She lets out a small sigh as he turns into the long dusty driveway of his family home "You ok?"

She nods as her stomach drops with nerves "Ah, yep."

Nick smirks "You don't sound so sure."

Tess smiles taking his hand "I'm fine, because I know no matter what she says, you will always love me."

Nick nods "You are absolutely correct."

Tess nods "I am always correct."

Nick giggles bringing his Ute to a stop as Tess swallows a hard lump "Can't we just leave her a memo."

Nick shakes his head as his Mother approaches the ute "Too late now, sorry."

Tess smirks at his sarcasm as they climb from the ute to be greeted by Liz "Hello my darling."

Nick smirks being pulled into an embrace "Mum."

Tess smiles as Liz pulls her into a distant hug "Hello Tess darling, I haven't seen you in weeks."

Tess nods "It's only been three."

Liz nods as they fall from the embrace "I see."

Tess nods "Bree here?"

Liz nods as her daughter approaches them "She sure is."

Tess smirks giving her friend a small glance as Liz plasters on a false smile "Well come on in."

Tess sighs as Nick takes her hand leading her of inside "Are you sure your ok?"

Tess nods "Yeah, just hungry and tired."

Nick nods "And nervous."

Tess gives him a look of confusion "What?"

Nick smiles "Sweaty palms, bright red cheeks, jumpiness and your stalling.".

Tess smirks "I'm fine, promise."

Nick nods handing her a banana from the small bowl of fruit that was placed on Liz's kitchen bench "There's no bananas left in our fridge, I know your craving it as you would hate it any other day."

Tess giggles taking the banana "Thank you gorgeous."

Liz smiles "You can make your way out the back, your Fathers there."

Nick nods leading Tess of outside to his Father "G'day Dad."

Harry smiles standing from his position at the small outdoor setting before taking Nicks hand to shake "Nick."

Tess smiles as he pulls her into an embrace "Tess."

Tess smiles "Hello Harry."

Harry smirks "How's it been?"

Tess nods falling from the embrace "Good, yourself?"

Harry nods "The tickers still going, so I guess that's a good sign."

Tess smirks placing herself beside Nick as she begins to munch on her banana "Yeah it is."

Harry nods "School?"

Tess sighs "Yeah good, a little tiring."

Bree smirks sitting down at the table as she approached them "Yeah tiring, Dad she's just lucky she has me to take her notes as she sleeps in most of her classes."

Tess sighs "Yeah funny that, I think I'm coming down with some sort of stomach bug."

Bree nods with a small smirk "I would say."

Harry smirks looking between the two girls "Any way, who's up for Champaign?"

Bree smirks handing her Father a glass "Thanks Dad."

Harry sighs pouring his daughters a glass "Tess?"

Tess shakes her head "Ah no thanks."

Harry sighs "Come on, one glass?"

Tess sighs biting at her lip as Liz approached the table her face turned into a bright red tomato as she hated all the attention on herself over a glass of wine "Ah sure, one glass won't hurt."

Nick gives her a small nudge as she gives him a small shrug back taking her glass of Champaign from her Father in law before dishing out a plate of food for her.

She lets out a small sigh placing her cutlery down as she finished her plate of food "Ah thank you Liz that was lovely."

Liz smirks as she continued to eat "You're most welcome."

Tess nods glancing at Nick as he took her glass of Champaign downing it before anyone would notice she smirks as her stomach filled with butterflies knowing they would have to spill the news soon she sighs as Liz gives her a small smirk "So Tess, how's school?"

Tess nods "Good, but I would rather be here."

Liz nods "I see, not getting the grades?"

Tess smirks "No, I'm a high achiever in all my classes."

Liz nods "Plans for next year?"

Tess smiles "Move in with Nick, help Claire out on Drovers."

Liz smirks "But you're going to put all your time and effort into school, just to be a farmer?"

Tess bites at her lip swallowing down all her anger "And what would be so wrong with that, do you realise you not only offended me, but your sons, your daughter in law, your husband and have you even asked Breely what she wants?"

Liz smirks "My daughter wants what I tell her."

Tess nods "I see, last time I checked Bree has a tongue and she doesn't need you to run her life, because I know what she wants."

Liz sighs turning to her daughter "What is that you want then dear?"

Bree sighs looking up from her plate "Mum, Tess is right, I don't want to wear the ridiculous dresses and I don't want to be a part of your committee and I don't want to live your life or lifestyle."

Liz nods "You're to young to know what you want."

Bree nods "Mum I'm seventeen, not seven."

Liz nods "I do know how old my daughter is."

Bree nods "Well maybe you should start treating me like it!"

Liz nods "Stop acting like a seven year old."

Bree nods "Right, Mum you know one day you have to stop holding my hand and guarding me through life."

Liz nods "So what is that you want?"

Bree smirks "I have begun my studies in veterinary nursing."

Liz nods "You can't."

Bree sighs standing from the table "Mum I can and I will, this is exactly why I never told you, Nick, Tess I love you both and I'll see you tomorrow."

Tess smiles giving her friend a small wave before she left the table.

Nick sighs giving Tess a small glance as she gives a small nod in return "Mum, Dad Tess and I have some news."

Harry smiles "Alright."

Nick nods glancing at his hand as Tess holds a tighter grip "Ah; so this wasn't eaxclty planned, we don't care if you support us or not, as we have each other and we gave Claire and Alex, although we would rather you did support us."

Liz nods "Well you're not packing your bags to run of to the city, i'll never see you again."

Tess smirks down at her lap as Nick continued "No I'm not, but Tess she's ah, she's pregnant."

Liz lets out a small cough as she chocked on her mouthful of Champaign "What?"

Nick smirks "Mum Tess is pregnant."

Liz nods "It's not yours, how could you let this happen?"

Nick sighs "Mum it's happened now please just drop it, I love Tess more than anything and this little baby is just something that will make us stronger."

Liz sighs "It's her fault, isn't it; she did this on purpose to trap you so you can't leave."

Nick smirks placing a hand on Tess' belly "Mum where not playing the blame game, but I would never leave Tess."

Liz nods "There's no baby she's lying Nick."

Nick nods rising from the table as he takes Tess' hand "You ready to go beautiful+"

She nods rising from her seat "There's a baby in there Mum, I have seen them swimming around in her belly and it's gorgeous."

Harry smiles rising from his chair as he shakes Nicks hand "Congratulations mate, not how I expected you to bring your first child into the world, but hey a Ryan will be a Ryan."

Tess smiles as he pulls her into an embrace "Congratulations Tess, you'll make a great Mother."

Tess smiles "Thank you Harry."

Nick nods leading Tess off to his car as Harry turns to his wife "What was that?"

Liz shrugs downing another glass of wine "I'm just telling him how it is."

Harry shakes his head "You really don't know what love is do you."

Liz nods "But I love you."

Harry gives a small huff "Some days I wonder."

Liz gives him a look of shock as he leaves her to drink the afternoon away.