A Haunted Mystery

[matticus01]

Story Title: A Haunted Mystery

Type of story: Short/Medium fic

Main Characters: Well i cant really say because it's a mystery but in time you will find out

BTTB rating: A

Genre: Mystery, Drama, Crime, Romance

Does story include spoilers: No

Any warnings: Includes shocking discoveries about ones past, death, romance and a mystery that will be clueless from the beginning until a meeting brings back the life.

Prolouge

For 3 years she had been presumed dead. A Car accident shattering every bone in her body making it impossible to survive something so damaging. As she looked in the mirror she couldnt believe that she had survived. Her now dark curls resting on her shoulders. Her dark skin was tight from the many operations she has undergone, afterwards spending months in hospital and months after that in rehabilitation learning how to walk, talk, read and move just like a new born baby trying to say there first word.

***

Walking down the street in the city was a normal routine for her. Getting up, showering, doing her excercises to keep her fit and going to work at the NewsPaper, then going for a coffee. But today was different.

Today, Her life would change

Will post the first chapter tomorrow, any comments would be great until then

[matticus01]

Here it is i hope you like it

Chapter 1

She sat in the cafe drinking her vanilla latte she looked back on the past three years of her life, what she had missed out on whilst in hospital. As she took a sip out of her cup and sat down the paper she was reading, she was intrigued, somehow infatuated by the dark haired guy standing at the counter ordering.

As he picked up his coffee, he turned her way, took one look at her. The coffee which was in his hands slipped and fell to the ground, not believing who he was looking at.

These day's she went by the name of Chantelle Manson who had no family, very little friends and a job that pissed her off everyday.

She quickly got to her feet and picked up her bag from working at the News Paper office that morning, slipped a five dollar note under her cup and ran straight past the guy and out the door.

As she was running down the street she could hear him calling out her old name but so far she was blocking it, she didn't want to hear it. Her name was Chantelle...Chantelle Manson

His voices were nearing her, pushing through the people in the city she heard him yell her name once more before someone grabbed her arm.

“Your dead! You died, three years ago, didn't you?” he asked looking her in the eyes.

“Your hurting me!” she said as he finally let her go.

“Oh my god it is you...'

“No it's not. My name is Chantelle, Chantelle Manson...'

“No it's not!” he screamed as people were staring at the both of them as they kept walking.

“Your grave has that many flowers on it back in the Bay, everyone still visit's it and put's fresh flowers down, gets rid of the dead ones. You have to come back!” he replied running his fingers through his hair.

As he looked back up there eye's met and for once she considered going back but completely dismissed it and looked at the ground.

“No...I cant!” she replied as he took her hand.

“please, please come home...'

**

“We wish you a merry Christmas we wish you a merry Christmas we wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year”

The Christmas party was in full swing as they danced, sung and drank on Christmas eve night. Beth and Tony were dancing around the room as they whizzed past Matilda and Lucas also dancing. Cassie and Ric were playing twister in front of the couch with Belle, Annie and Geoff and had made complete fools of themselves. Alf, Sally, Irene, Colleen, Leah and Dan were all sitting at the table playing poker and Jack and Martha had just had another argument and Martha had stormed out with Jack chasing after her.

“You promised me you wouldn't be working tomorrow, tomorrow is Christmas day, CHRISTMAS DAY JACK!" Martha screamed as she ran down the beach with Jack right behind her.

“Martha please, they are paying me double time and its only for a couple of hours in the morning!” Jack screamed as Martha turned around.

“I dont care, this is our first Christmas together as a married couple and you go and do this!” Martha said as tears started rolling down her cheek's.

Jack knew that this was the time to get through to her. Walking over to her h pulled her into a hug, at first she refused, hitting his chest but eventually gave up because Jack was just way to strong for Martha.

“I promise that I will only be there a couple of hours!” Jack said as Martha sobbed into his chest.

Jack was just about to say something when his phone started ringing. It was the police station.

“Hello, Jack Holden speaking. Yes sir, oh thank you sir, ok bye!”

