The Next Moves...

[Eli]

Chapter 11 - Tiny differences

"But why would Hayley lie to her son about his father?" Pippa asked. She was sitting in her bed, for the first time since the operation.

"I don't know," Sally said, "but Hayley had never mentioned Scott Hunter when she was talking to Noah."

"Maybe Scott did something to her, and she didn't want Noah to have anything to do with him?"

Sally thought for a second before she replied.

"Yes, maybe, but she should have realized he would find out sooner or later. After all it's impossible that Noah was Noah's father. He died more than a year before Noah junior was born," she said.

The heat was extreme, and VJ had to take a break.

"Can you watch the diner by yourself, Stephen?" he called out.

"Sure," Stephen replied from the kitchen, "there's not that many customers right now, and Alexa will help me out."

VJ took a bottle of ice tea from the fridge, and went outside. Of course it was even hotter outside, but at least it was fresher air than inside the diner.

He just stood there, staring out at the ocean, daydreaming about surfing.

When Pippa got better he would take her surfing. He had taught her how to surf several years ago. He wondered if she still remembered what he'd thought her?

Maybe she would get better before Christmas? They could go surfing in the middle of the nixt on new years Eve if she wanted... That would be so amazing, watching all the fireworks in the Bay from the water. Or maybe they could take the boat if she wasn't ready to surf yet? They could stay out there all night and-

"What's up?" Wendy said and joined him by the fence.

"Nothing much," VJ sighed, "I'm just thinking about Pippa..."

Wendy forced herself not to say anything mean.

"Are you going to the Christmas barbeque at the beach?" she asked,

"Probably... When is it?" VJ replied.

"December 23rd I think," she said.

It had become a tradition in the Bay. Every year, right before Christmas everyone went to the beach and threw a huge barbeque.

"Okay, then I guess I'm going..." VJ said.

"Great!" Wendy replied, "I have to go, but I'll see you later then?"

"Yeaah..." VJ said, "I guess..."

DeAnna picked up the phone.

"Hello, DeAnna Phillips speaking," she said.

"DeAnna, this is Jayne," the caller said.

"Oh, hi."

"I just wondered how everything is going?" Jayne said.

"Not too good. I'm still struggeling with my mission"

"So you're not coming back to Colombia soon?"

"No," DeAnna replied, "I have some more cruelty and hatred to dig up first..."

Johannah had been distant and weird lately, but today she almost seemed normal again.

Now she was sitting on the porch in front of her new foster home, eating an apple.

She hadn't bothered running away again, even though she didn't like these people either. She would be moved soon anyway. If she showed some good behaviour she might even be moved to Summer Bay like she wanted.

At the moment she was in Yabbie Creek, and even though it was a bigger town than Summer Bay she wanted to move back.

The three o'clock bus slowed down, and stopped. Soon Wendy Lawrence was in the driveway.

"What are you doing here?" Johannah shouted to her best friend. Wendy came running up to the porch.

"I have juicy stuff for you," she said, catching her breath, "VJ and I are going to the Christmas barbeque together!"

Pippa was sleeping, but woke up when someone opened the door.

"Oh... I'm sorry! Did I wake you?" Wallace said.

"Yeah, but that's okay," Pippa replied, "I guess I fell asleep watching daytime tellie..." she smiled, and Wallace smiled back at her.

"Can't wait to get out of here, can you?" he asked.

"Are you joking? I can't wait to get home!"

Wallace sat down.

"How are you?" he said. Pippa didn't answer. She was tempted to say se was okay, but she wasn't.

"I feel bad..." she finally said.

"Why?" Wallace asked, grabbing her hand as her eyes filled with tears.

"Because I'm kind of... You know... Playing with you and VJ, you know what I mean?"

"You're not playing with us!" Wallace said, struggeling to be supportive instead of showing her how much this really hurt him. She didn't need that now.

"Yes, I am!" Pippa cried, "I should be able to choose one of you!"

"You don't have to hurry," he replied, "take your time."

Pippa cried for a long time, before she changed the subject.

