Several months later.

Sophie is almost recovered and is back at Uni. They're having dinner before Josh starts the night shift. She hates it when he's not there for her at night, and it stresses him too. Yes she's pretty much recovered but she can still get nervous that Luke might re-appear, or just being alone in bed at night is enough to scare her sometimes.

They are both on edge.

Sophie has something she wants to talk to him about, she doesn't really choose the best moment though.......
Sophie; "You know, I haven't seen my parents for a while now"
Josh; "Do they have plans to visit ?"
Sophie; No............I was thinking of going to visit them"
Josh frowns.
Sophie; "I'd like you to come too"
Josh ( angrily ); "You know how I feel about going back there !"
Sophie; "It's just to see my family !"
Josh interrupts; "No, your mum will organise something with my mum........... You know they talk to each other, talk about us.........."
He has stood up and is really agitated. Sophie knew he would get upset about this, but she is still surprised that it is SO raw.
Sophie reaches out to him with her hand............."Josh...."
Josh ( angrily ); "No Sophie ! " and he pushes her hand away and strides out of the room. She sits in silence at the table, then hears the front door slam shut, and he's gone. Sophie starts crying, she didn't think that he'd react quite that badly.

She calls one of her friends.

Josh is distracted and irritable at work all night. He tries to call Sophie but she doesn't answer her phone, then he figures that she is probably asleep by now, so he gets on with work. When he returns from his shift, it's early morning. Too early for her to be up and at Uni. He expects to find her warm and snug in bed, to offer his apology and get some make-up 'time'.

But she's not there. He's stunned.

He looks around, some of her clothes and her toiletries are gone. He swears, she must have gone to see her parents. She still won't answer his calls. That night he calls her parents, but she's not there either. Josh curses, now they are worried about her too.

Josh tries to remember her friends' names. Now he wishes he'd paid more attention. She's taken her address book and he doesn't have their numbers even if he can remember their names. He has one number though.
He calls Marisa; "Ah, hi Marisa, it's Josh here"
Marisa; "Josh ? Hello, this is unexpected"
Josh; "Yeah, well, I'm trying to find Sophie, I was wondering if you could give me some names, and even better some phone numbers to call.........."
Marisa; " What, did you two have a fight ?"
Josh; "Well, I guess so........it didn't seem like it ..........but she's disappeared now"
Marisa; "Men ! I wouldn't worry too much Josh, she's probably just lying low for a couple of days. Make you think a bit......." Marisa chuckles to herself. "Did you call her parents ?"
Josh; "Yes, she's not there" , he sighs sadly.
Marisa gives him some names but she doesn't have many numbers because she's moved to Sydney now and lost contact.
Josh has a nagging worry that Sophie's disappearance could be connected to Luke, but then she took her bag so it seems planned...........

Josh is desperately worried about her now. He goes in to work even though it's not his shift. There's someone he wants to see. He walks in to the control room unannounced.
Leon; "What the ? Well hello Josh ! Shouldn't you be at home with the lovely Miss Sophie ?"
Josh; "I would be, but she's gone missing"
Leon's jaw drops; "missing ?"
Josh shoves a piece of paper at him; "These are some names of friends she might be with.....I don't have their numbers"
Leon; "Uh-huh, you want me to do you a favour do you ?"
Josh; "Looks like it"
Leon; " We do have something called a phone book........."
Josh; "Of course I tried that you..............." ( he stops himself ) "These ones aren't in there"
Leon; "Alright then..........know the magic word ?" Leon smiles his toothy smile at Josh.
Josh hates this, "please Leon........."
Leon; "Leave it with me, where are you going to be ?"
Josh; "I think I'll go home just in case she turns up"
Leon; "Good idea, I'll call you there" and he salutes Josh as he leaves ( behind his back ).
Josh goes home and waits nervously.

When Josh stormed out Sophie was not just angry but disappointed. She'd thought that he'd stopped being so moody. She decided to teach him a lesson and disappear for a week, she knew he'd go crazy trying to work out where she was. She had something she needed to resolve with him before she saw her parents again. She noticed how many calls he made to her phone, she desperately wanted to answer them but she had strong willpower. She kept attending her classes though..........

Leon calls Josh; "Look Josh, I'm not having much luck with these names, but do you think she would stop going to Uni ? She's fairly passionate about it, maybe you could find her there ?"
Josh; "You're a genius Leon !"
Leon quietly smiles to himself, Leon; 1 Josh; 0
Josh takes a day off sick. These days it's Josh, not Dom who is in the bad books with Lawson. He loiters around the campus. He doesn't know all of her hang-outs but he knows where her photography classes are. Sure enough she turns up.
As she walks up to the building, Josh steps forward and grabs her by the arm. Passers-by are shocked.
Josh; "Hey !"
Sophie gasps but she doesn't say anything. She sort of wants him to find her, what now ?
He pulls her away, off the path, into the gardens under a tree.
Josh; "What the hell are you playing at ? I've been worried sick about you, searching everywhere for you !" He's angry but also incredibly relieved that she is ok.
Sophie; "Well you didn't look hard enough...."
Josh; "Oh !...........I feel like slapping you right now !"
Sophie; "Go ahead !"
Josh just stares at her in shock. He feels like he doesn't know her. Women ! he thinks.
Sophie; "I have to go now, I have a class" ( she feigns indifference )
There are already enough people staring at them, so Josh chooses not to make a scene. He watches her walk away, dumbfounded. He is in such shock that he doesn't even think to ask where she is staying until she has left.