Author: Courtney Email: courtz16@hotmail.com Archives: The Crimplex page I think Summary: The majority of this story is set seven years into the future. Basically it is just what I would like to see happen to the characters. Disclaimer: Ok, I don't own any of these characters, and I am not getting paid for writing this story, it is purely for my own amusement. OK, any comments are appreaciated, good or bad, as long as they are constructive. I am not sure, but I might add a bit of a conclusion on to this story, I've got a few ideas of what I want to add. I'm gonna post this at both StingersRomanttics and Crimplex, so if you get it twice I'm sorry. Oh yeah, and I just wanted to say thnaks to Andrea for proofreading this for me. You're the one!! And thanks to Diana, who helped me when I was stuck with the storyline. I nearly forgot is you have already read the first part just scroll down and I've got a page break wjere the second part kicks off. Hope you enjoy, Courtz. Seven Year Itch MELBOURNE dOCKS “OK, I’ll get the gear, you do away with her James, do you think you can handle that” A tall man, holding a gun leaves the empty container, leaving a small Asian man standing with a hostage, with a bag over their head. The Asian man is looking extremely nervous. Beside the hostage their is what looks like a small radio transmitter and microphone. “Get up” the man speaks in a quiet tone. The hostage obediently gets up and is escorted by the arm out of the container. They walk across the empty night docks, he is speaking to her out of pure nerves, trying to rationalise what he was about to do “You nearly fooled Max, he no like being fooled, that’s why we kill you” A grumbling could be heard from under the bag. The man looks around before taking the mask off, underneath is Angie’s battered and tear stained face, the man then pulled her close to him and whispered “You shout, I shoot” he then ripped off the duct tape from Angie’s mouth, she let out a small whimper of pain, but she still had her wits about her, trying once again to reason with the man “Look, you already know I’m a cop, do you know the penalties for murdering a copper, especially a young female copper? And they will hunt you down, and they will find you and put you in prison, you know that don’t you, they will never give up until they get you, is that’s how you want to live the rest of your life?” Angie’s words seemed to have some affect on the man, he was beginning to look scared, but said “Max, he knows you are not Kylie the dock worker, you Angie Piper the police woman, so I have to kill you. If I let you go, he will get you as well as me, he know where you live, I have to kill you, or he will get my wife and daughter. Sorry” The man lead Angie to the edge of the dock. The murky waters of Port Phillip Bay lapped up against the docks, and Angie knew they were soon to be her watery grave. The man placed the black hood over Angie’s head again, and forced her to kneel on the edge of the dock. Her body would be soon pushed over the edge and no one would know what happened to Angie Piper. Angie began to think about the people who would miss her. Her family would of course, her sister and her parents. But who else? She had drifted away from all of her friends after becoming an undercover cop, she and Rob had even drifted apart, she hadn’t seen him for months. The only people she could think of were Oscar, Mac, Pete and Danni. Her job had taken over her life she had no life anymore, outside of her work, she wouldn’t be that missed. She hadn’t planned on being in undercover for so long, but she got hooked on the rush of it all, the final sting. Now it was all over, and all that was going through her mind were the things she had always wanted, the wedding, the children. She would have had those if it wasn’t for the job, and now it was all to late. What was taking so long, if this guy was going to shoot her, why isn’t he just getting it over and done with. Angie tried to get her hands free from the tight ropes. It was no use, they were tied too well. Max’s voice could be heard in the distance “I got the gear, you coming, James, we’ve got to get out of here, before they start looking for her” James put a tentative hand on Angie’s shoulder “Sorry, I have to do this” Angie took in a deep breath, and closed her eyes. A gun went off, Angie’s ears rung like crazy. Her ears were ringing. She was alive. She was OK, She wasn’t dead. There was a splash below her. Angie couldn’t comprehend what was happening. It wasn’t until she felt a familiar arm around her, taking off the blindfold. It was Mac, speaking quietly, “Its alright Mac, your safe, we have to stay here, and be quiet until Pete comes for us” Angie was shaking violently “What about Max, he know, he know who I am Mac. He’ll be after me I know it. If not him one of his mates” Mac knew what this meant for Angie’s future, but didn’t say a word. The two of them just sat on the edge of the dock, while there was shouting, and the sound of sirens in the distance. MAC'S OFFICE Angie and Mac sat on the couch in the corner of her office, both with tear stained faces. Mac speaks first “Angie, if there were any other way. But Mac Crivelli knows your identity, where you live. Everything. He has put a bounty on your life, or $60 000. Its not safe for you anymore. I’ve arranged for witness protection to arrange a new life for you, and they will be here to collect you on Friday. In the mean time, you will have to remain in the factory. Tell me what you want from your flat, and I will go and get it for you” With this Angie broke into tears “I don’t want to go, I love it here, I love all of you guys. Can’t I just lie low until Crivelli is put away?” Mac put her arms around Ange sympathetically “You know that’s not possible Ange, Crivelli can still get at you, even if he is in prison, he still has many loyal followers who would willingly finish you off” With this Mac began to cry as well. “I’m gonna miss you Angie, you have been a great operative, and an even better friend.” Angie managed to speak between her sobs “I’m gonna miss you too, Mac” A shadow appeared through the glass of the door, and Oscar stuck his head into the room. Mac nodded, and let go of Angie and left her and Oscar alone in her office. Oscar looked nervous, but forced himself to talk “Umm, Ange, I rang the crew down at Witness Protection, and ahhh, I’m gonna come with you." Oscar rushed on “I love you Angie, and I want to come with you. I am so sorry for all that’s happened, and all this has made me realise that I never want to be without you. I know things will be hard at first, but we can make it all work, I’m sure it will work, if we are together.” It took awhile for Angie to comprehend what Oscar had just said to her. She took a deep breath, “Oh Oscar, I would like nothing better, but what about the job. What about your Mum, and your family? I know how much they mean to you, and how much you mean to them” Oscar responded “You mean more to me than anyone or anything else in the world Ange. I am so sorry I ever hurt you. I would like nothing better than to be in the middle of nowhere with you, please let me come with you Ange” Ange looked at him “Promise me that you will never regret this” “I promise, I never will” and with that, Angie got up off the couch to hug Stone. Angie knew that she would still miss her life, and friends here, but things were looking much brighter, know that she had Oscar with her, and with that they shared a passionate kiss, as loud cheers came through the open office window. SEVEN YEARS LATER DEPUTY COMMISIONERS OFFICE Mac is sitting at a big desk, in a spacious office, a lot different to the one she had at the crimplex. In front of her is a messy desk, with a computer to one side. In the corner of the desk is a large photo, of the old team. Pete and Stone sitting in the back, with her and Angie on their laps. Danni sitting in the foreground. They all looked happy, despite the obvious stress of the demanding job. Stuck inside the frame is a note on a scrap piece of paper ‘Thinking of you forever Mac, Love Always