“Hey look's like I dont have to work tomorrow! McGrath has found someone else!” Jack said as Martha pulled away, sniffing before a small smile appeared across her face.

**

Matilda's P.O.V

“Jack and Martha are always fighting!” I said to Lucas as we whizzed around the room, dancing to the music and almost running smack bang right into mum and Tony.

“I know but they always sort it out in the end, that's what makes them so great!” Lucas explained to me as we dodged another couple dancing to the music as well.

I could hear Cassie giggling and laughing with Ric which made my blood boil, Cassie and Ric had always been close, too close for my comfort and now she was of legal age and was aloud to drink, it looked like she had drank way to much. Lucas saw where I was staring at.

“Dont worry Mattie, she's your best friend, she wouldn't try anything on your boyfriend and anyway, Ric is smarter than that!” he explained as he suddenly whizzed he around in circles, making me giggle and feel a little dizzy as he moved toward where the drinks were.

“I know Luc it's just I get so edgy because they both have such chemistry. Like you and I did when we were together!” I explained as we both stopped dancing and picked up a glass of red wine each.

“Yeah and look how that ended up, the same as they did, opposites attract Mattie!” he explained as I smiled and looked back over at Cassie and Ric.

**

Sally's P.O.V

I sat and watched Matilda and Lucas talking, Matilda kept looking over at Cassie and Ric and I knew exactly why. She had always been wary of there friendship just like Ric had been wary of her friendship with Lucas. But in the end of was just like a rectangle going around and around in circle's. It was Summer Bay it was bound to happen. I mean look at the relationships these days, Matilda and Lucas had dated, Matilda and Ric are dating, Lucas dated Belle, Belle's dating Drew, Drew dated Amanda, Belle dated Ric, Ric dated Cassie. It seemed to go around and around in circles these days and the only people who hadn't dated anyone yet was Annie and Geoff. I heard a 'thud' and looked over to see Belle, Ric, Cassie and Geoff all piled on top of each other, laughing and giggling which meant that Annie must have won the game because she was still standing. Geoff helped Belle to her feet and Ric helped Cassie up and there eye's met. I could see the spark there, whether or not it was just the alcohol talking I didn't know but then I looked at Mattie who had also seen the look between Cassie and Ric and I could see that she was hurt.

**

I looked at the man again as we sat in the coffee shop where he had saw me.

“can you remember the accident?” he asked as my eye's light up with horror.

I nodded and let my eye's fall to his ring finger where two rings sat neatly. Who was he married to? I asked myself as I looked back up.

Please let me know what you think

[matticus01]

Chapter 2

Belle's P.O.V

I had just witnessed what Mattie, Lucas and Sally had all witnessed between Cassie and Ric. Matilda looked so upset that she downed tha glass of wine she had in her hand and picked up another and downed that too. She was just about to down another glass when Lucas put his hand over the glass and made her put it down.

Lucas was such a nice guy, he treated everyone with so much respect unless they did something to upset him, then you were basically told where to go. I caught Lucas's gaze and he smiled at me, I smiled back and mouth 'is she alright?' to him in to which he replied 'she will be fine'

Everyone could see that Lucas still loved Mattie with all his heart and it broke him to see Mattie upset.

Then I realized that I was still holding onto Geoff's hand and quickly let go. As I looked toward the door I saw Jack and Martha return, both smiling, hugging and kissing each other and then Rachel, Kim, Hailey and Scott all walked in behind them.

**

“I remember the accident like it just happened yesterday!” she said as they skimmed down another latte each. Her still looking at his ring's on his finger, still wondering who he had married in the 3 years that she had 'died'

“ I was driving beat up old red ford laser down the highway, coming back to the bay. I was singing...singing to Shania Twain's 'I feel like a woman' and it was warm out side that night, I can remember because it was muggy, like it had just rained and the sun came straight back out. I got a text message but didnt read it because I was driving, the next thing I know two cars over took this truck and ran right into me and then the truck skidded and tipped and I remember it completely crushing the passenger side and pulling the driver side down too. I was completely jammed between the bonnet and the roof.”

