Thanks for your review EC Brenway - always great to hear your thoughts! Yashvi's powers getting rid of the silver poisoning? I do love the sound of that, you'll have to find out!

The Chemistry In Darkness

Chapter Ninety-Nine

Wednesday 30th July 2025

Bea and Yashvi stood there in the entrance of the Kennedy household, staring between Shaun been back with Aster and Elly looking like her world was falling apart.

When nobody immediately answered Bea's question over what had happened, Bea shot Elly a look about Shaun, "What's he doing here?"

When Elly didn't answer, Shaun did, "I saw the photo that you-"

"I'm asking my sister, thanks," Bea interrupted Shaun, not that she had anything against the man because they wouldn't have Aster without him but knew Shaun been back was a complication Elly and Chloe didn't need in their lives, "What happened? Why's he back?"

Elly couldn't even answer, finally bursting into tears. Bea untangled herself from Yashvi, rushing over to Elly to wrap her arms around her, allowing Elly to curl up into her arms, "Elly, what's happened?"

Yashvi stood there, feeling stuck between wanting to help her wife and sister-in-law, and not sure where her place was amongst her wife's family. Yashvi glanced at Aster as she crawled off of Shaun's back to sit on the kitchen counter, "Hey, Aster, should we give your Mum some time with her sis? Where's Chloe in all this? I actually thought the three of you would've headed back home by now. We only came by here to check if Karl and Suze were in before we headed...home...kinda home...Chloe's old house is our...kinda home until those two decide if they want to move back here to Ramsay Street for you all to live here when the baby arrives."

Shaun silently eyed Yashvi with curiousness at her spilling the plans Elly might've had with Chloe to move back to Ramsay Street once the baby was born to presumably raise their family together in the quiet suburb of Erinsborough, surrounded by their family and friends.

With everyone showing no attention to Shaun, Aster shook her head stubbornly, trying to stop herself from tearing up too, "Chloe's gone...that's why we're still here. We're waiting for her to come home to us."

"What's she talking about?" Bea frowned heavily as she looked down at Elly who was curled up in her arms.

"Chloe's…gone," Elly spluttered out, repeating Aster's words.

Seeing how cut up Elly and Aster were, Yashvi shifted into cop mode, directing her question at Shaun, not wanting to involve him and yet feeling like they had no choice, "Shaun, what happened?"

Shaun shrugged a little bit too nonchalantly for Yashvi's liking, "Chloe went missing before I arrived here. I-"

"Chloe was taken, she didn't go missing herself," Aster corrected her father.

"Ah…right," Shaun shrugged once more as he placed his hand supportively on Aster's upper back as she sat on the kitchen counter in front of him, "What I got out of Elly when I turned up here was that…Chloe was abducted…at your wedding."

"Our wedding?" Bea cried out in surprise, "That's ridiculous…we were at our wedding, thank you. Chloe didn't get abducted at our wedding."

"I think it happened towards the end of the wedding, when you two were leaving the reception for your honeymoon…Chloe was taken," Shaun informed them, then added based on Yashvi's curious look at him, "That's what I got out of Elly…and ah…Karl and Susan…I sat down with them the other day and they gave me some of the info. They'd spoken to Mark…Chloe's brother, he's part of the investigation trying to find her…I haven't really had anything to do with Mark when he's been here speaking to Elly…y'know on account of…my history with him."

Aster frowned up at her Dad, unsure what he was talking about, having no idea that her Mum was married to Mark when Elly had cheated on him with Shaun and that Elly's marriage had come to an end when the truth was revealed that she was pregnant to another man.

But Shaun wasn't worried about any of that, knowing one day he would probably need to explain to Aster the details of how she came to being. Shaun was solely worried that his full-proof plan of claiming he returned based on Bea's photo of Elly and Aster rather than been in town for months, learning everything there was to know about the pair. Shaun couldn't let anyone find out that he was the one keeping Chloe from returning home.

Shaun had his excuses for avoiding having much to do with Mark and the investigation but he couldn't use those same excuses for the cop, Yashvi. He worried greatly if he had underestimated his plan to deceive them all about Chloe's abduction until he had managed to take Aster from them so he could start a whole new life with his daughter, away from the people that kept her from him.

"Why didn't anybody call us to tell us? We would've come straight home," Bea was mad at them for keeping it from them.

"Didn't want to ruin your honeymoon," Elly mumbled out to her sister.

Whilst Bea and Yashvi couldn't help but be silently partially happy that they did get to enjoy their honeymoon together, they also wished that they hadn't been shut out of what was going on in their families lives.

"You should've called us," Bea shook her head at her sister.

"You should've," Yashvi agreed, before getting on with her cop mode, "So, what else do we know besides Chloe was taken? Did anyone see? Do we know who's responsible?"

Nothing. Yes, me but I didn't recognize the werewolf that took her and I can't exactly tell this lot about the werewolf bit…I'm so broken…I don't have a clue who's responsible…and I don't even have it in me to try to find out who it is…

"Nothing as far as we know from Mark. I'm sure he'll come straight to us as soon as he finds something," Shaun answered for Elly, continuing to see how much she was struggling without her partner.

