These last two - and probably the next few - chapters have been the most tricky ones to plan out and write. Ok, so the planning wasn't that hard, I know what I want to happen, but the writing, the actually getting my ideas out of my head and onto the page...not fun, let me tell you. What you are seeing is about Version 10, at least. Anywho, I finally decided to expose you to it, after my trusty word tweaker Rosa gave it the go ahead, and if she could get what i was trying to write ( and she's not even a Heelers fan!), I thought you lot might too. So, read on, and hope it all makes sense.

And yes, Helen, THAT Rosa, our Esteemed Rosa of the Arrowage!!

C

29

"It's true. Maggie's alive, PJ. She's alive. The Boss and Zoe are up with her now." Nick said quietly, his eyes never leaving PJ's blue eyes, desperate for PJ to take it in, for him to begin to understand.

"Nick – " PJ's voice was hoarse, "Nick, don't – "

"PJ, I know. Believe me, I know how hard this is to hear. I know how much you loved her, and I know how close you came when you lost her. And you have to know that I would never say this unless it was true. I would never hurt you like that, and neither would Zoe or Tom. You know that. She's alive, PJ. Maggie's alive." Nick's voice got stronger as he spoke.

A single tear found it's way from PJ's blue eyes as he fought against his emotions. Nick was still saying it, repeating over and over again that Maggie was alive. That his Mags, his beloved Maggie was alive. Alive. PJ's hand began to shake as he started to let the words sink in, his hands began to shake, followed by the rest of his body, and he couldn't stay still. Pacing the room, he didn't let himself look at Nick, couldn't let himself look at his best friend, the idea that what he was saying might be true, was too great to trust.

"Nick, - " he tried. "N – what – "

"She's alive, and Zoe says she looks healthy and happy. She's up in a city just outside Sydney, working in an office. She – " Nick swallowed, knowing how far fetched it was all going to sound. "She has amnesia. Doesn't remember a thing. She didn't know the Boss and Zo when they found her, and …." His voice tailed away as he realised exactly how much his words were going to hurt PJ.

"She doesn't remember me" PJ finished for him, feeling his heart break a thousand times more.

"No." Nick said softly. "Not yet"

PJ took a deep breath, once again running a hand over his face as he desperately tried to keep hold of everything that was going on. Maggie was alive. Alive, he repeated to himself. Alive.

"What happened?" he whispered. "She – she died – and now you're telling me – "

"I don't know what happened, I can only tell you what Zoe's told me."

"Which is?"

Nick took a deep breath before beginning.

"Remember last week when that idiot Christophe came in?"

"What's that idiot got to do with anything?" PJ said, "If he did anything – "

"Relax, it wasn't him. Mate, we still don't know what actually happened to her, all I know is how they found her." Nick said calmly, knowing he had to stay in control for PJ's sake.

"She's alive. Mags is alive." PJ said, his need to reassurance evident in the way he couldn't quite grasp the fact that he had been handed his life back on a plate, that his future –

"You said she doesn't remember me. What – Nick, what if she doesn't want me, if – "

"Mate, you don't need to worry about that." Nick said with a conviction he wasn't sure he felt. "For some odd reason, our Margaret adored you, and I have no doubt that she will fall for the old Hasham charms all over again once she sees that ugly mug of yours. Zoe says she's having little memory flashbacks as it is, and like I said, that ugly mug of yours will be all she needs."

PJ sat back against the chair, his head falling back as he stared up at the ceiling. He had to believe what Nick was saying, had too – because any other option was too much to handle. The very idea that she couldn't – wouldn't remember him – he swallowed against the rising panic, forcing himself to concentrate.

"How did they find her?"

"Right. Christophe, that little moron that came waltzing into the station the other day, remember? The day, the anniver – " Nick stopped.

"The anniversary of the day she died. The day we thought she died, the – " PJ stopped.

"I'll keep going shall I?" Nick managed a grin as PJ glared at him, a smile following shortly afterwards.

"You do that Shultzy boy. You do that"

And just for a moment there, for a tiny, miniscule moment, the old PJ was back, the old cheeky, impossibly mischievous Hasham grin was back.

"So, Christophe the cretin came in to report a shooting, and it just so happens that his mum came in too. And the little brother, who's not - well, he's different, shall we say. Anyway, the Boss took them into the office, and it turns out that Maggie is their next door neighbour when they're at home. Luka, the son, is very attached to her, and he adores the bo – "

"The what?"