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

MdLove: Thanks for the review. Just wait and see what happens.

Sarie-belle: I'm getting it better as fast as I can. I'm back at school now so I can't update until the w/e's. Thanks for the review, and like MdLove, you'll just have to wait and see… won't you?

Rebecca Ingersoll: Thanks for the review. Just wait for the twists and turns… which will probably be most predictable soon. D

Enjoy. Read and Review.

xdopex

Fools Like Me

Chapter Five

"What's wrong?"

"Pregnant?" Nick said completely shocked. "Sal, that's fantastic!"

"You really think so?"

"Yes I do. It's amazing. To think we made a life completely our own is, well amazing." Nick said and hugged Sally. "How far along are you?"

"About two months," she said happily and walked off to have a shower.

"Two months, seven months to go…" Nick said to himself and lent back on his chair.

-Break line-

The telephone rang.

"Drover's Run, Claire McLeod."

"Claire, it's me," the voice on the other end said.

"Tess, how did the opening go?"

"It went so well, booked out and a line of people waiting to get in which was out the door. It was incredible," Tess said happily, but tiredly.

"Are you alright Tess?" Claire asked.

"Yeah, I was sick yesterday and I still am today. A stomach bug, but I have to go to work in a minute. Just a little tired from last night too," she answered not really convincing Claire at all.

"Tess…"

"It's true Claire! I have to go, work and all that. I'll call you in a few days."

Claire hung up feeling more confused that she previously thought. What was going on with Tess? And what wasn't she telling her?

-Break line-

Tess got to the café and bypassed everyone and ran straight into the bathroom where she threw up. Briony came in and stared at her.

"Tess, what the hell is going on?"

"Briony, I told you yesterday its just a stomach bug. I'll be fine in a few days."

"Is that really all? She asked standing in front of Tess so that she couldn't leave the room before she told her what was going on. "Tess… besides being sick what else is wrong with you?" She held a hand up to Tess to stop her from disagreeing. "Don't try it. I know there are other things so cough up."

"Fine, fine. No need to get angry at me Briony. Well I've been throwing up… I can't stand the smell of some foods… I'm really tired… that's all. Nothing major, just a stomach bug."

"Tess, my sister has just had a baby and…"

"Briony don't say it. I am not pregnant. I couldn't be, it's just not possible!"

Briony gave her a look that clearly said 'well it's looks like you could be!'

"Come on," she said and dragged Tess to her feet.

"Where are we going?"

"The chemist! Now move your arse. I'm only her for another two weeks then I have to get back to Melbourne. So the more I know now, the better. Now move."

Tess was pushed out the door and Caesar, the head chef, told to hold the fort for 10 minutes.

Tess entered the chemist and Briony pulled her to the pregnancy testing section.

"Briony I didn't know that there were this many to choose from."

"Well, we are going to get a few just to make sure." Briony started pulling them off the shelf and looking at the packaging. After selecting the three ones she thought were most accurate, they made their way to the counter.

"Just these thanks." Briony said to the lady as she turned around. Tess gasped at who it was.

"Liz!"

"Tess, what a pleasant surprise. Are you done here for business?" Liz started putting the tests in a bag.

"I'm not quite. I live here now."

"Country got a bit too much for you?" Liz said maliciously.

"Excuse me? Don't talk to my friend like that. She's here because we needed the help and Tess needed a break so leave her alone." Briony handed over the money she owed and stalked off. Liz gave Tess a look which said 'so you keep bad company as well' and Tess walked off.

Tess' flat was only a little down the road, so they went there before returning to work.

"Go and do it Tess. Get it over with."

Tess gave Briony a bad look and then got shoved in the back towards the bathroom. It only took a moment for Tess to do it and then she came out of the room holding three tests.

"We have to wait 10 minutes for all of them to show." Tess sighed and sat on the couch. "This can't be happening to me." Briony came and sat next to Tess and brought her close to her. Tess started sobbing and Briony just sat with her and let her do it, occasionally handing her a tissue or two.

After ten minutes Briony lifted Tess off her.

"You ready to find out?"

"Not really, no," she said. But Tess lifted the tests off the table and looked at them one by one. Tess looked at Briony, her eyes watering.

"Briony." Tess burst into tears.

-Break line-

Claire woke with a start. She remembered what she had been dreaming about. It had been Tess, and she had been crying. She didn't remember anything other than that. She was lying on her bed, and it was a hot summer day so no work was getting done.

"Alex! Alex!" Claire called racing out of her bedroom. Alex came out of the kitchen with a sandwich half way to his mouth.

"What?" Claire rolled her eyes at him before remembering why she had called him. Her face turned from a faint smile into a grimace.

"I think there is something really wrong with Tess."

-Break line-

Nick was lying next to Sally hugging her closely. She was asleep and had been for quite a while. Their actions had seemed to tire her out more, now that she was pregnant.

Nick got up, put pants on, and walked out of the door and onto the veranda of the cottage. He sat there for a moment before sighing. He was thinking about Tess again. It didn't matter that his girlfriend was pregnant; Tess was still always on his mind.

He heard movement from behind him and saw Sally coming out of the door.

"Hey baby, are you alright?" She asked him, putting her hands through his hair.

"Yeah, just needed some fresh air," he said sighing again.

"Come on, we need to be at Drover's soon," Sally said beginning to walk into the house again.

"Why?" Nick asked confused.

"The BBQ. Oh, tell me you remember? I told you yesterday we were going to Drover's for a BBQ." Sally attempted to be grumpy at him, but it didn't work. She grinned and came back to pull him to his feet. "Come on lazy bum!"

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