AN: I'm sorry it took me so long to update. English is still not my mother tongue. And I still don't own McLeod's Daughters, I'm just borrowing the characters.

Enjoy the next chapter!

Chapter 8

Daybreak on Drover's Run:

Everyone still on Drovers was running around, trying to finish the most necessary chores as soon as possible.

Suddenly, Kate saw smoke over Killarney.

Neither her nor Tess or Jodi could tell if it was the main house or just one of the buildings close by it burning.

Nick got the fire truck from the shed and alarmed the rest of the firefighters while Kate, Jodi and Tess galloped over the meadows, jumping fences to be there and try to save Killarney's residence and building.

They arrived on Killarney and fought the fire bravely, yet there was one thing they couldn't reclaim from the fire: Harry's boxing equipment and his boxes in the barn burnt to shreds.

Still, Harry needs to see a doctor.

Actually, the ambulance brings him to the hospital due to smoke inhalation.

Nick and Tess follow close behind, while Sandra drives with Harry in the ambulance.

At the hospital:

Nick and Tess storm Stevie's hospital room...

Before they even closed the door, they both started speaking simultaneously.

"You need to wake up.

Harry is in the hospital!

Alex, you really need to wake up."

With each spoken word, they got louder.

Tess and Nick both weren't realizing that they hadn't only woken Alex but Michelle, Rose and Stevie, also.

Therefore Rose got upset that 'grandpa Harry' was hurt because whatever Alex said, as Alex's father or adoptive father, she automatically counted him as family. So she first tried asking her mom or anyone really to let her visit! Honestly, with the whole family cleanup Rose did, she hoped to tell Harry that he belonged to her family. Rose's understanding of her family wouldn't change by what Alex and Stevie decided.

According to Rose's opinion, Alex already belonged to the family.

She had lost too much already, had been hurt too many times...

Maybe it was due to losing her grandpa Jack so early, or it was because Grandpa Jack told her that whatever happened in the outback, neighbours were friends, and friends always were like family.

Suddenly Rose was plagued by a memory. She remembered the whole of it so clearly. It was just a few days after her birthday party, and apparently after the terrible fight between Jack and Claire. Jack came to Michelle's place, and demanded to see her, demanded to see his granddaughter. Michelle, only ever having seen Jack as a child herself, before the said day, was terrified. Maybe that's why Rose remembered it so clearly, now. "Rose, run", she had said. And Rose really wanted to. Their fight had frightened her. But she couldn't. She was torn, even though it would take years until she could name the feeling. She never forgot about it. Jack had terrified her at first. His mannerism was so different, yet so much like 'aunty Claire', that she started trusting him. He told her about Drover's Run, her 'aunty Tess' and even her 'aunty Jodi'. Not that she understood much of what he was telling her. But she remembered. In her heart, Drover's Run was engraved. It was home. She knew she couldn't tell her mom. Michelle certainly never did. Did Michelle think Rose didn't remember? Or did she just hope that Rose either didn't remember or wouldn't tell Stevie or Tess?

While Rose was lost in thought yet aware of the others in the room, they still tried to get Alex to visit Harry. Nobody was looking at Rose, or so it seemed. Rose had an idea. If she went to Harry, Alex would be searching for her. He had always been the one her mom trusted most, except for 'aunty Claire'.

The last thing Rose hears before leaving her mom's hospital room is Stevie being upset about being woken. In a whiny voice, Rose had never heard from her mom before she asked Alex to just visit Harry for a little while, just so that Tess would leave her alone. But Alex can be as stubborn as Stevie and wants to make sure she is well cared for in the meantime. So it takes another fifteen minutes until he leaves her in Michelle and Tess' company. During those fifteen minutes, Alex organized that Stevie had everything she could possibly need, including breakfast, a cellphone, an extra cup of coffee (after clearing it with the doctors), tea, water, snacks, a television, some books,...

In those fifteen minutes, Rose had already found a nurse. The nurse knew Rose from the afternoon before and took pity on Rose. She brought Rose to Harry's room.

After Alex leaves to visit Harry, Stevie realizes Rose is missing. This shocks her. In her heart, Stevie might know that nothing will happen to Rose, but her mind is drawing one horror scenario after the other. Her time on the circuit, especially while she needed to protect Rose and herself, left her scarred. Stevie started to panic, but before she could fall into total panic mode, Michelle told her she would look for Rose, while Tess tried to keep Stevie off her feet and dialled Alex, Sandra and Nick in a group call. If anyone could calm Stevie down, it would be Alex. Plus, if they knew Rose was missing, they could tell Tess when they found her.

