Liam's face hurts. His left eye is closed shut and he groans slightly when the sunlight gleams through the curtains. Then, he remembers, his mouth on hers, their body moving rhythmically to one other, the way her moans made his balls burst. Although his whole body hurts, he turns around in bed with a grin from cheek to cheek remembering the last hours of his life. His smile fades away when he encounters an empty bed. He looks up and ponders for a moment if it was all a dream and that she was never in his embrace. He lifts his torso and scours the bedroom only to see that all traces of her have been removed. 

Liam gets up drowsily and checks the time. His watch indicates he has lost the whole morning and a good part of the afternoon with his slumber. He steps out of the bed and beneath his left foot something pokes. He lowers his gaze and sees her silver necklace on the floor. He picks it up and inspects it for a brief moment. 

He looks for his phone and pulls from the floor the trousers he was wearing the night before. He touches his thumb over the phone to unlock it and notices a succession of missed calls and text messages. He flickers through the calls and messages to see if any belong to the pommie that has stolen his heart. He sighs when he realises none of the messages or calls is hers. He stands up and puts on his boxer shorts and his jeans. 

He opens the bedroom door and hears his sister-in-law voice. He takes two steps forward slowly. 

"Make sure you call me if you need something". 

He makes his way down the stairs while putting on a t-shirt, groaning softly at the pain flaring in his torso.

"Don't forget to call. Have a safe trip." Eva says out loud.

Liam stumbles on the stairs and denounces his presence to his brother that has a cup of coffee in his hand. 

"He arises," Charlie says. 

"Look at that eye" Eva meets Liam at the staircase landing and inspects his left eye. 

"Where is she?" Liam asks. 

"Who?" Charlie retorts.

"Aimee" Liam mutters while scanning his surroundings and looking for some trace that she is still in the house.

Eva sighs and returns to the sofa. She stares at Charlie that gives her a subtle nod. "Mate, we need to talk. What happened last night, it's not right."

Liam shakes his head, "Yeah, yeah, I know." He takes his phone and opens the messaging app, and in the magnifying icon starts typing her name to look her up. 

"Do you really?" Eva says abruptly.

"Eva..." Charlie admonishes but she stops him by holding her hand sternly. 

Liam's eyes lift from the phone to Eva that is now standing by the white sofa. 

"What example do you think you are giving our daughter, your niece, by punching your way out of your problems, and nonetheless her other uncle!" her anger is transparent in the tonality.

Liam hangs his head in shame, "I know..."

"No, you don't!" Eva raises her voice. "Because we have always been here for you. Helping you out when you stumble. Who bailed you out in London? Who looked the other way with Mary? Who looked after you when you were a train wreck?" she takes a deep breath steadying her emotions. "We did it because we love you. Because Izzie adores you. Because your brother just wants the best of you. But, instead, you just give us disappointment in return."

"I'll do better. I have her now." Liam pleads with Eva.

Eva leans on the sofa and her face falters, "Aimee?" Eva looks at Charlie in a silent plea. 

"You need to move on from Aimee," Charlie says impassively. 

"What? No!" Liam eyes go back on the phone and selects her name. He types a message to her. 

Hey, U left?

Charlie gets up from the sofa and walks over to his brother. "I actually thought that she would be the one to do you some good. When we saw you in the orchard with her..." Charlie stops walking and looks back at his wife. "I was full of hope. But, you messed that up too. You broke her heart."

"No! I made good! Last night, we were together. She spent the night with me. I made it right with her!" Liam clutches the small silver necklace, the tangible evidence that reminds his brain that it wasn't a dream. 

Eva and Charlie exchange a glance, "She left with Josie. I saw them leaving." Eva says. 

Liam's eyes go wild and he grabs his head. Was it all a figment of his imagination? He looks at the necklace in his hand and shows it to Eva and Charlie. 

"No, see" he points at the necklace. "This is hers." 

Eva walks over to Liam and takes the necklace. Once she examines the small chain a flicker of recognition lights up her face. 

"We were together. Maybe she left afterwards..." he mumbles, "but we were good. It was good." Liam glances back at his phone anxiously awaiting her reply to confirm his words. 

Eva's eyes shine with teardrops forming. She holds Liam's hand softly and places the necklace back in his hand. "She's leaving, Lee."

Liam shakes his head, "No, she was going to leave but not anymore. I've asked her to stay. She wanted me to ask her, and I did." he rambles. 

Eva holds his face protectively. "I just spoke to her. She's on her way to the airport. Maybe the time you spent together... it was her way to say goodbye to you." 

Liam eyes water and he looks at his brother that is contorted in grief over his brother's heartache. "I'm so sorry, little brother."

Liam takes two steps back and shakes his head, "No" he takes his car keys from the entrance. "She needs to listen to me. We have a shot. I'm going to tell her everything. About my life, about Mary, everything she asks, I will give it to her. And, we will be fine, you'll see."

"Mate, she has made her decision." Charlie cautions. 

Liam glares at both of them and makes his way to the entrance. "She'll need to tell that to my face."

