Chapter 14 – Time Has a Way

Boxing Day ended quicker than imagined for those staying at the Imperial, and before they knew it, the hype of Christmas was over. There seemed to be no reason to stay in Mt Thomas any longer. Evan returned to Melbourne and Kelly returned to St David's, both farewelling the sleepy town they loved reluctantly. It was the only place they had all always been together, and the lasting memory of Susie lingered there, and above all else, they didn't want to forget her, and leaving to go back to their usual lives meant leaving the best of her memory behind. The crew hugged and kissed and waved out their windows as they exited the Imperial carpark, back to their stagnant lives and non existent personal relationships.

Amy, Alex and Tom waved them off. It was well and truly the end of their Christmas celebrations – celebrations that had turned sour, but an end none the less. Tom Croydon followed Evan and Kelly, but on foot, waving his former detective and sergeant goodbye. He walked home feeling better than he had a week earlier though. He had seen his team again, and it had turned out to be exactly what he needed. He had lost so many close to him in the last decade that he could deal with Susie's death so much better than his colleagues, but as he walked home he knew he would still miss her. They all would.

In the driveway Amy turned to Alex suddenly and spoke. "I should probably get going as well," she felt embarrassed and a little shy still, despite their pleasant closeness of the night before out in the beer garden. She was so reluctant to leave, but knew she had to. She was due back at work. And as much as she wanted to stay in this quiet country town with all the familiar scents and sights she had grown to love so much, she couldn't. She knew it would test the new situation with Alex, but she felt like it needed to be done if their relationship, if that was what it was going to be, was going to be for real or mean nothing.

Alex was more reluctant than she though. He frowned as she informed him she had to leave and even felt a little confused. Where were they supposed to go now? What were they going to become? Was the night before a simple one off? Alex thought Amy knew better than that, and continued to frown. But he didn't want to push it. He had already made that mistake once. Things were going to be done at her speed or not at all.

So he tried to turn his frown into a smile as she waited for him to answer. She sensed his confusion, just by the look on his face, and it made her want to give him good news. Alex stubbed his toe nervously into the driveway. "Sure…" he replied sadly. "But…" he hesitated. "What are you doing New Years Eve?" he said it in a rush, as if fully expecting her to knock him back. Was his question also pushing it? He was so unsure, but it came out of his mouth anyway.

Maybe it's much too early in the game
Ah, but I thought I'd ask you just the same
What are you doing New Year's
New Year's Eve?

And she smiled in reply. Truthfully, she didn't know what she was doing for New Years Eve. She didn't know if she would spend it with Alex, or back in the office, doing paperwork and standing at the window at midnight watching the fireworks that spilled over the city sky, like she had the previous two years. So she gave him an answer that frustrated him. But inside she was dying from the intensity of the situation.

It's all you had to say

To take my breath away

"I don't know yet Alex," she answered, still nervous and tentative about taking risks with this man and admitting anything she might be feeling. So with that she drive away. He stood rooted to the spot, his hand sin his pockets, frowning. Whatever he might have with Amy, he reasoned, was never strictly one way or the other. It always hovered in the middle somewhere, and it always drove him mad. But he knew it was up to her now. He'd done all he could.