Summary: Set in the near future. A new family arrive in the Bay and sparks are sure to fly.
Disclaimer: Neither Home & Away or the characters belong to me, but the new characters do. Don't take them without permission please.
In Too Deep: Prologue
In the quiet fishing bay, everyone knew everyone else and people did not tend to leave or arrive often. Which was why it was quite a surprise when a large van pulled up outside the empty house next door to the Caravan Park. The house had been empty for a long time, and no one could remember exactly who owned it. During the day, as the Bay's residents went about their usual business, they paused and watched the two large burly men taking furniture and boxes inside. One or two of them tried to make conversation, in an effort to find out who was moving in, but the removal men would give nothing away. At the end of the day, when the van was empty, they packed up and went away, while the people of Summer Bay waited anxiously to meet their new neighbours.
They did not have to wait long. Two days later, very early in the morning while many people were still asleep, a pale blue van drove through the bay and stopped outside the house. Two dogs jumped out and rolled over in the grass, one a black and white collie, the other a large German Shepard. Their owners quickly followed them out. First came a tall woman in her early forties who was dressed in a plain skirt and jacket. Her light brown hair was tied back in a bun and the lines on her face and the tired look in her blue eyes showed that she had recently experienced hard times. A young, pretty looking woman in her early twenties who wore a sleeveless red top and a plain pair of black trousers and had her waist length blond hair up in a plait, followed her along with a tall, muscular young man, also in his early twenties. He had the same light brown hair and blue eyes as the older woman, although his head was shaved to only a few inches long, and he wore jeans, a leather jacket and black boots. The last two out of the van were two teenage girls, the oldest of whom paused to unfasten a baby boy from his car seat. The youngest was about thirteen and very pretty, her long light brown hair was tied up in a high ponytail and she wore a touch of make-up. She wore tracksuit bottoms and a low-cut shirt, completed with necklace, earrings and a bracelet and her blue eyes sparkled with delight as she looked around the bay. The oldest girl, about seventeen or so, was also pretty but in a more ordinary way. Her shoulder length hair was streaked with red and fell loose around her shoulders. She wore no make-up and only a plain silver chain around her neck for jewellery. She wore sports clothes and a white sports jacket and she appeared rather pale and withdrawn. The young child in her arms was smiling as he took in everything around him and the girl smoothed back his blond hair and gave him a kiss. The dogs sat on the doorstep, waiting patiently while the family took in their new surroundings.
The man put his arms around the young, blond haired woman and the older woman. In turn, the older woman put her arm around the youngest girl and the other woman put her arm around the girl with the baby. For a moment they stood in silence, just staring at the ocean. Finally the man spoke.
"Well," he said with a smile. "I guess we made it. We are really here."
"We are really here," the older woman said, echoing his words. "This is it. A new start for us. Let's try to make our new life a little better than our old one."
"We can try," the girl with the baby muttered. "But there are some things that can never truly be left behind, are they?"
Silence fell again as she finished speaking. Then the man shook his head and walked towards the van.
"Best not to think too much about the past, little sister," he said quietly. "Let's just get ourselves and the rest of the stuff inside and get settled shall we?"