All That You Can't Leave Behind

[I love music]

The update was fine, Adia, this is a very, very readable fic and holds my attention even when it's about characters I'm not particularly interested in. Glad you did the summary, it was nice to have a memory jog of the storylines after so long.

Matilda makes a confession that shocks her family. Rocco goes in to bat for Nina, but finds himself in a dangerous situation. Jack and Martha's relationship takes a sudden turn as Ash stirs up trouble...

That sounds like something you'd read in TV Week! Looking forward to the next chapter.

[bay girl]

I'm so glad you're back and continuing with this story. I misses it.

That chapter was great.

Can't wait for the next update.

[Adia]

Thank you guys! I appreciate muchly!

ChapterOneHundredTwentyOne:

Matilda paced nervously up and down the pier. SHe checked her phone for the millionth time to make sure that she had gotten the time and the place right. He'd been all she could think about, night and day. It had been devestating to leave him so in the lurch like she had, but as soon as she caught a glimpse of Rocco walking up the pier all her feelings from the past week seemed to fade into oblivion.

“Hey what’s up?” he said as he approached her. “Is something wrong?”

She burst into tears as she elatedly wrapped her arms around him.

“I’m so glad to see you,” she sobbed. “I thought I’d be stuck in that house forever.”

“I was so worried about you. I thought something had happened.”

“I’m fine,” she said stepping back and looking him deep in his eyes. “I told Mum that I was sick, but really I’m fine. I missed you.”

Rocco smiled and kissed her gently on her lips. “I didn’t think we’d be able to see each other again, I was scared that I’d lost you…”

“Mum’s being totally unreasonable. She's barred me from seeing you again...”

He took her hand and massaged it gently between his palms. “So how’d you manage to get out of there?”

“She went to the city to get some supplies for the bar, so I thought I’d sneak out. So maybe you are starting to be a bad influence on me? All this sneaking around and all…” She giggled nervously but he was just glad to see her smile.

“Gidday mate…” He turned around, startled as the creepy voice interrupted their moment. Rocco turned around and saw Karl standing there, grinning but with that crazy gleam in his eyes.

“Oh rack off will ya!” Rocco exclaimed as he stood defensively in front of Matilda. “I gave you your money now leave me alone…”

“Oh I only wanted to talk mate,” Karl grinned. “Nice morning isn’t it? We should go for a surf later… like old times remember?”

“I said get lost,” Rocco shouted. “Can’t you get that through your thick head?”

Karl pulled Rocco up by his collar and stared ferociously into the boy’s eyes.

“You don’t want to make me angry you stupid little…”

Karl stopped suddenly as he looked over Rocco’s shoulder and saw Matilda standing there shaking nervously.

“You know, you haven’t introduced me to your girlfriend Roc,” he eyed her up menacingly and started to walk towards her. “Pretty little thing that she is…”

“You get away from her!” Rocco yelled pushing Karl back. “I won’t tell you again… get lost!”

Karl grabbed Rocco and pushed him against the ledge. “You little punk, you never passed on the message I told you to give to Jakey’s sister. Do you know how upset Chopper was when she didn’t show? You put me right in it and now he’s angry!”

“I don’t care, I don’t want you or your brother hasseling my friends…” he winced.

“You should’ve got that message to Nina, then I wouldn’t have to keep coming to sort you out…”

Karl tightened his grip on the boy’s collar and forced his head over the side of the pier. Rocco held on to the guy’s sleeves, praying that he wouldn’t fall.

In an instant, Matilda ran up behind Karl and tried valiantly to break the two of them apart, but Karl raised his left hand and belted Matilda across her face. She cried out in pain and fell down backwards from the force of his strike. Angry, Rocco drew his strength and lunged up at him before tackling him to the ground. Holding him down, he raised his fist and punched him hard in the face. As he went through the motions to take another swipe, Karl grabbed Rocco’s shirt and pushed him off to the side. Panting, Karl stood up and wiped the blood from his mouth. “That was a big mistake!” he yelled. “Get her the message by the end of the day or you’re dead Roc. I’m sure Johnny won’t give you anymore chances…” He smiled wickedly as he walked past Matilda. She felt like lunging at him, but as Rocco lay on the ground in pain she could see that he’d had been shaken by Karl’s threats.

