HI everyone I want to say thank you for helping me reach the 400 review mark and the 80 chapter milestone! I also want to say thank you to one reviewer who has reviewed every single one of my chapters so thank you beebee483! (who was also my 400th reviewer!) Also a quick shout out to Sally who is moving to Australia (you'll love it!) and is going to become an Auntie! Congrats Sally! Okay so this chapter is the trial, now I have had some experiences with courts and trials (you're wondering how since I'm only 16!) and I know pretty much how they work so some of this may be different to what is in TV but I've also changed bits of what really happens to correspond with TV, I am not saying TV make it up because they don't it's just done slightly differently. Glad you all like the names, as you've probably noticed I am not really a fan of 'traditional' or 'common' names (since I have one) so I like unusual names or common ones spelt differently (hence Natayaliah!) So read this chapter and review to tell me your thoughts! Thanks guys.

[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.]

BELLA POV

Today was the day of the trial. Today was the first time I would see him again since he tried to kill me. I was nervous and anxious about seeing him again but I knew it was what had to be done, I was the star witness in a very high profile case which was gaining more and more media coverage by the day. For the last two days media had been sitting outside of our house just waiting for me to go out to a meeting with my lawyers or even just to get the mail which the found beyond interesting for some dumb reason. The first time I testified it was nothing like this, there was media but no-where near as much and I wasn't really sure what to do. It was 6am and I had just gotten out of bed, I walked downstairs to find everyone awake and waiting for me. They all looked at me as if I was a fragile china doll that would break with one wrong word "hey guys, what's up?" I asked as I saw Brax try and hide the newspaper "what's in there today?" I asked rolling my eyes as I walked over to the table "nothing" they all said far too quickly "oh really" I said quickly snatching the paper from under Brax's arm and unfolding it. Splashed across the front page of the paper were the words 'Star Witness's Criminal Connections' with a picture of me on the beach and prison bars over my face. My mouth dropped slightly as I looked at everyone "how do they know about this stuff?" I asked and Brax looked away "Brax" I said sternly slightly afraid to hear the answer "they spoke to mum" he said quietly and I dropped the paper, I stormed over to the door and grabbed my keys from the table and headed out the door.

I walked down the driveway just as Cooper pulled up and Heath and Bianca were walking across. Brax, Charlie, Casey and Ruby all followed me out quickly getting Cooper to stop me before I went any further, the camera's snapped away bulbs flashing as I stared at Cooper angrily "what are you doing!" I hissed as I tried to move out of his grasp "you can't go over there" he said and I stopped "you saw the paper" I whispered and he nodded gently "why would she do that to me?" I asked tears welling up "I don't know baby" he said as he pulled me into a hug as the photographers snapped away and my family watched on "okay guys come on you've got enough, get off our property before we call the cops" Brax threatened as the photographers scurried off the grass and stood on the sidewalk "can't touch us now crim" one of them spat as I walked up the drive. I stopped dead in my tracks and slowly turned around "what did you say?" I asked, when no-one spoke up I walked forward "Bella" I heard someone call from behind me but I was too angry to stop now "why is it that I am being put under the microscope for trying to jail this bastard? Why is it like I am the one on trial? You people get you're slimly asses out of my street now!" I yelled "make us" one said and I stared at him intently "what did you say?" I said coldly, suddenly Heath stepped forward "guys if you have gone as far as digging into our background to find out we know criminals then I am sure you would of heard to the reptuations we have?" he asked the reporters and some nodded "well just because we don't like in Mangrove River anymore doesn't mean they aren't true" he said and they looked at each of us, Brax – cold as ice, Heath – agitated, Casey – calm but angry and I was fuming. They slowly backed away and hurried off to their cars, Heath took my hand and led me up to the house.

It was almost 8:30am and we had to be at the courthouse by 9am. I was standing in front of my mirror in a black mid-thigh length pencil skirt with a pale blue shirt tucked in. I stepped into my heels and grabbed my bag as I headed downstairs, everyone was ready and waiting in their court clothes, Brax was wearing a black shirt and dress pants with the sleeves rolled up, Heath in a pair of white shirt and black pants, Casey was wearing almost the same pale blue as me and his dress pants. I had to admit that the girls looked stylish even if we were going to court, Ruby was wearing a slim fitting black dress and matching pumps, Charlie was wearing a black pencil skirt with a yellow sleeveless blouse tucked and a pair of black wedges and Bianca was wearing a pair of black pants with a pretty white blouse and heels. They all stood up as I entered the living room and I gave them a reassuring smile "come on we better go" I said as I took Cooper's hand and walked out the door, the photographers had left and I assumed would be waiting for us at the court house as we all took our separate cars, Cooper and I drove together in his car, Heath and Bianca in theirs, Charlie and Brax in Charlie's car and I had lent Casey and Ruby my car to drive. We pulled up outside Morag's office and walked into the building where we were briefed on what would happen.

