Chapter number 24. The final goodbye
"Lara about today, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you get upset" Peter apologized.
"No, I'm sorry, you were right, it can't wait, when stuff like that comes up, it's hard to keep working while your thinking about something else" Lara said honestly.
"Yeah tell me about it" Peter replied, a smile came to his face, a few minutes ago he thought that he wouldn't be getting the chance to talk to her without one of them getting cranky, and there they both were, smiling at each other, it was a second that seemed to last forever, he looked into her eyes, they were beautiful to him, just like her smile, just like everything about her.
"Look, Peter, I'm going to have to be honest with you". She started, pulling her gaze away from his. "This morning before we left to go to Greensville, there was a bit of a-, well".
"A spark?"
"Yeah, I guess you could call it that" she told him looking down at her hands.
Peter reached out his hand and gently guided her chin up, "I felt it too" he admitted, "and you've been driving me crazy ever since".
"Peter" Lara spoke, pulling her head back slightly to separate his hand and her chin. "I'll admit that there was something there, and yes, I can't stop thinking about you, but-".
"There's someone else isn't there?" Peter jumped to conclusion, sounding disappointed.
"No" Lara shot out, "yes and no".
"What do you mean?"
"You remember Glen don't you?"
"Yeah, of course I do, he was a very highly respected cop".
"Ever since-, ever since he died, I just-, I feel like when ever I get close to another man, like I'm dancing allover his grave".
"Oh, I see" Peter said, putting his arm around her.
"And I know, I know he would of wanted me to be happy, but it's just-".
"You still feel like your letting him down" Peter added.
"Yeah. But that doesn't mean that I want to forget about what's been happening between us, the truth is I'm falling in love with you. Are you willing to wait just a little while for me?"
Peter nodded, with an understanding smile on his face, "I think I can manage that".
"Good cause I'd hate to see you leave like that" she smiled back at him.
"As if I'd do that to you" he said lovingly rubbing his hand up her back and giving her a quick kiss on the fore head. "Looks like you've got a lot of work to do, I'll leave you too it".
"Ok, catch up with you later then?" she asked as he neared the door.
"Of course, you can bet on it" he replied giving her a promising smile before leaving.
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At the Macklin's mansion in Sydney, Martha drove into the driveway and got out of her car, she slammed the door and made her way up the drive way. Rose and Boyd would be inside waiting for her with Dylan. She's called earlier to tell them the news about Serena, Dylan wouldn't know though, it was something Martha had to tell him herself, she could only imagine the sadness of the little boy, and it hurt her to know that her little boy was going to have to go through all the sadness at his young age.
She opened the door slowly and put her bag on the small table up against the wall in the entry way of the house. Then, taking a deep breath and pulling herself together, she walked up the stairs to where she could hear the sound of Dylan playing with his cars.
"Mummy come play with me" Dylan smiled at his mum as she came into the lounge room.
"Sweet heart, not now" Martha started, taking a seat on the couch, "come and sit next to mummy" she instructed, patting the spot on the couch next to her.
"What's wrong mummy, you don't look very happy" Dylan asked, he might have been only four, but he knew that something wasn't right.
Martha pulled Dylan onto her lap and just looked at him for a second, "I went to go see Aunty Serena today".
"Really? Is she beating the big bad wukemia monster?"
"No sweety, she's gone to a better place where there's no more hospital's, and no more Leukemia monster's to hurt her" she spoke softly holding him in her arms.
Dylan looked sad, his eyes were watery and his face looked disappointed, "But Aunty Renie promised me she'd beat bad Mr wukemia, and her friend Chemo was going to help" he cried.
"I know sweety, I know" she whispered, holding him close, "I know".
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At the shed in the bush of Greensville, the same figure dressed in black appeared from in the bushes only seconds after the last police car was out of sight. They made there way towards the shed, in there hand was a piece of white paper. The figure opened the door and slipped inside, pulling off the black hood of the jumper, revealing there face, it was a female, her hair covered by her black beanie. She placed the piece of paper down on one of the tables that had nothing on it from being cleared by the police earlier, then made her way out not disturbing a thing, the quest wasn't over yet. Not until the biggest secret of all was revealed.
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"Good morning" Rose greeted Martha as she stumbled her way into the kitchen the next morning, "how are you holding up?"
"I've been better" she sighed, "I'm just so worried about Dylan, last night he came in and snuggled up with me, and just cried himself to sleep".
"Poor little guy".
"Yeah, his not taking it well at all".
"Well can you blame him, I don't think anyone's taking it well, especially you, you can't keep holding it all in the way you've been since you came home last night" Rose told her.
"I'm just trying to stay strong for Dylan's sake, I am dealing with it, I promise".
"Ok, but if your not then-"
"I know, I'll ask for help, but for now could we just drop it please!"
"Yeah sure. Anyway so what are you up too today then?" Rose asked, changing the subject.
"Well I was thinking of going and seeing Jack today".
"Well how about me and Boyd take Dylan with us too the park with Izzy today, maybe it will take his mind off things".
"Yeah, I'm sure he'd love that".
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A week passed and things didn't get much better for anyone. Martha had gone to see Jack, he didn't talk much, nether of them did. Dylan hadn't felt like doing much all week, his little four year old mind didn't know what to do. The police hadn't been back to the shed in Greenville yet, they were still going through the stuff they'd already taken. As for Lara and Peter, they were still just friends, very good friends, they'd even had other work mates comment on how close they seemed to be, Peter just smiled and shrugged it off, he would of loved to tell them that they were more than just friends, but he kept his mouth shut for Lara's sake.
Today was Serena's funeral, every one gathered at Stuarts point for the service, even Jack who had talked the guards into taking him.
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"Get out of the car" the guard ordered opening the door of the police car where they were parked in the car park across the road from the grave yard where his wife had just been berried. "Move it Holden!" the other guard commanded him, grabbing the small chain that attached his hand cuffs together and pulling him out of the car, there were four guards escorting him, two in front of him and two behind him, acting as walls to stop him from escaping.
Jack looked around him, he hadn't seen anything of Summer bay since he was put in jail one and a half years ago, and now it looked more beautiful than ever. He'd taken this place for granted before he was taken away, and he vowed that when he got out, he'd never be unthankful for anything.
"This way" the guard instructed him as they neared the church, he was then seated at the very back of the church, up the front, he could see his family and friends all dressed in black, seeming sad and depressed. He wished more than anything that he could be with them right now, but they guards would never allow it.
"We have come here today to say a final goodbye to Serena Holden" the priest at the front of the church began.
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Just as the service was finishing, Jack was taken outside and the guards lead him across the road so he could watch his wife's grave being taken away from a distance, he wasn't allowed to attend the wake, the prison wouldn't allow it, he wasn't even to be close to any of the other's. And so he watched as Serena's coffin was carried out of the church by Lucas, Tony, Boyd and Peter, until it was out of sight, then without any second thought the guards pushed him back in the car, locked the doors and drove off back to the prison.
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