Title: Faith in Love # 6



Started: 6th June 2002

Finished: 12th June 2002

Disclaimer: As always they don't belong to me. Wait! Kate does!

Genre: Angst

Rating: G

Summary: What could possibly happen to ruin Tess' chances at future happiness?

Author's Notes: I want to thank everyone who has sent feedback for this fic. For some reason everyone seems to love it, I hope you continue to enjoy it. To Penny, as always for her unending support and feedback during the writing process.







~*~*~*~*~

"Kate! What are you doing here? I only left Melbourne this…" Tess opened the door surprised to see her sister's smiling face.

"I know…you only saw me this morning. I've known I was coming up here for ages but I wanted to surprise you. Then when you came down I thought 'great, typical surprise is ruined', but I managed it anyway didn't I?" Kate walked through to the lounge room; dumping her bags by the sofa she plonked herself down. Looking at the coffee table she took note of its contents, "Oh Tess!"

"What?"

"Things didn't go well with Jonesy?"

"How do you know?" Tess asked confused.

"For a vet student I'd make a bloody good copper, comfort food Tess, complete giveaway."

"Ah damn, better put it back in the freezer," Tess quickly snatched the ice cream from the table and walked through to her small kitchen. "Hot chocolate?" she asked.

"Yeah, want any help?"

"Nope, you go put your gear in Hayley's…I mean the spare room," Tess corrected herself.

"You still miss her?" Kate asked softly.

"Yeah I do, it's been so long now but I still think of it as Hayley's room. Go on, put your stuff away then we'll talk about why you're missing uni." Tess quickly changed the subject knowing that thinking about Hayley would once again upset her fragile emotional state.

"Yeah, yeah and then we'll also talk about you and Jonesy," Kate muttered as she wandered off in the direction of the spare room.



The pair settled comfortably on the sofa, legs curled up beneath them, hands wrapped around their mugs for warmth. Neither sister said anything, each just savouring the sweet chocolate flavour and the company of each other. Tess stared off in the distance, a faraway look on her face.

"Earth to Tess, come in Tess," Kate gently kicked her sister. "Where were you?" she asked.



"Can you remember the old lady that lived next door to us when we were kids, old Mrs Glover, she used to make us a hot choccy and she'd put them in real cups too, we'd sit together on her sofa just like this," Tess shook her head at the memory. "And then we moved again."

"I don't remember that Tess, but then I 'am' so much younger then you."

"Oh shut up Kate," Tess joked. "Now tell me why you're here and not back in Melbourne."

"Simple really, I have prac up here," Kate explained. "Do you know the Hetherington's?"

"Umm yeah I think so , don't they have a dairy farm out on the St David's Rd," Tess looked puzzled.

Kate nodded, "Well, they take in vet students for pracs, thought I'd put my name down seeing as you're up here and I got picked. So lucky you get to put up with me for 2 whole weeks."

"Oh great, now what will I do, kid sister around my life is over," Tess said dramatically.

"Not only that Tess, think of the early mornings, smelly clothes," Kate laughed.

"Oh gross, you can do your washing down at the Laundromat," Tess grimaced at the thought of Kate's smelly clothes.

"What about Jonesy?" Kate asked quietly sensing that Tess was still feeling vulnerable.

"Nah," Tess mumbled shaking her head.

"What the hell does 'nah' mean Tess?"

"It means that he's put in for a transfer - found out when I got back."

"He what?" asked Kate incredulously. "The guy must be nuts, why would he want to move away – he loves you!"

"Well obviously you're wrong there Kate, he reckons personal conflict. He was sposed to be here tonight but he's on some surveillance thing."

"What do you mean 'some', don't you know what's going on in the station?" Kate asked surprised that Tess wasn't in the know.

"That's another story Kate, I pissed off the detective today, it's his case so I wasn't informed. Felt I better leave well alone." Tess explained.

"Tess, you really do have some bridges to mend don't you? Good job your sister is here to lend a hand."

"Oh no Kate, you stay out of this, I've stuffed up enough don't need you to make things worse."

"Well thanks a lot," Kate said sarcastically, "seriously though Tess if there is anything I can do to help."

"Yeah I know, come on I think it's time we both hit the sack." Tess crawled from the sofa making her way to the bedroom, "Cya in the morning."

***



Tess' dreams of Jonesy were interrupted by the abrupt ringing on the telephone; she grabbed a jumper on her way to answer the phone, reaching there in time to hear her sister's voice.

"Police residence, this is Kate."

"Kate, detective Hasham here, I need to speak to Tess, it's urgent."

Kate handed the phone to Tess. She watched her sister's face pale as she listened to what PJ had to say.

"I'll be right there," Tess said quietly before hanging up.

"What's going on Tess?" Kate asked.

"There's been an accident, it's Jonesy, he's in hospital."

"My God Tess, is he okay?"

"I don't know, PJ didn't really say," Tess raced around in a panic finding some clothes to put on.

"Tess, take your coat, you'll freeze like that, c'mon I'll drive."

***

Tess stood beside Jonesy's bed half listening as PJ filled her in on the details.

"Cattle rustling? Does that still go on around here?" she asked surprised to hear about the case PJ had been working on.

"Yeah, every now and then. It's more high tech than the old days. They truck them away now instead of droving them. Jonesy got in the way, the bastards drove straight at him Tess."

Tess moved to hold Jonesy's hand, without looking at PJ she asked softly, "What did Dr Mel say?"

"He's sustained a considerable blow to the head Tess, he hasn't regained consciousness and until he does she said it's too early to tell. Tess, this is Jonesy, he's a tough bugger, he'll be fine," PJ placed his arm around Tess' shoulders offering what little comfort he could.

PJ grabbed a chair from the corner of the room moving it beside Jonesy's bed for Tess, "Look I know you're not going to go home tonight, would you like me to take Kate?"

"Umm yeah, that'd be good, thanks PJ," she sat stiffly in the chair not releasing Jonesy's hand.

"Right, well, I'll take her home and I'll be here first thing. He's gonna be fine Tess," PJ tried to reassure her once again but he knew they were just idle words.

***

"Evan, please wake up, I'm so sorry, you know that," Tess kept up a steady stream of chatter having heard on television that unconscious patients responded well to familiar voices.

~*~*~



In the early hours of the morning Dr Mel found Tess asleep, her head rested on Jonesy's bed, still holding his hand. She tried not to wake her as she checked Jonesy's vital signs. Years of policing had made Tess' so aware of her surroundings that it wasn't long before she was aware of Dr Mel's presence.

"How is he Mel?" she asked.

"I was hoping he would have regained consciousness by now Tess," she replied honestly. "But still it is early days and sometimes these things take a little longer than anticipated."

"What about…" Tess' voice trailed off.

"Permanent damage," Dr Mel finished for her. "It's far too early to tell Tess, we'll know more when he wakes. Why don't you go home and have a rest?"

"No, I'm not leaving him, I want to be here when he comes to Mel."

"Fine, well we'll keep monitoring him closely, we're doing everything we can Tess," Dr Mel left the room with a knowing smile on her face. She could see that Tess' concern for Jonesy was more than that of a Sergeant for her Constable. Jonesy's vitals were good, but the fact that he was still unconscious wasn't good. Playing the waiting game wasn't good for anyone but there was little else she could do. It was up to Jonesy now and his strength to pull through.

Tess still sat by his bedside, holding his hand; her face was pale, dark circles under her eyes. She reached out to gently stroke the cheek of the man she loved, "Evan, please wake up, I love you, give me the chance to tell you. Please!"