Dumping her bag on the bed Maggie made her way into the bathroom pulling off her shirt
noticing her side was now bleeding and beginning to look worse for wear she reached for a face-washer wetting it slightly she began wiping at the wound when a knock echoed through her motel room
"Just a second" she called out walking back into the room
"Maggie?"
"Mick? That you?" she held the face-washer against her sore
"Yeah you gonna let me in?" he questioned listening to the footsteps before the door opened and Maggie stood on the other side in a robe with her left hand tucked inside
"Bit early for a bath isn't Sis?" he stepped inside kissing her cheek
"Was just freshening up after the drive" she lied closing the door
"So you'd go and see the Father?" he made himself comfortable on the end of the bed
"Oh yeah and he was real pleased too" she rolled her eyes
"Let me guess he was drunk as per usual" he noticed the blood covered shirt near the bathroom door
"Practically kicked me out" she kept her hand in her robe
"Yeah did the same to me the other day when I tired to visit"
"It's like he dosen't want the help"
"I don't think he knows what he wants Mick, after loosing Robbie he hasn't been coping I mean you see more of him then me and even I could tell something was wrong"
"The old man dosen't like it when I visit Maggie, so I just don't"
"You and Dad never really did get along even when we were growing up" she leaned against the couch for support
"You okay?" he watched her with confusion
"Fine" she coughed hissing slightly
"Maggie?" he arose off the bed moving towards her
"I'm fine honest" she tried to say before he pulled her arm out of her dressing gown it falling open to reveal a nasty sized cut on her side
"What the hell is that?"
"It's nothing, I just hit my side" she placed the face-washer back over it
"Did Dad do that to you?" he huffed looking around the room for a first aid kit
"I was pouring his beer down the sink"
"Maggie…"
"He pushed me into the bench it was just a cut and now it's…"
"Let me take a look" he placed the first aid kit on the small table before taking up one of the chairs
"Mick it's fine honestly"
"Did he do this deliberately" he carefully removed her hand off it
"I don't even think he noticed"
"Geez Mags to get a cut like this it'd have to have been some push" he looked at it carefully
"It was an accident" she hissed when he used some antiseptic to clean the area
"You should have called me when you first arrived, we both know how Dad is when he's drunk"
"Especially when you try to take his beer away" she laughed immediately regretting it
"Yeah don't laugh to hard"
"It's just a cut, a band aid and clean up it'll be good as new"
"Maggie I don't think you're understanding how deep this wound is, I think you're going to need stiches"
"What?"
"Well from the force of the shove and knowing how sharp those corners are from experience" he held his hand up revealing a scar
"I'd say it's possible that stitches are in your cards"
"You can't just bandage it up?"
"I can put some bandage on it but then I'm taking you to the ER"
"First day in Melbourne and I'm already getting myself into trouble"
"Can't be all bad I mean once you go back home you'll be able to show all your colleagues your new scar, especially PJ" he teased not realising he'd hit a nerve at the mention of 'home'
"Yeah…" she sighed softly while he bandaged her up
"You are going back to Mount Thomas aren't you?" he looked up at her
"It's undecided yet"
"Maggie…"
"Are we done here?" she moved towards her bag on the bed to get a clean shirt
"You can't give up your life in Mount Thomas just to help Dad" he began packing up the first aid kit
"He needs me Mick, I can't just turn my back on him like you and Robbie did"
"You were always his favourite I suppose it must have just been easy for Robbie and I"
"That isn't what I meant…" she grabbed a clean shirt out of her bag
"You're life Maggie… it's not here in Melbourne with Dad working a nine-to-five job at some city Police station"
"I work nine-to-five in Mount Thomas too" she carefully pulled her shirt on
"You were born for country life don't let anyone including our selfish father take that away from you" he turned in his chair to face her
"There isn't much of a life in Mount Thomas anymore"
"Why, because you and PJ had another fight?" he arose to stand
"Mick…"
"You and PJ are always arguing over something Maggie it's not a big deal"
"This one was different…" she looked at him sadly
"Well how about we go to the hospital, afterwards we go and get some dinner and we can discuss it?"