Angie xxx’. She looked around her office, with its shiny name plate ‘Ellen Mackenzie, Deputy Commissioner’ No one would dare call he Mac now, it was always M’am, and how she hated being called M’am. There were no friendships in this office, and forget about any in office romances. Mac laughed to herself. What was Church up to? She had often wondered, he had left the force soon after she had left to take up a position in the head office, and as for Angie and Stone, she had no idea. Danni was now in charge of the undercover unit, and from what she could gather was doing a great job, the two of them would often meet up for coffee. Mac had even returned to the factory, but everything was different, there was a different feel to the place. There was a knock at the door, awaking Mac from her thoughts, a secretary walked in “An urgent message just came for you M’am” Mac took the note from young girls hand “Thank You Sarah, that will be all” The young girl left closing the door after her. Mac opened the note; Ellen, I have just released Max Crivelli early, due to good behaviour, despite psych evaluations showing he is still looking for revenge. I would advise you to warn your ex-operative Angela Piper of this, as he has her in mind. Regards Warden Thomas Gibbs Mac reread the note again, taking in the information. She then screwed up the note, put it in her handbag and grabbed her phone and brief case, walking out of the room. As she went past her secretary’s desk said “If the Commissioner should ask for me, say I have some urgent business and wont be back until I have cleared everything up” The secretary looked at little taken back, but replied “Yes M’am” PORT MELBOURNE Mac pulls her BMW into a car park, along side a long pier, with yachts moored either side. Mac gets out of the car and locks it behind her. She then takes out a small piece of paper, and makes her way up the pier. She gets to a fairly run down old yacht, and double checks the name of the vessel ‘Ellen Maree’ Mac raises her eyebrows and smiles to herself, and her mind begins to wander, back to when her and... A sander is heard from below the deck, breaking the silence. Mac climbs across onto the yacht, and makes her way through the mess up on deck, and waits for the sander to stop before knocking on the hatch. Petes voice is heard from inside “Yeah, come in” Mac opens the hatch and climbs down the steep staircase, and walks through to the galley, where Pete is bent over working, he looks like he hasn’t had a shower in a month and there is a half eaten pizza in the corner. Things haven’t changed a bit, Mac thought to herself. Mac looks at Pete, despite the fact he hasn’t shaven for a while, he still looked like the Pete she loved, and his butt was as good as ever, she coughs loudly and says “This place is a pig sty Pete, needs a womans touch I reckon” Pete spun around at the sound of Macs voice and smiled, “Well, if it inst the Deputy Commissioner herself” In spite of the fact she was wearing a very expensive cream suit, and he was in a pair of grubby overalls, they hugged like they had never been apart. Once the initial shock of seeing each other had worn off, Mac spoke “Pete, its Ange and Stone, we have to find them, they could be in danger” COMMISIONERS OFFICE Mac and Church make there way through the Commissioners office. Heads turn at the sight of the Deputy Commissioner in her suit with Pete, looking a little better in jeans and a T. Shirt. They go into Macs office, Pete takes a good look around “Looks like you’ve got it made Mac” he walks around behind the desk, and picks up the photo, “We all look so happy, we all were so happy. I think of Ange and Stonie sometimes, wonder how they’re getting along” Mac looked at him and smiled, saying “Well, they’re no longer Stone and Ange, the witness protection crew made sure there is no trace of them, but Max Crivelli will tack them down, that’s why we have to find them first. I’ve managed to track the down to a small town in western Victoria, but I can’t find any names, so I say we go to St. Claire and try and find them. I’m guessing Crivelli, if he’s serious about getting Ange, he would have a contact in the force and if I could get this classified information in an hour its not going to take a snitch much longer” Mac paused and quickly added “That is of course if you want to, if you have something or a wife or girlfriend you don’t have to come with me’ How stupid of me to think that you could just pack up and go...” Church came in “No Mac, I don’t, I was divorced a year and a half ago, I have no ties here, and I want to help Stone and Ange as much as you do” Mac smiled with relief and said “Its good to see you again Pete” She then realised what she had said, and before there was time for a tender moment added “Come on, lets go and get an early night, so we can get going at around 7am tomorrow” Pete smiled, Mac hadn’t changed one bit, she was still the woman she was seven years ago, and in his eyes she hadn’t aged a bit. LIONS PARK, ST.CLAIRE Ange is sitting on a bench in a playground, in the centre of a small town, beside her is a small Amcal paper bag, she looks over to the playground where a group of small children are playing. She is wearing an Amcal Chemist uniform and drinking a cup of coffee. Mac’s car pulls up in the background, and she gets out of the car. She looks across the park and spots Angie on the park bench. She closes the car door, and begins to walk over to the park bench. Angie turns her head around, and spots a familiar figure coming toward her, and not believing what she sees lifts up her sunglasses. Seeing its Mac, she jumps off the bench and runs over to her, the two hug, “Oh Mac, I thought I was seeing things, I’ve missed you so much, how are you? How have you been? Have you seen Church? How is he going?” They reach the park bench and sit down arm in arm, Mac laughed at Ange “No your not seeing things, I’ve missed you to, I’m fine and I’ve been good. I gotin contact with Church yesterday and he’s fine too, but more to the point, how are you and Oscar getting along in the witness protection program, oh Angie, I’ve missed you so much” Ange smiled “Yeah, it was tough in the beginning, but now being called Angie seems strange to me, I’m so used to being Tess Woolstonecroft who works in the local chemist. Oscar and I own a farm twenty minutes from town, and he really enjoys being on the land, so things have turned out well. Is Church with you?” “Yeah, he thought it would be a good idea to look for you and Oscar in the pub, but my guess is he is sitting there having a beer right at this minute, knowing him” They both laughed then Angie turned and asked “Why are you guys here, is something wrong, there is isn’t there?” Mac held her hand, “Why don’t we go and pick up Pete and head out to your place where we can talk properly” Ange agreed and picked up her parcel, and walked over to the playground and lifted a little girl with blue eyes and blonde plaits tied with yellow ribbons, dressed in a cute pair of denim overall and a bright yellow T.Shirt and brown boots off the play equipment, and walked toward Mac with the little girl on her hip, when she got to Mac she said “Mac, I’d like you to meet my little girl, this is Mackenzie Woolstonecroft” Mac looked at Angie with tears in her eyes, then looked at the little girl, who looked like the spitting image of Angie “Wow, she looks just like you An... Tess” Ange laughed then said “But she has her Dads personality, your a little devil aren’t you?” Little Mac screwed up her nose a giggled, Mac took her little hand, which was dirty from falling over and said “Guess what, my name is Mac too” The little girl put her head on to Angie’s shoulder, not to sure of the stranger, Angie laughed and whispered to her “Hey Little Mac, don’t you want to say hello to Big Mac!” Mac laughed and hit Angie on her free shoulder the girl looked over to Mac and giggled, “Hello Big Mac” WOOLSTONECROFTS FARM Mac and Church are driving behind Angie’s car, down a dirt track, they follow Angie’s car into a gate and down a drive way. A head of them is an