Disclaimer: I don't own McLeod's Daughters, or any of their cast.

Summary: A botched wedding, a pregnancy, a happy couple, a little girl, a working farm (or two), someone leaves, people cry, hearts are broken.

A/N

This is set before Claire died!

In this story Claire WILL NOT die.

I actually found this on my computer and added a little stuff to it to make it better and well, here we are.

Enjoy. Read and Review.

xdopex

Fools Like Me

Chapter Three

"Proposition"

Two days later still found Tess in bed, unable to get up because she felt so bad. She hadn't been able to face anyone except Claire and Meg since the 'incident.' Not even Becky, Jodi or Stevie were allowed to see her. Alex had tried a number of times but Claire just held him back telling him that she needed her room.

On the third day, Tess decided she couldn't wallow anymore and got up and dressed ready to go back and work on the farm. As she walked outside into the sunshine she saw Nick's Ute and Dave's car in the driveway and instantly regretted getting out of bed.

Both men saw her at the same time. Dave got a look of anger, disappointment and shame on his face and Nick looked happy to see her, but there was something else there too that Tess couldn't pick out. Tess looked away quickly tears in her eyes and walked back to the house, where the phone was ringing in the office.

"Meg? Meg?" Tess got no response so answered the phone.

"Drover's Run, Tess speaking."

"Why hello Theresa."

"Oh my god! SIMON!" Tess screamed, she hadn't heard his voice in over a year.

"Before we get into this whole catch-up-like-girls thing, I have a proposition for you…"

-Break line-

That night Tess was sitting on the veranda steps when Stevie came and sat next to her, she handed her a beer, which Tess took gratefully.

"Sorry about everything Stevie. I know this has put all you guys into a little bit of a situation. That's why I'll get out of your hair soon enough." Tess said and turned around and walked into the house. Stevie looked at Tess' retreating back and stood to find Claire. She found her going over the books in the study, while Charlotte played on the floor in front of her.

"I just spoke to Tess," she said leaning against the doorframe.

"And…" Claire looked up questioningly.

"She just told me she was getting out of our hair soon enough." Stevie said and watched as Claire left the room quickly shouting at Stevie to put BOM to bed. Stevie carried the 2 ½ year old up to her bed and get her changed into her pyjamas.

-Break line-

Claire strode into Tess' bedroom without knocked and scared her half to death.

"Claire you scared-" she was cut of by Claire.

"What is this about Stevie saying you're getting out of our hair?" she demanded quickly. Tess' smile left her face and she stammered a response.

"I was going to tell you, I just didn't know when."

"This seems like a good enough time!"

"Ok, well Simon, you remember my friend from the City? Well he called me this morning with a proposition for me. He opened a restaurant and café in Melbourne a year ago and its going really well. They are franchising it and have built one in Adelaide. They wanted someone they knew to manage it and I said I would. I know this will leave you in the lurch but it's just what is going to happen. I need a break from this life, after everything that has happened. I need to get away from Dave and Nick and the problems I have put you guys through."

"Tess, I know you need a break and that is why I am going to stand aside for once and let you go…"

"Oh thank you Claire!" Tess hugged Claire, and then added "I leave in two weeks."

"Two weeks? Why so soon?"

"Because they need the manager there right away. They open in three weeks."

Claire looked at the floor for a moment, tears developing in her eyes. Claire didn't know what was wrong with her; this was so out of character.

"I'll let you pack then," she sighed and walked out of the room. Tess sat on her bed and sobbed into her hands. She knew she had to do this. It was right for everyone, Nick, Dave, The Drover's girls and especially herself. Tess got up off her bed and pulled her suitcase out of her wardrobe.

-Break line-

Two weeks sped by for all the people at Drover's Run. Claire wasn't coping too well with the thought of Tess leaving to live in Adelaide and Tess wasn't coping with the fact that she was actually going to leave. Only the Drover's girls and Terry and Alex knew that Tess was leaving. She didn't want Dave or Nick to know; otherwise they would be trying to convince her to stay. But she knew what she had to do.

Tess woke on the morning that she was leaving for Adelaide. She had rented a flat near the café and had Simon furnish it for her, or at least his current girlfriend had helped him. Her name was Bridie and she was apparently a fashion designer known around the world. She was just not known in the 'outback.'

Her bedroom was empty. Everything was in boxes at the foot of the stairs so that she could load it into the car and be on her way. Not much was left as most of her stuff was couriered to Adelaide a few days ago.

There was only Meg in the house; she was trying to feed BOM. Tess had a shower, dressed and started packing her little VW. When she was done she had breakfast and looked at the clock; 6 30am.

"Meg, where is everyone? I have to leave before 7 00am," she asked Meg who handed her BOM's spoon and made her attempt to feed her. She managed to do it, as BOM was always a princess when it came to her Aunty Tess.

"They went to fix a yard fence; the cattle had gotten through onto Killarney. They will be back soon," she replied as she put a load of washing into the washing machine. Just as Meg had said that, Claire, Jodi, Stevie and Becky came through the door. Claire took one look at Tess and knew she was leaving.

"Well guys, I better be off. There's a lot of driving to do yet."

-Break line-

The goodbyes were extra hard because she didn't know when she was actually going to be seeing these girls again. On the way to Gungallen she had met Alex on the road and said goodbye to him. She had then made a stop at the truck stop to say goodbye to Terry and then she left. On towards Adelaide, and her knew life as a Café/Restaurant manager. The job she had always dreamed of since she was 16 years old, or so she thought.

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