Reflections

[Zetti]

I cant believe you are all actually hoping for Roman to shoot him...

Warning: Mentions of death

Part Twenty-One

Angelo sighed as he watched Tyler walk away with Gwen from Child Services, he wanted to reassure Tyler that he was going to be okay but Aden had advised him not to make the situation worse.

‘It is best to let him go’

‘He is my son’ Angelo added

‘I know but you cant do anything right now’ Aden reasoned as he walked with Angelo to the room where Mia and Rob were being looked after. Mia was awake and reached out for Angelo.

He pulled her into his lap and hugged her on the bed. It was clear that they had been traumatised.

‘How long till he wakes up?’ Angelo asked

‘He will wake up soon, the sedation is wearing off’

Angelo placed Mia back in the bed, under the covers but remained sitting down, Aden sighed, as it was clear Angelo was still thinking and brooding over Tyler.

‘You can take Mia home soon’ Aden said ‘I just need to set up the discharge papers’

He nodded and smiled at Mia who was playing with the doll that the nurse had found for her. Mia was content with the doll and Angelo couldn’t help but smile at how she wasn’t letting the ordeal she just went through stop her from having fun.

He envied her that, he was glad that she didn’t have to worry too much about it, because others would do it for her.

‘Will you stop?’

‘Stop what?’

‘Brooding, it isn’t going to help’ Aden replied as he handed him the discharge papers and a pen.

Angelo took them willingly and signed it. As soon as he handed it back, Aden smiled. ‘Take her home. I will look after Rob and keep you notified’

‘I would rather be here incase Nicole turns up.’ He put in as he pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialed.

‘Irene? Would you mind coming to the hospital and taking Mia home for me please?’

Irene answered ‘Of course, what about Rob?’

‘He is sedated but he will be okay’

‘Okay darl, I will be there soon’

**

Roman carried Roo over to the car but before he got a chance to open the door, she moaned in pain clutching at her sides.

‘Whoa’ he grabbed as she flopped to the side and he got a sinking feeling in his stomach. He took her pulse and breathed in as she opened her eyes.

Roman laid her down and got his phone out but there was no reception, he cursed inwardly and focused his attention onto Roo.

‘Roo?’ he shook her as she closed her eyes.

‘Just go back after Nicole’ Roo said wincing

‘No I cant’ he said though he was tempted to go back there and shoot Penn but he couldn’t just leave her there.

‘Roman…’ she faltered ‘You cant save me...’ she winced as she spoke which made Roman’s heart feel like it was breaking.

‘I can and I will’

‘No…accept it. I am not going to get to hospital in time’ she said realizing that she didn’t have long left and that she needed to say goodbye. ‘I love you but you need to go back and get Nicole’

Roman sighed as she closed her hands around his and moved it towards her heart. ‘I will always love you and I know this is going to hurt you but you have to move on.’

‘I am not going to lose you’ he growled as he kissed her on the forehead, bringing her into his lap and holding her close to him.

Her breathing grew erratic and her grip loosened as Roman began to cry at the scene, he was struggling to take it in and he didn’t know what to do. He looked at her and she had closed her eyes.

She was still breathing and she looked so peaceful as her mouth went slack. He knew that she had gone but he didn’t want to accept it.

He didnt want to accept that he had lost his soulmate.

**

[Zetti]

Thanks for waiting so long, I hope this is worth the wait

Part Twenty Two

Roman was torn, should he go back after Nicole and leave Roo lying there, alone.

His heart was hers and it was gut wrenchingly hard to separate his love for her from the fear that Nicole was in immense danger.

He knew that she was at peace but he realised that there wasn’t anything that he could do here so going after Penn and Nicole was his only option.

Roman cursed under his breath as he cased the warehouse, he should have known that Penn would escape as soon as he could.

He picked his phone up and stared at it, he didn’t know who to call, it would have been wise to call the police but being wise was never in his forte.

He spotted muddy footprints and followed them, it led to a door which led outside, he stared at the muddy tracks that clearly led off road and through the bush.

Roman wasted no time in getting his truck and following the tyres marks. ‘Am I ready for what might happen next?’

**

Penn had a smile on his face as he walked Nicole, to his car that was waiting around the corner. His plan had worked.

‘So where are we going?’ Nicole asked as he set off.

‘You will see’ he answered not willing to give away any information about what he wanted.

Nicole frowned and crossed her arms over her chest, she was scared but she was also incredibly angry.

