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

Tess tired her best to keep busy and take her mind off her cousins arrival. Meg sensing Tess's discontent and from her discussion with Abby earlier decided to talk to Tess.

'So how you doing.' She asked.

Tess stopped lugging the bag of seeds and looked at Meg. 'Fine, fine. Once we get theses bag of seeds in, we should check the cattle.' Tess told her before picking up another bag of seeds.

Meg sighed. 'That's not what I meant.'

'Oh.'

'I meant how you dealing with Abby and everything.'

Tess stopped what she was doing once again. 'Ok, ok.' she lied.

Meg gave her that look and Tess relented, 'I don't know,' she sighed, 'It's just all so overwhelming.' she told Meg.

'I know.' Meg told her, her voice full of sympathy.

'Have you talked to her yet.'

Tess shook her head, 'I just, I don't know where to start.' Tess sighed and slumped down, sitting on the floor next to the bags of seeds, Meg sat down beside her. 'I don't know her, she's family but a total stranger. I don't know anything about her, she has all the history with you and Jodi, Alex, Nick, god even Stevie seems to know her better then I do and Claire.' Tears began to fall as Tess mentioned her late sisters name. Meg moved to put her arm round Tess. 'I just don't know what to do. Her and Claire used to talk every other day but since her death we haven't heard a word from her and now after all this time she just turns up out of the blue with no warning. I'm just unsure about why now, why after all this time has she come back ? What does she want ? Tess asked Meg through her tears.

'I don't know, I don't know.' Meg told Tess in a soothing, motherly tone. 'Maybe you should talk to her.'

Tess wiped away her tears. 'I now and I will it's just I don't now where to begin, how to start. There's just this wall between us and I .'

'Hey.' a voice interrupted Tess and Meg conversation. They both turned and were greeted by the very person that they had been talking about.

'Hey.' Meg replied.

''Hey.' Tess said in a half whisper.

Abby looked at Tess the concern for her cousin was evident in her face. 'Are you ok,' she asked.

Tess quickly arouse from where she was sitting. 'Yeah I'm fine, I just got something in my eyes that's all.' Tess lied. ' I uh I've got lots of things to do.'

'I can finish up here if you want.' Abby offered.

'Thanks.' Tess replied before she walked off.

'She really ok?' Abby asked Meg.

'She's just a little emotional at the moment.'

'Right.'

'What with everything with Peter and Charlotte and then you coming home, it all a little.'

'It's ok Meg I get it.'

'Well uh I've got things to do are you gonna be all right with all this?

'It fine Meg I can handle it.'

'Hey, sorry I'm so late, I know I said I'd be here sooner but uh I kind of got held up.' Abby said as she sat down on the ground. 'But hey better late then never, right,' she said in a half joking tone. She sighed and took a deep breath before she spoke again.

'You were right about Tess, I like her, she seems really nice. We're kind of having a little trouble talking at the moment but you know maybe if will give a little time,' she paused once more.

'So Harry and Sandra, married. How bout that . I haven't actually seen them together so I'm gonna hold out on the judgement but I don't think that Nick and Alex are to happy about it. I mean fancy having Sandra as a step- mum.' Abby screwed up her face to show her displeasure at the thought. 'Can't say I'd be to happy about it either.' She sat in silence from a few moments.

Silently the tears began to fall down Abby's face, she made no effort to wipe them away. I've really screwed up this time Claire.' she told her cousins gravestone. 'Could kind of do with your help right now.' She sat in silence for a few minutes.

'Alex is so angry with me an I don't know what to say to make him not and me and Tess we can't seem to talk and everyone has all these questions and I don't know what to do, I don't know how to explain everything to them and I miss you.' Tears began to fall more rapidly down Abby's cheeks. 'I thought that if I came home then everything would be ok, it would all just fall into place and I could.' Abby stopped she could go on now longer, her tears had claimed her. She sat in silence and cried. It was a few minutes later before she spoke up again. Wiping away her tears she took a deep breath.

'I think I'm gonna stay here for while.' she paused 'if that's ok with you. Might have a chat with mum,' she bit her bottom lip. 'Feel free to give me a sign or something, any advice on how to deal with this.' she said in a half joking tone of voice.

Abigail sighed as the tears came flowing once more. 'I really, really miss you.' she told her cousin through her tears.