Chapter 26

"Here it is." Tasha pointed at the bench, parked up facing the beautiful sandy beach.

"In loving memory of Martha McKenzie." Martha read. "This is just too weird." She laughed, sitting on the bench. "So where's the plaque?" Martha asked.

"I don't know.." Tasha admitted. "No one does. Jack kept it all very secretive, he was going to tell us but then he had to rush off to the investigation, so he delayed the unveiling until he got back. We've looked everywhere for it haven't we Rob?" Robbie nodded.

"He obviously didn't want it to be found." He laughed. "You know he was really upset when he came back. He tried to act strong, but everyone could see through it, and he knew it. He was really heartbroken Mac. I'd see him in the Diner, and he'd be too busy off in la-la land to notice me. He actually called me 'Mac' once when I approached him mid-daydream."

"I don't look like you do I!" Martha joked, trying to prevent the questions that were obviously coming.

"What happened between you two?" Tasha asked. Martha knew she would have to say something sooner or later, and she guessed that Tasha and Robbie would be the easiest to talk to about it. They sat on the bench for an hour, coaxing every detail out of her. Finally they got the full story, well, up to their argument. Martha didn't really want to discuss anything about Alice or Callum, she didn't feel it was necessary, and she didn't like thinking about either of them, let alone talking about them.

"Oh my god! He drugged you?" Tasha said, putting a comforting arm around Martha. Robbie said nothing. Sure he felt sorry for his friend, after all she was drugged and nearly died as a result, but he knew that Jack wouldn't have done it for anything else but a good reason. He wasn't going to pass judgement before talking the events through with Jack.

It had now been hours since Martha arrived, all the town knew, thanks to Colleen, and had experienced both shocked and pleased emotions. Now all they awaited was the arrival of Jack, which wasn't going to be as far off as they thought.

Jack walked into Noah's.

"Hey Dad! How did I know you'd be here?" He laughed.

"Careful mate, you'll make me sound like a drunk!" Tony joked as Jack sat down next to his dad. He soon noticed the stares that he was receiving.

"What have you told them?" He whispered to his dad. Tony laughed.

"Nothing! I don't think I've got anything to do with why they're staring Jack." Tony replied innocently.

"I've got something on my back haven't I?" Jack said paranoid, jumping up and tugging his top at the back, spinning his head around attempting to look on the back of his top. Tony and Beth both laughed.

"Mate you look like a fool. Sit down." Tony chuckled. "Nothings on your back." Jack sighed and sat down, still confused and uncomfortable about the 18 eyes that were watching him. It was only until Tony and Beth started to ask how he was, when he suddenly realised. 'Martha's been here.' He hadn't thought that she'd return here, after all she had a life in Sydney now, that was her home, not here.

"What's happened with Martha then?" Alf said, interrupting Jack's thinking.

"You mean she hasn't told you? Nothing happened! She's alive!" Jack joked, acting dumb to avoid giving a real answer. "I'm going to go catch some surf, see you later dad." He said, patting Tony on the back and practically running to his car.

Jack sat in his car, what was he going to do? He was bound to walk into Martha sooner or later, and he couldn't get the image of her and Callum kissing out of his head. He rested his head back on the headrest and closed his eyes, trying to come up with some sort of plan to avoid Martha. But instead of coming up with an amazing, clever plan, he fell asleep, exhausted from his long drive.

A few hours later, Robbie was walking back from Martha's flat, where he'd left Tasha and Martha to have girly chats and generally catch up. And as he was strolling through the car park, in the direction of Noah's, he'd spotted the familiar green car in the car park. And as he walked closer, he noticed that Jack was still in the car, asleep at the wheel. He tapped on the window, waking Jack up with a jump.

"God you scared me!" Jack exclaimed. Robbie laughed.

"Hey mate. Where you going?" Robbie said, through the window.

"Well, I guess home, unless there's a raving party that I'm just about to be invited to?" Jack asked, hopefully. Robbie chuckled.

"Come on, I'm coming with. We need to talk anyway."

"If it's about Martha then-"

"Then what? You're going to tell me Jack. I'll get it out of you sooner or later, and it might aswell be sooner." Jack sighed.

"Fine. What do you want to know?" He said, driving from the car park and in direction of his home.

"Are you sure?" Tasha asked, gob-smacked. "I'd seen him hours before he left, and it appeared that he definitely wasn't going to be getting over you anytime soon." Tasha said.

"Obviously not." Martha sighed.

"Callum could just be making it up, after all he does sound like he really liked you. Sometimes strong feelings can shadow your better judgement, so maybe he lied to ensure you and Jack wouldn't get back together, giving you and him a chance of a relationship." Tasha suggested. Martha shook her head.

"Nope, he's not like that…" Martha mumbled.

"Well, he did kiss you didn't he? Then say that Jack didn't love you. Doesn't sound that nice of a guy to me.." Tasha started, but Martha ignored her.

"Have you found it yet?" Asked an impatient Martha.

"Yes, here." Tasha said, pulling a book out of the bookcase and passing it to Martha.

"This is both funny and freaky." Martha giggled to herself as she flicked through the pages of the album. Out of the album slid a disc labelled "Martha's Ceremony." She carefully put it on the side and then shut the book.

"Come on, lets go out!" She smiled.

"Okay then." Tasha said. "Shall I call Robbie?" Tasha asked.

"Yea sure." Martha said, getting up and walking towards her room.

"Let me just get changed first." She said, opening her wardrobe. "Oh my god where are my clothes?" Martha nearly shouted, walking out of her room.

"Oh yea, Jack must have them." Tasha said.

"Why would he have them?" Martha enquired.

"Well, he was supposed to give them to charity, but I overheard Tony saying that he found them just before he left for the undercover investigation. Jack hadn't been able to give them away." Tasha explained.

"Right." Martha said, grabbing her bag. "Lets go and get them before Jack gets back." She smiled, dragging Tasha by the arm.