Panic rose in her the moment that man grabbed her and his hand closed around her throat; she couldn't breathe - try as she might - and his grip was too strong for her to break. Alice could see the worry and anger in Lucien's eyes as he and Superintendent Munro tried to talk the man down; all Alice could think of was Matthew.

'Not yet,' she thought, 'not like this, I want to see him again, to talk to him again. There's so much left to say.'

Her heartbeat roared in her ears as the edges of her vision started to dim and blur; how long had it been? Seconds? Minutes? The hand on her throat slackened and as the air rushed back into her lungs, Alice slumped to the floor - wishing the hands rushing to help her were Matthew's as she tried to remember how to breathe.

"Are you alright?" Nurse O'Brien squeezed her shoulder as Alice lay on the floor with her eyes closed.

"I will be," she answered softly - hearing Lucien's worried call of her name.

"Are you alright?" Her colleague asked.

"You know, that really is an awful question to ask," Alice mused as she felt Lucien gingerly look at her throat and head; she winced when he opened first her right eye and then left to shine a penlight in them both, but Mattie laughed at her remark as she and Lucien helped Alice up to her feet. "I'm fine, thank you."

"You're sure you're alright?"

"I'm fine."

"I'm not convinced."

Alice snorted even as Mattie brought her a small measure of whiskey (the sight of it made her smile and wish Matthew was here even more), "I'm just embarrassed it happened, that's all. My pride hurts more than my throat, honestly, Lucien."

She turned to Mattie, who'd been such a help tonight - a bright and clever assistant, she could see why Lucien doted upon her, "Miss O'Brien, I could use your help. We need to call the hospital and arrange for the body to be removed."

"Of course," Mattie smiled and squeezed Alice's arm.

The full autopsy of Jacqueline Maddern could wait until after Alice got some sleep, but she felt better knowing that the body was at last getting the respect it deserved. Mattie stayed by her side even after all of them filed out of the Colonist's Club - chatting about biology and chemistry - and Alice found she rather enjoyed talking with her.

"Let us drive you home, Dr. Harvey," Mattie implored when Alice made to split off towards the hospital.

"Thank you, but no," Alice smiled. "My car is at the hospital."

"Surely, you're not going to work after all this?" Jean asked - her stoic son right behind her.

"No, I promise that I'm going home. And Happy Birthday, Jean," Alice's smile widened when Jean leaned in and kissed her cheek; she turned to Lucien, "I'll see you tomorrow, then? For the autopsy?"

"Provided someone else hasn't been murdered in the meantime, yes," Lucien also leaned in and kissed her cheek.

With a wave (and another promise that she'd go straight home and rest), Alice walked away slowly back to the hospital. She caught her hands shaking as she sat in her car, and bit her lower lip; maybe Matthew would be up by now and she could call him, that would make her feel better before she attempted to sleep.

Matthew grunted as something woke him abruptly; it took him a second to realize it was his flat's phone. Grumbling, he got up and answered.

"Lawson," he barked.

"I didn't wake you, did I?" Alice's voice - rough and quiet - came over the line and he couldn't help but smile.

"You did, but I needed to be up anyways. Case keep you up?"

"Yeah, there was a murder at the Colonist's Club last night and we didn't get home until this morning."

"Sounds like a story."

"Maybe when both of us are more awake, dear," she teased him softly, but he could tell her heart wasn't in it.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Alice, sweetheart, what's wrong?"

She went quiet and then sighed, "It was a long night… and I just wanted to hear your voice. Does it have to be more than that?"

"No, no, you can call whenever you want to, I just… you sound more than just tired from a case and… I just want to make sure that you're alright."

"I am now, I promise, dear."

"Alright… don't hesitate to call again if you need to, I'll probably be here all day."

"I promise. And make sure you call the Blake house, I think Jean would appreciate a happy birthday from you."

He smiled, "I might just do that, actually, thank you for the reminder, sweetheart. Go rest."

"I will and… thank you, Matthew."

"Any time."

Alice wished him a good day and they exchanged goodbyes before he heard the tell tale click of her hanging up; looking at the phone in his hand, he sighed and wondered what it was that Alice wasn't telling him. Maybe Blake or Jean could fill him in on it, he mused as he dialed the familiar number.

"Blake Residence," Jean's cheery voice answered and he had to smile.

"A little bird told me it was your birthday today, Jean."

"Oh, Matthew! It's so good to hear from you! How are you?"

He grinned and filled her in a little bit about his current stay in Melbourne, but soon turned the tables back on her - itching to get to the bottom of what was causing Alice trouble.

"Anything else happen tonight at the Colonist's Club?" He asked, as nonchalantly as he could.

"Why, Matthew, you must have an informant. What's got you so interested in the Club?"

He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, "I… it's Dr. Harvey. I… spoke with her earlier and she sounded off, so I wanted to know why."