‘Stop frowning’ Penn commented as he pulled out in front of a car and jerked the steering wheel to get back onto the road at a high speed. ‘It’s not attractive. Nicole didn’t dignify him with a response but the glare on her face said it all. Nicole had an internal battle going on.

She needed to see her kids but she didn’t know how get away from him, she was battling with her emotions, she was relieved that her kids were okay.

She knew they had to be because Roman wouldn’t have got to her without making sure the kids were okay.

‘I want to see my kids’ she said surprising Penn.

‘You gave up that right when you let your father go’ he responded devoid of any emotions. Nicole found it hard to remember a time where Penn had ever been kind or polite, but she couldn’t.

‘So where are we going?’ Nicole asked as he set off knowing that he would never let her see the kids.

‘You will see’ he answered not willing to give away any information about what he wanted.

Nicole frowned and crossed her arms over her chest, she was scared but she was also incredibly angry.

‘Stop frowning’ Penn commented as he pulled out in front of a car and jerked the steering wheel to get back onto the road at a high speed. ‘It’s not attractive.

Nicole didn’t dignify him with a response but the glare on her face said it all. Nicole had an internal battle going on & she didn’t want to let Penn know about it because he would manipulate her and force her into something that she didn’t want to do.

‘Here we are’ Penn said as he pulled into a barn. It looked rundown, with hay bales on the side of the red barn doors. It didn’t look very cared for and she held a baffled look on her face as Penn ushered her towards it.

‘Why are we here?’ she asked

Penn just grinned and led her through the barn and to a small corner and through a door to a room with a dirty stained mattress in the corner. There is your bed for the night’ he said.

For a few very long moments, all Nicole did was stare at the mattress before turning very slowly towards him.

‘I know you are deranged but do you seriously expect me to sleep on that?’ she hissed through gritted teeth

He gave a scornful look which caused her to step back in fright ‘Stop being so ungrateful Nicole!’

‘I am not sleeping on that’ she replied stubbornly.

'So stubborn'

'I am not stubborn!' she shot back 'You are just deranged but this changes nothing, I am not sleeping on that' she reiterated eyeing the mattress with a scathing look and relaying that look into Penn's eyes. He didnt flinch but he was unnerved at how clear it was that Nicole didnt want to be there.

‘Oh you will’ he warned as he stepped away from her and locked her in. She froze before banging on the door.

‘Let me out!’ she screamed.

**

Angelo felt uneasy at the fact that he hadn’t heard from Roman but he didn’t have time to dwell on it as Stacey came in. She had Tyler attached to her.

‘What happened?’ Angelo asked as soon as he saw her.

‘Erm…’ she was wary of the fact that Tyler was with her and that the lady from Social Services had followed her.

‘It can wait’ Angelo said as soon as he picked up on what was going on.

She nodded and mouthed ‘Thanks’

Tyler didn’t look at Angelo, he was just incredibly grateful to have his mother back. Angelo stopped Stacey for a second ‘We do need to talk’

‘Let me get checked out first?’

Angelo let her past and nodded in response. He had so much to talk to her about but he knew that it could wait a bit longer but he had no idea that the next few hours would lead to another death and that his family really would be torn apart in the midst of it all.

**

[Zetti]

Part Twenty-Three

Nicole lay on the mattress after hours of screaming and banging on the door to no avail. It was clear that Penn wasn’t going to listen, he had his own agenda.

She shuddered out of fear, her heart pounding in her chest, she curled up into the foetal positions pushing her knees into her chests and trying to control her breathing.

Her eyes were damp with tears, her hands were red raw from banging on the door. She was sore in places she didn’t even know existed but all she could think about was Rob & Mia.

She needed to know that they were okay. If they were well & most importantly if they missed her.

She missed them so much; she didn’t know it was possible to miss them as much as she did.

I need to get out of here but how?

I can’t figure what Penn wants.

I thought he wanted Rob and me to be his ‘family’ but he mustn’t do if he is keeping me here?

Does he want me to be with him forever or is he waiting to punish me?

‘So you decided to go to sleep then’ Penn drawled as he unlocked the door and leaned against the doorframe.

‘No, I am just bored’ she said feigning indifference but she didn’t fool Penn who merely tugged his lips up at her.

‘Who are you trying to kid?’

‘What do you want from me?’

‘You are going to marry me’ Penn said. Nicole initially thought he was joking but the look on his face proved otherwise.

‘I am already married.’

‘Nothing that can’t be rectified’ Penn said as he dismissed the comment as if it didn’t matter to him and it obviously didn’t.

