Hey guys, the author here. Just wanted to say a quick thank you for sticking with this fanfic and for all the reviews.
(7:40pm) 10 minutes later…
In the Middle of the Bush – With the Group
"Hang in there Belle." Ryan said to the teen while Rocco finished wrapping up her leg and Kyle held her hand.
"Help me." Belle pleaded.
"Hang in there, just hang on." Kyle replied.
Belle continued: "Please help me."
Rocco finished wrapping her leg then looked behind him before turning back to his friend: "I'll be back, alright?"
Ryan and Kyle just nodded in reply.
Standing up, Rocco carefully made his way over to Bianca who was still lying on the ground shivering.
"Are you ok?" Bianca asked as Rocco dropped to his knees beside her.
"Not really." Rocco responded.
"Wh what can I do?"
Ignoring her question, Rocco instead asked: "Are you ok?"
"Yeah." Bianca nodded while continuing to shiver.
Rocco give a half smile then grabbed some sticks and stood back up, walking back to where the others were.
"Okay Belle, I'm just going to splint this. Don't move ok." Rocco told her as he carefully used the sticks to keep her leg from moving.
"Everything hurts Kyle." Belle said looking at her boyfriend "Please make it stop hurting."
"Just breathe in and out Belle." Kyle said as he tried to keep her calm.
"That's it." Rocco said as he notices Belle doing what Kyle said, "You're doing really well."
"UGHHHH!" Belle said as she tried to move.
"Hey, don't move okay. Don't move, just take deep breathes." Rocco reminded her "Come on breath, that's the way Belle."
Rocco quickly what he was doing and used the shoelace from Belle's converse to tie everything into place.
"I don't want to die." Belle suddenly tells them.
Ryan who was sat stroking her hair said: "You're not going to die, you hear me."
"He's right Belle, just don't move and hang in there for me. Everything's going to be ok." Rocco said in agreement.
Meanwhile…
In the Middle of the Bush – With Xavier and Colby
Xavier was currently wrapped up in the sleeping bag as he was freezing when he heard footsteps coming from behind him.
Removing the sleeping bag, Xavier sat up leaning on his arms: "Colby, thank god. I didn't know what I was going to do."
Colby jumped carefully back into the ditch and sat down beside the teen: "It's okay."
"I'm just so glad to see you." Xavier said as he started to cry which caused the cop to give him a hug of reassurance.
"I know, but I would feel a hell of a lot better if I had some water for you." Colby said pulling out of the hug.
Shaking his head, Xavier replied: "It's ok, just as long as you are alright. I'd nearly given up and I kept hearing these strange noises which made me afraid that something was out there and had killed you. Please don't leave me alone again."
"Xav, I'm fine and nothing is going to kill me so don't worry." Colby said trying to calm the teen down "I won't, I promise."
"I'm so scared of dying, I don't want to be along." Xavier told him.
"Hey, I'm back and you aren't alone anymore. We are going to get through this." Colby said as the teen just continued to cry.
(7:46pm) 6 minutes later…
In the Middle of the Bush – With the Group
While Xavier was begging Colby to not leave him alone again, the others where trying to keep Belle warm to help stop the spread of the venom from the spider bite.
"Her breathing's getting worse." Rocco said to Ryan as he heard the wheezing coming from his girlfriend's best friend.
"I know." Ryan replied pulling his coat up to Belle's neck to try and keep her warm.
"What are we going to do?" Rocco asked the pilot.
"Just wait mate. Just wait." Was all Ryan could reply with as they had no other option "You go and be with Bianca, me and Kyle have Belle."
"Are you sure?" Rocco noticing the fact his best friend was being really quiet.
Kyle didn't say anything as he was currently trying to supress the cough that was trying to escape at bay.
"Yeah." Ryan replied.
With that Rocco got up and went to sit beside Bianca.
Sitting down beside Bianca: "Hey, how are you doing?"
"I'm okay." Bianca said as she continued to shiver "She's not going to make it, is she?"
"I don't know."
"It's so unfair. You spend your whole life trying to focus on the things you think are important and then by the time you realise they don't actually matter, it's too late to do it all differently."
Rocco doesn't say instead he just continues to listen as Bianca asks: "Would you change anything? If you had the chance that is. I'd change so much; I've made a lot of mistakes."
Before Rocco has a chance to reply, Ryan says: "Kyle? Are you alright?"
Turning his head around, Rocco noticed that Kyle had started to cough and couldn't stop.
Rushing over to where Kyle had moved to so he wouldn't cough over Belle, Rocco noticed something on Kyle's hand.
"I think we have problem." Rocco stated.
"What's wrong?" Ryan asked.
Moving his hand away from his mouth, Kyle looked at it and said: "Well th that's not good."
"Bianca, Kyle's just coughed up blood. What do we do?" Rocco asked as he was starting to panic.
"Ther there's nothin nothing we can do." Bianca replied.
