Closer Each Day

[Eli]

Story Title: Closer Each Day

Type of story: long fic

Main Characters: Pippa, Sally, VJ, Richard Carson (new), Johannah Davis (new), DeAnna Phillips (new) and Wendy Lawrence

BTTB rating: T

Genre: Drama

Does story include spoilers: No

Any warnings: V/D

Summary: How is the life in Summer Bay in 2027?

A few months ago I started writing a fic called "The next moves..." about the Bay in 2026, and this fic ended right before Christmas. Well, here's the sequel, I'm continuing the story with the Baylife in 2027, but I will give an introduction so you don't have to read TNM if you haven't already.

Here are the characters:

Pippa Saunders: Pippa just moved back to the Bay with her mother, stephfather and her ex-boyfriend (who now have left the Bay). Back in the Bay Pippa met her old friend VJ Patterson, and they soon fell in love, which caused complications because Pippa was with Wallace. Pippa was also kidnapped, and the kidnapper is still out there. After she was set free no one wanted to put pressure on her, but eventually VJ got sick of waiting for her to make up her mind and he gave her an ulimatum: break up with Wallace (her boyfriend) or forget about him.

Pippa was devastated and broke up with Wallace when she realised VJ was the one she wanted to be with.

Pippa is now starting medical school in Yabbie Creek.

Sally Fletcher: Sally came back to the Bay with her family after living in Brisbane for several years. The reason why they came back was because Sally was offered a job as principal at Summer Bay High.

Sally is now married to Richard Carson. After being alone for a few years they have now decided to become foster parents again.

VJ Patterson: VJ moved back to the Bay after only a short period of living with his mother in the City.

VJ is nice and patient, but within limits, he knows when to put his foot down, even to Pippa who he loves. VJ is currently working at the diner.

Richard Carson: Sally's husband. They have been married for a few years, and he loves her and respects that Flynn will always remain in Sally's heart.

Johannah Davis: Johannah is kind of troubled. After running away from several foster homes she has now finally been accepted to a foster home in the Bay like she always wanted. There's only one problem; Sally and Richard are her new foster parents, and Johannah is desperately trying to hide a secret about Pippa's kidnapping from them...

Johannah might seem mean and aggressive to a lot of people, but deep down she has a really good heart and a lot of love to give.

DeAnna Phillips: The beautiful DeAnna Phillips is Kane and Kirsty's daughter. After growing up different places in Australia and South America she has grown to become a very independent and suspicious woman.

DeAnna might be sneaky and manipulative, but deep down she is a nice girl. She came back to the Bay with intentions making all the villains worried: she wanted to find out all the bad things from her parents's pasts. Kirsty and Kane where killed in a shooting situation in Colombia, and DeAnna refused as the only surviving vitness to tell the police anything that could clear her parents from all possible guilt as the police though they might have something hidden, and that they weren't just random victims.

Wendy Lawrence: Wendy is a typical and maybe a bit naive teenage girl. Her best friend is Johannah Davis, and she has a crush on VJ Patterson. Her mother Dana is the town doctor, and she and her husband Stephen who now owns the diner is very worried about their oldest daughter hanging out with the wrong kind of people.

Wendy's little sister Alexandra (Alex or Alexa) wants to be just like her big sister, and Wendy finds this very annoying.

I think that's all you need to know about the characters for now. Here's a short summary of what happened at the end of "The next moves..."

VJ finally talked to Pippa, and Pippa told him she had broken up with Wallace. They got back together, but VJ felt bad because he had a relationship with DeAnna without telling Pippa. When he told her Pippa was devastated and ran off.

Johannah learned that her foster parents in the Bay would be Sally and Richard, and became very nervous. What if they find out she has something to do with the kidnapping of their own daughter?

For several weeks a mysterious man has been calling VJ and leaving him messages on his answering machine, begging him to call him back and talk to him. VJ didn't want to talk to him, even though he knows who he is and that he only tries to make up for the past. After rejecting him the man didn't call VJ for a long time, until he one day called just to tell VJ he's coming back to the Bay...

