John

Well done Lily. It certainly was unexpected but then I guess you were fairly determined that Belle was going to have a baby with Aden. I love the drama that you manage to portray in your writing. I actually enjoyed the 2nd and 3rd chapters more as you explored the confused feelings of both Belle and Aden. Keep writing, I'll be back.

Just a gentle warning that some of the comments made in this thread recently could be seen by other board members as offensive. EVERY MEMBER has a responsibility to express their views and opinions in a way that is not offensive to others. Offensive posts will be edited or if nothing worthwhile remains after editing will be deleted.

You could send some down to us.

I have enjoyed the story Lily G.. Have you entered anything for the script writing competition?

I always hope relationships on the show will be given a chance to develop over some longer term.. I don't often get my wish. However this one really worries me. They both come with so much previous emotional baggage. Still working through all the baggage could make great ongoing drama if the writers are up to it.

40 degrees C today not a cloud in the sky.

I can't see that a charge of "locking the hall doors which might potentially be dangerous should there be an accident" would stick in any court I know of.

At this nobody has found the key to getting alongside Melody. That doesn't mean there isn't one. I believe that Melody needs to be treated in some tightly supervised retreat where she could interract with a medical team probably consisting of a psychiatrist, psychologist and experienced counsellors. Something similar to the place Mattie went to after her issue with body image that lead to bulimia. It probably needs to be in a small group situation with both adults and people her own age.

At the risk of having things thrown at me by the Adelle fans I wonder if Aden wouldn't be the best person to help Melody. This wouldn't have to be a romantic relationship although somewhere down the track it could be.

I agree that she needs to face the consequences of her actions but to what end? The whole point of facing the consequences is that she learns life lessons and handles situations more appropriately the next time. There is no point in the consequences being so severe that she is so damaged that she can never benefit from the lessons. What is the point of that? Some sort of society revenge? The consequences need to limited in severity so that they are suffucient to teach lasting lessons but hopefully not cause lasting damage. That is where her "parents" and friends have a role in my opinion. Melody needs to look everyone in the eyes and see the hurt and anger that she has caused everyone. Melody has turned her back on her family and friends. Melody needs to suffer the way that they would suffer. Again I ask to what purpose? Let Melody suffer the way that they will suffer. Sure it was Kane that drove into the building but Melody was still under the influence of drugs. A softly,softly approch want work. Give her counsilling. But from behind bars. The record of gaols in rehabilitating people is less than impressive!! Perhaps Melody does need to be removed from society for a time but I believe a gaol would be the worst place to send her.

I agree that she needs to face the consequences of her actions but to what end? The whole point of facing the consequences is that she learns life lessons and handles situations more appropriately the next time. There is no point in the consequences being so severe that she is so damaged that she can never benefit from the lessons. What is the point of that? Some sort of society revenge? The consequences need to limited in severity so that they are suffucient to teach lasting lessons but hopefully not cause lasting damage. That is where her "parents" and friends have a role in my opinion. Melody needs to look everyone in the eyes and see the hurt and anger that she has caused everyone. Melody has turned her back on her family and friends. Melody needs to suffer the way that they would suffer. Again I ask to what purpose?

I agree that she needs to face the consequences of her actions but to what end? The whole point of facing the consequences is that she learns life lessons and handles situations more appropriately the next time. There is no point in the consequences being so severe that she is so damaged that she can never benefit from the lessons. What is the point of that? Some sort of society revenge? The consequences need to limited in severity so that they are suffucient to teach lasting lessons but hopefully not cause lasting damage. That is where her "parents" and friends have a role in my opinion.

Used to get that heaps. Haven't had it since the server change.

Cornelia Francis is a towering talent in Australian drama. Any show she is in gains stature. Ours is no exception.

It seems with all the discussion of Belle/Aden and Jack/Martha that the Melody storyline has somehow been forgotten. For me it will be one of the two compelling storylines of the early part of this year. ( The other being Belle and Aden's interraction with the toxic waste storyline and its personal effect on them.) Melody's obsessive behaviour and failure to cope with reality ( Geoff is with Nicole ) has lead her to such a dark place. Her actions have put multiple lives at risk. Without her mother and/or father (and I'm not sure how much help they would be,) just who will step forward to be her support? Will it be Miles? To this point he hasn't really been very effective. Will it be Kirsty? To expect the other teens to be effective would be a really big ask and very unrealistic. I think this storyline has a long way to go to play out and I'm really looking forward to it.

