Footsteps in the sand * Bondi Rescue*

Chapter 28:

AN: Hi guys, so sorry for the long wait, I was incredibly busy with college assignments and this chapter was kind of difficult to write. Now however I'm done with all my college work and have a lot more time to write, so expect more updates closer together. Also thank you all for all the comments and votes, it means a lot!! Enjoy :)

Margo would be lying if she said she didn't expect a phone call like this one, she always feared for her brother's life, but she never expected this. She always thought it would be Will or her who would die first but never Jai. Sweet, wonderful, surf crazy Jai. The worst part was probably how he died, he wasn't doing what he loved most, surfing, but just driving home. The man who killed him shouldn't have been driving in the first place, he had been drinking after all and when he hit Jai there was no saving them. Sarah, Jai's girlfriend had been in the car as well but she had luckily survived, thanks to Jai who had died trying to protect her. But now Jai was gone, the man who hit them was going to jail for years but that wasn't really any consolation, at the end of the day Jai was still dead.

When Margo got the call her mind went blank and her world collapsed, her phone had fallen out of her numb hands and she sunk to the floor consumed by grief. She didn't notice Harrison next to her or that he picked up the phone and listened silently to what the person on the other line was saying. He went pale as well and after hanging up called Jesse straight away, he needed to know even though he was probably having fun. Jesse dropped everything as soon as he heard and quickly made his way home, by the time he arrived Margo was back on the sofa a glass of water in her shaking hand. She looked up briefly when he walked in and collapsed against him as soon as he sat down, a new flood of tears escaping her eyes. Harrison was sat on her other side a little awkwardly, he didn't really know what to do, he barely knew Jai and the last time they saw each other Jai had been mad at Harrison as he was being and idiot. Harrison wanted to help Margo but he also didn't want to overwhelm her and cause a panic attack or something like that. He was about to leave when Margo grabbed a hold of his hand and looked up "Please stay." She said, voice raw as it was the first thing she had said since she had gotten the call. He gave her a small smile, squeezing her hand, sitting next to her again, a little closer than before. She moved away from Jesse and looked at him "I have to call Will, he doesn't know yet." "It's okay Mar, I'll call him, but I'm sure the hospital has already informed him as well." Jesse said moving to get up and grab his phone "NO." Margo exclaimed, voice loud "I have to do it, I have to tell him if he doesn't already know." She continued, getting up and taking her phone from the coffee table. Harrison and Jesse nodded, knowing she was right and giving her the space to do what she wanted and needed to do. Margo wiped her tears and walked out of the room needing some privacy while she dialled Will's number, hoping he would pick up. He did, after only one ring and by the tone of his voice she knew the hospital had already called him. "Will?" She asked, voice shaking once more "he's gone Will, and I didn't even get to say goodbye." This got her crying even more but after talking to Will for about an hour she was much calmer. She still had tears in her eyes but she didn't have the urge to cry that much anymore.

While she had been in her room talking to Will, Jesse and Harrison had called Hoppo and made plans to fly out to Hawaii, they had to come in and officially identify the body and then take him back to Sydney for the funeral. They didn't want to burden her with all the technicalities so they decided to do it themselves. Jesse was also grieving his friend but tried to hide it to look after Margo who needed him more right now. When she came back into the room they sat her back down and told her they were flying out to Hawaii in two days time as there weren't any earlier flights. She nodded still slightly numb and was about to say something when her phone rang again, she looked at the caller id and smiled sadly when she saw it was Sarah. She picked up quickly and said a silent hello, Sarah was crying and apologising for what had happened but Margo instantly shut her up saying it wasn't her fault and that she was glad Sarah was okay. She soon calmed down and they talked for about 15 minutes before Margo hung up and turned back to Harrison and Jesse. She was about to sit back down and try to take a breather when toby bounded up to her making her jump up instantly "What about Toby? We can't take him but also can't leave him alone." She exclaimed sitting next to him on the floor and slowly stroking his brown fur. "Don't worry we'll call Matt or Maxi see if they can look after him for a while." Margo nodded "yeah, of course, sorry." She sighed finding herself pretty pathetic in that moment but she couldn't help the feeling that was spreading fast, filling her whole body and creating a big hole in her chest she knew would never fully heal. Her phone rang for what felt like the thousandth time, all she wanted was to throw the damn thing at the wall and watch it crumble like her world had done in the last few hours but instead she picked up and answered as calmly as she could. Her demeanour crumbled when she heard Will's voice on the other side, even though they had just talked for over an hour it felt like she had to break the news to him all over again and that was something she simply couldn't do. Will sounded like he had also been crying, as he explained he might not be able to make it back to Sydney for the funeral. This got Margo angry and on her feet in a moment, "what do you mean? Our brother just died and they can't give you a week or so off to go to his funeral?" She could not believe that her brothers superiors could be so insensitive, it wasn't just a little holiday, he was burying his younger brother. Will sighed and agreed silently with Margo trying to calm her down enough so she would stop shouting at him, "They didn't say no they just said it would be hard, we're in the middle of a pretty sensitive operation and me leaving could compromise it if it isn't done carefully, thats what they are worried about Mar, its not that that won't send me, they just have to figure out how to do it safely." He explained managing to stop her shouting long enough to catch her breath, she sighed understanding where they were coming from but didn't like it any more. They talked for a little longer before once more hanging up.