The first chapter will be posted later today (01.01.07) as I promised, I just found it better to post some information now so (hopefully) new readers will get the time to read about the characters. If you want to read the next moves the link can be found in my signature.

Happy new year!

Eli

[SfanS]

Sounds good!

I didn't read the first one, becaUSE i'm lazy, but I'll probably read this!

[-Tess-]

This sounds awesome!

[Eli]

Chapter 1 – The Bay at a sunny day

VJ was surprised when he realized his door wasn’t locked. But then he thought about it and came to the conclusion that he had had more important things on his mind when he had stormed out of the house half an hour ago.

People usually didn’t call this early, so it was more of a reflex when he hit the machine button on his phone.

”You have one new message.”

Now who would that be from? It was still early, and people usually had good enough manners to wait until at least 9 o’clock before they started ringing around.

”Hey, I know you don’t want to have anything to do with me,” the the voice on the machine 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...”

”You have a whole lot of explaining to do,” VJ muttered to the machine before he turned it off and crashed down on the bed. He didn’t want any more calls today.

---

Six weeks later

While the sun was rising, promising a sunny day for Summer Bay, two cabs were parking two different places in the Bay, and two people stepped out.

The first cab stopped just outside the Summer Bay diner, and the driver helped the beautiful female passenger get her bags out of the trunk before she paid, and offered him a generous gratitude.

The driver thanked her before he started the cab, and drove away from the diner. He was heading for Yabbie Creek, leaving DeAnna Phillips alone with her bags.

The other cab stopped by the motel DeAnna soon would be heading to. The male passenger opened the door, and grabbed his bags. He didn’t want or need help from the driver, he was strong enough to carry his own bags, and weren’t keen on paying more gratitude than he had to.

As he saw the cab drive away from the motel a wind from east brought a smell of saltwater and beach to the street, and the man sighed happily before whispering to himself:

”Good old Summer Bay...”

Thanks to working out DeAnna had absolutely no problems carrying her own bag, even though she was well aware than even a small town like Summer Bay was crowded with drooling, young men willing to carry both her and her bags.

She smiled to herself, she was still convinced life was easier with the right looks, and she knew how to take advantage of it.

But right now her looks couldn’t get her what she wanted; a big cappuccino with extra foam. And if she was lucky, maybe VJ was working and would be the one to serve it to her?

Still smiling she entered the diner.

Inside the diner was crowded with people enjoying their weekend, grabbing every moment of freedom now that the summer was over.

”One grade cappuccino with extra foam, please,” DeAnna said to Wendy who was watching the coffee machine.

Wendy started making the drink, and gave DeAnna the opportunity to look around the diner to see if VJ was there.

Pippa enjoyed her freedom now that she could walk again. Medical school was hard, but the ability to walk again made her realize how much fun she had been missing out on.

Every spare moment she spent with her girlfriends, just like in high school. She didn’t really want to admit it, but deep inside she knew she wouldn’t have enjoyed hanging out with them as much as she did if she didn’t force herself to have a good time.

Hanging out with Mary, Amy and Liz wasn’t as fun as it used to be, and if it weren’t for the fact that she had to do something to fill up the space VJ used to fill before she left him.

”Hi, how are you?” Dana Lawrence asked.

”I’m fine, thanks,” Pippa replied, ”How are you?”

”I was just wondering why DeAnna Phillips is back,” Dana said, ”I though she was leaving for good?”

”No, she just went out of town for a few weeks from what I hear,” Pippa said, ”Is she back already?”

”Yeah,” Dana said, ”I just saw her getting out of a cab and going to the diner.”

Pippa took up her MediaPort, pretending she had just gotten a message.

”Shoot, I have to go!” she said, desperately trying to remember everything she had learned in her drama classes, ”I guess I’ll talk to you later?”