"I wasn't aware the two of you were friends."

"Ah, well, we're friends and… well, more than friends."

He could practically hear Jean's smile on the other end, "Good, I'm happy for both of you. You're good for her, and she's good for you. I hated to see either one of you so lonely. Now, as for what happened at the club…"

Matthew quietly closed Alice's front door behind him after he put the spare key back in its hiding place. The house was dark for the middle of the morning and silent - if he hadn't spoken to Alice earlier and if her car wasn't in the drive, Matthew would have assumed she was out. Toeing out of his shoes, he crept through the house - beating a familiar path to her bedroom.

He made out the shape of her under her covers in the darkened room and tiptoed to her side. Kneeling beside the bed, Matthew softly tucked a stray curl behind Alice's ear - smiling gently when she stirred.

"Hey there," he whispered.

"Matthew?" Alice rubbed at her eyes, her voice rough with sleep. "I thought you're supposed to be in Melbourne."

"I am," he nodded, "but you sounded odd over the phone… so I came to check up on you."

Alice propped herself up on her elbow - a furrow of confusion between her brows and her eyes still bleary. "You… you drove all the way here… just to see how I was?"

"Yeah," Matthew shrugged with a small smile.

Alice cupped his cheek with a shaking hand and he could hear her holding back tears in her voice when she spoke.

"I… thank you."

He leaned in and pressed a kiss to her forehead, "You're welcome, sweetheart."

"Would you… would you stay, please?"

Pressing another kiss to her forehead, Matthew cradled her face in his hands - thumbs wiping her tears as they fell. "Yeah, I can stay."

She watched him silently as he quickly stripped down to his shorts and slid into bed behind her. Pulling his arm tight around her waist, Alice let out a shuddering - yet relieved - sigh.

"Who told you what happened?" Alice finally asked - relaxing into his comforting warmth.

Matthew kissed the back of her shoulder, "Jean did. I called Blake's house to see if he knew what happened, and to wish Jean a happy birthday like you suggested, and she was the one who answered."

"So… she knows about us."

"Yeah, she teased it out of me, sweetheart. Are you okay with that?"

Alice sighed and turned in his arms, "I think so."

"Don't worry, I had her promise not to tell Lucien."

Her body shook with silent laughter and Matthew smiled. He took in the darkening bruises on her throat and smoothed his hands up and down her back.

"You sure you're alright?"

Alice's lower lip trembled and she wrapped her arms around his waist. "I was… scared, Matthew. It- I'd been in that kind of situation before, but this… this time it truly scared me."

Matthew pressed a kiss to her forehead as more tears fell from those beautiful blue-grey eyes he loved. He soothed her as she wept in his arms - finally letting it all out now that it was just the two of them.

"I'm here, sweetheart. I'm here," Matthew tipped her chin up and brushed his lips against hers. Alice clung to him and deepened the kiss - seeking the comfort he brought her and melting into his arms. Her fingers dug into his back as she pressed her body against his - not leaving the tiniest sliver of space between them; Matthew obliged her - twining their legs together to pull her even closer as they traded kisses (hers tearful, his warm and gentle).

"Promise me."

"Anything," he whispered.

"Promise me, Matthew, that I'll always feel safe with you."

"I promise." Matthew kissed her - once, twice - and held her close. "I promise, Alice."

The comforting weight of Matthew's arms around her warmed her heart when she woke later that day. The midday sun spilled across her bed - bathing the room in its golden glow as she curled further into Matthew's embrace. His hands ran through her hair - sometimes scratching lightly at her scalp and Alice hummed.

"Sleep well, sweetheart?" He asked softly - his voice rumbling beneath her ear.

"I did, thank you for being here."

"You're welcome," Matthew kissed the top of her head before she lifted her chin for a proper kiss.

It was like sinking into a warm bath; Matthew's kisses comforted her in a way Alice could only link to that soothing sensation of bathing after a long day - the heat seeping into her bones and muscles, leaving nothing but comfort and satisfaction behind.

"What would you like to do today? I'm guessing you don't have to be anywhere until tomorrow."

"Honestly, I was probably going to sleep most of the day, even if it screwed up my schedule," she smiled and kissed him. "But with you here now, maybe just a lazy day with books and the wireless? Or, I could also work on my next quilt, but… my brain's still very tired."

Matthew grinned and rubbed her back with his warm hands, "Books and wireless it is, then. You can laze around, I'll cook you some good, decent meals, and then we can come back here to bed early after dinner - just take it easy for today after everything that's happened."

"You are a godsend, Matthew," Alice kissed him soundly even as he laughed at her compliment.

"Ah, I'm just here to make sure you're alright, sweetheart."

Alice kissed him again as a soft series of knocks echoed through her house from the front door; she sighed, "I really hope this isn't a call for a case."

