[41 ] 1972

-

"Shut up. Don't you dare say things like that about him and let him rest in peace without soiling his name. He loved you."

-

Claire rushed to her apartment after her secret encounter with Bobby at the low end hotel where they had their secret affairs--per request of the rich heiress. Her apartment was the place where she had left Cole and Richard alone with a maid that Con had hired to help with the chores and other housework that needed to be done and Claire refused to do. The maid was a woman in her forties with a polite smile on her face and soft features. She was on the living room couch, reading the children a story, when Claire arrived. She knew she wouldn't be seeing Con that night, the same as most nights. It seemed that he only dropped by on weekends, or when he needed some female company. He was always working, away on business trips, and attention galas with other rich people. 

Twenty eight years old, heir of a vast fortune, and charming when he needed to be, with the right people. Claire saw less and less of him, but that was unimportant to her now. The thought of starting a new life, somewhere away from it all was the only thing that mattered.

She was well aware that even with Bobby's promotion as head of police in Melbourne, he wouldn't be able to give her the life she was used to--the life she felt she deserved, and the life of luxury that she had with Con. But she also knew that Bobby was a good man, and that even though she didn't quite love him the way that he loved her, she could make the effort to at least be grateful for all that he was doing for her. The baby they were going to raise together gave her a new hope that things could be better, sharing her life with a man who loved her unconditionally and wanted nothing more than for her to be happy.

The maid quietly gathered her belongings and left the apartment after saying goodbye to the children and promising that she would see them tomorrow. But there would be no tomorrow for Cole. She was taking her son with them and considered taking Richard as well. She had practically raised him, even though he hasn't exactly fond of her. He didn't dislike her, but he always made it clear that he missed his mother and preferred having her around.

Claire packed up her belongings that night in her bedroom, after putting the children to bed, and got into her bed with an optimism that she hadn't felt before. Perhaps she didn't have to be so damn greedy all the time--she didn't have to be a bad person. 

She could start over where no one would ever know of her past.

There would only exist her present as the wife of a Melbourne Police Department chief.

-

Bobby showed up at nine the next morning to talk with the person who had brought him the news of his promotion. He was a higher ranked officer of the district who had arrived that morning after Bobby was said to have made his decision. The detective greeted him at his office, anxious to pack up his office and get to Claire before Con could do something to harm her.

"Good morning Officer Vega." The other officer greeted him with a stern look on his face. 

The general wore a military uniform decorated with several ribbons and badges of honor, one for each battle he had participated in. Bobby hadn't experienced war yet. When Australia was required to participate in the Vietnam War in 1962, he had been too young to fight. As the war progressed, he was exempt in order to finish his military training at the marine academy. By the time he finished and was ready to fight, the troops had been called back home without him ever experiencing the war first hand. But he had wanted to fight. He wanted to prove his bravery and protect a country from the communist threat.

"Good morning, general Walker. Its a pleasure to see you again." Bobby saluted him with respect. Before being a member of the police department, the general had been in the marines, just like Bobby had been. 

"You told me over the phone that you have made your decision." The general started, reminding the young officer why he was there. "I assume that this decision is one the marine academy will be proud to hear about, a good decision."

Bobby gave a nod of his head. "I talked it over with my family, and my girlfriend, and both agreed that this is the best thing for me to do. I want to accept the promotion and move to Melbourne as quick as tonight."

Surprised, the general raised an eyebrow, "A bit rushed, are we?"

"Just eager to keep my new city safe." Bobby grinned, trying to hide his nervousness. 

"Well then," The general got back on his feet not even five minutes after he came into the room. "Let's not waste any more time, shall we? I'll call the Melbourne police department to inform of your arrival. You should probably thank your friend for this promotion, Robert."

Bobby was taken by surprise at the general's words. "My friend? What friend, sir?" His eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

He certainly had friends, but none powerful enough to get him a promotion that was that great. The only rich and powerful people he had ever been friends with were Ashton, Ann-Sophie, and Claire--and two of them were already dead. He knew no one else who could have recommended him for the promotion, unless it were his superiors in the police department, but that was a work relationship, they weren't his friends. As though it were obvious, General Walker clarified, "Conrad Hood. He said he was a friend of yours, and that he had the connections to get you a better job outside of Sydney because you certainly deserved it."

"Right." Bobby nodded his head, pretending as though he had forgotten about his 'friend'.

Now he wasn't so sure that he still wanted to take that promotion.

-

General Walker made the call to the Melbourne police department and informed that Robert Vega would report early the next morning to start at his new--and better paying--job. Bobby, now reluctantly, packed up the belongings in his office and took them to his sister's house. He told her everything, from Claire's pregnancy to the promotion. She didn't want him to leave, but she wished him luck and promised to send his belongings from the office by mail.

At five in the afternoon Bobby was already waiting for Claire in the hotel room. His car was parked out front, ready and packed for them to run away together.