old homestead style home, with a veranda warping around the side. A peppercorn tree stands in the front with a rope swing swinging in the wind underneath it, and a tree house in its branches. Behind the house is a paddock with horses standing in the shade. Behind this paddock is a densely vegetated creek bank. “Wow, this is absolutely beautiful” Mac said as they pulled up behind Ange. They got out of the car and walked up towards Angie, who was getting little Mac out of her car seat, “Hey Pete, you can go and see Sean if you want, he’s out back in the dairy. Follow that road around and its the big round shed, trust me, you’ll smell if you can’t see it” Ange looked at her watch “Sean and Ben should be cleaning up around about now” Pete smiled “Thanks Ang... Tess, I catch you girls later” Pete walked down the small dirt track, whistling to himself, the girls just laughed and walked inside. Once inside Ange got Mac a cup of coffee, and the two sat down to talk. Little Mac was sitting on Macs lap, playing quietly with a small toy rabbit with a dummy in her mouth “Looks like its nap time for you Mackenzie” Mackenzie looked back with a pleading look and shook her head, but leaned her head back onto Macs shoulder, rubbing the toy down the side of her face. “How old is she Tess?” Mac asked Ange “She’s nearly three, and Ben, our son is five, and a real Dad’s boy, out in the dairy. We weren't really planning on having children so quickly after we were married and moved here, so Ben definately wasn't planned, but we couldn't imagine life any different now. So tell me Mac, how have you been, I read all about your new promotion in the papers” Mackenzie was now leaning against Mac, her eyes slowly closing “Yeah, it isn’t too bad. But its not like old times, you go to work, don’t talk all day and go home. I enjoy the actual working part, just not the atmosphere, I miss the way it used to be, you, me and the boys.” Ange smiled “Me too” Ange got up and went out of the room for a minute. Mac had a look around the room. On a hutch beside the antique style dining table she was a collections of medals and trophies, obviously won by Oscar with the football club, but underneath all of them was sitting was a wedding photo of Stone and Ange, just the two of them, Ange in a long white dress, holding a bunch of lilies. Either side of the wedding portrait was a framed newborn baby pictures, of Angie’s two children. The one on the left had written underneath; Benjamin Cameron Woolstonecroft 12.6.02 Benjamin- Hardworking, Right Hand Man Cameron- Individual There was a matching picture of Mackenzie on the other side of the wedding portrait, with her pink dummy. Underneath was written Mackenzie Angela Woolstonecroft 14.2.05 Mackenzie- Child of Handsome Man Angela- Angelic Mac laughed out aloud, and the description for Mackenzie as Ange came back into the room, and noticed Mac looking at the photos and laughing “I can guess what your laughing at” she said as she sat down at the table” Mac still giggling answered “Child of Handsome Man!! That has got to be made up!” Angie laughed “That’s what I thought when Sally, the publicans wife gave me Mackenzie’s little portrait after she was born, but she assured me it was true. You can imagine how Seans head swelled when he saw that!” Mac laughed “I can just imagine it” After the giggling had died down, Angie added “Sally has been so good to us. She was the first one to welcome us into the town when we first came here. She is a great woman, really good value if you know what I mean, always good for a laugh” Angie noticed Mac looking at the wedding portrait “One of witness protection’s great ideas, the wedding portrait. Oscar and I did actually get married that day, but it was only the two of us, a photographer and some people from witness protection at the registry office. I never did get my big white wedding, I got the dress though I suppose.” Mac went on to ask Ange “So the witness protection people were alright with you using your real names as the children’s middle names?” Ange smiled, and said “Well when Ben was born it didn’t really matter, because Oscars security wasn’t really compromised, and no one apart from you, Pete and the witness protection crew knew he even came with me. When we contacted the Witness Protection program on Bens birth, as you have to do, they didn’t seem to mind. When Mackenzie was born, and we informed them they didn’t mention anything, so we assumed that was all fine” Ange suddenly remembered what she was holding and handed it to Mac. I was a photo in a frame, with a note attached to it ‘My Dearest Ange, Live life to the fullest and never forget about us!! Forever Mac’ “I have that exact same photo on my desk at work. We had fun back then didn’t we?” Ange sighed “We sure did. So what the go between you and Pete, no old flames being relit?” Mac laughed “No, I only caught up with him yesterday and we came straight here, which reminds me, the reason we came here” Ange looked worried, putting down her coffee, Mac kept talking “News is that Max Crivelli was released two days ago, and the psychiatrists have reason to believe he wants revenge, and he will stop at nothing to find you in particular” Ange looked sick and worried “I thought the whole ordeal was over, after the big court case and all the trouble the prosecutors had putting him away. Oscar and I have worked so hard to build ourselves a life here, to be a part of the community and we’re going to have to start all over again. This time it wont only be the two of us, it’ll be us and the kids, plus a baby. I don’t know if I will be able to cope Mac.” “Your pregnant again?” A small smile crept on to Angie’s face “Yeah, well at least I think so, well I’m nearly positive actually” she reached forward and opened the chemist bag that was sitting on the table, revealing a pregnancy test kit “Does Oscar know yet?” “No, I haven’t had the right moment to tell him, I’m surprised he hasn’t noticed the morning sickness and strange cravings. Last night I had a terrible craving for weetbix with chocolate milk” Mac laughed “Don’t you really want to know? If it was me I would be dying to find out” Mac said, Ange smiled “OK, I’ll go do it now, can you put her in her cot, its down that hall, second door on the right” Mac took the limp child down the hall while Angie went into the bathroom. Mac went into the bathroom, to wait with Ange, staring at the egg timer on the bathroom basin, and a small while tube, that eventually turned pink. “Congratulations Ange, wow, three kids, you’re gonna be busy!!” Ange could do nothing but smile. The back door could be heard opening, and steps running down the hall, Ange and Mac quickly left the bathroom and went back into the kitchen, where Pete, Oscar and a small boy in a muddy flannelette shirt was standing. Oscar went straight to Mac, hugging her and lifting her off the ground, happy to see her. All the noise had woken little Mac, and she came out looking half asleep, then seeing her Dad ran straight to him, yelling “Daddy, Daddy, look this is Big Mac, look Daddy!!” Oscar lifted the little girl into the air and swung her around as she laughed “Really munchkin, I know Mac too” he then turned to Angie “Hey, Tess, I say we go into town for tea, what do you reckon?” “Yeah sure, I’ll just get the kids ready.” ST. CLAIRE PUB Mac, Stone, Church and Ange sat at a small table, off to one side of a crowded country pub. Little Mackenzie was fast asleep in the pusher beside Ange, and Ben was over in the corner playing with some other children. The four of them were having a minor argument, that Angie finally put a stop to; “Look you guys, you are staying out at our place, I’m not going to have two of our closest friends staying at the pub. Ben has two single beds in his room, so we’ll put you two in there, and Ben can sleep on the stretcher in Mackenzie’s room, he wont mind” Both Pete and Mac tried to protest, but Angie just lifted her hand. They knew they had just lost. Angie changed the subject “So whats Danni up to these days?” Mac laughed, since she had left undercover, she had kept a