Roman drove for an hour, He had no idea where he was going and stupidly he didn't check the fuel gauge as he went down long country winding roads. He felt the car stutter and then stop completely. Easing it over to the side of the road he turned off the engine and pulled out the map to try and see where he was. He knew that it was stupid to leave Ella like that but he couldn't go through that stuff again. He was no longer that person, he told himself trying not to remember the thrill he got when he and Gardy had teamed up, albeit fatalistically. He navigated the map and located the area where he was which made him swear volubly as he was miles from anywhere and no where near a petrol station. To top it off he had no money, no phone and no water. He got out of the car and looked at the state of repair on the road. It was just as he suspected this was not a road used that often. He swore some more and stood considering his options.
He walked round to the back of the car and checked out if there where anything helpful in the boot. He found a pair of Mike's rugby shoes a picnic blanket and the tools to change a tyre. Even the first aid box had been removed. He leaned back and gave a brief sardonic laugh, before checking the numberplate and making sure that this was his car.
Of all the dumbass things to do. Not only running out on Ella without explaining but to strand his stupid self in the middle of nowhere without a phone and no water. He mentally kicked himself and grimaced that it would be nothing to what Ella was going to do to him when he got in. He pulled out the mapbook again and plotted a course back to Summer Bay and calculated how long it would take him. Then ripping out that particular page he locked the car and set off cross-country. And yes, it served him right that the clouds above where he needed to go were ominously black. He set off at a fast pace.

Rachel sat on the sofa next to Ella and handed her a glass of water.
"Thanks." Ella said, not just meaning for the drink.
"Just remember what I said, no heavy lifting, nothing strenuous and as much rest as possible over the next few days. I honestly think this was just a bit of stress. It was just one cramp El. " Rachel's tone was reassuring. "But to be on the safe side I am going to monitor your pregnancy closely over the next few weeks."
Ella pulled the throw tighter around her and drank from the glass.
"Where is Roman?" Rachel asked curiously.
"He went out. He was upset over something." Ella said.
Rachel gave a half laugh.
"When I was pregnant with JJ, Tony was grieving over the loss of his son Jack. It wasn't a good time." Rachel confided sipping her drink.
Ella sighed.
"I had a pair of Roman's Dog Tags and he saw them and flipped." Ella said biting her bottom lip, a habit from old days.
"Oh!" Rachel said and sighed loudly. "He has told you about Mark hasn't he?" Rachel said softly.
"I already knew." Ella confirmed. "I bumped into one of his army buddies Jacko, he told me the whole story. Not that I think Roman even knows that."
"Well a few years ago when Roman owned up to his part in it and the Army were planning to put him away for years the whole town rallied behind him. We all wrote testimonials about his character and things he'd done since coming to the Bay."
"He won't talk about it though." Ella said.
"I can imagine that it is difficult to come to terms with something like that." Rachel said.
"Yes. I can look at him sometimes and its like he isn't even in the same room as me and I know that he's thinking about those dark times." Ella confided. "I'm an army brat, my Dad was a bigwig in the army before he died and then my brother was in the army too. I went through basic training myself." Ella grinned at the look of shock on Rachel's face at the last statement. "But then they found out I was only 15 and kicked me out!"
"I have to hear more!" Rachel said with a gasp in-between laughing.
"Michael had just joined up and my dad was like so proud of him so I rebelled. I stole someone's identification and enlisted. I completed my basic training and was about to be assigned to a unit when my parents having found out I wasn't actually staying with a friend over the school holidays came and tracked me down. " Ella grinned. "And no Roman does not know that story so please keep it to yourself."
"Why? I think he would be …" Rachel trailed off "Yeah, I see your point, mentioning the army – red rag to a bull?" she said and saw Ella nod.
"I don't think he realises that I understand more than he thinks I would. If that makes sense." Ella said with a slight frown.
Rachel chuckled. "It does to me!" she concurred. "Now I must be off. Just to check no more cramps?" she questioned.
"Nope." Ella confirmed. "And I promise to take it easy."
Rachel picked up her cup as she stood up and went and placed it in the kitchen. She said goodbye as she collected her bag and let herself out.
Ella looked at her watch and had a pensive expression on her face. The last time she looked out there were rain clouds heading for the Bay. Where was he? She wondered. Her phone beeped and she picked it up to read a text from Nic to say she was at Geoff's and if it rained she would stay over. She replied with a quick message and stood and walked into the kitchen to get some food. She didn't feel like eating but Rachel had prescribed her some anti-nausea medication and she knew she had to feed the baby.
She made herself a dish of pasta with cheese sauce and garlic bread. She saved some for her errant husband and after clearing up the kitchen she went upstairs to bed.

