Thanks for all your great reviews, they have definitely been taken on board. CHAPTER 60! EEEK! I have had an idea for a happy family event that I'm not going to give away but I have noticed that everything has been very dramatic and I want to add in some lightness and laughs. Hope that is okay! As usual please review and tell me what you though, Thanks Dannielle xoxo

[DISCLAIMER/COPYRIGHT: I do not own any of the existing characters or storylines in Home and Away but any characters, storylines or ideas used in this story are strictly copyrighted and are not to be used by any other person/s without written permission of the author of this story. Thank-you.]

Two days after Cooper left for Hawaii

BRAX POV

It had been two days since Cooper had left and Bella had gone into overdrive, they spent most of their time together so now that he wasn't here she didn't know what to do with herself. She would wake up in the morning, have half a slice of toast and some coffee and go to the gym where she would work out until lunch time, she would then come to the restaurant and have a salad before heading back to the gym until dark. We were all getting worried about her, I mean she used to work out regularly before but now that she didn't have a lot to do it was all she did. The only time she would stop would be when we had to go to meetings since she felt compelled to testify against Ryan. I had just hung up the phone from another call from a lawyer to arrange yet another meeting "god damn it! I wish she wouldn't testify" I said slamming the phone onto the table "baby why don't you want her to?" Charlie asked wrapping her arms around my neck "because I am worried about what might happen if he ever escapes or decided to stalk her again" I replied rubbing my hands over my face "well from personal experience I know that I wished I had reported Grant and testified against him, Bella has to do this to move on baby, she isn't doing it to hurt you she is doing it so that she can put it behind her and move on to get rid of the anxiety" she said calmly "yeah I know, it's just I can't help but be worried" I whispered leaning on the table "I know, she is your sister and you love her but sooner or later you are going to have to let her go and make her own decisions without constantly fighting her" she replied placing her hand on top of mine "yeah, how did you get so wise?" I asked smiling at her "ah you know" she said swishing her hand like it was nothing, I laughed as I leaned over and kissed her only to be interrupted but Mckenzie stirring over the baby monitor that was between us.

Later that afternoon I was working at the restaurant when Bella came in for her usual lunch, "hey can I get the usual" she said sitting on the stool "sure" I sighed half of me was hoping she had decided on something more fatty "and remember" - "dressing on the side" I said cut her off. I brought her salad out to her 10 minutes later, I pulled up a chair beside her and put down my lunch – a plate of steaming hot garlic prawns which I knew Bella loved "want some, I know you're their favourite" I said nudging the plate towards her, she looked at them briefly "no thanks" she shrugged as she took another bite of her salad. "what are you doing after this?" I asked "I'm going to go back to the gym" she said sipping her water "Bella you've been at the gym almost every hour of the day for the last two days" I sighed looking at her with concern "Brax, I am alright" she said seriously getting back to her salad "just do me a favour and take it easy" I said "mm" she mumbled looking the other way.

RUBY POV

I was really starting to miss Casey, I hadn't spoken to him since I visited him last weekend, we hadn't spent this much time apart for ages and I knew that it would be a lot longer before he was able to come home. Bella had arranged to go and see him tomorrow so I hope things go okay, she had been hitting the gym seriously hard the last few days and it was starting to worry Brax, Charlie and Heath. I decided to go for a walk along the beach, I grabbed my shoes and slipped them on before heading out the door. I walked along the sand, my shoes in hand the wind blowing my hair across my face when I saw a familiar figure running along the sand, I sighed she was exercising again! I waved to her and she slowed slightly "hey" she puffed "hey you still exercising" I asked "what is it with everyone!" she cried throwing her hands up "you've been exercising non-stop" I said calmly "yeah well did anyone ever stop to think that maybe I wanted to work on my fitness a bit?" she replied "yeah well that's all good and well but just take it easy" I said "oh come on Ruby like your one to talk" she snapped before turning and running off down the beach. I sighed, I knew she was right but I just couldn't help it. I missed my boyfriend, I missed my daughter, I missed my life and I had no idea how to get it back. I headed up the hill knowing the one place that would help me get my thoughts together.