Shaun enjoyed every bit of Elly's torment without Chloe and their unborn baby in her life The thought of Elly getting them both back only to realize that she'll never be able to have them in her life as they were, gave Shaun even more glee. And if he could pull off the rest of his plan, for Elly to lose Aster in amongst her pain when she was too busy been distracted by realizing what had been done to Chloe and their baby, Shaun was only disappointed he wouldn't be around to see Elly's true pain at losing every member of her family one way or another.

"Mama has our friends we live with out on the Island looking for Chloe too. Rom's with the FBI…he's looking for her too…and the guy who took her," Aster added.

Bea hugged Elly tighter, "Alright, well now that we're back…we're gonna do everything we can to bring your girlfriend and baby home as soon as we can," then Bea looked back over at Shaun, "So, what are you doing back here? Did Elly call you to help with Aster whilst she deals with Chloe and their unborn baby missing?"

Shaun wanted to glare at them all at the mere thought that Elly would ever have thought to finally reach out to him about her and Aster been alive knowing deep down Elly and Chloe would've continued on with their lives with their happy little family and he couldn't wait to bring Elly down for keeping Aster from him for all these years or even just the eight months that had gone by that she knew he was alive.

"No, Bea, it was you actually that I should thank for bringing me back into Aster's life," Shaun admitted.

Bea screwed up her face as bringing Shaun back into anyone's life was not something she ever would've done, knowing full well that was the last thing Elly would ever want and would fear that Shaun would want to take Aster from her. Even if it was just some of the time or if Shaun wanted to take Aster to Switzerland to visit his home there.

"What'd I do?" Bea worried, especially when she saw Elly look away from her.

"The photo you posted to your social media about been married with Yashvi…the one with Elly and…the little girl…with all of you…I had to know if it was my little girl," Shaun explained, reaching down and kissing the top of Aster's head.

Bea shuffled awkwardly in Elly's arms, realizing Shaun been back was all her fault and Elly might be upset with her, "Right…and Aster's…happy to have you here in her life I see…"

Aster grinned up at Shaun, "I miss Chloe so much and I want her back home with us so much so I can get to meet my baby brother or sister soon…but I like having Daddy here…he's been spending loads of time with me while Mama waits for Chloe to come home to us."

Shaun smiled down at Aster, "And I'll be here for whatever Aster needs for as long as I can be. I love been a Dad…it's so new to me…but I love it. My little girl is perfect…Elly's done an amazing job raising her…I can't thank her enough."

Yashvi eyed Shaun suspiciously that he genuinely didn't seem upset by how much of Aster's life he had missed, under the impression that Elly and Aster had been killed by Finn, but decided to leave her suspicions to the side and focus on Chloe.

"Right…well it's good that things have…worked out for you both…but how about we focus on what Bea and I can do to help everyone bring Chloe home?" Yashvi moved on from Shaun's return.

Shaun continued spending time with Aster as he watched Elly sit down at the dining table with Bea and Yashvi, overhearing their conversation about how they were gonna track down Chloe, hoping none of them would work out he was responsible before he had a chance to get Aster alone to take her.

One week later, Chloe was still missing.

Elly was distraught as anything with Chloe and their unborn baby been missing for nearly two weeks now and in two days' time the Full Moon cycle would befall her. She would need to prioritize been away from her family to turn into a werewolf without their knowledge instead of doing what she had been for the past near-fortnight without Chloe, barely sleeping, eating or drinking and not coping without her mate by her side and no way of trying to help Chloe. With their baby due in just over a month, Elly was beginning to fear if she would ever meet her child.

Elly continued leaving most of her parenting responsibilities for Aster with Shaun everyday as he continued to be a source of helpfulness been there for Aster every day and didn't seem to have an issue with her one request that he always spend time with Aster only when she was present because she couldn't lose her either.

Back at Shaun's mansion, he was standing over Chloe as she sat on the bed, after dosing her with another set of injections full of liquid silver, hoping after nearly two weeks, there was finally enough in her system to keep her and the baby when she was born away from Elly forever. Or if not forever, at least long enough to distract Elly and Chloe from their new reality of been unable to be near each other so he could take Aster from them and set up a new life with her.

"Cody!" Shaun yelled out to his werewolf comrade, then when Cody entered the bedroom, "This has to be enough silver in Chloe's system by now…and I don't want to wait until during or after the Full Moon. I want to do this tonight. See if you can put your hands on her and how much pain it causes you."

Cody glared at Shaun behind his back, Chloe taking notice of the werewolf's dislike for been used as part of Shaun's experiment.

"Please, just let me go home to my family, I need them, my baby needs them," Chloe begged for the millionth time since she had been taken from them.