"Have they got any news on the kidnapper yet?" she asked. She knew the answer, it was just a desperate attemt to get the choice between VJ and Wallace out of her head.

"I'm sorry," Wallace said, "I don't think so..."

Pippa nodded. Deep inside she couldn't help thinking that both the boys gave her news from outside the hospital, held her when she cried, and told her to relax.

...But only VJ promised he wouldn't let anything happen to her ever again...

As usual, please comment and tell me what you think!

[Eli]

Chapter 12 - Don't want to be afraid

"Welcome home!" Wallace, VJ and Sally shouted the moment Pippa and Richard entered the livingroom.

Pippa smiled, and it was even a real smile.

"Hi!" She said, and gave her mother a hug. She wanted to hug VJ and Wallace too, but it was a bit awkward when both of them were in the same room, luckily they understood, and VJ only patted her arm.

Wallace helped her to get into the big chair in front of the TV.

It was actually nice being home. She had thought it would be worse than the hospital, but it wasn't. Sure, she had been constantly afraid at the hospital, and she still was, but at least she was in her own house now.

Wallace left for work a few minutes later, and Sally and Richard went down to the beach after checking that it was okay with Pippa a thousand times.

As soon as the door closed behind them she was alone with VJ again, but this time it was a bit awkward.

"So..." he said after a moment of awkward silence, "Are you going to the Christmas party?"

"I don't know," Pippa said, "Are you going?"

"Yeah, I think so..."

Awkward again. Pippa wished he would ask her to go with him. VJ didn't dare to ask her, what if she wanted to go with Wallace but didn't want to hurt him?

Pippa tried to smile at him, it was more like a weird twisting of her face.

"Do you want anything to drink?" VJ said, he just had to break this awkward silence.

"Yes! Lemonade!" Pippa said, and VJ left the room.

"I don't know what to do!" Dana said to Sally, "She obviously don't want to live anywhere else!"

"Why does she love Summer Bay so much?" Sally asked.

"I don't know, but I guess it's because most of her friends live here," Dana replied.

"But," Sally said, "You don't want her in your house?"

"No, no, don't get me wrong!" Dana said, "Johannah is not really a bad kid, it's just that this house isn't big enough, and I can't feed three kids!"

"I see," Sally said and nodded. She completely understood that Dana and Stephen didn't want another person to feed and clothe, but at the same time she felt sorry for Johannah. She knew a little too well how it was when you felt that you didn't belong anywhere.

VJ was walking home. He didn't know how to feel. Today had been a weird day.

After spending some awkward minutes with Pippa the silence between them was broken when the phone rang. VJ had picked up, and gotten the unpleasant job to tell Pippa the police had released one of the suspects because he had an alibi.

He wished he never would be the one to make her face look like that again. Even when he held her afterwards he wished the phone never had rung. She was shaking, and once again he had promised her he'd never let anything happen to her.

"Hi!" Sally said to Johannah as she passed by her. Johannah stopped and turned around, surprised that Sally knew who she was.

"Hi...?" she replied, a bit suspicious like she thought Sally was up to something.

"How are you, Johannah?" she asked.

"I'm fine, Ms. Fletcher, how are you?" Johannah replied, still trying to figure out if there was any connection between them except for the fact that she had been to Summer Bay high once since Sally became principal just to talk to the councelor.

"I'm fine, thanks," Sally said, "I have to go, but I'll speak to you later!"

"Okay..." Johannah said. She decided to find out what was going on by following after her. Because something was definitely going on...

Alex was just finishing up her shift in the Diner when Jason arrived.

"Are you off?" he asked.

"Yeah, in two minutes," she replied, "wanna go for a walk?"

"Yeah, that's what I was going to ask you about."

Alex grabbed her bag and told Stephen she wa sleaving before she joined Jason and left the Diner.

"Do you know if Wendy is seeing anyone?" he asked. Alex was surprised, normally Jason would never ask a question like that. He was too shy.

"No... I don't think so, why?" she asked.

Jason took a deep breath.