close eye on Danni’s progress through the ranks “Believe it or not, she know has my old job in command of the undercover unit” Pete leaned back in his chair and smiled “I always knew that girl had it in her” The others agreed. Eventually Stone got up out of his chair “OK guys, I’m making a trip to the bar, what will it be?” “Just a beer thanks mate” Pete was first to reply “I’ll have a lemon squash” Mac knew it would be her who would be driving home, as did Ange “Make that two lemon squash’s Sean” Oscar smiled “OK, two beers and to lemon squashes coming right up” Stone made his way to the bar, where he was chatting to two of the locals “So Wooley, ya gonna play next season, your our star forward” Half the bar turned to hear Oscars response, he replied “Well...... I’ll be there next year, that is if my knee doesn’t play up” A cheer came from the bar, followed by the chant of “WOOL-LEY, WOOL-LEY!!!!” After all of the hype died down. Stone ordered the drinks, and the bloke beside him commented on the visitors “ Hey Wooley, whats the go with the friends, the ones that pulled in today with the BMW, hey come to think of it, I reckon those two would have to be the first visitors you’ve ever had, didn’t hey like you when you lived in the city?” Stone just blew of the last comment with a laugh. He thought about look strange that he and Angie hadn’t had a visitor for the past seven years, but said, “Yeah, that’s Ellen and Pete, friends of ours from Melbourne, they’re staying with us for a while” The woman at the bar came back with their drinks, and Oscar said goodbye to the blokes at the bar and made his way back to the table. Pete had to make a comment “Hey Wooley, looks like your a local hero mate!” Ange and Mac laughed, while Stone went a little red, but laughed it off. Mac looked across to Ange and raised her glass “Here’s to new arrivals! Cheers!” COMMISIONERS OFFICE Back in the Commissioners Office everyone had left for the night, and the only lights left on were the security lights. Suddenly the elevator could be heard through the silence. The doors opened and Mac’s assistant Sarah came through, with Max Crivelli. Sarah looked nervous, Max tried to comfort her with a kiss, but she broke away “I’m not going to do this in here. Just get what you need and lets go. Mackenzie’s office is through there” Sarah reached into her pocket to get a key she had cut, that would get them undetected access to Mac’s office. Crivelli had promised her if she did this for him, then they could go overseas, and be happy, just like she had always wanted. For the seven years Max had been in prison, they had written endless letters to each other. But there was one thing in the way of their happiness. He couldn’t let go of the past and make a fresh start until he had taken care of the woman who had put him in prison. That was the reason she had quit her old job and applied to work as a secretary in the Commissioners office, a job she was over qualified for so she could try to gather information about the witness protection program, and were they hid ex undercover cops like Angela Piper, the woman who had exposed Max. Instead of finding someone in Witness Protection, Sarah had found someone better, she had found Ellen Mackenzie, Deputy Commissioner, Angie Piper’s old commanding officer, but better still, Angie Pipers best friend. Sarah had noticed the photo and had put two and two together. Ellen had to know where Angie was, and there would be evidence of that somewhere in the office. Max opened the door, and they both went in. Max went straight behind the desk and started to go through the drawers. He looked up and saw the photo. The sight of Angie Piper enraged him, and he threw the photo against the wall, making a dint in the paint as the glass shattered on to the floor, Sarah pleaded with him; “I thought you were just going to get what you wanted, not trash the place, people will know we’ve been in here” Max replied, despite his anger was able to speak rationally “Look, I reckon this Mackenzie chic has gone to warn Piper that I’m out of prison, and.....” Crivelli busted the lock on the top drawer and took out Macs journal, and shook all of the loose papers onto the desk. Among some other notes, a map fell on tot he desk, detailing the way to St Claire. Crivelli knew this was were Angela Piper was, and he didn’t want to waste anymore time. He put the map into his coat pocket, “Lets got Sarah, I’ve got it” As they left they closed the blinds of the office, and carefully locked the door behind them. ANGIE AND OSCARS BEDROOM All was quiet at the Woolstonecroft home, the hallway was all dark apart from light coming underneath two of the rooms down the hall, one belonging to he master bedroom, one belonging to Bens room. Angie and Oscars room was a large room, with a big old fashioned king sized bed in the middle, with rustic furniture around the wall, with an ensuite to one side. The bedside lamp was on, and Ange looked happy laying across Oscars chest “Its been a day of surprises Tess my girl, that’s for sure” Both Oscar and Angie had gotten into the habit of talking to each other using their cover names, it was doubly as important now, with the children around. “Yeah” Angie debated on whether she should tell Oscar that she was pregnant, and finally decided she wouldn’t, not until the whole Crivelli ordeal was over. “Its good to see Mac and Pete again, even though they brought news of Crivelli” Ange paused before she continued; “What are we gonna do? I don’t want to leave here, but we might have to” Stone looked just as worried, but remained calm for Angie’s sake “It doesn’t matter where we are, as long as were together, and our kids are ok. That’s the main thing, that our kids are ok” Ange smiled, and felt completely safe in Oscars arms, just as she had for the past seven years, and Angie leant over to flick of the lamp, and before going to sleep, and said what she had said to Stone every night for the past seven years, the only thing that reminded them of their past lives, “I love you Stonie” Stone held Ange tight “I love you to Ange” BEN'S BEDROOM Mac and Pete lay in their separate beds, both staring up at the ceiling, thinking about what they would have done in this situation eight or so years ago, both positive they would not be in separate beds. As they stared up at the ceiling, to scared to look at each other. They both then decide they would break the silence “Mac” “Pete” They both laughed, and said at the same time “You go first” After laughing again, Pete began “Mac, I.... I’ve been wanting to say this since I first saw you two days ago. The past six years have been hell, without you to give me shit on a regular basis. I’ve missed you Mac, and well, I was going to take the ‘Ellen Maree’ on an around the world solo yacht trip, but now, well, I was wondering if you would like to join me” Pete rushed on “I know you probably can’t, and that you job means everything to you, and you probably have a fella for each night of the week, I don’t want to put you under any pressure, and don’t feel obliged to come....” Mac interrupted “Yes, yes, I will come with you, I couldn’t say no, not after you named that boat after me” For the past six years Mac had planned every detail of her life in detail, right down to the minute, deliberating for weeks about every tiny decision. But somehow this was different. She hadn’t realised how she had missed Pete. Her job, though she had made it nearly to the top of the force left her unfulfilled inside, she wanted more. “I love you Pete” Pete smiled to himself, he needed no further invitation. In one swift movement he was out of his bed, and in beside Mac. Laughing he replied “I love you to Mac” and with that he kissed her gently on the lips. As their lips parted, they looked into one anothers eyes and smiled. For the first time in seven years, their lives were heading in the right direction. Pete cradled Macs face in his hands and kissed her again, this time with more passion. ANGIE AND OSCAR'S BEDROOM Stone and Angie looked across at the wall that joined their room with the room Mac and