**

Hailey's P.O.V

I walked through the door and looked around the room. The party was already in full motion. As I looked around I saw Cassie and Ric staring at each other, Matilda and Lucas watching them with Matilda looking upset, Sally watching all of them, Jack and Martha giving each other soft kisses and Beth and Tony dancing around the room.

“OK GUYS IT'S TIME TO REALLY GET THIS PARTY STARTED” I screamed as I danced my way over to the sub woofer system and turned it up as loud as it would go. Soon everyone was up and dancing, Tony and beth were going ape around the room, Matilda and Lucas looked like they were doing the waltz, Cassie and Geoff were now dancing, looking like they were trying to imitate the tango, Martha and Jack were randomly dancing, Sall and Alf had got up and started dancing and laughing, Belle and Ric were now dancing around the room and Annie had asked a girl by the name of Lilly to dance with her. I grabbed Scott and Rachel grabbed Kim and now the party was really in full motion. Now the party had started.

Drew's P.O.V

I stood outside and could hear the music loud and clear going off, I could hear people yelling and laughing and just enjoying themselves but I wasn't in the mood. I lent back against a beat up red ford laser and listened to the happy Summer Bay dancing away on Christmas Eve. I had sent a text to Leah and Dan saying I wasn't going because I wasn't in the mood to party but they insisted I come and join the party so I wasn't alone so I had reluctantly made my way to the Holden Residents where from the end of the street you could hear the music. I looked inside the car I was leaning up against and saw a photo of Matilda, Lucas, Ric, Cassie, Belle, Annie, Geoff, Martha, Jack and himself and he wondered who owned the car. I looked up just in time to see a female figure walking towards me, not from inside but from down the street.

“God that party's going off!” she said leaning up against the car with me.

“Why arn't you in there?” she asked me.

“Not in the mood!” I replied.

**

As we walked our way to the park I could see him still staring at me but I couldn't help but stare at the ring's on his finger.

“So who's the lucky woman?” I asked as we entered the park and made our way to a park bench.

“No one important, now divorced but I cant seem to be able to taken them off just yet!” he replied looking deeply into my eyes.

“Why didn't you come back after you got your memory back?” he asked me as I looked down at the ground.

“I couldn't bring myself to go back, I haven't been in a car since the accident so I walk everywhere, I'm too scared to get on a bus, although I've always been scared of buses. The last great memory I have before the accident was Christmas Eve. Dancing with Lucas, Geoff, Ric, Jack, Kim because of that last game we played!”

**

Alf's P.O.V

I sat there and watched them all playing 'swap the partner' and didn't have the energy left in me to play since that last dance we were all...as they would say 'bopping to'

I watched them all, I had the blow horn and every time I squeezed it they all had to swap partners. Matilda was Dancing with Lucas and swapped to Geoff.

Martha was Dancing with Jack and swapped to Kim

Rachel was with Kim but swapped to Ric.

Annie was with Lilly but was now with Lucas and so on!

I looked at the clocked and saw it was 10 minutes to midnight and then it would be Christmas. I looked over at Martha who looked at me with the biggest grin on her face I had seen all night and then looked at Jack who was Dancing with Hailey and he too was grinning like he was on top of the world.

All these happy people reminded me of Ailsa. My lovely Ailsa.

Jack's P.O.V

I looked over at Martha who was dancing happily with Kim and laughed, finally she was happy which made me happy and I laughed. I looked at the clock and saw it was 10 mintues to midnight, smiling to myself. Soon enough everyone would tire themselves out and start crashing. We had already arranged for people to stay at Beth and Tony's which was right next door, Irene's house which was right down the road and Leah and Dan's which was around the corner. I had offered up my place as well but I didn't know exactly how many people were staying here the night.

**

'10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0...MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE'

The whole room echoed as everyone shouted, started hugging, kissing and doing what not to each other. I kissed Martha as said Merry Christmas to her and watched the smile grow on her face. This was our first Christmas together since our wedding and it felt great.