Liam walks out of the house in haste. His head is spinning. Her scent is implanted in his olfactory nerves, her touch ingrained in his fingerprints, her taste rooted in his taste buds. 

"Wait!" Charlie calls him but Liam shakes his head while ploughing ahead.

"You're not going to stop me!" Liam presses the unlock button in the car key and beelines to the car door. 

Charlie sprints to him, his legs jumping to reach his brother, and he manages to hold the door. 

"Charlie, let go," Liam warns while pulling the door.

Charlie holds the door still. Both the men struggle and a creek alerts them that they are weakening the frame of the door. 

"You need to let her go."

 Liam shakes his head with tears in his eyes, "No."

Charlie releases the grip and stares at the broken man in front of him, "Does she matter that much?"

"She's everything," Liam mutters.

Charlie looks at Eva and raises his brow at her asking silently for consent. Eva shakes her head disapprovingly. Charlie looks at his little brother that has tears falling down his face. His resolve dissolves with the broken man in front of him. "Ok, let's get you to the airport but I'll drive."

Liam raises his eyes to his big brother, "Are you..."

"Let's go before I change my mind." Charlie grabs the keys from Liam's hand and walks inside to the driver's position. He turns the key in the ignition and the engine roars to life, while Liam runs to the passenger seat.

Eva runs towards the car. "What are you doing?" she asks Charlie.

"Let him try" he places a hand on his wife's arm. "He needs to try." Charlie looks at Liam. "Seat belt." Liam pulls the belt while Charlie drives away. 

Charlie's turns are swift but with each mile, Liam's restlessness increasingly shows. "What if she already left?"

Charlie punches the console in the car and dials Jack's number. The line rings for a few beats loudly in the car until Jack picks up the phone. "Hello?"

"Hey mate, are you at the airport?"

"No, Callum and Josie are. I have an event at the restaurant."

Charlie takes a left turn towards the highway. "Is Aimee flying from Ballina?"

"Yeah to Sydney airport, and from there to Delhi."

"And what time?"

"Why are you asking?"

Charlie stays silent for a brief moment contemplating if he should say the truth to his friend. "Because Izzie wants to surprise her."

"Oh, right. She's leaving in about two hours, I think. Better to call Callum. He can give you the details." 

Liam starts typing furiously on his phone the moment he hears Callum's name. 

"Charlie? I was wondering if I can come around the house later?" Jack asks. 

"Yeah, of course." 

Liam's phone buzzes and he nods at Charlie indicating that Callum has given him the flight details. 

"Something up?" 

"I need to talk to you and Eva about Aimee and Callum." 

Liam whips his head towards his brother and frowns. 

"We need to finish the conversation we started yesterday." 

Charlie coughs awkwardly, "Yeah, yeah. Just come around the house later and we will talk." He glances at Liam. "I need to go, mate. Just call Eva."

"Ok will do. Speak to you later." Charlie hangs up hurriedly.

"Speak to you about Callum and Aimee?"

Charlie grips the wheel tightly. "Something about helping them in the job market." 

Liam stares at his brother. He knows when Charlie is lying because of the way his eye twitches. It twitched when he lied to Jack and is twitching while he stares ahead to the road. 

"Five minutes and we will be there, you might want to text Callum to warn him we are close," 

Liam nods and texts Callum. He decides to bury his questions for a later time. 

"What did you tell him?"

"Same thing you said to Jack." 

Charlie sighs, he doesn't like to involve his daughter in this ruse, even if indirectly.

The moment Charlie parks the car, Liam is already out of the vehicle and sprints towards the departures lobby. Liam runs towards the Starbucks where Callum is with Aimee, delaying her departure beyond the border control section. Liam has completed this walk down the airport walls so often, that he feels he can trace the whole airport by memory alone. Through the crowds, Liam evades everybody on his way, to make it to her. He runs faster than he has ever run before. 

Her hair is the first thing he notices. He slows down and halts a few steps away from them and he stares at her sitting outside the Starbucks. Josie is sitting at her left side, and Callum is in front of her. Her bags are by her right side and she's pulling her long hair to an untidy bun. He takes a deep breath to steady his nerves. Callum sees him first and lifts his arm cheerfully. Josie's eyes follow her cousin and land on him and express surprise at his presence. She glances at Aimee that is distractedly typing on her mobile. 

Josie places her right hand on Aimee's left arm and nods to where Liam stands. Callum has already gotten up and reaches Liam and Charlie that arrives shortly after his brother. 

"Hey, man" Callum greets them cheerfully, pats Liam's back and shakes Charlie's hand. 

Aimee turns her back around and her face falters when her eyes land on him. Liam smiles at her. Her cold glare gives him a cold shiver through his spine. His hands shake. Aimee gets up and walks towards Liam furiously. Her face is creased and her eyes swollen. Liam takes two steps to greet her only to be met by a violent slap across his right-hand side. Charlie and Callum gasp, while Josie runs and stands by her cousin protectively. 

"How dare you?" she screams. 

Liam holds his face disconcerted by her gesture.

"Did you do the same to me? Did you?" she screams drawing the attention of the passengers around her.

