Ada leant forwards onto the kitchen side. She took a deep breath. Sweat beads formed on her head.

Heath trundled into the kitchen and yanked the fridge open. "Where did you go this morning?"

Ada didn't move. "Nowhere." She replied, in between shallow breaths.

Heath looked at her with concern and moved closed. "Jeez. You alright? You look as white as a ghost."

Ada closed her eyes and swallowed. "Yeah. I'm fine."

Heath grimaced. "Ah, jeez. You're not preggers are you?"

"Ah, shut up Heath!" She pushed off the counter, wincing at the pain in her hand. Her bandage was coated with a mix of red and dark brown stains.

His glance fell to it and he grimaced. "Ew Ad, what's that?"

She shielded her arm from him. "It's nothing. I cut my hand at the restaurant. No big deal."

She moved away from him but swayed unsteadily on her feet.

"Woah, hey." Heath jumped forward and steadied her from behind. Concern spread across his face.

She pushed him away. "I'm fine."

He studied her carefully and grumbled. "Nah, you're not. I'll take you to the hospital."

"Forget it."

He glared at her and wrapped his hand around her arm, steadying her. "Ad, don't argue with me." He hissed. "Let's go."

She shuffled begrudgingly out the door.


Ada sat on the hospital bed whilst the doctor attended to her wounded hand. Heath leaned against the wall, his arms crossed across his chest.

"Ada," the doctor said with concern, "These cuts are really deep. When did this happen?"

"Yesterday."

"There's a lot of dirt inside, it's badly infected. You should have come to us as soon as this happened."

She dodged his eye contact.

Heath stepped forward. "Well, what's the go, Doc? Can you fix it?"

The doctor nodded in acknowledgement. "Ada's got some serious lesions to her hand. Because they've gone untreated, they've become infected." He turned back to Ada and looked at her plainly. "You've developed blood poisoning."

"Ah, way to go, you idiot!" Heath yelled.

Ada didn't look up at him as he paced the room.

The doctor continued. "We need to keep you here and get you on a course of antibiotics to prevent the progression of septicaemia. You're lucky you're here now. This could only get worse."

Heath's phone buzzed in his pocket, he scooped it out and read the caller ID. "Brax." He said, and disappeared into the corridor.

The doctor sterilised her wounds.

Ada winced.

He gave her an apologetic smile. "Because the infection has spread to the blood, you'll need to stay here until the antibiotics take effect and your symptoms subside. So, just sit back and relax for now. I'll be back to set up the drip."

He stood up and took the used equipment out of the room.

Ada shuffled back on the bed.

Heath re-entered with a frown.

"What did Brax say?" Ada asked tentatively.

"He was already looking for you apparently." Heath walked to the other side of the room, stewing on a thought. He turned back to her. "Did you go to the prison to see Kyle?"

Ada sighed and shifted uncomfortably. "I think I liked it better when he didn't know I existed." She muttered.

"Why would you do that?!" He shouted.

"I don't know, alright?!" She screamed back.

Heath scowled. "You really think Brax has got time to waste on this, while Casey's losing it?"

"No." She admitted.

"First you get yourself arrested and now you're taking day trips to the prison? Have you lost your mind? Brax has got enough on his plate, you idiot!"

"I know that."

"Then pull your head in!" Heath stormed towards the door. "I'll ring Marco," He spat. "He can pick you up."

Ada pulled the blanket on the hospital bed around her and buried her head into her hands.


Marco opened the door and let Ada in ahead of him. She went to the kitchen and poured herself a glass of water. She set it down and eyed the clean dressing that covered her palm. Marco hovered by her side, his lips pressed into a thin line.

"I know you're mad at me." Ada admitted. "I'm sorry."

"Nah, Ad." Marco responded sarcastically. "I love sleeping by your bedside. Those hospital chairs sure are comfy!"

"I'm sorry."

Marco scoffed. "Sorry doesn't cut it!" He yelled. "You had blood poisoning, Ad. If Heath didn't realise or if Kyle hadn't let Brax know, what did you think would've happened? You could've died!"

