Retreat then Restore...Revisiting the Past

She went away, and now she's back...but how does she explain the fact that she wasn't dead, and didn't kill herself?

Just a word of warning to all...My exams start in May and there's going to be a lot of pressure on me work wise until the end of June. So posts may be sparse.

'Well,' said Max. 'From what I have heard, she is definitely not the kind of person you'd want looking after a child. And with what Gavin tried to do to you, they won't hand Cassie to her on the fact that you killed him.'

'You have no idea how happy I am to hear that,' replied Diane with a sigh of relief.

And it came to that day, the court day. Gwendolyn had been stubborn enough to hold on to the end, and today would give all of them answers, the verdict that Diane and Ric knew would be given, but Gwendolyn would never admit.

'The Family Proceeding's Court will now hear the Cunnick vs Lloyd case,' it was announced. 'Representing Gwendolyn Cunnick we have Linus Newman, and representing Diane Lloyd, Maxwell Youngman. Can we please receive a statement from Mrs Cunnick?'

'We can your honour,' said Mr Newman. 'Mrs Cunnick wishes to receive full custody of her granddaughter, Cassidy-Rica Joanne Lloyd, owing to the fact that Ms Lloyd is an unfit mother to her, lives in unsuitable accommodation for raising a child and was responsible for the death of her son, Gavin Cunnick. She also wishes for you to grant an exclusion order preventing Ms Lloyd from seeing Cassidy as Mrs Cunnick feels that Ms Lloyd is violent.'

'And does Ms Lloyd have anything to say to respond to these allegations?' asked the judge.

'I do Your Honour,' said Diane, standing up. 'I can positively and categorically swear on everything that is holy that I am not violent, and I am a good mother to my child. I no longer live in that flat, which I knew was unsuitable, and am now living with my fiancée Eric Griffin in our home in Holby. And it's true, I am responsible for the death of Gavin Cunnick. As a witness in organised crime, I was sent into witness protection under the care of Mr Cunnick. He tried to kill me when I was pregnant, pushing a gun into my womb, I wrestled it away from him and shot him. I was officially pardoned by the Cardiff Police Department owing to the fact that it was self defence, and my conscience is clear.'

'Thank you Ms Lloyd,' said the judge. 'Do either of you have any witnesses for your case?'

'Your Honour,' said Max, standing. 'We'd like to call Inspector Awbrey of Cardiff Police to the stand.'

'Very well,' replied the judge, signalling for him to be brought in.

'Inspector Awbrey, please state your full name and occupation for the record,' said the judge.

'Aneurin Awbrey, Inspector of the Central Cardiff Police,' stated Mr Awbrey.

'Mr Awbrey,' said Max. 'Can you tell the court what happened surrounding the death of Gavin Cunnick from your perspective?'

'I can,' replied Mr Awbrey. 'I received a phone call from Mr Cunnick in Australia, I gather by accident, and I have a recording of it here, which is part of the evidence of his case for self defence. May I play it?'

'Go ahead,' said the judge.

Holding up a recorder, Awbrey pressed play, and the distortion of that phone call began to play.

'Gav, what's up man?' asked Aneurin.

'You're gonna get what's coming to you,' growled Gavin on the other end of the phone as Diane wailed.

'Gavin, don't do this,' begged Diane in the background.

'Shut up,' he shouted, making her cry as he rammed the gun harder into her.

'The baby, please,' begged Diane.

'Screw the baby, they're not gonna pay me for knocking up a witness and letting her go alive. Sure you were alright for the sex, but did you really think that we'd be something? They want me here to kill you!' shouted Gavin.

'Please,' begged Diane. 'I won't say a word, just let us go!'

'No,' roared Gavin in reply, ramming the gun into Diane's womb. 'I'm gonna kill you and your baby, and collect what's mine.'

'Gavin!' yelled Aneurin in shock, making Gavin turn around and look at the phone.

As he looked, Diane screamed as she lunged at Gavin, wrestled his gun away from him, and held the gun towards him. As he went for her, trying to crush her windpipe, she shot him once, making him fall to the ground.

Looking down at Gavin's dead body, Diane began to cry.

'Hello, hello, hello?' asked Aneurin loudly down the phone, alerting Diane to the noise.

Weeping loudly and struggling for air, Diane picked up the phone and said, 'Hello?'

'Diane? Is that you?' he asked.

'Yes,' she sobbed.

'I've heard everything that's happened,' stated Aneurin. 'I'm on your side, I know it was self defence. It's not safe where you are, get your stuff and find somewhere safe. Leave town, go to a separate part of Oz, change your name again.'

'Okay,' she said quietly, putting the phone down.

The court began to buzz with low level chatter.

'Order,' stated the judge. 'Right, does Mrs Cunnick have any witnesses?'

'No your honour,' said Mr Newman.

'I do not need any deliberation,' stated the judge. 'It is perfectly clear to me that Diane Lloyd is no criminal psychopath as Mrs Cunnick suggested, in fact a decent human being devoted to her child. So full custody goes to Ms Lloyd and Mr Griffin.'

'You killed him!' yelled Gwendolyn. 'You psychopathic bitch! You killed him!'

Rising from her chair, she went for Diane and punched her in the face, forcing one of the officers to restrain her.

'Enough!' yelled the judge. 'Mrs Cunnick, you will be arrested for assault, and I will be granting an exclusion order in Ms Lloyd's favour. This case is adjourned. Take her away.'

Diane could not help but sigh in relief and smile contentedly that Gwendolyn's true colours had shone through, even though her jaw hurt.