Hey! Sooooo sorry for the late update, but I had writers block for this story , but heaps of inspiration for some of my others, so I didn't make myself work on this one. It didn't help that this was such a hard chap to write. It's very sad & emotional, so I had difficulty trying to think about the characters, keep their emotions seperate and different and then make it emotive, believable and good to read. Also I was away for like 2 weeks and I was busy meeting Angus McLaren (!) & watching him & others film my other fav TV show! LOL

Anyways, here's a new chap. In case you were wondering (doubt it!) I didn't quite make my 100 reviews (1 off!), but I still decided to do the 6 in 1 chap as a thank you for the other 99 reviews! Thanks heaps :D

This is the second last chap, so enjoy & please review! :D

Have a good day :)

Chapter Twenty-Four: Felt pt 2

Cleo Sertori felt empty.

I woke up in my bed at home and it took me a few minutes to remember what had happened and how I'd gone home.

Once those thoughts were sorted, I remembered why I'd come home from the hospital at all.

I burst out crying at the thought and memory of the previous day.

What was I meant to do? It felt like this huge hole has been left inside of me and I just don't know how it was going to heal or how long it would take.

Rikki was such a huge part of mine and the others life.

How do you fill your heart again after something so important & special to you gets taken away so quickly?

How do you move on after the death of your best friend at all?

My thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door.

"Come in" I said softly, sniffling.

Lewis walked in somberly and came over to me on my bed.

"How are you babe?" he asked softly, and my words were spoken through tears that started streaking down my cheeks.

Lewis sat down and put his arms around me. I snuggled into his shoulders and I cried and cried, feeling tears on me from him too.

I felt so empty and like so much of me was missing.

I was all cried out with no answers.

Emma Gilbert felt stressed.

I had so much to do and organize before Rikki's funeral on Saturday.

Although Rikki's Dad would be back for her funeral, the flooding has stranded him at Rikki's Aunties house, so I've been put in charge of organizing things for it.

I had to sort out the service, the newspaper announcement, the flowers, the coffin, the cards, the music, the catering, the venue, the funeral cards and so, so, so much more.

Not only did I have to organize it all, I had to organize it all thinking about what Rikki would've wanted. It was a constant reminder of her and it made me feel like bursting out and crying, but I couldn't break down before the funeral, because I knew that if I stopped, slowed down or cried, I would fall, and wouldn't get back up for a long, long time.

I didn't have time to break down, and I would anything to avoid it.

I owed this much, the perfect funeral, to Rikki, but I really don't know how I was going to be able to do it before Saturday.

I was so stressed, but in a way, I didn't want to not be busy, because the second I stopped, I knew myself well to know that only then would I finally realize the impact of Rikki's death in my life.

... That meant grieving and saying goodbye. I wasn't ready for that yet, but would I ever be ready?

Lewis McCartney was in disbelief.

The last few days felt like it had happened all in the time it took to close my eyes.

It still felt like it has been one bad dream.

I wish it was all just a bad dream.

This time, just one week ago, life was perfect.

I should've known that life isn't ever perfect….

This time a week ago, it was the day before the accident, and the 6 of us were at the café.

I was typically arguing with Rikki about Cleo & I kissing in front of her, even though she hypocritically kissed Zane in front of us both before and after the argument.

One week ago, those arguments, along with any others with my stubborn friend would have made me feel annoyed & tense, but now, although it made me feel sad, it made me smile.

We all had different memories of Rikki and these were mine.

Will Benjamin felt angry.

My best friend, my mate, my un-biological 'sister' had been killed because of some daredevil idiots.

If it wasn't for them, Rikki would still be alive.

Rikki would still be here.

Do you know how angry that made me feel?

An innocent life was taken away and it was avoidable.

I just couldn't fathom the idiocy of the drivers and yet they got out of the accident with a broken-freaking-arm and a few scratches. Rikki had done nothing wrong, and yet she lost her life.

I would do anything for justice and to bring Rikki back, and I know for certain I'm not the only one who would…

Terry Chadwick felt crushed.

I just didn't know what to do anymore.

I'd lost my beautiful daughter, my only child, and I wasn't even there to say goodbye.

I was so pained that I wasn't there for her, to tell her how much I was proud of her and how I much I loved her. Never in my wildest & worst nightmares would I have imagined that when we said goodbye at the airport two weeks ago, that that would be the last time I ever saw her.

How can you move on with life after that? You can't just pick yourself up and say it's all alright. I had nothing left to live for.

Rikki and my love for her was what kept me getting up in the morning and what kept me smiling when my wife left and in the hard times of life.

Rikki was what I lived for, without her I was nothing.

When I arrived home from my Sisters house, I'd gone to the caravan and as I walked in, the silence hit me. Normally, there was some form of noise in the small house, whether it was Rikki's CD player or TV going, Rikki slamming doors or thumping things down, her phone's ringtone or just Rikki herself talking and I worked when Rikki was at school, work or with her friends. I secretly hated it when Rikki wasn't there when I came home from work, because the house had a cold and empty feeling to it. There was no love and happiness. That cold, sad & dreary feeling was going to become my life from now on.

My girl was gone and I never got to say goodbye…

Zane Bennett was depressed.

I got home from the hospital last night and went straight to my room.

That was two days ago.

I hadn't eaten, I'd had next to no water and I hadn't slept longer than two hours at a time since Rikki died.

I wasn't coping, I wasn't feeling, I wasn't me.

My life feels like it's been dropped and has shattered completely.

The biggest movements I've made have been picking up the ring on my bedside table and hold that or my framed photo of Rikki & I that was next to my bed.

Dad had tried talking to me, trying to get me to eat and trying to get me out of my room, but I wasn't listening to him, I wasn't listening to anyone.

I just couldn't do or think about anything other than Rikki.

How am I going to move on?

Rikki brought the best out of me, and I'd made my worst mistakes in life when it came to letting her go, not making the most of her and letting others get in between us.

I'd learnt from my mistakes and I'd realized how much she meant to me when I bought the ring. I'd intended on showing her that & hoping she felt the same as I did.

I remember the night I bought the ring after work, I felt elated. The future seemed so bright and I was excited about the possibilities. Then came the call from Will that changed my life. It felt like time slowed and everything was crashing down. Without Rikki, that was my life. A wreck.

We were supposed to get married, have kids and grow old together. I couldn't stop looking at the ring and thinking about the future, what could've been.

Those thoughts consumed me and I felt like my life was turning grey and going under right before my very eyes. I'm not even sure if I want to fight against it. I just feel like giving up. Giving up was the easy option. Without her, I am nothing & I have nothing left.

How is my life going to get better without the girl who made my life worth living?

:( That chapter was so morbid & hard to write. It was also incredibly hard trying to write lengthy perspectives without going over what someone else has already thought. Anyway, let me know what you thought & whether it was okay, and then I'll update again!

Remember, next chapter's the last one in the story! I've got some really bitter-sweet ideas for Rikki's funeral, so I hope it turns out okay and it's sad, beautiful & memorable at the same time! I want there to be a glimmer of hope through the pain for each character and I've got some ideas for it, but if you've got any others, I'm very open to suggestion!

Give me enough reviews and I'll put it up!

Have a good day :)