chris sharing one last quiet drink at the bar and Tom heading out the door. Kelly and Joss had left minute earlier amidst rants and raves about which sex would be more likely to inhabit Mars. Mark was long gone which left Amy…

He quickly turned, scanning the room for her figure. She wasn't there. Alex didn't know what it was, his copper instinct or just plain common sense, but he started to feel worried.

He got up and headed towards the dancefloor.

"Suse can I borrow your partner for a minute?"

They both looked up and Susie cracked up.

"Depends what it's for!" She grinned flirtatiously at Jonesy.

"Well, you know me…always liked to live on the edge!" Jonesy cracked.

"Get your mind out of the gutter Jonesy!"

"Speak for yourself!"

Alex broke him off in mid sentence and pulled him aside but before he could speak, Jonesy jumped in.

"What's up mate? If this is about putting stuff on your tab, I swear-"

"Grasshopper."

Alex stared him down, and Jonesy found himself with a side of Alex he rarely saw.

"Where's Amy?"

Jonesy suddenly broke out in a grin. Of course Alex was wetting himself over a girl. CI, granted, but still.

"Mate, seriously leave her alone! If she doesn't want to be with you, let it go!"

"Seriously Jonesy - where is she?"

"What are we doing?" Amy's voice was slurred as she the cool air confronted her bare skin.

"Just having some fun."

He threaded his hands through her dark, fine hair, watching as the moonlight played off her features.

"Just having some fun." He repeated. "I'll show you a night you will never forget."

Jonesy scratched his head.

"I don't know where she is mate, I'm not her baby-sitter – oh wait. I saw her going out the back door, are you satisfied?"

Alex ignored his last question, pouncing on the information.

"When?" Alex demanded.

"I don't know…ten minutes ago? What's the big deal? It's not like she'd do anything stupid."

"Ow!" Amy's arm started to ache as Tyson dragged her harshly down the dark alleyway.

"Where are we going?"

"Somewhere fantastic." Tyson answered, all the while looking over his shoulder as the shadows danced in the otherwise still night.

As they moved faster and fast Amy's head started to spin.

"Let's go back inside." Her breathing became heavier. "I don't want to do this."

Even swimming in alcohol, she could feel something wasn't right.

But instead of letting her go or leading her back, his grip on her tightened.

"You want this. You've wanted this all night…don't you dare back out now."

"Jonesy I have a really bad feeling about this. Was she by herself?"

"No. She was with…someone." Jonesy said distractedly, his eyes still drawn to the dance floor.

"Who?" Alex asked sharply.

"Tyson."

With his name associations came flooding in. His smooth but somehow cunning words, the evil glint in his eye, his sinister grin.

And all at once, the pieces fell together and Alex's eyes widened as he realized what was going to happen.

"Let me go!"

Amy's vision swam as she tried to get free but no matter how hard she tried, but she wasn't strong enough.

"You wanted this! Now just shut up or someone will get hurt!"

She cried out as he violently shoved her against the fence, once, twice.

She felt fear build up in her throat as he slammed her head for a third time.

"LET ME GO!"

Alex grabbed Jonesy's arm as he pulled him out the door, starting to run the second his feet hit the gravel.

"Ow! You're gonna pull it out of its socket!" Jonesy exclaimed.

"Shut up Jonesy! He's got her!"

"Who?"

Alex was screaming now.

"Tyson! He's got her you idiot, he's got her!"

"Shut up!"

His voice had become harsh, wild, uncontrollable.

"You want this!"

Suddenly his face was up against hers, his breath on her face.

"You deserve this!"

He shoved her to the ground. Amy tried to fight but he was too big, too strong.

Suddenly pain seared inside her and she screamed – long, hard and loud until it all faded away and all she could see was black.

Suddenly a scream pierced the dark air and at once, both Alex and Jonesy knew.

"AMY!"