‘I am never marrying you’

Penn shrugged ‘You can marry me willingly or not, but remember this Nicole, you will be my wife’

‘You are deluded Penn, there is no way in hell I would marry you’ she spat out in disgust.

'You will' he said confidently which just generated a scoff from Nicole as she carried on glaring at him.

**

Angelo watched the clock tick by; Rob was still sedated when he received a text message from Nicole.

Are the kids okay? Nicole x

Angelo text back in a hurry hoping that she was okay but he was fully aware that Penn could be playing games.

They are fine. Where are you? x

Penn smiled as Angelo text him back. He didn’t text back but merely looked at Nicole who had finally cried herself to sleep, she was clutching at the edge of the mattress.

He didn’t like the fact that she was crying, it hurt him more than he would admit but he had to do this, she had to be in his life.

He needed her in his life, if she wasn’t then she would be in pain and he wanted to help her avoid feelings of pain.

As expected, the phone rang which startled Nicole as her eyes fluttered open. Penn couldn’t help but admire her. She was so very pretty and he knew that he was going to have a lot of fun with her.

‘Who is it?’ she demanded as she brought her knees to her chest and glared at him as if it was his fault that her phone had rung.

‘Who do you think?’ he responded.

‘Let me talk to him’ she said as her expression softened.

‘Not until you agree to marry me’ he decided on the spot, he hadn’t actually thought of it before but it had just occurred to him.

Nicole sucked in a breath. ‘So if I agree to marry you? you will let me talk to my own husband’

He nodded and smiled when she agreed. ‘Here’

‘Hello Angelo’ she breathed.

‘Nicole. Where are you?’

She looked at Penn who had moved towards her and was making his way to sitting next to her. She knew that he was warning her not to push it.

‘I am with Penn’ she answered honestly reluctantly allowing Penn to put his hand on her thigh just under her skirt. She didn’t want to move but she knew what was coming next.

‘Has he hurt you?’ Angelo asked pained to hear her response.

‘No. He hasn’t’

Penn gestured for her to give him the phone. ‘Angelo’

‘Penn’

‘If you want her, come and get her’ he said with a smile on his face. Nicole was confused but she didn’t do anything as Penn trailed his fingers up her thigh pulling her skirt up with it.

She froze, she didn’t want him to touch her but she didn’t know what to do next, her mind went blank and as a result Penn thought she was submitting to him as he pulled her closer to him forcing her to nestle her head on his shoulders as his arms went around her.

Involuntarily she shuddered as Penn told Angelo where he was and hung up the phone.

For a few long moments, he looked at the phone before placing it on the floor and stomping on it making it shatter into pieces which is much like how Nicole’s heart felt.

Back at the hospital…

Angelo made his excuses and walked towards his car, he stopped for a few moments and dialled Nicole’s phone but it wouldn’t connect.

He cursed and he knew that Penn would have disconnected the phone leaving Angelo with no other choice but to do what Penn wanted.

He sat in his car for a few moments before putting his key in the ignition. As soon as he set the gas, he realised his mistake but at that point it was too late as the car exploded with debris flying everywhere.

Angelo was vaguely of screams and cries but the last thing that he thought because he closed his eyes and passed away was that he hoped that Nicole wouldn’t hate him not for being able to rescue her and how much he was going to miss his family.

**

[Zetti]

Part Twenty Four

Penn looked around the room and decided that if he wanted to be with Nicole then this wasn’t the right place. He stood up bringing Nicole with him. He patted her skirt down and drew her towards him. ‘Come on’

‘Where are we going?’

‘You will see’ he replied cryptically as he led out of the barn and towards the farmhouse. Nicole had to stop for a few moments as she took the view in.

It was spectacular, pillars with ivy vines wrapped around it, the stone porch stood out and the sunset shone behind it illuminating the farmhouse and giving off a romantic vibe which is the reaction that Penn wanted as he said ‘It looks good doesn’t it?’

She didn’t answer, she was mesmerised by the view. She admonished herself silently, why was she taking in the view when she was in danger?

The voice in her head responded for her. ‘It’s because on one level you aren’t scared of him. You were happy at one point…’

She frowned and then realised that she was in the farmhouse and facing Penn. She had no recollection of getting there but she assumed that it was because of the view.

She had always imagined herself in a home that oozed character and charm, she hated herself for liking the house, and it made her feel like a fraud. It was not her life and yet for some reason she wanted it to be?

What sense did that make? She pondered as she looked around her; the rooms had wood flooring with small rugs placed around.

The sofas looked inviting and in the room facing her, there was the biggest marble fireplace with a matching mirror, it was the most breath-taking thing she had ever seen.