I walked across the grassy area towards the tree that had been planted only recently. I kneeled down in front of it, staring down at the plaque "hi Summer" I whispered as I ran my fingers along the shiny cold gold. "It's your mummy" I continued "I wish I could of met you, I loved you so much" I said as I felt the feelings I had been suppressing rising inside me "I had so much fun with you even when you were making me throw up all the time" I said laughing lightly at the memories of running to the bathroom no matter who was inside "you know I barged in on your aunty Bella on time when she was in only her underwear, you would have loved her, she would have painted your nails and braided your hair and played dollies with you. And if you were ever in trouble, she would've have died to save you" I said sobbing lightly "same with your daddy and your uncles Heath and Brax, although I think you and Heath would have had fun until you got interested in boys, he's just a bit protective" I giggled "yeah and it would of gotten on your nerves just like it did mine" someone said from behind me, I turned and saw Bella standing behind me with a single orange hibiscus flower and an apologetic look on her face, she kneeled down beside me "I'm sorry honey" she whispered "you were right" I replied looking at her "no I shouldn't have said it, I am just doing all of this because I miss Cooper and I have no idea what to think" she said tilting her head back "why?" I asked "because I have never ever missed a guy before, sure I've had boyfriends, sure I had flings, but never have I had a boyfriend or fling that I have ever missed when they weren't with me" she sighed, I smiled "that would be love honey" I said nudging her elbow "no!" she gasped, I just laughed knowing that in time she would realise it.

We sat there for hours talking to each other, to Summer, telling her all about her crazy wacky family and the things that we get up too. I felt my feelings subsiding but I knew that this would only last a short while and soon I would be back to feeling miserable "I know what you have to do" Bella said suddenly "what?" I asked "to release those feelings you have, so that you can move on" she said looking at me seriously "okay what is it?" I asked "come with me, bye Summer" she said as she pulled me off the ground and hurried off down the hill. We got back to the surf club and headed for Bella's car, I had no idea what we were doing here but I was willing to trust her. I climbed in as she sped off down the street. We pulled up out the front of the party store where we had gone to for Charlie's baby shower "throw a party?" I guessed "no!" she laughed grabbing her bag from the back and climbing out of the car. We walked out a short while later, each carrying the thing Bella thought would set us free.

Next thing I knew we arrived at a large park just outside of the bay. I climbed out and followed Bella into the centre of the park "alright what do we do with these?" I asked pointing to the pink balloon that was in my hand and the purple one in Bella's "we put all out thoughts and feelings into this balloon and when we release it into the air our thoughts and feelings go with it, freeing us" she said looking up at the sky and then to me, I smiled "okay" I nodded as I turned so I was standing beside her, I pushed all of the hurt, anger, sadness and anxiousness up and waited for Bella's word "okay, 1, 2, 3 go!" she said as we both opened our eyes and released our balloons watching them float up into the air, I felt my feelings rush out of my body and I felt a sense of relief and warmth "oh my god, how did you know this would work" I asked shocked "I did it after I was attacked, I was spiralling out of control in London and my aunt took me out to a park one day and told me to do exactly what we just did, I thought she was crazy but I knew if I didn't do it she would pester me so I did and I was stunned to find she was right. Two days later I boarded a plane and ended up here" she said smiling as she looked up at me. "I don't know how you do it?" I asked "do what?" she replied confused "keep going, I mean you have been through some serious bullshit in your life and yet you still keep smiling and carrying on" I said "because if I let all the bad things that had happened to me control my life then I would be letting the people who have hurt me win, by moving on a being happy and allowing myself to be happy I prove to them and to myself that they and anyone else can do whatever they want to me and I will get back up and keep fighting" she said picking a blade of grass

How was that? I hope it was alright, I got the idea of the balloon thing from Desperate Housewives which is one of my favourite shows, in the early seasons when Gaby got pregnant and then lost it and she released a balloon to let her grief go. I hope it was alright? I am planning on putting a Cooper POV in the next chapter which I hope you like, I like putting him in the story every now and then to show how people see the Braxton's from the outside world. Please review and let me know of your thoughts! Thanks, Dannielle xoxo