Happy Monday. I do feel evil at the moment but you just have to trust me.

SPOILERS - this week - Kendall, Jackson and Marissa get bad news and find different ways of coping, Pine Valley hears of the disaster and an unexpected arrival complicates everything.

...

It was days five later in the American consulate.

Kendall had almost worn a groove in the floor with her pacing. Her mom and sister hadn't been found anywhere on the island but they were being assured that the search was continuing. They had endured hours of interviews and given statement after statement as their identities were confirmed and their papers processed. But still there was no sign of her family.

Her mind kept going back those first few hours of waiting for news and the news she wanted to hear just didn't come.

…

Kendall was sitting with her back to the bullet riddled wall of the bungalow her boys snuggled against her on either side.

When Griffin arrived with Cara in his arms and the steward Howard following behind him, they had all waited with an expectant silence for the others to reappear.

Eventually the gun fire had ceased; the fighting at least done. The two soldiers guarding the room were long gone. Kendall figured they were trying to work out what to do with them now it was all over.

Jackson wandered slowly in some time later, a look of despondency on his face.

"I couldn't find her." he said as Opal hurried forward to put a comforting arm around his shoulder. "Erica's gone."

Kendall's heart sank a little

…

Time passed.

Soldiers came with blankets, food and water, and one man who could speak English asked them to wait until transport could be arranged. He couldn't tell them what had happened to the other.

"Are we going home?" Spike asked.

"Soon baby." she signed, kissing his brow.

And then the doors finally opened and Reggie walked in. Camilla hurried up to embrace him. Scott followed supporting Marissa.

AJ and Gabby ran to their mamma, knocking her over from the force of their embrace. Miranda stood up as well but her eyes remained on the door. Kendall knew she was waiting for her mommy to appear. A creeping fear struck Kendall when her realised Marissa was crying as she held her children in her arms. Reggie spoke quietly to Kendall and she couldn't stop the wail of horror that escaped her lips. They had taken her sister.

Kendall's eyes turned back to Miranda. The little girl still couldn't take her eyes from the door.

"Where's my mommy?" she asked quietly. "Where is she?"

"I'm sorry." sobbed Marissa. "I couldn't stop them. I tried. She… she sacrificed herself to save my life. I wish she hadn't but I couldn't stop it..!"

Miranda shivered as if holding her heartbreak inside.

"I'm sorry angel." Marissa whispered, reaching a hand to the little girl.

Miranda stood her ground for just a few seconds before she threw herself into the embrace of her family.

…

There was a knock at the door. Kendall stopped her pacing and hurried to answer. Jackson was standing there. He looked like he hadn't had much sleep.

"They want to talk to us." he said. "I think they might have found something."

Kendall felt the first glimmer of hope. She grabbed her jacket from the chair.

"Then let's go!"

…

Marissa was already waiting in the consulate lounge on one of its uncomfortable looking chairs. She looked tense and expectant.

The consulate liaison indicated for Kendall and Jackson to sit on the ornate settee. His face was grave. There was a man stood behind him in a British naval uniform.

"Now as you know the local navy was tracking the ship that we suspected was part of the pirate raid." the liaison said solemnly. He nodded to the naval officer at his shoulder. "Unfortunately the ship fired on a British naval patrol that was on exercises nearby. There was an exchange of fire. The ship… exploded… just off the coast."

Everyone jumped at the word.

"Exploded?" Kendall gasped.

The naval office stepped forward.

"I am sorry ma'am. We exchanged only minimal fire. There must have been a ruptured fuel tank. We searched for survivors but there was no sign of a life boat. It took two days to search the wreckage for… remains."

Jackson stood up.

"This happened two days ago."

The liaison held his hands up for peace.

"We had no way of knowing this was the boat we were looking for. We're still not certain. This isn't a pleasant thing to ask but there were female remains identified in the wreck." He took a deep unhappy breath. "Do you recognise any of these items?"

He put two clear small plastic bags down on the coffee table in front of Kendall.

She didn't even look down.

"They are not dead!" she said firmly.

"Please." said the liaison. "Just look."

Kendall picked up the bags. They contained two pieces of jewellery; an earring and a bracelet.

"The earing… maybe mom has something similar. But the pirates raided all our stuff. It could just be something they stole. And this..." she said holding up the bracelet with a large enamel bead. "This I don't recognise at all. It could be any ones."

Marissa gasped and snatched the bag from Kendall's hand and clasped it to her chest.

"Bianca." she sobbed. "Oh god no!"

"Miss, do you recognise that item?"

"It's… I gave it to her… It's Bianca's!"

Marissa's fumbling fingers pulled it out of the bag and pressed the bead, pulling it open to reveal it to be a locket. The photographs inside were waterlogged beyond recognition. That seemed to hurt the worst of all.

"Oh god, the kids?" she sobbed stoking the discoloured faces smiling from the locket. Marissa looked up again. "I need to see her. Please, I need to see Bianca."

"I'm so sorry ma'am. The fish found them before we did." said the naval officer. "They didn't leave much...and you wouldn't want to see what was left. Ma'am I'm so sorry for your loss."

"No!" said Kendall suddenly slamming her fists on the table. "They are not dead. I won't believe it. It's not true. Mom just got married! Bianca just got her happy ending with Marissa! That is not over! And one bracelet isn't going make me believe it!"

"Please, Mrs Hart-Slater." begged the liaison. "I know this is hard to hear…"

"No. They are still alive I know it!"

"We will do DNA testing of course… We just thought the sooner the remains could be identified the sooner your family would get closure."

"But if you think you've found them, you will stop looking." snapped Kendall. "Isn't that just what the kidnapper's want?"

Tear pricked at the corner of Kendall's eyes as she turned and stared imploringly at Jackson.

"It isn't them, is it?" she asked, begging for it not to be true.

Jackson pulled her into a fatherly hug. He had sat through the whole conversation stoic and silent.

"I don't know." he said, "I just don't know."

…