"I wanna ask her to go with me to the barbeque," he said.

She had to be careful so Sally didn't see her...

Johannah had followed Sally to the Diner, where she obviously was meeting someone. Johannah didn't dare to go any closer now, so she wouldn't be able to hear any of the conversation.

"Hi Sally have you been waiting here for a long time?" Lillian asked.

"No, don't worry, I just got here," Sally replied, "so are you ready to discuss DeAnna Phillips?"

A cop. Sally was talking to a cop.

Johannah had a really bad feeling about Sally Fletcher. She knew something she shouldn't know about.

Wallace was exhausted. It had been a long day at work, and he was ready to relax, but first he had to talk to Pippa.

"Hi," he said when he entered the house, "how do you feel?"

"I'm fine," Pippa replied.

Wallace sat down next to her.

"I don't mean to put any pressure on you or make you choose..." he began. Pippa froze. She couldn't look at him.

"But I think we need to sort out whether you are staying at or place or VJ's..." he said.

Pippa bit her lip, and forced herself to look at him.

"Neither," she said.

"What?" Wallace asked.

"I'm staying here with mom and Richard."

"Oh, okay then. I better get going," Wallace said and got up.

Pippa watched him leave, and heard the door close behind him. Suddenly she felt lost and scared. She was all alone, and sooner or later she had to make a choice.

Maybe the hospital had been better after all?

If only VJ could be there...

I didn't get any comments on the last chapter, so please comment now. There's only a few chapters left of this fic, so I want to hear your opinion

[Eli]

Chapter 13 - Confrontation

Twelve booklets about studies, five catalogues about further education and one paper about study loan.

Pippa had been home for three days, and she was sick of always being scared. If she could walk without crutches she would have been outside, wherever her friends were, but as long as she couldn't keep up with them all the time she felt safer in her house. Safe wasn't exactly the right word to use after all; every time she heard a noise she was sure it was the kidnapper or someone who wanted to hurt her.

She just wanted to put everything that had happened behind her, and starts something new. VJ wasn't coming over very often, and to be honest she was more pleased with Wallace at the moment. She sighed and started reading a booklet.

It was time for a change.

"Is it just me or are all these brochures for medical schools?" Wallace said, and sat down next to her on the porch. Richard had helped Pippa out so she could read outside instead.

"Yes, it is" she said.

"Are you thinking of becoming a doctor?" Wallace asked.

"Yeah," Pippa said, "I've been thinking about it for a long time, and I applied to some schools. They accepted me, but then I became insecure, so I didn't tell you."

"Where are you going to school?" Wallace said.

"I don't know yet," Pippa replied, "I've been accepted to three schools. One in Canberra, one in Perth and the new one they just opened up between Yabbie Creek and the City."

"Are you serious?" Wallace asked, "Are you becoming a doctor?"

"Yes, is something wrong about that?" Pippa said and looked at him.

"No, not at all," he said, "I'm just proud of you." They kissed. The first kiss in a long time.

Thirty feet away VJ froze from the sight of the two of them kissing again. He really thought she was gonna choose him!

Angry, disappointed, and a bit sad he walked away, not knowing there soon would be more to worry about.

Lillian was in the diner waiting for DeAnna. She knew she shouldn't be as an officer doing her job, but she couldn't help being nervous about this girl's story.

"Officer Ray, you wanted to see me?"

Lillian turned around and saw DeAnna Phillips smiling down at her.

"Yes, please sit down," she said, a bit surprised by her soon arrival.

"So," DeAnna asked as she sat down, "What have I done?"

"Nothing, you're not in any trouble," Lillian said, "But I wanted to speak to you about something that concerns me a little. Don't worry, I just really want some answers."

DeAnna frowned, she hadn't expected this.

"About what?" She said, trying not to show how suspicious she was about this.

"About your file from Colombia," Lillian said. DeAnna's expression changed like Lillian had used a remote control.

"Hi, this is VJ Patterson, I'm not here at the moment, so please leave a message, and I will call you back."

VJ came home just in time to hear his machine pick up a phone call. He didn't want to answer it in case it was the same person who had called him all week.