2:00 Am

We were finally starting to settle down. Matilda, Lucas, Belle, Annie, Ric, Cassie, Hailey, Scott and Colleen all stayed at my place. Beth, Tony, Sally, Kim, Rachel and Geoff all stayed next door and then rest went to either Irene's or Leah's.

**

“So whose house did you stay at?” he asked me, taking my hand in his.

'Why I stayed at Jack's!” I replied. I looked at his ring finger again and all sorts of thought's erupted through my head, who did he marry? Does he have kids? Does he have a girlfriend. I smiled as I remembered the photo that was in my front seat, those were the good old day's!

[matticus01]

Well here it is guys n gals, hope you like it and sorry its soooo short!

Chapter 3

We were now on our way to his car and as I looked on I couldn't see which car would be his and then I saw it. My old beat up red ford laser, or so I thought it was, I tripped and fell flat on my face as he quickly leant down to help me up.

“Tha...that's not your car is it?” I stumbled as he helped me to my feet, looking to where I was pointing to the red car.

“No, that's mine!” he replied as he pointed to the black Nissan Skyline in front of it.

“I laughed at myself for thinking my car would even still be drivable and then looked at him.

“Wow you must have some money!” I replied as our eye's caught, for a moment, just a moment I felt like things were like they used to be but then I looked at the ring finger again.

“So who was the lucky girl?” I asked his gaze going to his ring where I was looking.

“Cassie! We married last year and broke up 6 month's later!” he said as my gaze shot back up to him.

“Cassie!” I replied, that name trying to sink into my brain but not working. I could feel the lump in my throat start to rise and I looked at the ground, I could feel myself wanting to cry but held it back!”

“Did you love her?” I asked finally still looking at the ground. He put his finger under my chin and lifted it up so our eyes met.

“Not as much as I love you!” he replied as my eye's widened and then more thought's erupted through my brain.

Did he divorce her because he loves me, would we have got married if I went back to the bay? Would we have children?

And then before I knew it our lips had met, it was so real, so addicting, so loving. Just that one kiss made everything in my world spin around and then I realized that he wanted me to go back with him, or at least that's what the kiss was about.

I pulled back and looked back at the ground.

“I love you, I've always loved you but I cant go back, facing all those people, I just can't...'

“What has happened to the girl that I loved, the girl that I knew before the accident, the girl who would stand up for what she wanted, would take a stand, wouldn't succumb to all this fear living inside the person I am standing in front of?” he asked looking at me again.

“That girl died the night that accident happened, the night he left me for...FOR YOUR EX WIFE!” I screamed the tears streaming down my face.

Ric's P.O.V

I lay in bed that night watching Matilda and Lucas whispering to each other in there sleeping bag's on the floor. I knew Matilda was upset with me but I didn't know why, until Lucas told me. God I had been such an idiot letting myself go like that, I didn't want to lose Matilda, god I love Matilda and somehow, on Christmas day I had to prove that to her. I pulled the ring out of my pocket in the sleeping bag and looked back over at Lucas cuddling Mattie and I could hear her sobbing. I looked at the ring again before replacing it back in my pocket and turning back on my side. I had to do it, I didn't want to lose Matilda, not lose her back to Lucas.

[matticus01]

Thanks everyone for your support. Here is the next chapter

Chapter 4

Cassie's P.O.V

The next morning we were all sitting back at Jack and Martha's getting ready to open our present's. Matilda was sitting with Lucas and wouldn't talk to Ric or me for that Matter and it was starting to bother me. As far as I could remember I didn't do anything to make her mad at her. As everyone else started to arrive it started getting very crowded. I watched as Ric made his way over to Matilda and say something and tell have a go at him before Ric leaving again and sitting across the room and look at me.

