Again apols for delay... I've had sick kids LOL

Chapter 15

Rio stood in the shower, face towards the showerhead. The hot water was helping to relieve his hangover.

He was still angry though. He wasn't sure how to stop being angry. He'd been angry his whole life, at the whole world. Angry at the system that oppressed his family, angry at what he had to become to survive the brutality of it all.

But this was new. He kept thinking of Elizabeth's face, he could see her so clearly in his mind. Her big blue eyes, that smile… That woman drives me fuckin' mad, he thought. He turned the shower to cold.

A good ten minutes later, Rio finally got out of the shower, feeling vaguely human again. He picked up his phone, tempted to call Elizabeth. No. Not now. Turner first, he thought. He pulled on some clothes and walked out the door.

Beth was getting really agitated. Rio hadn't returned her calls.

Dean had stormed out of the hospital; Annie was nowhere to be found and Ruby was meant to come visit but Harry was sick, so she thought it best to stay away.

Beth was bored and grouchy, but she was stuck there. The doctors wanted to keep her in for a few more nights to monitor her and the baby. She knew she should be grateful that her baby was okay, but she just wanted to get the hell out of there. She missed her kids. Her own bed. She missed Rio too.

She stared down at her phone again. Willing it ring or buzz. Nope. Nothing happening. She sighed and lay down, hoping sleep and oblivion would come.

Rio sat at the park, nerves frazzled, hangover unrelenting. Where the fuck is he?, he thought testily. Suddenly Turner sauntered up: cavalier attitude and newspaper in hand. He sat down and opened his paper theatrically.

Rio snorted derisively, "you been watching old spy movies or somethin'? What's with the newspaper? Every time we meet like this you have a newspaper".

Turner smiled calmly, peering out from behind his paper. "I am just catching up on the news while I catch up with you. It's called multitasking. You should try it."

Rio felt on edge. He didn't like how calm and smug Turner was acting. Like he knew something he didn't.

"How's your boy?", Turner continued.

"None of your business, that's how my boy's doing" replied Rio with a hint of danger in his voice. Turner was trying to headfuck him and Rio was having none of it.

"Why don't we move things along and get to why you needed to see me?" Rio stated. His headache was getting worse.

Turner smiled benevolently at him. Rio suppressed an urge to punch him in the throat.

"I hear Boland is currently indisposed", smiled Turner. "This is the opportunity we have been waiting for. This is when we nail her. And you can get your life back, Rio."

Rio wrinkled his brow. "What did you hear?" he asked as calmly as he could manage.

"Oh, don't tell me you didn't know?", replied Turner in a sickly-sweet tone. "She was rushed into hospital. Trouble with the baby apparently. I heard that she will be staying in for at least a few days. So, you have a golden opportunity to gather the evidence I need in her absence."

Rio felt like a simmering rage, which unchecked would soon become volcanic. This muthafucka wants me to screw Elizabeth over while she is in hospital with my kid?!

Rio took a deep breath. He knew this had to be a test. Turner was a sociopath who liked to twist the knife, see people suffer; he must know that this was going to put Rio's back up.

Fuck you Turner, Rio thought, and put on his best smile. "What do you need?", he asked.

Dean was feeling miserable. He kept thinking back to the hospital when Beth told him Rio was back. Seeing her face light up as she spoke about him.

He knew he needed to get his shit together. Rio wasn't the real threat here. Turner was. But right now, all he could think of was that thug fucking his wife.

Yes. His wife. She still felt like his wife. He still loved her.

The decision to divorce felt right at the time but as the months had progressed, they seemed to be getting along better. Without Rio in the picture. It was like in the old days. Before everything went wrong. He knew he would never love anyone like he loved Beth. He stifled a sob and reached for the glass filled with a deep amber liquid.

He had managed to get two of the kids to go on sleepovers with friends and the other two were at his mother's. He planned on getting royally drunk and giving his misery free reign. He started on the whisky about 2 in the afternoon and was enjoying a comfortable buzz of self-pity when the doorbell rang.

Oh fuck, he thought, hoping it wasn't one of the kids. He didn't want them seeing him in this state.

He tried to arrange his face to appear sober, took a deep breath, attempted a fake smile and then went to open the door. He could not believe his eyes. Rio.

