Hey everyone I'm back, thanks for the reviews.

Warning: may contain adult themes.

Chapter number 44. The closest thing

A week later

No one had heard from Jesse since before Lara had escaped, Peter had even been back to see if Jemma knew anything else but she wasn't any help. Jack had been worried sick, all he could think about was if something happened to Martha, he'd only just got her back, he didn't want to loose her again. Martha and Jack hadn't told Dylan anything about it, they didn't want him to be scared about it, he'd already been through enough when Sean had taken him away from Martha at birth until he was two and a half. Beth and Tony hadn't taken it well ether, they'd gone to the extent in getting extra security around the place, now there were camera's at all the entries to the house.

Alf and Morag hadn't really gotten their heads around it, Martha had just been to tell them and they'd offered to look after Dylan so that there was less for her to be worried about back home. And that's where Martha was headed now.

She pulled up in the front car park and hopped out, "come on Dylan" she said, opening the door for him, she'd started putting a child lock on it ever since he was three and found it amusing to open the door while they were driving.

"Ok, mummy" he answered cheerfully, hopping out, he loved coming to visit his great grandfather and great great Auntie Morag.

"Hello" Alf called out from his front veranda where he and Morag were sitting having cups of tea while they argued over the latest court case that Morag had heard about from a friend of hers who hadn't retired yet.

"Hey" Dylan squealed running along the path to where the little cottage like house was at the end of the first row.

"Dylan slow down, try not to trip ov-" Martha started, but didn't get to finish cause he'd done exactly what she'd always told him not to.

"Owwww" he cried where he sat on the ground with a grazed knee.

"Sweet heart" Martha called out as she ran to where he was, by then Morag had already gotten to him and was helping him up.

"Lets get you inside hey" she suggested, "I'll get him cleaned up, you go and relax ok?"

"Sure?" Martha asked.

"Yes, go home to Jack and stop worrying" she ordered.

"Yes Mum" she chuckled before giving Dylan a kiss on the head and walked back down the path along the front of the cottages that led to the car park.

"Martha" a voice called out from one of the middle cottages, it was Colleen.

"Hey Colleen" Martha said, faking a happy smile, gosh she was kidding herself if she thought she could get away quickly.

"Oh dear, it was terrible hearing about that Jesse, you must be terrified" Collen said in her worried voice as she made her way out to the foot path, hobbling along with her walking stick.

"Yes that was terrible indeed" Madge Wilkinson agreed sipping her tea from where she sat on the veranda.

"Yeah it is a bit scary, but I really have to go" Martha insisted.

"No you must stay and have a chat, it's not often we get visitors" Colleen told her, almost like she didn't have a choice, and reluctantly she walked over to the veranda and sat down with Colleen and Madge.

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"Hey can I give you a hand?" Danielle asked, walking into the kitchen where Rose was washing up dishes.

"Yeah sure" she smiled, chucking her a tea towel.

"So how's Martha today?" Danielle asked, she'd heard a lot about all the stuff with Jesse, Rose had been really worried about her.

"She seems ok, but you can tell she just want this all to be over with" she answered.

"Yeah anyone would".

"So did you see the letter on the bench for you?" Rose asked.

"Yeap" Daniele said quickly, not even looking up from the plate she was drying.

"did you read it?"

"Nope".

"Dani, she's your mum, you can't ignore her forever" Rose told her, stopping what she was doing and looking at her.

"Yeah I can, it's not like she ever cared about me" she said softly, placing the plate down on the bench.

"Hey, I'm sure she does deep down" Rose encouraged her.

"You don't know her like I do, she never loved me" she explained, looking down.

"How could she not love you" she told her, "Danielle look at me, you are a beautiful girl with a good heart, and anyone can see that" she reassured her giving her a hug.

Danielle couldn't help but let out a few tears, "that's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me... you know your the closest thing I've ever had to a real mum".

Rose looked down at the teenage girl in her arms, she couldn't help but shed a few tears herself, Janae really had messed her up.

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"Oh thank god your home I was starting to get worried" Jack exclaimed as Martha finally came though the door.

"Yeah I'm sorry, I was trying to get away quicker" she told him seeming frustrated.

"What's the matter?"

"I got held up by Colleen and Madge" she explained resting her head on Jack's chest and wrapping her arms around his waist.

"Oh let me guess, they wanted gossip?" Jack groaned, he really wished people like them would leave her alone, she needed to keep her stress levels down.

"Yeah" she sighed, "I'm just glad I'm home now" she smiled.

"Yeah me too, I thought Jesse had gotten you" he said, releasing his grip around her and guiding her to sit down on the couch next to him.

"Well he didn't, it's going to be fine" she told him, wrapping her arms around his neck and giving him a kiss.

"I might need some more convincing" he tease, closing his eyes as he took them back into another gentle kiss.

"Looks like we've got the house to ourselves" Martha purred in Jack's ear before kissing a line along his neck.

"Mmm" was all he could get out, he could feel her mouth moving on his skin, it make him shiver with pleasure, "so what did you have in mind?" he said breathlessly.

"Well how about I show you?" she smirked, moving her head back up and capturing his lips again before pushing him down so that she was laying on to of her, then gently she ran her hand down his neck and to his chest, undoing the buttons as she went along.

Jack lost all control as she undid the last one and opened up his shirt, he moved him hands quickly from where they were rested on her sides to the bottom of her shirt and played with the hem as he slowly moved him hands up underneath it.

Just then the door opened and there stood a very shocked Maddie and Lucas. "Um" Lucas shot out.

Martha and Jack looked up, and both sighed, yet again for the millionth time this week they'd been interrupted, Peter had started a trend.

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Peter stumbled into the pub at Greensville with Lara beside him, it'd been another day of searching that had still done nothing. "You want anything?" Lara asked him.

"Just a coke" Peter answered sitting down at one of the tables while Lara made her way to the counter.

She looked at the people sitting at the bar stools and was shocked at who she saw, carefully she walked back to Peter, sat down next to him and whispered in her ear, "Peter he's here".

"What?"

"Jesse's here, at the bar" she repeated.

Peter looked around to the bar and spotted Jesse looking to the guy beside him. "I'll handle this" Peter told her, getting up and coming up behind Jesse, "Nice for you to finally show your face".

Jesse looked around to see Peter looking over at him, "Peter long time no see" he exclaimed trying to sound cool about the whole situation, but Peter didn't budge, instead her grabbed him and pinned him to the floor on his stomach, handcuffing his hands behind his back.

Then he grabbed the chain that attached the handcuffs and pulled Jesse to his feet, dragging him out of the pub with Lara following close behind.

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An hour later

"So anyone want more cake?" Beth asked at the dinner table.

"Yes please" Lucas answered handing his plate to her.

"Your such a pig" Maddie told him.

"And you love me anyway" he grinned.

"That I do" she agreed.

"Hey guys" Tony interrupted as he entered the room, "I just got off the phone to Peter and they've caught Jesse" he announced.

"Well that's wonderful news" Beth exclaimed.

Jack turned to Martha who was sitting next to him and smiled, just like she was, "see I told you I'd be ok" she grinned.

"Yeah, and you are, I just wish none of it happened at all, it's been a stressful week".

"Yeah and the number of times we got interrupted was shocking" she said a little quieter so that no on else could here, "but I'm sure that can change" she smirked.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Jack asked innocently.

Martha leaned close and whispered softly, "come to my room after everyone's gone to sleep and find out" she told him before reaching out to take the champaign glasses Beth was holding out for her and Jack.

"Well I think I can drink to that" Jack said, holding up his glass as Martha did the same.

"Cheers".

Please review. I'll continue when I've got at least two.