All Together Now

Part 4

By Rae & Anna

Again .. BHHQ - theirs not ours, thanks for the lend.

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Ben was perched on the end of the bar, the term barfly floated around fleetingly. He scoffed to himself. His third beer for the evening, light beer of course. And after the shock of the boss' announcement today he surely deserved to gaze longingly into the pool of amber liquid before him. He shook his head. He was finding it difficult to comprehend, Maggie Doyle alive. Huh. Go figure. PJ must be in seventh heaven. They were yet to make an appearance. Ben laughed. He knew what they would be getting up to. Lucky buggers. He caught a glimpse of Jo out of the corner of his eye. She was putting on a brave face. Ben knew it must be really hard for her. It had been practically a year since the fire had destroyed not only PJ's house but also his budding relationship with Jo. He took a long pull on his pot.

His eye was caught by the new entrants to the bar.

"Well if it isn't young Jack Lawson." Ben slid off the stool and grabbed Jacks hand, clapping him on the back at the same time.

"Ben . . good to see you . . "

"Oh my god . . stretch!" Jo threw herself full force at Jack, hugging him tightly. Tears springing from her eyes.

"Jo." Jack hugged her back just as tightly. It felt good to receive the warm embrace.

"I can't believe it's really you." her voice cracked with emotion.

She pulled back from the hug, grinning broadly, then pulling him into another hug.

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"So I was talking to your lovely new Sergeant . . " Nick turned to the boss.

"You weren't bothering her in her hospital bed were you Schultz?" Tom asked incredulous.

"Nah, no, I had her doctors permission." Nick looked over at Zoe with a big wink.

"Good. Because I don't want you annoying her." Tom scowled good naturedly.

"No, boss, I wouldn't do that." He held his hands up in mock surrender.

"I hope not Schultz." Tom said.

"Tess seems to have her hands full with her Junior officer." Nick grinned. "What did happen to Constable Jones?"

"Ahh . . yes." The boss smiled. Nodded. "We best leave that one alone." Nick laughed.

Zoe extracted herself delicately from the drunken musings of Compo and Richo, made her way over to the safety of Nick and Tom.

"Doc! I was just gonna tell ya bout the time Richo fell . . " Compo called after her.

Zoe shuddered visibly, shaking her head with laughter.

"You escaped lightly." Tom nodded in their direction. Grace made her way over to Tom, held his arm lightly in her grasp. She leaned into him. He smiled down at her.

"So Grace . . hard to believe you have made an honest man of young Thomas Croydon." Nick put on a mock serious tone. Zoe elbowed him in the ribs. He cried fowl.

Grace chuckled. "Yes it was a difficult journey. But we managed it." she patted Tom on his ample stomach. "How are your kids? Tom informs me you have two little girls."

"Ahh yes the kids, lil Emily and Margaret. Might have to rename the second one with Doyle back in the living" Zoe gave him a murderous glare, "Or maybe we won't. They of course have their mothers good looks." Sweet talk.

"And their fathers wicked sense of humor." Zoe added quickly.

Nick laughed and put his arm around her shoulder. "You love it. Thrive on it woman."

"Keeps me on my toes."

Tom nodded knowingly. Grace grinned.

"Yes we managed to rope some poor nurse at the hospital to baby sit for us." He gave a short crisp laugh. "Doesn't know what she's in for."

Zoe was about to say something when she saw Wayne Patterson enter the pub.

"Wayne!" She called and waved.

"Wayne Patterson." Nick threw his head back with laughter.

Wayne wheeled himself over to where they stood. A quick glance back at Jack Lawson and the welcome he was receiving.

"Patterson . . didn't we just see you not long ago." Nick asked.

Zoe leant down and gave Wayne a warm hug.

Tom introduced Wayne to Grace and she welcomed him like an old friend.

Wayne felt good.

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Grace grazed Tom's cheek lightly with her fingertips. Was it possible to love so fiercely more than once in a life time Tom asked himself. Grateful for everything he had. He had made it to this stage in his life, and was more than happy at this very moment.

"Tom . . I think everyone's here."

He nodded. They made their way over to the head of the bar. Chris had made an space free so Tom could make his announcement to the burgeoning crowd.

Tom looked around at the familiar faces in the crowd.

The many characters from the community, Mel Carter, Compo Hayes and Richo, George and Rosa Crivelli, Alby and Marg O'conner, Merv and Leila Poole, Keith Purvis, The Sutton's, Winifred, Charlie, Len, endlessly the faces smiled back at him. Mt Thomas in its glory.

He cleared his throat. Tried to get the crowds attention.

"OI!. Shut up you lot!" Chris yelled from behind the bar.

