This is the last of the updates for now but am trying to get some more written up. Hopefully it's not too long of a wait for you.

History Repeated - Part 18: 15 Love!

Nick, Harrison, Alex and Charlotte battled it out on the tennis court. The foursome had decided that a game of tennis was the only way to amuse themselves before Christmas lunch. They had grown tired of being enclosed by the walls of the house which cased in the tension.

"Yours BOM!" Alex called to Charlotte, his partner in crime.

Charlotte bounced across the court determined to strike the ball, and she did. There was no way in hell that she was going to let her uncle Nick and Harrison win.

Harrison tried, but he had missed the ball.

"Good on ya BOM! Wohoo!" Shrieked Tess from the sidelines as she jumped up and down, clapping her hands with a grin. She couldn't help the enthusiasm. Pride was bursting from within.

Watching Charlotte win the third game in a row was like watching Claire. Charlotte had that same streak of determination running through her veins. She wouldn't be beaten. Tess loved that about her niece.

"Show a little compassion for the losers over there, Tess," Alex laughed, motioning towards Nick and Harrison.

"Oh... good game guys," Tess called to Nick and Harrison.

Nick shook his head at her, "We might've won if we didn't have to put up with your cheerleading, Tess. It was a bit distracting."

Nick had meant that as a joke, but the comment hadn't fallen on Tess and Alex' ears as one. He saw Tess' face change. She wasn't an idiot. She'd caught him staring at her many times throughout the game.

Neither Tess or Alex spoke, so Charlotte took it upon herself. "Rematch!" She shouted. She figured if Tess was so distracting they should play again, without her cheerleading attempts. "But Tess you gotta leave since you're so distracting. Not that I think you are! I personally think You're encouraging!."

Tess smiled as Alex chuckled and said, "I don't think so kiddo. We aren't as young as we used to be you know. Me and Nick are stuffed, right Nick?"

Alex looked to his brother who was now standing oddly against the tennis net, "Yeah. My leg's starting to give me grief kids."

Disappointment flashed across both Harrison and Charlotte's faces. The pair still had heaps of energy to burn.

"Aunty Tess, why don't you and Sally have a go?" Charlotte asked.

Tess shivered at the thought, "I don't think so. I've gotta do the dishes and-"

"I'd love to," Sally said, joining the group.

"Come on Tess," Harrison spoke up for the first time. "Don't be a party pooper."

"I'm not a party pooper!" Tess exclaimed. Never in her life had she been called a party pooper! She'd always been told she was the life of the party.

"Well play," Said Harrison, knowing he'd wound her up. He held out his fathers tennis racket to her.

Tess stared down at it as if it was covered in cooties. Nick had been holding that racket only moments ago.

"Use this one," Alex interrupted, handing Tess his racket. "It's good luck."

Tess looked up at him and smiled. Was this man a mind reader or what? "Thanks. But I've got the perfect one... I'll just go get it. Won't be long Sally."

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Tess rummaged through the shed and smiled when she saw the tennis racket she had been searching for, "Aha!." It was Claire's old racket. She figured she may need a little help from up above to beat Sally. Sally was perfect at everything else, so why not add tennis to the list?

She jumped as she felt a hand grip her arm. Spinning around, she found Nick. "What are you doing?" She asked.

Nick's eyes were burning into hers, "To tell you the truth, I don't know."

Tess wanted to back away when she realised what Nick was doing, but she couldn't and she didn't. She let his lips fall on hers.

What was the point anymore? She thought to herself as the kiss deepened. If she really wanted to back away from Nick, she would have. She wanted him to kiss her.

Tess pulled away slowly. As Nick's hands rested on her shoulders, she looked up at him. For a moment they were in a world of their own. But suddenly Tess shot back to reality and made her way out of the shed without a word.

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"Sorry," Tess apologised as she found herself back at the tennis court, "I had some trouble finding it." She held up the racket for everyone to see.

"Ah," Alex grinned. "So that's your secret weapon."

"It looks old and grubby to me," Charlotte commented about the racket as Nick arrived.

"Well that's because it is," Tess snapped at Charlotte unintentionally.

Alex cleared his throat, "It was your Mother's tennis racket BOM. It's been piling up dust in the shed for yonks. Anyway, lets get on with the game ladies"

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Tess was slamming the ball around the court like there was no tomorrow. She was frustrated about everything and figured the best place to get rid of her anger was on the court.

Tess was frustrated that she had spent most of the day watching Sally drape herself all over Nick. She was trying to rub her happy marriage in Tess' face!

But if it was so happy, then why had Nick kissed her?

Tess didn't know what she was doing anymore. Her head was spinning with thoughts and possible explanations. Maybe Nick had just had a few too many beers? Tess scrunched up her nose, in all the time she'd known Nick, he'd never been so drunk that he didn't know what he was doing. She doubted that the two beers that she'd seen Nick have would've altered his thinking.

Nick defiantly knew what he was doing when he kissed her.

"You wanna take it easy, Tess?" Sally shouted across the court as she picked up the ball she had missed by a mile.

Tess shook her head at Sally, "Giving up already Sally?"

"No," Answered an annoyed Sally. "I just don't think you're being very fair."

Fair? What was fair in love and war? Tess thought to herself. And what was fair in tennis? She had stuck to all the rules! If Sally couldn't hack it then tough cookies!

"Fair?" Tess repeated as her temper rose. She'd had just about enough of Sally as she could take for the day. "If you want fair, maybe you should get Libby out here to play against you! I haven't broken any of the rules here, thank you very much, Sally!"

Sally shook her head in frustration as she glared at Tess, "Haven't you!"

Alex looked at Nick, before getting out of his seat. He knew what was happening. The tennis competition had gone out the window long ago. The two women were now arguing about his brother. He could've kicked himself for letting the pair loose on a tennis court together. It was a recipe for disaster.

"Ladies, ladies," Alex said, taking the racket from Tess' hands. "I think it's time to retire for some refreshments since we can't seem to get through a game of tennis without bickering."

"Alex!" Tess went after him as he headed towards the house with her tennis racket. "We aren't finished! The game is no where near over!"

"Oh yes it is, Tess," He continued walking. "As of now tennis is banned."

Tess didn't have the strength to keep up with Alex's fast pace, nor did she have the strength to argue. She was in a rotten mood now.

Sally brushed past Tess on the way to the house, "We'll have to do this again some time."

The sarcastic comment almost got a reply, but Tess held it back. She didn't want to add anymore fuel to the fire.

As Sally caught up to Alex, Nick approached Tess. "Tess can we talk?" He asked her.

Tess shook her head and sighed, "Nick please-"

"Come on," He whispered, taking her by the arm and leading her to the stables.

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"I don't think this is all that vital Nick," Tess said as they stood in the stables together.

"Yeah well I do," Nick replied. "I can't stop thinking about you Tess."

Tess shook her head, "Don't Nick. Please. I don't want to hear it."

"I've tried with Sally, I really have. And I thought that I could do it, that I could convince myself that I was doing the right thing... but I can't Tess..." Nick told her, before whispering, "I love you."

Tess looked down at her feet as she digested what was just said. What was she meant to say to that?

"I love you Tess," Nick repeated for emphasis. He needed Tess to believe what he was saying wasn't just a fad.

Tess finally looked up at him. "What am I supposed to do with that, Nick?" She asked him.

"I don't know," He replied. "But I needed to tell you. I'm sick of pretending, Tess."

"What about Sally?"

"Things with Sally haven't been good for a long time Tess," Nick explained.

Nick reached out to touch her cheek, but Tess flinched away "I have to go and serve up lunch," She said, making a hasty exit. This was all too much for her.

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