Chapter 23

Carly couldn't get the car to start, to her dismay. Discovering three Snickers bars in the glove compartment, she handed Ciara one before popping open the hood to see to the trouble. Sitting on a log on the side of the road, Ciara watched her intently as she nibbled on it; Carly had been very quiet since she'd explained everything and it wasn't encouraging. 'Carly?' she said tentatively.

'Yes?' Carly mumbled, preoccupied.

'You haven't said anything. Are you mad at me?'

Carly turned to smile at her faintly. 'I'm not mad at you; I have no reason to be. It's just... things aren't that simple. I wish I can make you understand.' The engine needed water and there was no stream or river around. Unless a car or truck came by they would have to walk or wait for the police to find them; surely Bo would have ordered a search by now. Slamming the hood shut, she winced at the pain on her arm, gingerly rubbing it. 'We have to wait and see if a car passes by to take us back, Ciara. Don't worry, we'll be back in town before you know it.'

But that wasn't what was bothering Ciara and she wasn't going to let Carly move away from the subject. 'Carly... did you know my Daddy before? A long time ago?'

'Why do you ask?' Carly asked, sitting beside her.

'You and Daddy... I heard you say to him you'll leave town again if you have to. That day we went to the lake. Did you know him a long time ago? When Zack was alive?'

'No... when I was here Zack wasn't even born. Your brother Shawn D was about your age at that time.'

'How come you were Daddy's girlfriend?'

'You see, your Mummy was lost in a huge accident and for a long time your Daddy and everybody thought she was dead. It took a long time but we fell in love.'

'Did you go away when Mummy came back then?'

'No, I went away long before your Mummy came back. You see... something happened to me that made me forget your Daddy. That woman Vivian did it to me; by the time I remembered it was too late.'

'You married somebody else?'

'Yes. But he treated me very badly and he didn't allow me keep Melanie. She's the reason why I came back, Ciara. I never saw her when she was your age; I wanted to be with her. Your Daddy helped me find her, you see.'

'So...you hate my Daddy for going back to Mummy?'

'No, of course not. I can never hate your Daddy.'

'Do you hate Mummy?'

'No, sweetie. I have no reason to hate her.'

'What about me? I was so mean...'

'You didn't understand what was going on. And any child would not be happy to see another woman with their father. But it's over now.' Carly slipped her arms round the child. 'And for the record, I like you very much; as much as I liked and loved your brother. I haven't seen him in years but he's always been in my thoughts.' And his father as well; once the cloud of confusion Larry spread over her had lifted.'Daddy wants to be with you.' Ciara broke into her thoughts, her grubby face pleading. ' Please forgive him and make him laugh again.'

'Ciara...'

'Please.' Ciara slipped her arms round Carly's neck, hugging her tightly. 'Please, Carly, please. I don't want Daddy to be sad anymore.' She sobbed.

Out of the mouth of little babes... Carly thought, tears pouring down her cheeks as she held Ciara in her arms.

'I am a princess,' she slipped her arms round his neck, looking deep into his eyes. 'And you are my handsome, kind, charming prince who promised me a love everlasting.'

'I'll always give you love everlasting,' Bo said softly. 'And you and me; our love story's never going to end.'

'I don't want him to be sad anymore either.' She whispered, pressing her face against the child's forehead; remembering how she'd felt on seeing Bo again after so many years, hearing the sound of his voice. The years had been kinder to him, or so she'd thought at the time and after he'd confided to her that his marriage was over, she'd make the mistake of unburdening her yearning heart. He hadn't reacted like she'd expected but she was glad he knew just how she felt; some things may have changed but not deep, emotional feelings towards a soul mate. Bo was her everything and though she'd tried to love Tony as much as she loved Bo, it had been impossible. Yet how could she bring herself to try it all over again with him after everything that's happened?

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'Carly, you take care of yourself down there; you hear me?' Justin said as he handed her a miner's hat.

'You have a problem, let us know and we'll pull you out.' Roman/John instructed.

'Yes, yes... let's get down there, let's get on with it.' Carly said briskly, putting the hat on and adjusting the radio she was going use for communication.

'Carly.' Her eyes met his. There were a lot of things he wanted to say to her but couldn't. But he did know he wanted to see her and Shawn D out of that oil shaft alive. So all he could do was say, 'Good luck.'

'Don't worry Bo; I'm going to get your boy.' She promised.

Come back safe too. He conveyed the message with his eyes, taking her arm while Roman/John took the other and she was lowered inside the hole.

'Shawn Douglas?' he heard her voice over the radio after a while.'Sweetheart, can you hear me; it's Dr. Manning. I'm coming to get you.'

'Why isn't he answering?' he snapped.