Meanwhile, Rose arrives at Harry's room, in which Sandra just answers the phone. Seeing that it's Tess, she asks Rose whether or not she told anyone where she was going before giving the phone to Rose.

Rose answers the phone:" This is Rose on Sandra's phone. I am in grandpa Harry's room. Can you tell mom, please?" "Who now," Tess asked. Me, Alex or Nick? Who's with mom," Rose asked back. "I am," Tess answered, "but I fear she won't listen to me." "Ok, Alex, can you tell her, please? " "In a minute on the phone. I'll be in Harry's room in a second. And, Rose, stay where you are. From what I gathered before you answered Sandra's phone, your mom is in a full-blown panic attack because you went alone to Harry's phone without telling anybody." "I'll stay here, I promise. I want to talk to grandpa Harry, anyway, and I need to speak with Sandra, too. But, Alex, I tried telling you, and when nobody listened to me, I talked to the nurse. She brought me here and promised me to tell mom. I'm sorry for worrying everyone. "

Having the phone call out of the way, Rose starts talking to Harry."We need you, Harry. I need you, grandpa. You are one of the only people who can tell me about grandpa Jack. Why did you go into the burning shed? Did you try and save documents about who you once were? About grandma Liz or grandma Prue? What were you thinking?" "How did you know," asked Harry." That you were once someone else? Grandpa Jack said so much that day. Much didn't make sense, but why would it to a child, not even school-aged. But in the last few days, more and more things made sense. Grandpa Jack told me about his friend, who used to be someone else, yet could redefine himself. He was able to break free from his past, from his injuries, from his scares, which he thought held him back, yet only showed his strength. That's what grandpa saw, Harry. That's who you are.

I need you, and so does Alex. Even Mom needs you. She might not need your sarcastic self, but she needs the caring man you are underneath all of that, grandpa Harry. She needs you to tell her about grandpa Jack.

Mom especially needs you to be a grandfather, a caring grandfather, like you are for Charlotte.

I need you to promise me to be here for us, for all of us, grandpa; I need you to be careful. I know life happens. And I know there will be a time when you won't be there anymore. But until then, we all need you. I want to hear stories about grandpa Jack, and from when Alex was little, stories nobody else can tell me. I need you to tell those stories to the newest BOM, mom's carrying. I only ever met grandpa Jack once. If you don't tell me stories, who could. Especially about the early days, about grandma Prue and him. Who is going to tell me stories about aunty Claire's early childhood?

Grandpa, I need you.

I learned a long time ago that you need to trust your family.

You are family, grandpa Harry, and I trust you."

At the end of her monologue, Rose was sobbing.

Harry held her, and Alex, who had gone back to get Stevie in a wheelchair per doctor's orders, stood in the door amazed. Rose had accepted Harry into her family. She counted him as family, and whatever teasing his little girl or not so little girl had been up to yesterday, he knew that she was serious about them needing Harry, about Harry being family, about trusting each other.

Stevie, like Alex, had only heard part of Rose's speech to Harry, and she was astonished. Her little girl sure had grown up. Apparently, she was also wise beyond her years. Stevie was honest with herself, and she realized she was not only proud of her daughter but was also feeling like Rose was slipping through her fingers yet again.

Stevie knew they all needed to talk. Rose was right: they all were family.

Even though Stevie should only move in a wheelchair, she was at Harry's bed seconds after Alex had wheeled her into the room.

She held her and told Harry in a very stern voice: "She's right, you know. We are family. I might not be Claire. I might not be my sister, but we are family. Rose has probably understood more about family than any of us." She turned to Rose. " He'll be fine, Rosie. Don't you worry!

Come here, please."

"Mom, you shouldn't worry. How are you? How's BOM, with all that commotion?" "We are fine. Don't worry, Rosie!

Harry will be fine. We will build it up again. The family was torn apart years ago, but we are stronger, better than that. We can, and we will build our family together. And I need your help! I need you to talk to Meg."

" You think 'aunty Jodi' is your sister, not just an honorary sister to Claire after she lost both you and Tess," Rose interrupted Stevie."My darling daughter, Mrs Sherlock Holmes," Stevie teased proudly.

"Come, we'll leave Alex with Harry for a while." "Will you be ok, Alex," Rose asked directly. "I can stay outside if you want mom here. Then mom doesn't need to worry about me, which won't be good for either her or BOM, and you have her close. The last 24 hours weren't easy for anyone of us. " She turned to Stevie. "Mom, don't worry. If you need me close and in someone's field of vision, I get Tess to sit with me. And we'll stay close so that I can actually hear you or Alex if you call. But Alex needs you at least close enough that he can call for you. You might not be a couple yet, but

firstly you act like one already

secondly, you've been best friends for years, and I can see that you need each other

and thirdly, I'll be safe, I won't be gone in a minute. I know both of you need to reassure yourselves of the fact that I'm actually here quite frequently.

