Flynn came out to talk to Kane again to see if he'd reached any decisions. What he saw was not the Kane that he had a left a mere half an hour ago, he saw Kane lying on the ground with blood pouring from his head, unconscious. His immediate instinct was to check if he was still alive...yes, but his pulse was very weak. Flynn called an ambulance and helplessly waited with Kane.
Along the other side of the Bay, Seb was doing the same thing but the person he waited with was not Kane. He was staring down at Kirsty, his former girlfriend who he still cared for very deeply. She'd slipped on a loose paving stone along the edge of the wharf and banged her head. The fall had caused her to dive, helplessly, into the water. Seb had been the only person there so by the time he'd pulled her out of the water, she was unconscious.
The ambulance for Kane arrived and Flynn entered it with him. He would've called someone but he was unsure if Kane had any next of kin. The questions started...
"What happened to him?" asked the doctor in the back of the ambo.
"I honestly don't know, mate. I'd been talking to him about half an hour ago and when I came back out, I found him like this."
"Ok, are you his next of kin?"
"No, I'm just his counsellor. I don't know any numbers for a next of kin or even if the poor guy has any."
"Well, if he does, you'd better start looking them out now because this doesn't look good."
After what seemed like hours, an ambulance arrived for Kirsty. Seb hadn't even thought to call any of the Sutherlands, he'd been too worried for Kirsty. She was breathing but only barely.
"What went on here, young fellow?"
"She slipped on the paving stone, knocked her head and fell into the water. I got her out but I think it was too late, I could have saved her..."
"Mate, you done the best you could, are you coming in the back of this?"
"Yeah."
"Are you her boyfriend?"
"No," said Seb, wishing that he still was, "just a friend."
"Do you know where her family are?"
"At home, I presume."
"When we get to the hospital, you call them, son."
"Ok...will she be alright?"
"We think so, could just be concussion but we'll have to check her out, now come on!"
Seb stepped into the ambulance after the stretcher carrying Kirsty. He was so scared, what if Kirsty died? Would he be blamed for not saving her sooner?
In the back of the first ambulance, Flynn was also extremely worried. The doctor had been explaining that Kane would either pass on tonight or make a full recovery...it just depended on how strong he was. They arrived at the hospital and Kane was rushed into an emergency room, Flynn was told to wait in the waiting room. After five minutes, another stretcher was pulled in, carrying another familiar face. Flynn saw Seb staring after the stretcher.
"Was that Kirsty?"
"Yeah."
"What happened to her?"
"She hit her head on the ground then fell in the water...what are you doing here?"
"I found Kane Phillips unconscious outside the Drop in Centre."
"So why did you come?"
"Mate, the guy deserves to have someone here with him."
"Kirsty said that he really upset Dani at their counselling session today, she was really down...why would you want to care for someone who could do that to a girl like Dani?"
"Kane had a rough time at the session today aswell. Let's just sit here and wait, ok? Shouldn't you be calling the Sutherlands?"
"Yeah, I suppose."
Seb got up and dialled the number. At the other side of the phone, Brodie answered.
"Hi, Summer Bay Caravan Park, how can I help you?"
"Brodie, it's Seb, is Shelly or Rhys home?"
"Yeah, hang on. SHELLY! PHONE!"
"Hello, who is it?"
"It's Seb, Mrs S."
"Are you looking for the twins? I thought Kirsty was out with you and Jade is at the Diner with Nick."
"No, I know where Kirsty is, that's why I'm calling."
"What is it?"
"I'm at the hospital. Kirsty fell and split her head on the ground, she fell into the water. She's unconscious, you should get down here."
"Oh, oh my god! Is she ok?"
"They think she will be, Mrs S."
"Thanks for calling, Seb, and for staying with her."
"It's no problem."
Both hung up and Seb rejoined Flynn at the seating area just in time to hear a doctor telling him that Kane had been moved out of the emergency room into a normal ward.
"He'll take some time to recover and is just beginning to regain consciousness. Do you want to go and see him?"
"Yeah, ok."
"Oh and expect some memory loss...this way."
Seb sat alone, awaiting the Sutherland's arrival. Flynn entered the room where Kane lay in a bed. His face was bruised and bandaged and he was holding his ribs. He'd broken one when he'd fallen to the ground. Kane was glad to see Flynn, glad that someone cared.
"Mate...what happened?"
"I don't know, Flynn." Kane's voice was weak.
"How can you not know?"
"I can't remember."
"You were attacked though, right?"
"Yeah."
Flynn sat with Kane a while until he fell asleep and then he left for home. As Flynn was leaving, Rhys, Shelly and Dani approached. Seb had already been told that Kirsty was going to be ok.
"Mr and Mrs S, Dani...she's going to be ok."
"Where is she? Can we see her?"
"She's just being moved just now, into a normal ward."
"Ok, thanks."
All three walked towards the reception desk and were shown were Kirsty was. She lay in a room with two other people. Behind closed curtains was Kane, asleep and unaware of who was there. Across from Kirsty was another teenage boy who was also asleep. Kirsty had a bandage around her head and was slightly drowsy.