"Hi VJ," a male voice said, and VJ's suspections were confirmed, "I know I've kept calling you for a week, and because you don't pick up I assume you either don't get the messages, or you don't want to talk to me. So... Please call me back." The beep at the end told VJ the person had hung up.

Should he call him back? He didn't really know if he wanted to talk to him. He had only known the truth for less than a year, and it still hurt. He knew who the caller was, but somehow he was angry at him. It wasn't his fault the truth had been kept from VJ, he knew that. But still...

The truth was painful, and the most natural thing for VJ was to blame the caller. Maybe even of he wasn't the one to blame.

"I couldn't help noticing how you changed when I mentioned your Colombian file," Lillian said, "and I understand if you don't want to talk about it."

She drank some coffee before she continued.

"It's just that," she paused, "You live part time in Canberra, part time in Colombia, and then all of a sudden you come here moving to Summer Bay, digging into your parents' past. You do understand that after this... strange behaviour, people start wondering if you're up to something...?"

DeAnna didn't answer.

"As I said, I completely understand if you don't want to talk about it," Lillian said, "But refusing to clear your own parents' names, and then go dig after dirty details from their friends... I think at least Sally Fletcher deserves an explanation..."

"You're right," DeAnna said. Lillian couldn't hide how surprised she was. DeAnna opened her mouth again.

"I don't want to talk about it," she said.

Pippa was still on the porch, when VJ passed by. He was hoping she would be inside, but she wasn't. He tried to hurry before she saw him...

"VJ!" ...too late...

"Hi..." he said, trying to sound happy.

"Come on over here!" she said, and VJ walked up to the porch.

"I don't have that much time..." he began.

"Nice to see you too," Pippa said, "I'm fine, thanks for asking."

VJ just stared at the ground.

"Are you okay?" Pippa asked. She didn't sound sarcastic anymore, just worried.

"I'm sick of being your toy," VJ blurted out. He hadn't planned to say it, it just happened.

"What?" Pippa said, looking very shocked, "Excuse me?!"

VJ looked her in the eyes now. Weeks of worrying, giving in and being nice was over. He was tired.

"I don't want you to play with me," he said, "I saw you kiss Wallace today, you really had me thinking we had something going on..."

"We have!" Pippa said.

"Then tell Wallace it's over, and stop taking me for granted!" he said, and left without giving her the chance to reply.

Back home the machine was picking up a message again.

"VJ, it's me again. I just need to know if you're there, so if you are... please just pick up, or hang up so I know whether you're there or not..."

VJ walked over to the phone. He was tired of trouble, and sad because everything seemed so hard at the moment.

"So..." the caller said, and VJ sighed. Then he pushed the button finishing the call.

Please comment, it's my birthday, I deserve something to read

[Eli]

Chapter 14 - Right and wrong

Is it possible to do the right thing and then discover it is the wrong thing? Is the right thing always the right thing, or can it sometimes also be the wrong thing?

VJ didn't know what to think anymore.

On one hand he didn't want to give up Pippa, after all she had been through a lot, but on the other hand he was sick of just being one of her boyfriends.

And then there was the calls. He still wasn't sure he had did the right thing hanging up. The caller hadn't called again, and he probably never wouldn't. But if he really cared as much as he pretended when he called he would call again, right? VJ wanted him to stop calling, but at the same time...

He gave up, no more thoughts! It had been two days since he dumped Pippa, and two days since he hung up. It was time to move on!

It was only seven o'clock. VJ grabbed his keys, locked the door behind him and headed for Noah's bar.

DeAnna payed the bartender. She just wanted to get really drunk and drown all her feelings.

Why couldn't anyone understand?

She came to find out more about her parents, and automatically people thought she was up to something, and started digging in her past. That only gave her more reason to believe her parents hadn't been the nice sweet people she used to think they were when she was a kid.

Why did people always have to interfere and try to make her talk?

The door to the bar was opened, and DeAnna turned around. It was VJ Patterson, and he didn't look too great.

