The Braxtons zipped around the living room, pulling on various items of smart attire. Casey shrugged on his suit jacket and watched as Heath squinted into the mirror, struggling to fix his tie. Ada barged past Brax, who was adjusting his belt.

"Ad?" Heath called. "Is Marco meeting up with the boys first?"

She scrambled around on the floor, groaning with frustration. "How the hell should I know? We haven't spoken." She replied bitterly.

"You lot are on and off like a bloody light switch." Heath muttered.

Ada stood to her feet and threw Heath a look of distain. She turned to Casey.

"Case, I'm going to have to meet you there. I left my court shoes at the restaurant."

Brax grumbled. "When are you going to stop treating that place like a goddam hotel! People eat there for god's sake!" He glanced at his watch. "Ad, you're never going to make it."

She flashed him a smile. "You could give me a lift."

Brax grunted. He looked to Casey and back to Ada. "Case?" He asked. "Are you gonna be alright?"

Casey adjusted his tie. "Yeah, yeah. I'll meet you there."

"Alright." Brax replied. He nodded coolly at Ada and they headed towards the door.

Brax turned back. "Case? You good? You know this is just a preliminary hearing, to set your court date."

"Yeah, I know. I'm fine." Casey insisted.

Brax tapped the door frame and nodded before he disappeared out the door.

The River Boys huddled around the entrance to the courthouse. Ada shifted from foot to foot nervously.

Brax pushed his way through them. "Heath?" He yelled. "Where's Casey?"

"I dunno." Heath replied. "I left after you to meet the boys, he said he was coming on his own."

Brax seethed. "For god's sake!" He walked away from the crowd and scanned the street.

Ada, Heath and Marco followed suit. Ada leaned in towards Brax.

"Where is he?" She asked.

"I have no idea." Brax replied. He punched numbers into his phone. "Damn it, Casey!" He yelled.

Brax exploded out from the courthouse door and tugged on his tie, pulling it loose. Heath and Ada sprinted behind him.

"Brax?" Ada asked.

"I've got to find him," Brax said between hurried breaths, "before the coppers do."

Ada held her hands to her head. Tears watered in her eyes.

Marco emerged from the courthouse. He put a hand on Ada's back. "You okay?" He asked.

She jumped at his touch. "You care now?" She snapped.

"I'm coming with you." Heath declared, turning to Brax.

Brax eyed him, suspiciously.

"He's not just your little brother, jeez." Heath protested. "Now, let's go."

They raced to the yute and climbed inside. It screeched out of the parking bay. Brax rolled down the window and turned back to the courthouse.

Ada and Marco remained frozen in the same spot. Concern stained their faces.

"Marco!" Brax yelled from the yute's window. He nodded towards Ada, without breaking eye contact.

Marco threw a glance to where she stood beside him and gently nodded back.

The yute sped off down the road.

Ada deflated. She ran her hands through her hair.

"C'mon." Marco spoke. "I'll give you a lift."

Marco hovered in the living room, his phone pressed to his ear.

"Yeah, everything's still here. All of his stuff. Ada checked."

Ada rushed into the living room from the hallway. She watched as Marco paced anxiously across the room.

Marco paused listening to the other side of the call. "Yeah," he said, "she went through everything. Alright. Let us know." Marco's eyes flicked to Ada. "Yeah, don't worry about it," he looked away, "I've got it covered."

Marco hung up the phone.

"What did he say?" Ada asked desperately. "They found him?"

"Nah." Marco leaned against the kitchen table. "Ad," he took a deep breath, "they think something else might've happened… someone was tailing the boys last week."

Ada's eyebrows raised in alarm. "What? Who?"

"They don't know. Some bloke."

"You're joking?"

Marco's face remained stern.

Ada sunk into the couch and hung her head. "Oh my god."

Marco swallowed, resisting the urge to sit with her.

She looked to him. "This was my fault."

"Ad-"

"We were going to go together but I left my shoes at Angelo's." Tears pricked her eyes.

Marco rose from the table.

"Idiot!" She yelled at herself.

Marco stepped towards her. She gazed up at him and stood to her feet. A pause lingered between them.

"Get some sleep." Marco said. "I'm going to take the couch."

He walked into the kitchen and poured himself some water.

Ada took a breath, pulling herself together. "Yep." She called out to him and then retreated down the hallway.

Ada took a few steps into the living room.

Marco faced away from her. He was fresh out of the shower, a towel wrapped around his waist. Beads of water rested in his jet black hair, creating a sheen atop of his head.

Her eyes looked him over.