Mom is anxious due to letting me stay with Michelle and their fight.

Add, whatever happened on the circuit beforehand, which didn't make it easier to let me go.

Alex's need to see me is due to the story with Charlotte and aunt Claire.

Have I forgotten something?"

" You've forgotten to wait for my answer, Rose", Alex replied, amused.

"And in the last few days, I'm thinking more and more that you are thirteen going on thirty." But I appreciate your thoughtfulness and your compassion."

" He's right", chipped in Harry.

"The things you've been through in the last few days is more than many others go through in their whole life.

And I know you might be overwhelmed, and I'm honestly amazed that you haven't crashed yet, but I'm very thankful for your understanding.

Rose, you know that letting everything inside won't help in the long run, allow yourself to grieve for Jack and Claire, take the time to accept the truths you've been told, to work through everything".

Turning to Sandra, he asked, Can you give us a few minutes with Harry, please, and could you go into either the gift shop or one of the shops in town and get a journal for Rose, please."

"Alex, you don't have to send Sandra, really," both Stevie and Rose protested at once.

Rose added: " If you really want me to get a journal to write my feelings down, Alex, I'll take Tess and go to the shops myself.

You really don't need to send Sandra, who should stay close by.

By the way, has anyone battling the fire this morning, except for Harry, been seen by a doctor?

No, that's what I thought.

Mom and Alex, you stay with Harry.

As for you three, Sandra, Tess and Nick, do me a favour, go see the doctor and at least tell him that you've been battling with a fire this morning and that there might be a good chance that you've inhaled smoke," commanded Rose.

Then she added in an afterthought: "If the doctor says that as long as you call when you feel bad, everything is fine, I'll be fine.

I am ok with that.

All of you, you see a doctor, that's something I need for my peace of mind!

Yes, Alex, I will find a way to cope, maybe write something down.

Don't worry about me, neither one of you.

Especially you not, mom, not now anyway.

I am here, mom, home.

Don't forget that." Rose finally paused, realizing that Nick, Tess and Sandra still hadn't seen a doctor.

Next, she just commanded: "go".

So they left, which gave Harry a chance to ask about the BOM comment.

" Alex, Stevie, do you have something to tell me and maybe have to call Liz to tell her as well?" "You are feeling better when you were able to follow the conversation we just had", Rose commented, smiling.

"When Jack was upset, he used to jump from one subject to another.

"Rose seems to share that with your grandpa," said Harry turning to Stevie.

"But I heard BOM, and I know when Claire started using that acronym for Charlotte. Do you have something to tell me," he looked from Stevie to Alex, expecting an answer.

But it was Rose who answered: "I'm gonna be a big sister." "Thanks for stealing the thunder, Rose, commented Stevie laughingly. "Be glad that she is such a proud big sister, Stevie. Rose reminds me of Claire in that respect. She was the same. First, when Prue was pregnant with Adam and you and then when Ruth was pregnant with Tess, she even told me that when Meg was pregnant with Jodi, once. She was reprimanded for it and never did it again.

But I remembered, I remembered it when Jack called Jodi princess. I remembered it when Tess first came back, and I overheard Tess tell Nick that she felt like Jodi and Claire were the sisters instead of her and Claire. I remembered it every time Jodi was as stubborn as Claire and Jack. I remember it when anyone of you girls stands up against me because honestly, in that respect, you all are McLeods all of you, whether you were raised on or off the land, doesn't matter. You all are fearfully and wonderfully made. You are all precious. Jack knew that. He said once, he wanted Jodi to know, what he failed to teach you and Claire, what he didn't have a chance to teach Tess during her teen years, when she probably would need that reassurance more than ever.

Whatever in life happened, you stood together, helping each other.

I know I've never been easy to live with, easy to work with, and I'm sorry about it.

Forgive me, please, both of you."

"Thank you for asking for our forgiveness.

It is hard to forgive you, Dad.

You have been a hard man to live with for as long as I can remember. But I forgive you. I forgive you for all the things you did and partly thought were right but hurt me so much."

"Alex is right," Stevie added. You were a hard man, but it seems you've seen the errors of your ways, the fruit your bitterness brought you. If I learned something during my life, especially during the last few days, it's that bitterness, that hatred and unforgiving only hardens our hearts. I don't want to live my life burdened with things that make my heart unfeeling, unrepenting and unloving. I forgive you, and I hope that you might one day be able to forgive yourself also."

