One day I started to think about what could Alex write if he had to describe Claire... and then obviously, since they are their stubborn self, I just had to add a sort of bet/challenge about it...

I hope you'll find it as funny as it was fun to write it. And thanks again Jill for betareading.

A book about Claire

Alex watched Tess in the distance. He knew she was a bit hurt, even he could see that and he wasn't the best in reading minds or emotions… Her sister had practically told her to mind her own business, or so she thought.

Tess had just come back from the city, where she had lived for twenty years after leaving Drovers Run with her mother Ruth. Tess had been living here again for a while now, but Claire still was a bit harsh with her.

At first she was really angry with her sister, for never calling and for coming back just for Jack's inheritance, but soon after the anger had been replaced by uncertainty. Claire just didn't know what to do with Tess. She wasn't used to someone who always likes talking, and sometimes her answers sounded a bit rougher than expected or intended.

Alex liked listening to Claire, she had her own particular way to describe things, and her facial expressions always explained more than her words did. From the look on Claire's face Alex knew she really cared about her sister, but was a bit scared of not being able to create a connection with her.

"You know Claire, Tess doesn't know you very well… she still has to get used to your way of dealing with problems…" he joked "You should explain a few things to her… for example that country people don't talk very much about feelings or that kind of stuff… especially girly stuff… and especially you" he added with a smirk. Teasing was his way to make her relax a bit, but he really meant what he was saying.

"You mean she doesn't know me like YOU do?" she asked back, sarcasm clearly readable in her voice.

"Yeah…for example…I happen to know a thing or two about you." He stated wriggling his eyebrows suggestively. He had known Claire for half of his life, and he was sure he knew her better than anyone else. Before, he would have been second to Jack, but now he was sure to be in the lead.

"And you think you know me better than everyone else?" Claire continued, still in her teasing tone.

"Probably yes" he nodded heavily.

He seemed so sure of himself and Claire couldn't help but want to drag him down from his cloud. "You don't know me as well as you think you do, Alex…"

"Admit it Claire, I could write a book about you…"

"Are you sure?!?" She had to hold herself to keep from laughing. The idea of Alex writing a book was too funny… Alex Ryan, the one who would sometimes explain himself with wild animal languages rather than with human talk…writing a book!!

He knew she wouldn't let this go unnoticed, so he tried to adjust the shot. "Maybe not a book…I'm not a great writer… So let's call it an essay…"

"You wanna bet?" She asked.

Claire's challenging spirit had come to the surface, and now there was no way he could back up… "I can bet under one condition: Since I could write something you won't like reading, someone else should have to say if I'm right, not you"

"Meg?" she suggested

"What about Meg AND Nick?" Meg was like a mother to Claire…she could be sided, at least this way Nick would be at his side…even if he couldn't be so sure of this.

"Ok, it seems fair." She agreed "How much time do you think you need?"

"I'll let you know when I'm done," he answered. He didn't have a clue about how much time he would need…could be an hour or a day…or a week…what could he write? And what if he couldn't do it? What if she laughed at him for the rest of his life?

He pushed these thoughts out of his mind; he wasn't going to let her see he wasn't sure of what he was doing…

So they quickly shook hands in agreement and returned in their respective houses.

At first Alex didn't know where to start, then he decided to divide the essay in chapters. A chapter for every thing that characterized Claire…the first could only be about Drovers…

The more he put down in writing, more things filled his head… 'I was right, I can write a lot about her…' was his last thought before he totally focused on his script.

Claire McLeod

Land

She's born here, on the land, and she couldn't live anywhere else.

The land isn't just her work, is her entire life, and she loves it so much. She's a big part of the place here, I mean, I couldn't even think of this place without her… It's something that's not going to happen.

Horses

Claire is the best with horses. Sometimes I think she loves horses more than people. She can break in even the most stubborn brumby because she's more stubborn than him. I'm not all that bad myself, but she's different…she has her own unique way she treats them right, she can somehow talk and communicate with them. I mean REALLY communicate, it's amazing!