"Good," DeAnna thought, as VJ sat down, "A drinking mate, finally!"

Sally had been thinking a lot lately, and it was time to talk to Richard.

Ever since Dana had told her about Johannah she had been trying to figure out a solution to make this girl's life a bit easier.

She finally thought she had found one, but before she could know that for sure she had to talk to Richard.

Once again she failed to dial his number. Wallace was working, she knew that, but if she could just leave him a message and tell him they needed to talk...

She just couldn't seem to be able to dial his number, Maybe it was destiny's way to tell her she shouldn't talk to him? Maybe her decision was wrong? No, she wanted to be with VJ!

No matter how much fun she had had dating Wallace she somehow knew VJ was ment to be, and the one she wanted to be with. Maybe even for the rest of her life.

With these thoughts on her mind, she dialled the number again and reached Wallace's machine.

She took a deep breath, it was now or never, and she just had to trust she was doing the right thing.

"Hey Wallace, it's me," she said, trying to sound normal, "we need to talk..."

"One more drink for the lady," VJ said, he was starting to get really drunk, much more than DeAnna. She found herself so amused by VJ there was no need to get totally wasted on alcohol to have a good time.

"So why are you here, VJ?" she asked, and took the drink the bartender placed in front of her and started drinking.

"I'm here because you're so pretty," VJ said, obvioulsy very drunk.

"I thought you were with Pippa Saunders?" DeAnna said.

"No I'm not!" VJ protested, but DeAnna could see from the change of the expression that Pippa had something to do with him being here, drunk as an old sailorman.

"Did she break up with you?" she asked.

"No, I broke up with her," VJ replied, drinking half a drink at once.

"Why?" DeAnna asked.

"Because she's playing me!" VJ said, and he sounded angry.

"Aww, poor thing," DeAnna said, moving closer to him and then putting her arn around his shoulders, "you don't deserve that!"

"I know, but she keeps seeing that guy... Walter... No, Winston..."

"Wallace?"

"YES! WALLACE!" VJ almost yelled. "So why are you here?" he the asked.

"I'm just sick of people minding a business that's not theirs," she said.

"What business?" VJ said, trying to drink, but discovering the glass was empty.

"My life," DeAnna said, and ordered a new drink for VJ, "I just want to know about my parents!"

"People suck," VJ said, and DeAnna couldn't help smiling. He sounded like a spoiled fourteen year old girl.

"I know," she said, "I wish there was something we could do about it!"

VJ just stared at the hot female bartender for a moment, before DeAnna got his attention again.

"I have an idea..." he said, and smiled.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Richard said. He knew his wife had a big heart, and wanted to help others, but he wondered if she was going a bit far this time.

"Yes, of course I am," Sally said, "and I know it will work out! I love Cassie, Ric and Lauren like they were my own children!"

"But it's almost 15 years since Lauren moved out," Richard replied, "And we are much older than we were!"

"I'm not too old!" Sally protested, "I'm never gonna get too old to help people in the same situation I was fourty years ago!"

"The world has changed a lot in fourty years, Sal!"

"Yes, I'm aware of that," Sally said, "but it's not better than it was fourty years ago! Are you with me on this or not?"

Richard sighed.

"You know I want to help as much as you do," he said, "I just want you to be sure you want to do this."

"I am." Sally said.

"Well," Richard said, and put his arm around his wife, "then I guess we are contacting the foster care services tomorrow to see if we can be parents again..."

Author's note: I have finished writing, and this fic has two chapters left after this one, so that brings it to a total of 16 chapters. I will finish it this year, and then "Closer each day" will be posted in 2007. In the meantime: REVIEW AND COMMENT

[Eli]

Chapter 15 – Parties in Summer Bay…

Breaking up with Wallace hadn’t been the funniest thing in the world. He had been calm and understanding, and for a moment Pippa had regret her decision. But she knew it would be wrong to stay with Wallace. She was in love with VJ, and nothing could change that.

Wallace had decided, after discussing with Sally, Richard and Pippa to stay in the apartment, while Pippa decided to move back in with her parents.

