Safe Epilogue

[Jackieleanne]

Awww poor Beth and Matilda and I loved Ric/Willow/Alf stuff also loving the Belle and Lucas stuff. Can't wait to read more. Glad you had a good birthday.

[lynhay]

That was a great chapter - my favourite so far. Loving all the Ric and Mattie stuff and Alf - it was so sweet!! I like reading about the others but think the Ric and mattie stuff is just great - keep it up!

Happy belated birthday by the way!

[Ali_]

Hope everyone is having a good week! I'll probably be posting chapters twice a week for at least a while so next one should be up saturday or sunday.

**********************************************

Chivalry isn't dead.

Maddy was resting her head on Ric’s shoulder and he stroked her hair on the couch.

Maddy smiled.

“I love this part.”

Mr Darcy was busy declaring his love on the TV to a reluctant Elizabeth Bennet who boldly rejected his marriage proposal as him being ‘the last man on earth I could ever marry.’

Matilda giggled but Ric scoffed.

“She was so harsh, I feel for him.”

“Thanks for suggesting this, this mini-series always cheers me up, it reminds me of you and the time you sat through it for me the first time.”

“Well by the third viewing I was actually beginning to understand and enjoy it, now its pretty entertaining and worth it’s weight in gold if it makes you smile like that.”

Maddy gave him a loving kiss.

“You’re my Mr. Darcy you realise”

Ric grinned.

“So are you feeling a bit better?”

“Yeah it was good to get it off my chest and realise that things could be a lot worse and not to get too upset over what I can’t change.”

“That’s a good way to look at it.”

“Oh Henry called earlier and he’s coming over for dinner, he wants to see Willow and talk about mum, he’s pretty upset too.”

“I’m not surprised, is Cassie coming too?”

“Yeah and she’s brining a bottle of wine I just need to start getting dinner ready, can you set the table and tidy up a bit if that’s cool?"

“That’s fine.”

Two hours later and Henry and Cassie were at the door.

“Hey Maddy, I’m sorry to hear about Beth.”

Cassie gave Maddy a hug but Maddy smiled.

“There’s nothing to be sorry about she’s going to be fine, we should be celebrating.”

Henry passed her the wine and groaned.

“Let’s not go so far, she’s hasn’t won the lottery, she has cancer.”

Ric gave Henry a look that said ‘don’t go there’ so Henry changed the subject.

“Anyway I have some good news.”

They all sat down at the dinner table while Ric poured the wine.

“I couldn’t think of a more perfect time. What is it?”

“I want to set up a bank fund for Willow.”

Matilda frowned in confusion.

“She’s not even ten she doesn’t need a bank account.”

“No it’s one that you and I and others can put money in for her for when she’s older to go to college with or put down a deposit on a house. You need to think about her future now.”

Cassie looked uncomfortable, she didn’t think telling them how to raise their child never having had one himself was a good idea.

“How is that good news? I mean she can earn her way in the world like everyone else, she doesn’t need handouts.”

Henry rolled his eyes.

“It’s not about handouts but the world is getting more expensive and by the time she’s older it will be ten times harder to survive financially and you don’t want her with monster debt before she’s twenty do you?”

Ric sighed.

“I think we can deal with this ourselves at a later point, let’s just eat.”

“Well I haven’t told you the good news yet.”

Maddy tried to smile politely but she hated being patronised, especially by her brother.

“What is it?”

“I have come into some money.”

Cassie smiled encouragingly.

“A lot of money.”

“I want to put some of it in a fund for Willow now so it can gain interest and as her uncle I really want to do this, she’ll benefit so much from it later on.”

“How did you get so much money?”

“I’m not as dumb as I look, I made some investments in different companies when I was eighteen and I kept buying shares over the years and now the shares are worth triple what I paid for them, got to love the stock market!”

“Well don’t you want to spend the money on you and Cassie?”

“I have plenty for that but I want to help out my niece, give her a chance at something better than what we had.”

Maddy frowned.

“I am really touched by your generosity but there was nothing wrong with what we had Henry.”

“I know but don’t you want her to have the financial advantage we never had?”

“There’s more to life than money.”

“Don’t be so naïve Tilly, you’re just being stubborn because it’s me offering it to you, but do you really want to disadvantage your own daughter just because you don’t approve yourself?”

Matilda sighed.

“It’s nothing to do with you it just seems pretty trivial compared to what mum’s going through but whatever if you think it’s a good idea I wont stop you.”

