Bitter Endings

Home! He'd been in the city too long. He missed the fresh air, the quiet evenings...okay, so the evenings in the countryside were never really quiet, but the natural sounds were 100% better than traffic noise, and he could always relax to the sound of nature. He was sure that he would get over his cold a lot quicker out of the city too.

In a few weeks time it would be his grandmother's birthday. Her brother and his two sons were making the trip up from New Zealand for the occasion. The chief didn't leave the homeland all that often, but he hadn't seen his sister for a while and decided her special day was reason enough to undertake the journey.

Jake was looking forward to seeing them again. It had been too long since the family had been together...hell, even his father would be there, breaking off his lecture tour to get up to the farm.

At that thought, Jake became tense. He loved his father and saw him whenever he was in the country, but this time he wouldn't be alone. He was bringing Susanna, Jake's sister...the sister he had never met.

Jake's mother had left him in the care of his grandparents when he was born and had left New Zealand to work in a prestigious law firm in the United States. She took her five year old daughter with her...there was no room in her life for her newborn son!

She had given her husband a choice...stay, or join her. He was young, he was in love, he was ambitious...he left his son and followed his wife. She never returned to the land of her birth, and she never saw her son again.

Over the years, as his father became the best in his field, orthopedic surgery, he spent a lot of time in Australia each year lecturing and as the family had relocated to Jake's grandfather's property in northern New South Wales, he managed to build a relationship with his son, for which Jake was grateful.

His sister was another matter altogether. She was a link to the mother he never knew. He wasn't sure that he wanted to meet her, wasn't sure why she was making the trip with their father. She had never been out of America since moving there all those years before, was convinced Australia was a backwards wilderness of a country not worth a second thought, had never once been in contact with her grandparents, uncle, or only brother. Jake was feeling uneasy.

He decided to take a ride to gather his thoughts...horse or hog? The horse won. Pausing only to let Lupo out of his enclosure, Jake headed towards the barn to saddle up Whetu (Star in Maori). They were soon headed out towards the brook at the eastern end of the property...Jake's thinking place.

l

There it was again. That 'feeling'. Angie had been feeling uneasy for weeks now. Why did she think she was being watched? It wasn't all the time, and not always the same intensity. In fact, it always seemed stronger when she was with Jake.

Could someone be watching him and not her? Maybe that idea would be more plausible if they were still in Sydney where her unease began, but they were at home, where everyone knew everyone, and a stranger would stand out a mile.

Should she mention it to Jake? When the feelings began he had listened to her concerns and had seemed to take them seriously, getting two of his men to check things out. What would he think now if she told him she still felt the same? Would he just humour her? Would he laugh? Would he believe her? Would he be angry?

She continued down the street to her parked jeep, stowed her shopping in the back, jumped behind the wheel and headed out of town, waving to some of the locals as she drove along.

As she left the town behind her the feeling lessened and she began to relax and enjoy the drive. The farm was only 25 minutes out of town and it wasn't long before she reached the turnoff that led home. She smiled. It was Friday, and for once she was off shift all weekend. Two entire days with nothing to do but relax by the pool with Jake…hopefully. Knowing him, he would find something he just had to get done.

Her smile froze as she slowed down to take the turn onto the property. The feeling was back again!!

She skidded to a halt on the gravel by the main house and rushed in, calling for Jake. The silence was deafening. The house was empty.

l

Sam looked over at his nephew and sighed. Jake had been acting like a bear with a sore head all day long and Sam wished he would let go, admit he was feeling crook and go to bed…for everyone's sake. He'd been snapping at anyone brave enough to come too close and in the end the farm hands decided to give him a wide berth.

Jake was leaning up against one of the empty stalls in the barn, gasping for breath. The cold he'd been trying to work off all week was rapidly turning into something more serious, but despite everyone's best efforts, he was still refusing to take things easy.

Angie came quickly into the barn. She was a little calmer now, but still needed Jake to reassure her that everything was okay.

Jake straightened up on hearing her enter and fixing a smile on his face, turned to greet her.

"Hey, Angel," he croaked. "How was your day?"

"Good," she replied, placing her hand on his forehead, frowning at the heat emanating from him. "Are you okay?"

Jake jerked his head away, irritation flashing in his eyes.

"Leave it out, I'm fine," he grumbled.

"Jake, I got that feeling again while I was shopping, but it was a lot stronger just before I got home."

"Give me a break. You're fuckin' imagining things. You…are…not…being…watched!"

Jake threw his brush aside and stormed out of the barn, leaving Sam and Angie both shocked at his unexpected outburst.

"Should I go after him?"

"No, luv. It's best to leave him to get it out of his system. He's had a stick up his arse all day; you're not the first he's bitten."

Sam gave Angie a warm hug and took her into the house for a cuppa while they waited for Jake to calm down.

l

Jake sat on the edge of his bed staring into space. He needed to apologise to Angie for his outburst. He didn't know what had come over him. She didn't deserve to be on the receiving end of his temper. Neither did the farm hands. It seemed he had quite a few bridges to mend.

He got up slowly, and sat down again as the room began to spin. He felt terrible. His chest was aching, his throat was on fire and the hammers of hell were pounding in his head. He took a deep breath, stood again, and headed off down the hall.

Sam and Angie were sitting at the kitchen table drinking tea and chatting. Sam looked past Angie and stopped mid sentence.

"G'day, sport. You look bloody rough."

Angie swung around in her chair and looked at Jake, who was leaning against the door frame. He was pale and sweating, dark shadows under his eyes giving him a haunted look.

"Jake?"

"Angel, I'm so sorry," Jake replied in a hoarse whisper. He pushed himself away from the door, took two steps into the kitchen, and crumpled in a heap on the floor.

"JAKE!"

Sam jumped to his feet and was kneeling by his nephew's side before Angie had a chance to move.

"Call 000, Angie…NOW!"

Angie rushed to the phone and made the call, then joined Sam on the floor by Jake. She quickly checked him over to make sure he hadn't hit his head when he dropped. Satisfied, she placed a cushion under his head and fetched a blanket to place over him until the ambos arrived.