Shaun ignored her as Cody stepped next to him standing over Chloe too. Cody reached his hand towards Chloe's shoulder but before he could even get within 15 centimeters of her skin, Cody began shaking and sweating uncontrollably. When he tried to force himself through the pain he was feeling as he reached closer to Chloe, Cody suddenly began to transform into his true wolf being before realizing what was happening and shaking it off so he was human looking again.

When Cody went to pull back, Shaun demanded, "Try again, I want to know how poisonous Chloe is if you touch her."

Cody moved forwards again but he still couldn't get anywhere near touching Chloe and he feared what touching Chloe would actually do to him. Continuing to shake and sweat uncontrollably, Cody dropped his hand away from Chloe when he unexpectedly let loose a long, drawn out, loud fart that squelched at the end of it.

Shaun looked at Cody, "Jesus, Cody, did you just shit yourself?"

"No!" Cody grunted angrily at Shaun, trying to keep himself composed as he feared he soon would, "I'm gonna go to the bathroom just in case."

When Cody glanced at the ensuite bathroom, Chloe glared at him, "Don't you fucking dare! A clean bathroom is the only luxury you have given me here the past 2 weeks."

Scared of Chloe moving towards him and making him feel even worse, Cody backed away from her and Shaun out of the bedroom before rushing off to the closest bathroom he could find.

"Cody's an utter embarrassment, isn't he?" Shaun shook his head in disgust as he left, then at Chloe, "Don't worry, I don't think Elly's gonna have that reaction when you reunite with her. She misses you so much she's barely eaten or drunk anything since you've been gone…looks like that's come in handy now, wouldn't you say? And well…that guy always was a bit gassy and doesn't go to the bathroom half as much as he should considering how much he eats…so I highly doubt that's gonna be every werewolf's reaction to you."

"Elly's not eating or drinking much?" Chloe worried for Elly's wellbeing.

Shaun smirked wildly, "And imagine Elly's reaction when she realizes that she's never gonna be able to be near you or your baby…that she'll never be able to hold that beautiful baby of yours…never going to be able to touch you or her child ever again. Your poison to Elly…what a life you two will lead together."

Chloe whimpered at the mere thought, not able to say anything at all.

Shaun folded his arms in front of him, feeling successful, "I think it's time I take you back home tonight…so you can see for yourself…just how heartbroken Elly will be…And hey…you can tell Elly all about what I've been up to…I'm sure she'd love to hear all about how I'm the one who broke her family apart… Or perhaps you'll be too busy having accidentally poisoned Elly when she sees you're back to get around to telling her what I've done."

What am I gonna do…? Elly's gonna be heartbroken when she learns we can never be together again…

Later that night, Shaun had dragged the heavily pregnant Chloe out of the mansion, without Cody's assistance as he was relegated to staying as far away from Chloe as possible. As a blindfolded Chloe whom had her hands tied together behind her back was shoved into the back of a van, the one she'd been abducted into nearly two weeks earlier, Shaun and Cody got into the front of the van with Cody driving.

Chloe whimpered and cried the entire ride back to Erinsborough. She was terrified of how Elly was going to react to knowing their family would never be the same again and how much it would break Elly's heart even more than not knowing where she was.

Soon enough, the van pulled into Ramsay Street, coming to a stop at the entrance of the court before the first house, Paul and Terese's. Shaun got out of the van, opened the side door and dragged Chloe out of it, throwing the blindfold back into the van, then turning Chloe around until he could untie the restraints on her wrists, "C'mon, Chlo, time to go back to your family and break the news to them you'll never be able to touch them again."

Chloe stumbled out of the van, wanting nothing more than to slap Shaun for what he'd put her through for weeks but before she could do anything, she was on her own on the curbside. Shaun was back in the van next to Cody and the van was speeding around the court to make its way out of Ramsay Street.

The van stopped back at the end of Ramsay Street, waiting for the traffic to disappear so they could drive away. Or so Chloe thought and she was too distracted by her thoughts over what to do.

Shaun directed Cody to keep the van where it was as he stared at the sideview mirror on the van, watching Chloe waddle her way down the middle of Ramsay Street, "C'mon, Chlo…don't let me down…"

Shaun then smiled wildly, "Atta girl," as he watched Chloe turn away from the Kennedy's house and instead stumble her way to her brothers' house at number 32, "I knew Chloe wouldn't be able to face Elly and break her heart…she's gonna do exactly what I wanted her to…go to her brothers and convince them to help her escape her life from Elly and Aster in a bid to keep them safe and never know how they can't physically be together ever again."

As Chloe disappeared up the driveway of her brothers' house, Cody frowned as Shaun suddenly got out of the van, "Where you going?"

Shaun raised his hands up in the air, "Make sure you stay reasonably close by and be ready for my call. It's a beautiful night. Perfect for an evening trip down to the café for an ice cream with my daughter…wouldn't you say?"

Next time - Will Aster be enjoying an ice cream with Shaun far away from the safety of Elly? Is Shaun's prediction about why Chloe goes to Mark and Aaron instead of Elly, right?