Roman was soaked. The storm had begun with thunder and lightening before the downpour. He scanned the map and calculated how far he had to go. His teeth were chattering and a part of him wished he' decided to sleep in his car tonight. He forced himself to continue and found his footing disappear as he slipped down a gully made slick mud by the rain. He lay there winded for a moment and looked up at the sky as lightening flashed across it. Pulling himself to his feet he tested to ensure that his ankles were ok and set off running.

Ella put away the box in the back of the wardrobe. She took the dog tags and placed them in the back of one of the drawers. She didn't think he could look to see if she'd got rid of them but she wanted to take no chances, as far as she was concerned they meant a lot to her and it wasn't fair to order her to throw them away. And she would take them to her studio in the city when she had a chance so that he would not have to be confronted by them. Yes, she conceded that was sneaky but hey, sometimes a girl had to be sneaky!
She took a warm shower and pulled on a night-dress before climbing into bed. There was still no sign of Roman so she tugged his pillow across to her and snuggled up to it before falling into a deep sleep.

Roman walked silently into the house, He dumped his trainers near the door; and then made his way upstairs and into the bathroom in darkness. He clicked on the vanity light before peeling off his rain soaked clothes and climbing into the shower. The hot water sluiced over his tired and achy body and he let it warm him for a couple of minutes before adding a generous handful of body wash and soaping himself. After he felt clean he turned off the water and grabbed a towel rubbing his hard muscular body dry before wrapping it around his waist and walking into his bedroom.
Ella was curled up in the centre of the bed she had her arms around a pillow that he suspected was his. He didn't confess that he did the same with her pillow when she was away. He dropped the towel untidily to the floor and climbed in beside her. She snuggled against him immediately and then half-waking she elbowed him in the ribs.
"I'm mad at you." She told him.
"I know." He replied. "But hey, I did run through a thunderstorm to get to you that should count for something." He joked, his voice soft.
She muttered something he didn't catch because the quilt was half over her head and then turned in his arms and pushed him out of bed.
"What the…." He said.
She came fully awake at the muttered swearword.
"I said, I'm mad at you and you are sleeping on the sofa downstairs." She told him pushing the hair out of her eyes and leaning on one elbow, looking at him.
He laughed.
"And what do I have to do to sleep up here?" he asked.
"Be someone else!" she muttered. She rolled over in bed and pretended to ignore him.
"I could beg?" he asked with a laugh.
"And maybe I'll forgive you in a couple of months." She told him.
"I could give you a back massage?" he suggested.
"Really? And you wouldn't expect anything else?" she asked.
"Nope. I'll be your slave." He whispered seductively.
She turned and looked at him.
"As if!" She muttered. She picked up the pillow and threw it at him. "You'll need this when you go downstairs." She said.
"So there is nothing I can say or do that will get me in bed with you tonight?" he asked, moving to the side of the bed so that he could lean over and run a hand seductively down her spine,
She let out a brief moan before reaching out and running an answering finger down his bare torso.
"Now that you mention it…" she paused dramatically. "No!" and pressed the flat of her hand against the hard planes of his stomach and pushed him away.
He tipped backwards at the push and fell back on his knees and burst out laughing.
"Move over!" he ordered.
She laughed and let him climb into bed.
"Oh!" she said.
"Yes that's right." He grinned. "I seem to not be wearing anything."
"Doesn't mean you are getting anything!" she told him, moving over in the bed away from him.
He reached out and pulled her towards him, moulding his body around hers.
"As long as I have this I think I can manage!" he replied, putting his arms around her.
She sighed and snuggled into his arms. Within moments she had fallen asleep again. He didn't fall asleep for a long time he was too busy watching over her.