Once everyone was seated people started handing out there present's and when it came for Matilda's turn to receive her present's, she was overwhelmed by what everyone got her and then it happened. Ric walked over to the sitting blonde haired, blue eyed girl and got down on one knee, her eye's widened and even Beth looked shocked which meant he didn't ask her permission to marry her daughter.

“Ric what are you doing?” Matilda asked as he pulled the ring out of his pocket.

I heard Beth say to Tony 'She's only 18 for god sake!' before he did it.

“Matilda will you marry me?” he asked as people started whispering. Everyone knew they were both completely in love but assumed automatically she was going to say yes.

She hesitated before looking at her mum.

“No!”

Lucas's P.O.V

She's going to say yes, she's going to say yes. She said no, SHE SAID NO!

I looked at Ric who looked just as shocked as most people in the room, most people except Beth.

“Ric I cant marry you, after last night both you and Cassie proved there is still something there, I am only 18 and I'm not ready for marriage!” she said as again everyone looked stunned except for Beth in which I thought that Matilda and Beth had talked at some point about the relationship and Matilda had confided in her mother.

“But Mattie, I love you with all my heart, why?” he asked as a tear streamed down her cheek, as she wiped it away she looked at her mother again who nodded. Matilda turned back to Ric.

“Because I'm dying!”

***

Those words rung through my head as I looked at the picture on the wall in my apartment.

Ric, Lucas and everyone was shocked to hear those words, everyone except me, me and Beth knew the truth and promised we wouldn't say anything.

Ric had looked so angry and hurt when those words were spoken.

I couldn't believe the truth was out and then two day's later this accident happened. I wondered if Mattie had ended up dying after all this time.

“Did Mattie die?” I asked as we sat in my apartment.

“Yeah she died three month's after your death...' the guy tried to recover from his own words. “She was the love of my life, so to speak!” he replied as I again looked at him.

“The first time Cassie stole my ex, I came to you, there was no one else to go to, Mattie had her own problems and everyone was being the good neighbour or friend and comforting either her or Beth so I came to you. I got to know you better and fell in love with you, I was on my way back from the city that night to tell you I loved you when all this happened.” I said as he looked at me and smiled.

“When Mattie died everyone was down, Drew slept with Cassie and then I got drunk and slept with Annie. Stupid because we didn't love each other, anyway I month later Cassie and I got together, a year after that we were married. I never thought that I could love anyone as much as what I loved Mattie, until I found that note in my room that night saying 'I love you' that's when I realized that I had fallen in love with you as well.

He leaned in and took my hands, they were so cold but soft like a baby's bottom, ever since the car accident parts of my body had trouble staying warm, especially my hands.

“My god your hands are so cold!” he said as I smiled.

“I used to be cold, I mean look who I'm related to!” I said as he laughed, sounding so manly but so sexy.

[matticus01]

Here it is... May include some violence, some course language

Chapter 5

Belle's P.O.V

I was walking along the beach on boxing day, wishing my life was different but somehow wanting it to stay the same. I hadn't see Drew for Christmas Eve but that was ok because we had somehow drifted apart since our on again off again relationship started when we were both 16. I walked depressingly down onto the beach and looked at the couple fighting on the beach. It looked like she was trying to get away from him, push him away but he kept grabbing her arm and then I realized that it was Ric and Matilda. They had been fighting since yesterday, since she told him she was dying but he refused to believe her for some reason, maybe that was his way of coping or something. As I walked more along the beach I saw Lucas lying on the sand dunes, staring up at the sky with his left hand resting behind his head. i walked over and sat down beside him.

"Hey!" I said as he looked at me and smiled.

"Hey you!" he replied as he sat up and playfully pushed my arm.

"Dont start Holden, remember what happened last time we mucked around!" I replied back as he laughed and pushed me again. This time I laughed and shoved him that he was on his side on the sand dunes. I was laughing so hard that I didn't realize that he tackled he to the ground and started tickling me. I burst out in a fit of laughter yelling out 'STOP' as he kept tickling me. All of a sudden I looked to my right and stopped laughing as I saw it. Lucas noticed that I had stopped laughing and looked the same way I was looking and his eye's bulged out of his head.

