Hey people! Here's chapter 3! Hope you enjoy it!

Chapter 3

"Mum, mum, its ok"

Zoe opened her eyes to see a circle of people around her.

"Mum sip this water" came Nicky's calming voice. Zoe sat up gripping the water glass in one hand and supporting herself with the other.

"What are you all looking at! Haven't you ever seen a woman faint before!" she snapped.

"Calm down mum" said Nicky helping her to her feet "let's get you home"
The two of them walked through the crowd of people in silence.
"I think you should go to the hospital" suggested Nicky "just for a check up"

"Don't you think I spend enough time in hospitals!" Snapped Zoe.
This prompted a giggle from Nicky "well dad always said you loved the job to much" he laughed.
Zoe stopped and at looked at him "your dad? You've seen him? Where? When? When did he say this? When?"

"Mum I was joking" he answered a little shaken up, he didn't like the way his mother was acting, he missed Nick as well, but he had somehow managed to keep his emotions under control, he had secretly cried, he had secretly said goodbye in his own way, he loved him as much as his mum, but now he knew things were getting out of hand.

He eventually managed to persuade her to talk to Charlie, or uncle Charlie as he called him.
Nicky liked Charlie, he loved his silly banter and magic tricks, even though a five year old could work out how the silly tricks were done they were still great.

Nicky put his mum on the sofa with a blanket and hot water bottle, he tried talking to her himself about what had been going on but he didn't get very far.

"Uncle Charlie will be here soon" he assured her "I'll go and order our pizza now shall i"

Zoe lay there with a blank look on her face, she looked frail and old these days, no twinkle in eye, no energy, she looked drained, somehow Nicky couldn't help thinking that he had turned into the parent, but he didn't mind, he just wished he could make things better.

Charlie arrived about half an hour later, he came equip with flowers and chocolates for Zoe, he could see in her eyes that she was hurting, she looked so distant, so vacant "so how are you?" He questioned sitting on a near by chair.
"Fine" she muttered tucking into the chocolates.
"Good comfort food that" said Charlie steeling one from the box "these are my favourites" he continued.

Zoe gave a half hearted smile, she didn't want him here, she wanted to be alone, she wanted Nick back, he always bought her chocolates.
As her mind raced through all the little things Nick use to do she began to cry, Charlie tried to comfort her but it didn't work, she couldn't stop thinking about Nick, she felt he was still around, and she'd seen him, she knew he was still around.
The tears came like a lightening strike in the sky, she couldn't stop them.

Yet sometimes she couldn't bring herself to cry "I'm sorry Charlie" she sobbed "I can still feel him"
Charlie nodded "I know Zoe, I understand"

But of course he didn't understand, how could he possibly understand? A big part of Zoe had been taken away in the cruellest way possible, murder, Nick was murdered, his killer was still out there somewhere, they only got away with a few bits of Zoe's jewellery and a small amount of cash, was it really worth it? Zoe couldn't help asking herself these questions daily.

She took her mind back to the night of the murder...

It was a normal night for her and Nick, they had been out for a meal and had planned to come home and watch a film.

This wasn't to be.

The DVD they had chosen to watch still lay beside the TV, they had settled down with some paperwork Nick had put together for his neighbourhood watch.

A bottle of wine had been opened, they had each only had one glass, there was some noise outside, they assumed it was kids messing about.
If only they had known what the noise really was.

There was a knock at the door. Zoe remembered cracking a joke to Nick about people interrupting them at that time of night, answering that door was the worse thing she could have done.

The man on the other side of the door burst in when Zoe answered, briefly knocking her out.

When she woke all she could hear were screams, she entered the living room in a daze to see Nicky trying desperately to help his father.
Blood poured from Nicks ears and nose, he lay helpless on the floor, unable to move, Zoe remembered the state he was in, the state their home was in, blood was on every wall, as she looked around it was clear there had been some kind of struggle.
The house looked like the aftermath of the Amityville murders.

She remembered walking over to him, sitting by his side, holding his hand, she didn't admit it to herself at the time but she knew he was going to die, the injuries he'd sustained showed that, the side of his head was open and bleeding profusely, the jacket he held over it was stained with blood and lay near by.
He had a distant look in his eyes.

His last words to Zoe still echoed in her head.

"I love you Zo, and I'm sorry"

She didn't understand what he meant by this, what was he sorry for?

"You've eaten quickly" said Charlie snapping her out of her thoughts.
"So what's going on? Nicky said you fainted?" His eyes were narrowed, Zoe could see he was fishing for something, but she couldn't give him any answers, she was confused, hurt and angry.

"Nick wouldn't want you to be like this you know"

Zoe saw red "how the fuck can you say that! Don't tell me what Nick would want! That's all people say! Nick wouldn't want this, Nick wouldn't want that! How fucking dare you!" She screamed "Nick didn't want to die! It wasn't his time!" She was now dragging Charlie by scruff of his neck towards the front door.

"Zoe I'm sorry"
Charlie was surprised by her anger "Zoe please" he stuttered.
"Just get out" she yelled throwing him out and slamming the door in his face.
She couldn't help but hit the door "just go away!" She screamed as tears raced down her cheeks, she turned her back to the door pressing herself against it and sliding down to the floor.

"Its ok Zoe" came a voice.
She stopped crying and looked around, her tears came on and off like a tap.

"I'm here Zoe"

She looked in the direction of the voice but saw nothing, she should have felt fear but she didn't, she felt anger.
"I can hear you" she whispered hoping for some kind of response.

"Mum"

Zoe jumped up and screamed, she ran into the living area and hid behind a chair.

"Um mum what are you doing?" questioned Nicky in a confused tone.
She peaked out from behind the chair to see her son stood with his arms folded looking non to pleased.
"Where's Charlie?" He asked.
"He left, he had to go" said Zoe standing up "why don't you pick a film" she suggested brushing herself down.

Nicky gave her a hard stare and walked over to their DVD collection, Zoe looked around, something didn't feel right, she could feel someone watching her, a chill ran down her spine, she knew Nick was close but she couldn't see him.

"How about wolf creek?" Said Nicky reading the back of the DVD case.
"Yes sure, whatever" Zoe answered making her way to the sofa.

"Pizza should be here soon" Nicky said with a smile placing the DVD into the player.

Zoe sat down on the sofa and tried to focus on the tv, she could feel Nick, she felt his hand on her shoulder, she smelt his breath, she could hear him breathing.
"I'm just going to the loo" she said to Nicky removing herself from the room, she walked into the bathroom and locked the door.

"Pull yourself together Zoe" she whispered to herself as she leaned over the sink and turned on the taps, she took a hand full of water and splashed it over her face, raising her head to look in the mirror the most horrifying sight was before her.

She stared hard at what was confronting her, she could see her own reflection, she saw herself, with tears in her eyes.
There was a hand on her shoulder, she placed her own hand over it and slowly turned round, she couldn't help but let out a gasp.

Nick stood before her smiling "I'm here Zoe"...

Thanks for reading people! Hope you enjoyed it, let me know what you think via comment or review if you can.

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