Disclaimer: Well, I don't own Happy Meals, or the book Black Beauty (although I am the same religion as the authoress was). I also don't own the common character from the television show. I own Michelle, baby David and these pants that I'm wearing.
A/N: So, never really tried writing Nick before. Had problems. Then had problems with other males. Why are they so hard to write? Was also waiting for the end of S5 so I could finish.
SPOILER ALERT: From season five finale.
Sandra: Anytime you want to review those old chaps you
read, feel free! I likes reviews
genevra: Gah, evil
parental! Sorry, waiting again... oh well, you know me! Yay, glad to
see the ameture psychology worked! Yes, Channel Nine should pay me
royalties! I promise to become more AC centric soon
Kay Edgar:
I know where its going to end, but not when...
NZFan/Marie:
Loving your fic has made me write more...
CSIcrazy/Jess: I
love writing Meg! Glad you like my writing of her!
"Penny for your thoughts?"
"I used to charge Alex a slab of beer." She turned and smiled. "Whatever happened to us Nick? What happened to Jack and Harry's plan?" She leaned against the closed door. "What would have happened if Tess hadn't turned up again?"
"We would have made a go of it." He looked towards her, feeling awkward, all of their original easiness evaporated. "We would have ended up miserable, but we'd have tried."
"I thought I was in love with you."
"I sense a 'but' coming." His subtle humour was still as effective, unexpected and welcome as it had always been.
"I think all it ever was, was the dream, mixed with substituting one brother for the other."
"You couldn't have Alex, but you could have me?"
"Something like that."
"Are you still in love with him?"
She seriously considered telling him, answering his question.
"It's complicated. It took us so long last time, and then we had such a short amount of time together. What if it wasn't meant to be?"
"You want to talk to him first, don't you?"
She laughed. "You really are a SNAG aren't you?"
"So Tess says."
An hour later, Jodi was pacing the rooms she and Luke shared. Kate and Dave had offered to build a duplex when they had built their house, and allow Jodi to live in the other half. She had considered it, before remembering the old plan of knocking a wall through the shearers' quarters that was abruptly interrupted.
It hadn't taken long to convert the several separate rooms into several rooms that were able to be used together, not as a house per say, but more as a freestanding flat.
Although many of the nights of a week were spent with the two of them apart, with Luke's work in town, and her work on Drovers, the two were making the relationship work, despite the early disruptions and the distance, both when he left, and now that he was back. Alex and Nick had offered him a position on Wilgul, but Luke's heart was still in mechanics. While the distance thing was working, the two of them felt no need to change.
Jodi had spent a lot of time staying busy in the early days- painting, decorating, cleaning and various other things to make the rooms a home. More recently she had spent the time cooking or babysitting to help Tess and Nick.
Now she had a lot of nervous energy to work off. Should she or shouldn't she? Would she or wouldn't she?
She found a small pile of unfolded clothes in the "laundry". On one hand, it had been hidden for so many years, what would a few more days matter? On the other, Claire had a right to know.
Jodi resumed her pacing. Claire and Michelle had too much on their plate at the moment, it wasn't fair to place another bombshell in their laps. Then again, it would come out, it had before, and wasn't it best to come from someone involved, rather than some stranger, in shock?
"You'll wear a hole in the carpet, and you know we only just afforded to put that in last time."
Jodi's head whipped towards the door. "You're not supposed to be back until tomorrow Luke!" She engulfed him in a huge hug, which he received willingly.
"Meg thought you might need some company."
Dave found Alex, sitting out in the stables, looking over Charlotte's pony, Black Beauty. It was a strange name for a suspiciously brown horse, but when named by a three year old, on whom they all doted, what else would have been logical? There had been tears at the time, as they told Bom she couldn't name the pony Happy Meal, and when she had finally calmed down enough to suggest this new name, the adults were worn down enough to allow it. The name had stuck, ironic as it was.
The protective streak Alex harboured for Charlotte had reared its head, doubled now with his own daughter thrown into the mix.
"How're you holding up?" Dave asked, moving himself into the stall, and stroking Black Beauty's face.
"I'm okay."
"I was talking to BB, wasn't I girl?" The comment earned him a slap across the back of his head. "And even if I was talking to you, which I'm not, you wouldn't convince me mate."
"It's all a bit of a shock really. I mean, I wasn't sure she was dead and all, but I didn't really expect her to be coming back. Then the bastard died two years ago and I thought- 'Great, he's gone and she can come back' and I waited, for six months, for some sign, a letter or phone call or even posting on some website." He leant his back against the stall wall. "I heard nothing, and thought maybe I was wrong. Then she turns up here, with the only warning a call from Lottie, unaware what she was saying. I tell you, had Natalie turned out to actually be some friend of Tess' from way back, I don't think I would have recovered.
"And then there was the moment I saw Michelle, and thought 'Oh God, she's moved on. She doesn't love me anymore, she's met someone.' Tell you what mate, these next couple of days are going to be hard, especially with Lottie and her tantrum." He shook his head. "Sometimes I don't know why I bother with Claire's daughter… daughters. They're worse than she was growing up."
Dave looked at his mate. "You do realise, that if we were female, now would be the time we started crying together, don't you?"
Alex smiled. "Thank god we're not then, huh?"
Dave gave Black Beauty one last pat, turning to leave. "You'll be right mate, give it some time."
"That's what I'm afraid of. What if we don't have time? What if something happens, like it did last time, and we're not okay before it?"
"Then get off your arse quicker this time."
Tess made her way across to what used to be the shearers quarters, pausing when she saw a familiar ute parked out the front. She looked across the brown earth, considering how long it would take her to "pop over" to Dave and Kate's.
Luke came to the door, fully dressed, and not in the least ruffled. "Come on in Tess." He reached for a jacket, "I'm going for a walk Jodi. Nice to see you Tess, I'd stick around, but I think the two of you have some things you need to talk about, sister to sister."
AN: So, if anyone has an idea for title for this chap, or the last (and any reviews) they're most welcome!