Silence befell the crowd.

"Ahh, thank you Chris." Tom acknowledged giving his ear a tug.

"Welcome." She grinned broadly, waving a towel in the air mock salute.

Tom stood before the crowd. The faces smiling expectantly at him. He rubbed at his chin, one hand resting on his hip. Deep breath. Tom launched into it.

"Welcome folks. Glad you could all make it. Thanks first and foremost to Chris and Grace for organising this . . " He extended his arm to encompass the surroundings. Acknowledging Chris and Grace in the process. They both smiled and bowed to the audience.

"Well we have managed to gather most of you here for this most auspicious occasion." He gave a nervous laugh. "Our guest of honor has not quite made it yet. But . . " he shrugged looking at the questioning crowd.

A commotion started at the front door. Tom looked over and saw Tony Timms making his way through the crowd.

"Well I'm here. We can start now. Where is she?" he held his camera aloft. Tom laughed, chuckles rippled through the crowd. Tony Timms raised his bushy eyebrows, and moved forward some more.

"Well? Where is she?"

"Shut it Timmsy." Ben yelled from across the room, satisfied smile on his face.

The laughter came again, Tony looked deflated, and allowed Tom to continue.

"Thank you Stewart. As I was saying . . It's nice to see everyone here. . Tony Timms included for once."

The crowd chuckled again. Tom raised his brow to Tony, Tony acknowledged the buff with a slight tilt of his camera.

"Thank you for all making your respective treks from across the country . . past members . . Nick and Zoe," he looked in their direction, Nick cheered, raised his glass. "Wayne Patterson." Nick cheered louder, and clinked his glass with Wayne. "Deidre, ahh Dash," Tom corrected at the narrowing of Dash's brows in his direction, "who is as I understand it, undertaking to become a detective in her own right." Tom nodded his approval.

"Yay! Onya McKinley." Nick laughed, reaching over to give her a pat on the back.

"Yes thank you Schultz. Ahh . . Adam Cooper. Jack Lawson." The boss smiled and nodded in their directions.

"And to the present crop . . . Senior Constable Stewart, Constable Parrish, Constable Jones, who ahh seems to have . . . "

"He's busy at the . . " Nick was jabbed in the ribs by Zoe and unable to finish his sentence.

Tom looked over at him at silently thanked Zoe for putting a stop to Schultz's comment.

"I would also like to acknowledge the missing Detective Hasham, who is involved with a . …."Tom looked over at Schultz waiting for a grubby comment. None was forthcoming. "case." Tom finished.

"And our Sergeant," Tom lowered his eyes briefly, "Tess Gallagher, who is unable to make it here tonight . . ahh." Tom moved on quickly, not wanting to have to go too much into the reasons. Jack's head darted up. He scanned the crowd.

"Well the real reason we have gathered you all here . . well . . it's a rather special occasion . . I wanted to introduce to you our new member . . " he smiled and put his hands together church like fashion. His grin reaching from ear to ear. "Unfortunately she was also unable to make it here . . " he spread his hands wide in front of him. "Well I will just come out with it anyway . . the new member appointed to Mt Thomas is Senior Constable Maggie Doyle."

Tom stood back and waited for the crowd reaction.

Silence.

Then cries of unbelievable. The pub came to life. People talked excitedly. Loudly. Quietly. Whispered in corners.

"So where is she?" Tony Timms managed to make himself heard above the din of the crowd.

He held his camera up and positioned it for a shot of the entrance.

"As I said before . . Snr Constable Doyle was unable to make it tonight. But you are all invited to the Anglican church grounds for a BBQ and celebration tomorrow." Tom made his way through the crowd to the table that Grace sat on with his former and current members.

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With a whisper in his ear, Dash and Nick were up and moving.

"Where's the phone Chris?" Nick yelled

"In the office" she yelled back, run of her feet with her excited yet surprised customers

Dash and Nick stumped into the office, grinning madly.

"We need a number" Dash laughed, beginning to search around the desk

"That we do" Nick agreed, opening the draws continuing the same task

"What are you doing?" Chris appeared in the doorway

"Nothing" Dash and Nick offered in unison. It was a hopeless attempt.

"Pull the other one" Chris laughed, turning back, "The numbers in the address book, second draw on the left"

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"Nicolas Schultz you ol devil." PJ laughed heartily.

"You sound like a happy man."

"Oh I am mate I am."

"Well we're all happy for you." Nick gulped, covering the pull of emotion in his throat. "Well say hello to Margaret for us."

"Will do."

"See you tomorrow." Nick hung up the phone quickly. "They're busy McKinley." He pushed her out of the office.

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