"Look, I know it was a dumb decision not to go in the first place."

Marco grumbled and pushed past her. "You've been making a lot of dumb decisions lately."

Ada looked hurt. She swivelled around and wrapped her hands around his stomach. She pressed her head into his back. "I know."

Marco stiffened.

"Please," Ada mumbled. "I'm sorry."

Marco let up, letting his body relax. "I should've made you go." He said softly.

"No." She dismissed. "I wasn't right in the head, nothing could've made me go."

Marco turned and put his arms around her. "It was Casey wasn't it?"

She swallowed. "He's not okay, Marco."

"He's not been okay for a while."

"I don't know how he's gonna get through this if it doesn't work out."

Marco shook his head. "Don't think like that."

Her voice softened. "It could be all my fault."

Marco looked puzzled. "What do you mean, Ad? How is this your fault?"

She dodged his gaze.

He frowned. "What aren't you telling me?"

"Nothing." She shrugged.

The door opened before he could respond, and the pair turned towards it.

Brax entered the living room with Kyle trailing behind him.

"What's going on?" Marco asked, gesturing to Kyle. "You paid his bail?"

"Yep." Brax replied, matter of factly.

Marco let out an aggrieved sigh and shook his head. "You're kidding."

Casey walked in to the kitchen, large bags hung under his eyes. He froze at the sight by the door.

"What the hell is this?" He croaked.

Brax scratched his forehead.

"Brax?!" Casey yelled.

Brax sighed and offered a shrug. "I tried to ring ya."

Casey shook his head in disbelief. He charged forward, straight at Kyle. He grabbed him by his t-shirt and raised his fist.

Kyle's face contorted in aggression, but he resisted the urge to fight back.

Marco raced forward and pulled Casey from behind.

Brax leapt in front of them and pushed Kyle backwards. "Settle down!" He ordered.

Casey struggled against Marco's restraint. "He tried to kill me! He's the reason I missed my court date!"

"Yeah, Case, I know!" Brax responded. "But he confessed to the cops. He's the reason you're out."

"He's the reason I was in there in the first place!" Casey raged.

"You think I don't know that?!"

"Look," Kyle said calmly, "I just want a chance to know my family."

"Ah! You've got to be kidding me!" Casey exclaimed. He threw a fist at the wall, smashing through the plaster. He stomped out of the house, barging past Brax.

Marco shot a glare at Kyle and then nodded at Brax. "I'll have a word." He walked out the door, after Casey.

Brax sniffed and gestured to the couch. "Dump your stuff, eh?" He told Kyle.

In all the commotion, Ada had barely moved from where she stood next to the kitchen table.

Brax looked to Ada, an aggrieved expression on his face. "Did you get it sorted?" He asked abruptly.

"Yeah." Ada said. "I'm fine."

Brax shook his head. "Yeah, you better keep it that way." He hissed at her and then shuffled down the hall.

Kyle slung his backpack onto the sofa. His glance shifted to her hand. "You alright?" He asked her.

She nodded. "I have to say, I didn't take you for a snitch."

He held his hands up in defence. "I was worried about you, okay? You seemed off… but you look better now."

She pulled at her dressing. "Yeah, apparently you're not meant to leave wounds untreated." She gave him a comical shrug. "They get all gross and then you get blood poisoning."

"The hospital sorted it?"

"Yeah, they gave me antibiotics."

He took a step towards her. "Bet the hangover didn't help."

She frowned. "What?"

"When I saw you at the prison. You'd had a big night, right?"

"What's your problem?" She snapped.

He took another step towards her. "Nothing." He took a breath. "I just wanna know you're alright."

"Why?"

He shrugged.

"Did you mean what you said?" She asked. "About being part of this family?"

He nodded. "Yeah."

"You've got a funny way of showing it." She said fiercely.

He scoffed and nodded. "I'm trying to change that."

She looked him up and down. "Well then… welcome to the big, happily family." She said sarcastically.

She strode past him and disappeared down the corridor.