Church we sleeping in. They could hear the muffled sounds coming through the wall. A loud crash is heard from the other room, the sound of someone or something hitting the wall, this is followed by the sound of quiet laughter. Angie and Stone look at one another before bursting into fits laughter. ST. CLAIRE PUB Max Crivelli and Sarah entered the St Claire pub, arm in arm early the next morning, and go straight up to the publican, who was stacking glasses behind the bar. Crivelli spoke “Hey mate, I was just wondering if you could help us. I’m trying to track down a friend. Well really a friend of a friend. Thing is, and this is gonna sound really strange but I’ve forgotten their names. So I was just wondering if you could help me. I know these people came from Melbourne, probably about seven years ago. The womans a real good sort if you know what I mean, she has blonde hair.....” The publican looked a little confused, but then remembered Tess and Sean Woolstonecroft had come from Melbourne, and Tess sure did fit that description. “Your probably looking for Sean and Tess Woolstonecroft, they’re out on a farm. If you go down the highway and turn left into River Road, go down about five K’s and its on the right” Max Crivelli smiled, revenge would finally be his. “Thanks for that mate, you’ve been a great help” The publican answered before going back to stacking glasses “No worries” ANGIE AND OSCAR'S HOME Sunday breakfast at the Woolstonecroft’s was always a feast, and this weekend was no exception. By the time Mac and Church came out of their room and 10:30am Angie had already began cooking up brunch. Oscar was on he lounge room floor wrestling with Little Mac and Ben, he looked up and saw Mac and Pete come down the hall still in their PJ’s and looking like they had had a late night. “Hey, ‘bout time you two got up” Ange looked around the corner of the kitchen seeing Mac look embarrassed, she shot Oscar a look. Little Mac was well on her way down the hall to give Mac a hug. There was a connection that was evident between Mac and her little namesake, and she welcomed her with open arms. Pete walked in and sat down at the kitchen table “Something smells pretty good An.. Tess” Ange smiled, as she took the frying pan full of bacon and eggs off the stove and began dishing it up onto the plates “OK, kids hop up to the table, breakies ready” With that, everyone sat up at the table, awaiting their meal. Ange came up to the table, with two small plates for the kids, as she leant over in front of Oscar to put down Bens plate on the other side of the table, Oscar teasingly said “I don’t think you’d better be eating this Tess my girl, your getting a little chunky around the middle” With that Ange swung around and jumped onto Oscars lap, and began to bounce up and down “Little heavy am I?” she asked, as she kissed him. Mac and Pete didn’t know where to look, but the two kids just laughed. Their parents often showed their affection for one another openly, and the children were used to it. Mac smiled, Angie obviously hadn’t found the right moment to tell Oscar about the pregnancy. Outside, the car of Max Crivelli and Sarah pulled into the driveway of ‘S.T and T.E. Woolstonecroft’ The car pulled off the driveway and into a shed, about three hundred meters away from the house. Max turned to Sarah, who sat scared in the front seat. Max turned to her and said "Don’t worry Sairs’ for now we just sit and wait for the right moment” ANGIE AND OSCAR'S HOME A few hours later, after all the breakfast dishes had been finished, Angie had finished making a packed lunch for the boys, who had decided they were going on a fishing expedition. All of the fishing gear had been placed beside the wire door, and Ben came down the hallway, after going into his room to get a footy. “Hey Mum, that Mac and Pete are kissing in my room, eewwwwww!!” Angie and Oscar burst into laughter, Oscar asked his son “Hey mate, did they see you go in?” Ben began to handball the footy in his hands “No I opened the door and saw them, so I snuck in and got my footy and they didn’t even see me!” Angie and Oscar laughed, Oscar couldn’t help himself, and called out to his son “Hey, Benny Boy, handball to the chest!” Ben handballed like a pro to his father and they continued there game until Angie broke it up “Hey you two! No footy in the house!” Ben and Oscar both answered “Yes Mum” Angie laughed and handed them both their lunches. Pete finally came down the hallway looking pretty happy with himself, and Angie handed him his lunch as he passed the kitchen, and then gave them all their orders “OK boys, be back by 6 at the latest, don’t get wet, and I want at least four fish for tea alright, and we’ll talk tonight about.. “ Angie looked at Ben who was know listening intently “why you guys are here alright, and work out what we’re gonna do” All three preceded to answer “Yes Mum” Angie smiled and kissed them all on the cheek as they left. ANGIE AND OSCAR'S HOME Angie sat on the couch, grateful for a few moments to herself. She had forgotten how tiring the first trimester can be. She could hear Mac and her daughter outside playing on the rope swing, just one of the many ways Oscar had managed to spoil their children. Anything those tow kids asked for they got from their father. A new puppy, a new tree house for Ben, a cubby house for MacKenzie and she was sure this one would be treated no different. Angie could remember years and years ago, when she had thought there was something between her and Oscar thought different, she could remember him saying that if he had her, he would want the whole package, house, a dog and three kids. Well Oscar Stone, that is actually what you are going to get. But Angie felt there was something different about this pregnancy, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it. Angie’s mind then began to drift. They would have to extend the house before the baby was born, so all the kids could have their own room, and she would have to find all of the baby stuff they had put in the attic, after Mackenzie had grown out of them. Lucky she hadn’t decided to give them all away. There was going to have to be a lot of work done, after this whole Crivelli thing was over. Ange heard the wire door open “Mummy, Mummy look what me and Big Mac made!!” Ange turned around to see her little girl running toward her, wearing a daisy chain on her head, like a halo. Mac followed the girl inside, with her own daisy chain on her head. “Look Mummy, we made you one. I picked all the flowers, and Big Mac did make them” Ange took the wreath of flowers from her daughters hand and placed it on her head “How does Mummy look” She said as she sat the girl on her lap “Pretty” Angie laughed, Mac took a seat in the couch opposite “She speaks very well Ange, for a two year old, I have never heard a two year old speak as well as her” Ange nodded “Yeah, I know, she began to speak very early as well. I think the reason is that Ben used to sit beside her baby bouncer and just talk to her for hours at a time. Ben couldn’t wait until his baby sister was old enough to play with him. Don’t get me wrong, they fight all the time, but they are fairly close, they have to be, living all the way out here” Angie broke off “Ok then, how about some lunch, I’ll...” Mac immediately cut in “You stay there Tess, I’ll make the lunch, you just stay right where you are” Angie answered “Yes M’am!” Mac shuddered “Don’t call me that, that is what they call me at the office, or what they used to call me anyway” Angie looked across at Mac questionally. Mac went to get off the couch, but Angie wanted an explanation “Sit. Are you going to quit your job?” Mac sat back down obediently “Well... Pete as you know has a boat, well a yacht which he is doing up, and he has named it the Ellen Maree” Angie interrupted “Your middle name is Elizabeth, not Maree, I reckon Pete should have known that!” Mac laughed “Maree was his favourite aunts name, or so he tells me. But anyway, he asked me last night if I would go around the world with him, and I said yes.” Angie looked delighted “Oh Mac that’s