Chapter 9

It was not even a week later when Alex was ready to work again. Off course it wasn't the doctors advice to start already..He woke up at 5 so he could start out early and make a tour around the farm first to catch up on everything. He didn't talked to Nick much lately, Nick was still busy with Harrison and even started to lie to Tess, Alex hated that. Harry was up already too and looked up from his desk when Alex past him by, he could feel the negative atmosphere right away, which was getting pretty normal, but Alex couldn't get used to it. Harry stood up from his desk and frowned his eyebrows, he didn't look happy.
"It's about time you started working again. We're running behind our schedule." He had that disapproving look on his face, it made Alex froze and look down at the floor. For a few seconds Alex felt like a little boy again, he sounded soft when he said.
"I didn't knew we had a schedule?" Harry kept quiet and looked down to his documents on his desk.
...

Alex felt a bit confused when he walked outside. He had always missed a father who cared about him, a parent should be happy for him feeling better and that he was able to work again. And now that he got older it sometimes felt like he needed that even more, a father who'd supported him, who said he was doing the right thing. While he was thinking and busy saddling up the horse he noticed Harry behind him, his head slowly moved and turned to look at Harry. He was impassive when he saw Harry, the expression was like that too and when he wanted to speak Harry interrupted. "I want you to take a look at King Herold."

Alex got furious by the whole situation and Harry's insensitive way of acting by not paying any attention to him in a human kind of way.
His eyes were spitting fire and his lips trembled when he responded. "Listen you old man! Can't you please, for once, think about someone else instead of yourself?"

Harry made an uninterested sound, then he turned to walk away. He was holding a few documents and started to read them.

Alex followed his non biological father. "You bastard! You don't give a damn about me, do you?!"

That startled Harry, at least he felt something. "It's not about you. It's early, I'm grumpy."
Alex shook his head. "Yeah right. When it comes to the truth you start about something else."
Harry smiled. "Oh come on. How can you be so serious this time a day? Now, do I call Dave right away, or do you take that look at King Harold?"
"Stuff the stupid bull Harry! Sit down and talk to me for a change." He pushed Harry on a bale of hay behind him. Harry barely touched the hay and stood up again, stared in his sons sad and angry eyes.
But Alex didn't gave him a chance. "I said, sit down Harry." And Alex roughly pushed him back again. Harry now stayed put and the slightly surprised expression on his face changed into angry.
"I don't like that attitude of yours at all. What the hell is going on with you Alex?" He waited while Alex sat down with him.
Alex didn't answer. "You better listen to me and be honest. What is your problem? What am I doing so wrong? Talk to me and tell me if you don't want me around."
Harry tried to hide his smile. "I'm just annoyed with you not getting serious in life, that's all. You're hanging around that redhead all the time, while I'm not getting any younger. And with those kind of accidents of yours you won't be able to run this place on your own in the future."
But Alex needed answers. "Why are you giving me such a hard time lately? Why can't you be interested. You know I'm capable, but you just won't accept me for who I am and the way I do thing's around here, cause I'm not you!"
Harry smiled and shook his head. Alex stood up and had a fearless look in his eyes and pushed for an answer. "Am I right!?"
Harry stood up too and looked at him, when he wanted to say something Alex grabbed him at his shirt and filled him in. "I'm right, huh? You know what? Stuff this place! I don't give a damn about it. My friends are much more important." He roughly let him go and walked towards the house, Harry followed and walked behind him.

He couldn't hold it much longer. "Don't make me laugh. Why do you always seem to care so much about her? She's not the kind of woman to waste all your energy on Alex. When will you focus on someone more serious? You should think about the future, about Killarney and our family."
Alex chuckled out of sarcasm and looked behind him. "Our family?"
Harry proudly said. "The Ryan's."
Alex felt his heartbeat quickened. "I'm not even half a Ryan!" He walked through the door and closed it very hard right in front of Harry.
Harry felt humiliated and frowned his eyebrows and got angry too. He opened the door and found Alex in the living room. "How dare you talk like that!"
Alex shook his head, anger was al written on his face, his eyes were red. "It's easy, 'cause it's your way of thinking. You always make me feel like that. I'm just not good enough. No Nick, it's always Nick who's better at things, Nick who's the more sensible type of guy, well look where it got him!" Alex was talking about the situation with Sally.

Alex his hands were shaking and itching, he felt like he wanted to hit something.
Harry got furious inside. "Don't you talk about your brother like that."
But Alex wasn't finished. "And when it comes to family I am important all of a sudden? Family huh? Tell me Harry, if Nick hadn't had this heart disease would you ever let me run this place?! Would you ever consider to leave Killarney to me when you're gone?" He walked a few steps towards Harry and gave him a disapproving look.
Harry didn't know what to answer, but he said, "I would leave it to you both."
Alex took a deep breath and stepped away from his father, he looked though the window. "Don't lie to me, you wouldn't 'cause I don't have your blood running through my veins. Just say it out loud, let your heart speak for once." Then he turned back to face Harry again.
Harry shook his head, but kept quiet, he felt Alex' anger and upcoming aggressiveness.