With those words spoken, Harry began to convulse.

It seemed as if a fight was being fought inside of him.

Rose called for the nurse.

Stevie knew that this might be the end, that the things Harry said he might've said because he knew his death was close.

Since she knew the doctors needed to have access to Harry, she pulled Alex close.

Stevie held Alex to give him strength.

Rose went further away, knowing her mom and especially Alex needed some time.

Plus, someone needed to tell Nick, Tess and Sandra.

She asked the nearest nurse to search the hospital for the family of Harry Ryan.

The nurse did so after Rose told her how critical Harry's health really was.

Nobody wanted to be at fault if Harry couldn't say goodbye to either his wife or second son.

But that didn't happen.

The medical personnel was able to stabilize Harry.

Stevie's POV:

" We need to talk. We should have never stopped talking to each other, Alex. And I'm not talking about after Claire died, and I'm talking about long before that. I know we started talking so many times in the last few days, yet there seem to be so many topics we need to discuss. We were married. I'm not sure whether or not it was binding since Jack never gave his permission, but my adoptive father did and only to get me out of the house before he was practically dragging me into a church and tried forcing me to marry someone, just anyone. I'm glad I called you that day. I'm thankful I had already gotten to know you before. I do not know what would have happened if I didn't."

"Does Rose know?"

Alex interrupted Stevie, his eyes swirling with questions.

"None of my sisters knows. Even Claire didn't know.

It might be that she suspected it, but I never told her", deflected Stevie.

Why do you think I should tell my daughter?

Alex, remember how she thought I was her aunt until a few days ago.

She might suspect since she's so good at reading people.

It's crazy".

" Rose is like you and Claire and even Tess and Jodi in that respect.

You McLeod's are all rather good at reading people," commented Alex.

"It must be a family trait, then" answered Stevie.

"What is," asked Rose, who heard her mom's last sentence while turning the corner of the floor.

"Being perceptive", replied Stevie.

Thank you, Rosie, for giving us some time. Alex and I needed the time to talk."

And you aren't finished yet," added Rose impertinently.

I can come back later, but I wanted to warn you that Sandra, Nick and Tess are on their way. I thought I might be the better alternative to interrupt you. You have to get used to getting interrupted by your child anyway." Rose left laughing while Alex and Stevie stood there stunned.

"You sure you haven't told her anything," whispered Alex into Stevie's ear before kissing her quickly on top of her head.

"I told you she's perceptive," answered Stevie, a twinkle in her eyes. Her eyes didn't stop twinkling when she asked: "Are you sure you're up to the challenge of two to three McLeod women, not to mention your sisters-in-law?"

"What are you asking?"

"What is your answer to my question? I asked first."

The banter continued for a while, yet neither Alex nor Stevie noticed anything except for each other.

Tess, Nick and Sandra had arrived just after the banter started, just as Rose had warned Stevie and Alex. The banter continued. A few minutes later, Rose came back while the nurses and doctors left Harry's room. The banter still continued. The audience was transfixed, and Stevie and Alex still saw nothing except each other. A few seconds later, Harry, who heard their banter from inside his room, called them out of it.

" What do you mean sisters-in-law," asked Tess. "And don't tell me it's because he was ready to propose to Claire. What haven't you told us? I thought after the whole debacle that was the spinster ball, you've learned to trust us."

Meanwhile, Nick tried grilling Alex.

Finally, Rose just flipped. The last few days had been everything but easy.

"Enough! Stop it, all of you. If Mom and Alex are ready to tell their story, we can, and we will listen. Have you ever thought so far: they might maybe need to figure it out for themselves before it becomes everyone's business. You are family: my family, each other's family, but sometimes we need time to figure things out for ourselves before we involve half the district, who happens to be mostly family. Don't forget that! We will always find out about secrets if we don't wait for the people to tell us. Aunty Tess, do you remember what everyone said about Mom? She's a lot like grandpa. She's a lot like aunty Claire.

You, on the other hand, are a lot like aunty Jodi. At least in that respect. You love sharing your feelings and thoughts, but mom and aunty Claire learned early on that keeping your own counsel could protect you from gossip, hurtful words and even on the road. There's nothing wrong with either trait. They both have their purpose. Never forget that mom loves you, that she loves getting advice from you. Still, there are things she and Alex just need to figure out for themselves."

"Wise words, Rose," commented Harry. "Leave them be," he said, turning to both Nick and Tess. "You didn't like it when Liz tried doing the same thing to you guys. "