wonderful! I am so happy now, if only this whole Crivelli thing would go away, I would be in bliss” A loud thud was heard from down the hall, followed by footsteps coming down the hallway. Angie instinctively held Mackenzie close to her chest, Mac hissed at them “Get down” Mac then feeling to her hip, where she kept her handgun. She hadn't really needed to carry a gun with her office job, but after all those years in Undercover, old habits were hard to break. Mac ran down the hall to investigate the noise, but there was only silence. She darted in and out of each room, pointing her gun. After cheaking each of the rooms down the hallway, she made her way back into the family area. What she saw made her heart skip a beat. Max Crivelli held a gun to Angie’s head, while a woman held Mackenzie, Mac took another look “Sarah!” Mac quickly pieced together he story. She should have looked into Sarah’s background further, but that was all to late now. ********************************************************************** Mac stepped back, and dropped her gun to the ground "Let them go, please take me and let them both go." Crivelli tightened his grip on Angie, pulling her head back by her ponytail, Angie let out a quiet groan "If you think I'm gonna let this bitch off light, Deputy Commisioner, you've got another think coming, it's all because of Angie Piper that I went to prison in the first place." With his last word he took the butt of his gun and knocked Angie unconscious. As Angie slumped into Crivelli, he pushed her on to the couch. MacKenzie struggled against Sarah, screaming, Sarah, unable to control the child let her slip down on to the floor. MacKenzie ran to her mother, screaming uncontrollably. Mac went over to MacKenzie, Crivelli began to get annoyed. "Shut that kid up or I'll shut her up for good." Crivelli took aim at MacKenzie, but this time is was Sarah who stopped him "Max, no, not the little girl. I came here to get revenge on a cop, not a little girl, please Max" Crivelli paused, and slowly lowered his gun. Her stepped in front of the couch, where Mac was trying to find Angie's pulse. MacKenzie, now silent, held her mother's hand to her tear stained cheek. Crivelli pushed aside Mac and, and looked at the child, then turned back to Sarah, who was now looking terrified FISHING HOLE Pete, Oscar and Ben were sitting on the bank of a small fishing hole. The rods were set up on the bank, and to one side was a yelllow bucket which held what would be tonight's dinner. In the distance they could hear the screams of MacKenzie. Oscar laughed, "It must be nap time hey Benny?" Ben laughed, his little sister hated taking naps, especially when there were other people in the house. Pete leaned back onto his bag "The kid's got a good set of lungs, I'll give her that" ANGIE AND OSCAR'S HOME "Sarah, get the car and bring it here, after I take care of her," he pointed to Mac "We'll go down to the hut and finish this off" Sarah remained looking at the limp body of the attractive blonde. "Sarah. Now!" Sarah jumped at this command, but silently consented, and left out the back door. Crivelli, convinced that Angie was going to be out of it for awhile turned his attentions to Mac. He knew he couldn't leave her here, but he couldn't risk shooting her, that would spark a media frenzy, there would be a world wide man hunt and he would be back in prison within the week. Ellen MacKenzie had made a name for herself as the Deputy Commisioner, and had become the much adored face of the Police Force. He glanced out the window, and saw a small children's cubby house, and had an idea. With that he pulled a roll of duct tape from a small backpack left behind by Sarah. He turned away from Angie lying on the couch, and the now whimpering toddler. He now turned his attention to Mac. Mac began to plead with the man. "Please, if you let us go now I promise no one will follow you. You can leave the country. You and Sarah can get a new start. Please Max. Or at least leave Angie and the girl behind, they're civilians now. Take me instead, please, I'm begging you." Crivelli took the duct tape and put it in the hand holding the gun. With his free hand he hit Mac across the face. He had come after Angie Piper, and that's who he was going to get. Crivelli ripped of a piece of duct tape of the roll MacKenzie looked up from her mother, suddenly terrified she ran toward the door, screaming for her Dad, only to be intercepted by Sarah, coming back into the house. Sarah quickly closed the door to stop the toddler from escaping. "Turn around, bitch." Reluctantly Mac turned around as he wrapped the tape tightly around her wrists. He then spun her around, and stuffed a piece of cloth in her mouth, and then taped over her mouth with duct tape. After doing this, he went behind the couch and picked up Mac's gun, then turned to Sarah. "Take this, make sure they both stay here." he said indicating Angie and MacKenzie. He then took Mac by the arm and led her outside, across a neat rose garden and into the children's cubby house. Inside the small cubby house was a children's size table and chairs along with a pretend oven and cradle. Crivelli pointed to a small chair in the corner "Sit down there" Mac silently obeyed, and Crivelli then proceeded to take the duct taped and tie her ankles tightly to the chair. Once he had finished, he rose and took a look at Mac. He put the duct tape and gun on the table, and leant down in front of Mac, and ran his dirty finger across the bruise that was forming on her left cheek. His hand then moved to he neck, then down toward her breasts. Mac squirmed, but Crivelli just laughed. He then took his gun, and with one swift movement knocked Mac unconscious. ANGIE AND OSCAR'S BACKYARD "Mum should be happy with five fish, shouldn't she Dad?" Oscar smiled and ruffled his sons hair "She sure will Benny boy, you will be able to tell her that you caught two of them." Ben laughed, then added "And that Pete caught none!" The three of them laughed. Ben, looked over toward the cubby house "Hey Dad, the door to the cubby house is closed" Oscar laughed. "Be a good boy, go check if your sister has locked the cat in there again" Pete laughed, and Ben ran over to the cubby house, and swung open the door "Dad!! Pete!!" Oscar dropped the bucket of fish and ran over to his son, Pete soon followed. Ben backed away from the doorway, not sure of what he had just seen. Oscar looked into the cubby expecting to find a snake, but instead he found Mac, slumped onto the small table. He went to her side, immediately searching for a pulse. Pete entered the cubby house, and gently lifted her off the table. Oscar looked across at Pete. "She has a strong pulse," Mac began to stir at the noise, and Pete ripped off the masking tapes and removed the cloth from her mouth. Mac groaned at the pain in her head, but soon remembered where she was and what had happened, and began to mumble. "Angie.... MacKenzie... Crivelli and Sarah, we've got to go after them" Oscar immediately ran toward the house. Pete quickly untied Mac from the chair, but in his haste left the tape on her ankles and writs, preferring to carry her into the house. As he stepped out of the cubby, Ben was waiting there, confused. Pete spoke to him "Come on mate, we'll go back into the house, and find out what's going on" The boy nodded and held on to Pete by his belt. As they walked toward the house, Oscar came running toward them "They're not in there, they're gone" Oscar raised his arms in panic and began to grab at his hair. Tears came to his eyes. Pete coaxed him into the house. ANGIE AND OSCAR'S KITCHEN Pete, Oscar, with Ben on his knee and Mac sat at the kitchen table. Mac looking bruised, but otherwise okay. She knocked back a couple of Panadol, and turned to Oscar. "Oscar I am so sorry, I should have done better, it should have been me, not Angie it my fault they found her, I led them here...." Tears sprung into Mac's eyes, and Oscar offered her his hand, she took it graciously. Then she suddenly remembered something Crivelli had said "A hut, they were going to a hut! Are there