[I do not own Home and Away or their characters, but I do own any characters or plots I have made up]


After the past couple of weeks, the events which occurred had changed the Bay. Everyone was on edge, not just the women but also the men – there was a rapist on the loose. The police had no leads so Brax and Heath, along with the River boys were beginning to use their own sources and seek out the perpetrator and have him dealt with their own way.

On the outside, Ella looked as though she was starting to get her life back on track. Ella returned to work at the RSL for a few nights a week and whenever anyone asked how she was going, or if they gave Ella that sympathetic look she would smile politely, and answer as if nothing had ever happened. The relationship between Brax had improved and by that, it meant they could now be alone with each other but Ella would still flinch whenever he'd go to touch her. Ella couldn't bare the thought of letting anyone know just how much she was struggling deep down inside – at night when Irene or Bianca would check in on her, Ella would close her eyes, pretending to be asleep but as soon as her eyes shut, the nightmares would begin. Not just nightmares of the recent attack but everything came flowing back from Mr McKinley. Bianca wasn't being fooled by Ella's acts and had noticed the food in the bin in her room so she wasn't eating and heard the cries in the middle of night – she had to do something about it.

As Brax came out of the surf, soaking from head to toe he saw the blonde school teacher approach him. Bianca looked around for the rest of the River boys but saw none, not even Heath
"Where's Liam nowadays?" Brax casually asked, as he began to towel himself dry. Bianca uncomfortably looked down at her fidgeting hands; she'd really wished Brax hadn't noticed Liams non existence over the past few days.
"He's gone to the City for a few weeks, to spend some time with his son." Bianca reluctantly answered him. Brax could tell by the look on her face, it must be a permanent move.
"Since when did he decide this?" he asked.
Bianca turned away, looking out into the ocean "After Ella's party, we had an argument and he told me he'd been thinking about going for a while now and I told him I couldn't just get up and leave..."
Bianca drifted off, not wanting to talk anymore about the break up "So after I heard about what happened to Ella... I didn't think it was important for me to tell everyone we had broken up".
Brax nodded awkwardly, waiting for the real reason why Bianca had come to talk to him
"I'm worried about Ella. I know she's putting on a brave face for everyone, but I know her too well..."
Brax interrupted Bianca, agreeing "I know. She needs help".

Ella stood gazing at the ground as the band behind her, tested our their instruments for tonight's performance. Flashes of the attack rummaged through her mind and she kept thinking how useless she had been while telling Charlie and the others what had happened. Ella couldn't be of any help! The only thing she managed to do was get some DNA under her nails, but they wouldn't even get the results from the City for a few weeks. One moment she was blissfully happy – Ella had the most amazing birthday ever and the next, it had turned into a nightmare. That face hiding behind a black bandana, staring at her and she couldn't do a thing about it. As soon as they attack happened, she tried to scream but it was useless – he had one hand over mouth and the other holding both her arms together.
"Ella?"
She was brought back down to earth, blinking a few times when she saw Bianca and Brax standing in front of her. After telling the band to have a 5 minute break, the three of them sat down at a table with Bianca and Brax facing Ella.
"What's going on? I know those faces..." She asked looking from one concerned face to the other.
Bianca waited for Brax to take the lead but for once in all the time she had known him, he kept quiet. Bianca took a deep breath as she clutched her hands together.
"We're worried about you..."
Ella could see straight away where this was going and shot up off the chair, nearly knocking it over.
"Please just hear us out! We just want what's best for you. You need to deal with this" Bianca said, keeping her composure. Ella half laughed, crossing her arms over her chest "I need to do with this? And how do you suppose I deal with it? As you know, this is not the first time something like this has happened to me! You'd have thought I could protect myself more, but I am useless! I don't know who attacked me! And I couldn't tell the police anything that could lead them..." Ella paused peering up with her teary eyes "How am I meant to deal with this?"
Brax got up and slowly walked over next to her
"There's a group where you can go and talk bout' what happened to ya with women who've had the same sort of thing..."
Ella shook her head
"There is NO WAY I am going to some pathetic meeting to listen to other horrible stories about rape! WHAT GOOD COULD THAT DO?!" she said beginning to back away from them "How about you two let me deal with this... like I always do... by myself".

Ella made her way along the boardwalk, and found herself near the Surf club where the attack happened. Once again, flashes came spiralling back to her but then her train of thought was somewhere else. Off in the distance, she saw something she recognised... a black Harley Davidson was parked over two car lanes.
"Tallis?" Ella said to under her breath and found herself running towards the motorbike, in the hope that she wasn't mistaken. But as the bike drew nearer, and nearer her hope frizzled "Well well well"
Ella jumped when she heard the voice behind her and saw Bandit grinning as he walked over to his bike. Ella tried to keep her smile but something wasn't right with the way Bandit was watching her.
"What are doing here?" she asked him, looking to see if anyone was around. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up as Bandit shrugged casually
"I'm in the area for some business..." was all he said as he leant up against the bike "I always liked the scenery in Summer Bay..." He added, eyeing her up and down with a cocky look upon his face. It hit Ella like a tone of bricks – around Bandits neck was a black bandana and it all came rushing back to her. Bandit casually got up from the bike, gliding over to her "You still hang around with those good for nothin' River Boys? Haven't you've gone through them all by now?"
Bandit cunningly smiled and Ella knew straight away that Bandit knew she knew what he had done to her.
"You were always so flirty with me Ella, even when you were with Tallis... but you wouldn't give me the time of day..." He said getting closer and closer. Ella froze, she had no idea why! "No wonder those guys fought over you..." he said caressing a bruise on her arm from the attack
"You know how long I had wanted to be with you?" He added, as he took in the smell of her hair and Ella tightly closed her eyes
"I know you enjoyed it as much as I did... and lets just keep it our little secret. Wouldn't want Tallis or your precious River boys to know...".

