Part 2

((Later that night))

"Alex, wake up!! Alex!!" Claire called, shaking the male.

"What?" he replied sleepily.

"There's someone downstairs!" she exclaimed, jumping out of bed and pulling on a ratty dressing gown.

Claire and Alex came across Tess in the corridor, who was just about to make her way downstairs.

"What's happening?" she asked. "It's three o'clock in the morning!"

"If you hadn't noticed, there's someone downstairs," Alex deadpanned.

"Who do you think it is? A thief?" Tess asked, still half-asleep.

"Don't know yet. I'll go and see," Alex said, re-entering the bedroom and re-appearing with a cricket bat.

"Just be careful, Alex," Claire muttered, placing a hand on his arm as he started to walk down the stairs. She followed him, and linked a hand with Tess.

"You know, I never thought you two would be the type of people who would get scared at having someone in your house. You're usually so brave," Alex whispered, pausing on the third last step.

"It's just a show for you, so you can be brave," Tess shot back, rolling her eyes.

Alex made his way down the last few steps and lifted his bat up as he spotted a dark, lurking figure. He motioned for the girls to go back upstairs and they unregretfully obeyed him. Tess retreated to her sister's bedroom, while Claire remained halfway down the stairs incase her man needed her.

"Holy crap, Alex!" Nick yelled, blocking his face with one hand and grabbing onto a chair with the other as Alex swung at him.

"Oh man! What are you doing here? You scared the girls!" Alex yelled.

"Just the girls? Huh, how about you?" Nick said with a small laugh.

"I am not scared Nick," he muttered.

"It's true, he was very brave," Claire yelled down.

"Tell me, what's going on?" Alex said, rolling his eyes at Claire's comments. She came up behind him and leant against his back.

"I'm sorry, I just... just..." he sighed. "I need to see Tess."

"Okay okay! Hey Tess! It's for you!!" he called up the stairs.

"Me?" she asked, descending.

"It's Nick," Claire explained. "Come here. I'm sure he won't hurt you, will you Nick?

"Nick! What are you doing here?" Tess asked, as she appeared on the bottom step.

"I just need to talk to you," he explained.

"We'll be upstairs. Come on Alex," Claire said, prodding Alex along. She gave Tess a supportive smile and squeezed her arm as she and Alex returned to the comfort of their bedroom.

"Can we sit and talk?" Nick asked.

"Yeah okay. Come on, to the kitchen. Want ice cream?" Tess said, leading him to the kitchen.

"No thanks. I'm good."

"Beer?" she asked, rummaging around the fridge.

"No, Tess! Forget the beer! Just look at me," Nick said, reaching towards her. He grabbed one of her friends and she sighed in frustration.

"What?"

"Yes! That's exactly the question! What? What's happening to you?" he asked.

"Nothings happening to me Nick," she shot back.

"Come on Tess, don't lie to me," he replied.

"Look, I'm not lying. I'm just a bit confused, okay?" she said, sinking to the table.

"Confused? About what?" he asked, joining her at the table.

"About... about everything, about us," she admitted eventually.

"What about us?"

"I... I just... Nick, I'm sorry but I am not sure if we are doing the right thing," she said, tearing up.

"There is nothing wrong here Tess! We love each other and we wanna get married. What's wrong with that?" he asked, in shock, his face paling.

"I don't know. Maybe these things are going to fast... and.. and maybe we aren't ready. or maybe. Ah! I don't know, Nick. I guess I just need some time."

"I don't understand. You were so happy before... I just don't get it..."

"I don't expect you to understand Nick, and I just can't explain it. Just go, Nick. Please."

Nick: Tess... I love you! I would do anything! Okay? Anything, I mean it! And you want me to go, so I am going now! Just because you want me to go! But actually I wanna stay with you and sort out the problem.. whatever it is..

"Nick, please!"

" Alright! Just let me know when you are ready to talk, okay? You know where I'll be," he gave in.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"I love you, Tess," Nick whispered. He waited for her reply and when it didn't come he asked her why she wouldn't tell him she loved him.

"Tell you what?" she asked, pretending to have not heard him.

"Why won't you tell me you love me too?"

"Just go, Nick," she whispered, tiredly.

