Chapter One

Author's Note: Recently, I re-watched the Season Five episode, Against the Odds which featured Tristan resigning from the Min of Ag and choosing to move back to Darrowby and rejoin the practice. However, I think the episode focused too much on putting Tristan through the mill for comedic purposes and not enough on how he must have felt about this move and on warmer responses from the rest of them over his coming home.

Thus, I felt like this episode needed a postscript that actually addressed Tristan's feelings and maybe treated him a little kinder...and so this fic was born. Time-line wise, it takes place about a week after the events in Against the Odds.

"It just isn't going to be the same without you around, Tris."

Tristan smiled as he picked up his glass for another sip of bitter. Sitting across from him was Madge Ellis, the executive secretary for the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries office in Mannerton. Madge had joined the Min of Ag on the same week that he had. On her first day, he had convinced her that, as fellow new recruits, they should band together and had invited her to lunch.

After that, the two of them became fast friends, often going out for lunches or the occasional dinner together after work. For some reason, Tristan never got around to actively pursuing her. Not that he hadn't thought about it. With her sparkling sense of humor and solid wit, not to mention her curly flaxen hair, green eyes and lovely figure, Madge was certainly the type of girl he usually looked for in a date…or maybe even something more….

Still, for whatever reason, he never took things any further than friendly outings and she never dropped hints that she was looking for more from him. They had become comfortable with what they were to each other and neither of them seemed to see any reason to change it.

It was a stance that made plenty of sense to Tristan for years….but also one he had started to regret these last couple of months.

"Oh you won't notice my absence for long," he said. "Not with your big promotion to Edinburgh coming up."

"A promotion I wouldn't have gotten if you hadn't taken Parrington out for drinks so many times," Madge replied. "And put in a good word for me." She placed a hand onto the one of his that was lying on the table. "I am going to miss you, Tris. I wish you were coming with me."

Tristan laughed and took another large gulp of his beer. "It's just as well. Too many memories in Edinburgh. All those years I slaved away at veterinary college. That time I was stationed there during the war."

'Alice….Deidre….'

Tristan didn't say those names out loud, but thinking about them were enough to make his face fall. He suddenly thought of happier times. Hopeful times. Times he knew he could never get back. The memories of them played in his head over and over.

"Tris? Tris, I'm sorry," Madge said. "I didn't mean…I'm sorry that I made you remember things like that."

Tristan shook himself slightly, another smile appearing on his face. "It's all right, Madge. It's just one of those things. Forget all about it."

He finished what was in his glass and watched her sip the last of her sherry before leaning closer to her.

"I'm sure you will enjoy Edinburgh. Write to me when you get there and I will send you a list of all the best pubs and restaurants."

"All right, I will," Madge laughed. She looked back down at her glass, and Tristan wondered if he should buy her another drink.

"Tris…why are you leaving the Ministry? I thought you liked working there."

"I did," Tristan nodded. "Being right in the middle of all the latest advances in veterinary medicine. Learning about new drugs, new surgical techniques, new treatments, months if not years before they go into general practice. It was exhilarating. Although, if I never see another RFK-94 form for the rest of my life, it will still not be long enough."

"Remember that night you were able to get that huge stack of RFK-94s sent to Tom Henty's desk?" Madge giggled. "I thought he was going to faint away right then."

"And it would have served him right too," Tristan pouted. "After he stuck me with all those llama breeding reports."

"But that's the sort of thing I mean, Tris. No one but you could have gotten away with that. All because Mr. Mercer was desperate to hold onto you."

"Oh lord, really?" Tristan signaled for another beer and received a nod in reply from the bartender. "And here I always thought that he was looking for a reason to sack me."

Madge smirked at him and gave him a light smack to the arm. Tristan let out a dramatic yelp and made sure to look as if he was mortally wounded.

"Tristan Farnon, you know that's not true. I mean, yes, he did prefer it if you didn't read so many newspapers while at work, but you knew that he was going to make you the head of the Sterility Department here in Mannerton and that it would have eventually led to a position in London. London, Tris. Your own office and people working for you."

The barmaid brought over the latest pint of bitter and Tristan grinned at her as he handed over the coins to for it. Then he took a long leisurely sip from his glass, letting out a loud sigh of satisfaction at the end.

