So, Chapter 7, it's a long one! More angst than H/C but leading up to some real H/C is chapter 8!
This chapter was too short to divide into 2 chapters plus wanted to get the mushy stuff out of the way for the pain...
Lol
Thanks for reviewing and reading!
Chapter 7
Casey was sitting next to Kyle's bed. He and his brothers had watched him over the last 3 days. Kyle had suffered a fever and infection that threatened to take his life but Nate and Hannah had saved him.
Casey was flicking through a magazine when Kyle started to stir,
"Kyle, buddy, Kyle!" Casey said excited before running out the door, spotting Nate, he pulled him by the arm towards the room, "Nate! He's waking up!" Rushing into the room together, Casey rushed to his bedside,
"We're here Kyle," Casey waited patiently as Nate checked his stats,
"His temp is still high, he's coming around though," Nate smiled, "I'll call your brothers," Casey moved his chair next to Kyle's bed, slowly but surely, Kyle woke up.
"Hey," Casey grinned, "Good to see you awake,"
"Water" Kyle croaked, jumping up, Casey held the cup as Kyle took slow sips from a straw, exhausted, he rested back on his pillows.
"How ya feeling?"
"Like i'm on fire, what happened?" Casey hesitated at the question,
"What do you remember?" Looking up, Kyle struggled,
"We locked up Angelos, and were driving home, a car was chasing us, it kept forcing me towards National Park, Phoebe was so scared. I lost control..." Kyle tried desperately to remember more and then suddenly tried to sit right up, "Where's Phoebe?" Casey had instinctively held him back, trying to keep him in the bed,
"Kyle, just lie down, your exhausted" Casey gently pushed his brother back down,
"Case, where's Phoebe? Is she alright? Is she here?" Casey struggled not knowing what to do and was saved by Brax and Heath entering the room, summing up the situation by the looks on his brothers faces, Brax knew Kyle was desperate to see Phoebe,
"How ya feeling?" Heath blurted oblivious to the situation,
"Where's Phoebe?" Kyle asked again desperate, stopping Heath in his tracks. None of the brothers could say it, none. The room was deathly quiet, Kyle's eyes filled with tears as he desperately searched his brothers faces for any sign, his checks were flushed and sweat was forming on his forehead. He was in a half sitting position glancing from brother to brother,
"Kyle" Brax said quietly, taking slow steps towards the bed, "there was nothing they could do..."Kyle's tears finally broke free,
"Can I see her?" he choked, struggling to compose himself, Brax's own eyes filled at the pain in his voice, taking the remaining few steps, Brax embraced his brother as he broke down. Casey and Heath huddled to the side, not knowing what to do, after a while, Kyle composed himself to pull away, Brax held his younger brothers head in his hands and look him in the eye,
"Mark took her to Melbourne," Kyle again struggled with his pain and tried to move away but Brax wouldn't let him go,
"I...killed...her?"
"No no no!" Casey said rushing to his other side, "Mark did! He was in the car behind!"
Kyle's eyes flew up to meet Brax's,
"Then why did he take her?"
"We had no proof Kyle, nothing..."
"She's gone?" Nodding, Brax held his brother again. Flicking his head towards the door, Heath and Casey left them alone.
Brax stayed with Kyle as he composed himself, he answered questions and filled in gaps. They had sat in silence for over an hour,
"I'm starving," Kyle said slowly,
"Yea, I bet" Brax said relishing the chance to stretch his legs, leaving the room, he took a look back. Kyle was still feverish, his face flushed. He had ditched the sling to get more comfortable and he was staring out the window. Brax left to find him some lunch and was returning when John and Marilyn stopped him in the hallway.
"Oh my gosh, Heath filled us in at the cafe, is he ok? Poor boy, poor Phoebe, Do you know what happened? What can I do?" Marilyn flustered as John rolled his eyes and stopped her endless chatting,
"How is he?" Brax half smiled at the reprieve,
"Gutted. He's struggling a big, still got a fever but he'll come through."
"Well good. Put that hospital food in the bin, here's some good tucker to feed him up on," Marilyn smiled handing a bag of cafe goodies over,
"Thanks, it is much appreciated," Brax smiled walking away to Kyle's room.
xx
Pushing open Kyle's door, Brax's heart leapt from his chest, Kyle's bed was empty. His IV was dangling, dropping the food, he rushed into the bathroom. Kyle's hospital clothes were on the ground a bag that the boy's had there with fresh clothing had been ransacked,
"Shit" Brax cursed rushing towards the carpark where his rental car was, he was about to call Heath when Nate stopped him,
"Everything ok?" Nate asked worried by the look on Brax's face,
"Nah, he's gone" Brax said not wanting to stop,
"Brax, wait, what? He's still in danger of infection, he's still feverish..."