She ran over to him and hugged him tightly. Rocco leaned on her to help get back on his feet before he lightly kissed the spot on her cheek where Karl had hit her.

“What's going on?” Matilda said as she pulled away from him. “Why didn't you tell her?”

“Because I know Chopper and…” He covered his face with his hands and groaned in frustration. “I thought I was keeping her safe. If she didn’t know about the meeting with him, then she wouldn’t go and she wouldn’t get in trouble…”

“That guy was pretty threatening, you should at least tell her in case they go after her or something.”

“I think if I just go and talk to Chop, tell him to back off… he might?”

“Not if he’s anything like that guy!”

“I’ve got to at least try Matilda,” he sighed. “Nina’s kept Johnny away from me, she got me out of trouble last week. I’ve got to try.” He sighed heavily trying to think of what to do next.

“Chopper and his mates hang out at this strip club in Yabbie Creek. It’s a public place, so maybe it’s the best place for me to go talk to him.”

“Rocco, I hope you’re not thinking of going there alone?” Matilda said warningly.

“I need to put an end to this… I need to stand up to them… Matilda if they ever did anything to hurt you, I’d never forgive myself.”

“Well I’m not letting you go to some scabby, seedy strip club on your own. I’m coming too…”

“No way Maddie!” he exclaimed. “These guys are dangerous, I don’t want you anywhere near them!”

“No you can’t deal with this by yourself,” she said shaking her head. “You’re not going there on your own. I’m coming with you, and that’s final…”

Next: Will Rocco and Matilda make it out of the Rocket Club alive?

[Roccoluver]

yay you have updated!, the Rocket club is making an appearance yay, do I sense Cam coming around to steal Martha... Poor Rocco, he's so cute.

Rocco and Jake

Upodate again soon, I love this story

[Zetti]

Make it better, let them be ok

No JM!

[I love music]

Great chapter, Adia, the conversations made the scene very realistic, particularly this line:

“I’ve got to at least try Matilda,” he sighed. “Nina’s kept Johnny away from me, she got me out of trouble last week. I’ve got to try.” He sighed heavily trying to think of what to do next.

I like the way Rocco repeats himself, it gives more emphasis to his emotions.

[Adia]

Thanks for your comments guys!!!!!

ChapterOneHundredTwentyThree:

McGrath marched quickly into the meeting room, the exasperated expression on his face making all the waiting constables nervous.

A tired and shattered Nathan followed him and quickly shut the door, before taking a seat at the back of the room.

“What’s going on Senior?” Lara asked him as the room went quiet.

“There’s been some news,” he said looking at his clipboard. “Last night the lab at HQ was broken into. I was there this morning and the place is in chaos…

“What! The forensics lab got broken into and trashed?” Jack repeated in frustration. “So all the evidence…?”

“Most of it’s been compromised,” McGrath said shaking his head. “Even if we could salvage some of it and analyse the results, none of it would be admissible in court.”

The constables in the room all groaned and rolled their eyes

“How convienient…” Lara sighed. “Wonder who could be responsible?”

“So where does that leave us?” Ash piped up. We’ve got a number of cases that are waiting on the lab results so we can go further with the investigations.”

“Well we’ll just have to do some old fashioned police work then, won’t we Nader?” Nathan snapped at him. “Something that you obviously need to practice…”

Ash turned his head and shot him a foul look to which Nathan just smirked at him.

“That’s enough you two,” McGrath interrupted. “But Nato is right Ash. The cases that are still open need to be approached in a different way until everything at the lab is sorted. Forensics can process evidence at CID in the city but they’ll need approval from the Super to get it there. High priority cases ONLY. Any other questions?”