”Yeah, I’ll come over later today,” Dana said, before walking back into her own garden.

Pippa continued to the same destination she had had before she mat Dana, but now with a much more determined expression.

Inside DeAnna was just paying for her coffee, and on her way over to the porch on the other side of the building.

”Hey, DeAnna!” Pippa shouted, and DeAnna turned around.

”Hi,” she said, a bit confused, she had never talked to Pippa before, and found it weird that she wanted to talk to her.

But Pippa didn’t want to talk, instead she walked straight up to DeAnna and slapped her across the face.

”For stealing my boyfriend,” she said, staring at the shocked DeAnna, before turning around and marching out of the diner again.

Johannah would be moving in with Sally, Richard and Pippa in two days, and Sally was pretty busy trying to get everything ready in time.

She wanted everything to be perfect when they took the new family photo. It was a tradition, taking a new family photo every time a new family member arrived.

The shelf with pictures was in Sally’s opinion what made home feel like home. It had so many memories captured in frames. Her wedding photo with Flynn, and her wedding photo with Richard. The picture she had taken the day Cassie moved in; her, Flynn, Pippa, Ric and Cassie side by side.

And the photo taken the day Lauren moved in. Flynn wasn’t on that picture, and neither was Richard, he hadn’t been a real family member yet, but eventually he had become the closest to a father Lauren had ever had.

The picture was even taken while Ric still lived with them, and brought back many memories.

So far Sally had fostered three kids who weren’t her own: Ric, Cassie and Lauren. But in two days a new name would be added to that list: Johannah Davies.

While she was dusting the shelf with all the pictures Sally sighed happily. Fostering again made her feel so much younger and more useful. Johannah might be the newest family member when they took the family photo, but Sally promised herself she wouldn’t always be the newest family member. New photos with new members of the family would be taken.

So many times since the message on the answering machine VJ wished he had had the courage to call back and tell him not to come.

Or to come earlier, he wasn’t sure. He didn’t want to see him, after all he had done to them. He couldn’t just come back after all this time and think everything would be okay!

Nothing about him coming back was right, it had been too long, and they hadn’t exactly been waiting for him. Things were different now than how they would have been, and the safe little world they had built up... He would just break it down by coming back.

But on the other hand, VJ couldn’t deny the connection between them, no matter how much he wanted to. The truth was he had questions, and he wanted answers. He just wasn’t sure if he was ready for them yet.

Flipping burgers in the diner gave him an opportunity to think. Earlier he had run in to DeAnna, who told him about her meeting with Pippa.

VJ knew the situation wasn’t anything to laugh about, but as soon as DeAnna was out of sight he just had to laugh. He would never have expected Pippa to do anything like that, but at the same time it just made so much sense.

He and DeAnna were broken up now, not that they ever had a real relationship. Just like VJ had expected DeAnna understood that he wanted to work things out with Pippa, the only problem now was that VJ didn’t have the strength to do it now. He had bigger things to worry about.

”VJ! Will you take care of the customers? I have to make a call from the apartment, and Alexa is serving,” Stephen said, suddenly popping in to the kitchen. It had been a busy day, but now most people were leaving, so leaving the kitchen a few minutes wouldn’t be a problem.

”Sure,” VJ replied, and took off his apron.

He was right, not a problem at all leaving the kitchen. Alexa were making some milkshakes with the milkshake machine, and the only customers were two families.

Two students from Summer Bay High dropped in and ordered muffins. VJ gave them the food, and was just putting the money in the cashier when he realized another customer was waiting.

”Hi, what can I do-” he stopped in the middle of the sentence when he saw the face. He hadn’t seen that face in a very long time, but he knew who he was immediately. No doubt, he was back.

[SfanS]

*gasps* Who is it!?

Is this one of those ýou have to read the other fic to get it things'?

'The first paragraph was SO well written!

[Eli]

*gasps* Who is it!?

