Thanks for the alerts and favourites guys! I really appreciate it and it means a lot. I was a bit disappointed about the lack of reviews on the last chapter :( This one is more of a filler but it's important. I'm sorry for the wait but I've been busy the past few days, I've been organizing holidays which I'll have to inform you more about because it will more than likely effect the updates of the story.

Please please please R&R! I own nothing of Home and Away! Enjoy! :)

Ashley searched through her beach bag, making sure she had everything. She was still doing shifts at Angelo's and even started helping out at the Diner. Although she'd been in Summer Bay for a week now she hadn't made many friends.

She and Indie barely tolerated each other and Ruby was a bit too jumpy for her liking.

One the plus side, working in the Diner meant she saw Xavier and Gina Palmer regularly so she had a lot of opportunities to annoy the school principle by openly flirting with Xavier.

She had gotten close to Sasha since she'd been hanging around a lot. Ashley found it quite amusing to sit back and watch Sasha drool over Casey while he remained completely clueless of his friend's admiration.

She and Heath got along better but they still fought regularly, Brax had said before that they were too alike to get along.

Ashley felt bad that Casey was sleeping on the couch still so she had organized to view apartments in Summer Bay that evening.

Heath had been spending a lot of time at the hospital but when he was home and in a good mood Ashley had taken to asking him about his tattoos, she was thinking of getting some more herself and Heath said he had a mate that did them for him.

"Where are you heading off to?" Brax asked, walking into the kitchen, she heard the fridge open.

"Taking advantage of my day off and heading to the beach," She called back.

Brax walked into the living room, a beer in his hand, Ashley eyed the tattoo running down the side of his hand, she racked her brain, trying to translate the words.

"Friend of my heart," Ashley murmured, turning back to her bag.

"What?" Brax asked, she noticed how he seemed to tense slightly, watching her carefully.

"Your tattoo, I was just thinking of what it meant, can I ask you something?"

Ashley watched as Brax nodded his head hesitantly.

"Why did you have it done in Irish?" Ashley asked, looking back at Brax.

"I don't really know, I suppose it just suited the situation," Brax shrugged, sipping his beer.

"And what's the situation?" Ashley asked, watching him carefully.

"A conversation for another day," Brax said simply walking down the hall and back to his room. Ashley sighed, she knew when she mentioned it Brax wasn't going to talk and she was starting to get sick of this families habit of keeping things from each other.

Half an hour later Ashley waded through the water, on her way back to the sand where her towel and beach bag lay.

She sat down on the towel letting the sun dry her off.

"Ashley," She turned at the sound of her name to see Xavier walking towards her, groaning inwardly she waved at him. When he reached her he sat down on the towel and sighed.

"Rough day?" She asked, studying the waves.

"You could say that," He shrugged. "How's living with three Braxton's going?"

"It's eventful," She laughed slightly. "But I can't help but love them, y'know?"

"Yeah I was the same with Hugo and Brandon," Ashley frowned slightly and decided she wasn't interested enough to ask about Xavier's brothers.

"Want to go to the Diner and get something to eat?" Xavier asked, Ashley thought about refusing for a minute but then she figured it was a free meal and she was kind of hungry so she nodded and pulled on a T-shirt over her head and shorts.

When they reached the Diner she ordered a ceaser salad and her and Xavier sat at a table waiting for their food.

Ashley poured a little salt out of the shaker and started playing with it on the table.

"So are you going to tell me about your bad day?" Ashley sighed, glancing up at Xavier who was watching her intently.

"I think it would get me in even more trouble if I did say something," Xavier exhaled. "But let's just say I got in a bit of trouble at work,"

"I honestly don't know how you work with people like that, they're all so arrogant and walk around like they own the place," Ashley turned her nose up slightly at the thought of the cops.

Xavier shrugged but didn't continue the conversation.

"Hello," Ashley looked up to see Gina standing over them; she had to fight the smile threatening to spread across her face. Perfect.

"Hey Gina," Ashley waved slightly and smiled at her. Gina smiled back but Ashley smirked when it came out looking more like a grimace.

"Xavier could I talk to you for a minute?" Gina asked sternly, causing Ashley to smirk even more as Xavier excused himself.

Ashley couldn't hear what Gina was saying but she did recognize her saying the words 'Braxton' and 'not wise'.

Xavier eventually got rid of Gina when their food arrived but not before she shot a concerned look at Ashley and looking back to her son.

"Well she's a treat," Ashley giggled when Xavier sat back down.

"She's just a little worried," Xavier shrugged.

"I get it, I'm a Braxton, no mother would exactly welcome me into their home with open arms," Ashley shrugged, digging her fork into a piece of lettuce.

After they finished their food Xavier paid for them and they walked back home, Ashley had learned over the week that the Palmer/Austin family lived next door to her and her brothers.

"Thanks for lunch, Xav," Ashley grinned, walking towards her house. She was stopped when Xavier grabbed her wrist and spun her around.

She didn't have time to react before Xavier pressed his lips to hers.