To Love Again...

[SfanS]

Topic Title – To Love Again

Type of story: one-shot

Rating: G

Main Characters: Colleen, Tony, Peter

Genre: A mixture

Warnings: 0

Is Story being proof read: No

Summary: A wedding day takes a turn for the worse when jealousy rots a man's conscience.

TO LOVE AGAIN

Colleen looked into his eyes, the brown, shining ovals with the sparkling black pupil in the middle. She opened her mouth to let the two words out, the words that would change her life forever... “I do†she said, smiling.

He was perfect. Together they made a family, and now that she had fallen pregnant, what a better way to have a life. Colleen could imagine a little version of her husband, handsome and attractive, with the same eyes, with her nose, and the smooth, shiny hair with her hair colour. Surely, it could only go up from here.

Her new husband was thrilled at the idea of a child, he had the same image in his mind, but he had told Colleen that the child would be beautiful for one reason- her. Colleen had giggled girlishly, she loved his charm and the way he treated her. Just thinking about him made her smile...until the unforgettable happened.

He was gone in a second, but it felt like hours. The accident was over in a day, but it lasted forever. Whenever she looked into the clouds, she saw his face, whenever a storm came, she thought of him, and whenever she had a dream, he was in it.

A drunk driver. Colleen would always have a hatred for them, no matter who they were, and why they were drunk. Tears filled her eyes when she remembered it all. The heavy rain, causing the car to slip from side to side, the headlights that shone in her eyes as the car came speeding towards them, going through a red light...and it all went black.

Waking up, being told her husband was dead was the hardest thing she ever had to go through. She felt like she’d never get over it. Miraculously, her baby was okay, and according to Colleen, it was her husband that saved the child. So, days later, she went into a hard labour, as every thought was of her precious lover. When she held her little boy for the first time, she saw the same, shining brown eyes.

Years later, Colleen always remembered that crash. She always remembered those eyes, and could see her husband in her son. Colleen refused to drive in the rain, and would never forgive the drunk drivers that drove on the road near her, even if she knew them. She still saw them as a murderer, even if they were innocent. Because she couldn’t let go.

Alone and cold in her mobile home as the rain poured down, she remembered him once again. Tears spilled down her cheeks, and fell down on the blankets wrapped around her. Lancie had left with Maggie and Debbie, and she felt empty inside, with no family to turn to. The Bay mocked her behind her back, all saying she was ridiculous and a pain. No man was interested in her. The one man that loved her, had left her as well.

But that was when Tony Holden and his two sons, Lucas and Jack, moved to Summer Bay. Seeing the moving truck pull up, and the three males climb out of the car, Colleen stopped in her tracks, pausing to get a proper look at the eldest man there. She gasped. It was like another image of her previous husband. She knew he couldn’t possibly be alive, but there was something special about him that she could already tell.

Tony paused before taking another step, as he saw a woman watching him. If she was a little younger, he could’ve sworn she would’ve been an older version of his old wife, Katie. He missed her, but there was something about this woman special, he could already tell. As there eyes met, they exchanged shy smiles, and they both felt a feeling they hadn’t felt in years.

Colleen stood there, staring, feeling like an idiot, and wondered if she should go over to him. She suddenly felt like a shy little school girl, a feeling she hadn’t felt since...her husband.

"Do you need a hand!?" Colleen called out. The man smiled at her, he was grateful for her offer, and also glad to have a chance to meet this lady.

"Yeah, thanks...Tony, by the way"

"Colleen..." They gripped the other person’s hand, shaking hands, but their hands stayed together for longer than a handshake should. They both nervously pulled their hands away, and they began moving the furniture into the new house.

Getting to know each other, they each asked the other person general questions. Unfortunately, when Tony brang up the subject of 'marriage' things began getting uncomfortable.

"Um, actually, my husband died...years ago" Colleen told him sadly.

"Oh, um, sorry! Actually, my wife died years ago as well, when Luc was only a baby" Tony replied nervously. Colleen gave a small smile. They realized they had something in common, but they also realized they both had a connection.

"Umm..." Colleen murmured

"Umm..." Tony murmured back. The two of them laugh.

"Sorry, are you, uhhh....doing anything tonight?" Tony asked her

Colleen was surprised by his offer, and stood in shock not answering for a moment. Tony thought he had made a mistake, and apologized quickly, before hurrying out to get something else to carry in, embarrassed. Colleen sighed and left, she had given him the wrong idea...had she lost her chance?

