Tracey/Zoe/Rachel

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Thank you to you both! Here's the next update! Enjoy!

And there, they remained for a full ten minutes.

Whether or not it was for ten minutes, it felt like more for the both of them. None of them were willing to let go of the other for fear that it was a dream. for them, this was also a time of grieving for Eve. They both knew that she deserved a proper goodbye. as tears streamed down both their faces, all the could think of was that Eve was truly gone and was never ever coming back. Although the good that came out of her death was that both Tracey and Rachel were reunited. As much as it pained them to realize it, it was the truth. Eve’s death had indeed brought them back together.

For Rachel Armstrong, those ten minutes or so were the longest ten minutes that she had ever experienced. It was as though she had clung on to Tracey forever yet she didn’t want to let go of her. Even though she knew that she had soaked Tracey’s hospital gown through yet she clung on to her desperately for life. For all the grief that Rachel had felt at Eve’s death, she was, albeit a little slowly, finally letting it all out. No one had ever seen Rachel grieve except for Tracey and Eve. Not even her own family saw her grieve. When Elaine Armstrong was involved in the accident, Rachel had a stoic demeanour and accepted the fact that her mother was no longer the same. However, when she was in front of Tracey and Eve, she broke down completely. So it was only befitting that here she was in front of her best friend in the entire world and grieving for another best friend.

The moment that Rachel came up to her and wrapped her in a hug would forever be etched into Tracey Thompson’s memory. She couldn’t believe it. One minute they were arguing and now, they were best friends again. It was as though this was one of their silly little catfights that they had when younger. Only this time, it didn’t end up in laughter. This time, it ended with tears. Tracey didn’t know if the tears were happy tears or sad tears. Happy because Rachel and her were friends again; sad because Eve was never coming back. ‘This is it. She’s never coming back,’ Tracey realized. She didn’t want to believe or accept it. In fact, she refused to think about it. But, deep down, she knew it was true. No matter what happened from now on, there was no more Eve. ‘Never!’ Tracey vowed. ‘Never again will I ever allow anything to come between you and me, Rach! You have my word!’ Tracey promised herself this as she released Rachel from her grasp and looked her in the eyes.

It finally hit home for the two friends as they stared at each other. Both realized that it was now them against the rest of the world. And this was the part that hurt the most. To think that the whole ‘Friendship Forever’ promise they had made each other had gone down the drain all for the sake of their careers. It was stupid but their friendship had paid the price for personal glory.

“You know, you look pathetic!” Rachel teased.

“Look who’s talking!” Tracey hit back, laughing.

“I think we’re both pathetic. I mean, look at us. Two grown women crying over something so stupid.” The reply she got from Tracey was a giggle and Rachel followed suit.

“Rachel?”

“Hmm?”

“Are we okay?”

“We’re more than okay! We’re perfect! You know what I mean.”

“Yeah. Yeah. I do.”

“Good! Those pills must’ve come in handy!” Rachel joked.

“Heehee. Rachel?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry too, Trace. I shouldn’t have shouted at you.”

“I shouldn’t have blamed you.”

“Friends?”

“You bet your life on that, missy! So, erhm, you going to tell me about Peter or do I have to tell you what I think?”

“What about Peter?”

“Oh, c’mon Tracey! The guy practically wore a hole on my ER and was pale as a ghost when he arrived with you on the ambulance!”

“He has a fiancée, remember?”

“Yeah. I know that but really, Tracey. The guy was more worried about you than anything.”

“For your information, young lady, there is nothing going on between us. We’re just friends.”

“Yeah right. You expect me to believe that?”

“Yes. I. Do.”

“Oh, c’mon Trace! You’re a bad liar, you know that?”

“I am not! Not as bad as you are.” Tracey replied and poked her tongue out at Rachel.

“Oi!”

“What?”

“How dare you poke your tongue out at me?”

“You asked for it when you asked me that stupid question about Peter.”

“Okay, if there’s nothing going on between you both, why did Clare run out of the hospital, crying?

“What? How?”

“Emily at reception saw her running out of the entrance with tears streaming down her face. Apparently she had bumped into someone along the way too.”

“I didn’t know that. Is she alright?

“Who? Clare or the lady that she knocked into?”

“Both.”

“Well, the lady is fine but I don’t know about Clare tho.”

“I’m sure she’s fine. Peter will see to it for sure.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right…. So, you decided on whether to tell him the truth or not?”

“No. I was hoping that I could talk to you first and then decide.”

“Well, I see no harm in that, really. But, it’s really up to you.”

“Thank you so much Dr. Armstrong. That was really helpful of you.” Tracey replied sarcastically.

And the only reply that Rachel could come up with was a laugh. And her infectious laughter soon got to Tracey and they both ended up laughing so hard that they collapsed onto the bed, clasping their stomachs…

Next time: Will Tracey tell Peter the truth?

[swfc]

Thanks guys! Yes, Shannon! That was the hardest part I ever had to write!

Here's the next chapter:

Back at the Brody family home:

“Let me look at you, darling.” Simon Brody said as he pulled away from the embrace. To his horror, he saw Clare’s eyes were puffy and red due to all the crying that she had been doing and she looked pale. He couldn’t believe his eyes. His once beautiful little girl, yes, to Simon Brody, Clare would always be his little girl, had somehow vanished and had been replaced by this pale, sickly creature. It took a lot of strength from him not to make a sound.

“Darling, it must’ve been a long ride for you, why don’t you go up and freshen up a little? Your mother and I will be down here waiting for you. Would you like to eat anything? Drink? How about I make you your favorite chocolate peppermint milkshake? That always puts a smile to your face.”

“Yes, thank you, Dad. I won’t be long.” Clare managed to return a smile to her father’s friendly gesture.

“Alright, darling. See you in a bit.”

When Clare headed upstairs, Simon and Janine exchanged glances with each other. Both wanted to know what was wrong with their daughter. They had never seen her look this dejected and pale. Both somehow had a feeling that it had to do with her fiancée, Peter. They did not want to jump to conclusions but seeing as that Peter was not here, it most probably had to do with him. and this angered Simon Brody to no end. ‘If he has done something to hurt her, he will be hearing from me very soon’ vowed Simon Brody. He shook his head at his wife and went forward to wrap her in a warm embrace. They knew that whatever it was that Clare was facing, she had come to them for a reason. And they were going to be there for her through thick and thin. He released his hold of his wife and said, “Won’t be long” and headed to the kitchen to make Clare’s drink.

Clare had never been so happy to see her parents. When her mother had appeared at the doorway, the walls that Clare had put up came crashing down like an earthquake when it hits. She didn’t even notice that she was crying until it was too late. The moment she had seen her father, she was at the point of losing it completely. Inside, she was breaking but she forced herself not to cry in front of him. She forced herself not to break down right there and then. She wanted to give her parents time. Wanted to give herself time. So, when her father had suggested she freshen up, she willingly took up that offer. When he offered to make her favourite drink as a little girl, and even now, she had been so grateful. She knew that as anxious as her parents wanted to know what was wrong, they would not push her. They knew that she would tell them eventually. And for that, Clare Brody felt that she was so lucky to have parents like hers.