Is this one of those ýou have to read the other fic to get it things'?

'The first paragraph was SO well written!

Thanks

I don't tell who it is in TNM, but you might get an idea (I don't know, I'm trying not to give away too many hints) by reading the last chapters.

[SfanS]

I'll wait. Night Eli!

[Eli]

Chapter 2 – Run and hide

VJ just stared at him for a few seconds that felt like a few hours. None of them said anything, they just stared at each other. He looked happy and calm, VJ’s eyes were cold and full of hatred.

”So...” he said.

”Alex!” VJ cut him off, ripping off his apron and throwing it on a chair behind the counter, ”Serve the customers.”

It wasn’t a question, VJ just left the diner without even waiting for Alex’s reply, and left her to take care of all the customers and the kitchen all by herself.

”Leave.” VJ simply said when he again was back. He had been leaning towards the fence, staring at the ocean. He hadn’t turned his head when he came, he knew who it was.

”I brought you coffee...” he said, not sounding as confident as he did before. VJ’s first thought was to knock the cup out of his hand and escape, but instead he turned around with the same ice cold look as in the diner and reached out for the cup he was given.

”Leave,” he repeated after taking a sip from the cup.

”So I’m guessing you don’t like latté, then?” he said, trying to crack the awkward atmosphere with a joke.

”You can’t just come back after this long and expect things to be the same,” VJ replied and turned around to look at the ocean again. He just couldn’t look at him, he was too scared he would laugh at the coffee joke, or get sentimental and forget what this was all about just because the man had guessed his favorite drink from the coffee-machine.

”I don’t,” the man said, sounding like he was regretting the past. VJ didn’t believe him for a second.

”Aren’t you supposed to be dead?” it wasn’t a question this time either, it was a rude comment meant to hurt the man.

”No... Things happen. Your mother has told you, right?”

”Oh yes, she has,” VJ said, not moving his eyes and taking another sip of coffee, ”She doesn’t see the truth.”

”Well do you?” he suddenly said, and it sounded like it was a challenge.

”I know what you did,” VJ replied, sounding way more confident and sure than he really was, ”Just leave like you did last time.”

”Wow, you must really hate me...” the man said, but he didn’t actually sound sad, he sounded... somehow almost ironic... like he found this funny because he didn’t really believe him.

What was with this man? First the coffee, and now he could see that VJ didn’t really know whether he was sure about this or not?!

”Leave,” VJ said, putting up the defence again, ”Do I really have to beg? ’Cause I never beg people for anything, and I think it’s really pathetic when people do.”

He sounded bitter and angry, but obviously it wasn’t enough to knock him off.

”Well, if you haven’t begged before,” he said, shrugging like it didn’t matter, ”It’d be a shame to break that tradition. I’ll be at the motel until I can get a place.”

He turned around and started walking. VJ ripped off the top of the coffee-cup and spilled all the content in the sand. He wondered if he’d ever be able to drink latté again.

”And hey,” the man suddenly said, and turned around to look at him again. VJ turned around too, and they were face to face even though there were almost a hundred feet between them now. The man just looked at him for a second before he smiled and blinked, ”I hate begging too.”

Carefully looking around to check that the coast was clear before entering, DeAnna Phillips entered a complete mess called the Summer Bay Diner.

She had started looking for Pippa wherever she went. Pippa hadn’t exactly hit her hard, it was more like a girly slap, but from the look she had in her eyes the last time they had met, DeAnna didn’t doubt for a second that she would be more than happy to hit her again if she ever got a chance.

Not exactly longing for another humiliating and gossip-starting experience like that it was easier to make sure Pippa wasn’t around and come back later if she was.

”Hi Alex,” she said, when Alexandra, looking very stressed, practically crashed in to the counter ready to take her order, ”Busy day?”

”Yeah,” Alex exhaled, ”Dad and Wendy is out, so VJ was supposed to be in charge, but he just ran off!”

”What? Why?”

