Title:Girls night out with a twist of events...
Disclaimer: I just own mi computer and some ideas, MD is not mine. I'm just borrowing the characters and some places.
A.N. : I'm sorry for the delay. But after arriving from my 'getting away place' work got a shove on my time schedule... so to speak. More work, more responsibility and also, more traveling work.. so, no much time for writting or reading for me at least until I become acostumed to the new changes.
Enough of me. REMEBER: italics means a memory or though
By the way, AS I'm not sure If everybody reading this remembers how the story goes.. We'll make a previously on Girls night out with a twist of events...
The girls where on Gungellan pub, Claire and Alex had to return home 'cause a phone call and a killarney worker informing them of a roar on Drovers and Killarney... On the way home, on the road they found a little baby girl, and seeing as they are half the way between the town and the farms,they decided to take the girl with them home. Phone's not working and a downpour begins. They arrive at Drovers, cold, wet and with no phone nor power. They prepare the girl a bath and... here we are!
Girls night out with a twist of events
part 6
After some pouting, laughing and a couple of floppy kisses and a bit of gigling... the Mcleod's bath, was full of 'apt baby shower enviroment' at least, in Alex opinion, while imitating Tess.
On the water, were a gigling and gurgling happy baby and a yellow rubber duck (that came directly from the princess bag) named Mr Duck because "Jasper's not a duck name Claire!"
On the floor, in their kness sat the two adults taking care of the baby. Both of them soaked, not just from runnning under the rain, but from playing and washing the baby.
"Clap your hands princess..." Alex, with his sleves up, a hand keeping the girl straitgh by the hand, and the other playing with the duck, was showing the kid how to splash "There! You got it darling! Once more!! Yeah! like this!" leaving the duck to float in front of the kid, he caught the other little hand and put it on the back of his hand, and directing them just over the water ridge... he clapped, splashing water everywhere.
"You had to teach her to clap, didn't you?" laughing and trying to dry the water drooplets from her face with the back of her hand Claire tried unsuccesfully to give Alex a death glare.
"And we all loved it" was the cocky response she got from the older ryan son, who smiling proudly asked the litle girl "Isn't it so?" and after earning a gigle, just looked over Claire "I rest my case"
"You're so full of yourself Ryan"
Some time later, once the tile floor was covered in water and soap bubbles, because 'Com'n Claire, a princess bath calls for bubbles' and a giglering and clapping baby make sure she got the memo about princess baths needs; the two adults, still enveloped in candle light, took out of the now colder water the little girl.
Claire was seated on her knees, beside Alex, who had a fluffy towel on his arms, waiting for the kid, while Claire, gently and smiling rinsed one last time the soap from the baby's body, and put her, on the man's arms. All the while, with a smile and baby talk. Once the girl was on Alex arms, cautiously, Claire enveloped her on the white towel, and took her in her own arms, while Alex acompanied the movement, with a steady hand on the babies back, and the other on Claire's arm, in order to help her keeping the girl safe and warm.
"We did good, Mcleod. We're a good team"
"This coming from the man who worried about drowning her"
"Hey! It's a baby.. they're slippy, stinky, and movible... things happen. Better be safe. And you enjoyed our company"
"Nah, I'm sentenced to be in your company. I just tolerate you"
"That's what she says" Alex began talking to the girl over Claire's shoulder after helping her on her feet "but we know she loves me. I'm charming. Who couldn't love to be with me?" All the while, Alex' hand, rested on Claire's back, to guiide her to her own room, where the little one's bag rested on the bed
"Yes, that's what his mom says"
"Nah, she says I'm perfect and flawless. But I know better" their bantering, and the smiles on their voices, got the girl curious. Her head was prompted up from Claire shoulder to see the two of them the better she could, and she followed the conversation watching from one to another. Following the sound of their voices, and their smiles and funny voices... untill she cracked up at Alex proud 'I know better' and laughed happily.
"Wise one. She knows when you're wrong" and with that, Claire patted the baby behind, and walked briskly towards her room, leaving Alex laughing at her reteating form.
" You shouldn't be teaching her that kind of things!"
