Hi, just wanted to say thank you for all the reviews I am getting on this story, long and short, I love reading them to know what people think about it. Here's the next chapter :)

WARNING - MENTIONS OF SELF HARM AND SUICIDE

Once Heath had finished at the police station, he decided against looking through the police file at his house incase Darcy saw it, so took it over to the house, hoping he wouldn't bump into Brax as he was still mad at him. Unfortunately for him, Brax was sat on the couch feeding Emilia, so he went over to the table instead. It wasn't long after that Casey got home, surprised to see him there.

"Denny's doing fine in Angelo's, she's picked it up pretty fast." Casey says to Brax, who nods.

"I thought she would. Was Rosa okay training her?" Brax asks.

"Yeah, they're getting on like a house on fire." Casey says, glancing over at Heath before walking to the table. "What's all this?" He asks, looking over all the pieces of paper sprawled across the table.

"Lillie's case file. I got it from the police earlier." Heath says, briefly glancing up from the statements.

"How did you get it, and why?" Casey frowns.

"I spoke to Kat and McCarthy about doing another search. McCarthy agreed to it and Kat and Emerson are going to be helping. I'm going to go through the files and see which towns now have new parents and babies in, then Kat and Emerson will go and check it out." Heath explains.

"But it's been ages, who's to say she hasn't changed loads since you last saw her. She's definitely going to be a lot bigger." Casey says, looking at the photo of his niece that the police used for the missing poster.

"What's the one thing Kyle used to easily pick Lillie out from any other kid at that mum and baby group he went to?" Heath says.

"The fact that Kyle said she was the only non-vegan baby?" Casey half heartedly jokes.

"The birthmark on her shoulder." Brax says from where he was sat feeding Emilia on the couch, even though he still wasn't talking to Heath.

"A birthmark that all the midwives and baby doctors at the hospital said was extremely unique in shape and colour." Heath says.

"You know they're not called baby doctors, right?" Casey says, getting a glare in reply. "How is it going to help us find Lillie? We can't check every single baby to see if they've got a birthmark on their shoulder."

"That's why we're going start by checking what towns have new parents in them and take it from there. We can also see who has a connection to the Bay within the last two years, and see if they've now got a kid." Heath says.

"And how are you going to do that?"

"That's where Kat and Emerson come in. McCarthy has given them permission to use some police resources which will save a heap of time searching through towns again. When they find something of use, we're going to check it out."

"Say something did come up, and you found Lillie, what if the social services decide she can't come home to us, to Kyle?" Casey asks, not wanting it to backfire for his brothers sake.

"They won't. It's already been proven this wasn't Kyle fault, or a retaliation towards us. They have nothing on us to take her away, and we've got the cops on our side." Heath says.

"Well I hope this works and you do find her, we can't have Kyle go back to his old ways." Casey says.

"He won't be." Brax defiantly says. "We know the signs now, and he's getting help."

"Do you think he's doing okay there?"

"Yeah, he had Bruiser or Bruno, whatever that puppy's name was." Brax says, lightly smiling at the how quick Kyle bonded with him.

"Does that mean we can get a puppy now?" Casey asks.

"No, Casey! We are not getting a dog." Brax firmly says.

"Even if it means Kyle continues doing well after he gets out of the clinic?"

"Yes, he'll be fine." Brax says.

He wished it was true because he didn't want to go through that again. Seeing Kyle bleed out like that nearly killed him. Even thought he didn't make it known, his brothers were his world and he wouldn't be able to cope without them. Kyle was no different, and he cared more about him now, Kyle needed them to be able to carry on without Lillie around. He would always need them, despite the differences they had in the past.

Kyle's POV

Walking around the field behind the kennels, I felt so alone, so empty. A few days ago, I refused to carry on talking to Pete, completely shutting them all out, so they took Bruno from me. I don't understand why I can't just be with Bruno and heal that way. I don't need them. But without talking to them, I won't get Bruno back and won't be allowed to leave here. I could always try and leave, they can't force me to stay here, but where would I go? I have no idea how we got here, I zoned out most of the drive so I don't even know how long we were driving for or even which way we went.

"Kyle?"

Great, Pete was here again. I bet he's going to guilt trip me into talking to him. He tried using that last time, saying if I wasn't going to do this for myself, then I should for my family. But they don't care, if they did, they'd let me be at home. But Brax left me here by myself just so I wouldn't 'steal' Emilia. Like I would anyway, no kid is ever going to replace Lillie, and I certainly wouldn't put them through the pain of losing her, I know how much it kills.

"Are you ready to talk yet?"

"No." I reply. "I want you to give me my phone so I can leave."

All I needed was my phone so I could find out exactly where I was. It might not even be that far from the Bay, then I could go home and get my things and take off for a new start. That's all I needed, someplace new, where no one knew who I was and what I have been through, that would be nice. I wouldn't have to put up with all these looks of pity and people saying everything's okay when it isn't.

"I can't do that. You're here because you have to be." Pete says, moving to stand in front of me.

"I don't have to be anywhere." I scoff, shaking my head as I scuff my foot against the grass.

"You do, Kyle. A mental health team at the hospital did an assessment, your brothers agreed because they want you to get better."

"No, they wanted me out the picture. They couldn't stand having me around anymore which is why Brax left me here. I should have taken those pills when I had the chance." I mutter, Brax's fault again. If he hadn't walked in, I wouldn't be here now feeling like this.

"What pills?" Pete asks.

"The ones I was going to wash down with alcohol before Brax walked in." I huff. I actually didn't resent him for it, he saved my live and he doesn't even know it. I couldn't hate him, I never would either.

"How long ago was this?" He asks, and I shrug in reply. "Can you tell me about it? Then you can play with Bruno if you like, he could do with some friendly company." Pete lightly smiles.

I could really do with Bruno right now. I scoff again at the thought. I needed a dog. Things really had changed since Lillie went missing, I changed. Before, I never would have self harmed, I wouldn't have had thoughts of suicide, I wouldn't be relying on a dog for emotional support. But here I was having done all three.

"I was really struggling because the police just called off the search for Lillie." I start, not believing I was telling him, a stranger. "I had pills in the draw next to my bed, I was about to take them out when Brax came in. I shut the draw before he saw them, but he moved the alcohol away… He stayed with me all night, say everything would be okay and it wouldn't be forever, and I just didn't have the guts to do anything after that. He didn't even know he saved my life. When I cut myself in the bathroom, the last time when I ended up in hospital, I genuinely didn't mean for it to go that far. I just needed to forget, and it helped."

"Have you had any of these urges since?" Pete asks, and in all honesty, I don't know.

"Not really, I don't think so." I mutter, frowning slightly.

"When you next see your brother, I think you should tell him what he did. I think it could help both of you. Your brother knew you needed him, and he was there for you. You still need him." Pete says as we both walk towards the kennels, towards Bruno.