She hadn’t seen VJ for over a week and because of her knee she hadn’t been anywhere near the Baker house where VJ lived since he had dumped her. She wanted to make up with him so they could get together, but she was also scared and insecure. What if he wouldn’t take her back? What if the break up had been the final, and he wasn’t interested.

She didn’t dare to call him. He dumped her, it was he who should be calling.

But one thing was for sure: she was going to the party no matter if she talked to him or not.

Johannah was ripped back to reality from the book she was reading, when her foster mother opened the door to her room. Johannah hated the way she just opened the door without knocking.

”There’s a woman here who wants to talk to you,” she said.

”Who is it?” Johannah asked.

”It’s a woman from the foster care services,” she replied.

Johannah closed her book and got up. Madeline Jared from the foster care services was waiting in the kitchen.

She looked up when Johannah entered, and told her to sit down, After the normal procedures of asking if Johannah was okay, and if she was having a good time Mrs. Jared finally came to the real reason why she was there.

”Did I understand you right when you said you wanted to be moved to Summer Bay?” she said.

”Yes,” Johannah replied, ”The sooner the better.”

”Well I have a late Christmas present for you,” Mrs Jared said, ”we have a foster family in Summer Bay willing to take you and another girl in the end of January…”

As so many times before VJ was leaning towards the fence at the beach, staring out to the ocean. He noticed someone walking up towards him, and standing right behind him. He didn’t turn around. He didn’t need to, the wind blew from west and he could smell her sweet perfume. It was DeAnna.

Still he wondered if he had donet he right thing. He kept telling himself he had been drunk, and not able to judge the situation properly, but the day after, when he woke up next to her and was sober… He didn’t regret.

”Hi,” she said, and immidiately he knew there was something important she had to say.

”Hey,” he replied, and turned around, ”how are you?”

”I’m fine,” she said, ”I just thought I’d let you know…” she paused, and VJ got a bit nervous. At the moment she was the only thing he had to hold on to.

”I’m going back to Canberra for a few weeks,” she said.

”Why?” VJ said, and then it struck him; maybe she was going back to uni in Canberra?

”I’m starting uni here,” DeAnna said, ”and I have to pack all my stuff before I come back.”

”Oh, okay…” VJ said, because he didn’t know what else to say to her right now.

DeAnna left the same day, and couldn’t come to the party at the beach on New Years Eve. It would be one great party, no one doubted that, because as Jana Hattiesburg, the number one gossip lady of the town said, ”That DeAnna Phillips was finally out of town, and no longer sneaking around trying to find out about secrets that were better off hidden.”

Johannah was coming, and everyone seemed happy for a change. Even Pippa wasn’t in a bad mood. How could she, when it was New Years Eve and a part going on? The last party had been a disaster, but what could og wrong this time?

”Everything,” a nasty little voice in her head kept telling her, but full of Christmas spirit and hopes for the new year she chose to ignore it.

Six o’clock everyone was gathered down at the beach, and ready to celebrate the new year.

Pippa could see VJ far over on the other side of the beach, but chose not to draw his attention. He would talk to her when he was ready. And Wallace was with his parents in Brisbane, so she didn’t have to worry about him. Tonight it was only her, her drink, the beach, the people and the new year.

The music was loud and good, and it was a shame she couldn’t be up dancing with the others. If she had someone to dance with she might be able to dance, but alone… Her knee wasn’t strong enough yet.

”Hey,” someone said, and Pippa turned her head. It was Noah. She barely knew him, but she couldn’t help thinking how handsome he was, and how nice he seemed.

”Hi,” she said, smiling.

”How are you?” Noah asked.

”I’m fine thanks, how are you?” Pippa replied, turning her head slightly to check if VJ was watching them.

”I’m good,” Noah said, ”You should just talk to him, you know that?”

”What?” Pippa said, a bit too quickly as she turned her head back and blushed.

”VJ, you two should talk…” Noah said.