By the time they reached the hospital Jake was trembling uncontrollably, his temperature was sky high and his lips were turning blue. Doctor Williamson was waiting for them in A&E and followed as they wheeled him into a cubicle.

It didn't take him long to work out what was wrong. After issuing a few orders to the medical staff, he walked down the hall to the relatives' room where he had made Angie and Sam wait.

As he entered the room, he was met by a tirade from Angie, demanding to know why she had been barred from the emergency room. He held up his hand to stop her.

"Angeline, you are one of the best nurses I have in the hospital, but you are Aaron's fiancé. You can't be objective in there."

"But…"

"No buts, just sit down and I'll tell you how he is."

Angie reluctantly sat next to Sam and they held hands while looking up at Doctor Williamson.

"It's a classic case and I think we've caught him in time," he began.

"What is it, Doc?" asked Sam quietly.

"Well, let's see. Shaking chills, soaring temperature, blue lips, chest pain…"

"Oh my God! It's pneumonia isn't it," gasped Angie.

"Yes, my dear, it is. We've started him on antibiotics and oxygen. I know he's going to fight me over the pain killers. We'll see how severe the chest pain is when he wakes up…if we can get him to admit to any pain at all, that is."

"Where is he?" asked Sam.

"They're just getting him settled then you can both go sit with him for a while."

"I'd better give mum a call. She's due home tonight and she'll wonder where we all are."

Sam went off to call Emily, while Angie followed the doctor to Jake's room. He was asleep, no longer shaking, but his forehead still felt hot beneath her hand. He groaned quietly at each breath he took. They were going to have a battle medicating him, but she would think of a way, he must be hurting.

l

Emily arrived at the hospital later that evening, a worried frown on her face. She didn't need to ask where her grandson was, she just homed in on the commotion. She pushed open the door and grinned despite her concern. Jake was awake and he wasn't happy.

He had managed to sit up and the only thing keeping him from getting out of bed was the vice-like grip of two burly male nurses. The effort brought on a fit of coughing, leaving him fighting for breath and clearly in pain.

The duty doctor reached for some medication and walked towards the bed. Jake began to struggle again, doing his utmost to keep her from getting near him.

"Stop!" commanded Emily. "Let him go."

The doctor spun round. "Doctor Mitchell! I'm sorry; I didn't hear you come in. I'm afraid the patient isn't co-operating."

"Leave him to me, " Emily said, taking the syringe and handing it to Angie. She sat on the bed and held Jake's hand.

"Calm down, Aaron. You're not doing yourself any good by fretting."

"I just want my clothes, and to get out of here. It's only a cold, Gran."

Emily looked at Jake. He must be feeling pretty bad. He never called her 'Gran'. She held her arms open and he was soon locked in her soothing embrace. She nodded to Angie, who quietly injected the pain killer through the heplock in Jake's hand. Before too long his breathing eased, his body relaxed, and he was asleep, safe in his grandmother's arms.

Two weeks later there was a sense of relief around the hospital. Jake was going home. The majority of the staff knew and loved him, but he was the worst patient they had ever known and they were glad to see the back of him from a professional standpoint.

The smell of freedom had restored his normal easy going temperament and he managed to charm the newer nurses on his way out. He made no impression on the long serving staff, who just shook their heads and laughed, wishing him well and telling him not to bother coming back any time soon. They still blushed when he kissed them all goodbye though. He had that effect.

Three weeks later, Jake was almost back to normal apart from residual tiredness and a slight cough. He was getting cabin fever as both his grandmother and Angie were trying to keep him wrapped up in cotton wool.

He was sitting at the kitchen table, sulking over a cuppa, when the phone rang. He picked it up, hoping it wasn't another friend or neighbour asking him how he was feeling. The voice on the other end of the phone brought a smile to his face.

"Mike! How ya going. Mate?"

"I'm good, Jake. You sound rested. You okay?"

"Dying of boredom. The women won't let me out of the house. Got any ideas?"

"I just may have…I'm coming over, my flight's due in on Thursday."

"Ripper. I'll get down to Sydney and meet you, then we can drive back up here for a few days Everyone will be pleased to see ya."

"That sounds like a plan, as long as you're up for it."

"No worries. It'll do me good to get out for a couple of days. I'll see you Thursday."

"Okay, catch you later."

l

"You're doing what?!?!"

"I'm going to pick up Mike."

"Jake, you've not long been in hospital, and now you're going to drive down to Sydney. Why can't he get a connection up here?"

"Maybe he doesn't want to, and maybe I don't want him to. Do you know what it feels like having you and Emily watch my every move? I'm better, Angel, and I'll take it easy. I'm going stir crazy up here, luv. Let me do this…please?"

Angie looked at Jake and sighed. He was looking at her like a lost, hopeful puppy and she knew there was no way she could bring herself to stop him leaving.

"Okay, AJ, but you have to promise me to make regular stops, and check in with me when you do…no doing the trip in one go like you usually do."

"I promise," Jake replied, trying hard not to break into a huge grin. He grabbed her in a crushing hug and gave her a lingering kiss.

"I'll leave tomorrow morning; Mike isn't due in until Thursday, so that gives me plenty of time to get down there. We'll stay down there over the weekend then head up here, and just for you, we'll stop on the way and be back sometime Tuesday."

"I guess I should be grateful that you're taking the car and not the bike," Angie said, smiling up at Jake as her arms snaked round his neck.

"Hey, that's a thought," Jake grinned, dodging away from the hand that was about to give him a playful slap. "I'll take you to the hospital in the morning, and head out from there. Let me know what times your breaks are, and I'll call you during the day. I'm going to have an early night, luv, you coming?"

"I've got a couple of things to do first, you go ahead, I won't be long."

Jake kissed her and headed off to their bedroom, smiling at the thought of the upcoming trip.

