[DISCLAIMER: I do not own Home & Away or the characters, but I do own any plots or characters I have made up]

Ella awoke in an unfamiliar room, and all she saw was white. Am I dead? Were the first thoughts that came to mind but then she started blinking slowly, trying to see more. It was a hospital room – but why was she in a hospital room?
Ella thought back as far as she could remember - Indi slamming the door in her face - taking some drugs – seeing Brax and Charlie together – sitting down on the rocks and Heath Braxton annoying her with his arrogance. And then nothing, it was blank.

Ella opened her eyes fully this time, and saw someone sitting in a chair not too far from her bed. Heath Braxton jumped off the chair as soon as he saw she was awake and called out for the doctor.
Sid was in there momentarily, flashing lights in Ella's eyes and making sure everything was alright but she just wanted to know what happened.
"Everything looks good Ella, but considering you hit your head I'd like you to stay overnight for observations"
Ella looked at Heath with confusion written over her face and then back to Sid "What the hell happened? Can somebody please tell me?"

Sid sighed and looked at Heath "Well Mr Braxton since you're the hero in all this, why don't you tell her. I'll be back in a couple of minutes" Sid said as if he'd rather not come back and talk to his best friend's daughter who he slept with. Heath stood next to the bed and told her the story
"Well even after I told you to come down from the rocks, you fell against some and hit your head and I found you floating against them. I got you on my board, but you were still out of it, and once we were on shore that Romeo kid came running over with a few others, then the bloody ambulance was taking too long so I took you in my ute"

"You?" Ella said as if Heath could not be capable of such thing, helping someone outs. Heath shrugged, with a mischievous smile on his face "I amaze myself". Ella then fell silent, thinking to herself about what had happened to her and wondered if the two people who meant the world to her knew where she was and most importantly, did they even care?

But little did she know, Brax was standing just outside her hospital room door, where he looked up and saw Indi running towards him "Is she okay?" she said as she tried to catch her breath.
"Your Dad said that it was just had a knock on the noggin' but she'll be alright" he answered her.
Indi nodded slowly at the door, contemplating if she should go see Ella but decided not too, that she was serious about them not being friends anymore. Ella betrayed her in the worst way ever, she was thankful she wasn't hurt but still. Indi turned around, walking for the exit before she ran into her father who she still wasn't talking too.

Brax took a deep breath in and pushed open the hospital door, seeing Heath talk to Ella. As soon as Brax entered, Heath looked down at Ella and knew it was time for him to leave even though he would LOVE to stay and watch them fight.
"That's my cue" he said and then he was gone. Brax pulled the chair over to the side of her bed, pulling his hands over the back of his neck, sighing out loud "Sid told me they found drugs in your system"
His tone sounded like a disappointed father in his daughter, and Ella felt terrible; so bad she couldn't meet his eyes when he talked to her.
"What are you even doing here? I thought you didn't care about me anymore"
Brax paused for a long moment and he finally spoke making Ella turn her face and look at him "I do care about you...but..." he began to say but before Ella could interrupt him "It's over. I get it" and then she turned her face away again, so he could not see the tears forming in her eyes. Brax stood up and walked towards the door but before he opened it, he looked back at Ella who was still turning away from him.

A couple of days had passed since Ella had been let out of hospital and she stayed in her hotel room the whole time, staring down at her phone at her contacts but she kept scrolling down to the same ones
1. Indi
2. Brax
3. Her drug supplier and to her dismay, Heath – What did this mean? Ella thought to herself.

Ella sat down in her favourite spot on the beach, watching the wave's crash against the sand. She looked up from her phone as she waited for a call and saw Heath with some of his River boy followers. They saw her watching them, so they started calling her names such as skank and easy. Ella had enough of their rubbish so got up and started to walk up the path towards the diner when Heath called out, half running to catch up to her.
"What you down here for? Haven't you been all cooped up in your hotel room, crying over Brax?" Heaths remark hit her hard but she wouldn't let him know that.
"I'm meeting someone" she said casually, looking off into the distance so he couldn't see the hurt in her eyes as he mentioned Brax's name.

