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Belle Taylor first arrived in the Bay at sixteen years old having just found out she was adopted and on a mission to locate her birth mother.
Her adopted parents, the strictly religious David and Judith Taylor had bought her up in a very controlled and over-disciplined manner and as a teenager Belle had rebelled against their conservative lifestyle, getting in with the wrong crowd, busking on the streets and rejecting Susan, the name they gave her.
Belle was first seen in Summer Bay when Ric found her living rough in the bush and befriended her, bringing her food and even hiding her out in his bedroom. Her presence in the house was unearthed by Ric's foster mother Sally who insisted that with her husband Flynn terminally ill they couldn't let her stay with them at present. Belle continued to turn up though, much to the disgust of Ric's girlfriend Cassie Turner. Things came to a head when Belle accidentally knocked Flynn down the stairs, weakening him and bringing forward his death and a horrified, Belle took off.
Caught breaking into Irene's car on her return to the Bay and on realising that her natural parents really didn't care for her, a sympathetic Irene offered her a room in her house. Belle was quick to pick up where she had left off with Ric, spending time with him and eventually planting a kiss on him in front of his girlfriend Cassie. Her scheming paid off with Ric and Cassie splitting and Ric and Belle getting together soon after.
A master manipulator, Belle quickly befriended Lucas, causing him to split from his girlfriend Matilda, Cassie's best friend. However behind the scenes was an insecure girl desperate to track down her birth mother in the hope that she would finally get the love and attention she craved. Confiding in Ric they set about locating her birth mother and the trail led to Katherine (Kitty) Lansdowne, revealed to be Belle's grandmother. Kitty devastated Belle with the revelation that her mother had died but the viewers knew differently however as Belle's mother was revealed to be Amanda Vale.
A few weeks later Belle was surprised to see Kitty in the Bay and when it was revealed that Amanda was Kitty's daughter Belle finally came to the realisation that her mother was the woman she despised. The explosion at Jack and Martha's wedding and the subsequent chopper crash that left Belle, amongst others, lost in the Bush led to Amanda miraculously 'feeling' Belle being bitten by a spider and leading the rescue teams to them.
With Belle devastated by Ric's decision to get back with his ex-Cassie and desperate to win him back, Amanda came up with elaborate schemes to help and caught up on the idea of having a 'cool' mum relations thawed between the two and Belle moved in with Amanda.
Eventually realising that Ric was not going to be won round Belle got together with Drew Curtis until Drew suddenly dumped her, seemingly for another woman. Turning to Amanda for support Belle was devastated when Amanda confided that she was in fact the other woman and Belle ran straight back to Irene and her friend Lucas, eventually getting together with him.
Drew's recent realisation that he still loves her has thrown a spanner in the works though, especially as Belle seemingly still has feelings for him. Denying how she feels, Belle accepted a lift home only to be kidnapped as part of her Aunt Kelli's revenge plan against Amanda. Found safe and well by Peter Baker, relations between Belle and Amanda began to thaw once more and Belle continued to stand by Lucas, fighting her feelings for Drew. Pushing Drew into the arms of new girl Lisa, Belle was devastated to think that they'd slept together so slept with Lucas, only to realise that Drew and Lisa hadn't slept together after all. With Lisa increasingly suspicious that Drew and Belle had feelings for each other and receiving confirmation from Drew, she announced the news to a devastated Lucas, breaking his heart but paving the way for what some of our forum members call a 'Drelle' reunion.
With Kelli still on the scene though things were not running smoothly at home and Belle became increasing suspicious of her Aunt as things kept on going wrong for Amanda. When Kelli's falsified pictures of Amanda cheating were revealed on her wedding day, Drew, furious that Belle knew all along split up with her.
Belle continued to stand by her mother but with Kelli continually spiking her drinks and making it seem like Amanda was continually breaking her promises Belle eventually moved out, back in with Irene. The final act of Kelli's revenge plan, to drug and leave Amanda for dead in a car crash was foiled when Amanda unwittingly gave Belle the spiked drink. Collapsing at the Diner Belle was rushed to hospital and quickly realised who was behind her poisoning, fortunately Peter had evidence to back her claims up and was just in time to save Amanda and arrest Kelli. Reunited with her mother Belle was then devastated when Amanda decided to leave town and the two had an emotional farewell.