Later on that night Brax and Bianca were chatting in Angelo's about the phone call they'd gotten from Charlie earlier.
"If I see that guy..." Brax said in a trance, shaking his head side to side but stopped instantly when he saw Charlie and Ella walk up the stairs.
"Watson and a few other offices are heading to the hotel in Yabbi Creek which Bandit is apparently stayin at..."
Ella sat down next to Brax, much to his surprise considering how on edged she'd been with him lately.
"What happens now?" Bianca asked. Charlie informed them they would be getting an arrest warrant signed by a judge first thing tomorrow. Ella thought she could sit there and listen to this but she couldn't.
"I'm waiting down stairs". And off she went. As she found herself at the bottom of the stairs, the surf club was in complete darkness because it was after hours. Ella got out her mobile to act as a light when someone came up behind her.
"I hear the cops are looking for me"
Bandit stood behind Ella, with his hand over her mouth and one around her chest "I thought we had fun together. It's okay though, because I know you loved every second of it. Because being the little slut that you are, that won't be the last time".
He said then turned her to face him "You be careful Red, I'll be seeing you". Once he was out of sight, Ella screamed at the top of her lungs and Brax came sprinting down the stairs.
"He was here! He was right here!"
Brax grabbed her in his arms as she stood shaking. Charlie phoned her partner, letting them know what had happened.
"What did he say?"
Ella said nothing, accept passed over her mobile phone. Charlie looked down and saw a recording and pressed play. Bianca looked up with shock "You recorded it?"she asked. Ella nodded, she still couldn't speak. Charlie examined the phone and saw the button on the side with took recorded "This is great Ella, we'll get him with this. You've done so well".

Heath barged through Irene's kitchen door to see Bianca, Irene sitting with Ella on the lounge with Charlie sat on the other with Brax standing in the corner.
"How could you let this happen!" Heath yelled, making his way over to Charlie who stood up instinctively
"You were upstairs at Angelo's while Ella was downstairs at the Surf club with him?! I thought you were meant to be a cop!"
"Heath, please" Irene pleaded with him to calm down. He looked over at her and then down at Ella, who looked as though she was about to fall apart. Brax was now by his side, ready to drag his brother away if he had to. Heath clenched his jaw, and kept his cool "Where have ya been all night? I've left ya a million voice messages". Brax said, shoving Heath away from the women.
"I've been busy!" He said with a blunt tone and continued to talk back to Charlie "What are ya's gonna do bout him now huh? Just let him go I guess because thats what you's are good at!"
Charlie explained to him that there will be an arrest warrant tomorrow morning and that everyone should get some sleep. Heath turned away, walking back from where he came but before he did, Ella and him shared a look. Irene helped Ella to her room with Bianca while Brax and Charlie stood in silence.
"I'll sleep when he's dead" Brax whispered as soon as Bianca was out of sight.

It was close to 4am but Ella was wide awake. Bianca had just shown Charlie out as Irene headed off to bed and Brax stood in the doorway of Ella's room
"I promise you..." he said sitting down on the edge of the bed "That he will not get away with this"
Brax moved towards her but stopped halfway when she flinched away. He looked into her eyes and saw nothing but fear. He slowly moved forward again, and kissed her forehead "I promise".

Irene awoke to the ringing of the home phone. After talking to Charlie for a few minutes, Irene hung up and in a daze, walked to Ella's room but she wasn't there. Irene then heard the front door close shut and Bianca appeared
"Where have you been?"
Bianca told her she'd gone for a walk but stopped once she noticed the look on Irene's face "Where's Ella?!"
Just then Ella climbed in through her window "Where have you been!?" Bianca said, running to her side.
"I had to clear my head..."
Irene was still in awe at what Charlie had told her on the phone and waited for the girls to stop talking but Bianca wouldn't stop asking Ella where she'd been.
"Charlie was just on the phone." Bianca and Ella's head shot up and stared at Irene "They went to arrest Bandit at his hotel..." But Irene couldn't form the words properly
"... they found him there... dead."


Next time...
Everyone in the Bay is a suspect, but who really killed Bandit?


Authors Note - I'm so sorry it's taken me a while to update! I wanted this chapter to be longer but I I got tired of it and just wanted to finish it. I know some of you's guessed who attacked Ella, but now the question is... who killed Bandit?

What do you think will happen next? There's stilll so much to happen in the next couple of chapters so keep reviewing and letting me know what you like/hate/think will happen/hope will happen!

Thanks to everyone who are still reading this story, it means so much to me :)