Without Her

Chapter 15 - Little Cousin

"Yeah, I'll just have to ask Jac." Kian says "It's not really the right time, though.."

"Please Kian, I really need this." Marty says, almost begging.

"Why what's happened?" Kian asks, concerned.

"Nothing really, I just need a clean break." He replies, sitting on the sofa.

"Okay, I'll ask her." Kian replies, smiling at his cousin.

Meanwhile...

Jac pulls up outside the prison and exhales, she doesn't want to be here. Why did Clayton put her down as next of Kin, especially without asking her?

She gets out of her car, and pulls her coat on and walks inside.

She is stopped by a prison officer, "Who are you?" He asks.

"Jacqueline Naylor, here to collect Clayton Pearson's stuff." Jac replies, looking at the floor.

The prison officer checks the list and then walks away, he returns with a bag of stuff and hands it to her.

"Thanks, bye." She says, walking back to her car.

She gets back in and opens the bag, inside is his wallet, phone, diet pills, anything he could really get his hands on she sighs and then remembers - she doesn't have to look at this again, she throws it into a nearby bin and drives off.

Jac walks back into work, and Kian meets her in Pulses "Hey, how did it go?" He asks, sitting at a table with her.

"Good, yeah." She smiles, at him "I threw the stuff away, I didn't need a reminder."

"I have something to ask you, though." He says, bracing himself for what could come.

"What?" She asks, looking at him with an intense stare.

"Uh, Marty wants to come and stay."

"I'm sorry but no, not if the rumours I've heard are true." She says, sipping her coffee.

"What rumours?" He asks, concerned.

"Wow, you really haven't heard them?" Jac asks, shocked.

"No I haven't." He replies "So enlighten, me."

"The rumours have it, that he's been taking drugs." Jac replies "I don't want him in my house, if he's been taking them - especially with my seven year old daughter in the house."

"Hold on, you don't even know if it's true!" Kian says, defending his cousin.

"Well we know your history, so I wouldn't be shocked."

"Don't say that."

"Look I know you love him, but it's a no." She says, standing up.

"Don't make me pick, between you and him." Kian says, standing up as well.

"Why? Because you'll pick him?" Jac questions, turning around to face him.

"Yeah, I would." He replies, sitting back down.

"Right well then, you would really pick him over me?" Jac asks, trying to hide her heartbreak.

"Yeah, he's my family." Kian says, looking around.

"Well I'm family too, am I not?" She says "Clearly we're a bad idea, so stuff you and our wedding!" She says, chucking the engagement ring down on the table.

"Go and enjoy your life, with your cousin." She shouts "We don't need you!"

"Jac wait!" He says, getting up to go after her.

"No, you've made yourself clear." Jac says, looking sad "You've made it clear, that me and Emma aren't your family."

"You are!"

"I'm sorry that I want to protect my daughter, I'm sorry I don't trust Marty." She says.

"So, we're done." She says walking away "Only talk to me, if it's about a medical case."

"Jac...please." Kian sighs, getting up and grabbing her arm.

She flinches away from him, "Don't do that."

"I'm sorry, I just know he wouldn't do that." Kian replies, stepping away from her a bit.

"Well when you finally decide if you care about me, I'll think about our relationship but until then..." she says, walking away.

Kian picks up the engagement ring from the table, and sees that everyone is staring - but he knows his little cousin wouldn't do that.

He sits down at the table, and sighs. He notices people staring at him, "What?!" He shouts at them and they all turn to look away.

Jac walks into the office, and holds onto her desk - the tears just roll down her face, why does this always happen to her?

She sits in her chair, and puts her glasses on. She was going to do her job, and then return home to her family. The only people she really needed.