Belle and Drew continued their on off romance, nearly getting together on a couple of occasions. At his birthday party it seemed like they would be getting back together but then Belle caught Drew kissing another girl and was unimpressed with his claims that he thought it was Belle. Furious that Drew had cheated on her Belle stole his assignment to get him into trouble but felt guilty when Drew used her action as a catalyst to quit school.
She agreed to Jules's idea for a pool party in order to get back in Drew's bad books and stole the key to her mother's empty house. Her plan seemed to work until she caught sight of a text message from the girl he kissed and she furiously threw his phone into the pool before storming off. He managed to talk her round though and they reunited during a shift in the Diner with Belle convincing him not to cover for Jules anymore.
She and Drew were okay for a while but they clashed after he reacted furiously to news that Jules had tried it on with his mother, forcing Belle to remind him that he had had an affair with her mother. She was keen to give Jazz a chance despite Drew's doubts but changed her mind when Jazz let it be known that she didn't agree with drew being 'exclusive' to Belle.
Determined to make amends Jazz managed to get Drew concert tickets for him and belle but Drew sold them to Dom, Ric's old colleague, in exchange for car parts. Drew finally managed to get replacement tickets but their night was ruined when Belle was mugged and unknown to them Dom pocketed Belle's wallet and Jazz's dead mothers necklace, that Drew had stolen to loan to Belle. Belle was surprised when Dom returned her 'lost' necklace.
As Drew got more involved in drag racing and buying cheap parts to fix his car, Belle tried to talk him out of getting involved, pointing out that if Dom and his ex Lisa were involved, it was bound to be dodgy. Drew refused to listen though and Dom was able to cause trouble between them. He invited Belle round to his and got her drunk and stoned before refusing to let her go. She was rescued by Lisa and was later devastated when Lisa was killed as a result of a drag race.
Belle was furious to realise that Drew was covering the fact he had stolen car parts by refusing to tell the truth about what happened to Lisa but her convincing him to tell the truth caused trouble between them when he was charged. Jazz persuaded Belle to convince Dom to help Drew out and he agreed, if she kissed him. She did and Dom implicated himself to the police to get Drew off the hook.
Having got through her exams, Belle was informed, thanks to a mix up via Annie, that Drew was going to propose. His surprise turned out to be a car and they headed off on a short road trip. Their trip was interrupted by a phone call saying that Belle had got the cadetship at the local paper that she was working towards and she wanted to head home. Drew wasn't keen though and they rowed. Belle stormed off and was later kidnapped by Dom. Holding her hostage Belle tried to convince him to let her leave, even going so far as to kiss him.
With Dom's Uncle's help, Drew managed to track Belle down and rescue her but as they tried to escape Dom ran out in front of them and Drew accidentally ran him over. He initially drove off but at Belle's insistence they returned only to find blood on the ground but Dom missing. She confided in him about her kiss with Dom and after initial anger they made up and went to bed together where they were unknowingly watched by Dom.
She was shocked a few weeks later when Dom turned up at the Diner obviously in a bad way and told her he hadn't had medical attention because he didn't want to get her into trouble. She convinced him to go to hospital where Rachel was suspicious of his injuries and as he was rushed into theatre she told him she loved him, much to Drew's disgust. Whilst visiting Dom in hospital she incurred Morag's wrath by taking a picture of Reverand Hall which made him look like a monster and Drew's wrath for visiting Dom in the first place.
She gave Dom a reference for a job in The Diner but was furious wth him when he failed a test set by Irene which showed him to be a liar and a waste of space. Angrily she forced him to leave town. She was devastated when Drew's Uncle Dan died but upset him by heading to the beach to cover a story from work rather than support him at the memorial. She put aside her morals to cover a story that painted Aden a a hero and another which painted Sally as a villian.
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