Jake pulled up in the hospital staff car park and ran round to open the passenger door for Angie. They walked to the entrance hand in hand, smiling at each other as they chatted quietly together. Angie had made Jake promise to have a quick word with Dr Williamson, just to check it was okay to make the drive down the coast. Jake had only agreed to keep her quiet as he was sure that the doc would give him the okay. It didn't take long for him to be given the all clear, and he was soon on his way back out to the car. He turned before leaving to say goodbye again to Angie and to tell her that he would call her as soon as he got to the apartment in Sydney. As they kissed goodbye, neither of them noticed the figure in a doorway watching them...

It felt good to be on the road again. He was tempted to drive all the way in one hit, but he knew that there was no way he could get away with lying to Angie about it, so after a few hours, he decided to make a stop for the night. It was only early afternoon, but he was in Newcastle, and had friends there, so he thought it would make a good stopover. He booked into a small hotel then made a couple of calls. He checked his watch and called Angie to let her know he was okay and was taking a break, then he took a quick shower, changed, and headed out for dinner with his mates.

Tuesday lunchtime found him pulling into his parking space at the wharf. He was feeling a bit stiff, so as soon as he'd dumped his gear, he headed down to the pool for a few laps. Feeling refreshed, he thought he would go and surprise Jenny at he office. He'd been away a few weeks and was sure she would have mountains of paperwork for him to look through. He needed the normality after the inactivity following his stay in the hospital.

He changed into his sweats and after stopping at the cafe for a quick cuppa and a chat with Pete, he headed off towards the Botanical Gardens, pleased to be able to breathe easy enough to run again. He stopped off on the 10th floor to let Drew know he was back in town and arrange to meet up later, then carried on up to the 12th floor to see what was happening.

Jenny was manning the reception desk and looked up as the lift doors closed.

"Jake! I didn't know you were in town."

"Thought I'd surprise you, luv. Where are the girls?"

"Long lunch. They decided that they just had to go to the opening of the new designer store over at the Queen Vic. They got wind of Mike's visit and discovered they had nothing to wear."

Jake giggled as he headed towards his office.

"When they get back, come in and see me for a few will ya?"

"Will do, Jake. They should be back any minute. They'll be sorry they missed your arrival."

Jake smiled as he opened his door, thinking to himself how nice it was to have staff that were happy to see the boss. Little did he realise that it was the sight of him in sweats and tank, hot and dishevelled from a run that got the girls going. They loved having him as a boss, but they also loved perving over him, even if he was spoken for.

He left his door open to enable him to call to Jenny from time to time. He soon heard the lift doors open and the giggling voices of his two reception girls getting closer as they walked down the hallway. Jenny was soon in his office asking if he wanted to chat or work. He laughingly said, both, and she left to bring in the paperwork. When five minutes passed and she hadn't returned, he got up to see if everything was okay.

As he looked through his door he smiled as he saw that the girls had ambushed her to show her what they had bought for Mike's arrival. They were so engrossed in their purchases, they didn't hear him approach the front desk.

"VERY nice...just your colour, luv."

"JAKE!" Sandi squealed, going as red as the skimpy lingerie she was holding up for Jenny's approval, quickly stuffing the items back in the bag and trying to decide whether or not to make a run for the rest room.

"Spoil sport," Jake replied, giggling like crazy as he went to get himself a cuppa. To make amends, he brought one back for the girls as well and told them as soon as they finished drinking, they could take the rest of the afternoon off.

"Who's going to man the front desk?" asked Dee.

"I will," Jake smiled.

"Not dressed like that you won't, owner or not."

"Okay, Jin. Give me five minutes and I'll spruce myself up a bit."

He headed back to his office and closed the door. True to his word, five minutes later he was back, dressed in one of the suits he always kept ready to wear at the office. Only Jenny caught the frustrated sighs from the girls now that Jake had covered up. She smiled at them in sympathy, took their cups, and told them to clear off and not be late in the morning, reminding them with a wink that it would soon be Thursday, and what time she was expecting Mike to get in.

As they entered the lift, Jake took her hand, waggling his eyebrows at her as he said seductively, "Alone at last, my sweet!"

Jenny smacked him across the head with the file she was holding.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"For being silly."

"Sorry, mum," Jake replied, looking down at his feet, before looking up at her through his impossibly long lashes, and laughing.

"So, what's first?"

"Maybe a short course on using the switchboard?"

"No worries. Remember I was the only one here when they installed it. I think I can remember how it works. Now, if you want to bring some of that work you threatened me with over here, I can do it while I wait for something exciting to happen."

Just then the phone rang, and Jenny was impressed at how Jake handled the call, telling him if he ever gave up his day job he had a future as a telephonist. He threw a pad of post it notes at her and winked. Two hours later he'd signed as many pieces of paper that he wanted to and decided to call it a day. It was just about time to close the office anyway, so he switched the phones to the night service, told everyone to go home, and headed back into his office to pick up his things. He told Jenny he was going to meet up with Drew, and asked her to join them for dinner. She accepted, telling him she would meet up with them later after going home to change.

l

Jake didn't like to admit it, but he was feeling a bit jaded, so he chose to take them both to Otto on the wharf. Luckily, they always had a couple of tables set aside for their regular patrons, and Jake was always welcome there. It was handy for the apartment as well, so he knew he could be home and in bed within minutes of leaving the restaurant if he got too tired. He fully intended to take Jenny home though, as he'd told her not to bother driving to the restaurant.

They had a wonderful meal, starting with CAPESANTE CON PUREA DI FINCCHIO E ARANCIA ROSSO (Queensland deep sea scallops with fennel puree, blood orange and mint), followed with FETTUCINE CON CINCHIALLE PORCINI (fresh egg fettuccine with a wild boar, pork and pancetta ragu scented with thyme) for Jenny, and L'ARISTA AL FORNO (roasted rack of western plains pork rack and belly with apple and potato puree, braised garlic and broccoli) for Jake and Drew. They managed to twist Jenny's arm about dessert, and all enjoyed a small portion of SFORMATO AL FRUTTO DELLA PASSIONE (baked passion fruit cream with coconut sorbet, coconut wafer and fresh passion fruit). Jenny and Drew stuck to mineral water, as did Jake, who didn't drink. They finished up the evening with a coffee, then took a walk along the wharf before Drew said goodnight and Jake turned towards the underground parking area.