Claire finally arrived fifteen minutes after five, with Bobby still in the room waiting for her anxiously. She knocked on the door and Bobby peeked through the window to see her. He pulled the door open and she ran into his arms, hugging him tight and whispering desperate words into his ear. Her face was red and blotchy with tears and there was a purple bruise forming on her eye. Her hair was a mess and appeared to have been pulled at, her hands were shaking as she gripped his shirt tightly.

"He's here. Close the door before he comes in. Hurry." She said through tears.

Bobby pried himself from her hands and stood in front of her protectively, a hand reaching for his gun, while the other went to shut the door. Just as it was about to connect with the door frame, it was opened by an unseen force. Seconds later, Con walked into view. He had no plans to run from the wealthy man. He had only wanted to buy them time in order for Claire to make an escape while he held him off. Now there wouldn't be any time for that.

The police detective aimed his gun at the wealthy businessman, but just as quickly as he had done that, the gun flew from his hands and hit the side wall, shattering to pieces as though it had been made of glass. "Your dumb little mortal weapons can't hurt me, Robert." Con informed him with a smirk. "Now you're gonna pay for getting involved with my woman, and on top of that, for thinking that you could run away with her as though I wouldn't find you." 

"She isn't yours. She's not a property." Bobby hissed, anger pooling up in his heart that was beating madly against his chest. "She's a human being, and we love each other."

Con chuckled darkly in amusement. He raised a hand in a gesture that made it seem like he was squeezing something. Not a moment later, Bobby felt like his neck was being constricted and he was being deprived of oxygen. His hands went up to his neck, but he could find no relief. "Don't be such a dumb ass. Do you really think a woman with money and a good education would really fall in love with a nobody like you? You really must be daft. Tell him, Claire. Tell him how we planned all of this. Ashton's death, Ann's death, and now his."

"That's not true." Bobby hissed, slowly running out of air like a fish out of water. Through his limited air supply, he got out, "She said you've been harassing her--that you're obsessed with her. Stop holding her back, and let her be happy."

His hand reached for the Diamond Rose gun as he realized that his time was running out. His gun was supposed to be in its other holster on his belt. But he found it empty. It was then that he remembered that he had stuffed it in a suitcase because he knew airport security would stop him for carrying a weapon with him.

"That's the biggest load of bullshit she's ever told. Even she doesn't buy that lie. Every time we've been together in bed it was because she wanted to." Con said, his words full of venom, but also full of sincerity.

Claire shook her head, crying tears which were--for once--genuine, "I'll admit I was involved in killing Ashton and Ann. But I never wanted to hurt you, Bobby. Believe me. You're the only one who saw the kind of person I was and believed that I could change. Ashton would have left me first chance he got, after he learned my true colors, he never loved me enough."

"Shut up. Don't you dare say things like that about him and let him rest in peace without soiling his name. He loved you." Bobby spat, heart broken. "I loved you, Claire."

"She never loved you, mate. Just like she never loved Ashton." Con said with a grin, his words eerily similar to the time when he confessed the whole truth to Ashton before killing him. 

Claire shook her head once more, saying, "I do love you, Bobby. I thought I didn't, but I do!"

She ran towards Con and rammed into him with her slender body using her entire strength managing to knock him down to the ground. It was the one good act she had done in her life--out of love. She had always been more concerned with her own well being to help others. And with Con--it was something that she wouldn't even call love anymore. It was something destructive that had made her do terrible things. But trying to save Bobby's life was a real act of love. That was all it took for Bobby to regain some air in his lungs and he fell to the floor, on his hands and knees, trying to catch his breath. 

Con recovered quickly from the attack and hurried back on his feet. 

"Leave him alone." Claire warned from where she was on the ground. "Leave him alone, Con, or I swear I'll-"

"Shut up and sleep." He ordered Claire and she went out like a light.

With Bobby was left defenseless and without Claire's help, he resumed depriving him of air until slowly the police detective lost consciousness, as well as his life. 

"That'll teach you to meddle in business that isn't yours." Con said to the lifeless body in the room, and picked up Claire's sleeping form, adding, "And it'll teach you that anyone who tries to take my woman from me, ends up dead."

-

i had to post this. i was going to wait until after posting a few of the other chapters, but there was so much suspense. i couldn't wait. i think there will be one more flashback chapter after this one, but i will post that one towards the end.

qotd: what do you think of claire's change of heart? she was a bitch, then she has a nice lapse in which she wants to change, but we all know that as a ghost she was a horrible bitch again. but at least this gives just a bit of insight. she was willing to change in the end, but con basically was holding her captive against her will (at the end, after he murders bobby).

i hope you all liked the update, and give this a nice vote if you want.

i might post the pologue for 'wild ones' soon, so be sure to check that out. and a bit of shameless self promotion...if you like star wars, please go check out my new star wars fic "across the stars". its not really new. its a repost that i wrote a long ass time ago on here, but i took it down because i didn't like the way i wrote it. but now that im older im editing and adding as well as taking things. so please do go check that out if you want!

have a great week!

and yes, i realize i used my baby conejito brizuela's picture (again) for this chap. he's my fave. i even made my twitter username in his honor (@ brizueia, with capital i so it looks like an L bc brizuela was already taken). 

-clary xx