“Thanks and I plan to pay for mum’s medical expenses so this money isn’t that trivial but I guess everyone likes me to stay a no-hoper right?”

Cassie scoffed.

“Henry stop being such a brat, you’re not a no-hoper and you never were, the money makes no difference so shut up and eat your casserole it’s good.”

Henry wanted to say something else but he did as he was told. He had wanted the money to be a great thing that everyone appreciated but both Maddy and his mother treated it with cautious disdain. He had worked hard to get it and he wanted them to be happy for him that he was sharing it.

He also planned to buy Cassie an awesome engagement ring but that was only going to be between him and Matilda once she was told and helped him pick it out. He had been a complete cynic about marriage until he met Cassie but suddenly it all made sense. He hated being a cliché but he couldn’t imagine spending the rest of his life with someone else.

There was a tense silence for a while before Willow came out of her room and ran to hug Henry who was mid-swallow and almost choked while trying to say hello.

“Uncle Henry I missed you.”

“I missed you too sugar pie but I brought you something.”

Maddy raised her eyebrows in concern but it was only a new colouring book.

“I think you should thank your uncle Henry that was very thoughtful of him.”

“Thanks uncle Henry and auntie Cassie.”

Cassie leant down and gave her a kiss.

“You get prettier and prettier each time I see you.”

Willow grinned.

“You always look pretty.”

Cassie beamed.

“You are quite the little charmer, you’ll have boys queuing around the block for you before you know it.”

Ric gave a worried look to Cassie but he said nothing, the whole ‘boy’ issue was making him uneasy.

Willow sat on Henry’s lap while he ate and the night became much more light hearted. On their way to leave Henry pulled Cassie aside quickly.

“I’ll come around tomorrow if you’re not busy and go shopping.”

“You want to go shopping with me? That’s a first.”

“I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important, please?”

“Okay come over late morning once I’ve dropped Willow off.”

“Thanks sis, night.”

Ric sighed once the door had shut.

“That was an interesting evening. Especially Henry with all his money talk.”

“Yeah it’s very generous of him but it just feels wrong taking his money, maybe I am jealous I don’t know.”

“Don’t worry I feel the same it’s because we aren’t used to just accepting money but I guess it’s not for us it’s for Willow and I’d do anything for her so I don’t feel as bad.”

“Me too.”

**************************

Henry and Cassie strolled home hand in hand but he could tell from Cassie’s body language and silence that something was up.

“You okay Cass? You look like you are walking to the gallows or something.”

“Sorry.”

“Don’t sweat it, just tell me what’s wrong.”

“I think we should break up.”

Henry felt like his entire body had gone numb.

“Sorry?”

“Do I have to repeat myself? It was hard enough saying it once.”

“Then don’t say it all.”

“I have to.”

“Why? I know you love me and I’m not just being my cocky self but I really know that you do and we’ve been doing great we haven’t argued in at least six or seven hours.”

“I do love you but that’s not the issue, it’s just me it’s not you.”

“Wow could you slap me any harder in the face with that corny break up line? If you are going to dump me I at least deserve a respectable dumping.”

Henry felt a lump rising in his throat and he felt like his heart had literally been ripped out of his chest and then put through a grater.

“I’m so sorry.”

Tears were streaming down Cassie’s face and she couldn’t look at him, he hated that he felt sorry for her. He couldn’t be angry because the pieces of his heart that he had left couldn’t bare to see her upset.

“Just explain to me why we suddenly don’t work, that’s all I’m asking.”

“I got an art scholarship to a prestigious school in Madrid.”

“That’s great but it doesn’t explain.”

Henry knew her art was incredible so it didn’t come as a surprise, she had been painting over the years mainly in secret for fear of criticism and Henry was the only one who had seen them all.

“Well I can’t do a long distance relationship so it’s just easier to end it now.”

“Yeah right.”

“Who says it has to end? I’ll come with you.”

“No I mean it, I have the money now and I could do with a holiday.”

“It would be for at least two years and I couldn’t ask you to leave your family and your life here for me.”

“Well you're not asking, I’m volunteering.”

“But we may meet people in Spain and grow apart it does happen when you move so far away.”

“It wont happen to us if we don’t let it.”

“You’re insane to leave everything.”

“Well I think we established my insanity in dating you in the first place didn’t we?”

“See we are already fighting again! It‘s typical impulsive Henry to leap into things without thinking and did I mention the fighting?”

“It was a joke, get over it and we love fighting. Besides I was going to ask you to marry me next week anyway so we could have a European wedding.”

“I beg your pardon?”

Cassie stood stock still but felt her knees shaking.