With that it suddenly sunk in for Rocco, that there was a big chance that if they were found not all of them were going to make it home.
(8:25pm) 39 minutes later…
Summer Bay – Pier Diner – Main Area
Not realising what was happening with their loved ones, everyone was still sat in the Diner not knowing what to do now.
Amanda was crying.
Johnny was just sat with his head resting on his good hand.
The others where all darted around the diner in silence.
Suddenly the silence was broken by Cassie: "What am I going to tell tadpole?"
"You're going to tell her when she's older that she had the most amazing dad and that he loved her." Sally replied.
"I need to go see Hugo and Brendan." John said to Marilyn, Tony and Charlie "I need to tell them face to face."
"Why?" Marilyn asked her husband.
"Xavier was my responsibility after Gina died. I want to look them in the eye when I tell them he's gone."
Marilyn starts to wipe away the tears, when Tony says: "Mate he was my responsibility too. We will tell them together that way we can let Jack know as well."
John just nods his head as he hugs his wife.
"We did the right thing, didn't we?" Amanda asks them all as she starts to doubt their decision to stop the search.
"Yeah, it was time." Johnny tells her.
"I hope so." Amanda replies "Because if we're wrong, we've just signed their death sentence."
With that, they all just go back to sitting in silence.
(8:32pm) 7 minutes later…
In the Middle of the Bush – With Xavier and Colby
Colby and Xavier were currently wrapped up in the sharing sleeping bag looking at the night sky.
"I'm sorry." Xavier suddenly says.
"What for?" Colby asks as he was confused.
"Everything. If I wasn't injured, then you wouldn't be stuck here."
"Hey Xav, don't talk like that."
"I need too. In case…"
"No, listen to me there is no in case. We are going to make it out of here, alright?" Colby says.
"Ok." Xavier replied even though he knows Colby is just trying to take his mind of the inevitable.
At the same time…
In the Middle of the Bush – With the Group
All around them they could hear the sounds of insects which was interrupted by Kyle who was having another coughing fit.
Patting his friend's back, Rocco said: "Come on Kyle, just cough it up."
Once the coughing subsides, Rocco turns and asks Ryan: "Is Belle still with us?"
"Ryan? Ryan, listen to me is Belle okay?"
"She's breathing." Ryan says to the teen eventually "Just."
"Roc." Bianca says which causes Rocco to go back over to her.
"Yeah?" He asks as he lies down beside her.
"Tell, Heath I love him." Bianca said.
"You can tell him that yourself, I'm not letting you go anywhere you hear me." Rocco tells her.
Noticing that Bianca's eyes were closed, he said: "Wake up. Bianca, wake up. Ryan help me, I can't wake her up."
Ryan doesn't reply either so Rocco turns to look at him: "Can you hear me?"
Rocco looks at his friends and Ryan noticing that they all now have their eyes shut aren't moving.
(8:43pm) 11 minutes later…
Summer Bay – Pier Diner – Main Area
Everyone in the Diner was still sat in silence when Brax and Ricky walked back in and joined Alf at a table.
"I can't believe this." Dean says to Willow "I can't believe they're gone."
Willow just looks at him and rests her head on his shoulder, as Dean places his arm around her.
At the same time…
In the Middle of the Bush – With the Group
Sitting up slowly, Rocco says to no one in particular: "Wake up. Please don't leave me."
Bianca starts to make a noise beside him which grabs his attention: "Bianca, wake up please. Stay with me, don't close your eyes. Don't go to sleep."
Suddenly a scream cause Rocco to look away from Bianca: "AHHHHHHH!"
Ryan and Kyle who were lying beside Belle suddenly got up and tried to calm her down.
"Ahhhhh!" Belle continued to scream.
Summer Bay – Pier Diner – Main Area
"Ouch!" Amanda said as she felt a sharp pain in her right leg.
"What is it?" Johnny asked as he noticed her place her hand on her leg "Are you okay?"
In the Middle of the Bush – With the Group
"AHHHHH!" Belle says as she continues to move about in pain.
"Come on Belle." Rocco said as he tries to help calm her down.
Summer Bay – Pier Diner – Main Area
"AHHHHH! Ahhh." Amanda continues holding her leg.
"What's going on?" Johnny asked again as he had no idea why she suddenly started crying in pain.
"What is it? What's wrong?" Irene asks as she looks at the woman.
"I I…"
Everyone by this point was now looking at Amanda with confusion as they had no idea what was going on.
"She, she's still alive." Amanda suddenly says.
"What?" Irene says shocked
"Belle, she's still alive."
"Love, what are you talking about." Irene asked again "How do you know?"
"I feel her," Amanda shouts "and if she's still alive then there's a chance that the others are too."
"I don't understand." Ricky said.
"We can't give up on them, no matter what we have to get out there and start looking for them." Amanda says "They're still out there. They're still alive."
