Tears of Laughter and Pain

*Chapter 51*

Claudia found him outside in the hall and going to him said "You okay babe?" He looked at her and said "I don't know, i thought it would be easier to know what she was like before i went near her, but this is too much. As much as i hate her for what she did, nobody deserves to die this way." She put her arms round him and gave him a hug then said "I know what you're thinking, about what she wants. She's dying and has a 13 year old daughter to look out for." David pulled back and said "You know what my life is like, if i'm working, which is pretty much always, i'm never in the same place for more than a week. I never have enough time to see you and when we do see each other its maybe only for a night or two. How can i bring a 13 year old into this world, its just not possible." He sighed then said "We'd better go back in, i'm sure Simon has plenty to say about this." She smiled as they walked back into the office together.

Once they were in and sitting down Simon said "I'm sure you two were saying the same as we were, but, i don't think we should jump to conclusions. She may have other plans for Kaitlyn, with someone she knows. What you need to do now is phone her and meet her with Claudia and find out what she wants. After we know then we can take it from there." David nodded and said "What about the guys, will i still need them there in the background?" Simon shook his head "I wouldn't think so, we know she's not going to want to hurt you so i think just you and Claudia will be fine. So that she can see that you moved on from her." He nodded then standing up to leave said "Thank you Simon, for everything. I'll let you know what she said after i've been to see her." then he and Claudia left. The other guys all stood up as well and after saying another couple of things they also left.

When David and Claudia got back to his place he picked up his phone and after staring at it for a minute he dialled the number he had been avoiding for the past weeks and waited for an answer. He spoke quietly for around five minutes then he said "Okay, i'll see you there in an hour." and hung up. Claudia gave his hand a squeeze and said "You'll be fine, i'll be right beside you." He smiled and pulled her in close saying "I'm so happy you are, i wouldn't be able to cope if you weren't i don't think." They sat together quietly eating the quick meal Claudia had put together before it was time for them to leave to go meet Kiara.

Martha was just getting home from work when her phone beeped to signal a text message. She let herself in, dumped her coat and bags and shouted to see if Matt was in before she read it. It was from JJ, wondering if she knew where Claudia was. She frowned and dialling JJ's number she said when JJ answered "Why are you wondering where she is? Is she okay?" "I don't know, thats the problem, she's not been on msn for days, she isn't answering her house phone or her mobile and she hasn't replied to any of my texts." Martha frowned again and said "Okay, lets not worry yet, have you tried phoning Carlos? He could ask David if he's heard from her lately. She may just have gone to see him because he was sick." She could hear JJ sigh and then said "You phone Carlos and i'll phone Urs. Surely one of them will know if she's with David. Once you talk to him ring me back and let me know what he says and don't worry, i'm sure she's fine." then hung up and dialled Urs number.

*Chapter 52*

Urs smiled as he saw Martha's name flash up on his mobile screen as it started ringing and answered it with "Hey babe, how are you?" "I'm okay thanks, missing you though, when will i see you again?" He smiled and said "We've got some more promotion to do here then we head overseas for a couple of weeks then we have a week off before we head into rehearsals for the tour." She sighed and said "Thats way too long." she paused then said "I have another reason for phoning you, JJ just texted me wondering if i knew where Claudia was, apparantly she's not been able to get hold of her for days. I told her to phone Carlos and ask if David has heard from her lately and i'm asking you if you know." Urs went quiet for a minute then said "Yeah, i know, she's been here with David for the last few days, she came to check on him when he was sick and has just stuck around.

She took a pile of time off work or at least took her work with her. I'm not sure. Maybe she did it without thinking you girls would worry." Martha sighed and said "I told JJ she would probably be with David but she got me worried there. It is strange though that she hasn't been asnwering her phone, she usually does." Urs paused then said "I think she actually broke it or something in it isn't working, i don't know exactly, but i'll get her to phone you and explain it herself." Martha laughed and said "Don't worry, as long as i know she's ok she doesn't need to phone me." They spent another while talking to each other before hanging up. Martha quickly phoned JJ to tell her what Urs had said.