“Marriage?”

“You up for it?”

“No way.”

“What?”

“For a start you don’t tell someone you are going to ask them to marry you later on and then just assume they’ll say yes and secondly as lovely an offer as that is I am way too young to get married.”

“But you’ll want to get married one day, preferably to me and not an olive-skinned Spaniard?”

Cassie smiled and kissed his cheek.

“Of course.”

“Then say yes and we’ll have a really long engagement, I want to call you more then my girlfriend, it sounds macho and possessive but that’s how much I love you that I resort to becoming like a clingy female. I have lost all dignity since I became whipped by you but I don’t mind strangely enough.”

Cassie laughed but looked at him lovingly.

“You are so pathetic and sappy I’ll just have to agree wont I? Although this is the most unconventional way of doing it.”

“Well who wants to be traditional? We are going to be living in Spain soon enough that’s not exactly straight forward either. We can have a decade long engagement if you want, really drag it out and spite all the eager relations.”

“You are too good to me you know.”

“Probably but I physically can’t be without you, the sex is too good to give up.”

“Shut your unromantic mouth right there.”

She shut him up by passionately kissing him down the dark street, things hadn’t gone quite to plan as she meant to break up with him and now they were engaged but she couldn’t be happier with Henry and with their new life ahead.

*******************************

Belle felt stupid that she almost skipped home from Lucas’ but the sun was shining and she was actually happy so she didn’t care, she just wished Amanda could see her now finally getting her life together. Every moment was bittersweet for her because although she knew Amanda wherever she was would be proud she couldn’t see her smiling or hear her familiar laugh.

“Hey darl, have fun at Lucas’s?”

“More than you know.”

“I'll stop the topic right there then. I have a few new developments.”

"Like what?”

“The oven is playing up so don’t try use it until the repairman has been or you may set the place on fire, trust me it’s not a good idea.”

Belle turned to see black marks all up the wall behind the cooker and could tell Irene was speaking from experience.

“Okay what’s the other thing?”

“We are going to be having a guest with us for a while, his name is Bailey.”

“Sounds cool, is he relative?”

“Not exactly, he’s a boy at Summer Bay High who Sally has taken under her wing but he’s had a tough time and been kicked out of home and needs some temporary accomodation so I volunteered.”

“Of course you did.”

“I hope you don’t mind.”

“Why would I mind? It’s your house not mine and besides you gave me a chance when I was in trouble so I think it’s great and just like you to help someone else in the same sort of situation.”

“Well thank you.”

“No I mean it, you should get some sort of humanitarian award or the nobel prize for being the most patient woman ever and keeping the peace.”

“That’s a bit over the top.”

Irene couldn’t help smiling though.

“Well I think you are the best person I know, in fact probably the best person anyone knows and you deserve all the love in the world, you also get mine.”

Irene hugged Belle.

“If I have yours then I don’t need anything else. So does this mean you might stick around longer?”

Belle smiled smugly.

“I think you have just given the best incentive and best idea to stay around for.”

“What’s that?”

“All in good time.”

Belle squealed happily and half skipped and half jogged to her room.

***************************

Lucas came around after lunch and collided with Irene in the kitchen.

“Hi Irene.”

“Hey Luke how are you?”

“I’m excellent thanks, you?”

“Great except for the marks on my wall.”

Lucas saw the unsuccessful cooking attempt.

“That sucks, oven not working?”

“Yeah unfortunately I found that out after I nearly reduced my house to rubble.”

“I could come around and paint over the burnt parts if you want.”

“That’s a very kind offer. By the way whatever you and Belle are doing keep it up.”

Lucas blushed slightly at the thought but he realised Irene wasn't insinuating anything.

“Okay why?”

“I’ve never seen Belle in such a good mood when she got home, she’s planning to stick in the bay, good eh?”

Lucas smiled but Belle sticking in the bay wasn’t so good if he was moving to the city.

*****************************

“Belle?”

Lucas entered her room but she wasn’t around. He sat on her bed and read the blurb of the latest book she was reading out of curiosity and she finally came in in her towel.

“Sorry I didn’t hear you come in, I was showering.”

Lucas laughed.

“The towel kind of gave it away.”

“Speaking of towels.”

Belle dropped her towel and walked naked around the bed to her wardrobe, Lucas automatically looked away causing Belle to giggle.

“Lucas I appreciate the gentlemen behaviour but it’s a bit late for that isn’t? It’s not like we haven’t seen each other sans clothes before.”

“But what if Irene came in!”