Her biggest dream is to one day breed and train horses, and I know she'll succeed, it's in her blood. If anyone can make it, she can

Habits

She loves to drink a cold beer on the veranda just like I do, and it's good to share this with her. Not to share my beer, she would bite my head off rather than share her beer with me…it's just good to have company doing it…

And about eating habits…she's even worse than me…I shouldn't know it, but the girls told me she can eat whatever she has in front of her, as long as it has lots of sauces on it. Even her infamous Tuna casserole!

She has a lot of bad habits, but we don't mind. She's like this, and I don't think anyone would change her for anything.

The worst thing is that she doesn't seem to know how to relax! I know she has a lot of work to do, but not always should work have to come first… not if her mental health is involved!

Ok, I'm joking, but I really think she's been pushing herself too hard most of the time, especially in the last months.

Family

Her Dad was the only parent she had, and she was shattered when he died, but as always she put on her brave face and kept working.

They had a lot of fights over the years, and probably she's still cursing herself for the last one, but she has to know that he loved her with all his heart, he adored her, despite every fight, and wherever he is now he's proud of her. I'm absolutely sure of it. She's the daughter every father would want to have.

She also has a sister, Tess. They didn't see each other for twenty years, but now she's here and they can work this thing out. At first Claire wasn't so friendly with Tess, being a city girl and everything, but I think she was just scared to show her emotions and to risklosing someone else she loves. I'm sure she can be a great sister. And maybe Tess could try and teach her how to relax and take things easy. And that she doesn't need the armour she alwayswears because people who love her will always love her, even if she's not a super woman, or maybe even more.

Friendship

As I said, she often shows her love for animals more than for human beings. If I was at the edge of a cliff with a stallion she probably would save the horse first.

Still she's the best friend I could wish for. She doesn't bother me about girly stuff, she doesn't talk too much, but when I need her she's there. Even if she doesn't talk, even if I don't talk, she's there, and I feel better.

Now that I'm thinking about it, I never told her thanks, but I know that she knows how I feel. Probably she's the one that knows me better than everyone else, maybe even better than I know myself.

She's also a great friend to everyone else. She wants to show the world she can do everything by herself, but when someone, anyone, needs her, she's there too. Offering a job, listening, keeping secrets, even threatening sometimes…

Love life

She usually dates jerks. She should listen what I say, but she always does what she wants. I know that she has to choose by herself, but I just don't want to see her hurt again. People think she's strong and able to handle everything, but she's not as strong as she wants shown. She will kill me for what I'm writing, but it's the truth. She's human, she has her weaknesses like anyone, and hiding it under the carpet won't help her or change that.

I don't think any of her boyfriends ever understood how passionate she is… I mean, look at her with horses! She has fire in her eyes when she looks at a horse she loves… This is how could she be with a man she really loves and loves her back as she deserves…

Ok, maybe I should stop writing…

I should stop writing because if I keep writing I would write that she's the most stubborn person in the whole world and she's so focused on having respect from everyone that she doesn't even notice that her behaviour keeps the others at distance. Sometimes I don't know what I should do with her, she doesn't let the others in, not even me most of the time, and I wish so badly she did… I wish I could comfort her when she needed it, but I know that she would rather push me away than admit she needs someone.

I can just see her throwing me one of her killer looks… They are quite scary, but I still love them. She's so Claire when she gives these looks, and then there are her eyes… She has the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen, so blue and shining, and so clear that you can be mirrored in them.

Anger, passion, fear, hurt, everything Claire feels get past into her eyes. This is pure magic.

I know she thinks I don't think she's pretty, but it's not true. Her eyes by themselves could make someone beautiful, but it's not only that. If only she would wear something a bit 'girly' once in a while everyone could see what I already see, how beautiful she is.

That evening Alex fell asleep with the paper still in his hands, smiling. He knew there was something missing, something he had not written yet, but he didn't know what. He read it again and again every line, and the more he read it the more he found how true every word was.

The new day didn't bring any illumination about the missing thing, so Alex carried the paper with him that evening to give it to Claire. He didn't care if she was going to like it or not or if he was going to lose or win, he just wanted her to read it. Maybe she could find what he couldn't.

Weird enough, he was actually nervous trying to read her face. Why he was nervous? She wouldn't kill him, would she?