"No! that can't be...can it?" he asked as I went from a state of laughter and joyfulness to an act of rage.

***

I looked in the mirror at the brown haired girl looking back at me. My brown eye's contemplating whether or not I deserved to be here, whether I should have survived that car crash, although that thought came to my head every chance it had of getting in. As hard as I tried to hold it off it wouldn't work and kept coming back.

I turned around just as he re-entered the room with two cups of hot chocolate, each holding three marshmallows in them.

"here!" he said handing me the hot contents in the cup. I took one sip and smiled.

"You still know how to make great hot chocolate's!" I replied as he smiled.

"Yeah I never lost my touch!" he replied as once again we sat opposite each other on the two couch's separated only by the coffee table in between them.

***

Jack's P.O.V

Lucas and I made hot chocolate's for everyone. We were always the best at making hot chocolate's and no one, not one single person in the bay knew how to make hot chocolate's quiet like we did. Lucas took two cups and walked over to Matilda and Belle and handed the hot contents to them. They said there thankyou's as I walked over with two hot chocolate's and handed one to Martha who smiled lovingly and seductively at me and one to Geoff who almost lived at our house. Lucas walked back over with the last two and handed one to me.

"So your saying, you saw them kissing. Your boyfriend!" I said looking at Belle. "And...and Cassie!"

Belle and I nodded as I sat down next to her.

"Yeah I dont think they even knew we were there." Belle replied as the anger boiled in her eyes or maybe it was the fact that she had taken a sip from her cup and her cheek's instantly flushed red.

"Turning into the right little slut lately!" Matilda replied also looking pissed off.

"I caught her and Ric going at it this morning when I went over to Sal's!" Matilda replied as everyone looked at her, not believing the words that had just escaped her mouth.

[matticus01]

Chapter 6

As I walked out of the bathroom I could hear him talking to someone.

“No sweety I'll be home soon I promise!”

As soon as I heard sweety I jumped to the wrong conclusion. I stalked back out into the lounge and looked at him with filthy looks until he finally got off the phone.

“My niece!” he said as my eye's widened.

“You...you mean Jack and Martha had a baby?” I asked all hysterical.

“Yes she's two. Her names Katie Jean Holden!”

“Oh Luc I'm so happy for them!” I screamed wrapping my arms around him.

Belle's P.O.V

Mattie and I walked along the beach, listening to the waves crash in and eat the sand, sweeping it's way back out again. We had both just broke up with our boyfriend's and were both single and hating every single second of it.

“How is it that Cassie is such a slut?” Mattie asked me as I lunged myself onto the sand, Mattie following me. “I mean she was my best friend and look at what she did”

“Yeah but it wouldn't be Cassie if she hasn't been with every guy in SummerBay twice over!” I replied as Mattie giggled.

“yeah I guess!” Mattie looked at me and smiled, I nevr would have thought that we would be so close, well compared to when I first arrived in the bay that's for sure!”

“Who would have thought we'd be so close!” Mattie said as she picked up a stick and started drawing stick figures in the sand.

“Yeah, it's weird, but a good weird!” I replied not wanting her to take it the wrong way.

“Let's get drunk tonight!” she said as I looked shocked for a second, but only a second.

I smiled and got to my feet, grabbed Mattie's hands and reefing her up to. “sure, were 18 we can do what we want!” I replied as we both Ran from the beach.

***

“Lucas!” I said as I rested my head in his lap.

“Yeah!” he replied softly stroking my hair.

“What else has changed in the bay? I asked looking up at him.

“Well, Drew and Annie got married, Geoff is a priest. You already know Jack and Martha have a girl but Martha is pregnant with her second baby. Alf is still around and so is colleen. Irene died last year, Tash and Robbie are back with Ella and Tristan, Beth and Tony got Married which made me and Mattie half sibling's before she died but apart from that not much else!” he replied as I had already sat up at the mention of Irene being dead.

“How did Irene die?” I asked.