"Come on then, Jin, let's get you home shall we."

"I can get a taxi, Jake. You must be tired after the drive down this morning."

"Hey, there's no way I'm letting you go home on your own. It's only a ten minute drive. I won't take no for an answer," Jake replied, winking at her.

In truth she was pleased to accept. She didn't really like being out on her own too late at night. She lived in a safe area, but these days...well, you never know what might happen. It wasn't long before Jake pulled up outside her place and walked her to the door. He turned down her invitation for a coffee, but waited until he heard her lock the door before heading back to the car, and home.

He was up early the next morning and in the pool before Drew got there, and after their swim, they headed down to the cafe for their breakfast before parting company. Jake wasn't going into the office until later. He wasn't officially in the city, so had nothing in his appointment book, and didn't relish the thought of pen pushing all day long. He headed back up to the apartment and heard his phone begin to ring just as he unlocked the door.

He rushed in to answer it, thinking it might be Angie, and was surprised to hear a familiar voice on the other end of the line.

"Dad?"

"Hi, son."

"How did you know I was here?"

"I called your office. Your PA told me you were at home."

"What's wrong? Why call now, we'll be seeing you in a couple of days...don't tell me you can't make it."

"No, everything's fine. I wanted to let you know that I'm flying out of Perth in the morning, headed for Brissie. I can get the shuttle from there, so I won't need to bother you for a ride up from Sydney."

"Okay, dad. I'm here until Monday, then I'm heading back up country with Mike. We're driving up for a change, and should be home on Tuesday. You'll be there before me now, so I'll see you both when I get home."

"Son, your sister isn't coming."

"Why am I not surprised," sighed Jake. "Decided Oz isn't good enough for her, did she?"

"Aaron..."

"Sorry, dad."

"I'll talk to you about it when I see you on Tuesday, okay?"

"Righto, and dad..."

"Yes, son?"

"It's good to hear your voice."

"You, too, mate. I'll see you Tuesday."

"Bye, dad."

Jake flopped down onto the sofa and sighed once again. He was relieved that his sister wasn't going to make an appearance, but hoped that Emily wasn't too upset about the no-show. He didn't want anything to spoil his grandmothers birthday celebrations.

He slowly got up, all of a sudden feeling very tired, and went up to his room to shower and change. He was soon back in the kitchen having one last cup of tea before heading out. He grabbed his cell phone, keys and crash helmet, slammed his front door shut behind him, and ran down the stairs to the parking area. Jumping on the bike, he was soon roaring down the service road along the wharf, and heading toward the office.

Sandi and Dee were in for another nice surprise when he eventually emerged from the lift. They loved him in his bike leathers. They both smiled and said 'hello' as he went by, and were quite surprised when he didn't seem to realise they were there. As he passed Jenny's desk, he asked her to give him ten minutes, then come in and see him.

Ten minutes later, Jenny knocked lightly on Jake's door. Hearing no reply, she slowly pushed the door open and peered inside. Jake was leaning against the window, staring into space, the phone in his hand, beeping to be put back on the base.

"Jake?" "Jake, are you okay?"

Jake slowly turned to face her, and Jenny noticed how worn he looked. She walked over to the window, and taking him gently by the hand, led him towards the sofa and sat him down. She buzzed through to reception, and Dee soon brought two steaming mugs of tea in. Jenny sat down next to Jake and asked him what was wrong as she handed him his drink.

"I got a call from dad just before I left."

"Yes, he called here a while ago. I hope it was okay for me to tell him you were at home?"

"Yeah, no worries, luv. I thought he was going to tell me he couldn't make it, but he's still on for it...but it seems my sister has decided we aren't worth a visit."

"Oh, Jake. I'm sorry to hear that. Does Emily know?"

"I guess not. I was going to call Angie and warn her, but I'm not sure if dad wants to call himself, he didn't say."

"You could always give her a call and ask her to get back to you if, or when, your father calls. I'm sure Emily won't be too disappointed, it's not as if she sees a lot of your sister is it."

Jake snorted with laughter. "Get off the grass, Jin. She hasn't seen her since she was 5 years old. They could pass each other in the street and she wouldn't know her from Eve."

"Why are you so upset then, Jake?"

"I don't think I am really, it's a relief in a way that she's not coming. I'm just spitting the dummy about the way she thinks we aren't good enough for her is all."

"Take it from me, Jake. From the sound of it, you are all TOO good for her."

Jake turned and smiled at Jenny, who gave him a hug before getting up and heading back out to her desk.

"It will all turn out okay, Jake. Don't worry too much. Your great uncle and his sons will be arriving on Wednesday, so that should make Emily happier than anything."

"Too right, I can't wait to se her face when they get up to the farm on Thursday. You've got it all arranged haven't you?"

"Yes, boss! The plane will take them up Thursday morning. That way they will have time to relax after their flight Wednesday. I think the chief will need it."

"Thanks, luv."

Jake stayed in his office for the rest of the afternoon, checking some financial reports with his accountant. His head was buzzing by the time Jenny stuck her head round the door to tell him it was almost 7.00pm.

"What the hell are you still doing here then?" he asked.

"Waiting for you to decide it's time to call it a night. I think you keep forgetting that you're the MD and it's Mike who's the FD, but I know that if I don't stop you, you'll keep Alan here all night pouring over those figures rather than wait for Mike to do it, won't you?"

"You're right, as always, Jin. Sorry Alan, I've kept you too late. Let's call it a night shall we. I think we've more or less broken the back of it, and we can let Mike think he's sussed it all out in no time at all when he gets here."

Alan smiled, got up and said goodnight to them both, before hurrying out of the office. Jake got up from his desk and stretched his back. He'd been sitting for too long and was stiff and sore. He took Jenny by the hand and pulled her out of the office. Telling her to grab her stuff and come with him for dinner. She told him she would follow him in her car, there was no way he was getting her on the back of the Harley. They headed back towards the wharf and were soon parked in his bay. He dragged her up to the apartment and picked up the phone, ready to call for a take out.