"Oh, you haven't listened to a word I've said," Madge grumbled.

Tristan pouted again and put his elbow up on the table so he could lean into his hand. "Of course I listened. London, private office, my own team beavering away while I read the Times in a comfy chair. Not to mention a substantial raise in pay."

Madge leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms over her chest. "Well?"

Tristan chuckled. "Madge, I'm sure you of all people know that a job like that would mainly involve shuffling papers from one end of England to another. I'd never get anywhere near an actual animal. All the learning I'd do about the latest advances in veterinary medicine that we were just talking about would only come from trade papers and journals. A rogue stack of RFK-94 forms would be the least of my problems."

He sat up again and took another large swig of bitter. "Despite my current office-bound state, I am still a vet. And I spent far too many years studying with Siegfried breathing down my neck to suddenly stop being a vet just so I can mess about with forms day in and day out."

"I can understand that," Madge said. A warm smile appeared on her face. "And is that part of the reason too? Your brother, I mean. Did he…?"

"Did Siegfried talk me into it?" Tristan replied. "Now, a question like that shows me that you don't know my brother very well. Nothing on this earth would compel Siegfried to ask me for that kind of sacrifice just because he might need my help. Not even if his practice was crumbling to pieces around him. He still wouldn't dream of it."

Madge giggled and propped her chin up onto the heel of her hand. "Is he really that stubborn? June said she had met him recently and said he was very charming."

"Yes well, that's June," Tristan said. "Siegfried is always charming to an attractive lady like her. Not so much to little brothers whom he feels he has to mind."

Madge laughed again and both of them ordered another drink. Soon, the conversation drifted toward more memories of working at the Ministry together. Memories of quirky co-workers who had come and gone. Of farmers who caused more than one headache around the office. Of all the attempts to shake up the bureaucracy which never seemed to pan out.

A couple of hours later, both of them decided to call it a night. Tristan drove Madge to her flat and walked her to her door. She opened it up and then paused, letting him stand in the doorway.

"Tris…I meant what I said before. I am going to miss you," she said.

Tristan smiled at her, a smile of kindness that masked his regret. Then he drew her close and leaned down to kiss her cheek.

But at the last moment, Madge turned her face and kissed him on the lips instead. What started as a friendly peck turned into something much more intense.

Almost a minute later, they finally separated with Tristan still holding her in his arms. Madge's head drooped as she leaned against his chest.

"Tristan," she murmured as she closed her eyes. "Why…why didn't we….?"

Tristan stroked her back. For a moment, a pensive expression appeared his face, etching lines of despondency near his eyes. But it wasn't long before he found another smile.

"I have a knack for showing up at the wrong times," he chuckled. He gave her a quick kiss to the forehead. "And you are going to love Edinburgh, Madge. I promise."

Madge looked up at him, smiling. "I'm sure you're right, Tris. But…you will be happy back in Darrowby, won't you?"

The grin on Tristan's face grew. "You think I'd go back there if I wouldn't?"

Madge placed a hand on Tristan's cheek. "Would you, Tris? Sometimes, I am not sure."

That gesture almost made the smile on Tristan's face falter. Almost. He reached up and cupped her hand in both of his.

"Now you're just worrying too much. Some of my favorite pubs are in Darrowby. And I know you've met James and Helen Herriot."

"Yes. They seemed like very nice people."

"They are. And they are even better friends. It'll be good to see more of them again. And I do have nephews and nieces to consider too, you know. And…."

"And you're a vet, I know," Madge laughed. "It's a pity that the Ministry didn't understand that about you."

Madge leaned in for one last chaste kiss before leaving his arms and shaking his hand.

"Goodbye Tristan Farnon, MRCVS. And good luck."

Tristan nodded and flashed another grin at her. "You too. Keep in touch, won't you?"

"You know I will," Madge assured him. "Good night, Tris."

She paused for another moment before reaching for the door. Tristan backed out as she closed it. Then he strolled out to his car, but didn't get in until he saw the lights in her flat turn off and on. After another minute of watching, he sped away.

He wasn't sure where he was going, but he knew he needed to find a place. A place where he could be alone and have a quiet smoke. A place to clear his head.

A place where he could find a way to remind himself of why he was leaving.