As she headed up the stairs and opened the knob that led to her old room, she was filled with relief. As she entered her room, the memories of her as a little girl came back to her. This was her sanctuary. Her hiding place. The place where she could be her. Not Detective Clare Brody. Not even Clare Brody. Just plain, ole Clare. As she looked around, everything was in place just the way she had left it when she left home six years ago. Everything remained untouched. Sure, her mother had dusted the room but she had left everything exactly where they were. As she sat down on her bed, the bed that had once held all her hopes and dreams; the bed where she had dreamt about her ideal man, Clare finally broke down and wept. She wept for the loss of the man that she loved. But most of all, she wept for herself. As the taps opened, Clare spotted Timmy, her favourite stuffed toy. Timmy was the toy that she held whenever she was happy or upset and whenever she went to bed. He was the stand-in for her future husband. And now, she reached out for Timmy and clutched him close to her chest….

“Clare……”

Peter Baker cried until he could cry no more. Even then he still forced himself to cry. In all of his life, he had never cried for any woman. The fact that he was here, in the sitting room of the apartment that he shared with Clare, and in his towel, crying for Clare showed just how much she meant to him. ‘No, not meant. She still means a lot to me. How did I let it go this far? I drove her away. This was my fault. I am to blame for this.’ Deep down, Peter understood. He understood why Clare left. The part which he did not understand, and that was the part that hurt the most, was why she did not want him to look for her. He couldn’t believe that she was giving up on him. Giving up on them. Giving up on their future together. And that made him angry. He couldn’t believe that Clare had decided to give up without a fight. “Damn it, Clare! If you said that you love me so much, then why aren’t you here fighting for it?” he lashed out. Yet the only answer the walls could give him was just that. Nothing. And that realization hit him hard as he walked towards the room to put on his clothes.

After about five minutes, he walked out of the room, flicked the lights off and turned on the stereo. There was already a CD in there and he wasn’t in the mood to change the CD so he just let it play. As the songs played on, Peter reminisced about the past. He thought about the time he and Clare had first met at a friend’s party. Ironically, it was at Tracey’s party that they had met. Back then, Clare was dating another man, James Scott, a banker. And he was hung up on Tracey at that time too. But, even if he and Tracey did have a connection, Peter knew that Clare was the one for him. He and Tracey are and will always remain as friends no matter what. The moment he and Clare had got together, was the moment that Peter would remember for the rest of his life. The hot blonde cop was finally his. When they broke up the first time, Peter had been miserable. He realized that the both of them were too ambitious. None of them had bothered to make their relationship work. And it paid the price.

Never in his life had Peter expected that he and Clare would get back together, let alone engaged. The moment that he saw her at Summer Bay, Peter’s heart had skipped a beat. He may have acted cold and distant towards her but deep down; he still held a burning torch for her. “I could’ve lost you today.” When Clare had uttered those words; those five sweet words, he knew that Clare was indeed the one. He knew that she, like him, had regretted their break up but both were too proud to admit it. When he was shot by the drug dealers in the sting that Dan had walked in on, all he could think about was her. Had Peter been paying attention he would have realized that the next song on the CD was their song. As the song began to play, however, his mind brought him back to reality and his ears pricked up.

*It was no accident me finding you

Someone had a hand in it

Long before we ever knew

Now I just can't believe you're in my life

Heaven's smilin' down on me

As I look at you tonight

I tip my hat to the keeper of the stars

He sure knew what he was doin'

When he joined these two hearts

I hold everything

When I hold you in my arms

I've got all I'll ever need

Thanks to the keeper of the stars

Soft moonlight on your face oh how you shine

It takes my breath away

Just to look into your eyes

I know I don't deserve a treasure like you

There really are no words

To show my gratitude

I tip my hat to the keeper of the stars

He sure knew what he was doin'

When he joined these two hearts

I hold everything

When I hold you in my arms

I've got all I'll ever need

Thanks to the keeper of the stars

It was no accident me finding you

Someone had a hand in it

Long before we ever knew.*

When the song ended, Peter picked up the remote and pushed the ‘repeat’ button. He was to listen to that song over and over again until he fell asleep and awoke on the couch the very next day. The last thing that he had been thinking of was the day that he and Clare got engaged…

Clare didn’t know how long she sat on the bed clutching Timmy. It could have been five minutes and it could have been more. She finally remembered that her parents were expecting her to make an appearance downstairs even though she did not feel like moving from the comfortable spot. She wasn’t in the mood to face them as well as she knew that she would have to tell them why she was here. Slowly and begrudgingly, she forced herself up from the bed and headed into the bathroom and washed her face. Fifteen minutes later, she was in the living room drinking her chocolate peppermint milkshake that her father had made for her. Her parents sat in silence, waiting for her to speak. Neither wanted to broach the subject for fear of offending their daughter.

“I’m guessing you guys want to know why I came here unannounced, right?”

“Only if you want to tell us, darling,” Janine Brody answered.

“I…. I-“ Clare couldn’t bring herself to say that her relationship with Peter was over. She knew that if she said it out loud, it would be true. Yet, she forced herself to tell her parents the truth.

“Peter and I are over.”

“What?!?!”

*The Keeper Of The Stars by Tracy Byrd

Next time: The Brody Family talk. Will Peter follow Clare's wishes and not look for her?

Enjoy!

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Thanks! Must be your lucky day guys! Here's the next part:

Back in Room 508, Tracey and Rachel were having a blast. They had spent most of the night talking about things. Tracey told Rachel about her dream/vision of Eve and how she had asked her to talk to Rachel as a dying wish.

“Well, Trace, I guess you fulfilled it!”

“Yeah, I guess I did. Hey, Rach, I was wondering.” Tracey hesitated.

“Hmm?”

“I think we should have a memorial for Eve.”

“Like an actual memorial or a service?”

“How about both? It’s the least we can do for her.”

“Yeah. I agree. We’ll plan it as soon as you get out of here.”

“Okay.”

“So, are you going to tell Peter?”

“I don’t really know. If you had seen him during the Summer Bay stalker episodes, you’d think twice about telling him.”

“The poor guy.”

“Yeah. At least Clare was there to help.”

“That reminds me, how come you weren’t the one sent to help?”

“I was stuck with his paperwork.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me. He goes on a hunting spree and you’re made to do his paperwork?”

“Not that I minded, to be honest. You know me, Rach. I tend to get bored in small towns.”

“Oh yeah. You’re a city chick at heart. You want to know my honest opinion?”

“Yeah.”

“I think that you should tell him. If he is the good friend that you say he is, he will understand.”

“I don’t know, Rach…”

“Well, it’s up to you. Ultimately it’s your decision. He’s your friend, after all. I’m not going to force you to tell him if you don’t want to. But, I just wanted you to know that if you do tell him, it’s fine by me.”

“Thanks, Rachel.”

“Anytime.”

“Which reminds me, when can I go home?”

“Well, you look healthy at the moment. We’ll see how you’re doing later tomorrow and we’ll decide.”

“And, uhm, one more thing. Can I stay at your place for a few days? Peter knocked down the door of my apartment and I don’t really know if it’s been fixed. Even if it has, I feel that I need a few days away from it just to get rid of the memories of what I did.”