Hurrying through the Summer Bay house, she ran into Sally carrying a load of washing. Clothes flew into the air, colours going everywhere.

"Watch where you’re going!" Colleen exclaimed, out of stress about Tony. Her chance being missed made her frustrated. Sally looked offended as she picked up the scattered clothing items.

"Oh, I’m sorry pet, I’m just...upset, that’s all" she told her apologetically.

"Like what?" Sally asked

"You wouldn’t care" Colleen murmured, remembering the Bay’s mocking of her.

"Try me." Sally said. Colleen smiled; Sally was always there when she needed her.

She explained the whole story, repeating bits when Sally didn’t understand. Sally was surprised that Tony and Colleen were interested in each other.

Sally pointed out every bad thing she could think of-

1. The age difference

2. How were Lucas, Lance, and Jack going to feel about it?

3. They were different. (Colleen had glared at Sally for that remark. How did she know?)

4. She was SURE she had seen Beth Hunter gaze at Tony...perhaps something was going on there?

Sally listed more, but Colleen fought against every other one of them.

Then, To prove her own point, Colleen listed more reasons they could be together and what they had in common.

1. They had both experienced losing their partner

2. They had both experienced raising a child

3. They both knew exactly how true love felt...

4. They OBVIOSLY had a connection

5. Beth Hunter didn’t matter

After listing her own reasons, Colleen’s own voice played in her mind. Yes, they should be together. Rushing into the Holden’s new house, she saw the two boys leave, and was glad for the feeling of privacy. She entered the door, and both Tony and herself paused to stare at each other for a moment.

"Colleen! I wasn’t expecting you!" Tony said happily.

"Listen, well, about before..."

"Oh, about that, I’m so sorry, and-" Tony tried to explain, but Colleen interrupted him.

"No, actually, I’m not doing anything, so maybe....dinner?" she asked nervously

Tony stepped over to her, nodding happily, and they gazed at each other, before sharing a long, tender kiss. Things could only get better.

Don't like mushy happy endings?

6 months later...

A wedding day...

Colleen walked down the aisle, a broad smile on her face. She looked into her fiancée’s eyes, sparkling blue. Lance went back to his seat once he had given his mother away. Colleen loved her beautiful, clean, white dress, as it flowed down. This was HER wedding day, it was perfect. The garden had all her favourite flowers in it, she and her soon-to-be-husband had chosen it especially, and it was done up wonderfully. Nothing could ruin her day....nothing.

A few people had been shocked to hear who Colleen was with. The age difference for a start. They also thought this man was already engaged, but he only had eyes for Colleen. Of course, they were sorry they had hurt his old fiancé, but their feelings were too strong to ignore. Colleen, also, had to turn down her lover, just for this new man. He was too special to pass up.

"Do you, Colleen Smart take--" The priest was cut off by someone arriving at the top of the aisle. He held a gun in one hand, this certainly wasn’t a guest. Colleen new he hadn’t been invited, she was sure. She new he was back for revenge...her old lover, Peter Baker.

Colleen gasped. Why did it all go wrong? Why could no one let her be happy? A sadness, an anger, a fear that she had never felt before filled her, as Peter started talking about how unfair the situation was, how he wanted Colleen back, and he’d do anything, at any cost.

"Peter, no" Colleen tried to stop him, but she knew what he was capable of.

"You woman stealer!!" he shouted at the man standing next to Colleen.

"Detective, I know you mean well, but this is a wedding service, and by the looks of it, you weren’t invited, so..." the priest tried to get Peter to leave.

"NO! I’ll shoot! I will...! I WILL!" Peter threatened, aiming the gun at the priest, Colleen, at the congregation, and Colleen’s man.

"You left me....for him. I tried to give you everything, and you left me. Why wasn’t I good enough!?" Peter roared at Colleen, taking steps closer and pressing the gun into her chest. Colleen jumped in fear. Not her wedding day, not today....

"GO" the soon-to-be-husband said firmly to Peter, but Peter wouldn’t take the hint.

"I’ll shoot..." Peter threatened, once again.

"GET OUT!" Colleen’s fiancé roared.

"Big mistake....Good bye Tony" Peter murmured.....

BANG

THE END

Comments Thread