"Are you sure you wouldn't like me to cook something for you?"

"No way. Not after you having to hang around the office for me tonight. Now, I could get them to bring something up from Otto if you like."

"I think I fancy a nice Chinese, Jake. Haven't had one for an age."

"Chinese it is then."

30 minutes later, their meal arrived and they were soon sitting on the sofa, shoes off, feet up on the coffee table, enjoying eating out of the cartons to save the washing up. The time flew by as they sat chatting, and Jenny eventually got up ready to go home, after assuring Jake she would be fine alone as she would just drive right into the garage and into the house that way. She loved the way he worried about her. Before saying goodnight, she reminded him what time Mike's flight was due in, and said she wouldn't expect to see him in the office in the morning, but would like him to make Sandi and Dee's day by making sure Mike made an appearance before they left for the day.

Jake laughed, remembering the girls shopping spree in readiness for his partners visit. Mike would love to know that they thought he was worth spending money on new outfits for.

The traffic was pretty light for a change, and he was at international arrivals with plenty of time to spare, so grabbed a coffee and did some people watching. He'd been sitting for about fifteen minutes when he got the distinct feeling he was being watched. He shifted in his seat and casually glanced round. Nothing felt out of place, no-one seemed to be acting covertly. Mate, you're getting paranoid, he thought to himself, settling back to read his paper. He soon heard the announcement that Mike's flight had landed, and made his way over to the meeting area. Like him, Mike always traveled with carry on only, so he knew that it wouldn't be too long before his friend came through.

Even after around 20 hours traveling, Mike was still full of beans. It was funny to watch him bouncing through the gate along side all his weary fellow passengers. Jake grinned at the looks Mike was getting then walked over to greet him.

"Hey, Jake. Whaddya know?"

"Shit stinks, eggs don't bounce...and you can't buy generals in a general store!"

They both burst out laughing as they quoted the last bit together.

"Man, you look good. I thought you were dying!"

"Fair suck of the sav, mate. That's just the women making a fuss."

"I thought as much...seriously though, you okay now?"

"I'm good, got a lot of rest, and I'm raring to go again. It's going to be a busy time, what with the family coming for Emily's party."

"I can't wait. I haven't seen your dad in a couple of years now and I'm really looking forward to meeting your 'Kiwi cousins' for the first time."

"You won't be meeting my sister though, mate. She's decided that we aren't good enough for her to make the effort."

Jake didn't notice the look Mike gave him at that remark as he was walking towards the car as he spoke. Mike didn't say anything as he got into the passenger seat and buckled up for the trip back into the city.

l

The weekend flew by and it was soon time for them to head up country. Mike made a great show of saying goodbye to the girls in the office. Forgetting to tell them that he would be back in Sydney in a week, and he was still laughing at the way he was teasing them when he hit the car park. He knew that they worshipped Jake, but was happy that they managed to go all 'girlie' when he was around, it did his ego no end of good.

Jake was sitting in the car revving the engine; he couldn't wait to make a start. The trip down to the city was great, but he now wanted to get back to the farm for a while. He was still getting tired easily, and he felt that he needed the peace and slower pace of the country until he was 100% fit again. This would be the first time Mike had been in his new baby, a 2005 series 6 BMW coupe. He declined Mike's offer to drive though, there was no way he was letting his friend loose with his pride and joy! Mike grinned as he settled into the front passenger seat, enjoying the feel of the soft leather, and glad that Jake wasn't taking the Z4 Roadster as the weather forecast wasn't too good.

Jake kept trying to draw Mike out regarding the snippet of information he'd let slip during dinner on Saturday evening, but he was keeping tight lipped about it. Mike seemed to be serious about his new girlfriend and Jake was determined to find out more about her before Mike flew back to the US. So far, all he knew was that her name was Sue and that she was a corporate lawyer. In fact, it turned out that she was working for one of the companies that were looking to become one of A&M's clients. Jake wasn't sure if it was quite ethical for Mike to be seeing her, but he said she was only a junior member of the legal department, and had no real 'clout', Jake thought it wouldn't really jeopardize any firm talks they may have in the future.

l

A few hours later they were back in Newcastle, their stop for the night. As they parked in front of the hotel, a passing car caught Jake's attention. He was sure that he recognised the driver.

"Hey, Mike. I'm sure that was that guy Latham in that car."

"Latham?"

"Yeah, the candidate who was getting a bashing in the park that day."

"Shit, yeah. Are you sure it was him? I thought he was from Perth. It would be a bit of a coincidence if we were all in the same place when he lives thousands of miles away."

"I guess you're right. It's just weird, Angie and I have both been feeling that we're being watched lately then I see someone who looks familiar. I guess I'm a bit edgy."

l

The sky was full of dark clouds as they set off the following morning and Jake hoped that the rain would keep off until after they got home. He really didn't like driving in the kind of storms they got in northern NSW at this time of year. He grinned to himself thinking that at least if the heavens did open he wasn't on the bike.

The drive was going smoothly until they were about an hour from the farm, then the rains came! Jake slowed down, flipped on the headlights and carried on. He glanced over at Mike, who was asleep next to him, the seat fully reclined, seatbelt off. He thought of pulling over and rebuckling Mike up, but decided to carry on, the quicker they got home, the better.

Thirty minutes from home and the rain was easing up a lot, the sky was getting brighter and Jake was feeling happier. Then he looked in the rear view mirror and saw a 4x4 coming up fast. The road ahead was clear, so at least the stupid moron would be able to overtake and get well out of Jake's way. As the car got closer, it slowed right down and crawled behind Jake, ignoring the fact that Jake was waving him on. It followed behind for the next couple of miles and then signalled and turned off. Jake relaxed. He hated to admit to himself that he was rattled by the fact that he was tailgated by the other driver.