“Hey, it’s okay. Don’t worry about it. It’ll be fine. That way we can plan the whole memorial easily instead of me having to ring you and annoy you at work.”

“I bet Superintendent Murphy will be happy about that.”

“Anyway, madam, I think you should at least go and get some shut eye. I’m going home to sleep. I will see you tomorrow morning.”

“Okay. Good night.”

“Good night. Sweet dreams.”

And with that, Rachel Armstrong tucked Tracey Thompson into bed and walked out and headed home where she fell asleep instantly as soon as her head touched the pillow. Both slept like babies that night. And that was something they had not done for a long time.

Next time: Tracey and Rachel plan the perfect memorial service for Eve. But something happens that ruins it.

[swfc]

Here's the next part:

Peter had never slept so badly before in his life. Even though he had music accompanying him, he tossed and turned the whole night. This was also partly due to the fact that he had fallen asleep in the sofa and he had, sometime during the night, fallen off the couch on to the hard yet carpeted floor. When he awoke from his restless slumber, it had taken him about five minutes or so to click as to how and why he got there. As he looked around, he saw broken shards of glass on the floor. As his eyes got used to the sunlight making its way through the curtains, he saw the source of the glass- the broken photo frame that had once held a picture of him and Clare. Seeing the picture lying there on the floor, the memory of last night’s events came back to haunt him.

The stereo was still playing Tracy Byrd’s ‘The Keeper Of The Stars’ and he turned it off. He felt disoriented and just wanted to remain where he was and not move. As he stared at his watch, he realized that he had to go to work. As much as it pained him to, he had no choice. And then it hit him. ‘Work!’ Clare had obviously rung in to ask for leave. ‘That means Murphy knows where she is!’ and he shot up immediately to get ready for work. He was determined. He wanted, no, needed to talk to Clare. And he was going to look for her. ‘And find her I will!’ he vowed. He was going to make her see reason. He was going to make it up to her. In short, Peter was going to win back the love of his life. And he was not going down without a fight.

“What?!?!”

Both Simon and Janine Brody were stunned into silence. Just a few months ago they were all sitting at the table and dining as a family. And now, their daughter was telling them that things were finished between her and her fiancée. All they could do was to stare dumbly at her. The moment she had uttered those words, she knew that this was it. ‘It’s really over’ she thought to herself. A part of her couldn’t, didn’t want to believe it. But it was true. They were done. And nothing anybody said could fix it. Not even Peter.

“I don’t understand, hun. What happened?” Janine asked. In reply to that question, Clare proceeded to tell them about Tracey as well as the hospital incident. As she spoke, both Simon and Janine exchanged worried glances. It was obvious to them that Clare had just made, what was they considered, the worst mistake of her life. She had given in to her insecurities and had left the man that she loved. And it was all because of a misunderstanding. They had seen the look that Peter gets whenever he sees Clare. It was obvious that whenever their daughter walked into a room, his face would light up at the very sight of her. When she spoke, his mouth would slowly twitch into a huge smile. It was obvious to them that he loved Clare.

“So, are you guys going to say anything?”

“Uhm, well, what is there to say?”

“Clare, maybe you should get some rest.” Simon replied.

“What?”

“You’ve had a long day. You’re obviously on edge and you are confused. A good night’s sleep will do you good. We’ll talk later tomorrow morning, okay?”

“Your father is right. Go and get some rest. We will see you tomorrow.” Janine rose from her seat and kissed Clare goodnight. And Clare knew then that the reason why her parents were acting so was because they needed time to digest all that she had told them. So, she reluctantly went to bed. ‘Maybe a good night’s sleep is what I need.’

“Okay. Good night mom, dad.” Clare said as she kissed them and went back upstairs.

As soon as she was gone however, Simon and Janine began to panic.

“She’s making a huge mistake.”

“Yes, I know.”

“What are we going to do?”

“Nothing. For now.”

“What? We can’t just sit here and watch her throw away her life.”

“No, no. what I meant is that it’s too late to take any sort of action now. I’ll ring Peter tomorrow morning and tell him where she is.”

“Are you sure that’s wise?”

“It’s the only way, Janine. They need to sort this out.”

“But-“

“Trust me. Everything will be fine.”

And with that, Simon and Janine Brody flicked the lights off and went off to bed. They stopped to check in on Clare and found that she had fallen asleep on the bed. She was restless but she was sleeping. And that was what mattered the most.

When Peter Baker arrived at work, he immediately stormed in to Superintendent Murphy’s office and demanded to know where Clare was. Remembering his promise to Clare, he told Peter that Clare did not say where she was going and that she had only asked for leave. But Peter would not budge.

“I know you know where she is!”

“Look, I told you several times before and I’m telling you again. I don’t know where she is.”

“Please. This is very important. I need to know where she is.” Peter begged.

“I’m sorry Peter.” By now, he was feeling sorry for the fella. “Clare made me promise not to tell you where she went.”

“So you do know where she is! Tell me now! Where is she?” he demanded. But before Superintendent Murphy could reply, Peter’s mobile began to ring.

“You might want to get that.”

“Whatever it is, I’m sure it can wait. Now tell me where she is!”

“Trust me, Pete. Pick up the phone.”

“Hello?”

“Peter? It’s Simon Brody here.”

“Simon?”

“Yes. Your future father-in-law.”

“What can I do for you?” Peter was frustrated. Of all the times for him to call, he had to call now.

“I’m sure you want to know where Clare is, right?”

“You know where she is?”

“Yes. She came home yesterday.”

“Oh” was all that Peter could say.

“I think that the both of you need to sit down and talk this through. I admit that I am not too proud of what you did but I realize that this was a misunderstanding. So, if you would like to talk to Clare, be here at noon. No one will be at home to bother you both. Apart from Clare. You don’t have to say anything. If you love her, you will turn up.”

“Thank you” was all that Peter could muster. He was in too much shock to think of what else to say.

“Boss?”

“Hmm?”

“Is it okay if I take the day off?”

“Take as long as you want.”

“Thank you.”

The moment that Superintendent Murphy had said yes, Peter dashed out of the office and got into his car and drove off. He was going to see Clare. And they were going to talk things through. And he wasn’t going to leave until he had come up tops.

Clare had slept restlessly the whole night. When she finally awoke it was 10am. As she freshened up and went downstairs, and headed towards the kitchen, she saw a note on the fridge door from her parents. It said:

‘Hey darling,

Your father and I have gone out for the morning. We will be back around tea time. there is food in the fridge. Make sure you eat.

Love,

Mom and Dad.’

Clare sighed. ‘Looks like I’m home alone. But it’s a good thing.’ Clare had sensed that her parents were avoiding her. Their reaction last night had said it all. She made herself food and went to the living room and turned on the idiot box. After about two hours, there was knock on the front door. Clare sighed as she got up and headed towards the door, wondering who it was knocking on the door.

