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Thanks: to my beta, Isi. Lots of sunshine to you. I've got plenty here.

Disclaimer: Not mine.

11. Everything Alright?

Tess sat at the kitchen table with Jodie. They were chatting about their days and what was left of it.
Jodie had done todays work and was going on a date with Timothy, a new guy in town.,Oone of the guys Jodie hadn't had a closer look at yet. She just asked Tess about her outfit because she wasn't sure what she should wear. A black skirt with a pink top or a blue dress.
"Take the skirt with the top. It's nice and not too fancy for a first date." Tess recommended.
"You're right, Tess. Thanks." Jodie answered.
"No worries." Tess replied.

A car pulled up in the driveway. Tess thought it would be Claire. It was getting late and she hadn't heard from her since this morning and even then when they met at the bathroom door she just got a grumpy "Morning." from her sister.
Curious as she was she went to the window and looked through it. The car outside was familiar to her but it wasn't Jack's old Mercedes which Claire had taken. Alex was back and he had pieces of furniture on his ute. Tess wanted to apologise for her behaviour. Alex was moving in so they had to get along.
Alex took some pieces of the furniture and went into the house with them.

"Is it Timothy? Already?" Jodie asked. "He is early. I'm not ready yet." Jodie started to panic.
"Calm down, Jodie. It's just Alex." Tess said. "I will help him with the furniture and you get ready for your date. I wanna know all the details tomorrow. Have fun." Tess told Jodie and went out of the kitchen. Jodie got up then because she wanted to be ready in time.

There were still some pieces of the furniture on Alex' ute. Tess took some of them and went into the house too. She brought them upstairs. On her way upstairs she met Alex who passed her without a word. Tess was surprised how serious he took their fight from before. "How will I make this one up?" She asked herself. She wanted to make things between them alright again so she stayed in Alex' room and waited for him to come back. He returned with some more stuff in his hands. When he entered the room he saw Tess who was still there. He wanted to leave the stuff, turn around immediately and get back downstairs again away from Tess but she stopped him. She grabbed his arm and tried to pull him around. He gave in and let her do it. Although he was pissed off by her he knew they had to solve the problem. Tess was Claire's family, the only family beside of the unborn baby boy. He would probably lose Claire if she had to choose between him and Tess. Alex stood face to face to Tess. Now it was her turn.

"I'm sorry, Alex. I didn't want to interfere in yours and Claire's life. It won't happen again, I promise." Tess started.
"No worries, Tess. We both know it will happen again. You can't change yourself completely. By the way that's why you're a mate to me and that's why I dated you once." Alex replied. "I'm sorry too. I have been very harsh before." Alex apologised towards Tess.
"So everything ok with us?" Tess asked.
"Yeah, everything is fine."
"I will help you now with this." She said pointing at the pieces of the locker and the shelf.
"All pieces are already up. We can start now."
"Alright, let's do it." Tess replied happy because they had sorted out their problem.
Alex began to put the pieces of the locker together and kept them together while Tess screwed them together. After half an hour they had finished the locker and the shelf. Alex took some of his boxes from the upstairs hall where he had put them in the morning and started to fill the room with his stuff. Everything got a new place, everything except Mr Spock. He put him on Claire's bed. It should be the first present for her baby. Mr Spock meant a lot to him and should mean a lot to Claire's and his baby.

Meanwhile Nick was on his way to Drovers. Nick wanted to know what was going on on Drovers and he wanted to see Tess again so he had accepted the invitation in the morning. There was something between him and Tess this morning and he wanted it back. His feelings for her were still there but he wasn't sure that she felt the same way. His thing with Moira wasn't serious, he just met her a few times and she came over for breakfast this morning but it must have looked different to Tess.

It was already close to tea time. Claire hadn't shown up yet. Tess just noticed that. It wasn't usual for Claire to get late at all and Tess never experienced Claire that late but Tess didn't start to worry about it yet. She actually had no idea how long the first appointment at the gynaecologist during the first pregnancy took and there was still some work to do. Alex hadn't worked the horses at all today. Claire would be furious about that if she found out. Tess knew and Alex knew as well. Tess thought about that when Alex came downstairs.