Jake was soon driving up to the top of the ridge above the town, they were almost there, and the sun was beginning to peek out from behind the clouds. The road was still wet and slippery, but drying out fast. Suddenly, the 4x4 came from nowhere and touched Jake's rear bumper. He swerved, but managed to regain control. He put his foot down to try to get some distance between the maniacs behind him, but the other driver was relentless. Another bump...this time a lot harder...and Jake hit an oil patch, going into a skid. By this time they were on the top of the ridge, a rocky drop each side of the black top. Jake struggled to bring the car out of the skid they were in knowing that he wasn't going to make it. As they left the road, hit a low rocky outcrop and flipped over, the last thing he thought was that he had to stop Mike from hitting the roof. He unbuckled his own belt and threw himself over Mike to shield him. His last conscious thought was the incredible pain in his back...then his world went black.

l

An eerie silence hung over the ridge, everything was still...then, in the distance...a siren's wail cut through the air...louder...louder. The rescue truck arrived at the same time as the ambulance, and the rescue squad headed down the slope towards the pile of twisted metal. They thought it was too late for anyone inside and it would be a recovery rather than a rescue mission. As they got closer to the wreck, they realised that it was once quite a new high performance vehicle. Not much left but scrap now though, and they wondered if the driver was speeding, or drunk, or both.

They reached the car and heard a noise from inside...a faint moan. They called up to the ambo's that there was someone alive inside, and everyone was galvanised into action. They were well on their way to cutting the crushed roof away by the time the police patrol car arrived, stopping long enough to acknowledge the officers presence before getting back to the job in hand. The officers circled the wreck, making notes. They got to the rear and noted the licence number. Something about it was familiar. They ran back up the slope and radioed the information back.

They didn't have long to wait for the owners details. As they listened, the colour drained from their faces and they realised why the number looked familiar. They raced back down the slope to let the rescue workers know who the car belonged to.

"It's Jake's car."

"What?"

"That's Jake Mitchell's car."

"Fucking hell! Well, it looks like there are two people inside, and we heard a noise earlier, so at least one of them is still with us. Let's get this bloody roof off so we can get a bit closer."

It took another fifteen minutes to get the mangled metal cut away and lifted off. What was revealed underneath didn't bode well. The passenger seat was in the fully reclined position and it looked like the driver had been thrown across the passenger. The driver's left leg was trapped and his entire body had twisted round on its axis. The damaged metal of the car roof had sliced right across the drivers back from right shoulder to just above the left kidney. His right arm looked like it had gone through the passenger window. He'd lost a lot of blood.

As soon as there was access, the paramedic was in and checking for life signs. They had already radioed for a medical team to come out from the hospital, knowing the injuries would be too severe for them to deal with alone. All they could do until the doctors arrived was to make sure any survivor was safe from further harm, try to stop any severe bleeding, set up some fluids and give pain relief. They noticed that the ignition had been switched off, which made the scene a little safer, so had decided that it was better to leave the victims where they were laying for the time being, rather than risk further injury by moving them.

Another moan...from the passenger. Slight movement, and eyes opening slowly. Mike was coming around.

"One's coming to. It's the passenger, not Jake. I've got a slow pulse from Jake though. God knows how, but they're both alive."

The rapid response unit was soon on site, and the doctors were able to stabilise both men. It was another two hours before they were able to free Jake from the wreckage. His leg was badly trapped and they had to cut away most of what was left of the car before they were able to free the mangled mess of torn flesh and shattered bone. Once they had him on a back board and down on the ground, they were able to get to Mike. It was more Jake's body that had been trapping him than the car, and they were soon able to lift him out, laying him next to Jake on the ground. After a further check by the doctors, they were lifted back up the hill and into the ambulance for the trip into town.

l

The emergency room was on high alert. As yet they had no idea how bad the injuries were to the crash victims, but they were preparing for the worst. They also hadn't been informed as to the identity of the victims.

It wasn't too long before the two tones could be heard approaching the emergency department and the staff sprang into action before the ambo doors were even open.

Mike could be heard cursing up a storm, demanding to be allowed up off the trolley to get close to his friend. He'd been strapped down to try to keep him still, but it wasn't working too well. He was trying to sit up even though his left arm was in an air splint and his hip was clearly dislocated. He was finally wheeled into a cubicle for assessment and to await x-rays.

Jake was wheeled directly into resuss. The team's first concern was to replace the lost blood and stem the bleeding. They packed his leg. The breaks were bad, the lacerations were severe, but the wounds didn't seem to be the main site of the blood loss. The bleeding on the back and arm wounds was also slowing, so it looked like there were internal injuries to worry about. The OR was prepped for immediate surgery.

Seven hours later, Jake was wheeled into recovery. His back now contained 300 stitches and his arm held 150. His spleen had been removed, and the internal bleeding had been stopped.

His leg was something else. It was splinted and wrapped, but nothing else had been done. Jake had become too shocky for the surgeons to continue, which may have been a good thing. There was a major difference of opinion as to treatment. Amputation had even been mentioned. Luckily Dr. Williamson vetoed that suggestion.

Jake's father was on his way and he was going to give his expert opinion as to how they should proceed. If at all humanly possible, he was going to save his son's leg.

Jake was back in his room by the time his father arrived. He hadn't woken up, but his vital signs were stable, if a little weak. Ben was looking down at his son when he felt a hand on his back.

"Can you help him, Benjamin?"

He turned and smiled when he looked at his mother. "I'm giving it my best shot, mum. We'll have to leave it a couple of days until he gets some of his strength back. I'm pretty sure I can save the leg."

"That's good, son. I'm so glad you're here."

"So am I, mum…so am I. How's his friend doing?"

"Michael isn't too badly hurt. It looks like Aaron tried to shield him after the impact. He has a dislocated left hip and his elbow has a hairline fracture. He's kicking up a stink about being kept in bed, but we told him he can come and see Aaron later today if he behaves."

Ben smiled. That was the first piece of good news he'd heard. He put his arm round his mother's shoulders and gently turned her away from Jake's bed.

"Come on, mum. Let me take you home. There's nothing we can do here while he's sleeping."

Two days later and Jake was back in the OR, his father working hard to save his shattered leg. After five hours later Ben emerged, tired and worn, to be met by Emily, Sam and Angie.

"How is he, son?"

"It was tricky, and the leg's being held together by a mass of rods, plates and screws…but barring infection, I think we've managed to save it, and he should walk again in time.

