Without Her

Chapter 54 - Sick With Guilt

It was the day of Jac's funeral, Emma was still missing and they couldn't find her.

Remi was still on the loose, the police weren't having much luck on any leads.

Kian wakes up, he turns over to tell and kiss Jac good morning.

But then he realises, she isn't there anymore.

It's like he's on autopilot, he walks into the bathroom and brushes his teeth.

Noah starts to cry, and Kian sighs.

He walks into Noah's bedroom, and picks him up from the cot.

"Hey, little guy." He smiles, rocking him slowly.

Noah won't quieten down though, Kian keeps rocking him and then decides to go downstairs and make a bottle.

He waits ten minutes before, he slowly lets Noah nurse on the bottle.

He sits down on the sofa, and lets Noah finish before he slowly puts him on his chest so he can sleep.

Harriet comes from her room, "Daddy, where Emma?"

"She'll be back soon, I promise." He smiles, as she sits on the sofa beside him.

"Is, Noah otay?"

"Yeah, he's fine." Kian says, stroking Noah's head.

Noah is suckling on his thumb, and Kian smiles at his kids.

He looks at the time and sees it's 10:23am, he should get the nanny in and get ready.

He slowly picks Noah up, and lays him in his Moses basket.

Kian picks up his phone and calls a number, "Hey, would you be able to take the kids now?"

"You would? Thank you so much." He says, as he hangs up.

"Right, the nanny is coming over." He smiles, down at Harriet.

"Rweally? Where you going?" She asks, looking up at him.

He picks her up and smiles, "Daddy, has to go and do something important."

"Me come!" She says, squealing.

"No, you need to stay here and look after your little brother." He replies.

"Otay, I be big sissy!" She shouts, as Kian puts her down.

She toddles over to where Noah is, and starts to play with his hands.

She passes him a block, which he starts to play with.

There is a knock at the door, and Kian answers to the nanny.

He lets her in, and then leaves fifteen minutes later.

Thirty minutes later...

Kian meets Sacha, Fletch and Elliot outside the church.

"Have you found, Emma yet?" Elliot asks, rubbing his head and putting a hat on.

"No, but I really hope we do soon." Kian sighs, just then he sees a car pull up.

It's Jonny, he has Emma.

Kian rushes over "Emma!" He shouts, as he hugs her.

"Where have you been? What happened?"

"She rang me from your phone, I picked her up." Jonny says, getting out of the car.

"Why didn't you ring me and tell me?" Kian says, to Jonny "I was worried."

"She was safe, she was with her father." Jonny replies.

"I am one of her legal guardians, I would of liked to know where my daughter was." He says, "I was worried sick, with guilt and sadness."

"Well she's here now."

"Emma, you won't do that again will you?" Kian asks.

Emma shakes her head "I'm sorry, I love you."

"I love you too." Kian smiles, as he hugs her.

"So, we ready to go in?" Fletch asks.

"Just five more minutes." Kian replies, sitting on a bench.

Elliot sits next to him "You okay?"

"Not really." Kian replies "The love of my life is dead, and I just don't know how to feel anymore..."

Elliot hugs him "It's hard, but we'll help you get through this."

Elliot takes Kian's hand in support, and they walk into the church together.

Lots of people from the hospital are there, standing waiting in the pews.

Kian, Elliot, Fletch and Emma sit at the front.

The priest starts talking, which sounds like "Blah, blah." To Kian.

Eventually it's Kian's turn to get up and speak, he goes up to the front.

He looks at the people sitting in the pews, and one stands out to him.

A person sitting in the back, by themselves.

They are wearing complete black, and a black veil is covering their face.

"Weird." He says, to himself.

Something feels familiar about that person, he just doesn't know what.

When the funeral is over, he follows the person when they leave.

"Hey!" He shouts after them.

They turn around to look at him for a second, he realises that it is a woman.

He recognises her, something about her.

The hairs on the back of his neck stand up, and he goes pale.

They start to run off, and he goes after them "Wait! Please!"