Chapter 10

Nate entered Penelope's room watching every move she made as she walked to the sofa that was against the room. He followed her and they both sat down each turned to face each other.

"Nate…"

"Shhh…it's ok Penelope."

"No it's not…you wanted…you wanted closure and I…I took it away from you and I am sorry…I am so sorry Nate." Penelope said the tears starting to pool in her eyes again as she held Nate's gaze.

"Yes I wanted closure. I wanted to…I needed to know why." Nate said softly.

Penelope stared at him and they sat in silence for a few moments as each considered what to say next.

"You know Sophie was a lucky woman." Penelope said reaching out an resting her hand on Nate's knee. He did not make a move to pull away , instead he placed his hand on hers and asked what she meant.

"She…she had you. You who were always there for her, always loved her. You never hurt her, never raised a hand to her. You took care of her." Penelope continued.

"Now I've lost her…" Nate said feeling his emotions welling again. He needed this woman to talk to him and he needed to make her feel he was vulnerable. He had a feeling that was what she wanted. "I don't think…I can't live without her." He said not having to fake the emotion that caused tears to sting his eyes.

"No…no Nate. You can…" Penelope said moving closer to him. "You can and you must. She would want you to."

Nate smiled at her, his blue eyes swimming in tears.

"You know she would be proud of you. She was proud of you."

"Proud of me…" Penelope said subtally closing the gab between them until they were almost touching.

"Yes. After everything you went through, everything Hilton did to you, you didn't just curl up and die, you used your resources, your money to help others in your own situation."

"It's what you would have done isn't it Nate. You help people like me. You take care of people, you are such a wonderful man…" Penelope said gaining in confidence now. Nate did not seem angry with her. He was confiding in her. "I often thought…" Penelope stopped suddenly realising that she was about to say something she shouldn't.

"You often thought what Penelope…Penny…can I call you Penny…?" Nate said is voice low and full of emotion.

"Penny…my father used to call me Penny…" Penelope said smiling through fresh tears as she looked at Nate. "I would like it if you did…" She said softly.

"So Penny…what is it that you thought…I…I really would like to know."

"I just…"Penelope said hesitantly.

Nate leaned forward and placed a hand on her shoulder then cupped her cheek softly.

"What Penny…"

"Well…I was jealous of her…" Penelope said then seeing a flash of anger in Nate's eyes she pulled away slightly. "I mean…I mean you are…She had you and I had…Hilton…" She said spitting out the name of her husband with pure venom in her voice.

"Now…now I have nobody…My wife…my child…my beautiful little girl…"

"That's way Nate…that's why I had to do it. I had to, you are not that type of man, you would not have avenged them in that way and you needed to, you needed it so I…" Penelope said dropping her head slightly.

Nate reached out and lifted her head up until their eyes met. Hers filled with tears.

"You are such a strong woman…such a…"

"Oh Nate…I know you loved Sophie, I know she loved you but…"

"But she's gone…They…they're gone…" Nate finished for her.

"Yes" Penelope whispered.

"I don't know what I am going to do now…" Nate said softly.

"You will carry on, that is what she would want. She would want you to be happy." Penelope told him her hand now resting firmly on Nate's leg. "She would want you to go on…"

"I don't know if I can…"

"You must…I…I can help you Nate…" Penelope said boldly moving forward and embracing Nate. "I can help you if you would let me." She whispered.

Nate sat back smiling at her through his tears. He pushed her slightly away from him but did it gently and as if he were reticent to. Then he took a deep breath and blew it out indicating he was desperately trying to regain his composure.

"Oh Nate…don't worry I'll take care of you…I'll help you get through this I promise." She said hugging him tightly to herself and rubbing her hands across his back rhythmically.

"You are such a strong woman Penny…just…just like Sophie." Nate said haltingly. "I mean the way you…you set up that whole network to help those women…to get them away from their abusive husbands…Sophie…Sophie spoke of you often of your courage and your ability to…to take care of the woman…to get them spirited away and safe…free from their husbands." Nate said. "I wish…I wish I could be as strong as you."

"You don't have to be Nate…I'll be strong for you…you can lean on me." Penelope said now feeling as if she were closer to Nate than she had ever been. He needed her and she was going to be there for him, she would show him that there was life after Sophie.

"Thank you Penny…you don't know what this means to me." Nate breathed fighting his urge to pull away from her and beat her into telling him what she had done with his wife and child.

He was now sure she was the Mastermind behind all of this. She had the resources, especially to spirit people away, faking deaths, making people disappear. Why had he not seen it earlier? Why had he fallen for her deception? There was only one small hope in what was happening and that was that Nate was sure the woman would not hurt Kate and Sophie. She would simply make them disappear out of his life. A shiver ran through him at the fleeting fear of what Penelope would do to Sophie if she did not go along with whatever she had staged to keep Sophie away from him and their family. He swore if one hair on her or Kate's head had been hurt, he would make Penelope pay for it, woman or not. For now though he had to play his part. He had to get her to confide in him, he had to trick her into giving him something he could work with. This woman was unstable and if she realised that he knew what she was doing there was no telling what she would do, to him, to Sophie and Kate…to herself.

"I promise Nate everything will be alright…" Penelope said softly as she felt him shiver with what she thought was emotion at having her hold him, having her soothe him, having her love him.

So it was Penelope that was behind everything. Now Nate has to pretend to let her get close to him in order to get the information he needs from her. Will he be able to trick her into giving him something that could help? Thanks for the reviews, they are so greatly appreciated. Please don't forget to let me know what you thought of this chapter to.