Angie ran to Ben and hugged him, tears of relief streaming down her face. Sam kissed his mother and then they both walked over to Ben for a group hug.

"Thank you, son. I don't think Jake could have carried on if the worst had happened."

"It's up to him now, mum. As soon as he's healed up enough, the therapy will start. He's got a lot of work in front of him to get fit again."

"He's a fighter, always has been. He takes after his grandfather in that respect."

"Can we see him?" Angie asked.

"He's still in recovery. I think we can all go and get a coffee and a bite to eat. He'll be settled back into his room by the time we get back…no "ifs, buts, or maybes", Angie. We all need to sit and relax for a couple of hours and Jake will be asleep for a while yet."

Despite all her protestations of not being hungry, Angie cleared her plate and half of Sam's too, much to the amusement of everyone. They finished their meal and headed back to the hospital.

Jake was asleep when they reached his room, but he wasn't alone. Mike was in a wheelchair, sitting next to the bed, watching over his friend.

"He woke up, but was well out of it and went right back to sleep again."

"That's understandable, Mike. He's been through a lot in the last few days. Rest is what he needs right now, when the physio girls get hold of him he'll be begging for more sleep."

Angie went to sit by Mike's side, holding his hand while gently stroking Jake's hair.

"How are you feeling, Mike?"

"Sore…and guilty."

Everyone looked at him waiting for the explanation to his last remark.

"Why do you feel guilty, Michael?" Emily asked softly.

"I feel it's all my fault this has happened. If I'd flown up instead of getting Jake to come get me, we wouldn't have been on the road with a maniac. If I hadn't been asleep without my seatbelt on, Jake wouldn't have needed to reach over to shield me."

"I don't think you would have stopped anything happening. I think someone has been watching Jake for some time. Angie has felt it, and I think you'll find that Jake has too." Sam replied.

"Have you told the cops?"

"Yes, Mike, don't worry. They're on to it. All you have to do is get well."

"That won't take long. I came off easy didn't I?"

"Luck of the draw, mate. It could just as easily been you in Jake's place. Don't dwell on it, Jake will need your help as much as ours, and being down will drag him down too."

"I know, Sam. Don't worry; I'll be there for him…when the lazy bastard decides to wake up."

"I heard that, ya drongo."

"Hey, partner. It's about time you woke up."

"Hi, Mike. You okay?"

"Thanks to you, my friend, thanks to you."

"AJ?"

"Hi, Angel. It's going to be okay, I promise."

Angie leaned over to kiss Jake gently on the lips, trying hard to keep the tears of relief from overflowing, knowing how it upset Jake to see her cry for any reason.

Everyone stood round the bed asking if Jake really felt alright until Ben noticed pain flash in his eyes, and he quickly ushered everyone out of the room, promising that they could visit again the next day.

l

The next few weeks were hell with therapy every day, but it was all worth it when Jake took his first shaky steps with the aid of only a sturdy pair of crutches rather than being held up by the PT girls. It wasn't too long before they were talking about letting him go home, which cheered Jake up no end. He was beginning to feel like a rat in a trap, a sure sign that he was on the mend.

Mike was the first one there on the day of Jake's release. He was determined that he was going to be the one by Jake's side to help him out of the wheelchair and into the back of the car for the trip back to the farm.

If Jake thought he was going to be able to relax, he was wrong. Angie had a strict exercise regime from the hospital, and she was determined to follow it to the letter, with help from Emily, Sam and Mike, although Mike decided he was going to give verbal support only citing his recently healed arm and still painful hip as excuse enough not to get into the physical aspect of support.

At first, Jake threw himself into the regime heart and soul, but after a couple of weeks with no sign of improvement, he became disheartened and Angie found it more difficult every day to get him motivated. Mike had flown back to Chicago to deal with a problem at the office and wouldn't be back for a couple of weeks, and Jake felt like the family was all against him. Tempers were becoming shorter by the minute and everyone's nerves were frayed. It all came to a head one morning in the gym at the farm.

Jake had been working hard on the rowing machine, and was looking forward to a break when Angie called for him to stop. He smiled up at her, but before he could say anything she smiled sweetly and pointed to the exercise bike.

"Ten minutes on the bike should be enough, Jake, then we can call it a day."

"Aw, fair go, Angie, I'm bloody rooted. How about we call it a day now?"

"This is for your own good, Jake. If you want to be able to walk without sticks, crutches, or worse…a frame, you need to keep to the plan, if not, be my guest and call a halt."

Jake muttered under his breath and struggled over to the bike. After a couple of minutes, his leg muscles began to cramp and it was all he could do not to cry out with the pain. He stopped peddling and made to stand. As he tried to put his weight on his injured leg it went into a painful spasm and he dropped to the floor.

Angie was at his side in a flash ready to help him up.

"I'm fine, woman, don't flap."

"Don't flap…what do you mean, don't flap? I was just going to give you a hand up. What's gotten into you?"

Jake answered with a glare, grabbing the bike for support and pulling himself slowly up. Undeterred by his bad mood, Angie held out a hand to steady him once he was on his feet again.

"I can manage, just leave me be," he said, pushing Angie out of the way. He stumbled towards the door, not realising that Angie had landed heavily against the bike. He halted on hearing Sam call out to see if she was okay. Turning, he was horrified to see her doubled up by the bike, holding her stomach.

"Angie?"

"I'm okay, Jake. I just caught the side of the bike."

"I'm so sorry, darlin'. Let me help you," Jake replied, limping towards her.

"It's okay, Sam's here. Just make sure you don't slip. We'll go into the kitchen for a cuppa and we'll be right."

Jake reluctantly turned and headed slowly out of the gym and down the hall to the kitchen, expecting Angie and Sam to follow. As soon as he was out of earshot, she looked up at Sam and whispered, "I need to get to the hospital, now!" By the time Jake realised they weren't following him into the kitchen, they were on their way to the car and headed for town.

l

Jake was out of his mind with worry. Where could they have gone? He searched the house, and went outside as far as he could manage to look around, but the place seemed deserted. He noticed that the ute was gone, but there was no way he could walk as far as the garage, and even if he did, he wasn't fit enough to drive, and had no idea where to go. He just reached the kitchen door as the phone began to ring. He managed to get to it before it stopped.

