Chapter 7 Ways and means

Dave and Regan where standing in Dave's living room. Stevie had already gone to sleep, pushed a bit by her friends who were worried about her. 'I hope she can get some sleep', Dave said, when he sat down on one of the chairs. Regan didn't really know how to behave. It still felt strange to be with him after their last fight. See regretted every moment of it, but Regan knew they weren't meant to be. It would never have worked out.

Finally she sat down on the couch. 'You know I can take the couch', she said, still feeling a bit uncomfortable he was doing so much effort for making her and Stevie feel at home, while he hardly had been here for a week. And his apartment surely looked like it. Dave didn't have a spare bed yet and so she and Stevie slept in his bed. 'I don't think Stevie will appreciate it when I sleep next to her', Dave smirked for a moment. It had something comforting in it. Regan smiled a bit uneasy, cause she hadn't thought about that.

'I hope she will be okay, I hope Alex will be okay.' Dave nodded. 'Yeah, she's really upset.' 'I think she blames herself for what happened', Regan showed another worried look. 'It's not her fault Fiona lied'. Dave had heard most of the story and he didn't understood Fiona's lie at all. Why did she lie about something Alex wanted so badly? They would get married anyway. But then he remembered the talk he had with Alex, just a couple of days before the wedding.

'You know Dave, it's funny with me and Claire. I always knew where we stood. At least our expectations where real. You know, like good mates.' Dave could hear himself say his last line of the conversation; '... it's time for a chat.' Then he remembered Stevie's call and seeing the look on Fiona's face when Alex went to Drovers.

'Dave?' Regan saw an absentminded man in front of her. 'Oh ...', he shook up from his thoughts. 'What you're thinking?', she asked. 'Uhm, nothing ... well just a chat I had with Alex just a few nights before the wedding.' It made Regan giving him even a more questioning look. 'Well, don't mind'. He waved it away, but it kept playing on his mind.

'Well, I hope Alex gets better, cause I don't think Stevie can handle anything else', Regan said again to get the conversation going. Not just to do that, but also because she really could use a chat. 'Well they've always been close after Claire died. I'm sure they will get pass this.' But Regan wasn't that sure, there was so much more and it seemed Dave didn't had a clue. But the blonde bloke could sense Regan's thoughts somehow.

'You're not giving me the whole package, are you?' He sat up a bit more, lowering his voice. Regan hesitated for a moment, but knew Dave was the right person to talk to. She shook her head, looking down. 'He means so much more to her.' It was all she said but it was all Dave needed. 'You say she's in love with him?' Regan nodded. 'Wow ... really. Well didn't saw that coming, or well ..', he gave it a second thought and it kind of started to make sense to him.

He tossed all thoughts around. 'And Fiona knows, does she?' Once again he got a nod back. 'Ah ...', he shook his head a bit surprised, like it all came clear to him. 'What?', Regan asked really intrigued by his way of acting. He looked straight at her. 'He kinda, well Alex, he was a bit overwhelmed by all the stories about Fiona when her mum visited. I think he had some second thoughts, cause he realized he didn't know her that well. He wanted to talk to her, but than he had to go to Drovers to shear the sheep.' '... all night', Regan added. She remembered it. 'She probably wasn't happy with that.' Dave agreed. 'Yeah, spending a whole night with Stevie. And I don't think that changed his mind.' Regan was impressed. 'She must really have been afraid loosing him...' '... to Stevie.'

They both looked at each other, and the conversation made all strange feelings between them go away, cause they felt they were on the same track. 'Do you think Alex ever ... you know with Stevie?' Dave thought for a moment. 'Well, I'm not sure. Has Stevie ever told you something about the day before Tess and Nick's wedding?' 'No, why?', Regan hadn't a clue where Dave was aiming at. 'Well, okay, maybe I'm totally wrong, but I always had that suspicion there happened something between them that day, but well maybe it was just the alcohol that confused me.' He remembered the combined party and smiled to himself. Yeah that was a fun evening.

'No, never ...' Dave stared in front of him. 'I don't know, Alex ... he ... Fiona isn't really the kind of girl he would really fall for, not like Claire ... at all.' 'Well that's an understatement', Regan said smirking. 'Yes indeed'. Regan absorbed his smile. 'Stevie more is', they both concluded.

They realized it was best to leave all thoughts behind and get some rest, cause this day had been exhausting, both physical as mental.

Stevie walked into the hospital room, but within a sec she saw the bed was empty. It didn't seemed like anyone was around and it frightened her. Where was Alex? She touched the sheets on the bed for a moment, like it would give her a sign, or to feel if it was still warm. But she saw and could feel it were clean sheets.

All of a sudden she felt someone's presence behind her. She turned around, expecting some of the hospital staff, but with a deep sigh she looked into his deep blue eyes. 'Alex?', she murmured. She was perplexed. There was nothing wrong with him. He looked as healthy as he could be. Alex smiled at her and Stevie could feel happiness fill her body. 'You're better, when, how?' But he moved closer, not giving an answer with his voice, just taking her hand. She looked at it for a moment, whispering his name again. Than she realized there was something awkward about the situation. Before he looked up, she felt his fingers touching her face. With a shiver she looked at him again, hardly daring to breath. He bended down, coming even closer. She could feel his warmth. A moment later she felt his tender lips touching hers, and she could feel the passion expanding, while he deepened the kiss. She was totally overwhelmed.

She felt him slip away, and as she opened her eyes again she didn't saw him. She looked around, but there was no one. Upset she ran to the door, upon the hallway and looked both ways, but no one was there. 'Alex!' She shouted, but there was no reply. She ran further down the corridor, and it felt like everything got whiter. She saw a bright overwhelming white light at the end of the hallway, still screaming his name. 'Alex!'

She felt an arm upon her shoulder, shaking her softly. 'Stevie, Stevie'. She opened her eyes, and noticed she was soaked in sweat. Looking next to her there was Regan, watching all worried. 'You're okay? Did you had a bad dream?' Stevie could hardly say a thing, realizing it was all a dream. She breathed heavy and nodded. 'Oh, poor girl'. Regan pulled her in an embrace and it made Stevie cry.