"Brax I need to talk to you." Kyle bailed Brax up in the storeroom before opening so it was just the two of them. He had no idea how to say this but it was a conversation they needed to have. Ash needed to hear 'no' from Brax. Kyle didn't want this to hurt Ash any more than it already had, so it just needed sorting.

"So talk." Brax gave him that look, the one that said he thought Kyle was wasting his time, but he wasn't going to be brushed aside this time, not with something this important.

"Have you noticed anything strange going on with Ash?" The name certainly made Brax sit up and pay attention.

"What kinda strange?"

"Like how he flirts with chicks but never takes it any further..." God, this was awkward. Kyle never imagined he'd be having a conversation like this with his big brother.

"Stop beating around the bush. He's a poof, we both know that."

"You do?"

"He's my best mate. Why wouldn't I?"

"Then you know he's in love with you," Kyle rushed out. He thought Brax might be shocked, or angry, or even evasive, but instead a smirk formed on his face. "It's not funny," Kyle defended, "his feelings matter just as much as yours and mine." The smile grew wider.

"He's not in love with me you dope. What the hell gave you that idea?"

"He has to be," Kyle frowned. "The way he is with Denny, he does that for you. And when you left prison, he couldn't sleep anymore, and he was so adamant that no one else go to Broken Hill with him and he's been pretty down since you got back but when he saw you that changed..." Kyle trailed off, feeling kind of like an idiot under the amused look Brax gave him. Brax knew something he didn't.

"No, he didn't want you going with him, there's a difference. He knew the kinda trouble we'd run into out there."

"What does that mean?"

"Think about it Kyle. You're supposed to be the smart one. Now, that it?"

"Yeah..."

"Get out of my face then. I've got stuff to do."

xxx

When Ash tracked Denny down at work she wasn't alone. Andy was with her. It made Ash angry to see them together like that, he didn't want Andy occupying this place in her life. Ash shot him a warning look.

"I'll leave you guys to it," Andy said warily, slinking off like the dog he was.

"Ash," she said tightly, her tone reflecting his own feelings.

"What are you doing?

"Working."

"You know what I mean."

"Oh you mean Andy? I'm not sure that's any of your business."

"You made it my business when you called me that night." Ash regretted his words instantly, throwing that back in her face was a low thing to do and he never wanted her to think she couldn't come to him. But it was too late for apologies, judging by the look on her face.

"You're doing exactly what Kyle did to you!" Denny accused.

"Difference is I didn't try to rape you," he argued back.

"Oh my God Ash! How many times do I have to tell you he didn't try to rape me! I started it."

"You were vulnerable," he tried to reason. "It shows a lack of respect. He knew you were still grieving and he knew you were drunk. That's how these things start."

"You don't get to tell me what to do. It's my life."

"He's is a bad guy Denny. Why can't you see that?"

"He's changed and we are just friends anyway. Why can't you see that? You're blinded by what happened with your sister, but that's not me. You're using me to fix your mistakes with her and I'm sick of it!" That was all she thought of him? What could he say to that? He couldn't think of anything, he was too stunned to respond. She didn't know anything about Billie. About the beautiful, carefree girl she'd been before she'd let Dean drag her down. About how Dean had just needed a 'second chance' and about how he would 'change'. About how he'd ruined both their lives.

Ash took half a step towards her.

"Don't," she said, brushing a tear away, he hated that he'd made her cry. "Just leave me alone." So he did.

xxx

He didn't want you going... He knew the trouble we'd run into... What was Brax implying? That Ash had left him behind to protect him? But if that was true... You might wanna take the time to see what's staring you in the face... Denny had said to him once when he'd try to warn her about Ash. She'd been right, Ash didn't even like girls, and didn't that make Kyle a complete idiot? That night they'd sat around drinking, Ash had been reluctant to talk about his feelings but that could've been because he was gay, or just because he was a bloke... Stay? Hadn't that been a perfect chance for Ash to confess his feelings if he had any? Brax must have his wires crossed, Ash couldn't be interested in him...

Kyle was pulled from his thoughts by the object of them. He was almost knocked over by an agitated Ash. He stopped abruptly and gave Kyle a look like he held all the answers. Kyle was sure that he didn't but he wanted to do whatever he could to help.

xxx

Was she right? What if this wasn't about Andy? Did it matter? Ash couldn't let it happen again. As he rounded the corner of the surf club he almost ran into Kyle. Kyle who had a habit of being there when he was needed.

Kyle reached out and steadied him.

"Ash? What is it? What's wrong?"

"Why can't she understand?" he pleaded, "I'm only trying to help."

"Who? Denny?"

"Yes."

"What happened?"

"She was with him."

"Ash, there's something you should know about Andy..."

"I don't care! She's gonna get into trouble with him!"

"Okay," Kyle said calmly in an attempt to soothe him, "but sometimes people have to make their own mistakes."

"Do they?" Ash bit back. "I should be a fucking expert at that by now then. My entire life is one big fuck up!" He threw his hands in the air at a complete fucking loss. He'd screwed things up with Billie, and hadn't even been able to find her to make things right. He'd ended up in prison, partially for a crime he didn't even commit, making him a screw-up even as a screw-up. He'd caused tension in Brax and Ricky's relationship, when Brax had done nothing but help him. And now he'd ruined things with Denny. He was bad news. Things would inevitably go wrong between him and Kyle as well.

"That's not tru-" Ash was done with talking, so he silenced Kyle with a kiss. There was a second, just one second, where everything was good, where he let himself believe he could have this, and then Kyle was pushing him away. But then, he'd expected that.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Kyle exclaimed, understandably shocked.

"Fucking up the last good thing I had." Ash turned and high tailed it. He'd burned his last bridge, so he better get the fuck outta town before the rain set in.