Disclaimer: Do not own anything McLeod's Daughters belongs to channel 9, and the writers and creators apart from Abby, Lily and Charlie.

Tess woke early as usual and headed downstairs for breakfast, she was surprised to find Abby already up and dressed and making breakfast.

'Well you're certainly an early raiser.' Tess told her.

'Can't change the habit of a lifetime.' Abby replied.

'I guess not.' Tess laughed.

'I just made toast I didn't know what you wanted.'

'Toast is fine.' Tess replied. The two sat in an uncomfortable silence as they eat their breakfast.

'So any big plans for today?' Tess asked unable to cope with the silence any longer.

Abby looked up from her toast. 'I hadn't really thought about it. you need any help around here?'

'Ummm I think we're ok, everyone had their jobs so. I'm sure you've go lots of people you'd liked to see.'

'Yeah.'

'Well I uh best get to it.' Tess said standing. As she was exiting the kitchen she bumped into Meg.

'Sorry.' they both chorused.

'You're up early. I thought that you would of jumped at the chance of a lie in.' Meg asked a tired looking Abby.

Abby ran a hand through her hair and sighed ' Nah I'm used to getting up in the early hours besides I couldn't sleep anyway.'

'So any plans.' Meg asked.

'Well I did kind offer to help you guys but Tess said that you had everything under control.'

'Really.' Meg asked in a curious tone, it was partly true although she knew that they could always do with the extra help.

'Yeah I kind of got the impression that I might be,' she paused ' you know.'

'Stepping on someone else toes.' Meg finished for her.

Abby nodded 'Something like that.'

'So what you gonna do instead.'

Abby thought for a moment ' welled I thought that I pop over to Kilarney and see Nick.' Abby smiled at Meg.

Meg laughed ' Curiosity getting the better of you.'

Abby laughed 'Well I have to say Harry and Sandra, I never saw that coming.'

'I don't think anybody did.'

'I never thought that Harry and Liz would divorce.'

'How's things with you and Tess? Meg asked changing the subject.

Abby sighed she hoped that could forget about that tricky subject for the moment. 'Difficult to say the least.' Abby told Meg as she played with the jars in front of her.

'Abby.'

'Oh come on Meg you saw her she was practically running out of here.'

Meg sighed. ' Its hard for her Abby she.'

'It's hard for me to Meg.' Abby interrupted.

'I know. It's what with losing Claire and then this custody battle with Peter things have been a little, it's just you arrival has caused a lot of commotion.'

Abby looked up at Meg in surprised, she felt as she was being blamed for something it was as if she had done something wrong. 'Well maybe I shouldn't have bothered coming home in the first place.' Abby told her and stood up to leave.

'I didn't mean it like that.' Meg told her trying desperately to explain want he meant 'It's just you've been away for so long and you didn't come back for Claire's funeral and we haven't heard from you in months. It's jut all rather.' Meg paused searching for the word to describe the situation. Abby stood in silence as she listened to Meg. She was filled with many emotions anger, sadness, frustration, and disappointment.

'I'd better go.' Abby told Meg. 'I don't know what time I will be back so.'

'Ok. I'll see you later.'

'Bye.'

Abby pulled up in the driveway of Kilarney. She sat in her car for a few moments tapping her hands on her steering wheels he pondered her next move until she saw Harry Ryan walking towards her. Abby got out of her car as Harry headed towards her.

'Nick said you were back.' Harry said as he and Abby hugged. 'He also said that you were driving a clapped out piece of junk but.' Harry told her looking over her shoulder.

Abby turned to look at her car and then back to Harry. 'Hey leave the car alone, it's been good to me,' she smiling.

'Doesn't look like there's much mileage left in it.' Harry told her.

Abby looked from her car to Harry, she bit her bottom lip and scrunched up her nose. 'Yeah.' she said before they both burst into laughter.

'Come inside.' Harry told her. Abby entwined her arm with Harry's as they walked towards the house.

'So you and Sandra.' Abby asked in a teasing tone.

'What have you heard? Harry asked.

Abby stopped and pulled a thinking face in an over dramatic style. 'Things.'

'Things.' Harry repeated.

'Yeah.' Abby smiled. 'I can't believed you got married.'

'You don't have something to say?'

'Should I?' Abby asked.

'Everyone else seems to have an opinion.'

'Well I figure I'll do a bit of observing and then I'll give you my opinion.'

'Really, I'm sure that Alex and Nick will give you their opinion's.'

'Well I can make up my own mind.'

'Good,' Harry told her. Abby laughed.

Alex and Nick approached the main house at Kilarney. Harry had invited them for lunch; they hoped that his new wife Sandra wasn't there. They thought their worst fears had been realised when they heard a woman's laughter. As they turned around the corner they found that it was not Harry's wife Sandra but Abby. Nick smiled as he saw her but Alex's expression remained the same as if it were Sandra sitting there.

'Good I'm glad you boys could make it.' Harry said as he got up to greet his sons.

'Didn't know that we were having guests.' Alex said nodding towards Abby.

'Yeah well neither did I till a few hours ago.'