Nick kept looking at her.

"What?" she asked, frustrated.

"You... you are just so beautiful... When I look at you, I don't know. I feel like I am the luckiest man on earth. And I just wanna be with you, want to be wherever you are. We can't leave it like this, Tess."

"We are not leaving it here, Nick. You're just giving me some time to think," she explained.

"Okay," he accepted it.

"Okay!"

"Can I-" he asked as he leant in to kiss her but she backed away.

"Okay," he said, admitting defeat. "How about you call me when you figure out what you want to do about... whatever it is," he said, throwing up his hands. "You know, Tess-"

"Just go," she pleaded and eventually he left, the dirt kicking up behind him. She stood and watched him going, and as his taillights disappeared into the darkness, away from her.

"I love you too Nick. And I would do anything for you," she murmured in tears. She pulled her arms tight around for herself and cried quietly for a few moments until she retired to her bedroom and cried herself to sleep.

It took a few days for Tess to sort things out. She was really upset about Liz's interferences and couldn't quite figure out why Liz had attacked her like that. She thought Liz liked her and she couldn't see why Liz was trying to send her away.

She decided to forget about her.

She would not give up because of that devil... She took the Ute and headed towards Wilgul. She remembered a previous conversation she'd had with Claire about Liz Ryan. Claire had told her to ignore her. That she was generally nice but could interfere a lot and when she did, it was best just to ignore her. Tess was set in her frame of mind. She would ignore Liz.

But Liz had other plans.

((Meanwhile at Wilgul))

"Mum! How could you do this? I don't need your help with my life," Nick exploded.

"But dear, you haven't seen Tess for ages. I thought maybe it was time to meet someone new. Just talk to her, I promise, you will like her," Liz smiled at her son.

"Who is she?" Nick asked, out of curiosity and to shut his mother up.

"Her name is Sarah Carter. She's a lovely girl, really She's waiting in the car," Liz replied.

"She's here?" he asked.

"Yes, dear. I bought her over, I didn't think you'd mind," she explained.

"Mum, I can't believe you! How could you? Tess and I, we didn't break up Mum. I'm still with Tess! She's just..."

"Missing?" she asked, innocently.

"No! She's just confused."

"Oh, honey. I am just asking you to meet Sarah. That's all! You'll like her."

"I don't want to like anyone but Tess, alright?" he retorted.

"Don't be mad, honey. I mean you will like her as a friend. At least talk to her, just for today. We can't tell her to go home now. Not when she's come all this way just to meet you," Liz said with a sympathetic tone.

"Okay, fine. But just for today and if you play any more tricks on me like this, I'll tell Dad."

"Thank you," she cooed, as she reigned triumphant. "I'm going to get her. And then I'll leave you alone. Good bye, darling," she said, swiping her mouth across his cheek.

"See you Mum," he said, sighing.

Tess came across with Liz at the driveway of Wilgul. She stopped the car to talk to her, trying to show respect, although she was still wary of her.

"What are you doing here, Tess?" Liz asked in shock.

"I am here to visit Nick," she explained the obvious.

"Don't disturb him," Liz ordered. "He's got company."

"Well, its alright," Tess said. "I wont stay long."

"Tess, don't go there. He's having a good time with his girlfriend,' she explained, raising an eyebrow.

"Girlfriend?" she asked, puzzled, shocked and ready to cry.

"Yes. Really, what were you thinking. Tess? He couldn't wait for you forever," Liz said, feigning sympathy.

"But I..." Tess stuttered.

"You were missing for so long and he has found someone new. She is just so much more suitable for him, more compatible. He is happy without you. Just leave it!"

"No," Tess said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I wont let you fool me."

"If you say so," she said. "How about you go and see it with your own eyes."

"Oh, I will," Tess said, getting out of the car and slamming the door behind her.

With that Tess walked towards the house. She walked to front door and paused as she watched Nick and a tall blonde talking, laughing and sitting close on the couch, looking very couple-y. There was a lull in the silence, which was quickly filled by the blonde's laughter as she trilled a toast to the 'gorgeous and handsome' Nick.

