Alex sat under a tree, waiting out the rain.It had started only thirty minutes before, but he couldn't see a spot for miles that didn't have rain so thick that he could barely see the others scattered for shelter. He was hoping they could stay there for awhile and then go home early. He looked at the picture he was holding, protecting it from the rain. It was one of the many Tess had taken Charlotte's first day at Drover's. He was holding his tiny daughter, Claire right next to them, on the porch. He missed them so much that he thought his heart would break. He never pictured loving a woman as much as he loved Claire, but she and Charlotte, the new baby, were his life. He should be at home with them. Claire'd only been out of hospital for a month. It wasn't that he was worried about her doing too much or doing something to hurt herself or the baby; she hadn't even tried to do anything stupid this time. It was more that he missed his girls, what it felt like waking up next to Claire, what it felt like when their child fluttered inside of her stomach, his nighttime ritual with their little girl, her bottle and a story, a song, tucking her in, and lights out..

Nick came over with two cups of coffee, handing one to his brother. "What's with the secrecy between you and Jodi?" Alex asked, taking a sip.

"She's moving to the city. Tess's friend from the cafe offered her a job and a place to stay." He paused. "Don't tell Claire until Jodi does. Terry was there when she told Meg, but she wants to tell Claire too." Claire was like another mother to Jodi.

"She already knows. With Becky gone, Jodi lost her friend; Stevie's just as stubborn, pushes just as hard as Claire, it was just a matter of time. Claire's okay if Meg's okay."

Nick nodded. He hadn't really thought that Jodi would have a problem with it and had told the girl that. "What's gotten into Claire? No muss, no fuss, she's been really good this time. Even left Drover's to you, Tess, and Stevie."

Alex nodded. "Last time scared some sense into her." It had scared him as well. He knew he could have lost her, lost Charlotte, and it had made him try that much harder to keep an eye on her this time...without her knowing of course.

Nick nodded, remembering how bad his brother looked that day, Claire on top of him. He'd felt so helpless and he always wondered if that was what Alex had felt aftter his riding accident. "Yeah." He changed the subject. "Dad and Sandra are fighting."

"Let me guess. She still wants a baby."

Nick nodded. "Imagine that...I could have a brother younger than my niece and nephew."

"Or nieces..." Claire would have wanted him to say that, but, as much as he loved Charlotte, he had to admit that both he wanted a boy, if not this time, then eventually.

"I can't imagine a child growing up in that house, putting up with the same things we did."

"Dad's changed, Nick. For the better. You've seen him with Charlotte..." There had been a few bumps in the road, namely a dinner at Kilarney that he wouldn't forget, but, for the most part, Harry had been a loving father and grandfather, even if only the McLeods and Ryans saw.

"That's his grandchild. Another child, especially another son, who's to say it won't start all over again? Besides, at least we had Mum."

As much as he tried to forgive his mother, Alex's jaw still tightened. "Yeah." He paused. "I can't picture Sandra as a mum and I can't picture stopping Claire if Sandra did get pregnant." The mutual dislike and distrust between the women was well-known in the family.

Nick smiled. "Yeah. Might be the only good thing about it."

Alex took another sip of coffee. "What about you and Tess? Any plans for an addition to Wilgul?"

Nick shook his head. "I don't think so. I know not for the time being. I'm working on getting her to move in permanently right now. Besides, after what she went through, what she's seen Claire go through...I think I'm going to have to settle for being an uncle to your mob."

Alex nodded. "Claire's been through the mill all right." She'd been in the hospital for months with both pregnancies, both because of accidents, totally unrelated to the pregnancies, but Tess was scared anyway. He couldn't say he blamed her; he worried as well."Have you tried asking her to marry you?"

"One step at a time. Besides, I keep waiting for you to ask Claire. I know you bought the ring." He didn't want to ask at the same time Alex did, knowing how long Claire and Alex had both waited for each other.

Alex paused. "It never seems like the right time. With the wreck and the baby and Drover's..."

"Stalling."

"Yeah." He paused. "I asked her once." He'd asked her when she was pregnant with Charlotte, not long after the helicopter crash. He would have been content to marry her then...he'd known he loved her. The waiting, the wreck, only made everything so much more now, a second chance.

"And she thought you were asking her because of the baby. Now that she knows you love her, it's a different situation. She'll say yes, I promise you that."

"Yeah." They sat in silence for a little while and watched the rain.