Pippa blushed again, ”I’m sorry,” she said, ”It’s just…”

”Oh, looks like he’s coming this way,” Noah cut her off, ”I’d better go and let you two talk.” And then he left.

Pippa was thankful, but soon she wished he had stayed, because VJ was only passing by to go talk to Jason.

”Hi, how are you?” Sally asked.

Johanna looked up.

”Hi, I’m good, thanks, how are you?” she said, being as polite as she could without showing how weird she found it that Sally kept talking to her even though they had barely met.

”I’m fine, and excited about becoming a foster mom again,” Sally said, smiling.

Johannah swallowed, ”You? Are you...?” she said, her mouth felt dry all of a sudden.

”Yes, we are,” Sally said, obviously very happy, ”in four weeks we are welcoming you to our family!”

”Yeah, that’s... Great...” Johannah said, again hiding her real feelings, but only this time the feeling was plain fear. Living in the same house with the family she was desperately trying to hide a secret from just couldn’t be good...

[to be continued...]

The last chapter of this fic will be posted Friday December 22nd, in the meantime: please review this chapter, and also feel free to review the fic in general so I know what I should change/keep in "Closer each day..."

[Eli]

Chapter 16 – ...Always go wrong

It was getting colder, and Pippa felt a bit lonely. Everyone was dancing or chatting over at the barbeque, and they seemed to have forgotten that she couldn’t walk as easily as them in the sand.

A chilly wind made her shiver, and goosebumps appeared on her arms.

Suddenly someone placed a jacket on er shoulders. Pippa turned around, and almost got a shock.

”You looked cold,” VJ said, smiling a small but sweet smile.

”Hey,” she said, because she didn’t know what else to say.

VJ handed her a hotdog.

”Thought you might be hungry,” he said, again smiling in this shy but sweet way.

”Thanks,” she replied.

VJ sat down next to her.

”I broke up with Wallace,” she said.

An alarm clock was ringing in VJ’s head. He had thought she had chosen Wallace, and even though he wanted to be with her more than anything in the world he had just come over to make up with her so they could be friends.

”Erm... You broke up with Wallace?” he asked.

”Yes,” Pippa said, ”I want us to be together, if you’re still interested after the way I treated you?”

VJ swallowed, thinking of DeAnna’s sweet perfume. DeAnna had just started as a drunk one night stand because he was sad and angry, but he liked her.

More than he liked Pippa? No, he wanted to be with Pippa, and he knew DeAnna would understand. She was the one who wanted a relationship with not too much commitment.

”Of course I’m still interested,” he said, trying to get rid of the image of DeAnna’s beautiful, dark hair.

For Pippa this was the perfect end of the year. At midnight she was slowdancing, VJ had her arms around her, and they had kissed again. And this time she didn’t have to worry about anyone else at the beach watching them.

Being in his arms again felt so wonderfully safe.

”Happy new year,” he whispered in her ear when the crowd finished the countdown and the fireworks began.

”It will be,” she whispered back.

Sally had always been good at sensing when something was wrong, and when someone lied. Right now she was pretty sure Johannah was hiding something, and that she for some reason didn’t like the idea of moving in with them.

”I talked to Johannah, she seems like a nice girl,” Richard said. Sally turned around, she hadn’t seen him.

”Yes, she’s not bad,” she replied.

”And she seems really greatful for getting to live with us.”

”Mhm,” Sally said, ”I guess so.”

She tried to tell herself Richard was right, but a small voice in her head told her Johannah was hiding something.

After midnight everyone started to pack up their stuff and leave the beach.

”Would it be okay if I join you tonight?” Pippa said as VJ was collecting their things, ”I just wanna spend ever second with you!”

VJ laughed.

”You sound like an episode of ”Passions!” he said.

”It’s true!” Pippa giggled, pushing him friendly. VJ put his arms around her.

”Of course you can join me,” he said and kissed her.

”I’m so glad we’re done messing around,” she whispered, ”it’s finally all about just me and you.”

VJ swallowed, and tried to forget about DeAnna’s perfume.