Heath cocked his eyebrow, grinning widely "is it Doctor love?" he asked, implying she was meeting with Sid. Ella rolled her eyes and continued walking but stopped when Indi appeared out of the diner, probably just finished her shift.
Heath watched on, as he was intrigued about what was going to happen between the two old friends.
Indi saw Ella straight away and turned around, but Ella screamed for her to stop
"Please Indi, can't you forgive me?" she asked once she finally caught up to her. Indi laughed sarcastically, crossing her arms over her chest defensively
"I can't believe this, you're the biggest hypocrite Ella. When my Mum ran off with my ex, you were there for me saying how terrible it was but then you go do the exact same thing with my Dad"
Indi looked down at her feet for a second and Ella patiently waited for her to finish, hoping she would forgive her
"I hate you" were the words that slowly and meaningly crept out of Indi's lips. Ella went to say something but nothing came out, she couldn't think straight and then Indi walked away. Ella slowly turned back around and saw that Heath was still watching "Enjoy the show?" she yelled at him, walking into the diner before he could retaliate with a smartass comment.

After getting the phone call she had been waiting for, Ella finished up her milkshake and walked back down to the beach where she was meeting 'her friend' and much to her dismay again, Heath was still there but by himself this time, washing his board under the beach shower.
Ella stood rubbing her arms as the cold southerly wind came up from the surf and saw her 'friend' approaching

"Hello gorgeous" the friend greeted. The guy was in his early 20s, and had the whole bad boy thing going on for him but it was different to the River boys, he was more city than surfer. Ella nodded back at him, continuing to rub her arms
"I thought you gave this up Ella? After what happened back in the city and by the way you still owe me some money, not including todays"
Heath watched on carefully, as the tall random guy and Ella spoke and by the looks of it; he meant business.
Ella got out her purse and handed him $100, he took it and studied it with a confused facial expression
"You know this ain't covering all of your debt Ella and you know if I don't get my money, it won't end pretty for you"
He said brushing the side of her face, making her shiver "I don't have all the money at the moment. I got kicked out of my friends house so I'm staying at a hotel"

Heath didn't like this guy laying one finger on her, so he headed down towards them just as it started to turn nasty.
"That's not good enough for me Ella" he said grabbing the side of her arm, pulling her towards him
"Hey everythin' alright here?" Heath said walking towards them, making the guy release his grip on her arm.
The guy turned to Heath with a grin on his face "Everything's fine mate" and then he turned back to Ella "I mean it Ells, I want my money by tomorrow. I'll be in touch"
Heath watched as the guy walked up the path onto the peer and then turned all his attention to Ella "Whats up with you too?" he asked
Ella started biting her nails, worry written across her face. Chris was one of the main reasons why she had left the city and came to Summer Bay and now she was right back where she started. Ella looked at Heath unsure of what to say, should she tell him what was happening? Could he help?
"It's nothing for the likes of you to worry about" she decided to say and shook her head at her previous thought. As if Heath Braxton would help her with her troubles, if any Braxton would it would be Brax.

The next day Ella still didn't have the money for Chris and time was running out. Sure Ella had some money but not that much to just throw away, after all she was staying in a hotel now by herself. Brax looked up from the cash register as he smelt that same perfume and saw Ella approaching him. He could tell by the look on her face that she wasn't herself probably still recovering from the incident at the beach the other day he thought. He waited for her to say the first word but she just kept looking down at her hands
"You alright?"
She didn't reply and Brax knew there was something wrong. Then her phone started ringing, and by the look on her face Ella didn't want to answer but did. Brax over heard Ella saying to the person to meet at her hotel room in half an hour and then she hung up.
Ella glanced up from her phone to Brax, wanting to tell him what was happening but couldn't bring herself to do it, she can handle it herself.

Half an hour had passed and Brax was wiping up some wine glasses when his younger brother Heath walked into Angelos with a few of the River Boys strolling behind him. He casually made his way over to he bar, slumping his elbows down onto the bench
"I saw some guy hasselin' your girl down at the beach"
Brax looked up from what he was doing, giving Heath his full attention "Looked like he meant business to" Heath added before walking away to his mates. As he did, he knew Brax was worried and could help her but he couldn't really, he wasn't that type of bloke or was he? His feelings for Ella were developing rapidly, but he knew nothing would come of it because of Ella was still hung up on Brax.

