Chapter 16 – Without You

Twelve months passed quickly for the group, yet slowly at the same time. They remained in their mundane jobs, and remained in their mundane homes every weeknight. Not much changed. They always said they'd get out, but they never did. From their jobs or their homes. There were small changes here and there, some good, some bad. Tom got out more, and kept the garden up. Rotary welcomed him back with open arms after an absence of more than four years. Evan was promoted in Homicide, and was just a hairs breadth under Amy now, proving that even if he disliked his job, he couldn't have been too bad at it. Still made him wonder if it was worth doing though if he didn't enjoy it. Room 7 at the Imperial was never rented out to visitors again. It remained the room that they all had lost their beloved friend in, and Chris couldn't bare to have others sleep in it.

Alex's split from Rhiannon was finalised by February and she flitted off to the city in her highest heels and shortest skirt informing Alex that their marriage was the biggest mistake she had ever made. He was upset at her words, but knew that really, it had been the biggest mistake of his life also. Needless to say, it was a bitter parting. Alex remained in the watch house behind Widgeree, and took care of the little town all by himself. Occasionally he was treated to visits from Amy, although these remained far and few between until Rhiannon was well off the scene. He got the feeling she didn't want to intrude, but he longed to tell her that he needed her during those tumultuous first few months of the new year more than at any other time. But he didn't. They still had a lot to learn about each other.

By autumn they saw more of each other. It still remained a tentative relationship, and one that was restricted by distance, but they pushed it enough so that it stayed afloat the whole year long. By Christmas though, another gathering invitation was all the excuse Amy needed to really get away from Melbourne again and spend some time with Alex in Widgeree. Like the year before, she departed Melbourne on December 22, but drove straight through Mt Thomas, stopping only when she got to Widgeree.

She hopped out of the car and into the afternoon sun, grateful to be able to stretch her legs after the long journey. She looked up and over at the station, and it had the aura about it that disappointed her. He was out. She wondered over to the verandah and plonked herself down, hoping she wouldn't be waiting all afternoon. Then she proceeded to roll her eyes at her hope – she had forgotten that jobs in the country always took all afternoon. Not like in the city where you got someone's details and hightailed it out of there before you got your hands dirty. People were just numbers in the city, but not in the country. In the country you chopped branches off people's trees, and you knew their kids names and you sat in their kitchen and drank tea with them. Amy missed the country life. Alex was probably doing exactly that – cutting down someone's tree branches that were hanging over a power pole or a property line. She settled in for a long wait.

Luckily he returned half an hour later, pulling into the driveway of the station with a roar from the four wheel drive. Hopping out and setting his feet on the ground, he put his hand up to his forehead to shield the sunlight from his eyes. He squinted in her direction and smiled a pleasant 'I'm so glad work is over for today and I have come home to this' sort of smile. Walking over to her at the verandah, he grabbed her hand and hauled her up to standing. "How long have you been waiting?" he asked her quietly as they stood close.

She shrugged her shoulders. "Not long," she promised, smiling back. She wouldn't have cared if she'd had to wait all afternoon – the country air filled her lungs and Alex held her hand on the front lawn and no one else was around and she was away from work, and damn it felt great. It felt so great that she actually made the first daring move – something that didn't happen very often at all, with either of them – and pressed her lips into his and they stood kissing in the late afternoon sun.

On Christmas Eve they drove into Mt Thomas together, just quiet and contemplative during the journey. It was the catch up time of year again – how had it gone so fast? It had been a hard year, one full of twists and turns, and one where they had missed their friend more as every day passed. Would they all file back into the Imperial this Christmas Eve and have changed yet again from what they had been last year? Or would they all be well relieved to return to the group of people that knew them the best? Amy and Alex turned it over and over in their heads as they approached the hotel.

They walked across the carpark with their hands linked, but let them go as they walked inside. They weren't ready to tell anyone else yet. They didn't need to know. Tonight they were just going to catch up with old friends and to wish everyone a merry Christmas. Later they could go back to being together, when they were alone.

Walking through the busy Imperial bar, Amy and Alex saw none of their old comrades in the room, and silently agreed to immediately try the beer garden. Odds were that was where they would be. And they were. Evan, Kelly and Tom sat waiting for Amy and Alex and as they joined the group Chris bustled out with a tray of drinks – 7 glasses in all. One for each of them, including herself, and one that would remain on the tray in the middle of the table, untouched, in memory of who they were missing that Christmas Eve.

Tom took the lead, swiftly slipping into the role that was always made for him when he was in the company of these people, and raised his glass high, smiling. "Merry Christmas you old coppers," he joked, slugging down his drink after they had clinked glasses. The replies immediately tumbled out from the rest of the group.

"Old?!"

"Merry Christmas!"

"I think we need another one Chrissy!"

"To the holiday ahead!"

"Only the good die young."

"Another one for her…"

Here we are as in olden days,
Happy golden days of yore.
Faithful friends who are dear to us
Will be near to us once more

Until then we'll have to muddle through somehow
So have yourself a merry little Christmas now

From Brindy: Thanks to everyone who has reviewed, it has been fantastic hearing from all of you (even you Jakc!) I am glad you have enjoyed the fic :D