Nick went over to Abby and gave her a kiss on the cheek 'Hey.' he smiled as he greeted her.

'Hey.'

Alex on the other hand sat down in the nearest seat. Harry couldn't help but notice the tension between Alex and Abigail. He looked over to Abby who smiled at him as if to let him no she was ok.

Lunch was pleasant enough although the tension between Abby and Alex made all four uncomfortable. Harry and Abby chatted away with Nick making the odd remark here and there but Alex sat throughout the whole of lunch hardly saying a word expected once or twice making a snide comment. Abby seemed to easily ignore Alex's behaviour but Harry and Nick were having a harder time. After Alex had taken another subtle dig at Abby and her absence over the past few years nick was about to say something but one look from Abby told him not to.

'I have some business to attend to say I best be leaving.' Harry told everyone as he got up to leave. 'It's good to see you again Abby. You must come round for dinner one night.'

'I'd like that.'

'That's good, don't leave it to long though.' He told her.

'I won't.' she smiled.

'Good,' Harry kissed the top of her head and whispered in her ear, ' It's good to have you home again.'

Abby smiled at least someone was pleased to see her.

A few minutes after Harry left Alex spoke up. 'Best be getting back to work. I'll see you later Nick.' And with that he walked off.

Nick looked at his brother and then at Abigail who she shrugged. 'Well that went well,' her voice full of sarcasm.

'Could have been worse.' Nick half joked.

'Yeah, I mean he could have completely blanked me, taken cheap shots at me and altogether made the whole experience rather unpleasant.' She paused, as Nick looked at her a sympathetic look on his face.

'Oh wait.' She said in a fake cheery tone, 'he did' She let out a sigh and sunk deeper into her seat, picking up a fork from the table she began to play with it.

'You ok.' Nick asked.

'Yeah.' Abby sighed, she sat up in her chair ' I just, I feel like I shouldn't even of bothered coming home.'' She told him.

'Cause f Alex ? Nick asked.

'Alex, Tess , Claire, everyone. It not like everyone's been thrilled to see me.'

'Jodi and Meg.' Nick started.

'No offence Nick but Jodi would be thrilled to see anyone and I'm pretty sure that Meg has her doubts and before you say anything Stevie doesn't really count, I only know her as a friend of Claire's.' Abby explained as stopped playing with her fork.

'And what about Harry and me.' Nick told her.

'Yeah, well.' Abby tried to think of something to say but couldn't.

'I'm happy your back, I've missed you.' He said, smiling.

'Thanks.' She smiled back.

'So things that bad with you and Tess ?

'I wouldn't say that they are bad, I mean we haven't really had a proper conversation.' Abby admitted.

'And don't look at me like that.' She told without even looking his way.

'Like what.' Came his calm voice.

Abby turned to face him. 'Like that.'

'What.' Nick smiled.

'With that…… 'Nick' look.'

Nick laughed. 'My what look.'

'You know what I mean that your been silly look the you know what to do look.'

Nick laughed harder, Abby glanced a Nick putting on a serious face although it was clear she was trying not to laugh. Her resolve didn't last long.

'It's not funny, you know what I mean.' Their laughter died down a few seconds later.

'You should talk to Tess you know.'

'I know.' Abby admitted. 'It's hard though, I don't know where to begin.' She paused 'I mean with both have these histories with Drovers and with everyone around it and then there's Claire.' She stopped but Nick didn't speak up he just waited for her to go on. 'It like there's this wall between us. You know apart from Charlie.' She said referring to her father, ' her and Charlotte are my only living family I've got and we're complete strangers.' A tear began to fall down her cheek.

'Her and Claire were strangers when she first arrived.' Nick pointed out.

'That's different they had some history together, they were sisters.'

Nick sighed defeated there was nothing else he could say. 'Talk to her tell her how you feel.'

'I will, I will.'

'Alex will come around.' He told her.

'I hope so.' Abby replied, she sat up straighter in her seat taking a deep breath to compose herself she wiped away her tears.

'I don't wanna talk about this any more. Lets talk about something else.' She asked Nick.

'Sure.' He told her, he wasn't going to push the subject.

'So you and Tess.' Abby asked her lit up in to a mischievous smile.

Nick was not impressed by her choice of topic. 'You see this face.' He told her pointed to himself, 'this is my 'there's nothing to talk about face.' And with that he got and started to walk to his car. Abby laughed.

'Nick, Oh come on I saw how you were looking at her at lunch yesterday.' She called out. Nick just waved his hand in a 'I don't care gesture'. Abby got up and followed him.

'Abby, I'm gonna give you a little piece of advice here.'

'Ok.'

'The subject of me and Tess is off limits.' He told her sternly.

Abby nodded the smile on her face was getting bigger and bigger. 'You must really like her.'

Nick quickly turned his head to look at Abby giving her a 'what have I just told you look.'

Abby held up her hands in defence, 'I know, I know, subject is off limits.' They started walking towards their cars again. Every now and again Abby would glance at Nick and then laugh.

'What? Nick asked as they stopped in front of Abby's car.

'Nothing.' She told him, 'subject is off limits remember.' She gave him a cheeky grin before she hopped into her car and sped away.