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

A few days after Abby's visit to the Ryan's Tess and her were invited round for dinner. Tess was not exactly thrilled at the prospect of dinner with Harry and Sandra but went anyway. She hoped to discuss some things with Alex and Nick concerning Charlotte's first visit in the next couple of days, Abby and her were still having difficulties and the tension between the two was evident, is was only matter of time before it all exploded.

When Tess arrived she was more then a little disappointed to find that Nick would not be joining them for dinner as he had some business in town and wouldn't be back till later that evening, Alex told her that he said he would try to make it back in time but it was unlikely that he would. After exchanging pleasantries they all sat down to dinner. Harry and Sandra each at one end of the table, facing each other while Tess sat next to Alex and Abby sat opposite next to the seat reserved for Nick, if he ever did turn up. Conversation was mainly directed at Abby. Sandra questioned her on what she had been up to in the past few years and Abby dutifully answered, explaining that she had been travelling around Australia with her father, a horse trainer, watching him compete in Rodeo's or training horses or doing the odd farm labour here and there to make ends meat. Conversation soon died down to an uncomfortable silence before Harry spoke up.

'So settling back in alright.' He asked Abby.

'Um yeah, it's all a little unfamiliar though, things are a little different from when I last left .'

'Drover's going organic.'

'Yeah.' Abby smiled, 'It's all just a little.' She trailed off before going back to playing with the food on her plate.

Harry looked at Abby a look of concerning appeared on his face. She would always fiddle or play with things when she was nervous or upset. 'Hard?' He asked in a soft tone.

Abby looked up from her dinner her eyes filling up with tears she blinked them away. ' Strange. I guess I never thought about Drover Run without Jack and when he died it was all.' she stopped and shook her head unable to find the words to fit what she wanted to say. Abby sighed she didn't think that there were any words that could describe how she felt but she continued. 'And Drovers without Claire,' she paused picking up a piece of cutlery she began playing with it, unable to look at anyone at he table. 'it kind of seems…… ' She looked at Harry. 'I guess I always thought of Drovers and Claire as one and the same. It was her heart and soul.' Harry smiled a sympathetic smile at Abby.

'I'm sorry.' She said regaining her composure once again, 'I'm kind of dampening the mood.'

Harry gave a slight chuckle, 'It's ok.' He told her.

'No lets talk about something else, so tell me about your wedding.' And with that Sandra launched into a long speech about her and Harry's big day. After Sandra's long talk on the wedding silence fell upon the dinner table once more. Once again it fell to Harry to get the conversation started again.

'So you are staying for good now.' He asked.

Abby looked at Harry and then at Tess unsure of what to say. She wanted so much to stay for good, she was home, Drovers was home to her, but what with everything that had gone on in the past year she was unsure if she still belonged there.

'I uh I don't know. I haven't really thought about it to be honest.' which was a lie, in truth she had thought of little else.

'Well you've got to stay at least a couple of months.' Harry told her.

'Why.' she asked slightly amused.

' Your birthday for one.'

Abby sighed and rolled her eyes at the mention of her birthday. Tess suddenly piped up realizing that she didn't even know when her cousins birthday was.

'When's you birthday.' She asked Abby.

'End of the month, 30th.' Abby replied. 'it no big deal. Abby said trying desperately to downplay the occasion but Harry wouldn't let her.

'Nonsense.' He replied 'We've already missed the last few were not gonna miss your nineteenth.' He told Abby. 'You've got to do something to commemorate the occasion. You wouldn't want to upset an old man in poor health now would you.'

Abby just shook her head and smiled at Harry's last comment.

'Emotional blackmail Harry that's unusual for you.' Alex remarked. While Tess tried to stifle a laugh Abby didn't even bother.

'Ok, fine, just a dinner though.' Abby told him, Harry nodded.' I don't want anything else, no party, nothing, just dinner.'

'That's fine I can deal with that.'

A few more minutes paused. 'So ready for the Gungellan fair in a couple weeks.' Sandra asked Tess.

'Yeah.'

'Will you be entering your Alpacas again?.' She asked.

Tess glanced at Harry remembering the last time she entered her Alpacas in an event. 'I think so, I think that I'm in with a pretty good chance this year.'

'What about you Abby.' Sandra asked.

'Yeah, I'm pretty excited.'

'It the Gungellan fair Abby, there not exactly a lot to get excited about.' Alex told her.

'Yeah well I haven't been in a while and beside something always happens.'

A brief silence came over the table as everyone remembered the last something to happen at the Gungellan fair.

'Should be a good event.' Harry spoke up, he didn't like silences. 'Oh I forget to tell you.' Harry said looking at Alex and Abby. 'Some old friends of ours are coming down for the fair.'

'Oh really, who?' asked Abby.

'The Davies.' Harry told them.

Tess couldn't help notice the interaction between Alex and Abby when the Davies name was mentioned. Abby looked at Alex and both shared what Tess could only describes as a look. Abby and Alex smiled both looked liked they were trying to suppress laughter. Abby quickly looked away from Alex and began staring intently at a space on the table, trying not to laugh, while Alex just sat there a big grin on his face.

'So are Emily and Matthew coming with them? Abby asked.

'As far as I know.' Harry replied. Abby and Alex shared another look before they both started laughing slightly.