"Oi, Tess. I totally forgot the horses. I'm working them now." Alex told Tess whom he passed on his way out. "You want to do something right once and you screw up on your first day. How could I forget the horses?" Alex asked himself and went out.
He started to work but his mind was drifting away. He imagined his future with Claire and their little son. Actually it was only her little son but she wanted him to be the daddy not Peter that bloody moron. He was lost in thoughts and didn't notice that the work went badly today and he didn't notice Nick behind him.

"Little brother is watching ya." Nick greated his brother.
Alex turned around startled. "Nick, what are you doing here?" He asked.
"Tess invited me over for dinner today."
"So you're friends again?" Alex asked his brother. He was concerned about him. This two belonged together as long as they know each other. Actually he broke up with Tess because he wanted to help his brother. Although he didn't say that directly. But Nick couldn't use his chance because Tess was scared. He had hoped that they would work it out someday. It seemed like it had happened this morning.
"Yeah, friends." Nick answered with a smirk on his face.
"Sure, 'friends'" Alex said.
"That's not the reason why I'm here, Alex."
"Sorry Nick but I won't help you with THAT. You want her not I." Alex mocked Nick grinning.
"No worries. I have done that before." Nick answered grinning too.
"It's about Claire and you. Tess told me you had moved in today. You do big steps. Yesterday you announce yours engagement and today you're moving in. You're not the brother I know. Actually you never kept a girl more than a few weeks and now you're marrying Claire because she is pregnant?" Nick started.
"It's for the baby's sake, Nick. It's not about Claire or me. You would do the same if it was Tess instead of Claire."
"Yeah, I think so. But don't you think there is more to a marriage than friendship. You will hopefully be married forever. At least that's the plan of marriage. Do you really want that, Alex?" Nick asked serious.
"Yeah, I want this. I want it with all my heart. Nick, And I want that with Claire." Alex started and said the words he couldn't say before. "I'm in love with Claire." Alex told Nick as seriously as Nick had asked before. He didn't know why he felt comfortable with the truth but he felt that way. He had to tell Claire too. She couldn't say more than no but he feard that no. Because that would mean the end of their friendship and an unrealized love which would bother him forever. Claire was the one, the women he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.
"Oh my god that are bloody great news. Does Claire know?" Nick asked. He was confused. His brother never showed feelings like this towards woman. He just wanted them for his fun, that's for sure. He never ever had talked about love before.
"No Nick, I haven't and I still wanna keep it secret. Promise you won't tell anybody not even Tess."
"Yeah, if that's your wish. I will keep my mouth shut." Nick promised to his brother by their secret handshake they had used as kids. "Some things never change." Nick thought while they did it.
"Thanks brother, you're a real mate." Alex said. "So what about you and Tess? You're talking again. That's a good start. Isn't it?" Alex asked to get the topic away from himself.
"Yep, we are. Took a while but everything is alright between us now." Nick answered.
"Just alright?" Alex asked. He knew his brother was still in love with Tess and Tess with him. He didn't know why these two didn't come together.
"She invited me over. That's a start. But there is Moira the girl from the hardware store. We have met a few times during the last week. It's nothing serious but Tess saw her this morning at Wilgul. I have to sort that one out." Nick answered.
"Moira? I didn't know you where dating her. Sort that out as fast as possible. You won't get to much chances from Tess anymore."
"What do you know about getting serious with a girl, Alex Ryan?"
"Yeah, you're right but if this becomes true I will know a lot." Alex answered serious.
"Let's go up to the house. Dinner must be ready soon. Is Claire back?"
"Haven't heard anything from Claire. She drove off in the morning and hadn't shown up yet." Alex answered and started to walk back to the house. Nick followed him.

Meg was already awaiting them at the house. Meg, Tess and Becky had changed her clothes. Alex was the only one who still had his working clothes on. "Sorry ladies, I need a minute." Alex excused himself, went upstairs and changed his clothes. After a few minutes he came back. Now he wore a nice pair of jeans and one of his good dark blue shirts. Nick noticed immediatly that his brother was up to something.
"You look handsome tonight, Alex." Becky commented his clothes.
"Thanks." Alex replied idignantly at her comment.
Nick looked at his brother. Becky was right. He looked handsome. When Alex looked at Nick too he smiled at Nick. Nick smiled back knowing and nodded slightly at Alex' appearance.
Tess noticed that Alex wanted to get the attention away from him so she raised her glass of wine. "Enjoy your meal!"
Everybody looked at Tess instead of Alex. Then they started to eat.

To be continued ...