"I know alright, I'm trying to do something about it"
"Was it..." Nate said quickly again stopping Brax,
'Nah, looks like he's taken off," This time Brax didn't stop,
"Yea?" Heath said on the other end of the phone,
"Get Case and get looking. Kyle's done a runner," Brax hung up throwing himself inside of the car, he was about to hit the gas pedal when Alf caught his attention, waving from in front of the car with Irene,
"Everything alright young fella? We were coming to check on young Kyle" Alf leant in the window,
shaking his head, Brax gripped the steering wheel tighter, "He found out about Phoebe and has taken off,"
"Omigod," Irene said from behind, "You go, we'll check the restaurant, surf club and cafe,"
"Thanks. Ring me if you find him,"
"Of course Darl," Irene gently pulled Alf back towards her car.
xxxxxxx
After a few hours of looking, there was no sign of him. Alf had recruited half of Summer Bay as a search party that had combed the small town for any sign.
Heading into the Surf Club, Brax was met by an army of locals, the police and his brothers, all looking dejected,
"Maybe we need to consider that something else happened to Kyle," Alf said quietly,
"What are you talking about?" Brax looked around the room and realized what they had been talking about before he came in, "He would not off himself," Brax said sternly, looking around the room again, this time no one would meet his eyes, "he wouldn't! It was Mark Nicholson..."
"We checked security footage from the hospital Brax, he walked out on his own accord and hailed a taxi," Nate said quietly,
"We all know he misses Phoebe" Heath said watching as Brax turned to face him,
"We wouldn't do it" with that, Brax left in search of his younger brother,
"What's this about Phoebe's dad?" Dex asked,
Sighing, Heath filled them in on what happened.
xxxxxxxx
Sitting in his car, Brax breathed deeply to control his anger, pulling out his phone he ran the one person he would listen to,
"Brax?"
"Ricky" he closed his eyes at the sound of her voice,
"We know everything and are on our way back,"
"No, Don't..."
"Too late Darryl Braxton" Brax heard Bianca's stern reply and smiled,
"I can't find him Rick, I just don't know what to do. They all think he's committed suicide but I know he hasn't, he wouldn't"
"Then he hasn't." She said, "Look, he loved her more than anyone else, right? He can't be with her so he's gone to the place that means the most to them, that brings back her memory alive to him. Think Brax, where did you go after Charlie?" Mentioning Charlie hurt Ricky more than Brax. Brax loved her, Ricky knew that, but he would always love Charlie more,
"I know where he is" Brax said hanging up the phone.
xxxxx
It was nearly dark by the time Brax entered National Park, it didn't take him long to find the crash site. Someone had taken out fresh flowers and a guitar and laid them on the side of the road. He quickly texted Casey and told him his theory before leaving his car on the side of the road. Brax shivered in the night air, walking towards the edge of the ridge, he found a lone figure leaning against a tree next to the river. Heath's ute had been towed and the only sign of the accident was some debris left behind. Carefully making his way down the muddy ridge, Brax slowly walked towards Kyle. His head was resting against a tree staring at the river, his cast was dirt and wet, his clothes were damp from the light drizzle falling but his face was still flushed,
"I should have died" he said quietly still staring at the river,
'Nah," Brax shook his head, "Nobody should have" Brax crouched down in front of Kyle and absently played with some grass, "I've been there Kyle, when I lost Charlie all I wanted to do was swap places, I still would. But we can't, Phoebe was a free spirit, now she really is free mate. Love her for eternity but let her go," Kyle looked at Brax and was surprised to find tears falling,
It's so hard,"
"I know, God knows I know" Brax smiled, "We can't change what happened, but honour her by living,"
"I just want to say goodbye," Kyle's tears fell as he said those words, "To tell her how much I loved her, and that she was my world. When everyone doubted me, she didn't. She completed me, Brax, I've never felt so empty, ever..." Brax pulled Kyle into his arms and let his brother cry. No words were needed.
Eventually Kyle pulled away, "Thanks for coming," Standing up, Brax gently pulled Kyle up with hi,
"No more disappearing huh? Especially with a fever" Grinning, Kyle accepted the slight slap to the head.
Heading up the ridge, Brax was about to call the others when he noticed a black van parked behind his car.
"Whose that?" Kyle asked to be greeted by a sound that slowed time down that night...
A gunshot.