Ella paced around her hotel room, looking over on her bed where only half of the money she owed Chris was lying. All she kept thinking back too was in the city, how her drug problems had caused her leave in the first place and how was she going to get out of this one? Then a knock on the door startled her and she quickly went to answer it.
"Elisabeth, nice to see you again" he said walking into her hotel room, looking around as he did "Nice place you've got here, Mummy and Daddy paying for it I guess?"

"Sort of" she replied walking over to the bed, picking up the money "Here". Chris took the money, counting it as she walked him towards the door.
"Ell, Ell, Ell. This isn't the right amount and you know that" he said shutting the door after Ella had just opened it for him to leave.
Ella started to plead with him
"That's all I could get right now Chris, if I could have a few more days..." she began to say but he started to tsk at her "This isn't going to work, you know that. Why don't you just ring up Daddy dearest?"
She shook her head, leaning up against the wall "We aren't exactly on speaking terms after I left the city..."
Chris moved a tiny bit closer to Ella, looking around the expensive looking hotel room "Then how do you pay for this?" he asked putting some hair behind her ear.
Ella's jaw dropped and she slapped his hand away"I don't sell myself or anything like that!" she said backing up away from him " do have some savings just I need to pay off this week's room and then I'll give the rest to you, I swear". Chris thought about her proposal for second and then a smirk appeared on his face
"I have another idea of how you can repay me right here and now" he said looking at her and the bed.
Ella shook her head and crossed her arms over her chest "No way, it's time you left Chris" he laughed, starting to walk towards her "Ella you have to repay me in some way and if you do this, all your debt will be cleared. I promise"

He slid his finger down the side of her face, she tried to move but he grabbed her wrists making her squeal in pain and she closed her eyes, hoping it would make it go quicker but then her eyes sprung open as someone knocked on her door. Chris let go of her wrists as the door opened and Brax appeared, and by just the first glimpse of him Chris knew not to mess with him. Ella felt such relief when she saw those blue eyes stare at her, making sure she was okay.
"I think it's time you left" Brax warned him. Chris moved towards him though, trying to show he wasn't scared
"I ain't leaving til the bitch gives me my money"
Brax got out his wallet, flicking through a couple of hundred dollars "This will do for now and she'll mail you the rest" Brax said shoving the money into the guys chest. Chris nodded, then looking back at Ella "Next week Ella I want my money" and then he left.

Brax put his wallet back into his pocket and looked up at Ella who was still up against the wall "Did he hurt you?"
Ella snapped out of it and slowly shook her head, scratching her hair at the same time. Brax sighed, rubbing his forehead "Drugs Ella? Really?" he asked her.
Ella rolled her eyes, going back to her old self "Don't be a hypocrite Brax, I know you're in the business"

Brax put his hands on his hips still shaking his head "But I don't want to be apart of that, I'm trying to get my family out of it and I know you don't want to be involved". Ella sat herself down on the bed, saying nothing. Brax waited a moment then decided to go join her "Why didn't you come to me?" he asked looking into her emerald eyes.
"How could I after all that's happened with us?"
Brax went to put his arm around her but decided it might give the wrong idea, that he still wanted to be with her.
"I'll always be here for you, I still do care" he said with the warmest smile he could possibly form. Ella lightly smiled back at him but right then it finally sunk in with her. They were no longer together, but they could still be friends.

After Brax left her hotel room, Ella sat down on the edge of her bed again thinking back on the past couple of weeks. She had screwed things up majorly with everyone she scared about and knew right then and there that she had to clean up her act. First things first – figure out a way to pay back Brax and Chris, mend her friendship with Indi and lastly, figure out why the hell she kept thinking about Heath and how he had saved her life when after all he was famous for not giving a rats ass about anyone besides himself, what the hell did it all mean?

Authors Note- Not very pleased with how this chapter turned out, what did you's think? I'm really cut because I had this epic idea for the next chapter coming up but I have just seen on the Home & Away website that they're going to be doing something similar (i.e A HUGE STORM IS COMING...) , so I don't know if I should keep my old idea.

Also the Ella/Brax chapter is coming to a close so alot of you will be happy about that and the Ella/Heath chapter is about to begin. Who think Indi should forgive Ella?

As always let me know what you think :)

Let me know what you think!