He put his finger on her chin and tilted it upwards towards her. ‘You will be my wife in every way’ he reminded her as he lowered his lips towards hers and kissed her.

Nicole didn’t resist but she didn’t encourage him. He pulled her closer to him and she temporarily froze but as he coaxed her lips open, she gave in and kissed him back.

Penn smiled as she gave in, he knew she would, she had no other option. In order to cement their relationship, and push her towards marriage, he had to get her pregnant again, it was his only option.

Her family wouldn’t want her to be with them if she was carrying his child. He picked her up and walked up the stairs with her oblivious to the fact that she wanted him to put her down, nothing was going to stop him now.

**

Roman looked around the road, the tracks had led him to a long winding road with various different junctions that Penn could have taken.

‘Damn it!’ he hissed as he hit the steering wheel. He put his head on the steering wheel and counted in his head to ten so he could calm down, he was no good to Nicole in a state.

His phone buzzed and he picked it up. ‘Aden?’

‘Where are you?’

‘Looking for Nicole and Penn’

‘Back up a second’ Aden interrupted getting more confused by the situation

‘Roo?’

Roman’s clenched his fists; he was trying not to think so much about Roo and one simple comment from Aden brought back feelings of despair and isolation.

Hardening his heart wasn’t working; he simply couldn’t remove all emotion from his heart, it wasn’t going to stop hurting but he knew that he had to focus on Nicole; the rest would have to wait.

‘Roman?’ Aden asked once again, knocking him out of his daydream.

Roman explained it all and heard Aden gasp as he retold the moment when Roo died in his arms.

‘Are you okay?’

‘I will be once I find Nicole’

Aden stopped for a moment and breathed in. Roman sensed his hesitation and pounced on it. ‘What is it?’

‘There was an explosion’ he started and paused before carrying on. ‘In Angelo’s car’

Roman stopped and nearly dropped his phone. ‘Is he okay?’

‘No.’ he simply stated ‘Roman...’

‘Are you saying that he is…’ he faltered.

‘He was pretty much killed instantly’ Aden supplied after a few moments of silence.

‘What about the kids?’

‘Mia is with Irene and Rob will be coming around soon’

‘Okay, I need to find Nicole. Do the kids know about Angelo?’

‘No but you need to get here. Otherwise I will have to call DOCS’ Aden added ‘I don’t want to but I will be forced to’

‘Aden put it off for as long as you can, I need to find Nicole.’

‘I will try, but no promises Roman’

‘Understood’.

Roman looked around yet again. ‘Where would a deranged jerk go?’ he thought aloud. ‘Come on Roman, think!’

Something occurred to him, he might have gone to the disused farm that was only a few miles away. He quickly set off and sped off towards the farm hoping that Nicole was okay because if Penn had harmed her then he wouldn’t be responsible for his actions, he wouldn’t.

**

[Zetti]

Again, I apologise for such a long delay but I have literally had so much going on and not enough time to sit and write this chapter, and after the hospital this week, things should calm down so I will hopefully get this fiction done soon…with maybe another one on the way after…but I am promising nothing right now…& enough of me talking…enjoy the chapter and there’s a little surprise...

Part Twenty-Five

Roman cursed as he found the farm, it was deserted, he made his way towards the farmhouse and as he cased the building inside and out, he found nothing. He sighed before remembering that Aden had warned him that he needed to get to the hospital.

He dialled Aden and it rung out several times, he didn’t think anything of it, it was strange that Aden wasn’t answering his phone but the whole situation was strange, there had to be a reasonable explanation for it.

He pondered as to what he should do next, the next thing he knew he was pulling out of the farm and heading to the hospital. The police would have to find Nicole right now he had to be there for the kids, they needed him as well.

**

Why the hell did I let that happen?

Am I that desperate for physical contact that I would let him touch me like that?

Did I really just sleep with Penn?

Nicole was beginning to question her own actions, she didn’t resist him but she didn’t want to sleep with him. She didn’t get why she slept with him? He hadn’t given her anything; she hadn’t accepted anything off him

The same thoughts kept resounding over and over in her head, she couldn’t breathe properly

Nicole looked over at Penn who had closed his eyes and was steadily breathing in and out, she wasn’t sure if he was asleep but he had her in a tight grip so escaping was out of the question. Does he have a gun?

‘I can see your brain working overtime Nicole’ Penn said

'Don’t bother trying to escape, you will not get anywhere, I promise’

She sighed and turned her head so she wasn’t facing Penn, she didn’t know what to do but she didn’t want to look at him because every time she looked at him, she felt guilt and shame.

