A/N Thank you Foreverholby and the two guests for your reviews! They mean a lot! And thank you to all who have been waiting patiently and reading, the support from all your guys is amazing, so thank you!
'This is...disgusting' Guy snarled as he saw hundreds of photos of his darling daughter plastered on the wall. Some were taken from Facebook, hers, Dom's and Arthur's, but most of them were photos taken as if he had been stalking her. Going around the supermarket, walking around the hospital, in Albies, out running...it was terrifying to see. Ollie was clearly livid at what he was looking at, and he felt sick. He was now more convinced than ever that Zosia was in real danger, and the police were noticeably worried.
'Sierra Oscar 236 to control, can we get a team to 147 Briar Road to assist with a search? We have a vulnerable missing person and we need to search the suspect's home urgently'
'On their way' the control room confirmed, and the officers turned to Ollie and Guy. 'We'll drive you back to the flat, there's nothing more you can do here at the moment, we will call as soon as we know anything'
'No no, I want to stay here-' Ollie tried to argue but a guy placed a calming hand on his shoulder.
'Let them do their jobs Ollie...' He sighed, sadly.
Zosia and Seb, still in the flat, were having dinner and then Seb took Zosia's hand. 'I've been thinking, you've been working so hard. You need a break, so I've arranged for us to go to New York for a few weeks- we can stay with Pops, sightsee, do whatever you want. I'm just booking us some flights to leave tomorrow morning' he smiled, and Zosia looked at him dumbfounded.
'Seriously?!' She gasped, and as he nodded, she threw her arms around him and kissed him. 'You're amazing!' She smiled and he kissed her back. He couldn't believe how well his plan had come together. Nobody knew where they were, he could get Zosia well away from the human plague he considered Valentine to be, and as far as anyone else was concerned, they'd be thousands of miles away before anyone realised what is happening.
'What about work?'
'What about it?'
'Well, what about Elliot?'
'It's fine, we've had the time booked off for months. I'm really worried Zosh, your memory is appalling. Are you sure you didn't hit your head or something? This isn't like you, you're normally so on the ball'
'I really don't remember any of this...' She sighed, sounding worried. Seb reached into his pocket and gave her 2 pills.
'Take these, they're supposed to help' he smiled. 'Where would you be without me looking after you?' He smiled flirtatiously.
'Hello is that Mr Valentine? It's DC Webb- we found some deeds and papers for a new address, it's an hour outside of Holby but we think it's worth a look, in case Zosia is there would you and Mr Self come as well?'
Ollie was beside himself with panic. He would be hugely relieved if she was there and ok, but he knew that this could be make or break- if she was there, there was no knowing what state she would be in, physically or mentally. Ollie immediately agreed, and when the police picked him and Guy up, they explained that they would park around the corner from the property to not startle Seb.
As the police prepared to storm into the building, Ollie and Guy watched from behind a hedge at the end of the path. A couple of upstairs lights were on, so it was obvious somebody was there. Within moments, the police stormed into the building, banging down the door and shouting at those inside to stay where they were. As the pair mentally tentatively but physically enthusiastically ran up the path and into the building, they were alarmed to find the police arresting Seb, while Zosia curled up into a scared huddle in the corner of the bedroom. There were two suitcases next to the bed, and check-in documents for the New York flights on top of them. They all realised how lucky they were to reach Zosia when they had- Seb had also somehow acquired her passport.
'Sebastian Coulter, I'm arresting you for false imprisonment, you do not have to say anything but it may harm your defence...' DC Webb proceeded with the formalities as Seb was escorted out of the building. Meanwhile, Guy and Ollie approached Zosia, who stood.
'Zosia! Thank god you're-' Ollie began, tears in his eyes with relief. But he was confused- why was Zosia backing away from him? She edged herself away and hurried over to Guy.
'Dad, get him away from me' she pleaded, looking at Ollie and putting her arms around her father, like a child.
'Ollie?!' Guy exclaimed, putting his arms around Zosia but confused. 'Darling, it's Ollie, he's your boyfriend'
'No, no, Seb told me what he was like to me when we were together, and that's why Seb is my boyfriend' she gabbled quickly, still very clear in her mind that Ollie was the bad guy in all of this.
'Sweetheart, Dr Coulter has been manipulating you- you and Ollie have a happy, fulfilling relationship' he tried to resurgence her, looking at Ollie as he looked desperate but downtrodden. What had that man been doing to her? Zosia looked at them both, between them quickly and her breathing quickened and she quickly flung herself from her dad's arms.
'No, you're lying' she shouted. 'You're both in this together, and Dom and Arthur, do you think I'm stupid?!' She shouted, backing away again. Her voice was progressively getting louder and faster, and higher pitched. She was like a scared child and something in Ollie and Guy fell to pieces.
'Zosia, it's ok-' Ollie tried to reassure her, as he stepped towards her but she carried on backing away.
'No you're both trying to mess with my mind, I know what you're trying to do!' She screamed, and both Ollie and Guy held their hands up in reassurance and surrender. Her breathing was staggered, body rigid, and her eyes told them that she wasn't really there. Ollie continued to try. and reassure her as the police officers came into the room, bringing in the medication they had found. It was her false medication that Seb had lead her to believe was lithium, whereas in fact he was drugging her to make her believe he was telling the truth.
'Zosia, it's ok, we just need to get you real help' Ollie said calmly and kindly. Zosia was still backed against the wall, and she still wasn't convinced that he was telling the truth. She was so confused about everything- so many people were telling her different things about her life, and she didn't know what to believe anymore. 'Will you come with me?' He tried to convince her she was safe, and Guy approached them again.
'Zoshie, Seb has been drugging you and not giving you your proper dose of lithium, this is why this is all feeling very unusual for you. Please, you need to come with us and get help' he pleaded, holding out his hand towards her. She was tentative and scared.
'I don't know what's happening' she wept, and Guy moved towards her and gave her a hug. Ollie felt helpless- he was desperate to help the woman he loved but right now she didn't seem to know who he really was. The most helpful thing he could do in this situation was be there when she did remember.
'Will you come with me?' Guy asked, speaking to her gently while she clung to him, and he held her back. She nodded eventually and while Ollie was relieved she was safe, he had a feeling that they had a long road ahead of them.
The drive to the hospital was a long, quiet one. The police took the three of them there, and Zosia didn't make a single sound. She just sat there, feeling empty. Who was telling the truth? What if nobody could be trusted? At the moment she felt like what had been so clear with Seb had been torn away from her, yet was he really who he said he was? She felt tired, exhausted even, and like she had been living in a nightmare where nothing made sense but everyone around her knew what was happening, like she had been living in blank space.
Ollie was relieved that they had found her and that her disappearance would be investigated, and he knew he was right to distrust Seb. He looked over at Zosia who sat next to him, staring ahead into space. She looked smaller somehow, like the life she was full of before she became ill again had left her. He wondered what she was thinking at that moment, how she was feeling. He wanted the girl he loved back and he knew he would get her back, in time. For now, he slipped a gentle, warm hand onto hers and gave it a gentle squeeze. She turned her head to look at him, and was caught by his eyes. The way he looked at her, she saw it. There was no denying the clarity of the feeling or pure adoration and love that echoed from his look, and although her thoughts raced 100 miles an hour, in this one moment she felt right. She let out a small, weak smile, and manoeuvred her hand to fit into his, and they sat for the remainder of the journey in comfortable silence, hand in hand.