Alex shrugged. ” ’No idea,” she said, ”one moment he was taking an order from a new customer, and the next he told me to fix the diner by myself before he ran off!”

”Well, what did the customer say?” DeAnna continued pushing, determined to get to the bottom of this no matter what it took.

”Not much,” Alex replied, ”He ordered two coffees and left. What can I get you?”

DeAnna frowned.

”Nothing,” she muttered and grabbed for a bill in her pocket. She found a one-dollar bill and gave to Alex.

”Hey, here’s your tips,” she said, and practically ran out of the door.

”But you didn’t buy anything!” Alex shouted after her. DeAnna didn’t hear her, and Alex put the dollar in her pocket. What was up with people today?

Stephen Lawrence wasn’t exactly happy when he heard the story about how VJ had ran off only minutes after he was told to look after the diner.

Alex refused to go back to working before her father agreed to pay her double for taking care of everything alone, and on top of all the things already going on the cappuccino-machine chose that moment to produce foam like a jacuzzi filled with bath-foam, causing a sticky mess all over the floor before Alex was brave enough to make a jump over the foam and pull out the plug to make it stop.

”Umm, I guess this is not the best moment to ask for a coffee?” the male customer asked. Stephen hadn’t noticed him before, but now he was there, and there was something weird about him...

He seemed like a perfectly normal bloke, but at the same time there was something familiar about him.

”Well, I can get you anything unless it’s cappuccino,” Stephen said, grabbing the humor in the situation. The customer smiled. ”That’s fine, I’ll have a double latté with extra foam,” he said.

”Wipe some off the floor,” Alex muttered to herself, looking very guilty and regretting when Stephen sent her a strict look.

The customer smiled, and didn’t notice the weird look Stephen suddenly got on his face when he was making the coffee. There was something weird about this order too...

”Here you go,” he said, trying to hide that he found something about the customer weird, ”You don’t have to pay for it.”

The customer smiled and thanked before he left.

”Y’know,” Alex suddenly said, popping up from behind the pile of foam, ”that was him.”

”Him who?” Stephen asked.

”The customer VJ talked to before he ran off.”

Stephen felt like his eyes were about to pop out of his head by this shocking discovery.

”You’re gonna have to pay me extra for the foam-scrubbing, you know that, right?” Alex muttered from the floor. Stephen didn’t even hear her.

Suddenly VJ running off when he was in charge made so much more sense.

Thanks for the comments, they are muchly appreciated!

Please leave comments on the new chapter. Doesn't look like I had too many readers on the first chapter, so I don't know if I should keep posting it?

Also, if you have any ideas about "the man" please tell me, I really thought you'd come up with ideas (that are very close to the actual story) a long time ago

[I love music]

”Well, if you haven’t begged before,” he said, shrugging like it didn’t matter, ”It’d be a shame to break that tradition. I’ll be at the motel until I can get a place.”

Some great dialogue there, Eli, particularly that line!

“Hey, here’s your tips,” she said, and practically ran out of the door.

”But you didn’t buy anything!” Alex shouted after her. DeAnna didn’t hear her, and Wendy put the dollar in her pocket. What was up with people today?

Things like that happen in the actual H&A (and other soaps) all the time! Glad Wendy had the sense to pocket the money!

...on top of all the things already going on the cappuccino-machine chose that moment to produce foam like a jacuzzi filled with bath-foam, causing a sticky mess all over the floor before Alex was brave enough to make a jump over the foam and pull out the plug to make it stop.

I loved that! Superb description.

”Well, I can get you anything unless it’s cappuccino,” Stephen said, grabbing the humor in the situation. The customer smiled. ”That’s fine, I’ll have a double latté with extra foam,” he said.

“Wipe some off the floor,” Wendy muttered to herself

Great to see the return of DeAnna! I’m still very intrigued...

[Eli]

Thanks

I just noticed I have written Wendy instead of Alex two places. It's corrected now.