"S'up, Dean?" asked Rio, a smile playing on his lips which did not quite reach his eyes.

Annie was sat at the end of her bed holding a cup of hot coffee in one hand, biting her nails on the other and watching Noah sleep. Her gut was churning.

What the fuck am I going to do?! she thought frantically. Should I come clean? Tell him about Rio? She shook her head as if to shake off the temptation.

No Beth would kill her. And then Rio would literally kill her.

She sighed loudly which caused Noah to stir in his sleep. No matter what, Annie felt like she would have to face the music sooner or later. She went through to the kitchen to grab Noah a cup.

Noah woke up as the sweet smell of coffee filled his nostrils. He looked up through bleary eyes and saw Annie setting down a large cup of joe on the bedside table. He closed his eyes again and pretended to sleep.

Annie stared down at him, a mix of happiness and sadness flooded her features. As she turned to walk away, Noah saw his chance. He pulled Annie into an embrace down on the bed as she giggled and shrieked.

As the giggling subsided, Annie looked deep into Noah's eyes. My god he's beautiful, she thought. They shared a passionate kiss, with the promise of something more.

Annie could feel herself getting sucked into this perfect illusion of happiness. But it wasn't real. Couldn't be real. Not if there were secrets between them. Annie pulled back, a slight frown on her pretty face.

"What's wrong?" asked Noah, concern coloring his voice.

Annie sighed and sat up. Where the fuck do I start?!

"Noah, why did you come?", she asked, tentatively.

Noah sat up, elbows resting on his knees. "Why do you think I came back?" he asked in return.

Annie's mouth opened and closed a few times, unable to speak.

"Annie, I know how we met was…. Shitty. But you have to believe me… I fell for you. Hard. I love being close to my kid, work is going okay… but there's something missing." Noah paused, reached his hand out to touch her cheek. "That something is you".

Annie took a deep shuddering breath. "Noah… I think I made a mistake… getting back in touch with you again".

Noah withdrew his hand and ran it over his face. "Right", he said, tightlipped, his face looking pale, "I see". He nodded to himself and then got out of bed and started to get dressed.

"You know what, Annie? One of these days maybe you'll need to stop being so fucking afraid of living, you know? Stop pushing people away… and maybe letting yourself love someone – and letting them love you."

Annie sat, still like a statue. Not knowing what to say. Noah walked out of the bedroom and didn't look back. Any second now he'd walk out the door and she'd lose him forever. Maybe that was the right thing to do? She was trouble, she knew it. She didn't want to fuck his life up. But…

"Noah, wait!" she cried.

She heard the door go. Her heart sank. She could feel tears burning in her eyes as she lay on her side in the fetal position.

Suddenly she heard a voice say "jeez, that took you long enough. I almost actually left".

Annie sat up and saw Noah standing in the bedroom doorway, a peculiar smile on his face.

He walked over and sat down on the bed and took Annie's hand in his and kissed it. "Now you gonna tell me what's goin' on in that head of yours?".

Across town Ruby was busying herself in the kitchen clearing breakfast away and trying to get Sara ready for school. Stan had come in from a long shift and was asleep upstairs whilst Harry was lying on the sofa watching cartoons, recovering from a fever.

"Sara come on now girl, or you will miss the bus!", she called into the living room.

Sara had seemingly been ensnared in the TV's luminescent trap, staring at the cartoons in a world of her own. Ruby rolled her eyes and grabbed Sara's lunchbox, stuffing it into her bag. This would require a physical intervention.

She walked into the living room and gently ushered Sara towards the kitchen, handing her the bag and coat, giving her a hug, and in one smooth movement got the back door open for Sara to leave.

In the Mom Olympics, that move would have been a clear 10 points.

"Bye sweetie, have a good day" she murmured into Sara's hair as she stole one last hug. "Bye, love you mom" came the reply as Sara skipped off down the path.

No sooner had she shut the back door, when a knock came from the front door.

Ruby rolled her eyes, what did she forget now?! "The lord is testing me" she sighed and wandered over to the door.

She yanked it open with a sigh, "girl what did you forget now?". Ruby's eyes widened in shock and she gasped audibly, holding onto the door frame for support. It wasn't Sara.

"Good morning, Mrs Hill. Or may I call you Ruby?", smiled Agent Turner. "Is this a bad time? Or can I come in?"