As Peter rounded the corner and turned into the street that was to lead him to Clare, his heart pounded even faster. ‘Crap! If only I had gone and got her some flowers’ thought Peter. He wanted to show Clare that he meant his actions in coming here today. He arrived outside the house, parked and got out. As he headed towards the door, his heart pounded even faster. To Peter, his heart had never ever pounded this fast before. He knocked the door but couldn’t hear for his beating heart had drowned it. as he heard footsteps heading towards the door, he took a deep breath. He forced a smile when the door opened.

“What are you doing here?”

Next time: Will Clare let Peter in? Will they be able to sort things out and salvage their relationship? The memorial service for Eve Jacobsen aka the Summer Bay Stalker.

[swfc]

Thanks guys! Here's the next part:

Rachel Armstrong had never had a good night’s sleep in a long time. Sure, she was a doctor and with that came the knowledge of getting little if not any sleep at all. But for once, she managed to beat the odds. Tracey and her were now friends and nothing was ever going to come between them. Before she fell asleep, however, she made a mental note to drop by Tracey’s apartment tomorrow and get some stuff for her.

For Tracey Thompson, nothing could dampen her mood anymore. She was happy. Rachel and her had made up and they were friends now. Yet there was still something at the back of her mind telling her that things were not over yet. Even if she had solved one dilemma, another one still remained. And that was whether or not she was going to tell Peter the truth. Rachel had given permission for her to do so and had thought it was a good idea. However, Tracey decided to ignore that question until she awaken from her slumber the next day. ‘Peter can wait. I have more happier thoughts to think off now’ Tracey thought as she drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, Rachel woke up bright and early, got ready and headed to Tracey’s apartment. When she got there, she saw that the door had already been fixed. Although there was no mistaking the shoe print of a certain Detective Peter Baker from yesterday. She had managed to procure the key from the landlord and walked into the apartment. Inside, as she walked around, she saw that Tracey was the same as always. Everything was so neat. ‘I swear, she must have this obsession with cleanliness’ she thought to herself and made a mental note to tease Tracey about it later. As she headed towards the bedroom to get Tracey some fresh clothes and some magazines, she saw the case files that Peter had left and picked them up and dumped them in the bag together with all of the other things. All that was left was for her to pick up the toiletries so she headed towards the bathroom. There, she saw the evidence of what Tracey had got up to that had landed her in hot water and in hospital fighting for her life.

She picked her way through the empty medicine bottles and picked up the necessary toiletries and got out of there as soon as possible. As she left, she felt a slight chill run up her spine as her mind imagined how and what happened in that very room. She shut the door behind her, returned the key to the landlord and drove off to the hospital to visit her patient. when she arrived at the hospital, she greeted the receptionist and headed straight towards Room 508. When she opened the door, she saw that sleeping beauty was still asleep and laughed to herself. And that was when sleeping beauty stirred and opened her eyes.

“Hey!”

“Ah, sleeping beauty finally awakes from her slumber!” Rachel mocked.

“Wrong fairytale.” Tracey retorted and nearly stuck her tongue out. “Don’t you mean Snow White?”

“Fine then! I brought your stuff.”

“How’s my door?”

“Geez, not even a thank you? After all, I went out of my way to get you some clean clothes and all and all you can ask is your door?” Rachel asked pretending to be hurt.

“I’m sorry. But the door is of utmost important. Strangers can walk in and take anything they want.” Tracey whined.

“Speaking of doors, your friend left a nice little present for you.”

“He did?” Tracey asked. The look on her face was one of pure confusion.

"Yeah. His shoe print!”

“What?!?! My clean door! I’m going to get him to clean it off.”

“I swear, woman, you and your obsessive compulsive with cleanliness.”

“I can’t help it. I hate messes. How can people live in a pig sty, I will never understand.”

“That’s it! You need to get out more. We are going for a little bit of rehabilitation after you get out of here.”

“Well, I’d go now but since my doctor hasn’t released me, I’m still stuck here.” Tracey retorted.

“Good point. Oh, and there are files for you in that bag as well. I think Peter was supposed to drop it off for you yesterday.”

“Oh okay. Thanks.”

“Well, I’m going to go get ready for work now. I’ll be back to check up on you soon.”

“Yes, Doctor Armstrong.” Tracey said as she rolled her eyes

“Be good and be nice to the nurses!”

“Yes! Now will you just go? I need to freshen up and do some work.”

“I’ll see you later!” Rachel said as she walked out of the room and headed to her boss’s office and asked for the day off.

Half an hour later, Rachel found Tracey with her nose in the case files. ‘The best part of all is that she didn’t hear me come in!’ Rachel thought with glee.

“Hey nerd!”

Tracey was so caught up with the case files that she didn’t hear the door open. When she heard someone say, “Hey nerd!” she practically jumped, looked up and saw Rachel trying to stifle a laugh.

“Oi!”

“I’m sorry, I really couldn’t help it! You looked so serious and I couldn’t waste a good opportunity."

“I’m glad that you find me entertainment value.” Tracey replied acting hurt.

“I’m sorry….. NOT!” Rachel finally burst out laughing and Tracey soon joined it.

After about ten minutes or so,

“I don’t believe you’re actually sitting here. Let’s go!”

“Go?”

“Out! Shopping! Home!”

Tracey didn’t need to be asked twice. The moment that Rachel had said “Out!” she had hopped off the bed, squashed everything into the suitcase, turned to Rachel and said,

“Okay! I’m ready! Let’s go! Wait!”

“What now?”

“Don’t you have work?”

“I asked for the day off, you idiot!”

“Hey!”

“Sometimes I wonder how you became a detective. Couldn’t even figure out something as simple as this.” Rachel teased.

“Shut up! Can we go now? I can’t wait to get out of here.”

And so, Rachel Armstrong and Tracey Thompson walked out of the hospital and spent the day doing what they love most. Retail therapy. Very good for the body, mind, and soul.

Next time: Tracey and Rachel plan the memorial service for Eve.

[swfc]

Here's the next chapter!

When Clare opened the door, the last person she expected to see was standing there staring at her looking very sullen and miserable. All she could think of to say was

“What are you doing here?”

Before Peter could even explain, she had slammed the door in front of Peter’s face. However, she wasn’t quick enough and he managed to use his hand and blocked her.

“Clare, we need to talk. And I’m not leaving until you and I get whatever it is out in the open.”

“There is nothing to say at all. It’s over, Pete. Deal with it.”

“I can’t believe you. If you said that you love me, why are you not fighting? Why are you just giving up?”

“I don’t want to fight with something that I have no power against.”

“You mean Tracey?”

“You know what I mean, Peter!”

“If you think I have feelings for Tracey you must be seriously out of your mind!”

“You clearly still do.”

“I did. But that was before I met you. Look, Clare, can we just go inside and talk? The neighbours will be out with all the shouting that you and I are doing.”

“Whatever you have to say to me, can be said out here. And there’s no one about. They’re all at work.”

“Fine. If that’s the way you want it. Listen, Clare, I love you. There is no one in this world that I want to be with than with you. You are the one I want. I need you in my life.”

“Funny way you have of showing it.”

“I’m sorry?”

“I’m not in the mood to play games with you, Peter.”

“I’m not playing games. I’m being serious.”

“If you’re serious, why then did you say those six words at the hospital? Why then, did I walk in on you and Tracey looking at each other as though the both of you just want to kiss each other? I’m sick and tired of all these insecurities, Peter.”

