Retreat then Restore...Revisiting the Past

She went away, and now she's back...but how does she explain the fact that she wasn't dead, and didn't kill herself?

Just a word of warning to all...My exams start in May and there's going to be a lot of pressure on me workwise until the end of June. So posts may be sparse.

I am posting like a well oiled machine these past few days, there's inspiration in the air.

She woke the next morning, in her bedroom, fully clothed. She found herself wondering how she got there, and put it down to falling asleep because of her jet lag, her endless struggle to stay awake to sort everything out the previous day.

Stretching and leaning towards the clock to check the time, she realised that it was 10am, and Cassie hadn't woke her up. She always woke her up, 6am on the dot. Something was wrong.

Looking over to the cot by her bedside, Diane sat up in alarm when she realised that Cassie wasn't in there.

Leaping out of bed, she threw on her dressing gown and said out loud, 'They promised me it was over, that they were all gone. How did they find us? CASSIE!'

Opening the door, she ran into the living room, to find Ric sitting on the sofa, feeding Cassie a warm bottle and laughing as she so eagerly drank it down.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Diane said, 'Thank God!'

'Morning Diane,' he said, passing her a cup of tea. 'Have been up since 8, did a little bit of food shopping, came back here and heard this little one stirring, so I thought that I should get her up and feed her so that you could sleep. What was that shouting about?'

'I thought that Gavin's minions had come and taken her away,' she said quietly. 'It's my worst nightmare, that there's still some of them out there, that they're looking for us. That one day they'll find us, and take my baby away. I can't let it happen Ric, I can't. She's my baby.'

Passing Cassie to Diane, Ric held her close and said, 'I'm not going to let anything like that happen. Ever. You and Cassie will be safe, I promise. I'll look after the both of you.'

'12 months of having her everywhere with me,' said Diane, starting to sob, while watching Cassie grin. '9 months of pregnancy, 3 months of life. Not trusting anyone to watch her, in case Gavin's men found us. What have I become Ric? I go off on one when it would've been obvious that she was here with you!'

'Hey, hey, hey,' he said, lifting her chin up. 'I'd expect you to be untrusting. You trusted Gavin, and he betrayed you in the worse way one person can to another. Give yourself a break.'

'Okay,' she said quietly, wiping her eyes. 'I better go and get Cassie changed.'

'And while you do that, I will make some breakfast,' he said cheerfully. 'Do you fancy a fry up?'

'Do I fancy a fry up?' she asked, repeating his question. 'Ask a silly question Ric, I haven't had a decent one since before I left for Australia!'

'Take that as a yes then,' he said jubilantly. 'And every fry up you've ever eaten, apart from mine, have never been decent.'

'Have fun fitting through the door, big head,' she said, poking her tongue out and leaving the room.

'You've changed your tune,' said Ric. 'You were crying a minute ago.'

'My baby's safe, and you're here. I don't need to cry,' she said.