A/N: Thank you for reading! Please review and tell me what you thought of the completed story - it's only my second and I'm trying to improve.

Tom Callaghan woke with the morning sun and turned his head to really look at his wife, still asleep beside him. Chris looked totally relaxed, a smile playing across her face - whatever she was dreaming, it was obviously a good one. Both the angiogram and the bloods had come back clear, although by the time they did he had already been feeling more relaxed about Chris's health - happiness, good food and plenty of rest had already been working their magic, just as 'Matron Standish', as he occasionally called Kate when he felt particularly brave, had predicted. Four months on from leaving Medicins Sans Frontiere, he knew it was one of the best decisions he'd ever made. Life without Chris was unthinkable; he couldn't imagine what sort of selfish jerk he would have become without her. But instead, he had his loving, caring, impatient and energetic wife back, and he couldn't be happier.

Then of course, there was the fact that they also had their daughter back. Rosie - as the whole town now tended to call her - was happy to have them back in her life, though she and Tom had exchanged words on one or two occasions. The problem was, that he knew she was right, which made him more defensive. But it had meant that the feelings Rosie had buried and never completely handled had been brought out into the open. Tom had admitted his mistakes, and was now trying hard to build a more stable relationship with her. He felt they were succeeding, but he also recognised that he would probably never have the relaxed relationship with their daughter that Chris did. Of course Chris deserved it more than he did, he mused, and at least he had been the diving force behind bringing the two of them back to Australia, giving Rosie her family again.

The two of them were working much as Chris had predicted to Kate and Geoff, Chris spending most mornings writing, while he and Geoff were both working part time. Kate had appointed a junior matron to train on the job and share some of her workload, so part time hours were now established for all four of them, giving ample time for socialising. Tom reflected that it must prove what good friends they all really were, if after a twenty-five year gap they could just pick up the threads of their friendships so easily. The only slight surprise (for Chris, anyway) had been how much she missed being a doctor. So she was now working as a locum when someone was ill or on holiday - including with the RFDS. Given that it was her health that had driven them back, Tom wasn't quite sure where she got her energy!

Their visit to Zoe in Perth had been wonderful - someone else who was pleased that they were back in Australia. She had been delighted that they had found Rosie - and astounded that she had been living in Coopers Crossing. Zoe hadn't yet scheduled a trip to the Crossing, but she had promised to come and stay sometime soon.

By the time they had returned from Zoe's, Dave had heard of a house for sale - neighbours along from Kate and Geoff had decided to sell up and move to the city to be nearer their grandchildren. As the pub landlord, Dave was always ahead of the game with the local gossip, so he had already spoken up on their behalf by the time they got back from Perth. The fact that it was Dave who had found the house and was pushing for them to buy it had been enough to convince Chris that they should settle in the Crossing, and that they wouldn't be treading on Dave and Rosie's toes. Tom felt relief and delight that for the first time since India Chris was totally content and happy with her life.

Right on cue she opened her eyes and saw him looking at her. She smiled up at him and he bent his head to kiss her good morning "Happy Anniversary darling".

"Happy Anniversary to you too," she kissed him back gently. "Twenty-five years eh? Who'd have thought it!"

"Not me, I was just thinking about how lucky we are to be here, with Rosie and Dave down the road. And how lucky I am to have you still with me despite all I've put you through over the years." He began to kiss her with more purpose. "What say we start off with some private celebrations?" he said suggestively, prompting a giggling response that was abruptly cut off when they heard the front door opening and their daughters' voice calling them.

"Mum, Dad, Happy Anniversary!" Neither Tom nor Chris could be too sorry at the interruption though, being only too glad that their daughter could be with them for their anniversary for the first time in so many years. Both pulled on dressing gowns and went to join Rosie, who they found putting the kettle on and heating croissants. "I hope you don't mind,on,he said shyly, "But I've booked the day off and packed a picnic for us. It was Dave's idea - I know there's a few people coming to the pub tonight, but he said that he thought you might like to spend the day just with me first."

"That's lovely darling," Chris said sincerely, "I can't remember the last time that three of us had a picnic!"

They thought for a moment, "Bolivia, up a mountain," said Tom finally, "I think you were about thirteen? Definitely time for another one." So they finished their croissants, packed their swimsuits and clambered into Rosie's car before heading out to Evan's Dam, bringing back some very early memories for Chris and Tom of which their daughter had no idea.

OoOoO

Back at the pub life was rather more hectic than the relaxed day that the Callaghan family were spending together. Whilst Tom and Chris were expecting a gathering of the pub tonight, they were not expecting the huge party that was actually planned. Rosie had done most of the planning and preparation, but it had been judged best that she kept her parents out of the way on the day itself, so as not to spoil the surprise. With Rosie gone, Kate had taken charge of the decorating in the pub and the food, and Dave was working hard trying to get everything up to her exacting standards. All of Kate and Geoff's children were there - it was the holidays for Olivia and Jonathan, so Scarlett had gladly taken some leave in order to see the whole of her family together. Whilst Geoff and Jonathan moved furniture till it fitted Kate's requirements, Scarlett worked on the food, thinking resentfully of Olivia, who had offered to go to help on a clinic run today - of course as a medical student they were happy to have her, and it got her out of finger food duty. She cheered up when her old friend Jake Dunlop appeared to help her though; unknown to Kate and Geoff, Jake had been quite persistent of late, asking her to move back home to be with him. She was almost sure she had an answer, but was not planning on taking the limelight away from Chris and Tom's party, so Jake would have to wait another twenty-four hours. With few words needed they set to work.

