Summary: (AU) Alternate Universe. A 17 year old Martha moved away from the bay after the tragic death of a loved one. Unable to cope with her loss and the pain; she decided to leave and she never looked back. It's now 8 years later and Martha is a young detective, who is being sent back to solve the murder of an old friend and to save another from a lifetime in prison.

# This is an Alternate Universe fic, so a lot of things are different.

# Martha was still adopted by the Mackenzie’s but they both died when she was 10. After they died, her adopted brothers (who were quite a few years older than her) went in search of her biological family; therefore finding Alf and the rest of the Stewarts.

# Jack’s lived in the bay with his dad and brother since he was about 10.

# Martha, Jack, Ric, Cassie, Jules, Tasha and Robbie are all the same age. Drew, Belle, Lucas, Matilda and Lily are two years younger.

CHAPTER ONE

8 Years Ago…………..

“Come on Martha. You don’t need to do this. I know you’re having trouble coping after what happened, we all are, but you’d be better of here with us, so we can go through it together,” Alf Stewart said to his stubborn granddaughter.

Martha turned to face her granddad and shook her head. “I can’t stay here granddad. It hurts too much. I need to get away from here. If I stay I’m going to go crazy,” she told him.

Martha took note of the devastated look on her grandfather’s face. She knew how much this was hurting him, but she couldn’t stay there. No matter how much he begged her.

“If you’re going to leave, can’t you at least wait until the end of the year when you finish year twelve? Disrupting your final year like this isn’t good Martha,” Alf tried to reason with her.

“I’ll find a good school to go to in Queensland. I spoke to my brother today and he’s going to look at a couple of schools for me tomorrow,” Martha explained.

Alf scoffed a little. “You mean your adopted brother whom you haven’t seen in five years. He doesn’t know you Martha. Your family is here; in Summer Bay. This is where you should be; not up there with a bunch of strangers,” he started to get upset.

Martha moved towards her grandfather and hugged him tightly. “I need to do this granddad. Please understand that. Please,” she begged him as the tears fell down her cheeks.

Alf started to nod as Martha buried her face in his neck. “Nothing I say is going to stop you from leaving is it?” he asked.

“No, I’m sorry,” Martha apologized as she pulled away and wiped at her tears. “I’m going upstairs to pack my bags. I’m leaving in the morning. I’d also really appreciate it if the family just kept it to themselves. I don’t want all my friends and their families turning up on the doorstep trying to get me to stay. I’ll call them when I get to Queensland and explain t them why I had to leave,” she told her grandfather.

“If that’s what you want,” Alf held his head down.

“It is,” Martha placed her hand on Alf’s arm. Alf gave a short nod and then walked out the back door of the caravan park.

Martha let out a small sigh and wiped the remaining tears away from her cheeks before turning and walking towards the stairs; where she was met by Ric, who was sitting on the bottom step.

“You’re breaking his heart; you know that right?” Ric looked at her in disappointment.

“Don’t start,” Martha groaned. “I thought that out of everyone, you’d be the one who would understand,” she hissed at him.

Ric shook his head in disbelief. “I’m sorry, but I don’t understand. Your family needs you. You should be here with them; not leaving them when they need you the most,” he snapped at her.

“You can talk,” Martha scoffed at him.

“This is not my fault Martha,” Ric all but yelled at her.

Martha looked at the ground in shame. “I didn’t mean it like that,” she exclaimed.

“So you keep saying,” Ric turned away from her.

Martha sighed and took a few steps up the stairs. “Where’s Cass and Pip?” she asked Ric.

“Up in their rooms crying their eyes out because you’re leaving,” Ric laughed sarcastically at her question.

“Whatever,” Martha muttered as she turned away and continued up the stairs.

“Have you spoken to Jack since the accident? Does he know you’re leaving?” Ric then called up to Martha.

Martha stopped and looked back down at her cousin. Why did he have to bring up Jack? She was doing just fine until his name was mentioned.

“What has Jack got to do with any of this?” she glared at Ric.

“He was there too Martha. He’s struggling just as much as you,” Ric pointed out.

Martha shook her head at him. “Jack and I aren’t friends Ric. He’s your friend, remember? I don’t have to tell him anything,” she said harshly before spinning quickly and running the rest of the way up the stairs.

“I never knew you could be this selfish M,” Ric’s voice echoed up the stairwell.

Once again Martha spun on her heel to look at her cousin. But he was gone. She let out a loud sigh before entering her room to pack her bags.

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Present Day…..

Martha let out a groan as she tried to push open the door to the station, whilst balancing a tray of coffees in one hand and bag of breakfast muffins in the other. Why did she always get the shitty jobs? She was a detective now. They should be getting their own stinking coffees.

She walked into the large office area and slammed the coffees and muffins down onto a desk that was surrounded by some of her work mates. “I hope you choke on them,” Martha exclaimed out loud as she grabbed her own coffee and took a sip.

“Now now, that’s not very nice,” Tristan said from behind her as he grabbed a buttered muffin and shoved it into his mouth.

“Eat shit,” Martha muttered as she walked off.

“The boss wants to see you,” Tristan yelled out after her.

Martha let out another groan before heading towards the boss’s office. “You wanted to see me,” she said as she entered the room and closed the door behind.

“Sit down Martha,” John smiled up her.

John Miller was a grey headed man in his late fifties. He’d been Martha’s mentor and father figure all through her police training, and just six months ago, he’d offered her a position as a detective. Martha had been working so hard over the years and she’d really deserved the spot. She had jumped at the chance.

“You’re in a good mood. Either, you’ve just caught that crim that you’ve been after for the last few months or you’re about to offer me something really great,” Martha grinned at him in hope; praying that it was the latter. She was really looking forward to sinking her teeth into something juicy.

“Today is your lucky day,” John exclaimed.

“Yes,” Martha fist pumped the air. “Hit me with it,” she begged.

“You done a really great job on your last case Martha, and you are my first pick for this new one. I know that you are the right person for this case,” John started. “It’s a murder case. A young woman was found stabbed to death early this morning,” he explained.

“Very juicy,” Martha nodded her head in approval. “I want it,” she didn’t even have to think about.

“There’s just one very small detail that might turn you off,” John frowned at her.

“I don’t care what it is. I want this case,” Martha was adamant.

“It’s in New South Wales, Martha. But more to the point; it’s in Summer Bay. Your home town…..,” John’s voice trailed off.

Martha felt a chill run up her spine. He couldn’t possibly have just said Summer Bay. He, out of all people knew never to mention that place to her. And now here he was, offering her a case in that very place.

“I need some air,” she pushed her chair out quickly and headed for the door.

“Martha, let’s talk about this….,” John tried to call her back.

“Not right now,” Martha fobbed him off as she ran from the office.

Martha tried to clear her head as she made her way towards the front door. Suddenly, she didn’t feel to well.

NEXT CHAPTER: Martha’s going home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!