Tess's heart fell to the floor. Her eyes opened in shock and she took a step inside the house. She grabbed onto the open door behind and choked back a few sobs. She felt her heart breaking in two and for a moment, it felt like a bus had just hit her. She stared in shock for a few moments more until she couldn't take it anymore. She threw herself out of the house in tears.

Liz hadn't left, she was waiting there to see how upset Tess was.

"Now do you believe me?" she asked, obviously triumphantly, but Tess was too upset to notice.

"Yes," she replied, bitingly. "Thanks a bunch, Liz."

"Do you want me to tell Nick something? Maybe a message from you?"

"Yeah, tell him it's over!" Tess explained, jumping into the Ute. She slammed the door and left a giant skid-mark on the driveway as she sped away from Wilgul and towards Drovers Run.

Nick had heard the loud noise of the Ute from the inside of the house. He ran out and saw Liz still there.

"Who was that? Was Tess here?" he asked, recognizing the sound of the retreating car.

"Yes," Liz admitted.

"Oh, Mum!" he exclaimed. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"She didn't want to talk to you dear," Liz explained.

"She didn't? Why?" he asked, his face paling in realization.

"I don't know.. She asked me to tell you that she had never wanted to see your face again and to tell you it was over," Liz said, pretending once again to be sympathetic.

"Over?" he whispered. "Over?"

"Yes honey... I am so sorry. I told she wasn't good enough for you. See, she left you without even an explanation."

"So, what? She just doesn't love me anymore? Is that it?" he half-stated, half asked out aloud, not to anyone in particular.

"I'll be she doesn't, honey," Liz said, seizing her son's moment of vulnerability and drawing upon it.

"And she obviously doesn't care about me. If she did, she would have come and seen me and talked to me face to face. She would have told me it was over, it's the only decent thing to do. She doesn't wanna see my face, huh?" he spat in anger and disappointment. "Fine! Then I don't wanna see her either!"

"Are you going to be okay, dear?" Liz asked, patting him on the shoulder.

"Yeah," he said quietly and the louder exclaimed, "I better go back inside. Sarah is waiting for me."

And then he walked inside.

((On the way to Drover's Run))

So it was true. And now, how could life ever be the same? Tess thought as she sped home. How could she spend the rest of her life without the one person who made her happy while he was only a few kilometers away flaunting his new love? How could she go on?

Tess didn't know who to be more upset with. Liz for interfering in the first place and causing this entire thing or Nick for technically cheating on her.

Hadn't he told her he loved her? Didn't he mean it?

And she cried the whole way home.

"He is with someone else," Liz sobbed.

"How do you know that?" Marj asked, patting the young girl on the back.

"She told me!"

"Who told you?"

"Maude! Harry's mother! She told me that Harry didn't love me anymore and he was with someone else," she sobbed.

"Did she tell who that girl was?" Marj asked in concern.

"No, I didn't ask!"

"Did you ever thing that maybe Maude was lying! You should go and talk to Harry," Marj offered. She smelt interference from the young man's mother.

"No. I'm sure he's with another girl."

"How?" Marj said in slight frustration.

"Maude showed me their photos! They were looking so happy, Marj! He doesn't want me. He doesn't love me anymore," she cried.

" Oh, honey. my poor sister... I am so sorry!" she comforted. "I'm sure you can get over it but, honey."

"Noo! I caaant!" she wailed. "I love him!"

"Look! I know exactly what you can do to forget Harry," Marj exclaimed, suddenly excited.

"But I don't wanna forget him!"

"But you have to, right?" Marj replied, matter-of-factly.

"Right," Liz sniffled.

"I know a guy who wants to meet you Liz!"

"Ah... No!" Liz exclaimed.

"Listen, he is very rich and so handsome. He is hot Liz! You should see him!" Marj shouted excitedly. "You're gonna love him!"

Liz's curiosity was sparked. Her sister always picked brilliant men and Liz usually always liked them. And there was no harm in just meeting him was there? It wasn't like Harry wanted her anyway.

"Who is he?" she asked suspiciously.

"His name is Bryce Redstaff. I will invite him over, okay?" she said standing up.

There was silence from Liz.

"Come on, Liz!" her sister prodded.

"Oh, fine," she said finally giving in. she hit her sister on the arm and said, "He better be good looking..."

"Oh, he is. You're gonna love him."