“And they’re just that! Insecurities! There’s nothing more to it.”

“Oh come on, Peter. You know that it’s not true!”

“What?”

“Stop acting dumb. I know you. I know that you have a reputation as being a player. I mean, first Tracey and then me and then your sister-in-law-“

“That was before I met you and decided that you were the one that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with!” Peter cut her off.

“Decided?”

“That’s not fair, Clare.”

“Fair? You wanna talk about fair?”

“I’m the one who has to go to work everyday and listen to everyone saying that you and me are wrong. I have to sit there and take in people saying that you and Tracey were meant to me! and I have to sit there and listen to people calling me the third party. And I sit there everyday, trying my best not to cry, and my fiancée does absolutely nothing about it. What do you expect me to do? What can you say about that?" Clare shot back. She was so angry and she didn’t care if people could hear her. As far as she was concerned, Peter had come and had asked for it. and once she had started, there was no stopping her now. And the more she lashed out at him, the more the tears fell. He had hurt her and she wanted him to know just how much. She loved him too much. And the thought of losing him; the thought of him being with someone else, was just too much for her to take.

Seeing Clare like that broke Peter’s heart. He longed to take her into his arms and caress her and take away all the pain that she was feeling. The problem was that he was the one that she was mad at. And there was no way in hell that she would allow him to touch her. When he saw her cry, he realized just how deeply he had hurt her. He realized that there was a great chance of this being their very last meeting. He gave up. Yet, a part of him would not give up without a fight. And, against his better judgement, he reached out towards Clare and pulled her towards him in an embrace.

“I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!” Clare yelled and at the same time hitting Peter as hard as she could, thinking that if she hit him hard enough, he would break into a million pieces. Just like her heart was at the moment. Yet a part of her could not refuse him. He had come all the way here just to see her and to apologize to her. She caved and ended up crying into his shoulders.

He refused to let go. Even though she was hitting him as hard as she could, he was never letting her go. She was the one for him and he was very sure of that. He didn’t care if she hurt him. he just wanted to hold her because he knew in his hearts of hearts that she still cared. That she still loved him. That she would give in to him in the end. And when she had finally given up, he held her. And they stood there, at the doorway for god knew how long. She, crying in his arms. And he, holding her ever so tightly and never letting go. And unbeknownst to them both, someone was watching them. Smiling. Watching them argue and watching them make up. When the show was finally over, walked into a blue Toyota and drove off.

Next time: Tracey talks to Peter. The memorial service for Eve Jacobsen takes place.

[swfc]

Neither can I.

Here's the next part for you lucky people:

After a long day of shopping, Tracey and Rachel arrived home to Rachel’s apartment with bags and bags of clothes and accessories. When they had finally chucked them aside and opened a bottle of bubbly to celebrate the occasion, Tracey was the first to speak.

“Rach?”

“Hmm?”

“I’ve decided to talk to Peter.”

“Are you going to tell him about Eve?”

“Yeah. He has the right to know. I mean, she’s dead after all. What harm is there?”

“No harm at all. Well, you know my feelings on the matter.”

“Yeah. Thanks. I’m going to go call him now.”

“Okay.”

Tracey dialed Peter’s mobile and waited for an answer.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Pete. It’s me. How’re you?”

“I’m good. Really good.” Peter replied as he gave Clare a loving look. “Yourself?”

“I’m good too. I was discharged today and Rachel and I went shopping. We only just got home.”

“Trust Tracey Thompson to go shop til’ she drops the day she is discharged from hospital” Peter teased.

“It’s refreshing. Oh, and by the way, you left something at my place.”

“I did?”

“Yeah. Your bloody shoe print. You’re going to have to clean it up, mate.”

“Awww, Trace! It’s just a shoe print!” he whined.

“Yeah. Yours. On. My. Door.”

“Okay, okay. Fine. So, what’s up?”

“You know the thing we were discussing about yesterday?”

“Yeah.”

“I was wondering if you were free tomorrow afternoon.”

“Yeah, I should be free.”

“Okay, meet me at our usual hang spot at 1pm.”

“Okay, I’ll be there.”

“Alright, then. It’s all settled. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Yeah, see you tomorrow then.”

“Oh, and before I forget, tell Clare I said hi.”

“Yeah. I will.”

And with that, they both hung up. Peter went back to pay attention to his fiancée and Tracey went back to sipping her bubbly. Both feeling a little anxious at seeing each other on the morrow. Peter because of Clare and Tracey because of what Peter would react.

The next day, 1pm, the usual hang spot:

“Hey.”

“Hey.”

“Sleep well?”

“Yeah. Rachel has the most comfy couch.”

“Guess I’ll have to take your word for it, since I wouldn’t know.”

“Oh, before I forget, when do you want me to come and paint your front door?”

“Oh, whenever you want. Just ring me beforehand.”

“Okay.”

“So-“

“So-“

“Oh, you ordered me a drink.”

“Yeah. Hope you don’t mind.”

“It’s fine. Saves me the trouble of walking to the counter and ordering.”

“What are friends for?”

To say that Tracey wasn’t nervous would be lying. She was freaking out. she didn’t want to get straight into the whole reason why she was here before she figured out Peter’s mood. She wanted to make sure that he was happy.

“So, how’s Clare?”

“She’s good. Very good. We’re both good.”

“I’m glad.”

“Yeah. We went through a rough patch recently but we fixed it.”

“That’s good.”

“Yeah.”

“I went shopping yesterday.”

“I know. You told me that, remember?”

“Oh yeah, I forgot.”

“Uhm, Trace, I hope you don’t mind but, can we just get straight to the point?”

“Oh, yeah. Sorry.”

Tracey took a deep breath and started again.

“Pete, the reason why I asked you to come here was because I wanted to tell you why I did what I did. However, I know that what I’m about to tell you will shock you to no end, and for that I apologize. And I also hope that you won’t hate me for it.”

“Trace, I can never hate you. You know that. We’re friends. And friends don’t hate each other.”

“Okay. Promise me that you won’t be mad.”

“I promise.”

“I did what I did because… because I found out that a friend of mine had died recently. She was my childhood friend. Well, I think I should start from the beginning. Rachel, her and I grew up together. We went to school together. Our parents knew each other. Then she moved away. And that’s when things were strained between us all. And then when I found out that she had died, I was devastated. she was really close to me. and the three of us were like sisters. And, I wanted to die along with her. So, that’s why I did what I did.” Tracey decided to be brief about it as she didn’t want to dig in deep into her past.

“Okay. I get it. but, what I don’t understand is why couldn’t you have just told me that two days ago when I asked you?”

“Because I was afraid that you would hate me.”

“Why would I hate you for your friend dying?”

“Because…. Because you knew her too.”

“I did?” Peter looked confused.

“Yeah.”

“Who is she?”

Tracey took a deep breath once again. and when she exhaled, she said, two words that shocked the daylights out of Peter.

“Eve Jacobsen. The Summer Bay Stalker”

Next time: Peter's reaction- Will he be mad? Will he understand?

[swfc]

Tell me about it!

Here's the next part! Enjoy!

