Let The Rain Fall Down

A Dream Come True

For two days I carried on as normal. I played the grieving husband so well now, even the knowledge that Chloe was indeed alive did little to warm my heart when I lay in our bed alone at night. I was going to have to go to Clarke and Sons and see a body laid out that wasn't my wife, and yet, pretend that it was and I still didn't know why.

Sarah and Alex were avoiding my calls, I got the feeling Ruth had been in contact with them. The level of betrayal I felt for the couple I had welcomed into my home and into my family was great, I had trusted these people with my children, with my gorgeous girl – and they had been lying to me all this time. Where they even my friends after all or had it all been a ruse set in place to get close to me? I had so many questions and so few answers to them.

I was at home taking some well earned time with my children who were playing in the garden at the back of the house, blissfully unaware that they were being guarded at every angle. It had been a nightmare to sort, but after some shouting at various people and a quiet calm yet determined voice in a few people' ears I had my children guarded twenty four hours a day. This chaotic situation that I was still so very much in the dark about had taken my wife from me and I wasn't going to lose my children either.

Hanging on the door was a new suit, the silver Armani logo on the bag glittering in the sunlight. Beth had picked it out for me as well as the shirt I was ironing which was also black. I was wearing head to toe black to this funeral – something I never did as Chloe had always said she loved me in blue. I knew that the body that was being laid in the ground today wasn't Chloe but I hurt so badly for her, the pain was even worse really knowing that she was out there somewhere and I couldn't see her, couldn't take her in my arms and kiss all the pain and despair away.

Without a shadow of a doubt this was going to be one of the hardest days I had had to endure in my life, it cut me deep that I couldn't tell anyone the truth. I knew that I could talk to Beth but she was in shock too after reading that note from Chloe and she said how she wished dearly to tell Dimitri the truth but found she couldn't trust him. This whole thing was having it's desired effect, we were becoming isolated from the people we had to trust with our lives. I trusted Beth – she trusted me and we both trusted Chloe.

I was dressed and the children were all ready when I saw the hearse and family car arrive. Carrying Eloise in my arms I made my way outside and looked at the mahogany coffin that held a girl I had never known. The yellow roses were placed on top and I found myself sighing, this was the strangest thing I had ever had to do.

* * *

I watched the cars appear, the most surreal experience I had ever known was taking place before my eyes. I was watching my own funeral take place and I couldn't stop it – couldn't tell the world that I was alive.

I watched my Mother and Father, they looked so small as they stood by Lucas and the children this was torture, but I knew I had to do this. I had to let this façade carry on. The League had to think they had succeeded and taken me away from my family for ever. Alex' hand rested on my shoulder to reassure me, I was lucky that I at least had someone who was a friend by my side.

As for Lucas, who was holding my baby girl so close in his arms, this was not my blue eyes boy today. His shoulders were slumped, and he was wearing all black – he knew I hated him like that. He turned for a second to look behind him and it felt like he was staring into my eyes as he made his way into the church. Those eyes, even from this distance could make my heart stop, yet to me, Lucas North... was dead. I didn't know this man.

Aeryn and Caleb were clinging to my Mother as they made their way into the church, my heart broke and time stood still. There was nothing I could do but wait, Sarah and Alex had reassured me through the night that this would be okay. How could it possibly be okay, everyone I knew was hurting?