COMFORT FROM THE STRANGEST PLACE

Spoilers: Not much that's big. There's one in the A/N and a small reference to various stuff. So, probably end of season... 4. I think. But if you don't know then it's not really a huge part of the story.

A/N: So, did you guys see? The writers decided to take up the idea I had in Letters (Meg's Letter to be exact) of making Jodi Jack's daughter. ARGH! Has this happened to anyone else?

CSIcrazy: Wow, two months and three days can't really be considered soon, can it? Dang! Oh, and I'll check out the fic ... After the HSC.

NZFan: Just a random thought, ever thought of getting an account? I'm not complaining mind. Alex and Claire... Next chapter. Just didn't make it into this one.

genevra: As Promised. Since you enjoyed them last time, here they are again. Yeah, and I'll fix that... eventually.

"Mummy! Mummy!" A small voice broke the silence created after the insight. Harry looked impressed that it had only taken Charlotte a few hours to start calling Claire "mum", then realised that it only sounded like Bom.

"Yes 'Chelley?"

"Can we have a baby like David?"

Harry resisted the urge to laugh. 'Just like Tess,' he thought. 'Blunt, to the point and extremely unexpected! Will be interesting to see how Claire hands it.'

Claire, however, was able to cope with the question better than he. She motioned the small girl to come and sit on her lap. "Well, sweetie, don't you think it's enough that you've just got yourself a big sister and aunt and uncle not to mention your dad?"

Michelle's lip fell. "I suppose… but can we have one tomorrow?"

There was a pause. Claire was not going to have that discussion with her not-yet six-year-old daughter in front of the one man who was the closest she still had to a dad, let alone the same man who had not yet found out he did have a third grandchild, though had he been paying attention he should have realised.

Becky appeared in the doorway, baby in arms and leaned against the doorframe, clearly amused. It never ceased to amaze her what people came up with to escape telling their children what it was they wanted to know. She was not disappointed.

Claire smoothly changed the subject. "Talking of her, where is Charlotte?" She pointed her question towards Becky.

'God, you've gotten good Claire', she thought, before answering. "She's gone upstairs to get dressed."

Claire looked at her younger daughter, not surprised to find every hair in place. "Why don't you go find her and we'll all go out for a look at all the lambs?"

After a nod, Michelle ran out of the kitchen and those remaining could hear her feet pounding their way up the staircase, in search of the sister she was beginning to worship.

"She's amazing Claire. How'd Alex take the news?" She looked at him startled. "That he's going to have a second stepdaughter?"

"Presuming much Harry?" She almost giggled.

"He was going to propose Claire. He hasn't really seen anyone since. And I'm fairly sure he never got over loosing you. I think that some part of him knew you'd be back."

"That wasn't quite what I meant, though it's comforting, just the same." She took a deep breath, not sure of how he was going to react. "You see, the thing is, Michelle won't be his step-daughter." Harry opened his mouth to argue, "No Harry, let me finish. She's his daughter, whether or not we end up together."

There was a silence as the news sank in. Claire looked towards Harry to find silent tears streaming down his cheek.

"I have another grandchild?"

"Biologically, no, but since Dad died I've kinda thought that maybe you'd be interested in playing the role."

"Despite having a son who's younger than her?"

She grinned before answering- "Can I help it if Sandra has weird taste in men?" At his shocked look she continued- "What? You think that I didn't know?"

"No, I was more worried you'd decide to shoot her."

Becky walked in the door at that moment- "No, we only shoot blokes here, don't we Claire?" She asked, referring to the much earlier incident of Brian. "Is it okay if I use you're room Claire? David is getting cranky."

"Why'd you bother asking Beck? I'm sure you used it before I got back, why stop now?" As the younger woman left, Claire turned to Harry once again. "I used to check the classifieds every now and then. I checked them during the stopover in Sydney. Please offer Sandra my congratulations."

"Are you serious? You two hate each others guts!" Harry grinned. "You're not the only one with insight Claire. I have it, I just don't usually use it."

"Well, one thing I learnt through all of this is, that are many things worse than anything Sandra ever did, or could do, to hurt me."

"Like?"

"For God's sake Harry, I died. I left my baby girl, my sister, the love of my life, the country I love, my dream of breeding horses and ended up in the middle of NOWHERE in goddamn Yankee land. I don't know about you, but that was definitely not in any of my plans for my future.

"I missed so many things. I missed her first Christmas; I missed her first ride... I've missed so many firsts it's not funny." Claire's rant ended in tears.

Outside the door, a stunned Alex stood, hit front on by the revelations she presented.

After first considering filling the need to comfort her, he peeked around the corner and saw Harry comforting Claire. He left, quietly enough, heading for the cellar. He descended the stairs, making his way to the box in the corner. Picked it up, carrying it upstairs to her room, where he carefully laid every photo album, diary and video out on her bed in sequence.

He made the short walk to his brother and sister-in-law's room, removing their television and video, before setting it up on the dresser.

He stood in the doorway, looking over his work until a small voice called him, when he promptly closed the door, and headed down to his girls, confident that this small gesture wouldn't go as astray as the desk had.

A/N: Did you see my very subtle reference to Sound Of Music… yeah, Em is slightly obsessed with that movie… just a tad! As always feedback is loved... dearly! So, any you have, please click the little button. And I hope to have another chapter soon, but the key word there is HOPE.