" What kind? That she's right and you're wrong, or to laugh at you?" once in the room, Claire had the baby on the top of her bed, and was searching the bag for clean and comfortable clothes to sleep on. Alex, stoping at the door, couldn't tear his eyes from the two of them, talking with him, laughing, tikling and gurgling... as if nothing were wrong, as if the storm outside wasn't there 'cause they feel safe at home. The baby's laugh caught his attention back from his thoughts to the Drovers homestead. And he had to laugh. There, on the bed where a gurgling baby waving her chubby arms, and Claire. Still wearing her wet blue dress, her messy hair coming to her face everytime she leaned forward to tickle and kiss the little ones tummy, all the while smiling and baby talking
"You two make a nice pair"
The only answer he got, was a one that nearly took his breath away. Claire, with the girl still in her amrs, turned her head with the hair nearly hiding her eyes, and smiled to him. Just smiled. As she did so many years before...
He had seen Claire walking towards her car that night on the Golden' party. And leave alone, while his brother drove theirs. He had observed how she favored one leg, while steping cautiously on the other. The way she took out her nice shoes was impossible to miss.
There she was, on a beautiful night, in a nice dress... as gorgeous as ever. Being a Claire. But he wasn't the one to say that aloud. 'It's self-protection'
Some time later, leaving his 'date' there on the party, and remembering that he had promised to do some work for Harry at sunrise he got in search of her.
Seated on the verandah, with her legs up in a chair a beer in her hands... and a far away look on her face. She hadn't hear the motor of the car aproaching, and didn't hear or feel his presence there either. Thanks to that, he ovbserved her. Taking a swing of the beer, it seemed to come empty, as sighing she tried to got up from the chair but her ankle gave away and she nearly fell. With long strides, he caught her before her bottom could make contact with the floor.
"Come on girly Claire, let me take a look at that" seating her on the chair, she wasn't that happy to see him. The frustrated and angry look he received, was a give away.
"Will you let me go! I'm fine!" She pushed him away and tried once away to stand on her own and walk. But, as the last attempt, her foot didn't cooperate and the pain make her cry.
Sighing, Alex aproched once again and caught her in his arms. Crouching a litle, he raised her with his right arm under her knees, and making her back rest against his left
"What do you think you're doing!?" Punching him on the chest Claire tried to escape unsuccesfully
"Be quiet woman!" He turned claire on his arms, making her rest on his shoulder, carrying her like a sack and slapped her bum. Everytime she tried to say something or hit him on the back he would give her a slap with a throaty laugh when she ended her protests "That's better. Now remember to be quiet and still , or I might drop you my lady"
"You're threatening me? And.. Lady!?!?" That earned her another pat, before the hand returned to the small of her back.
"Where to?"
In the time Claire had tried to free herself from her mate arms, he had made it to the stairs, and was slowly arriving to the upper floor.
"Let me on the floor Alex"
"Shut up! Jack's sleeping, respect your father's rest woman!" Giving her one last pat, he moved to the neraest door "This one?"
"NOOOOOO!" laughing Claire caught Alex arm before he could open the door "That's dad room. Mine's that one" She directed him towards her room with her hand knowing perfectly that she couldn't stand on her own, and maybe even enjoying the ride if her laugh and no attempt against Alex gut was any indication.
"First time's a lady"
"Don't even think about it! No way are you getting lucky tonight Ryan!"
Laughing he threw her on the bed
"ALEX!"
"Shh... your father! What will he think?!" that earned him a punch. "Ouff" Laughing he got a cushion from the bed and put it under Claire injured feet " Let me se"
He got the feet cautiously the foot on his hands, observing she still was barefoot 'It must hurt pretty bad'. On the dim light coming from the bedside lamp Claire had lighted, he saw the inflammed ankle and asked her for the medicine cabinet.
Getting also a towel and a cream bottle from the bathroom he treated Claire's foot in silence with a tenderness and smoothness never seen on him before. At least towards her.
Claire couldn't take her eyes away from him.They knew each other pretty well, they were best mates after all, but this side was new. Especially on her room, and while she was wearing a dress.
His hands touched a sore point making her moan
"You ok?"
"Yes it just hurt like hell" smiling a bit, she tried to smooth her hair, self concious of her look. Missinterpretting the movement of her hand over the hair on the pillow, as if she wanted the pillow under her feet he leaned over her to take it. Approaching his face to hers. His lips just milimeters apart from hers...
To be continued...
You know the drill, let me know what you think. :D