We drove to the courthouse since there where camera men everywhere. We pulled up and Cooper looked at me "you ready?" he asked and I sighed nodding "as I'll ever be" I smiled as I opened the door to be bombarded by questions and flashing bulbs, I walked around the car and took Cooper's hand as the others made their way over to us. We walked up to the court with Morag pushing reporters out of the way and shouting orders at them "do not touch my client or we will sue" she yelled and most of the reporters backed away as we made our way up the courtroom steps. When we entered the court room there were a number of people seated, the jury were just taking their places as we took our seats behind Morag's table in the first row. As I heard the loud clunk of the courtroom doors closing.

I watched nervously as the big wooden doors opened again and in walked Richard and his team, they looked at me intently as they took their places across from us and Cooper squeezed my hand. Suddenly the side doors to the courtroom opened and two guards walked in followed by Ryan in a suit and dress pants in handcuffs, he was followed by another two guards and was seated at his bench with his lawyers and his cuffs removed. He turned his head and looked at me giving me a sick smile that made my blood run cold, I felt Cooper's grip on my hand tighten and I gave him a reassuring smile as the judge entered and we all stood.

"I would like to call to the stand my witness Isabella Braxton" Melissa said I stood and walked through the small wooden gate at the front and took a seat on the stand "please state your full name for the record" she said "Isabella Braxton" I said "Miss Braxton, you claim that on the 4th of March 2012 my client Ryan Baylis kidnapped you and your niece. Is that correct?" she asked and I nodded "yes" I replied blankly "you claim that Mr Baylis took you and your niece to an abandoned house in the bush and repeatedly beat you and set aforementioned house on fire with you and your four month old niece inside is that correct?" she asked and I rolled my eyes "yes" I sighed "Miss Braxton is it true that two years prior to this alleged event that you claim to have been one of the victims of Mr Baylis' crimes. Is that correct?" she asked "yeah" I said confused at where this is going "can you please recount that night for us?" she asked and I looked at Morag "objection, what relevance does this have to the case?" she asked and the judge looked at Melissa "your honour the question is relevant to the case if you let me proceed" she said and the judge nodded "Miss Braxton please answer the question" he said kindly

I took a deep breath "I was at a party one night and I was the one who was supposed to keep everyone safe and make sure they got home alright. After I had taken the last of the girls home I was walking past an alley when someone reached out and grabbed me and dragged me down the alley. The next thing I knew he was beating me, with a baseball bat just hitting me over and over and over he just kept going hitting me again and again until I finally lost consciousness, I don't know how long I was out for but it couldn't have been too long because when I woke up he was still there and I could feel this blinding pain in my stomach, he looked down at me and just laughed, It was then that I saw the glint of the knife… I noticed that he had ripped my dress and then I felt the knife as he started to cut my skin I screamed but he just pushed a rag over my mouth to stop me, he just kept cutting and cutting all the while smiling at me and laughing, he kept repeating the same thing over and over 'now you will never be able to forget this night, I have marked you and you are now one of mine' after about five minutes or so and then he kneeled down beside me kissed my forehead and whispered in my ear 'just call me the phantom' which is when I remembered hearing a news report about a guy attacking girls who was calling himself the phantom." I said looking up

"is it true that you are involved in an intimate relationship with Mr Harding's son?" she asked and my jaw dropped "Can you actually ask that!" I asked shocked and the judge turned to me "please answer the question Miss Braxton" he said warmly "fine, yes it's true" I said looking at Cooper who was equally as shocked "is that relationship sexual?" she asked and Morag stood up almost immediately "objection! What does this have to do with this case?" she asked gruffly "Ms Brown these questions don't seem to have any relevance to this case, they are very personal" the judge said quietly "your honour these questions are an important part of the defence's case" she said sternly "over-ruled Miss Braxton you don't need to answer that question" he said and I nodded "fine, Miss Braxton is it true after your alleged attack that you went to live in London for a period of time" she said and I nodded "yes it's true" I said "is it also true that while you were living in London you were expelled from three major girls grammar schools?" she asked and I nodded "yes" I replied "is it also true that you took drugs and drank alcohol?" she asked "yes" I replied softly seeing Cooper's in the corner of my eye "Miss Braxton is it true that members of your family have been arrested many times with assault, drug possession with intent to sell and other offences?" she asked "yes" I replied agitated "Your honour and members of the jury, as you have heard that the witness Miss Isabella Braxton is far from reputable and could have very well made up the kidnapping to cover up a mistake with her drug addiction" she said before turning to smirk at me "you bitch! I am not a drug addict!" I yelled and Morag placed her hand on my arm "I need you to calm down" she whispered and I nodded before returning to the seat behind her "I'm calling a recess, meet back here in half and hour" I judge said before exiting the courtroom.

Okay now that is part one, I was going to have it all together but it would be too long so I am going to spilt it in half and put the next one up soon! Hope you liked it, I know it is very Bella oriented but in the next chapter there will be perspectives from each of the brothers and Cooper. The trial always had to be very Bella oriented because it is about her, so once this is over we can get onto more happier things like the family camping trip which is coming up. I thought of the idea weeks ago and have been developing it in my mind, hopefully you will find it light and funny. Anyway please review and check out my blog! Review Dannielle xoxo