I Will Be

[Tasha]

Story Title: I Will Be

Type of story: Two-shot

Main Characters: Martha, Jack, Roman, Brittany

BTTB rating: G

Genre: Romance/Drama

Does story include spoilers: Yes

Any warnings:

Summary: Sam died a couple of months ago, and Jack and Martha have been spending a lot of time together since. Martha thinks that they will be back together soon, until she sees another woman, Brittany, in the arms of Jack. How will Jack get himself out of this mess, and will him and Martha ever get back together. And who is Brittany and why is she in the Bay?? Oh and Roman is Jack's best friend and Martha's flat mate.

Author's note: Right so this is what happens when i have late night of not sleeping and an over-active imagination, with the inability to shut my brain off. If only there was something that could do that for me even if it was for 9hours Anyways. this is a 2 shot, but its very long. I have a tendency to ramble alot, as you can tell, but whatever. Enjoy!! Oh and dont expect a second part for a while. I havent even started writing it. Might try getting it done by friday, before im fully booked

Thanks to Rach for proofing most of it

It's been two months since a life was taken in Summer Bay; a life that had experienced many upsets and heartache in their short time in the Bay, as well as some love and happiness. Marrying the man of her dreams had been the best day of her life, despite seeing his ex at the church. However, losing him was the worst day of her life. Jack ended his short marriage to Sam when he found out about her alliance with Johnny. Once Johnny was caught, he quickly admitted to having worked alongside Sam; who too failed to deny this alliance, resulting in Jack packing his bags and moving as far away from the 'Bachelor Pad' as possible, in other words, the Diner apartment, with his best friend, Roman and Martha.

Sam immediately became jealous of Jack and Martha's reformed friendship, and suspecting a secret love affair between the former lovers, Sam unavoidably lost her life. Jack was deeply upset by the news of his wife's death, and blamed no-one but himself. He eventually moved back to the Pad to be with Rory, who was understandably finding it difficult after losing his mother.

However, Jack too was finding life difficult; in particularly with Rory. As the weeks went by, Jack began to distance himself from Rory, spending the majority of his time with Martha and Roman. Tony ended up taking Rory under his wing, realizing that Jack was unable to play the role of a single father to an almost teenage boy.

It soon changed one day, when Rory suggested that he should move to the City to be with his aunt and uncle. Not wanting to feel alone anymore, Rory figured it was the best idea, and Jack eventually agreed, realizing that Rory would be better off brought up with a proper family.

Present Day

Martha woke up one morning to the smell of bacon and eggs. A small smile crept on her face, as she realized that it was Roman's day off, which always meant a delicious breakfast. Roman moved in with Martha after the earthquake, and Morag moved into a bigger house. Living in the apartment above the new Pier Diner, Roman found it easier to live there, as it was obviously close to work, not to mention the company was great.

Roman and Martha formed a strong friendship; they had previously tried to build a romantic relationship; however it lasted merely a few weeks, due to the awkwardness of having Jack move in. Deciding that friendship was the best thing for them, they happily broke up. However, they continued to live together, having never regretted their decision.

Not long after, and Roman had noticed the closeness in Jack and Martha's relationship, it was evident that their love for each other would always conquer everything, and so he stayed out of the way, not wanting to ruin any chance of a reunion. Eventually, Roman found new love with the new beautiful teacher at Summer Bay High, and the couple has been together for a few weeks. But that never stopped Roman from cooking his flatmate a good old' aussie breakfast.

Later that day, Martha was working at Noah's, wiping down the tables and placing the chairs into the rightful position. Business was quiet and Martha let out a soft sigh as boredom started to hit her. Taking a seat on one of the bar stools, Martha let her mind wonder to a subject that seemed to have occupied her thoughts quite frequently of late … and that was Jack. She thought about the time they'd spent together the past couple of months, and even before Sam's passing. Thankfully, they had started to get back to their old ways, as Martha did all she could to help him move forward from his grief.

Slowly and eventually, the flirting had resurrected, and signs of a reunion were starting to show. However, Martha didn't want to jinx it, since getting back with Jack was the most important thing to her.

Her thoughts were disrupted by a male's voice calling her name from behind. Spinning around, Martha came face to face with a distraught looking Tony.

"What's wrong?" Martha asked cautiously, in fear of what the answer may be. Her first thoughts were of Jack, wondering if something bad had happened to him.

"Jack's gone missing," Tony said sadly, scared that something may have happened to his eldest son. "He left home early this morning, and hasn't been back since. He's not at work, and I've searched the beaches and nearby parks and lookouts. I can't find him anywhere." Tears started to fall down his face, as worry started to take over his body once again. Martha had never seen Tony look this vulnerable, not since Beth's death, anyway.

