>From: ~suz~ <suzie@standard.net.au>

Authors Notes: This is fic number 100 believe it or not [not counting
poems that is.] Hard to believe isn't it! 100 fics, just a few short
months ago there were hardly any fics at all, and now look, we have
nearly one every single day. It's just fantastic!! Keep them coming
people!

Title: Hard Times
Author: Suz [suzie@standard.net.au]
Date: 25 Oct - 27 Oct, 1999

Dedication: To those Funky Under the Bridgers... cause where would we
be without you? And this is, believe it or not, for you guys!

Summary: Fitting in isn't always easy, especially filling in someone
else's shoes. [Response to Challenge: Put Alex in a fic...]

Disclaimer: Once upon a time in a town in Australia there was a man
called Mr. McElroy. He thought up this really cool idea for a show
called "Water Rats" and all the characters. So off he went to the
Channel Nine Studios in Sydney and they started this show. This show
got really, really popular and even moved overseas as well. Then
people started writing fanfiction about the show and had to make up
disclaimers every time they wrote one so that they wouldn't get sued.
They just got more and more creative as time went on. Then one day he
said, "okay you guys can own the characters." All the authors got
really excited. And then they didn't have to write the disclaimers
anymore! The End. = And the point to the story? They're not ours just
yet so keep coming up with these groovy little things =

~*~*~
Hard Times
By Suz
~*~*~

'Why can't you just give me a chance Jack? Dammit. I'm trying my best
here! Can't you see that?'
'Bloody hell Alex, you expect to just waltz on in here and everything
to be okay do you? It just doesn't work like that!'
'I'm trying my best *Jack* can't you see that?' Alex yelled back.
'No you're not, you're trying to be her, you're not. Can't you see
that? She can't be replaced. Anyway you're not even trying.'
'I am trying. You just can't see past that stupid macho attitude of
yours. You have to give me chance. You're not making this easy on
anyone.'
'No Alex, you're the one who's making it hard. Okay?' Jack stormed out
of the office slamming the door so hard that the walls shook. It was
their third screaming match that week, and it was only Tuesday.
'Neanderthal' Alex rolled her eyes and looked across at Mick who
turned back to his desk trying to keep out of it. 'Oh, come on Mick,
he's being unreasonable. You can see it can't you?'
'He just misses Rachel, that's all. He needs some time.'
'It's been 3 months!' Alex threw her hands up in the air disgustedly.
'He loved her Alex, and it's going to take longer than a few months
for him to get over that.' Mick looked and her and walked out. She
shook her head. What the hell was she supposed to do.

Reaching over to the phone she picked it up and dialed the ever
familiar number.
"Yeah, it's Sven."
"Sven, it's Alex, you got time to chat?"
"Sure, what's the problem? Still getting sea sick?" He laughed.
"No, it's just not working her, you know. I can't take over
Goldstein's job. They all worshipped her here. It's just not going to
work."
"Give it time."
"I'm serious Sven, they just aren't accepting me as her replacement."
"Well quit trying to be her replacement and just be yourself... They
can't be all that bad can they?"
"It's mainly bloody Christey, it won't even speak to me unless he's
having a go at me. Takes Riley everywhere. He just won't give me a
chance."
"You are his *girlfriend's* replacement, of course he's going to take
it hard. Put yourself in his position. Think about it Alex. Look I
gotta go, call me later okay?"
"Yeah see ya Sven" She spoke into the dial tone. This was hopeless.
What the hell was she supposed to do? The only person that had tried,
really tried to make her feel welcome was Emma Woods, or Woodsie, or
whatever. But she was never in the office, and when she was she was
being called out to fish a body or a bag out of the harbour.
Fine, Sven had said to put herself in Christey's position. His
girlfriend was dead. He had worked with her everyday. And now here she
was trying to replace her. It was 3 months later. Surely he'd be
accepting now. Or at least trying to be. But he was like a bear with a
sore bloody head. It wasn't fair on her. It just wasn't...
~*~*~

'Jack, come on, be reasonable, she's trying her best.'
'Mick, she's trying to *be* Rachel. It's not fair. She's not Rachel.'
'We all know that mate, but just give her half a chance. You might
find that she's quite nice.'
'But she just won't let anything drop! It's just.'
'Give her a chance.'
'You're starting to sound like you've forgotten her already.'
'Believe me, I haven't. No one has.' Jack looked at Mick before
walking off.
~*~*