As soon as Peter Baker heard that name, he froze. When he heard the four words that had haunted him for several days and nights, he just died. Well, he felt like as though someone had put a bullet through his skull. He sat there just staring at Tracey. Nothing could come out of his mouth, even though it was open like a goldfish’s when it swims. He knew he was looking like an idiot yet he couldn’t force his mouth shut. It just decided to stay open. If anyone had used a clamp to shut it, the clamp would’ve most probably snap and break into two. All he could see was Tracey staring at him, worriedly.

When Tracey uttered those words, she didn’t know if she felt relieved or she was afraid. When she saw Peter’s expression, she panicked. For the first time, in a very long time, Peter Baker had been rendered speechless. She reached out and put her hand on top of his as a reassuring gesture but he winced and pulled his hand away. it was as though Peter hated her.

Peter felt Tracey’s hand on top of his, but he couldn’t bear to be near her, let alone bear the touch of her skin op top of his. He flinched when she touched him. He wanted to get away from her. He couldn’t even look at her. ‘I need to get out of here,’ he thought to himself. And got out of there he did. He stood up, very abruptly, and walked off, leaving Tracey with a shocked expression, calling out to him.

“Peter!” Tracey yelled. She couldn’t believe that he had just walked away without even saying a single word. She wanted to run after him but she couldn’t. Or, more specifically, her legs felt like they had been glued to the concrete floor. And try and try as she could, it would not budge.

“You promised me that you wouldn’t hate me!” Tracey yelled with all her might, not caring that everyone was looking at her and whispering to each other. “What are you all looking at? Haven’t you seen two people have an argument?” Tracey snapped at them.

Tracey tried again. “Peter Baker, we had an agreement. I’ve honoured my part of it and now it’s your turn!” Tracey had no idea why she was so mad at Peter. She knew that he had every right to be angry at her. She knew how badly the stalker case had taken a toll on him and just how much it had haunted him. But of all the people that Tracey trusted, she didn’t expect him to react in this way. She expected him to understand. She was devastated. Until, that is, Peter turned back.

He needed to get out as soon as possible. But when he heard Tracey yelling, he knew that he was being unfair. All these thoughts kept running through his mind. ‘She’s right. I did promise her that I would not be mad at her. That I wouldn’t hate her. No matter what she told me. But, Eve. Why did it have to be her? Why couldn’t it be someone else? But, she’s dead. How can I fault Tracey for this? She died. I saw it. With my very own eyes. She was Tracey’s friend. Maybe, maybe I could get Tracey to tell me how Eve was when she was younger. Then, maybe I can finally put it all to rest.’ Peter fought with himself. And, without even realizing it, he was headed back to where Tracey was and had sat down on the chair.

To say that Tracey was shocked was an understatement. She was horrified more than anything. This was because a part of her knew that somehow, Peter would end up yelling at her. And, at that time, she truly wished that he had walked away and that she had not called him back. When he had sat down, she did so. But not before giving the other onlookers her coldest and bitchiest state. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw them shivering and she chuckled to herself with glee.

Peter Baker didn’t know why he had come back to Tracey. He resolved that he would speak nicely to her and not yell, for he had somehow noticed her cold and evil stare. And that shot shivers up his spine. Thus, he resolved not to make her angry. ‘After all, she was a friend of Eve Jacobsen. Goodness knows what she’d do to me.’ he shuddered. So, he cleared his throat and began anew.

“I don’t know what to say, Trace. I really don’t. I mean, I’m shocked.”

“I know. I totally understand. I just don’t want you to hate me, Pete. I wanted you to understand. You’re my best friend. And you’ve done so much for me and I felt that I owed it to you to tell you the truth.”

“Trust me, if I knew that it would be like this, that it would be because of Eve Jacobsen, I would’ve just kept my mouth shut and not asked you anything about it.”

“Believe me when I say that I was struggling with whether or not to tell you the truth. But, Rachel made me see sense. She said that lying to you would be wrong. And, friends don’t lie to each other.”

“Tracey, if I said that I understand how you feel would be lying. I mean, I understand how hard it is for you to have to tell me this. but, I just. It’s just so hard for me to take it all in right now. I need time, Trace.”

“So, this is it? we’re over? Does that mean we’re not friends anymore?”

“I don’t know, Tracey. I really don’t.”

“So, I guess, this is it then.”

“Yeah, I guess so too. I’ll call you in a few days.”

“Okay. Bye.” Tracey replied dejectedly. She couldn’t blame him. After what Eve had done to him, it would be a miracle if he could’ve accepted this. She let him go. She knew he needed time to think things through. She only hoped that he would come round soon as she hated the fact that she was losing a really good mate.

Peter had no idea how to deal with it. he had no choice but to tell Tracey the truth. And the truth was that he was not coping at all with the news. A part of him accepted the fact that Tracey and Eve had been good friends. But, another part of him couldn’t, wouldn’t believe it. so, he just told her that he needed time to digest everything. Eve Jacobsen had been a part of his life for a whole year. He had never truly gotten over the fact that sweet, bubbly Zoë McCallister would turn out to be a cruel, cold hearted, b****.

Down the street from where Tracey and Peter were sitting, was parked a blue Toyota. The owner of it was sitting in the car with the windows down and watching the two occupants at table 22. As the man walked off, the driver started the engines and drove off. ‘We’ll meet again. Sometime. In. The. Not. Too. Distant. Future.’ And blew a kiss.

Next part: Will Peter finally be able to put the past behind him and be friends again with Tracey? The memorial service for Eve Jacobsen takes place. And something goes horribly wrong.

[swfc]

Thanks guys! The part that you've all been waiting for. The penultimate chapter of TZR:

One week later, after the above event takes place:

After a considerable amount of planning, Tracey Thompson and Rachel Armstrong were finally at Lake Gardens. It had taken them a few days to have a plaque made for Eve. And it was beautifully inscribed.

‘Eve Jacobsen.’

A true friend and a true musketeer. Sorely missed by Trace and Rach.

‘One for All and All For One.’

Simple, yet to the point. That was what Eve would have wanted. For Tracey and Rachel, they were finally able to say goodbye. they were finally able to close that chapter of their lives and move on.

“Eve, even though you’re gone, you will always be a part of us. All the fun times that we had will always be in our memories. You will never be forgotten.”

“Eve, wherever you are, I know that you’re watching out for Trace and me. you’ve been a great friend and sister to us both. You’ve been there for us for everything. The only regret that we have is not being able to be there for you.”

“But, deep down, we both knew that you understood.”

As they both took spoke, they broke into tears. Thus, they ended up taking turns to talk because the other would choke.

“I can’t believe that this is goodbye.”

“Wherever you are, behave yourself.”

“All for One and One for All!” Tracey and Rachel both said together.

Whilst they were standing there, saying their goodbyes, neither one noticed a blue Toyota driving up. And neither of them saw the owner of the car turn off the engine and got out. neither of them saw the owner head towards a mini shed nearby where there were two men dressed in white awaited. Neither of them saw the three of them talking. And neither of them noticed the two men heading towards them.