David and Claudia were sitting in a quiet bar waiting nervously for Kiara to arrive. Everytime the door opened he would look up to see if it was her. Claudia put a hand on his and said "She'll be here, she's just late." he nodded then looked up again at the door and froze. Claudia saw this and looked towards the door, she saw a small, thin woman standing there looking about the place. She turned to David and said "Is that her?" he nodded slowly then stood up as Kiara spotted him and walked towards him. She reached the table and saying hello to him she sat down as did David. He took a breath then said "This is Claudia, my girlfriend." Claudia gave a small smile and said hello then David said "So, i'm here, what did you want to see me for?" Kiara looked at him and said "Can i not even order a drink first?" David stopped himself from snapping at her and said "Look, i am very busy, i don't have time to be sitting here waiting for you to tell me what you want. You've been hounding me for weeks to talk to me so talk" Claudia put a hand on his leg under the table and he relaxed a bit and said "I'm sorry."

She nodded and said "No, i'm sorry, David, for everything i did to you back when we were together. It was something i never forgave myself for doing because i hurt the two people i loved the most, you and our daughter." He shook his head and said "You mean, your daughter and you think you just hurt me? you did more than that, you destroyed me, you took four years of my life away from me and the only good thing in three of those years was this little girl who loved me so much. Then she got taken away from me too, do you know how heartbreaking it was for me to drive away that day knowing i would never see her again. It took me over a year to even start getting myself over you and start living life again."

Kiara picked up the glass of water she'd ordered and tok a sip, the shake in her hand obvious to see. "Yes, i lied to you, i didn't want to lose you, you were the only person i ever loved and i still do." She looked at Claudia who had moved slightly when she'd said that and said "Don't worry, i'm not here to take him away from you. I'm here to try and make peace with him." "What makes you think he will believe you after everything you've already done?" said Claudia. "I know that i'm asking for a lot, but there is something i have to tell you and i'm hoping it will make you realise that life is too short to hold bad feelings." David looked down and said "I know what you're going to say, we know you're sick and as much as i do still hate you, nobody deserves to die this young and leave a young family alone." Kiara looked shocked and said "How did you know?"

David just looked at her and said "After all these years you didn't expect me not to check up on you before i agreed to meeting you did you? I had our manager check you out to see if he could find anything out." he paused then said "You never told Kaitlyn i wasn't her dad? Why do that to her, she has a dad out there somewhere, does he even know he has a daughter?" "Kaitlyn changed when you left, she wouldn't talk to me, just kept asking for you. I felt she was just waiting for you to come back so i just let her think that. I was going to tell her when she got older, when she would understand more. Now i don't have that option and i can't do it now, she's going to lose her mum, i can't tell her that the only man she knows as her dad isn't her dad."

David sighed and said "You can't keep letting her think that though. I'm not saying i want her to get hurt, but she needs to know and the sooner the does the quicker she can start to understand it." He glanced at Claudia then said "What have you got in place for her when you're gone." She looked sad then she said "One of Kaitlyn's best friends mum is my friend and her and her husband talked it over and they've agreed to take her in as part of their family. I'm really grateful to them as i don't have any other family left to have her." She saw the look that passed between David and Claudia and said "I know what you do David, i've been following your career since you started in Opera and i know that you have no time for anything other than your work. I would never have asked you to take her, it would never have worked out. I think you know that as well as i do."

David nodded slowly and said "Yes, does this friend know the truth about me?" Kiara shook her head head and said "Nobody knows but us." "And the rest of my group and my manager." he looked at the surprise on her face and said "I told them all everything, after you phoned Simon he asked who you were and i told him, then i told Claudia then i told the other guys." David leaned back in his seat and said "So, you've been after me for weeks now just so you can tell me you're sorry for what you did? I don't believe it, sorry Kiara, i know you too well." He stood up suddenly and said to Claudia "I've heard enough, we're leaving." She stood up slowly and looking at Kiara said "I am really sorry you're sick, but you've told David what you wanted, go home and make the most of your time left with Kaitlyn." She took hold of David's hand and they walked off together and out of the bar.