"Kirsty! Thank god you're ok!"
"Yeah."
"We thought we'd nearly lost you, again."
"Sorry."
"Don't keep scaring me, little sis!"
"I just tripped, what a clutz!"
"You're alive, that's the main thing."
The three stayed and chatted for a while but then visiting hours were over. About an hour after her family had left, Kirsty was woken up by the clatter of the nurse's food trolley.
"What would you like, my dear?"
"I'll think I'll pass."
"You must eat something!"
"No, really, I had a big lunch."
"Ok then."
She moved her trolley to the next bed.
"Who's behind these curtains?"
She opened the curtains and Kirsty was astonished to see Kane Phillips lying helplessly in a bed behind them. Kane was equally as shocked to see Kirsty...
"Would you like anything?"
"No, thanks."
She began to walk away...
"I'm telling you, you kids these days will all end up like sticks!"
And she was gone.
"What the hell are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same question."
"Kane, cut the crap, you were with my sister hours ago, what's happened since then?"
"I got beat up."
"Serves you right, Dani was in a right state when she came home."
"My sole intention in this world is not to torment your sister."
"Well, you're doing a pretty damn good job of it so far!"
"I don't have to listen to this."
"No, I'm sorry, but you do. You can't treat her like that!"
"Look, I'm sorry for what I did to Dani! That's just so much harder to say to her face when she can't even look at me. She's terrified of me and that doesn't exactly make me feel good about myself. I'm scum and I know it...a leopard doesn't change it's spots and so on...I don't need you telling me aswell. I'm sorry ok, I did wrong, I don't know what more to say."
Kane had surprised himself, he hadn't meant to get so worked up. When he was speaking, Kirsty had felt sorry for him. Everyone deserved a second chance. Her family had given her one after she'd dabbled with drugs.
"Ok, I'm sorry for shouting at you."
"That's ok. So, what happened to you?"
"Like the clumsy person I am, I tripped, bumped my head and fell into the water!"
"Ouch!"
"So who beat you up?"
"I don't know, I can't remember."
Kane was quick to change the subject.
"So, you've been in here before then?"
"How did you know?"
"You were smart enought to dodge the food!"
Kirsty laughed. For a moment, she'd forgotten that she was talking to Kane Phillips, the same Kane Phillips who had raped her sister only 8months ago. Maybe he'd changed but to her, he didn't seem so bad. At least he was admitting blame for attacking Dani. That night, Kirsty and Kane sat up all night talking, forgetting who the other person was. They realised that they both had a lot in common. Both had dropped out of school and got in trouble in the past. They liked the same music and had the same sense of humour.
Kirsty eventually went to sleep in the morning thinking, can a leopard EVER change its spots?
Along the other side of the Bay, Seb was doing the same thing but the person he waited with was not Kane. He was staring down at Kirsty, his former girlfriend who he still cared for very deeply. She'd slipped on a loose paving stone along the edge of the wharf and banged her head. The fall had caused her to dive, helplessly, into the water. Seb had been the only person there so by the time he'd pulled her out of the water, she was unconscious.
The ambulance for Kane arrived and Flynn entered it with him. He would've called someone but he was unsure if Kane had any next of kin. The questions started...
"What happened to him?" asked the doctor in the back of the ambo.
"I honestly don't know, mate. I'd been talking to him about half an hour ago and when I came back out, I found him like this."
"Ok, are you his next of kin?"
"No, I'm just his counsellor. I don't know any numbers for a next of kin or even if the poor guy has any."
"Well, if he does, you'd better start looking them out now because this doesn't look good."
After what seemed like hours, an ambulance arrived for Kirsty. Seb hadn't even thought to call any of the Sutherlands, he'd been too worried for Kirsty. She was breathing but only barely.
"What went on here, young fellow?"
"She slipped on the paving stone, knocked her head and fell into the water. I got her out but I think it was too late, I could have saved her..."
"Mate, you done the best you could, are you coming in the back of this?"
"Yeah."
"Are you her boyfriend?"
"No," said Seb, wishing that he still was, "just a friend."
"Do you know where her family are?"
"At home, I presume."
"When we get to the hospital, you call them, son."
"Ok...will she be alright?"
"We think so, could just be concussion but we'll have to check her out, now come on!"
Seb stepped into the ambulance after the stretcher carrying Kirsty. He was so scared, what if Kirsty died? Would he be blamed for not saving her sooner?
In the back of the first ambulance, Flynn was also extremely worried. The doctor had been explaining that Kane would either pass on tonight or make a full recovery...it just depended on how strong he was. They arrived at the hospital and Kane was rushed into an emergency room, Flynn was told to wait in the waiting room. After five minutes, another stretcher was pulled in, carrying another familiar face. Flynn saw Seb staring after the stretcher.
"Was that Kirsty?"
"Yeah."
"What happened to her?"
"She hit her head on the ground then fell in the water...what are you doing here?"
"I found Kane Phillips unconscious outside the Drop in Centre."
"So why did you come?"
"Mate, the guy deserves to have someone here with him."