“She got drunk and got behind the wheel, hitting a power pole doing 120 kilometer's last year in May!” he replied as I nodded.

“What about Sally and Ric, Pippa!” I asked.

“Sally and Pippa left after you died, wanting to make a fresh start, dad got a letter from them last week saying they were in Hawii and Ric, Ric's in jail!” he said as again I looked alarmed.

“Why?” was my simple question.

“Ahhh well after Mattie broke up with him, after your funeral she wrote a letter and gave it to her mum explaining why she broke up with Ric and told her to only give it to Ric once she died. The letter had the whole story about Cassie and a whole bunch of other stuff so Ric lost it and belted Cassie, almost killed her!” he replied.

“Oh!” was all I replied. I got to my feet and started pacing the room.

“Lucas!” I said as he looked up at me, looking timidly worried.

“Yeah!” he said as I stopped pacing.

“I wanna go back to Summer Bay!” I said.

Ok so now you know one person but are you right with the other person

[matticus01]

Chapter 7

"Clear!"

"Come on people were losing them, CLEAR!"

"Call it, time of death 23:45"

"No you have to do more, please she cant be dead!"

"Lucas there is nothing more we can do for them, there is too much damage and her body cant handle it!"

"Rachel you cant give up...'

"Lucas we didn't give up... Belle and Amanda did. Lucas there is to much damage to Belle's body for her to survive and Amanda we dont know what made her go into cardiac arrest."

"I dont care about Amanda just bring Belle back!"

***

I opened my eyes and looked around the room to see her next to me, sleeping. As i watched her chest rise and fall I noticed something about her i didn't notice when i first saw her. She didn't have that mole on the left side of her nose like she used to have. I looked at the clock on the wall, we both must have fallen asleep on the couch after she told me she wanted to go back to the Bay. I was shocked at first but then I bought her into my arms and swung her around and kissed her. But she had made me promise her one thing, that if she went back, that we bought the beach house that Irene lived in before she died. I agreed because I didnt want to live without her anymore, I had missed out on telling her how I felt that night she had the car accident and I wasn't letting her go any time soon.

"Hey!" I whispered as I shook her lightly. I watched her eyes slowly open and take in the surrounding's before looking at me and smiling.

"You had better get packed so we can go!" I said as she nodded and rose from the couch, making her way into her room. I waited and when I looked at the front door I saw a picture hanging on the wall next to it. I got to my feet and walked over to the picture. It was a photo of me, Matilda, Ric, Cassie, Geoff, Annie, Belle and Drew when we were all friends. We were all huddled up together on the beach. those were the good old days, the days when Belle and Drew were Happy together, Ric and Mattie were still together, Cassie and I were mucking around and Geoff and Annie had just settled down in the Bay. Those were the day's that Lucas treasured because everything was perfect.

He turned back around to see her walk out of the room with her suitcase packed.

"Luc I'm ready to go! she said as I nodded.

[matticus01]

Chapter 8

I sat silently looking out through the window. As soon as we had left the city the surroundings changed. it wasn't Gray, white or black anymore. It was green, gray, white and many more color's. The sky had changed from deep gray, almost black to crimson gray and eventually crimson blue with tints of purple, yellow and red surrounding it. We had left the city with no tree's just tall overgrown hedges on tall depressing building's to beautiful overgrown tree's. Some dark brown bark with light green leaves, complimenting everything beautifully. After an hour of driving we drove past the 'Welcome to SummerBay' sign and my heart started pounding like it wanted to escape my chest. The creamy, yellow sand had tint's of crimson red, like you were driving through the outback of Australia. The sea was light blue, consuming every haunting breath I took and resisting to eat my haunted face. The further we drove through SummerBay the more I wanted to leave again. The tree's begun to scream at me, swaying and leave's being swished around like Hermione Granger was on Harry Potter and he Prizoner of Azkaban with the Whomping Willow. It screamed that I didn't deserve to be here, that I should have stayed back and moved on with my life. The air smelt fresh, not like the city air. the city air smelt like car fumes, day old stale oil, the stench of homeless people scrounging for something 10 days old to eat. The city air was stale because of all of what I had just thought but the air here was different, it smelt like freshly cut grass, the salty but invigorating sea, the freshly grown pine tree's. This is what I missed most about being here. How beautiful this place really was, so peaceful, so relaxing and so friendly.