"When you called his phone, did it ring?" Martha asked, as she feared for Jack's life. Tony shook his head, explaining that he it had been switched off all day. Letting out a sigh, Martha instructed for Tony to go home, while she went out to look for him, since she knew all the places he liked to hide. After 20 minutes, James, another barman at Noah's, arrived, and Martha took off in search of her best friend.

After searching the beach again, Martha reluctantly headed to the cliffs, in the hope of finding him there, but there was no luck. Eventually, she drove to the last place she could think of, the Campbell's farm, in particular the paddock where Jack and Martha had their disastrous picnic date a year ago. Finding the gate already open, Martha walked through, all the while screaming out Jack's name. God, where are you Jack? Martha thought, while walking around the lake, allowing for her tears to slowly fall down her cheeks. Please come home Jack, we need you. I need you. As Martha went to wipe away the tears, a glistening in the distance caught her eyes. Walking over to it, Martha noticed Jack's silver squared watch sitting on the ground. Picking it up, Martha held it close to her heart, praying for nothing bad to have happened to him. Reaching for her phone in her back pocket, she attempted to call Tony, but she failed to find any reception. Letting out a frustrated sign, Martha walked back to her car and headed towards the Campbell's farmhouse...

As Martha pulled into the driveway, she got a shock when she saw Jack's green 'bomb' parked in front of the house. She briskly exited the car, and headed towards the house.

Suddenly, she heard voices coming from the barn house. Wandering over, Martha's heart sank, as she witnessed Jack embracing a strange brunette-haired woman. Upset by what she had witnessed, Martha made a quick exit to her car; driving away in a hurry. She couldn't believe that Jack had been seeing someone behind everyone's back, behind her back. She couldn't believe she had been stupid enough to think that Jack would want to take her back, after everything she had done to him. And now once again, she had lost him.

5 minutes earlier – in the barn

Jack stood in the middle of the barn, holding the petite brunette in his arms, as she sobbed. Earlier that morning, Jack had driven up to the City to pick up Sam's sister, Brittany, to bring her to the Bay to see Rory. Brittany's husband was working, and she had no other way of getting to the Bay, except by bus. However, Jack offered to pick her up, as he wanted to escape from the Bay and all its prying eyes for at least a few hours. Leaving early in the morning, he failed to inform anyone, and his phone had also died, so he couldn't answer any calls. However, he figured that no-one would look for him, as he assumed that they would think he just needed some time alone.

On the way back to the Bay from the City, Brittany told Jack about growing up on a farm in Queensland, and how much she and Sam loved the open grounds and the animals. Jack was amazed to hear this, since Sam had never mentioned her childhood to him before. Impulsively, Jack made a detour to the Campbell's farm, with it being the only farm that he knew of, to show Brittany, who indeed needed some cheering up.

They walked around the farm, taking in the sights, and after a long walk, they made their way to the barn.

Sitting down, they discussed Sam and Rory, consequently resulting in Brittany breaking down once again. She really did miss her sister..

As Jack held the woman in his arms, his ears picked up the sound of a small gasp, as well as the feeling of eyes boring into him. Looking up, he managed to get a quick glance of Martha running away from the barn, before hearing the distant sound of her truck revving away. Jack quickly released Brittany and ran after Martha, calling her name, only to see the truck leaving the driveway.

"Who was that?" Brittany asked sheepishly, while wiping her previously flooded eyes. Jack shook his head and headed towards his car, waving for Brittany to follow him. As they pulled out of the driveway, Brittany looked at Jack, whose eyes wore a look of sadness and concern for his best friend. He was afraid that she might take the hug the wrong way, and he might lose her again, which was the last thing he would ever want.

"Was that Martha?" Brittany asked, taking the silence from Jack as a sign of the mystery brunette being someone of significance in his life. Sam had told Brittany all about Martha during their countless phone calls, and Sam's occasional visits to the city. Jack nodded slowly, and Brittany took that as a sign to drop the subject.

Jack pulled up into his driveway, and briskly walked into the house, followed closely by Brittany. As he opened the door, Rory came running towards him, giving him a big and relieved hug. As Rory pulled away, he noticed Brittany standing in the doorway.

He lunged into her arms, overwhelmed to see a member of his biological family once again.

Once Jack had introduced Brittany to Rachel, he quickly excused himself; he had a certain ex-wife to pay a visit too.

Walking into Noah's, Jack watched Martha as she hurriedly served the many customers. Making his way over towards the bar, he waited for her to face him.

Turning around, she finally noticed Jack standing there; sending him a glare she silently told him to get lost. Ignoring her looks, Jack walked to the other side of the bar; plonking himself onto one of the stools, and placing his elbows on the bench; watching her in awe.

"What do you want, Jack?" Martha asked in annoyance, as Jack continued to look at her with a smirk on his face. She knew why he was here. The look on his face told her that he saw her at the barn, and now he was coming to her for answers.

"To talk," Jack replied still smiling, all the while enjoying the view before him. He loved when Martha got angry at him, and even more when it was a jealous anger, as it showed him just how much she wanted him, not that she'd admit it.