"Kirsty said that he really upset Dani at their counselling session today, she was really down...why would you want to care for someone who could do that to a girl like Dani?"
"Kane had a rough time at the session today aswell. Let's just sit here and wait, ok? Shouldn't you be calling the Sutherlands?"
"Yeah, I suppose."
Seb got up and dialled the number. At the other side of the phone, Brodie answered.
"Hi, Summer Bay Caravan Park, how can I help you?"
"Brodie, it's Seb, is Shelly or Rhys home?"
"Yeah, hang on. SHELLY! PHONE!"
"Hello, who is it?"
"It's Seb, Mrs S."
"Are you looking for the twins? I thought Kirsty was out with you and Jade is at the Diner with Nick."
"No, I know where Kirsty is, that's why I'm calling."
"What is it?"
"I'm at the hospital. Kirsty fell and split her head on the ground, she fell into the water. She's unconscious, you should get down here."
"Oh, oh my god! Is she ok?"
"They think she will be, Mrs S."
"Thanks for calling, Seb, and for staying with her."
"It's no problem."
Both hung up and Seb rejoined Flynn at the seating area just in time to hear a doctor telling him that Kane had been moved out of the emergency room into a normal ward.
"He'll take some time to recover and is just beginning to regain consciousness. Do you want to go and see him?"
"Yeah, ok."
"Oh and expect some memory loss...this way."
Seb sat alone, awaiting the Sutherland's arrival. Flynn entered the room where Kane lay in a bed. His face was bruised and bandaged and he was holding his ribs. He'd broken one when he'd fallen to the ground. Kane was glad to see Flynn, glad that someone cared.
"Mate...what happened?"
"I don't know, Flynn." Kane's voice was weak.
"How can you not know?"
"I can't remember."
"You were attacked though, right?"
"Yeah."
Flynn sat with Kane a while until he fell asleep and then he left for home. As Flynn was leaving, Rhys, Shelly and Dani approached. Seb had already been told that Kirsty was going to be ok.
"Mr and Mrs S, Dani...she's going to be ok."
"Where is she? Can we see her?"
"She's just being moved just now, into a normal ward."
"Ok, thanks."
All three walked towards the reception desk and were shown were Kirsty was. She lay in a room with two other people. Behind closed curtains was Kane, asleep and unaware of who was there. Across from Kirsty was another teenage boy who was also asleep. Kirsty had a bandage around her head and was slightly drowsy.
"Kirsty! Thank god you're ok!"
"Yeah."
"We thought we'd nearly lost you, again."
"Sorry."
"Don't keep scaring me, little sis!"
"I just tripped, what a clutz!"
"You're alive, that's the main thing."
The three stayed and chatted for a while but then visiting hours were over. About an hour after her family had left, Kirsty was woken up by the clatter of the nurse's food trolley.
"What would you like, my dear?"
"I'll think I'll pass."
"You must eat something!"
"No, really, I had a big lunch."
"Ok then."
She moved her trolley to the next bed.
"Who's behind these curtains?"
She opened the curtains and Kirsty was astonished to see Kane Phillips lying helplessly in a bed behind them. Kane was equally as shocked to see Kirsty...
"Would you like anything?"
"No, thanks."
She began to walk away...
"I'm telling you, you kids these days will all end up like sticks!"
And she was gone.
"What the hell are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same question."
"Kane, cut the crap, you were with my sister hours ago, what's happened since then?"
"I got beat up."
"Serves you right, Dani was in a right state when she came home."
"My sole intention in this world is not to torment your sister."
"Well, you're doing a pretty damn good job of it so far!"
"I don't have to listen to this."
"No, I'm sorry, but you do. You can't treat her like that!"
"Look, I'm sorry for what I did to Dani! That's just so much harder to say to her face when she can't even look at me. She's terrified of me and that doesn't exactly make me feel good about myself. I'm scum and I know it...a leopard doesn't change it's spots and so on...I don't need you telling me aswell. I'm sorry ok, I did wrong, I don't know what more to say."
Kane had surprised himself, he hadn't meant to get so worked up. When he was speaking, Kirsty had felt sorry for him. Everyone deserved a second chance. Her family had given her one after she'd dabbled with drugs.
"Ok, I'm sorry for shouting at you."
"That's ok. So, what happened to you?"
"Like the clumsy person I am, I tripped, bumped my head and fell into the water!"
"Ouch!"
"So who beat you up?"
"I don't know, I can't remember."
Kane was quick to change the subject.
"So, you've been in here before then?"
"How did you know?"
"You were smart enought to dodge the food!"
Kirsty laughed. For a moment, she'd forgotten that she was talking to Kane Phillips, the same Kane Phillips who had raped her sister only 8months ago. Maybe he'd changed but to her, he didn't seem so bad. At least he was admitting blame for attacking Dani. That night, Kirsty and Kane sat up all night talking, forgetting who the other person was. They realised that they both had a lot in common. Both had dropped out of school and got in trouble in the past. They liked the same music and had the same sense of humour.
Kirsty eventually went to sleep in the morning thinking, can a leopard EVER change its spots?