any huts around here that they could have gone to, we have to find them!" Oscar sat for a second, then remembered an old squatter's hut that was in the National Park, that adjoined the back paddock. It was away from any homes, the perfect place if you wanted to..... Suddenly he stepped into action. He took Ben off his knee and began to give the orders, "Pete, grab your gun. You and me are going to get these bastards. Mac, can you please stay here with Ben. Call the police, phone number's on the fridge. The St Claire cop shop is unmanned, so they will be awhile. Tell them to go to McCaffery's hut." Oscar then turned to his son, and lifted him up "Ok Benny-Boy, don't you worry about a thing. I'm going to go and get you Mum and your little sister and bring them back to you, ok?" The boy nodded and Oscar hugged him tightly. After he put Ben down he turned to Mac "Don't worry, I'll get them" Mac paused before she said something. "Oscar, be careful with Ange.... she's pregnant." Oscar paused for a moment before saying. "Thanks Mac," He hugged Mac briefly before turning to Pete "Let's go," Oscar and Pete hurried out into the shed and started the four wheeler motor bike. Pete stopped halfway to the shed and ran back into the house, and quickly returned, carrying a small tape recorder, just in case. Oscar had already started the bike and was ready to leave. Pete jumped on the back, and they were soon out of sight. Mac put her arms around Ben, and they watched as the bike disappeared toward the dairy. McCAFFERY'S HUT Angie slowly opened her eyes, and was immediately aware of the pain in her head. She looked around for a few seconds, not knowing where she was. Then she heard the voice of her daughter, sitting in the corner of the wooden hut they were in. "Mummy, Mummy I'm thirsty!" She tried to reach out a hand to the child, but she was tied to the back of the chair. She looked around the hut they were in. There was an old wooden bed in one corner, the chair she was in, as well as an old fire place. MacKenzie was hiding under the wooden bed. She remembered the hut now. She and Oscar had discovered it years ago when they first moved here. They had been out walking and it had began to rain, so they had sort refuge in this exact hut. They had returned here many times after that, before the children were born. Ben was conceived in this hut. Angie shook her head, she had to focus, try and remember what she would have done in this situation when she was with Undercover. Crivelli and Sarah were obviously gone for now, at least. She would have to get herself and MacKenzie out of here before they returned. She tried once again to get her hands free, then spoke to her daughter "MacKenzie, are you all right?" MacKenzie, still hiding under the bed replied "Yes Mummy, you were asleep and, and I yelled and, and you didn't wake up!" Angie looked at the terrified girl "I'm sorry baby, Mummy's ok now. Can you come over here and try to untie Mummy," MacKenzie slowly came from under the bed, and walked toward her mother. "Mummy there was a bad man, Mummy, he is naughty, he says naughty words." Angie looked at the girl and said soothingly. "Its alright baby, he is gone now...." The sound of a motor came from the distance. Angie struggled with the tape on her wrists, but despite her frantic efforts the only thing she had achieved was making her wrists bleed. The sound of the motor came closer until it was right beside the hut. Angie recognised the sound. It was Oscar's four wheeler. There was a loud bang as the door swung open. MacKenzie, terrified hid behind her mother's chair. In a matter of seconds, Oscar and Pete burst into the hut. Oscar immediately ran toward his wife, taking her bruised face gently in his hands. "Oh Angie, I thought I had lost you, I love you so much," Oscar then spotted MacKenzie behind the chair. "Munchkin, you're alright!" With the mention of Munchkin, MacKenzie ran into her father's arms. Pete who until now had stayed in the background walked up behind Ange and went to undo the duct tape that held her wrists. Angie quickly turned around, "Pete, don't cut that, not yet" Pete immediately stopped, and Angie continued "I've thought this through, and I want to put Crivelli away for a long time. If they return and I'm not here, well they will just leave, and if we wait outside for them to come back and arrest them then we won't have a strong enough case." Angie looked at Oscar who was kneeling in front of her, with MacKenzie sitting with him, he looked doubtful "Ange," with the recent events, Angie and Oscar had dismissed their new names. "I can't let you do that" Angie quickly butted in "MacKenzie doesn't have to be in here, Crivelli told her to stay under the bed, so we could just put, I don't know something under there that looks about the same size as her" Oscar still looked doubtful, but Pete felt his old undercover instincts come back to him. "I've got the tape recorder and we could be waiting just outside. We'll arrange a signal word for Angie, and we will be in here in three seconds," Oscar still looked doubtful, and looked back to Angie. "Angie, Mac told me about the baby, and I'm worried, and don't forget you're already the mother to two children who need you," Angie looked into Oscar's eyes. "I know, and I'm doing this for them. If we don't get Crivelli now, he will come after us again, and if not him he will send someone else. He knows our names and where we live," Oscar tried once gain to plead with Angie "We can move Ange, get new identities, I don't care." Angie smiled at Oscar. "I don't want a new identity, and you don't either. We both love it here and I don't want to ever move and I don't want to be on the run for the rest of my life, I don't want our children growing up, not knowing where their home is." At last Oscar admitted defeat. "Ok Ange, but only because I love you." ANGIE AND OSCAR'S HOUSE Mac and Ben were sitting at the kitchen table in silence. In front of them were untouched glasses or cordial, and a plate of biscuits. Ben broke the silence "Why do you call my Mum and Dad Oscar and Angie? That's not their names." Mac looked down at Ben, not sure what to say "Well, your Mum and Dad used to live in Melbourne, with me and Pete, years and years ago, before you were born., and your Mum's name was Angie Piper and your Dad's name was Oscar Stone. But these bad people wanted to find your Mum, so she changed her name so they couldn't find her and your Dad decided that her loved your Mum so much that he would go with her. Do you understand?" Ben took a moment to answer, still going over in his mind what Mac had said "Yes, I think I understand. Was it the bad man who tied you up and took Mummy and Little Mac?" Mac reached out to Ben's hand. "Yes, it was, but your Daddy and Pete have gone out to find your Mum and little sister, and bring them back to you, safe and sound." Mac looked at Ben, hoping that he had believed her, because she sure as hell didn't believe it herself. The two sat in silence for awhile, until they heard a car pull up outside the house. Mac signalled for Ben to get down, as she went to the window to have a look outside. It was Crivelli and Sarah. He was moving toward the cubby house. Mac quickly ran back to the table and grabbed Ben's hand, and silently they ran toward the back door. Before they had reached the back door, Ben stopped and opened a cupboard in the hall. He reached inside and took out a rifle and handed it to Mac. Mac looked at him, this boy was exactly like his father, always thinking. But Mac quickly regained her thoughts and took Ben to the backdoor. Once they were outside they could hear the yells of Crivelli, after he discovered Mac was no longer in the cubby. Mac whispered to Ben. "Ben, where's the best place we can hide that is away from the house, where we won't be found." Ben thought for a moment, then led Mac by the hand toward the creek. The two ran silently through the brush, and soon they came to the creek. Together they crossed the freezing cold creek, to the other side where they kept running. They could still hear the yells as