'Something funny.' Harry asked in a rather stern tone. Both Alex and Abby stopped.

'Nothing.'

'Nope.' Came the reply.

'Don't forget to mention it to Nick, he should be pleased, he was good friends with them.' Harry told Alex. Alex looked at Abby that mischievous glint in his eye, they both smiled before bursting into laughter again.

Later that evening Abby was in the kitchen, washing up, Harry had refused to let her, telling that she was a guest and she would do no such thing but she had insisted until Harry relented.

Alex stood in the doorway of the kitchen, he had to escape from Sandra, he did feel bad about leaving Tess with them although she was pretty busy downing her drink.

Abby heard someone approach her, it was Alex he took a plate and began drying it. Abby gave a small smile. Abby let out a little laugh. Alex looked at he a curious look on his face.

'What?' he asked.

Abby smiled. 'I can't wait to see Nick's face when he finds out Emily's back.'

Alex laughed 'Yeah.'

'So can I be there when you tell him?' Abby asked practically jumping up and down.

'Your really happy about this.'

'Well it's the chance to take the piss out of Nick, of course I'm happy.' Abby smiled while Alex laughed.

After their laughed had died down they worked in silence washing and wiping the dishes. Due to his mischievous nature Alex couldn't help but splash Abby with a few bubbles from bowl.

'Hey.' Abby wiped the bubbles off her nose. She splashed him back, laughing.

'Right that's it, your gonna pay for that Abigail McLeod.' He picked a handful of bubbles, Abby began to back away. He was about to throw them at Abby when someone coughed. It was Sandra.

'I can see that you've got everything under control in here.' She said in a rather sharp tone of voice. She put down an empty bottle of wine on the table and quickly exited the room.

Alex smiled as pulled a funny face. 'Oh.' Abby exclaimed. They both burst out into laughter once again.

'It's getting late I should probably take Tess home.'

'You gonna leave me do to the rest of the washing up.'

'There's not that much left.' Abby told him. 'You could always get Sandra to help you.' She suggested.

Alex gave her a little smirk, 'Very funny.' Abby laughed.

'I'll see you later.'

'Yeah.'

Nervous tension filled the air, Abby began tapping her fingers on the kitchen table, unsure of her next move. She didn't want to jinx anything. They had seemed more like the old Abby and Alex tonight, laughing and joking, teasing each other. Abby looked over at Alex, he looked about as comfortable as she felt. Abby stopped tapping, she out her hand.

'Well I'll see you tomorrow.' She smiled as Alex reached out him hand to shake hers.

'See you tomorrow.'

Abby turned to leave.

'Abby.' She turned around.

'Yeah.'

'I had a good time tonight.' He told her.

Abby smiled, 'Yeah, me too.' Alex smiled back. 'I'll see you later.'

'See ya.'

Abby and Tess walked to Tess's car.

'I think I'll drive home tonight.' Abby told a slightly intoxicated Tess.

'No, no, I'm ok.' Tess reassured.

'Yeah right.' Abby laughed. 'So how much have you drunk tonight? Abby asked.

Tess stood for a moment the look on her face told Abby she was thinking hard about her question.

'Yeah, ok, maybe you should drive.' she said handing Abby her keys.

'So.' Tess began as they were driving home.

'So.' Abby repeated.

'Who are the Davies ? And why were you and Alex laughing so much? Tess asked.

'Just some old business associates of Harry's and Jack's.'

Tess was puzzled. 'So what's with all the giggling.'

Abby smiled.' Emily the daughter she's ah, she's kind of got this thing for Nick.'

'Oh.' Tess replied, she wasn't sure if she was gonna like this.

'It's just she's quite forward woman and well Nick being Nick he's not really comfortable with her advances.' Abby explained.

'What's so funny.' Tess asked still a little confused.

'Nothing.' Abby replied. ' I don't know, it just,' she briefly glanced at Tess. 'It's just the way she pursues him, she's like animal hunting her prey. I'm mean you should see the way Nick acts when she's around, he's like a little school boy. Gets all fidgety he's nervous unable to form full sentences, it's really quite funny.'

Abby parked the car and Tess got out. She had been worrying about what Abby had told her the whole of the journey home. Abby looked at her cousin sensing her worry, she walked round to the other side of the car.

'You know that you have nothing to worry about.' She told her cousin.

Tess looked startled, 'Who said I was worried.'

Abby smiled trying hard not to laugh at her cousin. 'Right.' she said her a sarcastic tone. She stood staring at her cousin with an I don't believe you look plastered across her face.

'Is it really that obvious.' She asked her voice was tinged with a hint of disappointment.

'Yeah, I hate to tell you this Tess but if your trying to make out you don't have any feelings you doing a pretty bad job.'

'Really.' Tess screwed her face up in disappointment.

'Yeah.'

Abby sighed. 'But if it makes you feel any better so's he.'

Tess scrunched her face in to an excuse me look.

'You what you two are as bad as each other.' Tess looked at her cousin, Abby smiled, both girls laughed.

'Come on lets get you inside.' Abby put one arm round her semi drunk cousin as they walked up to the house.

'So you really think that Nick still like's me? Tess asked.

Abby looked at her cousin and smiled, 'I think he's mad about you.'