Alex sat at her desk with her head in her hands. She didn't know
Rachel Goldstein. In a way she wished she had. So she'd know not what
do to. What to avoid doing, saying. Apparently her "style" was too
much like Rachel's. She'd seen a few photos of her. Jack kept some in
the top drawer of his desk, and Helen had one *on* her desk. They must
miss her. She understood that. She understood that it was going to
take a while. But why couldn't he at least make an effort? She was
trying *so* hard. Yet not getting anywhere. It wasn't fair. On her, or
the others. Maybe she could just transfer again... But then again, why
should she back down to him? Why should *he* get the better of her? He
couldn't tell *her* what to do... No guy had *ever* told her what to
do, and she was dammed if she was going to start now.
~*~*

'Jack, in here, now!' Jeff called him as he was walking past the
office.
'Yep?' He looked as though he was in a hurry. He just knew what this
was going to be about.
Jeff rubbed his eyes and looked over at Jack.
'Look, I'm going to get straight to the point. Give her a chance Jack,
we all know that she's not Rachel. But she's trying hard, can't you
see that?' Jack took a deep breath and looked away. 'No, Jack, don't
bloody ignore me, I'm serious. She's here to stay you *have* to accept
that, okay?' Jack nodded. 'So?'
'Fine, I'll give her a chance. Happy?' He turned and stormed out.
It just couldn't work, she wasn't Rachel, and no one was. Couldn't
people see that she couldn't be replaced just like that?
He wasn't going to let her be replaced that easily, it just wasn't
fair. He couldn't. She was too special for that. And she wasn't going
to be the one that let them forget. Forget her...
~*~*

Alex looked around the office and out into the hallway before getting
up and going over to Jack's desk. Opening the top drawer she sifted
through the mess and pulled out a few photos. All of them had her in
them. Smiling her dimpled smile. She suspected the little boy in one
of the photo's was her kid. Daniel, Darren, David... David. Poor kid,
growing up without a mother like that. That's not fair on anyone. The
next photo was just one of her leaning against the railings up top
with the harbor behind her. She looked so happy. Alex suddenly felt
overwhelming sad. She was so many things, a bright, young, beautiful
woman. A fabulous detective. A mother, a friend. And she was dead. And
her she was trying to take her place...
~*~*

Jack sat outside looking at the harbor. He had to make it work. There
was no other way around it. Fine, he'd make an effort. But she had to
make one too.

'Jack! Inside, now.' Helen called him from the door and he pulled
himself up and jogged up the stairs.
'Yep?'
'Nothing important, but I want you go and talk to her. You have to
apologize.'
'Me, what for?' Helen simply raised her eyebrows at him. 'Yeah, yeah
alright. I'll talk to her, but I'm not apologizing for nothing.'
'Jack, just go and do your paperwork without having the whole place
hear you screaming at her, okay?' He nodded as he trudged up the
stairs.
He saw Alex working contently at her desk through the window.
Jack walked into the office and went over to his desk. An effort, he
had to make an effort.
~*~*

'Jack, I want this to work. We have no choice, we're stuck with each
other. So you're going to have to accept it.' After both working in
silence for what seemed like hours Alex turned and looked at him
sternly.
'I know that Alex. But you have to realise that it's just as hard for
us as it is for you. You're replacing a *dead* officer that meant the
world to this place. Can't you see that?'
'Yes I can, but you aren't making the job any easier.' She tried
staying calm but was getting more and more worked up by the second.
'And you're not making mine any easier Alex.' Jack was yelling by now.

'And this just can't go on like this anymore Jack, we can't keep
yelling at each other. So just lay off okay! Just BACK OFF!' Alex
screamed at him.
They both stood, staring at each other. Neither was backing down.
'Alex,' Jack spoke quietly. 'I am backing off. But this is hard for
both of us. And I've finally realised that okay?'
'I don't think you have Jack, you're just saying that for your sake.
For Helen's sake, for Jeff's and Rachel's.'
'No Alex, it's you that hasn't realised it. Face up to it. Okay!' Jack
sat back at his desk. Alex followed suit sighing as she sat down.
~*~*

'Jack, body down at the harbor, you got it?' Helen poked her head in
the door on the way past.
'Sure.' He got up and walked out, Alex looked over at him. He ignored
her as he walked past. Sighing she turned back to her desk.
'What are you waiting for? We gotta get down to the harbor.' She
grabbed her jacket and jogged after him. Things weren't going to be
perfect straight away, but they would be, eventually...

= THE END =

I know, corny huh?
But please I'd still like feedback: suzie@standard.net.au