I love Angelo; he is my life, so why would I sleep with Penn? Why didn’t I put up a fight?

Nicole thought back to the moment that he kissed her, she couldn’t recall the reasoning behind it but she vaguely remembered not resisting but then she thought to herself, that isn’t the same as actually wanting him to touch her.

Penn sat up bringing Nicole with him. She looked bewildered as he moved his arm from around her and sat on the edge of the bed pulling his boxers on.

‘Get dressed’ he said as he made his way to get his jeans on. ‘We have to go’

She didn’t question him but she was scared of what he would do if she didn’t.

‘I don’t think she’s going anywhere’ she heard a voice from the doorway.

Nicole gasped and pulled the blanket over her. She was struggling to hide her shame and to protect herself from his anger but she wasnt sure whose anger she was more scared of.

‘I wondered if you would manage to get out’ he said conversationally allowing a grin to materialise and feeling smug at the irked expression he received.

‘No thanks to you’ he spat out. He was too angry, the past few hours had been so weird, one moment he was in a burning car and the next moment he was being pulled out and taken to a corner where he was told he had to hide the fact that he was alive.

‘Get out?’

‘This mental f*cker tried to kill me’ Angelo told her as Niccole’s head whipped back in surprise. She had no idea that Penn had tried to kill him but then how could she?

**

Flashback

The last sound and sense that Angelo Rosetta was aware of was a bag over his head, he could hear the rumpling and the air being restricted around his face but he was still dazed from the fact that he had just been in an explosion.

He felt himself being pulled out and dragged; the next thing he felt was a needle in his arm and the contents seemed to lull him into some sort of sleep.

A while later, he was faced with the one person that he never thought he would ever see alive, he believed that he was dead.

‘Surprised?’

‘How?’ he asked

‘I was never dead, I had to hide it.’

‘Why?’ feeling completely dazed.

‘You remember Emily?’

He nodded. ‘Its Penn’s sister, he’s been targeting Nicole and you for so long to draw me out’

Angelo sucked in his breath as Jack’s word finally sunk in. ‘Are you saying that you had to fake your own death because of Penn?’

He nodded and then Angelo added ‘It doesn’t make sense, you ‘died’ long before Penn arrived.’

‘True. He came to the bay for Alf, not for me but with a bit of digging he realised that there was something odd about you, and that my death wasn’t all it seemed to be.’

Jack didnt add that the reason he had to die was because of the development, it was easier to get Angelo to comply if he believed that Penn had targeted him just to get back at him.

‘So what do you want me to do?’

‘For now, just wait’

**

[Zetti]

Part Twenty Six

Roman strode into the hospital and made his way to the ward where Aden had said that Rob was, he had made a detour before reaching the hospital and was reassured by Irene that Mia was okay.

He had deployed some of his army buddies to find Nicole and Penn, he made it clear that he didn’t want Penn in a position to be able to wreak anymore havoc in the Bay and he didn’t care what that meant.

By any means necessary, were his exact words to his buddies, he knew that he could trust them to do exactly what he needed them to do to protect his family.

‘Where is Aden Jefferies?’ he asked a nearby nurse, he needed to know if he had called DOCS or not, and he had tried his mobile at several points on his journey but to no avail at all.

She shrugged in response, it seemed like she was about to finish her shift and that she didn’t have the patience to be standing around talking to him.

She added on. ‘As far as I am aware, he is not on duty today, but he was around about an hour ago over there’

She pointed to a spot just over his shoulder behind him where he saw as he turned, two white double doors with glass windows holding a sign that said ‘Radiology Department’.

Roman frowned as he made his way towards the doors; he opened the door and found the corridors to be pretty much deserted which had to be strange for a hospital but he didn’t focus on that.

He manoeuvred his way through the hallways, scanning the rooms for Aden, he finally found him in his office not that he was aware that he had moved to another room.

‘Aden?’ Roman enquired as he opened the door.

‘Roman’ he answered slightly taken aback by his entry to the room.

‘I need to talk to you’ Roman replied not really caring that there were two gentlemen already situated in the room with slightly put out expressions carved onto their faces.

‘Can you just wait outside for a second please?’

He frowned but Aden’s eyes implored him to let him get rid of the men in the room and then they could talk freely and without interruptions.

‘Of course, sorry for the interruption’ he said with a smile for the gentlemen who returned the smile and a curt nod of their heads.