"And how dare you talk about Stevie like that?! Stop interfere in my life! If you know everything so well then run Killarney on your own! I don't want to be here anymore. I need a place where there's trust, peace and no lies..." He walked away.
"You'll never find something like that, you can't just walk out like that!" Harry was worried about being on his own, Sandra wasn't there either anymore and Nick was to busy taking care of little Harrison and Sally.
Alex turned again and looked at Harry, who was obviously upset about it. But Harry made things worse, like only he could. "If you want to leave, go, but it has to be for good. You better think about that first."

Alex walked back, raging inside. "You can't threaten me like that! And you know what, this only makes it easier for me to leave."
Harry turned away from him and walked towards his desk, Alex followed him. He was so mad, his cheeks were glowing and he felt tears coming up. Deep down he was hoping Harry would ask him to stay, but instead Harry looked at him with an uninterested look on his face. "Goodbye Alex."

Alex couldn't believe it! Before he could think about what he was doing, he punched Harry right in his face. Harry looked surprised, but punched him back even harder. For a moment it was like they were in a boxing match, father and son against each other. But Alex soon realized they both had crossed the line, his heart ached, like someone stabbed him. He stopped fighting, said nothing and left the room. In the hallway he stopped and leaned against the wall, his breathing was heavy and fast, he moved his hand moved to his chest. Deep down inside he still hoped for a father who loved him with all his heart, but at this point he knew Harry just waited for him to leave. Alex was totally flabbergasted that Harry actually hit him back, he felt weak when he thought about it and had trouble to stay on his feet. He lowered himself to the floor and stayed put there for a while, staring at the floor. Harry stayed inside the livingroom and sat at his desk, staring outside. He was indeed waiting to hear Alex leave. Harry didn't want Alex to leave, but after this fight it might be better he did leave. And maybe Alex would learn something from it, stand on his own feet, that's what Harry thought of it.
...

Alex packed his belongings and put it all in his Ute. He knew a place to go up north, but he couldn't stop thinking about Stevie. They talked about this when they were mustering the cattle when he shared his thoughts about leaving. He remembered her telling him she would miss him. Alex tried to imagine how life would be without his best mate...In his heart he wanted to say goodbye, but he was to upset. So upset they wouldn't let him go, Nick, but especially Stevie. But could she forgive him if he didn't say goodbye?...Alex stepped into the Ute and started the car, he looked at Killarney through the open window as he slowly started driving away.
...

Stevie was busy unloading hay when she heard a familiar Ute, she turned around and looked exited. Alex stared at her, she was so beautiful and he loved to see that exited smile when he visited Drovers. She looked impatient as Alex didn't seem to come out of the car. He was still upset and nervous of what he was about to tell her. Stevie could almost read his mind, so she would immediately notice something was going on.

When Stevie wanted to walk up to him he finally came out of the Ute, he waved at her as she immediately continued working.

"You need a hand?" He asked, trying to act as normal as he could.

Stevie turned to face him. "Hey there, how are you?" But when she asked she noticed his eyes right away, they were red, which wasn't good. She walked towards him. "Alex? Are you ok?"
Then they stood in front of each other. "Off course, why wouldn't I be?"

Stevie kept quiet for a moment, she observed him. "You look pale, what happened?"
Alex stopped looking at her and he looked to the ground, while his boot was kicking some loose sand there. "Just a cold I guess. Listen Stevie, you got a minute?"
She nervously laughed. "Sure..."

They took a walk in one off the paddocks. "You're not really having a cold, do you?"

Alex shook his head, staring at the ground. "Nope."
"Let me guess...It has something to do with Harry."

Alex nodded. "Yep."
Then there was a silence, but they kept walking. Stevie looked at him every now and then, but Alex didn't look back. He felt like a mess inside, but he wanted to hide that as much as he could. They stopped at the fence and both leaned on it.
"Stevie, this is very hard for me to tell ya, but I'm here to say goodbye."
Several emotions kicked in, Stevie didn't know how she felt like. Her heart skipped a beat when his words were echoing through her mind. "I'm here to say goodbye."
She looked at him, her eyes were wet and begging for him to stay. "Alex..." She slowly said with a weak and soft voice. "Why?" She added.
"I didn't think I had to explain that to you."

Stevie was surprised by his answer. "What? I'm your best mate, I deserve an explanation."
"Right, like you did when you left with Kane."

"Oh come on, that was different."
Alex shook his head and walked away, he felt so bad when she left back then. He felt anger building up again, it was time to go.
Stevie yelled. "Hey! You can't just leave like that!" But Alex kept walking. "Hey!"
When he almost was at his Ute, Stevie caught up on him. "Alex!"

