[b]Chapter Nine[/b]

[i]Joey and Sean at the Collins family home, same afternoon[/i]

"Hey Jo, how are you going? You haven't spoken for over an hour now, and I wondered whether you needed me tonight or not?"

[i]God, Sean you can be so insensitive! How can you think that I don't want you to be here with me, tonight of all nights? I haven't been in this house for 5 years, and you are meant to be here supporting me. Joey looks over to Sean sitting next to her on the couch, and looks at the face before her. What do I see in you Sean, why did I put up with all your crap for these years?[i]

"Sean, I don't ask much from you, can you please just stay here with me tonight, I know I am not much company, but I need you Sean, I need someone with me, who gets me, you are the closest thing I have to a family, can't you please for once think about me!"

[i]Joey has cried so much today, she has nothing left but silence, even though her heart is being shredded piece by piece, Sean can't hear that, he only hears the waves breaking against the wharf down the road, the same wharf where Brett was shot dead! Not more than 100 metres from us.[/i]

" I don't think I can help Jo. Usually I can fix whatever is broken, but I can't fix you Joey, I can't work out how to put Brett back together again, I can't wind back the clock 6 weeks, or disconnect the satellite phone, or wipe away the pain in your heart that I see reflected in your eyes now. But I'll stay Jo, I will."

[i]From somewhere deep inside Joey, the shredded fragments of her heart surface, and her eyes once again are running streams of clear, soft drops, cascading down her cheekbone, and dropping off the crevasse to her lap. Sean moves in to hold Joey and for the first time in six weeks, Sean finally sees the true feelings, hidden for so long inside. It will be a long afternoon and longer night ahead, but at least the healing can begin, finally at home, finally the stitches of Joey's family can be pulled together if only in death.[/i]