Before they knew it, both Tracey Thompson and Rachel Armstrong were knocked out cold. The two men carried them up and dumped them into an awaiting van, bound and gagged, whilst the owner of the blue Toyota got in to the car and drove off.

On the outskirts of town, 2 hours later:

Rachel Armstrong awoke with a headache. As she opened her eyes to take in the surroundings, she nearly screamed. But she couldn’t. for her mouth was gagged and her arms were tied to a pole. She tried to wriggle free but felt something heavy pulling her. It was Tracey. As she turned her head to the left, Rachel saw that Tracey was in the same condition as her. The only difference was that Tracey was still out cold.

Rachel tried to make some kind of noise hoping that it would attract some kind of attention. Or at least, would wake Tracey up. She started to scream through the gagged cloth but to no avail. No one came. No one could hear her. No one, except the shadow at the window. Soon, Rachel gave up and resigned herself to her fate. ‘Come on Tracey! Wake up!’ she begged in her mind, hoping that maybe for some weird reason or another that Tracey would somehow awake if she could read her mind. Rachel wasn’t thinking straight. After about ten minutes or so, she heard a slight moan to her left.

Tracey Thompson stirred from her slumber. She felt like she had never slept this badly before in her entire life. Her entire body ached and the back of her head hurt even worse and was starting to give her a headache. As she opened her eyes groggily, and tried to free her arm from whatever it was that was holding it, she panicked. Everything came back to her. The memorial service and then that was it. it was as though her mind had blanked out completely. ‘This must be how it feels to get amnesia or something’ she thought to herself. As she came to her senses, and started to stare at her surroundings, she completely freaked. And then she heard a silent muffle coming from her right. She turned her head a little and saw Rachel- bound to a poll and gagged. And that’s when it finally hit her that she was in the same position as her. She was relieved to see Rachel but she was afraid of what was going to happen.

And suddenly, they heard the bolt of the door being unlocked. As the door opened, the sunlight made its way in through the opening gap and blinded them both. They saw a figure at the doorway but couldn’t make it out clearly. All that they could see was that the figure was thin, tall, and was dressed in black. They couldn’t make out the face. Soon, the room was full of darkness as the figure had shut the door. And that figure was approaching them, slowly but confidently. As the figure inched closer and closer towards them, their hearts beat even faster. They tried to plead with the figure but all that came out was small, pathetic whimpers. The figure finally stopped an inch in front of them. All they could see was the eyes. Eyes that looked familiar yet there was a certain hardness to it. Even coldness. The figure lifted its hands and un-gagged Tracey and then Rachel.

When the gags were taken off from their mouths, they both tried to speak. But nothing came out. They tried again. And this time, they spoke in unison.

“Who are you?!? What do you want with us?!?”

The figure said nothing. All it did was stand up and raise its hands towards the mask it was wearing and pulled it off.

The expression on both Tracey and Rachel’s face was priceless. It was one full of disbelief and horror. Neither one of them could speak. They were dumbfounded. All they could do was to stare dumbly at the figure.

And the figure? It was Eve Jacobsen. Alive and well. And smiling.

[swfc]

Okay, here's the final chapter. Hope you guys like it. It seriously gets crap towards the end so yea. Have fun:

Eve made a slight gesture and all of a sudden, on both sides, appeared her minions. Both were big, burly and bald men. And both looked sinisterly at Tracey and Rachel. Meanwhile, Eve’s smile had turned cold and evil. And the look that she gave Tracey and Rachel was one of pure loathing. Then her one of the minions spoke and asked, “What do you want us to do with them?”

She answered, “Nothing,” and turned to look at her minions. They shook with fear as they stared at her. Her eyes, as cold as ice and as hard as glass, bore into their very soul. “You have ten seconds to get out of my sight.” She stated simply. Neither one of them hesitated. They ran as fast as their legs could carry them. As they turned, neither of them saw the gun that Eve had pulled out and was now aimed at them both. ‘Bang.’ One down. ‘Bang.’ Both down. And then she laughed. They never saw it coming. “Idiots!” she muttered as turned back round to look at Tracey and Rachel.

Rachel was stunned into disbelief. Eve was standing before her. Alive. Not even a slight scar. The part that shocked her to no end was how cold and evil and how full of pure loathing Eve was. It was as though she was a whole new different person.

It pained Tracey to think of Eve this way but it was the truth. ‘Cruel, cold hearted bitch.’ That were the exact words that Tracey had used to describe Eve. She watched as Eve gave them an evil look and she watched as she murdered her minions so coldly. Tracey couldn’t, wouldn’t believe it. But it was the truth. And she had to accept it. The Eve that she knew was now gone. Consumed by Zoë McCallister, the Summer Bay Stalker. A part of her couldn’t help but agree with Peter. As far as she was concerned, Eve Jacobsen was dead. Standing here before her and Rachel was Zoë McCallister.

As she turned round to look at them, she saw Tracey and Rachel both wince. Her countenance had turned once again. This time, she was smiling at them. And then she said,

“I’m sorry that you had to witness that. I had to get rid of those two idiots before they blab to the world about this. and I hate having people eavesdropping on our conversations.” She said it as a matter-of factly. Like as though nothing had happened. Like as though nothing had changed between them. Like as though it was a normal conversation between then.

If Eve’s actions beforehand had scared the daylights out of them, this was nearly killed them. Tracey was the first to speak. “What in blazes is going on here, Eve? Why the hell have you tied us up? Why in the world are we here?” Tracey was at the brink of losing it. But, this time is was because of anger. Not grief. If her hands were free, and if Eve wasn’t still holding that gun in her hand, Tracey would’ve slapped Eve right there and then.

Rachel just stared at Eve. She couldn’t believe what she had just heard. She just stared at Eve as hard as she could and gave her the coldest stare she could muster. It worked, for Eve finally spoke again.

“I’m sorry guys. I really am.”

Eve had seen the look on their faces. It had pained her to have acted in the way that she did. But she had no choice. She had kept up the tough demeanour to guard herself from getting hurt again. But when she saw her friends again, the walls broke down. She could never stay mad at them for long. Such was the bond between the three of them. Neither could remain angry at the other for long.

“If you’re sorry, you wouldn’t have knocked us out cold. And you wouldn’t have tied us here and-“

“Oh, shut up, Rachel!” Eve was pissed off. She had expected them to understand. The two people who she had counted on throughout her life had let her down. She needed them to understand. But they weren’t.

“Don’t you dare tell me to shut up, Eve. After what you did. I can’t believe you faked your own death.”

“And I can’t believe that you guys don’t understand at all!” she snapped back, obviously mad.

“What’s not to understand? You left us and became someone else. You killed people. You stole their identity. You terrorized a whole town. You were supposed to have died in the explosion at the tyre factory. But, you’re here. Alive. Acting like nothing happened. And you expect us to understand? For ****’s sake, Eve! I killed myself because of you!” Tracey hurled at her. Not caring at all about the gun. She was sick and tired of having to understand why people did what they did. Peter had already pissed her off and now Eve was doing the same.

“You wanna watch what you’re saying, there, Tracey. I have a gun and you’re bound to the poll. And right now, you guys are my prisoners. I have the upper hand.”

“You’re sick!” Tracey spat. “You need help!”

