AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Thank you all, for the influx of amazing reviews on my last chapter, it really meant a lot to me.

Enjoy :)

Chapter 25 - Missing

NORMAL POV

A few days had passed and Casey still kept withdrawn in his bedroom not talking much to any of his brothers or eating much and as far as everyone was aware Casey was fine and just acting quiet.

It had come to Heath's turn to stay at the house with Casey while Kyle went to work and Brax also had to go into Angelo's to sort out some business with the books for a few hours.

"Make sure Case is okay today and call me if anything happens." Brax stated receiving a nod from Heath.

He knew Brax cared a lot about Casey but since having him home from the hospital Brax had stepped up his big brother protective mode.

"Righty-o bro." Heath replied.

"Heath I'm serious." Brax added with worry in his voice, he couldn't bear to leave Casey.

"It'll be fine Brax, don't worry. I won't let the squirt do anything stupid while you're gone." Heath reassured.

Brax nodded and followed Kyle out the door.

Casey had been laying on his bed thoughts racing through his head and the sick feeling in the pit of his stomach had come back. He glanced over at a photo he had on his dresser draw. It was a photo of Brax, Heath and himself at this place Brax had taken them camping, on a regular basis.

The photo had been taken the last time they went camping when Casey was thirteen. Brax had his arms around both his brothers and Heath was ruffling up Casey's hair but all three boys were laughing.

Casey got up from his bed and held the photo in his hand. He gripped the frame in anger as tears welled in his eyes. It was all wrong! Casey heard the front door close and peaked out his bedroom to have seen Heath go next door to his house, obviously picking something up he had forgotten.

"I have to get out of here!" Casey growled in anger.

Staring at the photo he threw it down on the ground, breaking the glass from the frame with a loud smash. Tears fell down his face as he bent down and pulled the picture off the ground.

"That's not my family! They never were." Casey choked out.

Casey was broken and torn apart, he couldn't stop his head from spinning, the voices in his head telling him his whole life was a lie that he didn't belong anywhere. If it wasn't for him, no-one would be dealing with his problems right now. It would be a better world without him.

Casey scrunched the photo up in his left hand, keeping it in his fist, and slammed his right hand down hard on the shattered glass before him.

"Arg! I can't take this anymore!" He sobbed as blood seeped from his cut up hand.

Casey quickly grabbed a cloth to wrap his hand and ran out the door of the house not turning back.

After running for what seemed like forever Casey leaned over huffing heavily and holding his injured hand to his throbbing thigh.

"Ah!" He moaned in pain.

The cut on his thigh had not been healing and had gotten worse each day, becoming more inflamed and what looked to be infected. Casey stood up and steadied himself as he wobbled on his feet feeling light headed, hot, and slightly nauseous.

Casey put this down to not having eaten that morning and using all the energy he had pounding the pavement to get to where he was. He was only a few blocks away from the old campsite Brax had taken him and Heath, the place the photo had been taken.

By the time Brax and Kyle had arrive home Heath was sitting on the couch flipping through a car magazine.

"Hey mate." Brax greeted.

"Hey." Heath greeted.

"How's Case?" Brax asked.

"Haven't heard a peep all day." Heath replied.

"Have you checked if he's alright?" Brax asked in a panic.

"Relax Brax, I'm sure Casey is fine." Kyle tried to reassure his older brother. Brax sighed.

"Casey?" Brax walked down to Casey's room and pushed open the door.

"Case?" Brax stared in shock at the empty room and shattered glass frame on the floor.

Kyle had followed Brax towards Casey's room to check on his little brother too and stood shocked.

"Heath!" Heath ran towards Brax. "What?"

"Where is he?" Brax demanded fear written all over his face.

Heath was as stunned as Brax and Kyle at the mess on Casey's floor and the emptiness of his room.

"You were meant to be watching him! He was here all day I swear! Except...I only left him for like five minutes..."

"You left him! Heath how could you be so stupid! You know it only takes a few minutes for him to go and do something!" Brax yelled.

"Brax calm down, we'll find him." Kyle tried to reassure.

"Don't think you're the only one worried about him Darryl!" Heath snapped back.

He only ever called Brax by his real name when he was really fired up about something.

"He went on my watch! How do you think I feel if he's done something? I'll never forgive myself knowing I had dibs in killing my little brother!" Heath yelled.

Brax glared at Heath, having stopped his urge to punch his brother.

"Guys enough! Fighting isn't going to help us find Casey! Look!" Kyle yelled and pointed to the floor.

Brax and Heath stared at the broken pieces of the glass frame.

"Damn it!" Brax exclaimed, running his hand through his hair.

"The kid's gone and cut himself again." Heath added, worry coming through his voice.

"We gotta find him!" Brax stated and pushed out of the room.

BRAX'S POV

I turned back to stare at my brothers. I was so scared at losing my brother again.

"Heath go and check around the beaches and surf club. Kyle you check around the town and the gym and Heath can you ask Bianca to keep a watch out if he comes back."

Heath nodded. "What about you?" Kyle asked.

I shrugged. "I don't know. I'm just gonna go anywhere until I find him."

Kyle and Heath ran off out the door in search for Casey.

I whipped out my phone and called Casey's number. I gave a frustrated sigh when it went to message bank. I was waiting for his usual cheerful 'Hi you've reached Casey, leave a message and I'll get back to you,' but instead my heart pounded when I heard the voice on Casey's phone.

'Hi this is...I don't know who I am...Don't bother to leave a message because I won't be getting back to you.' The voice was cold and had no emotion to it.

"Casey! Damn it Casey! Where the hell are you? Stop messing with us mate and get home or let us know where you are...If you're okay...Please." I was left with the beeping of the end of the message.

I gripped my phone in my hand frustrated, tearing my mind as to where Casey could be and if he was okay. I turned back to look in his room and analyzed the broken frame on the floor, then it hit me, I think I knew where Casey might have gone.

I grabbed my car keys and drove as fast as I could until I reached a few blocks away at the old campsite I had taken my brothers so many times before. This was a long-shot, but it was the only chance I had.

As soon as I had parked the car I raced out, running down the path of the bush. It had been a while since we had been camping and the place had changed, it was overgrown with sticks and brambles everywhere making it difficult to make my way through.

"Casey! Casey!" I yelled, glancing all around me for any sight of my brother.