A/N: The dialogue in this chapter is from the episodes aired 20/09/05 and 22/09/05.
...
2005
"No second thoughts?" Callum asked Zoe.
"About leaving, or about this place?" Zoe took one last look around Home Farm, Joseph at her side, Jean in her arms.
"Either."
Zoe thought of how Tom King had successfully put Tate Haulage out of business. She remembered Jimmy King's smug expression as she had been forced to sign Home Farm over to his family. She recalled Sadie King's blackmail, her voice taunting her, saying, "If that revolting creature Scott Windsor had forced himself on me I would definitely have tried to kill him," Joseph looking horrified at these words as Zoe had clutched him protectively to her...
"No," she said, shaking her head. "No looking back." If the Kings wanted Home Farm so badly, they were welcome to it. They had underestimated her though, like most people did. Had they forgotten she was a Tate?
"Are you sure you don't want to come with us?" she asked Callum, putting her arm around Joseph, who was now up to above her shoulder and would soon tower over his aunt. In her other arm, Jean happily chewed a lollipop, oblivious to the drama that surrounded her.
"Nah. Like he said, I'm just a flunky," said Callum, a little bitterly. Scott's words had obviously hurt him.
"You're a real friend," Zoe corrected him. In some ways, Callum had been to her what Terry had been to Chris.
"Good. Let's get you to the airport."
Zoe began to lead the children out, remembering her first Christmas here with Frank, Kim and Chris, how lucky they must have seemed to outsiders...
"I hope Mr King appreciates his housewarming gift," she said with a small smirk. They would soon learn that Home Farm came with a price.
"Are you sure?" Callum gave her one last chance to change her mind.
She nodded. "Yeah."
Downstairs, the gas pipes hissed loudly as the timer began its countdown.
The Kings' car drove onto the Home Farm drive just as Zoe's was pulling out, Callum at the wheel, Zoe behind him with the children. "Stop the car," said Zoe, before they reached the end of the drive.
"What?"
"Just do it, Callum."
Callum reluctantly stopped the car. On the drive, Tom King and two of his sons got out of their own vehicle. Tom appeared to be making some kind of speech as Jimmy and Max exchanged eye-rolls. Finally Tom handed his eldest son the keys to the front door. Jimmy strode up to the house, ready to usher in a new era of Home Farm history.
Suddenly an explosion ripped through the building, blasting all three Kings to their feet. They slowly got up, looking around with dismayed expressions at the ruins of their new home while Zoe watched from a safe distance. Joseph caught sight of his aunt's triumphant expression in the rear-view mirror as Home Farm blazed behind them.