About 10 minutes later, Aden finally dismissed them and Roman came in. ‘Who were they?’

‘Don’t worry about it’

‘Is Angelo in the morgue?’

Aden looked really uncomfortable as soon as Roman mentioned Angelo.

‘What?’

Aden didn’t respond so Roman repeated himself. ‘What is it?’

‘He’s not dead’

For a few moments, Roman was dumbstruck for a few moments and he couldn’t form a sentence.

Aden jumped in and said ‘It’s complicated, but all you need to know is that he’s alive but that no one else can know.

‘Hold on, no one can know he’s alive?’ he asked in a confused voice, none of this made any sense to him.

‘Yes, I need you to keep this to yourself’ he answered Roman’s gaze and added ‘I know it is a lot to ask, but you have to’

‘You are going to have to explain why, because none of this makes any sense’

Aden sighed. ‘Okay, sit down, and listen please.’

‘You know how Angelo shot Jack?’

‘Yeah’ he nodded not really showing any emotion over it.

He was too confused and dazed to be able to especially when he was worried about Nicole at the same time.

‘Are you aware of Emily Chambers?’

‘Yes, I am’

‘Well she is Penn’s sister, well to be exact, his foster sister’

‘Okay, how is that relevant?’

‘That is the main reason he went after Nicole’

Roman clenched his fists and then uncurled them. ‘How do you mean went after Nicole?’

‘He realised that Angelo’s ‘murder’ of Jack wasn’t all that it was made out to be’

‘That much is clear’ Roman gritted out. ‘Just tell me what I need to know’

‘Simply put, Jack is alive, Angelo is alive and Penn is using Nicole to get to Angelo’

‘Which is why Jack is back?’ Roman guessed.

‘Yes, if he can get Angelo to put Penn in prison then he can go back into hiding and live his life without worrying about the people he is trying to protect by pretending to be dead in the first place.’

‘People? Who is he trying to protect?’

‘His involvement in the development site led to some unwanted attention & they threatened.’ He faltered, he had said too much and he didn’t want to say anymore.

‘Aden?’

‘I can’t say’ he said clamming up and the steely look that Aden gave Roman made it clear he wasn’t going to willingly give up that information.

Roman arched his eyebrows and looked at him. ‘There’s only one person you would be trying to find and protect’ he muttered and then shook his head ‘No you cant because…’ and then he looked Aden in the eyes.

‘It’s Belle isn’t it?’

Aden didn’t respond but Roman didn’t need it, he knew that the only reason that Aden would have ever returned to the bay was for Belle.

‘She’s alive isn’t she?’

He nodded. ‘She knows Penn is trying to get to Jack and she contacted me, I know she’s alive, she wanted me to return to the bay…’

‘To help Angelo put Penn away.’ Roman finished off his sentence. ‘But you didn’t even know Penn.’

‘I know, Belle filled me in once Jack realised that she was in witness protection’

‘Okay, this is all hurting my head’ Roman groaned.

‘Yeah, I was the same, but I am here to protect Nicole and hopefully get Belle back in my life’

Roman nodded, ‘Something we can both agree on at least then’

**

[Zetti]

Part Twenty-Seven

Nicole looked ashamed as Angelo glared at Penn.

‘Nicole. Get changed and go downstairs’ Angelo said to her trying not to lose his cool with Penn there.

She nodded, and pulled the blanket around her and scrambled around the room to get her clothes before hurrying out of the room.

Penn had a lazy smile on his face as Angelo glared at him. ‘So what was the point?’

‘In?’ Penn knew what Angelo wanted but he was having fun playing with him and making him squirm.

Penn had had Nicole and he knew that Angelo would never be able to live with that, he had done his part.

Nicole reappeared a few moments later and took in the scene in front of her. ‘Angelo’ she said quietly hoping not to enrage him any further than he already was.

Normally when Angelo looked at her, there was warmth and kindness in his eyes shining back at her and when he spotted her in that bed, there was nothing but coldness which pierced her heart, the thought that she had hurt him made her feel soulless, she had nothing left without Angelo.

‘Go downstairs’ he said without breaking his gaze that he had fixated on Penn.

‘But..’

‘Go!’ he commanded with such force that Nicole jumped and stepped back from him not that Angelo noticed.

‘Both of you go’ Jack said and Nicole exclaimed in shock as she saw Jack appear.

‘What!’ Nicole looked at Angelo and then at Jack and she finally turned her gaze to Penn whose expression had changed, he had a look of hatred etched onto his face.

‘What do you want?’ Jack asked Penn as he approached him.