'He may've just fallen asleep Bo; try not to worry.'

'Bo.' Torn from his thoughts, he turned to face his brother.

'Look uh...' Roman looked embarrassed. 'for what it's worth I'm sorry... for not standing by you and Carly when you were together; for advising you not to start anything with her. She's a wonderful woman...'

'And you chose to forget that, huh?' Bo asked, coldly.

'I was thinking more about her than you, if you want to know the truth!' Roman insisted. ' I didn't want her get caught in the middle of your issues with Hope, or you using Carly as a way of getting back at her. if I didn't approve, it was because I thought you were doing that the whole time. And I'm so sorry it took this long for me to see you belong to each other. I just want you to know that.'

'Apologise to Carly, not me. Matter of fact, everybody should apologise especially Kayla if she ever wants me to forgive her for the way she treated Carly. Carly was like a sister to her and she preferred to forget that and cast her aside all because she wanted to keep Hope's friendship! That's the real reason why you all treated Carly like an enemy and called her a home wrecker; not for anything else but misplaced loyalty towards Hope! So don't you start coming in my face with excuses because I don't want them or your apologies. Just leave me alone.'

'Oh I'll leave you alone, Prince High and Mighty,' Roman snapped back. 'Right after I remind you of one thing, nobody forced you to go back to Hope; you did that all by yourself! We hurt Carly? Who hurt her the most? You ask yourself that before you start with the rest of us and don't you let me see you show Ma disrespect again, get it? No matter what's happened she's still your mother who loves you.' With that he stalked out of the office, slamming the door behind him.

Did she? Bo thought, hard heartedly. If she loved him at all and cared about his happiness she would've stood by him instead of condemning Carly. But Roman had a point which sobered him. He had been the one who made the decision to leave Carly and like a coward, he'd allowed her to initiate the breakup. He had been the one who'd hurt her the most because he'd promised her a future and then let her down. Brushing away the sudden tears that filled his eyes, Bo made another decision. When Carly and Ciara are rescued and Carly still insisted on leaving town, he will go with her. Ciara will understand and visitations will be arranged. Living in another city away from disapproving eyes will be worth having Carly with him every day and night. The rest of the world can rot for all he cared. With that resolution; he thought about Ciara, willing her to be alright too. With the way Carly always put others ahead of herself, he was certain she would do anything to protect his daughter. It was only a matter of time Rafe and his men found them before Vivian did.

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After waiting in vain for a passing car, Carly decided to walk as it was getting dark; maybe there would be able to find someone along the way to take them back to town. Ciara bravely covered several kilometres before she began to stagger then Carly carried her on her back, overriding protests about her arm. Ciara was no heavier than the rucksack she'd carried on her back when she'd gone hiking with Bo so long ago. Besides, after roaming from one country to another before settling in Tahiti and long afterwards Salem; she was more than used to walking.

'Do you think a car will pass by soon Carly?' Ciara asked, clinging closer to Carly.

'Hopefully any time soon, sweetie. Just try and be brave for a while longer. Maybe your Daddy might find us or we find a phone booth first.' Carly soothed. The moon was full but it gave their surroundings an eerie look. Like the setting of An American werewolf in London, she thought. Shivering, she walked on and on, covering more distance with her strong legs.

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Rafe called Bo after several hours. They'd found Carly's car and blood on the driver's seat; more blood stains on the tarred ground. Hope, almost mad with despair and rage, let Bo have it full throttle; Victor as well.

'That murdering whore of yours is going to pay hard; via the electric chair!' He spat, as Hope wept hysterically. 'That I promise Bo, and there's no way you're going to shield her this time!'

'We don't know the blood belongs to Ciara!' Bo shouted. 'And you keep your damned assumptions to yourself, this is official police business that you have nothing to do with!'

'How can he not have anything to do it?' Kayla hurled at him. 'With the way you're putting Carly ahead of your family; can't you open your eyes and see she's changed?! Or that she's driving this family apart...'

'Shut the hell up, Kayla Johnson and I mean it!'

'Bo!' Steve thundered, appalled. Caroline shook her head, devastation all over her face at the ugly sight of her children at each other's throats.

'Fighting your own sister over a whore and upsetting your mother- that's what you're reduced to now, almighty Commissioner Brady! Not facing the hard fact that your abnormal whore's killed your daughter... the same woman who killed her own husband.'

'Keep that up Victor... ' Bo began threateningly.

'Yeah, keep it up Kiriakis; it gives me just the right excuse to plant my fist on your face!'

All eyes turned to the door. Standing with Melanie, Nicholas, Brady and a golden haired woman was Carly's brother Frankie; his blue-black eyes filled with rage. The room fell silent immediately.