"Want me to come with you?"

"No, no, you're supposed to be somewhere else, remember?" Alice kissed him softly and got up from the bed with a slight groan. She pulled on her robe and tied it close as the knocks came again.

"Yes?" She opened the door - blinking in the bright sunlight until she could see clearly; Jean Beazley stood on her doorstep with a smile and a basket. "Jean!"

"I probably should have called, I'm sorry if I woke you."

"No, no, it's alright, what did you need?"

Jean held up the basket, "I thought you could use some food that you didn't have to make yourself with all that happened last night."

Her lower lip trembled as she blinked back tears; never before had she been thought of like this - at least not before coming to Ballarat.

"I… thank you," she whispered.

"May I bring it in?"

"Of course," Alice stepped back to let Jean inside; Jean smiled and walked inside - toeing off her shoes gently when she saw the shoes by the door.

"Oh, you have company," the housekeeper noted Matthew's shoes. "I can go."

"It's alright, Jean, it's just me," Matthew's voice surprised them both and they turned to see him leaning against the wall further down Alice's hallway - dressed in his rumpled trousers from yesterday and his undershirt. "Ah, Alice is in for a treat with your food."

"I'm glad I brought plenty then."

Alice felt her cheeks warm, but she didn't feel the need to hide what was between her and Matthew from Jean; Jean wasn't a gossiper - having been talked about for years before Alice came to Ballarat - and she made Alice feel like she wasn't judged for her choices. Matthew slipped an arm around her waist as Jean bustled into her small kitchen and went to work.

"Alright?" He asked her softly and kissed her temple when she nodded. "I told you that you'd get to try Jean's food one day, sweetheart."

"You did," she smiled when he kissed her forehead again. "I'm a little worried I won't want yours after this."

Matthew laughed and playfully tickled her side before he went in and helped Jean prepare the food before their mutual friend left them alone with a hug and kiss to their cheek on her way out.

"I'll make sure you're not bothered," Jean told her softly. "And rest those vocal chords with those bruises popping up more."

"Thank you, Jean," Alice let herself be pulled in for another hug before Jean left through the front door.

Jean's food was absolutely divine - filling and warm, Alice could see what Matthew meant about it feeling like home; it lulled her into a sense of safety, which continued in Matthew's arms back in bed as he read one of her medical journals while she dozed (occasionally asking her to define terms or explain something better than the articles did). She hadn't had a relaxing day like this in such a long time.

"I wish you could stay," Alice whispered as she watched him get dressed the next morning; Matthew looked up from tying his shoes to see her wrapped up in her robe - looking so small and scared that he couldn't help but stand and pull her into his arms. "I wish you didn't have to go."

He rested his forehead against hers - his nose nuzzling hers as she took in a deep breath and let it out in a shaky sigh; running his hands up and down her back, Matthew kissed her softly.

"I wish I could stay, sweetheart."

"But you have to go."

"I do… but… I have a feeling I might be returning soon."

"Really?"

"Yeah… it's going to take some work, but I think I have something juicier for them to gnaw on than these old bones. Might come with some repercussions, but I'll be back here and back on the job… back in your bed."

Alice gave him a shaky smile, but she kissed him. "Is there anything I can do here on my end?"

"No, no, Charlie's taking care of it for me."

"Charlie?" She asked, smiling when he nodded, "Oh, he's good, I hadn't suspected anything."

"Good, we'll need to keep it that way for a little longer."

"Okay," Alice nodded. "Okay, I won't say anything, I promise."

"I know you won't, sweetheart; just hold out a little longer."

Alice wrapped her arms around his neck and shoulders and held tight; Matthew pressed a kiss to the side of her head as he held her close. He'd get back here as soon as he could; Charlie would pull through on his end and together they'd pull a rabbit out of a hat to get Matthew back in Ballarat where he belonged. He hated that he had to leave Alice so soon after her scare the night before, but if his long game of back and forth with the special committee was going to pay off, he needed to stay in Melbourne as much as possible in the next few weeks, and that meant no more visits to Ballarat for an unknown amount of time. But he wanted to reassure Alice as much as he could.

"Here," he pulled out a thin chain from his pocket with a small cross attached - a leftover trinket from the war years before; his mother had given it to him before he left - a good luck amulet that hadn't spared him from the horrors of war, but it might have brought him back home. "Take this and keep it until I get back."

Clasping it around her neck, Matthew smiled when it was long enough to hide beneath her blouses - their little secret, like whatever it was that was going on between them these past few months.

"It won't be long," he kissed her by her front door - cradling her face in his hands.

"Don't keep me waiting, Matthew Lawson, or I'll be very cross with you."

"I promise."

Kissing her one last time, Matthew slipped out of her house and hoped no one would see him going out of town; he'd fight tooth and nail to come back, this had gone on long enough.