"I'm too busy to talk Jack," Martha said angrily as she went to serve another customer, while putting on her best fake happy face. Jack and his mystery girlfriend had ruined her day, and serving several dozen teens with drinks was not something she wanted to do right now.

And with the added bonus of Jack gawking at her, it was certainly not her day! "Oh, and I believe this belongs to you." Martha reached into her pocket before throwing Jack's watch on the bench in front of him.

"Thanks," Jack said with a grateful smile. He didn't realize he had dropped it, but was thankful to have it back. "and I'll also have a beer when you're free...please" His grateful smile was quickly replaced by his cheeky smile, which always made Martha's heart melt. She groaned as she went to serve some more customers, who weren't Jack Holden. She was never going to get rid of him. However her wishes were granted when Roman walked through the door, and headed over towards Martha and Jack.

"There you are mate," Roman said happily as he passed a bottle of water that he had just taken out of the fringe, to Jack. "We've been looking all over for you. Should have known Martha would have found you and lured you to Noah's." He smiled over to Jack, who had a confused look on his face as he looked at the water bottle in front of him, before shrugging and drinking from it. Roman laughed at Jack's confusion and placed the owing into the till. "You can't have a beer before going surfing, mate, which you are going to join me in doing, right?" Martha laughed at Jack's annoyance and took this as an opportunity to get rid of him.

"He'd love to, wouldn't you Jack?" Martha asked happily as she looked at Jack with a glare. Realising he had no say in this decision, Jack eventually gave up, much to Martha's delight, and left the surf club with Roman, after stealing one last glance of Martha, who gave him a smile of victory.

Half an hour later, Jack and Roman were walking down the beach holding their surfboards in one arm. After leaving Noah's they agreed to meet at the beach after going home to get their surfing gear. Finally reaching the water, the two friends swam out and waited for a wave. Roman noticed an unusual quietness in Jack. Whenever they were hanging out, Jack was always chatty and having a good time, but today was different.

"What's up mate?" Roman asked with great concern, "you're never this quiet. Did I interrupt something at Noah's?" Jack looked at him with a face saying, 'what do you think?' before starting on his story of his adventures of the morning, his unsuspected visitor at the Campbell's barn, and his attempts to get Martha to talk earlier at the surf club before Roman came.

Roman couldn't help but laugh. He had learnt from Martha that Jack has always been clueless when it came to romantic gestures in their relationship, and that Jack always did find it hard expressing his feelings for Martha, as well as him having the worst possible timing ever.

"Mate, do you still have feelings for her?" Roman asked cautiously afraid of receiving a bad reaction. However, just by looking at Jack face, he already knew his answer. "Then you have to tell her, before someone else comes along and sweeps her off her feet again."

Roman watched Jack jerk his head towards him, in shock of the possibility of losing Martha to another man again. So the two men swam back to the beach and planned a way of getting Martha back into Jack's good books and into his life forever. Tonight was the night Jack's plan was going to go into action. But first there were other minor problems he needed to take care of before he could start a new life.

[Zetti]

I was jumping literally off my seat when I saw a fic by Tasha!!

I love that. It worked out just the way I wanted it to, I could see it working out in my head!

x

[KaitieL]

Love it.

J&M

I wish they were back together. I love that Roman and Jack are friends.

More please.

[vale4eva]

Yay, you posted it

Totally awesome start!

I just find it amusing that you put Jack and Roman as best friends

Admit it, you only made this fic so you could do that lol

You know, as I've said before, I can totally picture this happening in HnA!

Jack embracing Sams sister, Martha thinking the worst and then Jack being stuck in her bad books again

Hopefully with the help of Roman, he'll be able to sort it

Looking forward to more!

[Barbara]

Great start!

I love the fact that Roman and Jack are friends.

Hope Rory's leaving with his aunt really soon.

Martha's jealous of Brittany and she's angry with Jack.

But she's in love with him. And he's in love with her.

Wonder what Jack and Roman have planned.

More please.

[dee83]

hes got sum serious making up 2 do if he wants 2 gets back in to her good books and i wonder wot hes got planned but it better be gud

please update soon its really gud

[Nourtz]

its really good i love how the 3 are all friends!!!!!! please update soon i love it!!

[KaitieL]

I hope you haven't forgotten about this fic.

Any chance of an update soon. Pretty please Tasha?

[Tasha]

Havent really forgotten it, just been putting it off In the holidays i'll write up the last chapter. So about 4 weeks Im just too busy with uni assignments atm, and i would have done it over the long weekend, but im going away on thursday, so i wont have time, even though it was Brisbane where i wrote the first chapter

Anyway, just hold on a few more weeks. Thank yous

[KaitieL]

I thought there was an update and got all excited. Oh well, I guess I can wait.

Good luck with your uni assignments.

Happy Easter!!