"I don't…"
"What are older brothers for but to kick the arse of the man who broke his sister's heart hmm?" he wiped the stray tear off her cheek
"Just to clarify I think I'm the one who broke his heart" she picked up her handbag
"Then I'll still kick his arse for ya" he grinned moving towards the door
"How'd you guess? About PJ I mean?" she asked when they exited her room and headed towards the stairs
"I saw it.. the last time I was down when we were investigating them, I saw the way you looked out for him"
"But that was like.. four years ago"
"Yeah I know even then it was obvious there was something between you two" he smiled
"Guess Bother's really do pay attention"
"Only sometimes, other times we just try to ignore that our younger siblings exist" he laughed when she elbowed him as they walked down the stairs
"Oh.. that hurts.."
"Yeah don't move too much" he placed a hand on her back.
Back in Mount Thomas-
Entering the Imperial to collect the lunches Nick shook his head when Chris stopped across the other side of the bar
"How long's he been in here for?" he handed over a $20 motioning to PJ who was sitting in the dining room
"A few hours Tom said he gave him the rest of the day off apparently" she leaned on the bar
"First I'm hearing of it he was sent to collect the lunches an hour ago"
"Right…"
"What number's that?" he watched PJ lift a glass to his lips
"Two, don't worry I've cut him off" she took that money and moved to the register
"I might just have a word with him" Nick placed his hat on the box
"What about your lunches"
"They'll be right" he walked towards the dining room,
"G-day Nick, beer?" PJ looked up when he spotted him entering
"Nah Mate bit early for me"
"More for me then" he took another mouthful
"Shouldn't you be working?" he sat across from him
"I am, I'm testing Chrissy's new beer"
"PJ.."
"If you're not here to join me I'd like to be left alone"
"The Boss has been going mental since you disappeared"
"So" he shrugged placing his glass down
"Is this really how it's going to be now? You drowning your sorrows in beer?" he huffed moving to stand
"If it helps"
"You're such a hypocrite you know that Maggie left to be with her Dad for this exact same reason what you think drinking yourself senseless will bring her back?"
"I couldn't care what Maggie does or dosen't do"
"You don't mean that" he shook her his head
"If you excuse me I think I'll go somewhere I can drink in piece" he arose moving past him
"PJ" Nick placed a hand on his arm stopping him
"Let me go Nick"
"Not when you're like this"
"Nick, let me go"
"Mate"
"I'm not your mate" he pulled his arm back shoving him away
"Don't do this here now why don't you come back to the watchhouse and we can chat over an OJ"
"I don't want you're help"
"Oi knock it off you two" Chris called over the bar
"If you won't come back to the watch house then at least go back to work before the Boss sends out a search party"
"Nick…" PJ shook his head
"I know mate, I know" he looked at him sadly when he moved past him
"He alright?" Chris stopped next to him collecting the empty glass
"Oh I don't know… Maggie left for Melbourne this morning and from my understanding things didn't end well between them"
"They never really were straight forward with each other were they"
"Their as hopeless as each other" Nick shook his head
"And the ditching work?"
"Not wanting to be in the station because Maggie's not there"
"Are you sure?"
"It's the only thing I'm sure of" he sighed looking across at the exit where PJ was waiting for him "I better…"
"Yeah" Chris nodded watching him walk over to PJ patting him on the back before collecting the lunches and his hat,
entering her office after placing the dirty glasses in the kitchen Chris closed the door behind her and dialled the number
"Pat? Yeah it's Chris Reilly, is Maggie there?" she looked around waiting for an answer
"She's not? But I thought…"
"Right would happen to know the number for that?" she asked after he answered, reaching for a pen she started writing on a note pad
"Yep, thanks for that okay yep see ya" she hanged up placing her pen down before dialling the number on her pad
"Maggie? Yeah it's Chris look we need to talk…".