He turned and had that angry look in his eyes. "What?"
"What's wrong with you? You can't just walk out on everything, this is your life here."
But Alex wasn't reasonable anymore, he barked. "Stevie? You better be happy I come to say goodbye to you."
"Oh so now I feel really special..." She sarcastically said.
Alex stepped up to her and approached her real close, like it was threatening. "Good."
Stevie didn't except his behavior and pushed him away. "What the hell is wrong with you!"
Alex stayed on his feet and immediately approached her again, he had his hands up, ready to push her back! Stevie was shocked...And right at that moment he broke and sank to the ground. When he sat there he slapped one hand before his mouth, he couldn't believe his own aggressive move.
He whispered. "I'm so sorry."
She knelt down in front of him and grabbed his arm. "Alex...Tell me what happened."
Tears started running down his cheek. "This is what happens to me so often, I get mad and let it all out on you. She just stared into his blue eyes, he added. "I'm sorry Stevie." And he bend his head. Stevie moved her hands to his face and wiped a few tears from his glowing cheeks, it made him look at her., then she cupped his face and said. "Now you tell me what happened?"
"I had a huge fight with Harry, things got really ugly this time."
Stevie softly touched the damaged skin around his left eye. "I can see that...How's Harry?"
Alex was amazed by her interests and frowned his eyebrows, he immediately stood up. "I don't care, he got what he deserved."
Stevie stood up too and followed her best mate who started walking around. "What did you do?"
Alex turned to face her, his eyes were spitting fire. "Since when do you give a damn about him?! I punched him as hard as he punched me. And yeah, I started this." He pointed at his bruised eye.
Stevie looked at him with tears in her eyes, her words were gone. Alex waited for a response, but she said nothing and observed his Ute.
"Right, so I better get going."
Stevie fought against the tears. "So this is it? You already packed everything?"
Alex seemed to be a lot calmer all of a sudden and walked towards her. "I've got nothing left that keeps me here."
That hurt! Stevie couldn't hold the tears anymore and stood there, crying. "First ou loose your father, then your the woman you love, now Killarney and then there's nothing left? That's all you've had?!" She stepped towards him and wiped her tears. "How dare you! If that's how you think about our friendship then stick it Alex!" And she turned to walk away, but he grabbed her.
"Off course that's not how I think about us." They were silent and stared into each others eyes. "I didn't mentioned it, because it means the world to me. Give me a reason to stay Stevie."
Stevie got confused. Because of everything and this question...
She answered. "Nick, you can't just leave him behind. It's not fair to leave him alone with Harry in this mess he's already in."
Alex sighed. "Harry has a different relationship with Nick. Please give me a reason to stay."
"There are so many reasons Alex."
Alex moves his hand to her face and caressed her cheek, then he moved his hand through her hair. "We both know there's only one main reason why I would stay."
Stevie got nervous and wasn't sure of what he meant. "And that would be?"
"You tell me Stevie."
...

She didn't tell him, she freaked out and felt unstable. Why did she had to open up when he was about to leave? Her feelings for him wouldn't make him stay, she thought. She had seen how upset he was and knew how much he was hurt. Why couldn't he tell her what he meant? Alex turned and faced his car. With new tears coming up he held on to the steering wheel.
Stevie stood next to the car, feeling very confused. "Aren't you gonna give me a hug or something?"
Alex looked into her eyes. "No, that will only make this harder." He started the car and slowly drove away leaving Stevie with a broken heart...
She started to cry and yelled. "Oh why do you have to leave!? Please stay Alex!" She ran towards the car and he pulled over. He stared at the road when she looked inside the Ute, crying.
"You can't leave like this, I'll miss you."
Alex stepped out of the car to give her a big hug and wiped her tears. Stevie hugged him again and pushed him against her body, she whispered. "Don't leave me."
"It won't be forever, I promise."

"That's to long anyway. Don't you get it?"

Alex shook his head as he looked at her with a tiny smile on his face.
"I love you." She softly said and then looked down.
He touched her face and carefully pushed her chin up so she would look at him again. "What?"
"You heard." She shyly smiled.
Alex suddenly put his arms around her. "If there's only one reason for me to stay, it's this one... Cause I love you too Stevie Hall." He gently got hold of her face with both hands and slowly but firmly kissed her to confirm what he just said. Stevie wrapped her arms around him and answered the kiss.

Alex moved in with Stevie at Drovers, they lived in the cottage. Not long after that Nick came back too and the girls had a ball, having the Ryan brothers there.

THE END

So that's how she got her injury ;) And the rest of the story...Oh I love them and just can't stop fantasising about them. I would like to know what you think of this story, will you leave me a review?

(I'm sorry for not updating more and sooner, I've got a lot of pelvic and back pain which is causing me trouble to sit long.)