Liam scrutinises her face in an attempt to make sense of her words. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Aimee pushes him angrily but his body barely moves. "Did you come to gloat? Is that what she wants? For you to gloat at your little charade?" 

Liam shakes his head shocked and confused at her anger.

Callum places himself between Aimee and Liam. "Aimes, what the hell?"

Tears stream down her face and she pushes through Callum. "Was it worth it? Did you both have a good laugh?" she asks Liam.

"What was worth it? Who are you talking about?" he asks her confused. "I don't know what is happening. Aimee, I love you," he confesses.

Aimee scoffs and pushes against his chest once again violently making Liam stumble slightly backwards this time around. 

"Let's all calm down now," Charlie says while glancing at the passengers that stare at the scene.

"You're a pig. Did you record me too?"

"Record you?" Callum repeats her question and glances at Liam, his eyes turning dangerously angry. "What the fuck is she talking about?"

Liam shakes his head at Aimee, "Record you? No, of course not." His head is spinning. "Why would I do that?"

"You had no problems doing it to the blonde, so why would I believe you? I guess you both had a good laugh at me, her..." Aimee's eyes are now glued to the ground. "How many are there? How many have been recorded?"

"I don't know what you are talking about." Liam stutters.

"I don't believe you." she exhales fighting her sobs. 

Charlie interjects, "Aimee, why do you think you've been recorded, and what blonde?"

Aimee glares at Charlie and then back at Liam. "Are you going to tell them or shall I?" 

Liam stands silent, oblivious to what is happening, to her anger, after the night they shared together. 

Aimee scoffs and wipes her tears, "I guess, I'll do it." 

She takes her phone and opens a video. She points the video at Liam, Charlie and Callum and presses play. Josie stands next to her protectively but looks down, clearly whatever Aimee is about to show, has already shared with her cousin. The video starts playing and it shows someone giving a blowjob to Liam in his office.

"What the fuck his this?" Charlie asks unnerved. 

Liam glares at the camera and smirks and if he is showing off to someone behind the camera. 

"Liam, what the fuck is this?" he roars. 

When the girl rises, it's visible it's Taylor. 

"What the fuck!" Charlie pulls his brother by his sweatshirt and pushes him towards a nearby pillar holding his t-shirt. "What the fuck have you been doing?" he says in a menacing tone. 

Liam holds his brother's arms deflecting his anger. "I didn't know she was recording... I didn't know."

"Who?"

Aimee tears roll down her face.

"Sis, I don't understand..." Callum says.

"Did you record me for her too?"

Liam releases himself from Charlies' grip and runs to Aimee. "I would never do that to you. I never saw this. I promise."

Aimee shakes her head, tears falling from her face. "You're a liar," She closes the video and starts reading a message on her phone. "We love to play games. We find our target and have our own little fun. The day he saw you at the beach I told him to chase you. He only pretends to love you. He is good at pretending, don't you think?" She stares at Liam, her eyes blurred by the stubborn tears that fall from her face. "For a guy that says he's getting divorced, you seem to be very chummy with your own ex-wife."

"Mary? Is this Mary? Again, Liam?" Charlie roars.

Liam takes two steps towards Aimee only to be cut off by Callum. "Fucking disappear from our sight before I punch the life out of you." 

"I didn't know she was recording this. You need to believe me. You are nothing like these girls. I love you. Please believe me."

Aimee gets her bag. "I feel sorry for you if you actually think that this is what loving another person means." Aimee turns on her heels and makes her way to security checks.

Liam starts running to catch up with her but is stonewalled by Callum. "Get the fuck away from her." He grabs him and pushes him violently. "I told you not to hurt her."

Liam pushes Callum forcefully. Callum falls to the ground. "Don't make me hurt you."

He sprints to the gates where Aimee is going through security. 

"Your ticket and passport?" the airport security asks.

"Don't have one. I just need to talk to her," he points at Aimee. "Aimee!" he screams but she doesn't turn.

"Mate, I need a ticket." the security calmly states. 

Aimee goes through security and starts heading towards the gate. Liam sees her walking and runs to the large window that separates them. He bangs violently the glass. "Aimee!" he shouts almost coarsely.

"Oi, get out of the window" the security warns him.

"Aimee!" he screams again banging once again at the window, jolting everyone on that side of the window to jump in fright. All with the exception of the girl he needs to turn around.

Two security guards approach and Charlie jolts to them. "We're leaving. He's just distraught but we're leaving. I promise."

"Get him out of here now."

"Yes, we are going." Charlie starts pulling Liam that stares at Aimee placing a cap on her head and burying it while staring at the planes taking off. "Come on. We can't afford to get you arrested too." 

Liam looks at Josie that has helped her cousin get up. "Jos..." she looks down to the floor with an angry look on her face. 

"Let's go." Charlie drags Liam away while Callum and Josie observe his departure. 

"I love her..." he mutters to his brother. With one last look, he glances back at the girl with her back turned. His will breaks and he doesn't resist Charlie's forceful shoves back to the car. The moment spent together have now been irrevocably tainted by his misdeeds.