"Angel?"

"Jake, it's me. I'm on my way back. Be outside in ten minutes."

"Sam, where are you, and where's Angie?"

There was no reply. Sam had already rung off and was turning into the long drive of the farm. He came to a screeching halt by the front door and jumped out, running round to help Jake in the passenger door.

"Where are we going, and where's Angie?"

"Hospital, Jake…don't worry, she's going to be okay?"

"But…"

"The doctor will tell you everything when we get there."

Sam said no more for the rest of the drive to the hospital, and Jake was so agitated it was all he could do to stop himself from getting out of the car before Sam pulled up in the car park. They were soon inside and heading towards the lift.

"She's on the second floor," Sam answered Jake's unasked question. Jake breathed a sigh of relief. At least she wasn't in intensive care, he knew from experience that was on the ground floor. It seemed to take a lifetime, but the lift finally stopped and Jake pushed his way through the gap before the doors had fully opened.

"Which way?"

Sam took hold of Jake's arm and led him to Angie's room. They opened the door quietly to see Angie seemingly asleep on the bed and Emily sitting by her side, holding her hand.

"Aaron…"

"What happened? How is she?"

"Sit down, Aaron."

Jake sat by his grandmother, looking into her face expecting an answer. Before she could speak, Angie sighed and turned to face him. Tears were flowing down her face as she silently cried. She held out her hand to Jake and took a deep breath.

"AJ, I'm so sorry."

"Sorry? Sorry for what?"

"I…we…we lost the baby!"

"What? I don't understand…what baby?"

"Angie was three months pregnant, sport," Sam said softly, putting his hand on Jake's shoulder in a comforting gesture."

Jake sat there, momentarily stunned, then slowly his expression changed from shock to anger. Shrugging Sam's hand off his shoulder and dropping Angie's hand, he got to his feet as quickly as he could and faced the three people he loved the most in the world. His voice breaking with emotion he looked into Angie's beautiful eyes.

"You knew you were pregnant?" She nodded slowly. "You couldn't tell me?"

He turned to his uncle and grandmother and asked the same question. They both nodded to confirm that they both knew of Angie's condition.

"You told them, but you couldn't tell me? We're engaged. We're meant to be going to spend a lifetime together, but you can't tell me you're carrying my child? Why?"

"I was going to tell you when you got home with Mike, but then there was the accident, and we felt that it was better to let you get well before telling you."

"WE thought…you discussed this with other people but you couldn't tell me?"

"Jake, I'm so sorry. I did what I thought was best, but I left it too late…"

"What happened?"

Emily looked over at her grandson and sighed. "Aaron, when Angeline hit the bike, she did some damage inside, and it brought on a spontaneous abortion. I'm sorry, she miscarried the baby."

Realisation hit Jake when her words sank in. He looked at their faces expecting to see accusation in their eyes. It was worse than that…all he saw was pity. Suddenly he couldn't stand to be there in the sterile hospital room. He turned and stormed out of the door. Sam made to make after him but Emily held his arm.

"Let him go, son. He needs to deal with this by himself for a while. We can be more help to him once he comes to terms with what has happened."

"We should have told him. He wouldn't have pushed me away if he's known I was pregnant."

"Second guessing doesn't help one little bit. We don't know what he would have done; he was hurting and not thinking straight. What's done is done, and we have to concentrate on getting you well and home, young lady."

Angie nodded and sighed. She was very tired and soon closed her eyes and fell asleep. Emily decided to stay, and sent Sam off to find Jake.

l

Angie was resting back on the farm. She seemed to be dealing with the loss of her unborn child well…Jake wasn't. He had withdrawn into himself. He wouldn't speak to Angie about the baby, and every time she tried to turn the conversation to their loss, it ended in an argument. He stopped doing his therapy, glaring at anyone who tried to get him to start up again and finally moved out of the room he shared with Angie to camp out in one of the guest houses well away from the main house, only coming out to walk the property, his own kind of therapy, and try to help out around the place as much as his leg would let him. He wasn't the best of company, only speaking to criticize anything he thought wasn't being done right. The hands all loved him, but were getting tired of being on the receiving end of his black mood.

As the days went on, instead of getting better, things were getting worse. If he went to the main house at all he hardly said two words to Emily or Sam, and if Angie was in the room when he walked in, he just turned around and left. He thought it was his way of coping; he just wasn't coping at all. He spent his nights in the guest house hating himself…he killed his child…he would never forgive himself, why should Angie…he didn't deserve to be happy ever again.

l

Instead of getting better, over time the situation was becoming unbearable. Jake had managed to alienate everyone around him. His family had given up trying to reason with him, Angie spent most of her time crying in their room, their former room; Jake was still in one of the guest houses. Even the farm hands were keeping their distance, not sure who they should side with.

He wandered around the paddock and realised that there was no-one around. Emily was at the hospital, Sam had taken Angie into town for lunch, and all the hands were in the far paddocks. He had never felt so alone in his life. He was overwhelmed with a sense of total loss. Loss of his unborn child, loss of his beautiful Angel, loss of the love and friendship of his family. He didn't try to stem the flow of tears. He turned towards the main house and for the first time in weeks entered the master bedroom. He gathered a few things together and stuffed them into his kit bag, took one last look around the room he used to share with Angie, and walked out.

Jake limped out of the house and headed for the compound. Lupo was sitting by the gate waiting for his master to let him out. Jake opened the gate and went inside, kneeling painfully to get close to his friend.

"Hey big guy, you're the only one around here who will still listen to me. I don't want to leave you here, but I don't really have too much choice. Be a good boy for me, and I promise as soon as I can get another place set up, I'll come and get you."

He gave his wolf a loving hug, struggled to his feet, and left the compound. Picking up his bag, he headed off towards the barn. The throaty roar of his Harley could soon be heard, and he shot out of the barn, down the drive, and was gone….

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