“I don’t need help. And you’re sounding very much like Detective Peter Baker. What’d he do to you while I was away? Convert you? OMG, he took you to the dark side! Come back to the light side, my young apprentice.” Eve said, mocking Tracey.

“Cut the crap, Eve. What do you want with us? If you have nothing better to do with us, either let us go or just kill us right here and now, will you?” Rachel was sick and tired of the games that Eve was playing.

By this time, Eve was angry. She took the gags and gagged Tracey and Rachel.

“Now, it’s time for you to listen. I’m doing the talking. Not you.”

She took a deep breath and spoke, this time, calmly. Like the Eve Jacobsen that they had known.

“When I moved away, I had no friends. I didn’t have you guys. I had trouble making friends. None of them were like you both. To be honest, I felt that none of them could ever replace you both. I kept to myself a lot. I couldn’t confide to anyone. It wasn’t the same. Every time I tried, I couldn’t. Because they didn’t look like you guys. I was lost. And, when my parents died, I became even more of a loner and was even more lost. I had no idea who I was anymore. And then, I met her.” And here Eve paused. She stopped to reminisce the past. And out of the corner of her eye, Tracey and Rachel saw a slight tear fall down Eve’s face. But she brushed it off immediately and went back to telling her story.

“Her name was Sarah. We met at a psychiatry hospital. Although you guys would call id a mental institution. She was my patient. I was her nurse. And, she was my kindred soul. My other half. The one person that I truly loved. She told me her life story- about Felix and about how the idiots at Summer Bay killed him. And how she was hell bent on revenge for his death. And I helped her. Even though it pained me to know that she was in love with someone else. But, she had told me she loved me. And I believed her. That she just wanted to avenge his death and then she would come back to me. But, alas, she didn’t. She killed herself. She broke her promise to me. She said that she was going to come back to me. But she didn’t. Those idiots made her kill herself.” At this, she sat down on the ground and faced Tracey and Rachel, and shut her eyes, recalling all the events of the past. She continued,

“I couldn’t sit and do nothing. I had to exact the revenge that Sarah had failed to do. I quit my job at the institution after her death. I couldn’t even work there without having the memories of Sarah come back to haunt me every waking hour of the day. I mean, it haunted me in my sleep and that I could take. But during the day, as I worked with patients and doctors, the more I thought about Sarah. And, the more I thought about Summer Bay and how those idiots caused her death. So, I knew that I had to do what I had to do. I had to go to Summer Bay and make them pay. Make them as miserable as I was. But, I needed a plan. I needed a pawn. And that was where Zoë McCallister came in.” during the entire time, Eve was playing with her curls. She needed some kind of distraction to keep her busy as she explained her story.

“Zoë and I were friends from nursing school. And it so happened that I bumped into her at the park. And we caught up. She told me about how she had gotten a position at Northern District Hospital, in Summer Bay. The instant she mentioned that name, I lit up. I had found my pawn and my reason. And you know what I did? I killed Zoë McCallister and I stole her identity. And, how, you ask, did I kill her? It was easy. The easiest thing I ever had to do. it took me two days to plan the perfect murder. And it was indeed perfect. I rung Zoë up and told her and invited her along on a road trip. Well, more like asked her if I could tag along with her on her way to Summer Bay. And it would be a road trip because we would take the scenic route.” And here Eve paused. And then she burst out laughing. Laughing at her brilliant act.

“When we arrived at Summer Bay, I asked her to stop by the road side so that I could take a picture of her standing at the ‘Welcome to Summer Bay’ sign. And then I did it. I killed her. I dumped her body at a nearly bush land. And then I burnt it. and watched it burn. And as I watched it burn, the memories of my parent’s death came back to me. I remember it as vividly as it was yesterday. I watched their car go up in flames as they left the house one night. And some drunk idiot drove straight towards them. Dad swerved in time but the car ended up crashing into a huge container. And it burst up in flames. Before my very eyes. I will never ever forget that day. not even until the day that I die. And that day, I didn’t look back. I became Zoë McCallister. I stole her identity and I wrecked havoc in that town.” Eve looked at them, with an insane smile upon her face. And she laughed. A cold and sinister laugh that could send chills up anybody’s spine.

“And the idiot Detective Baker ruined my perfect plan. I was going to kill off Sally Fletcher and let the town mourn. Let them feel how it felt to mourn someone they love. Let them feel the pain and misery that I felt when I lost you both and when I lost Sarah. You know, you guys were the best thing that happened to me. but, when I left, you guys went your own way. None of you even bothered to keep in contact with me. and then, I find out that you were having a memorial service for me. and this, I had to see. With my own eyes as well. My two best friends who left me and now felt bad that I was dead. To be honest, I was amused. And touched that you both cared. But, that’s not enough, guys. It’s not enough to make up for the past. As far as I’m concerned, friends don’t do that to one another. Families don’t treat each other the way you treated me.”

By now, Tracey and Rachel were getting all worked up. They were annoyed at Eve’s attitude yet at the same time, they were scared of what she could do. what she was capable of. She had already killed a total of four people, what was two more to add to the body count? As far as both of them were concerned, she was mad. Starking raving mad. And that was the part that scared them the most.

“How did I escape? You must be wondering. But, judging from the look on your faces, you think I’ll kill you. But, not now. Not yet, at least.”

By this time, Rachel and Tracey knew that they had to do something. they knew there was nothing that they could do. they were tied up and gagged. The only thing they could do was to hope that whatever it is that had possessed Eve would go away.

“I escaped unharmed, really. Well, I do have a burn scar but it was worth it. and you know who was my saviour? Laura McPherson. You wouldn’t know her anyway. She was a girl I met in my school. We hung out but that was it really. I know she had a thing for me. then, through some divine luck, I met her a couple of days before Zoë and I went on our little road trip. And how did I manage to fool that girl into coming to the abandoned factory with me? she was in the wrong place and the right time basically. A couple of days before, she rung me and told me that she had arrived in Summer Bay and thought that maybe we should catch up. So, I told her that I was a little busy and that I’d ring her when I was free. And, so, on that day, I rung her and asked her if she could do me a favour. I told her that I was walking my neighbour’s dog and it got loose from its leash and then ran away. she asked me where I was and I told her that I was at the old, abandoned, tyre factory. I didn’t even need to ask for her help. She volunteered to come and help me look for the dog. She didn’t even see it coming.” And here, Eve proceeded to tell them the story of how she had died and arisen from the ashes. [A/N: I’m sure we all know what happened, right? ;)]

“Needless to say, her body was the body that they found” she finished. “Those idiots really didn’t even bother checking things out. If they had looked deeper, they would’ve found me. They just assumed that the first body they found was mine. I’ve always said that the cops at Summer Bay are a useless bunch. Proved me right really, seeing as that they couldn’t even solve the mystery of who the Summer Bay Stalker was. But, I knew that it wasn’t that easy to kill me off. There was no way that I would die before finishing off Sarah’s revenge. She walked towards Rachel and Tracey and knelt down in front of them, and said,

"And that’s where the both of you come in. you’re going to help me with my plans to finish off the Bay,” she declared, whilst glaring at them menacingly.

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