Disclaimer: I don't own anyone.

What If

Tess was standing on the veranda gazing up at the stars, she turned around and at the same time Claire appeared. Claire, her sister who had passed away one year ago, one year ago tomorrow.

"What are you doing Tess?" asked Claire

"Thinking," replied a confused Tess

"About what?"

"About what if the accident never happened, what if you were still alive but I had gotten cancer and if I had died, not you."

"What about it?"

"I mean, would Stevie have stayed? Would Meg have moved to Melbourne? Would Kate have come? Would you be marrying Alex instead of me marrying Nick? Would Peter still have wanted custody of Charlotte or would she have stayed here? Would thing have been better than they are? Would you miss me like I have missed you this past year? I ask myself this each day and I still don't know the answers."

"Well I can tell you the answer to one of them."

"What?"

"I have missed you so much, did you think my feelings died with me? I still may be able to see you but I never, ever stopped missing you, or loving you and I never will, you've got to remember that."

"I will."

"You've done a great job here and you're doing fine without me, you don't need me anymore."

"Yes I do."

"No you don't, there was a time when you first came, if this had happened, you would have sold Drovers and probably never remembered about it, but you're different now, you've grown to love this land, just like I did."

"Claire..."

"Look, I'm going to go now and don't be sad tomorrow because I'm gone, be happy because you knew me. Oh, and can you please help Alex tomorrow, he'll need you and Nick."

"Yeah, of course."

"Oh and Tess,"

"Yeah,"

"Tell Charlotte I love her and could you bring her back to Drovers every year?"

"Of course I will Claire, anything for you."

"I love you Tess,"

"I'll never forget you Claire,"

"I guess I'll see you then,"

"Or not,"

"Bye," said Claire for the last time.

"Bye," Tess turned around and she was gone, she disappeared, and that was the last time Tess McLeod ever thought about what if...