Meanwhile Dave took a break from pinning decorations up to great five new arrivals; Zoe, with her husband, daughters and even her father. "Zoe! Ed! It's great to see you again, so glad you could make it." He took Zoe's bags out of her hands as Zoe looked around curiously to see how the pub matched up to her memories.

"Is the town like you remember it, Mum?" asked Lara, her elder daughter.

"Just like I remember it, darling," Zoe replied.

"I can't believe we're finally getting to see where you live, Dave" interrupted her husband, Ed. "After all these years, it'll be good to be able to picture where you both are, don't you think Tony?" - this last to Zoe's father.

"It feels to me like everything's come full circle," Tony responded. He didn't live far from his daughter and her family, so had known Rosie very well in her teenage years, and had met Dave on the two occasions that he and Rosie had visited Perth since their marriage.

Kate and Geoff came forward to great the family, particularly Zoe and Tony who they had known thirty years before. Seeing his chance to talk to a couple of pretty girls instead of heaving more furniture around, Jonathan smoothly offered to take some of the bags up and show Lara and Beth where the rooms were. Dave gratefully accepted his offer, so the three teenagers went off whilst the adults caught up.

The next couple to arrive were Emma and Sam Patterson, though they were of course staying with Libby. But there were more hugs, kisses and reminiscences until Kate realised how the time was moving on and chivvied everyone into helping. All afternoon the place continued to fill up with old friends from the local stations, Debbie O'Brian and even Sharon. Those on the clinic run returned, and then it was all hands to the pumps. Finally, at six o'clock Kate was satisfied, and everyone went quiet as they heard a car pull up outside. Frustratingly it turned out to be a rather perplexed traveller, but the next car to pull up was the right one. Rosie pushed her parents through the doors ahead of her as people shouted "Surprise!".

Chris had tears in her eyes as she stared at the banners saying 'Chris and Tom' and 'Silver Wedding'. Then her eyes saw the people in front of her - Zoe with her family, Sam and Emma, Debbie, Sharon, Kate and Geoff with their family, Jack, George and so many more - she squeezed Tom's hand, completely unable to speak for the moment. He cleared his throat and put an arm round Chris, hugging her tightly to him. "I'm really lost for words here, but thank you, it's amazing to see you all, and...who planned all this anyway?"

Rosie stepped out from behind them, "That'll be me and Dave, I hope you don't mind? It's just, you never got to have any of your friends at your actual wedding, so I thought that maybe we should mark your silver wedding in rather a special way."

Tom hugged her with the arm that wasn't currently round Chris. "How could we possibly mind?" he asked, "It's the most wonderful present darling, thank you so much for organising it." There was a general round of clapping and cheering, then the food was unveiled and people started to eat, drink and mingle. Dave had made a montage of photos from the time Chris and Tom had known each other, many of them featuring some of the other guests, which caused some hilarity, especially with some of the women bemoaning their previous hairstyles or fashion sense. Later there was music and dancing, with the party spilling outside. Scarlett and Jake found a quiet spot to discuss their future, while Jonathan and Lara danced the night away. Chris and Tom were everywhere, talking to so many old friends, and so happy to be back where they belonged. The time flew by, and all too soon it was the end of the night, and Tom was making a short speech.

"I'm going to speak for both of us, because if Chris tries to make a speech she's going to start blubbing again! First of all I must thank you all for coming, and for making it a surprise - we genuinely thought we were only having drinks with half a dozen friends! It is so good to have somewhere that you can genuinely feel at home, when you've been nomads for as long as we were. Secondly, I would like to congratulate Rosie and Dave on throwing the first surprise party all or partly for me which I haven't ruined! Come on folks, think about it..." Choking with laughter, Kate explained the history of that little comment. "Thirdly, I would like to thank Rosie and Dave for the party, and for everything, for forgiving us - me - and letting us be a part of their lives. I'm prouder of my daughter and son-in-law than I can tell you. But most importantly of all I would like to thank Chris, for marrying me twenty-five years ago despite the years I'd spent ignoring her and making her unhappy. I'd like to thank her for making me so happy, for making me a father, for all the years she spent helping me follow my dreams, and for sticking by me during the time when I had lost us the most important thing in our lives. Chris, I'm so glad we're here today, together back where it all began, back home. Here's to you Chris."

Chris found her cheeks wet again as Tom lifted his glass to her and everyone else joined in. "And you didn't let me make a speech because I would cry?" she said accusingly, but with a smile that contradicted her words. "Come on let's have one more dance." Back in Tom's arms once more they moved gently past Rosie and Dave, who were also dancing, lost in their own world. Chris smiled at her husband, happy to be safely home together.