Day 8 – Since Chopper went missing – (7:29am) 11 hours and 26 minutes later…
In the Middle of the Bush
"Happy Birthday." Everyone said as Kyle reappeared from where the toilets were located.
Smiling, Kyle says: "Thank you guys."
"You welcome." Belle said as she gave him a kiss however she suddenly feels how hot Kyle is "Are you ok?"
"Yeah."
"Just you feel a bit hot."
"Just being stuck out here in the sun is making me feel a bit hot that's all." Kyle tells her as he goes over to his stuff.
"If you're sure." Belle says quietly knowing something is wrong with him before walking away with a bag to somewhere quieter.
Beside her, Ryan was packing his stuff in his backpack just as Colby walked over to him after putting the fire out.
"I'm thinking we'll head east." Colby says to the pilot "Along this ridge until we start to decline and then once we get there, we can reassess everything."
"Sounds good." Ryan huffs at him.
"I'm not asking for your approval." Colby states then turns to everyone else "Come on guys, let's get moving."
Walking over to the others, Bianca asks: "Has anyone seen the first aid kit? I can't find it"
Just then Bianca notices Belle just a little bit away from the group, searching through something.
"Belle, what are you doing?" Bianca says grabbing everyone else's attention.
"Looking for another painkiller." Belle explains to her as the others all walk over to where the two of them were standing.
"No, you've already had more than your fair share, give me the bag."
"My arm is killing me I need another one."
"You are not the only one who is in pain." Bianca says slightly raising her voice.
Xavier stands beside them with his back to the edge of the ridge, while Colby is on the other side of them getting ready to break them up if they start to fight, the best they can with a broken arm and wrist.
"Give me the bag." Bianca says going to grab it.
Pulling away from her, Belle says: "No!"
The two of them suddenly start pulling the bag between them but as Colby and Xavier try to break them up, the tugging gets a bit harder and they knock into Xavier.
Everyone watches in horror as Xavier suddenly disappears over the side of the ridge...
Meanwhile…
Summer Bay – Braxton House – Living Room/Kitchen
"So, Brax not here?" Ruby said as Casey put his school stuff into his bag.
"Nope, he wanted to head to the Surf Club so he could be part of the search." Casey sighed as he looked at picture of him and his brothers "It's Kyle's 17th today."
Noticing how sad her boyfriend was, Ruby gave him a hug: "They are going to be found."
"Ruby is right." April said, "I bet when they do find them, they will all still be very much alive and with no major injuries or broken bones."
"See someone is positive." Ruby laughs.
"I hope your both right." Casey said as they walk out the door closing it behind him.
(7:33am) 4 minutes later…
In the Middle of the Bush
After the shock wore off, Colby and Ryan both race down the ridge as carefully as possible so they can help Xavier.
"Xavier!" Colby yells as he climbs down.
"URGH!" Xavier cries out in pain just as Colby and Ryan get to him.
"Xavier it's me, where does it hurt?" Colby asks the teen as he carefully rolls him over.
"He's bleeding." Ryan said as he notices the blood on Xavier's head.
Moving his hands carefully around Xavier's head, Colby says: "It looks like you've bumped your head. Just relax though it's not that bad."
While Colby and Ryan were helping Xavier, the others were watching from the top of the ridge.
"You're going to fine mate." Ryan says as Xavier tries to sit up.
"AHH!" Xavier screams as he lies back down "My ankle, I can't move it."
"Is it broken?" Ryan asks Colby who was nearest to the ankle in question.
Colby moves to the teen's ankle to check it and says: "I don't know."
As Colby touches the ankle Xavier screams again begging for him to stop. Pulling his hand away, he looks to where everyone else was stood: "Err, we're gonna need some help carrying him back up."
Both Rocco and Kyle move to help but the girls pull Kyle back knowing he'd be no help to them three.
"So, you can't move it at all?" Colby asks Xavier just wanting to be sure.
"No." Xavier replies as he breathes through the pain.
"I think it's broken." Ryan quickly says.
"We don't know that." Colby shouts back "Let's get him back to the top."
Eventually Rocco joins them, and they all start to slowly and carefully help to get Xavier back up the ridge so they could check him out properly.
(7:43am) 10 minutes later…
Summer Bay – Surf Club – Main Area
"Where are you concentrating your search?" Ricky asks as her and Dan stand beside Alf and Amanda.
Picking up a map to show them, Alf replies: "South of the headland, it's fairly dense scrub down there, but they'll do their best."
"We figure, if the chopper was blown off course then it may have come down in that vicinity." Amanda informs them of why they chose that area in the first place "So, it's worth a try."
"You're doing an amazing job." Dan tell her.
Ricky nods her head in agreement: "Dan's right and none of this would be happening if it wasn't for you."
"I'm just happy to help. Honestly."
"And everything is definitely alright with the bank?" Dan checks, just wanting to make that she will still be able to support herself and their son "They were cool to free up money from the house?"
"Yeah, yeah. Perfectly." Amanda quickly said before moving away so they couldn't see her face "So, it's all systems go."
The other three just smile her as she continues to say: "I've got a good feeling about this. I know we're going to find them."
(9:45am) 2 hours and 2 minutes later…
Summer Bay – Tony and Rachel's House – Living room/Kitchen
Matilda was currently asleep on the sofa with her head resting on Ric's knee when Lucas moved away from the kitchen.
"Hey." Lucas said quietly to his friend as he sat down on the empty chair.
"Hey," Ric whispered back "You don't have the time, do you?"
"It's quarter to 10 why?"
"Crap, I promised Auntie Morag I would check in on Grandad." Ric said to him as he carefully slid his knees out from under Matilda's head and replaced it with a cushion.
"Go." Lucas tells him "When she wakes up, I'll let her know where you've gone."
"Thanks Lucas." Ric replies then quickly runs out the door.
Watching his friend leave, Lucas gets up to get a bottle of pop from the fridge.
While he's in the kitchen, Matilda suddenly wakes up and starts looking around for Ric.
"Hey, is everything alright?" Lucas asks wandering over to her.
"I forgot where I was for a second." Matilda replies as she continues looking for Ric.
"He had to go and check on Mr Stewart." Lucas informs her as he crouches down beside the sofa.
"Oh, did he say how long he was going to be gone for?"
"No sorry. Although, Ric said you haven't been sleeping very well."
"It's nothing."
"Maybe you should speak to someone?"
"Like who? Rachel? I don't know if you've noticed Lucas but she's kind of lost the plot lately."
"I didn't mean Rachel as I know what's happening maybe Sid?"
"No thanks, I'm alright really."
"You know it's ok to not be, right? Especially with everyone missing."
"Can we not?" Matilda sighs not wanting another conversation about her friends being missing.
"Yeah, sure. Sorry."
"I just, I want to think about something else for a change."
"Well, I've got just the thing." Lucas says as he points at the table.
"You did this for me?"
"Well, not exactly?"
Matilda looks at him with a confused look on her face.
"I set it up at the table while you were asleep on Ric's knee, however Charlie cooked it all except for the toast as I did that."
"Aww, well thank you and I have to thank Charlie too." Matilda says as she sits down at the table "Where is he anyway?"
"Joined the search against dad's wishes."
"Why doesn't that surprise me?"
"Because it's Charlie and he likes to push the boundaries." Lucas laughed.
"I've just realised something."
"What?"
"There's no way I'm going to be able to eat all this on my own." Matilda laughed at him.
"That's because it was for you and Ric but now, I guess I can have his." Lucas says as he passes her a bowl.
Taking the bowl from Lucas, she starts to fill it up with fruit before tucking in.