‘Justice’ he spat out.

Angelo urged Nicole out of the door and Jack nodded in response to his gaze. ‘I will be fine.’

Penn returned his look to Jack as he watched the door close. ‘So, you killed my sister and expect me to be okay with it?’

‘No’ Jack responded surprising himself and Penn, he never expected anything from Penn, he knew that his actions had hurt a lot of people that day but it was in the past.

Dragging it up never helped anyone, least of all Penn or anyone that he loved and cared about.

‘I hurt a lot of people’ Jack said as Penn tensed up. ‘I know I did, but you are not helping anyone by holding onto your anger about it’

‘What do you suggest? Mr high and mighty?!’

‘I am not perfect Penn, far from it, but I have to live with that day for the rest of my life. I have to. You can let it go, you can grieve and know that every single day I have to relive that scene in my head, that I can’t stop seeing Emily in my head’

Penn tensed up but Jack ploughed on. ‘What are you hoping to achieve?’

‘I want you to pay’

‘I am,’ Jack responded as Penn scoffed. He slowly rolled up his sleeves and showed Penn two curved marks just above his wrists.

Penn frowned ‘What?’

‘I harmed myself, every day for 3 months, in secret, I cut myself, to let the pain out or to relieve myself of the guilt, I don’t know, I could never make sense of the reason behind it but that is what I did, I hated myself’

For the first time in a long time, Penn was speechless, He wasn’t sure how to respond to Jack’s revelation.

‘I don’t expect this to make up for what I did but you have to let it go, you are hurting innocents’

‘Angelo is no innocent’

‘Yeah, I can agree with you on that, but he is human and he spent so long trying to redeem himself, everyone makes mistakes’

Jack paused and took in Penn’s expression, he wasn’t sure if the distant look on his face was a good thing but he had said too much now to be able to stop.

Penn returned his gaze onto Jack. ‘She died and I couldn’t stop it. You could have made a decision not to kill her’

‘I know I could have but it’s done, you aren’t helping anyone least of all yourself. Isn’t this painful? Dragging it up again and again?’

Penn reached for his gun but Jack was pretty fast and whirled his own weapon out at the same time.

‘You don’t want to do this’ Jack warned.

‘I do’

Jack pulled the trigger at the same time as Penn did and the shot resonated off the walls creating a loud bang that would have made anyone jump.

Jack watched as his shot hit Penn straight in the heart. Penn’s shot didn’t even make contact with Jack and Jack had to watch as Penn flopped towards the wall placing his fingernails in the wall with one hand while the other hand clutched his heart as his face contorted with pain and agony.

‘I am sorry but you left me with no choice.’ Jack said as Penn’s face sagged and he closed his eyes in a bid to minimise the pain.

‘Rest in peace Penn’ Jack said devoid of emotion as he rubbed his scar, the scars were a sign of everything he had been through and yet he was still there. He had no intention of going anywhere and now he had to face the music.

**

There is one more chapter to go after this one....please comment xx

[Zetti]

Thankyou everyone for the all the comments and mainly for reading this fic, its been a pleasure to write the story for you all and I love how you all are really loyal in reading & commenting, it means the world to me.

So without further rambling on..here is the last chapter of Reflections. I hope you all enjoy it

Part Twenty-Eight

Angelo watched as Nicole left the car. ‘Go and see Rob’ he said not wanting to get drawn into a conversation with her.

‘Are you not coming?’

‘Not yet’ he still needed to wait for Jack to tell him that he was free that Penn was no longer a threat to him or his family.

‘Why?’ Nicole asked timidly ‘Are you still angry about Penn?’

‘No, he made you and you let it happen, I cant you blame you’ he said softly and he repeated the same words he had said to himself.

‘I won’t blame you, just remember how much I love you’ but he was lying to himself, he couldn’t get rid of that image in his head.

He didn’t know Nicole’s reasoning behind it, her justification but the cold hard honest truth was that he didn’t want to know; despite everything he wasn’t ready for that conversation and truth be told he wasn’t sure he would ever be ready.

He wasn’t sure that he would ever be able to accept the reasoning or justification that Nicole might try and provide because it would just feel like an excuse and he refused to want to feel like that.

Despite everything that they had been through, he couldn’t forgive her, the realisation that he was no longer committed to their marriage was painful and hard to bear but he had to bear it because the children didn’t deserve to lose both parents.

He knew that it would be hard for them to be amicable but he hoped for the sake of the children that they could be, he needed to be there for the kids, for both of his kids just not with Nicole by his side.

