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

I tried to right them as quickly as possible. But I have like three at once and I'm attempting to write them all at the same time.

MdLove – Tess will hopefully come back in the near future. Or not… I haven't decided the plot properly yet!

Afw – Claire and Tess should be together I know. But there is drama to come!

Enjoy. Read and Review.

xdopex

Fools Like Me

Chapter Seven

"Rock the Casbah"

When Tess came home from work it was well past midnight and she was exhausted beyond belief. As she walked into her bedroom she hit the play button on her answering machine. She walked into her bathroom and turned the taps onto her bath. The first two messages where from friends in Melbourne who had been told by Simon or Briony that Tess was back with the city folk and wanted to catch up, one was from Briony asking how she was and the fourth was from Claire.

Tess listened to the Claire message three times before she grabbed the phone, got into the bath and dialled the familiar number.

The phone rang at least ten times before she heard a hurried 'Tess?'

"Yeah Claire, it's me, is everything alright?"

"I was going to ask you the same thing. Are you alright? I mean, I woke up this morning with this feeling that there was something wrong with you and I just needed to hear your voice." Claire said, sounding as exhausted as what Tess felt.

Tess frowned feeling bad about having to lie to her sister. Everything wasn't alright, in fact everything was completely screwed up and she didn't know how to deal with any of it, but she wasn't going to worry Claire with it all.

"Claire, everything is just fine. The Café is booming, I am healthy and I have heaps of friends here already. Why the concern?"

"I don't know. Maybe I'm just over reacting, or maybe I just miss you is all." Claire replied. "So little sister, what have you been doing with your time?"

By the time Tess had gotten off the phone and was in bed it was past three AM and she was tired. Luckily she wasn't needed at work for three days and Tess had decided that she was going to look after herself and spend time with Briony and pamper herself.

When Claire hung up the phone Alex had come down to see if everything was alright and ask whether she was going to be up to bed anytime soon… Claire told him that she would and he went back to bed.

Claire sat staring into the dark.

Tess, what aren't you telling me? Claire thought to herself and went to join Alex.

"Nick, do you think I offended Claire yesterday?" Sally asked Nick the next morning. "I mean, I wasn't drunk so she knew I meant what I said and, I don't know, I sort of feel bad."

"If Claire is offended, she will get over it. She is strong. It's Tess' own fault for leaving and everything you said was truth and I think that Claire knows that and that is why she walked out yesterday." Nick responded giving Sally a kiss on the head. He said goodbye and went to work on the farm.

Sally sat staring at the tea in her hands.

Getting up Sally went over to the phone book that had been delivered only a day or so before and looked up McLeod, Tess. Remembering she had only moved recently and wouldn't be listed she called the operator and asked for Tess McLeod when didn't find her, then Teresa McLeod, also didn't work, then eventually found Tess Silverman-McLeod.

Sally wrote the number down and dialled it hoping for the best.

Tess woke up to the phone ringing and a feeling of complete and utter relaxation. She looked at the clock and saw it was only ten in the morning and groaned. She had hoped for more sleep but picked up the phone.

"Hello?"

"Tess, it's Sally," Tess could tell she was nervous.

"How did you get this number Sally? I don't want any country people to have this number." Tess said angrily. She particularly didn't want her 'enemy' to have her number since she lived with Nick and if Nick had her number then she was completely screwed.

"Oh, I'm sorry Tess I called the operator. I didn't mean to be rude by calling." Tess' anger disappeared slowly and she explained how she just didn't want Nick to have the number, and how the only people that did lived over at Drover's.

"Why are you called me Sally?" Tess asked suddenly catching Sally off guard.

"Oh, I just thought I would share the good news with you," she said and paused waiting for Tess to say something.

"And what good news is this Sally?" Tess asked wearily. She was beginning to get tired again. Little sleep for days and lots of stress really took a toll on her at the moment.

"Nick and I are having a baby-"

Tess dropped the phone on the floor and ran into the bathroom and threw everything in her stomach up, which wasn't much as she had only just woken up. When Tess went back into her room she could here Tess calling her name through the phone.