Crivelli got back into his car. They heard the car door slam, and the tyres screech as Crivelli drove off. Ben had taken Mac to a small shack that consisted of some branches set against a tree, that had obviously been here for years. The two of them went inside, and sat against the trunk of the tree. Mac held Ben close to her, both of them to scared to talk. McCAFFERY'S HUT Pete placed the tape recorder in the fire place, and covered it with the ashes that had been left in the fire place already. He then turned to Angie, "I'm proud of you girl, not just for doing this, but for what you have done since you left. You've made a great life for not just yourself, but for Oscar too, and now you have two beautiful children. You did real good." Angie smiled, and tears rolled down her face. "Pete, if I wasn't tied up with duct tape, I'd come over and give you a great big hug." Pete smiled and went over to Angie and hugged her. Oscar came back into the hut, minus his own jacket but carrying the blue dress MacKenzie was wearing. "Hey, get your hands off my wife!!" Pete laughed, Oscar went on "I took MacKenzie about half a k into the bush, where she won't be found. I told her not to leave the bike, and stayed with her until she fell asleep." Pete took the dress off Stone and put it under the bed, trying to make it as realistic as possible. Angie sighed. "I feel terrible leaving her out there by herself, what if she wakes up and we're not there?" Angie began to cry again, Oscar comforted her. "Ange, she'll be fine, you know what she's like, she will sleep for a week if you let her" Angie laughed, and regained her composure. Pete held up his hand for silence. "I can hear a car, quick Stonie, we've gotta get outta here. Ange, if anything goes wrong, just say the word." Pete left the hut and Oscar followed, after one last kiss from his wife. "Love you Ange," "Love you Stonie," MAX CRIVELLI'S CAR Max pulled the car into the clearing in front of the hut and turned to Sarah. "Ok Sarah, this is it, we take them out into the bush, and shoot them both, where the bodies will never be found. Then we'll drive back into town, ditch the car and take another one straight into the city. We will be out of the country before the cops know anything" Sarah looked worried "What about Ellen MacKenzie? She would have surely called someone by now, Max, I didn't want it to be like this..." Max silenced her with a kiss "Don't worry Sarah. Do you trust me?" Sarah paused before answering. "Yes" The two of them then got out of the car and went into the hut. Max pushed open the door and looked at the now consious Angie "Angela, Angela, Angela are we awake now" Max paused and looked around the hut "Wheres the kid?" Angie quickly answered "She's under the bed, and is too scared to come out, please let us go!" Max turned around to Sarah and nodded. Sarah in turn glanced under the bed. Angie held her breath. Sarah straightened up and looked at Max "She's there, in the corner" Max nodded and Angie breathed a sigh of relief. Max smiled at Angie, then he moved to the fireplace and put his gun on the mantle, Sarah pleaded with him. "I thought this was going to be quick, I thought we were going to get this over and done with" Max merely smiled and took the bullets out of his gun, and checked them, before putting them back in. "I changed my mind Sweetheart, I'm gonna make Angela Frances Piper sweat it out for awhile" Max laughed to himself. Outside Pete and Oscar were crouched at the back of the hut, close to where Angie's chair was postioned. Both were listening intently, waiting to go in. Inside, Max had finished checking his gun and turned to Angie, and looked at her a moment before beginning to speak "Angie, may I call you Angie?" Angie just glared at him, but Max continued "Angie, now I must admit I have big decision to make, and I was wondering if I could have your opinion. I have two choices here. After I take you and your kid out into the bush I can either kill you as your daughter watches on, or I could kill your daughter as you watch on, Angie, what do you think I should do. It's your choice, because it's a win, win situation for me, and a lose, lose situation for you" Angie looked at this man through real tears. The man who haunted her dreams for the past seven years. She took a deep breath and said loudly and deliberately; "I am scared, I am really scared" Max looked confused by Angie's response, but his confusion soon turned to shock, with the loud arrival of Pete and Oscar. "Police! Don't move!" Sarah immediately raised her hands above her head, but Crivelli moved toward the bed, and knelt down. "Move and I'll shoot the girl" Crivelli reached under the bed to drag out MacKenzie, but the look on his face turned to horror when he pulled out a pile of clothes. At last admitting defeat, he put his gun down and his hand above his head. The sounds of cars was heard outside. Within seconds, five uniformed police officers burst into the hut "Police, put the weapons down!" Oscar and Pete looked at each other and laughed, as they lowered their guns. It wasn't until some time later that Pete and Oscar were out of handcuffs and Sarah and Max were being taken away in police cars. Peter offered to escort the two to the police station, while Oscar and Angie went to get MacKenzie. As Angie and Stone walked through the bush hand in hand they both contemplated in silence what might have been. At last they came upon the four wheeler motor bike. The sight of their daughter, sleeping like an angel on the seat of the bike, covered by her fathers jacket made Angie fall to her knees, sobbing uncontrollably. Oscar knelt down beside her, holding her tight. ANGIE AND OSCAR'S HOUSE Mac sat alone on the couch in Angie and Oscar's family room. She picked up a copy of the Weekly Times off the coffee table, and began to flick through it. Angie and Oscar came down the hallway behind her, and she turned around to greet them. "Kids get off to sleep alright?" Oscar and Angie looked at one another, and Oscar answered. "Yeah, they're both in our bed, but they will be fine" Mac turned to Oscar and asked "So, how was your phone call to your Mum?" Oscar smiled and answered "Great, after the water works stopped. I had a lot of explaining to do, trust me. She is coming up this weekend to meet her grandchildren. She is so excited, I'm convinced she is going to spoil our kids rotten" Oscar looked at his watch, "Wonder where Pete has got to, he should be back by now" just as Oscar said his last word, a car was heard coming down the driveway, and a car door slamming. The side door flung open, and Pete entered the room. He was about to announce his arrival when Angie and Oscars raised their fingers to the lip to hush him. They had had enough trouble getting the kids off to sleep, and did not want to go through it all again. Mac ran to the door to greet Pete. They embraced tightly, knowing how close they had come to losing each other. The remainder of the night was spent around the coffee table with a slab of beer, Angie and Oscar sitting on one couch, Pete and Mac on the other. Oscar held Angie close to him, with his hand protectively over her stomach, grinning like the Cheshire cat. He now saw why Angie had decided to keep the pregnancy a secret, and all was forgiven. Pete and Mac sat opposite, Mac looking content to be in Pete's arms. For once she wasn't by herself, she was able to rely upon someone else. It had been seven years since she had felt the way she was feeling at that moment. That night they talked about the events that had happened that day, as well as their lives for the past seven years. But most of all they talked about old times, when all they had were each other. The stories lasted the whole night. MacKenzie and Ben awoke the next morning, alone in their parents bed. The two of them climbed out of the bed and put their slippers on, and quietly went out into the living area. They found their parents and visitors asleep on the couches. MacKenzie started to speak, but Ben swiftly cupped his hand over her mouth, and silently they tip toed back down the hall.