He wanted to be able to forgive her but in time maybe he could but the trust had gone. He had done worse to Nicole but in this instance, he knew that whatever happened, it was over between them.

It had to be, he couldn’t live with himself if he forced them both and the kids through a life where none of them were happy, they all deserved a lot better than that, a hell of a lot better than that.

‘I love you too, more than you will ever know, I promise’

Angelo got the text that he head been waiting for. ‘Lets go and see Rob & Mia’

Nicole smiled as he took her hand and walked with her towards the wards. Roman was stood there with Rob who looked tired but generally okay.

His face lit up as he saw his parents, his real parents. Roman hugged Nicole who started to cry as she watched Angelo hug Rob like there was no tomorrow.

‘Its over’ Roman whispered to Nicole.

‘What about Roo? Where is she?’

Roman closed his eyes and braced himself for the next few words he was about to say. ‘She died, the head injury was too much for her to cope with and she…’

Nicole squeezed his hand and let him cry out his tears. ‘She loved you’

‘And I her, I have never loved anyone the way that I loved her, it didn’t feel real to me when it happened, I still cant accept it but she is dead’

Irene walked in a few moments later and Mia ran into Nicole’s arms. Nicole couldn’t hide her elation that she had finally got her family back, it might not be the most perfect family but it was the family that she had.

There was no where she was ever going to let it go away but she couldn’t ignore the voice at the back of her head that said she wasn’t going to get the happy ending that she had actually wanted.

**

6 months later

Roman had spent a long time grieving Roo but he had finally moved on, he had to let her go, he wouldn’t forget her but he had to go and live his life.

He surprised himself by opening up a shop, somewhere people could buy photos and souvenirs of their time in Summer Bay, it meant the world to him and he knew that out there somewhere, Roo was smiling on him.

Aden and Belle were eventually reunited and now they lived not far from Nicole’s place. Angelo had tried to let the fact that Nicole had slept with Penn go but he couldn’t.

They were divorced but they accepted that the children deserved a chance to live with both parents. Whilst everything had changed, it was the same in some ways, so much had happened and yet at the same time, nothing seemed to change.

Nicole loved her kids, as did Angelo, they both loved each other, it just wasn’t as easy to forgive. It wasn’t fair on anyone the way their divorce had impacted on Summer Bay but now things had begun to settle down and whilst things may never be the same again, their lives had meaning and that was the thing that everyone had to focus on, they had to.

‘Do you think they will ever get back together? Aden asked Belle.

‘Maybe, there is no way of ever knowing right now’

‘True, I mean it has to be awkward right now though’

‘How do you mean?’ Belle asked as she looked at her husband who was sporting a sheepish look on his face.

‘Aden Jefferies…’ she warned

‘Nicole’s pregnant’

Belle’s eyes shot open and looked at him as she processed that fact. ‘Wow, Penn?’

‘Maybe but I think deep down its Angelo’s, at least if it is, then maybe they can have a fighting chance at being together again?’

‘Maybe, and at least our baby will have a cousin to play with’

Aden looked at her mirroring her expression. ‘Our baby?’

She nodded unable to hide a grin. ’We’re having a baby!’

Aden hugged her and laughed in delight.

‘So happy endings do exist’ he sighed as Belle snuggled into him and his arms wrapped around her small frame resting on her stomach.’

‘Yep, happy endings do exist’ Belle said wistfully as Aden rubbed her stomach. ‘But sometimes it doesn’t’

‘How do you mean?’

‘Jack’

‘True’ Aden agreed, and thought back to the day that he died. No one ever knew that all those years, Jack was slowly dying anyways.

The tumour in his brain had grew and grew till it had got to a point where Jack wanted to make things right before he died and his justification for that was by killing Penn or at least at first his plan was to get Penn to give himself up but failing that, death was the only option at least it was in his mind at the time.

‘He died knowing we all forgave him’

Belle nodded ‘It wasn’t our forgiveness he wanted though’ she supplied

‘He had to forgive himself first. Without that, he would never get any peace. He needed to be able to see himself for the person he was, a good man who made mistakes, everyone makes mistakes, its life’

‘My wife, the wise one’ Aden Jefferies said with a smile as she punched him playfully.

‘Well, we got our happy ending.’

‘Yeah, life is never simple but we are happy and on the surface, Nicole and Angelo have their family even if it is messed up at the moment’

‘They will figure it out’

‘They will

**

So there we are…I have been plotting a new story..but does anyone actually want me to continue this story on..or do you all think it is time for me to stop? Let me know

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