"Tess are you alright? Tess?"

Tess picked up the phone and told her that she just had a twenty-four hour bug and was sick last night as well. Which wasn't untrue. She had been sick for half an hour after talking to Claire.

"Oh alright, well get some rest then and feel better." And Sally hung up, Tess crawled back into bed and fell asleep within seconds.

Sally drove over to Drover's Run where she was going to apologise to Claire for what she said about Tess and the parties at Drover's yesterday. She drove up the drive and saw Stevie taking one of her training horses for a ride. When Stevie saw Sally she turned around and called out to someone.

Claire came round of the side of the stables and looked at Sally's car. Stevie continued on with her horse and soon disappeared from view.

"Claire, I just wanted to apologise for what I said yesterday. It was way out of line." Sally said as she approached Claire.

"It's alright Sally. You were right, it is a lot more peaceful without Tess to make a fool of herself or someone else. I just acted the way I did because I miss having her around." Claire responded and offered Sally tea.

When they were in the kitchen drinking tea, or in Claire's case coffee, Sally and her talked about both of their farms and of her pregnancy. Meg brought Charlotte to Claire and Claire allowed her to feed BOM. Which was Claire's way of saying 'look forward to more of this.'

"I have a confession to make Claire," she said looked up from BOM at Claire. Sally told Claire how she called Tess. Claire just sat their looking shocked.

"You called her? Are you crazy? She didn't want anyone other than the Drover's gang to get in contact with her. She specifically said that. But then again you wouldn't know that cause you aren't close to her." Clarei said angrily. "Sally, I think it's time you left."

"Oh, I'm sorry Claire. But I must say, have you spoken to her lately. She sounds awful. Twenty-four hour bugs must be a killer these days." Sally said standing and made her way to leave when Claire called her back.

"What do you mean a twenty-four hour bug? She had one not too long ago, why would she have another one?" Claire asked herself and asked Sally what she meant.

"All I know is that I told her that Nick and I were having a baby and the phone was quiet till I heard retching sounds. Must have been bent over that toilet for about ten minutes before she came back," and on that note, Sally left leaving Claire to dwell on what she just found out.

Claire went back outside with BOM and held her while she tried to brush Brave J. A sudden thought went through her head.

Claire looked at BOM in shock and ran into the house and began to pack a bag for herself and Charlotte. While she was running around like a mad women, she never heard Alex come through the house and up to their room.

"Claire, if I didn't know you better, I would have thought you were leaving me." Alex joked and Claire turned to smile at him.

"Sorry, I need to visit Tess. I think I know what she isn't telling me." Claire said and continued to rush around collecting her belongings. Alex moved next to Claire and grabbed her hands.

"And just what is Tess not telling you?" Alex asked.

"I think Tess might be pregnant," she replied and Alex looked shocked.

"Pregnant?"

"Yes, pregnant. I need to see her right away. BOM and I are going to leave in a couple of minutes. We will hopefully be there by tonight and I can talk to Tess properly."

"Claire, wait. What brought this one?" Alex questioned her. Claire stopped for a moment.

"Because Tess has 'another' twenty-four hour bug. And she had two of them already. She can't be that sick for that long without something being up. If she's not pregnant then she at least needs to see a doctor and I will take her their."

Alex shook his head but understood what Claire was saying.

"Alright, I'll make sure that the girls and I pick up the slack while you're away and now that BOM isn't here Meg can help. Have a good time, and say hello to Tess for me." Alex kissed Claire and returned to his work outside.

Claire finished her and BOM's packing and carried them down to the car.

Claire took many hours to drive with BOM to Adelaide where she was going to see Tess. Hopefully she was home at this time and not at work. Parking on the side of the road Claire had Tess' address next to her and the map of the city in her hands. She mapped out the rout to Tess' house and started to drive.

"Well BOM, this is it. Aunty Tess better be home," BOM smiled at Claire in the front seat.

"Aun Teffy!"

Tess was cleaning her house when she heard a knock at the door. She wasn't expecting anyone and she knew that not many people knew where she lived.

Tess walked to the door and opened it to get the shock of her life.

"Dave!"

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