Everyone looked blankly around at each other.

“Good,” McGrath said satified. “Now everyone get back to it. We’ve got a lot of work to…”

As they left the meeting room, Jack raced to his desk and checked his cell phone for messages.

“What’s up?” Ash asked following him.

“Martha’s not answering my calls…” he mumbled.

“Yeah… She wasn’t happy at breakfast this morning. Where’d you get to anyway?”

“I came in early to finish off some of the paper work from yesterday…”

Ash sat down next to him and relaxed out on the chair before folding his arms defensively.

“Come on mate,” he teased. “Nobody ever comes in early to do paperwork! What’s going on?”

“It’s nothing…” Jack sighed.

“Is it Martha?” Ash said inquisitively. “I thought you guys had sorted everything out”

“Yeah we did… But I’ve been working heaps lately, and we just hardly see each other that’s all…”

“Yeah, look Jack I can’t thank you enough for covering for me last few days, especially last night…” he sighed. “I had some stuff to sort out in the city, but you won’t have to do it again, I’m back on track now…”

“I hope so Chooka, because I really don’t think Martha will be so understanding next time I take on a double shift.”

“Mate, I wouldn’t worry about it. That wife of yours just needs to loosen up. In fact, I’m surprised you even went for a chick like her. Yeah she’s a looker, but she’s bossy as anything… and she’s sure got you under her thumb.”

“She’s just under a lot stress right now that’s all,” Jack frowned. “She’s not herself.”

“Who cares, just because it’s that time of the month doesn’t mean she’s got the right to treat everyone like crap!”

“Ash, that’s my wife your talking about,” Jack said sternly.

“I’m just saying, you could do a lot better…”

“Martha’s pregnant…” Jack whispered.

Ash rolled his eyes and groaned insensitively. “OHhhh god… You’ve dropped yourself in it now Jack.”

The bus came to it’s final stop as all the passengers hopped off, Matilda and Rocco looked at each other, contemplating what they were about to do.

“If you want to back out, now’s the time Maddie,” Rocco said seriously. “It won’t be safe…”

Matilda gripped his hand tightly and looked him straight in the eye. “No way,” she smiled. “We’ve come this far together. As if I’d bail out on you now.”

They stood anxiously across the street from the Rocket Club, watching as groups of men entered the bar.

“There’s Chopper,” Rocco whispered. He shoved his hands in his pocket and quickly turned away, hoping that he hadn’t been seen.

Matilda leant back against the wall and watched as Chopper and his friends got out of their car and talked jovially with the bouncer. She could see then why Rocco was so fearful about standing up to him. Like Johnny, Chopper had an air of violence around him, and even when he was smiling there was something hostile and aggressive about it.

“Okay, so you wait out here,” Rocco said quietly. “I need you to look out for me. If I’m not back in half an hour then something’s up and you need to call someone. It shouldn’t take me long to talk to Chop, but anything could happen…”

“Well what do I do? Who do I call?” Matilda said worried. “The police?”

“No,no,no…” Rocco said frantically. “Don’t involve the cops. Call Ric or Nina or something. Just not the cops or anyone who’ll dob.”

“Rocco be careful,” she said with a hint of fear in her eyes.

He put his hands on her face a gave her one last kiss before leaving her.

[Tasha]

can you please kill Ash? How dare he talk about my Martha like that Poor Jack. He still loves her right?? He wants to be with her, not just because of the baby right?

Great chapter though

MOr eplease

[beckyboo]

can you please kill Ash? How dare he talk about my Martha like that Poor Jack. He still loves her right?? He wants to be with her, not just because of the baby right?

Im with Tasha

And Tash of course he loves her

[I love music]

Loved the (very short! ) update, Adia, particularly the Rocco/Matilda scene you painted, I could totally picture them waiting there and the sense of danger.