"Ok!" Lucas said as we pulled up out the front of the Diner. "You ready to face the world again?" he said looking at me with a grin on his face. I felt as thought there was something he wasn't telling me, something he was keeping secret from me.

"Luc what are you hiding?" the words slipped out of my mouth even though i didn't intend on saying it. He looked at me with surprise but smiled again.

"You'll see!" was all he replied

***

We waited inside the Surf Club, waiting for Lucas to walk through that door and tell us she was here. After her death we hired a private detective to find out what really happened and what he came back with was much more than we had expected.

"Belle Taylor is alive!"

We had all been extremely shocked to hear that come from his mouth and then we were even more shocked when he revealed where she was living and the name she was under. Then Lucas said he would go to the city and try and convince her to come back. We waited, everyone at there homes just waiting for a text message and then it happened. Ric got a message saying they were coming back to the bay and would be here in the hour.

Still we waited and just as Annie looked at the door she pointed and saw Lucas walk through with a grin on his face and then we knew that she was here. Belle Taylor was back in Summer Bay

"Hey guys!" he said as everyone ran over to him.

"Is she here Luc?" everyone started yelling at him.

"Wow she is in the car, I had to tell her stories about all of you. Mattie I told her you died after she did, I told her Ric was in Jail, Sally and Pippa moved away from the bay, Irene died after drink driving just so she qould come back. It was hard but she doesn't suspect anything. Everyone step back I'm going to go and get her now!" he said as everyone stepped back and waited as Lucas exited the Diner again.

I have changed my mind, this is ony going to be a short fic and there are only two more chapters because I have another two fic's in the making...hope you not mad

[matticus01]

Chapter 9

"Ok now close your eyes!" I said as I led Belle to the door of the Diner. I looked as she closed her eyes, I could tell just by looking at her that she was nervous, she was more than nervous mainly because she didn't know what everyone was going to say to her. i led her through the door and I looked at everyone, a couple of people's mouth's dropped open because they couldn't believe how good she looked and other's just smiled that she was finally back in Summer Bay.

"Ok!" I said as I stepped away from Belle and stood in front of everyone.

"Belle, i lied, no one is dead!" I said as Belle's eye's quickly opened. She looked around the room at Matilda, Ric, Irene, Geoff, Annie, Drew, Beth, Tony, Martha, Jack and there little girl Katie, Pippa and Sally, Alf, Colleen. All of her friends standing before her, everyone was smiling at her as tear's started trickling down her face.

***

I looked around the room, everyone was here, Lucas had lied to me, but why. Everyone he said who was dead or had moved away was a lie, everyone was standing in front of me, smiling at me. Tears started trickling down my face as I tried to take in the fact that Luc had lied to me.

"Why?" I spluttered out having to grab hold of the booth next to me to stop myself from falling.

All of a sudden I looked at a little girl I had never seen before who was standing with Tasha, Robbie, Ella and Tristan. She looked like some one but I couldn't put the face to her gorgeous face. Her brown shoulder length wavy hair and her brown eyes made her look like a porcelain doll, carefully created not to be played with or broken. The perfect soft lips sat in front of her and the mole sat on the right side of her nose. I looked at Lucas who nodded and then it finally hit me.

"Belle Taylor!" Lucas said walking toward me, a smile plastered across his face like a little boy unwrapping his first christmas present, taking in every breath of what might be underneath the wrapping paper with so much love as to be so careful not to break the fragile thing that lay beneath the wrapping paper.

"Meet your daughter Lilly Belle Taylor Holden!"

Finale Chapter...How can belle have a child and how did she not know?

All to come in this final gripping chapter of 'A Haunted Mystery'!