“She knows to knock.”

“Oh okay.”

He still wasn’t looking.

“Now I'll think you just find me physically repulsive.”

Lucas laughed with his eyes still closed.

“It’s not so much to do with you, it’s more restraining my er instincts.”

Belle smiled.

“Lucas junior can come out to play if he wants.”

“No he can’t! Irene is next door!”

“I can be quiet as a mouse.”

She didn’t plan on sleeping with Lucas with Irene in the house but she liked teasing him anyway so Lucas teased her right back.

“Quiet? I don’t recall you ever being quiet in the past. In fact you were the antithesis of quiet last night.”

He chuckled to himself at his reply, he was getting better at sparring with her.

“Only Lucas Holden could use the word antithesis in relation to sex.”

Finally Belle was dressed and she gave him a kiss on the lips.

“Why are you over anyway lover boy? I’m going to get sick of you at this rate.”

“I’m already sick of you.”

Belle grinned and straddled him on the bed.

“See that just turns me on.”

“What doesn’t turn you on?”

“Your father, well only occasionally when he wears though tight shorts.”

Lucas screwed up his face in disgust and Belle cracked up laughing.

“That was too far Taylor.”

“I don’t know the meaning of the term but I was only joking, only you and Brad Pitt are my on switch."

Lucas smiled.

“I don’t believe that for a second but thanks for the ego massage.”

Belle rested her forehead against his.

“Well I don’t love Brad Pitt so you have the advantage.”

There was silence as Belle realised what had slipped out and Lucas was too cautious to speak and ruin it or irritate her so he pretended that he didn’t hear.

“I mean -”

She paused for a moment and looked at Lucas who was quite handsome with his confused, cautious look that she knew so well.

“Well I’ve said it now, so yeah.”

“It’s okay we can forget it.”

Belle smiled.

“I love you I just found it hard to say it until now, I’ve never said it to any other guy before so I wanted to take baby steps but apparently my mouth disagreed. I don’t want you to feel scared that you’ll push me away with the love thing because you wont.”

“I love you then. I’ve wanted to say it since you arrived in that towel.”

Belle giggled.

“I quite like the sound of it.”

“Good you’ll hear it more often then.”

She turned around off Lucas and lay next to him.

“So I hear you’re staying in the bay?”

“Yeah it’s a pretty new development.”

“Can I ask why?”

“Sure, I had an idea that Irene gave me, I’m going to use some of Amanda’s money to re-open and improve the drop-in centre, I think the town needs one and Amanda would have liked that her money is going to help others.”

“I think that’s a great idea.”

“I thought so too, after all I’ve been on the streets and known what it’s like and now I’m in a position to make a difference for others. I could run it and counsel in it for a while which will take a lot of time and maybe one day move on.”

Lucas nodded.

“I’m glad you’ve found something to be passionate about other than me.”

He gave her a cheesy grin and she rolled her eyes.

“The Lucas Holden charm rears its ugly head.”

They sat in silence for a moment.

“So maybe I could talk to Morag and get a position working in Yabbie Creek as a lawyer, it wouldn’t be far from the bay so we could still be together, maybe get an apartment and I’ll be near my dad.”

“I don’t want you to give up your dream just to accommodate mine.”

“Well I can be a lawyer anywhere and besides my family needs all the support it can get at the moment with Beth being sick and all.”

“Yeah sorry to hear about that.”

“It’s okay we’ll deal with it with the unity we always have.”

“Plus now you have me which will make it ten times better.”

“Everything is ten times better with you around.”

Belle grinned.

“You are not too bad yourself."

*************************************************

What dya think? Do you think I should introduce Bailey as a new character? With Henry and Cassie on the way out it might be nice to have some new blood.

[lynhay]

Great chapter - I agree with Henry and Cassie leaving a new character would be good. More Ric and Mattie though their so great together. Can't wait for the next chapter!

[-lolly-]

This is great. I love Lucas and Belle together, they seem like such a good match. And Willow is such a cutie. Great writing!

[Jackieleanne]

Great writing, it would be nice to see Bailey brought in. I wonder how Matilda will react to her twin leaving when Beth is fighting cancer.

[matty and luke forever]

That was fantastic! I love Lucas and Belle together!!

[tasha7905]

Really great. Belle and Luc's relationship is fantastic I hope they stay happy. Poor Matilda though her mum is ill and now her twin is leaving. Hope you update soon.

[summer_bay_rules]

What a great chapter!

[myheartwntcrumble]

I love the ric and maddy stuff it's really sweet.