Back home Pippa sat down on VJ’s bed. She had become really good at using the crutches now that she could use both her legs. She still had to be careful with her knee, but she could do almost anything except jumping and dancing alone now.

She took off VJ’s jacket, she had been wearing it since he sat down next to her at the beach.

”I want a kiss,” she said, and VJ kissed her.

He had to keep telling himself to forget about DeAnna. The problem wasn’t really her, DeAnna would understand and forgive. It wasn’t that he had any feeling for her either, he would rather be with Pippa for one day than DeAnna for a lifetime, and that was why he felt so bad for hiding his relationship with DeAnna for Pippa.

”It’s the best for her, it will just hurt her,” he kept telling himself, but at the same time a voice in his head told him Pippa deserved the truth.

She kissed him passionately back, and leant back until she was laying on her back in his bed.

VJ leant over her, and they just kissed for a few minuted.

”You know,” Pippa suddenly said, ”I never go to bed with a guy on the first date...”

She smiled innocently, ”But technically this isn’t our first date, is it?”

VJ smiled back. His feeling for Pippa were stronger than the memory of DeAnna at the moment.

”No, techincally it’s not,” he said.

It was seven o clock when they woke up.

It had been almost the perfect night, and now Pippa was lying there next to him with her arms wrapped around his waist.

”I just have to go check my cellphone,” she said all of a sudden, I heard it ringing earlier.

She got out of bed, and went in to the kitchen.

VJ leant over to check his messages from last night, he only had one new.

”Hey, I just thought I’d call to wish you a happy new year, honey,” DeAnna’s voice on the answering machine said.

”Who was that?” Pippa said, popping back in to the bedroom, ”It didn’t sound like Leah?”

VJ swallowed.

”Pip, there’s something you should know,” he said, ”I slept with DeAnna Phillips.”

”What?” Pippa said, just staring at him, ”Well, just one time? Like after you broke up with me? Because I can’t really be mad at you for that...” she looked like she was about to cry.

VJ had picked up, and gotten the unpleasant job to tell Pippa the police had released one of the suspects because he had an alibi.

He wished he never would be the one to make her face look like that again.

”No,” he said, trying to swallow again, but his mouth was too dry, ”It was several times, we kind of had a relationship...”

Pippa just started at him for five seconds, then she turned around, and left the house, only taking time to grab her purse from the table.

”Pippa, wait! It meant nothing!” VJ yelled, but Pippa didn’t stop.

She had gotten dressed early this morning, but BJ had to put one some clothes before he could go after her.

As soon as he was wearing enough to be out in public, he ran after her, not even bothering to lock the door.

He could see her down at the beach. How could she be so fast when she was using crutches?!

”PIPPA! WAIT! I can explain!” he shouted when he finally managed to catch up with her.

”Get away from me!” she yelled back, ”Leave me alone, I don’t want to talk to you!”

VJ stopped. Pippa kept walking, as fast as she could in the sand.

”Please...!” he said.

”No!” Pippa shouted without even turning around to look at him, ”Leave me alone!”

VJ found out the best thing was probably leaving her alone so she could calm down. He couldn’t find the strength to go home, so he just stood there at the beach, not knowing that at the very same moment his machine was picking up a new message.

”Hey, I know you don’t want to have anything to do with me,” the same male caller who had made all the previous calls that VJ didn’t want to return said, ”but I thought I’d let you know; I’m coming back to the Bay, I’ve got a job in Yabbie Creek, and I want to move back. I’ll be back by the middle of February. Just thought I’d warn you...”

--END--

This was the last chapter of this fic, I would like to thank everyone who have been reading and reviewing.

As I said earlier my new fic "Closer each day" will pick up where "The next moves" left off, and continue the storylines, so I'm hoping that I will get some readers for that one too

Not sure when "Closer each day" will start, but I'm thinking early January.

In the meantime, if you want to read more of my stuff, you find the links in my signature, I update them whenever I update a fic, so they should always tell you how many chapters I have of each fic and where they are posted (please PM me if one of the links are broken)

Merry Christmas and a Happy New year!!

Eli

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