But she didn't seem to want to kill him… he watched her closely as she smiled, threw him a mad look once in a while and then smiled again. Reading the last part her mouth was quite open in surprise and she even seemed to hold her breath.

After a last look at the paper in her hands she handed it back at Alex. "Careful on showing it around… someone could think you're in love with me reading this" she laughed "And I don't think your girlfriend-to-be would like it"

Alex' brain perceived there was something in Claire's words he needed to take in, but still couldn't say what. "Someone who?"

"I don't know… just… someone…"

He had written what he really thought about her. He was sure he meant every word of it. Could he be objective? Why wouldn't he be? He was her friend… and he really thought that everyone that knew Claire like he did would only think the same about her.

"What if it wasn't me writing this? You would think that this unknown man is in love with you?"

"If it wasn't you, probably I wouldn't trust a single word of it. I'd think it was just a stupid joke"

So she trusted him enough to think he meant his words, but still she thought that someone reading those same words would think he was in love with her…why? He did one of the hardest mind efforts in his life and tried to look at his relationship with Claire from the outside. He tried to understand what people around them saw looking at them.

And suddenly truth hit him. Here it was! Bingo!

"But you trust me, right? Because I mean every word I wrote, and probably 'someone' could think I'm in love with you because it's true."

This sudden realization had made him talk quicker and more animated than usual. If she didn't know better she'd have said he was drunk… but just a minute ago he was perfectly sober…

She didn't know if he was serious and her voice sounded a bit angrier than she expected. "Alex! Ok, now I DON'T trust you!"

"Why?" he asked slightly hurt "You said it yourself that it sounded like I was in love with you, not me. I just said it's true."

He had definitely taken her by surprise… "But… but…"

Alex, taking advantage of her astonishment, placed his hands on her waist and pulled her close for a kiss. Somehow he felt it was something he'd been waiting for his whole life. It was just a second, he hadn't even thought about what he was doing, he just had to grab and kiss her.

Immediately he felt her respond, wrapping her hands around his neck and pulling him even closer, but seconds later she brutally pushed him away, looked up at him for a moment, then slapped him on the cheek, quite roughly.

"Ouch!" he exclaimed, "What did you do that for?" He was enjoying the kiss no end, and he was sure she did as well.

"You kissed me!!!" she hissed, like it was obviously something that was worth a heavy slap.

"But you kissed me back, in case you hadn't noticed…"

This made Claire stir uncomfortably. She was aware of it, feeling his lips on hers sure she had had a surprising reaction, but this was so new and unexpected for her… She didn't even know if she had wanted it to happen… "I know, but… still… you didn't have my permission…"

She knew how silly this sounded, but then and there she couldn't come up with a reasonable reason for slapping him that way except that he had taken her by surprise… and THIS was weird… she didn't know what to answer to Alex Ryan, the one she always bantered with!

Alex rolled his eyes at her, but decided to twist the topic a bit. "Now do you believe me?"

"I… I don't know…"

He leaned closer, almost breathing on her face, "And now do I have your permission?"

She just looked up at him and got lost in his eyes. If she didn't know from his kiss, she knew from the look he had that he was telling the truth. His eyes couldn't lie, just like hers. And her eyes were telling him that she wanted that kiss as much as he did.

Before leaning down again he looked directly in her eyes one more time, wanting to make sure she wasn't going to react badly again. This time she leaned comfortably in Alex's arms and allowed herself to enjoy what was happening, Alex' hands roaming across her back up to her shoulders, his lips on hers and her body against his.

When they pulled apart she rested her head on Alex' chest, letting him cuddle her softly. She still felt warmth washing her body thinking about what he had written. She had to admit he did a great job; there was so much of her in those words… and so much of Alex too. She wasn't planning on throwing that piece of paper away anytime soon. By the way it was something great for her self-confidence…

"Still like the idea of writing a book about me?" she asked after a while

He shook his head left and right. "Neah… I kind of lost any interest… I think it's way more interesting to live that book everyday… for the rest of my life…"

Claire pulled slightly away to have a better look at him. "I think I have to write this one down… You're really turning into a writer now?"

"Your fault. Now stop babbling and give me a kiss"

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