His skin was smooth, his abs as hard as they always were. Though, something was different. The left side of his ribs was decorated with dark ink, a raven. Its body spread down the centre of his side, one of its wings wrapped around his stomach and the other around his back. It couldn't have been more than a few days old.

"That's new." She remarked.

He whipped around, not having noticed that she was watching him. He glanced down at the tattooed raven. "Yeah."

She moved towards him. She reached out and fingered the tattoo lightly.

He tensed.

"It hurt really bad."

"I bet." She erupted into a giggle and their eyes met.

A knock at the door interrupted her laughter. They both turned and stared at it.

She walked cautiously towards the door and cracked it open. She peered her head around the door frame.

"Hey!" She said with surprise.

Jaxson hovered on the other of the door. His face was still faintly bruised. His wounds had not completely healed from Marco's assault.

"Hey." He said plainly.

She shifted awkwardly and threw a glance over her shoulder. She held the door firmly in place, shielding the view of the rest of the room.

Marco loitered inside, listening.

"What are you doing here?" Ada asked.

From inside, Marco watched her. He floated over and stood behind the door.

"I'm not sure really."

She smiled.

Marco twitched.

Ada tried to ignore his presence.

"I heard that you talked to Casey. Thanks." Ada said softly.

"Not sure it was worth it." He replied, pointing to his bruises.

She looked to the ground.

"Do you wanna... do you wanna hang out?" He said timidly.

She lifted her head and met his gaze.

Marco leaned forward and yanked the door open. He stared, eye to eye, with Jaxson.

Jaxson's jaw dropped.

"Marco!" Ada snapped.

She put her arm defensively on the door.

"Go." She ordered.

"Why doesn't he go?" Marco retorted.

"Marco, go!" She hissed.

He took a moment but then slinked away, down the hall.

"I knew it!" Jaxson exclaimed, throwing his arms up in the air. He stormed down the path beside the house.

"Wait!" Ada chased after him. "Casey's missing!" She shouted. "My brothers are looking for him."

The anger disappeared from his face. He froze to the spot.

"What?"

"He didn't show up for his court date and someone was following my brothers around last week." She explained. "Marco's staying here because my brothers told him to, not because I don't think he's an absolute jerk for hurting you."

"What are you going to do?"

Tears pricked her eyes. "I don't know." She shrugged. "There's a warrant for his arrest. We have to find him."

Jaxson paused. "I get it. Let me know if you need anything. I'm really sorry."

He turned away and shuffled away down the path.

Ada watched him go.

Ada closed the door behind her and leaned against it.

Marco walked into the room from the hallway. He'd disregarded the towel and instead wore a pair of black board shorts. He pulled a white t-shirt over his head.

"You think I'm here because Brax told me to be?" He asked.

"Of course you were listening." Ada grumbled. She pushed off the door and walked into the kitchen.

Marco followed. He walked around the mantelpiece and sat against the kitchen table.

"You can't really think that?" Marco asked.

Ada stared out of the window above the sink. She took a deep breath. "What does the tattoo mean?"

Marco shrugged. "The raven's a bird of protection. I got it to remind me of what I am."

She pointed at the air. "You see! There, that's it! I don't need your protection!"

Marco remained calm. "I know that. But, it doesn't mean I don't want to be there for you."

Ada scoffed.

Marco stood up straight. "Damn it, Ad! Ever since I was brought into this family, it's always been about you." He took a breath. "That's what it means."

She filled up a glass of water and gulped it down. She wiped her mouth. "It doesn't change anything." She told him plainly.

"Why does anything have to change?"

She slammed her fists down onto the counter. The plates on the draining board crashed into the sink.

"Because!" She shouted. "Because I want it to! Because I don't want this to be all I will ever be!"

He stepped towards her and put his hand over hers.

He spoke softly. "I want to be next to you, beside you, forever. Like I always have been. Isn't that enough?"

He lifted her chin, so she met his gaze and stroked her hair behind her ear.

"We can't do this right now." She took a step back and took her hand from his. "Casey's missing."

Marco readjusted.

"But, listen," she added, "if you care about me at all, you'll go and apologise to Jaxson."

Marco scoffed.

"I'm serious." She warned.

He shook his head.

She groaned in frustration. "I don't want him, Marco!" She threw her hands in the air. "God, I am so sick of telling boys how to behave." She scratched her head and spoke softly. "He's not a threat to you… but I think I need him as a friend and I'm losing him. I'm losing him because of you."

Marco's eyes softened. He swallowed.

"Alright. You're right."

He stepped toward her, pressed a kiss onto her forehead and disappeared out the door.