I'm really appreciating the character of Angelo at the moment. He is not an attractive character but the world is full of people who are not attractive at times. He is "collateral damage" from the out of control relationship between Aden and Belle. I also find that relationship compelling drama but also not attractive as an example of all that is good in relationships. I believe Angelo's violent reaction to Belle's "cheating' on him is very disturbing in a Police Officer particularly one entrusted with carrying a firearm in the community. I think the important point to make is that all these relationships and personal traits make for very interesting drama. After all aren't we all passionately discussing it??

I think "brave" is the wrong word to use in this case. I think Belle was feeling so "battered" emotionally that she didn't have the strength to face up to telling him or his reaction to being told. Once again if you're anti-Belle this could be seen as cowardice or worse. If you're pro-Belle this could be viewed with sympathy at her being "battered" by events and not thinking clearly. If you're neither ...............

Yeah it is predictable but I never expected it to be any different ( I note the Username!! ) However it is well written and I did wonder for just a millisecond whether you were going to throw us a curve.

This is probably off topic but I obviously missed the events surrounding Axel's death while away caravanning. ( I don't know where else to ask ) Could someone correct me if I'm wrong and fill in any gaps. - Axel drunkenly "attacked" Melody - Aden beat up on Axel. ( I assumed that, it wasn't confirmed before I left) - Jai and Axel stole Mattie's scooter and Axel was killed in an accident. ( This is where I'm short on detail ) - Melody blamed herself because she "prayed God's wrath" on Axel I've always assumed that Axel's death and the events surrounding it were more important to the Melody storyline than to the Aden/Belle one.

It's interesting that I haven't liked any of her relationships since she split up with Lucas.I liked her with Ric and I liked her with Drew the first time round but there was no way they should have got back together after he slept with Amanda.The fact they never seemed to be happy afterwards just made the fact they trampled over Lucas to be together all the more annoying.My views on her and Aden are on record in several places but let's just say I don't think they're any better.Ironically, her and Angelo had promise but she ruined it by pining for Aden the whole time.Can I put in a vote for her and Geoff?I first suggested it on a thread on which couples you'd like to see together, when she was breaking up with Drew and before Nic and Mel when he'd never had a girlfriend.And then they had their first proper scene together since he was first living there and she was embarassing him into leaving(bar him shouting at her in a corridor for arguing with Don)and I suddenly thought "My god, they've actually got chemistry!"And on the rare occasion they have a scene together, I just think how sweet they are.It could happen. It's never going to happen, is it? Welcome Red Ranger!! It is rather intense at times but a number of us are really enjoying this thread. It is interesting how people can look at the same things and see them very differently. A bit like that old story about the road accident witnesses viewing from different street corners. I see both Belle and Aden as having similar personalities. Both try to mask a basic vulnerability with a feisty and agressive approach to life. They both suffer from a lack of self worth. That's what propels their feistiness as a cover up. In the relationship between them we have two damaged, vulnerable people trying to lean on each other for support. It is compelling drama because of the constant potential for disastrous consequences both to them and those around them. Neither of them is really strong enough to be supporting the other. None of us always make decisions on who we love on the basis of who would be best for us. I see the compelling drama in the "failing" relationship. It may just annoy others. I see Belle's obsession with the toxic waste as a quest for self worth in her own mind by doing something which she sees as making her valuable in the community. Both she and the community would gain. I can't agree with your view of the importance of the toxic waste. Just because a disastrous situation has gone on for a long time isn't a reason in my mind to do nothing about it. The longer the problem exists the greater the impact and the more compelling the need for a solution. (Where I live we have a very similar issue with asbestosis where people are dieing after 30 years.The power industry knew about it but didn't do anything. ) I agree that Belle's obsession with the cause has become unhealthy and self destructive even though the cause is good. This obsession and it's consequences are at the heart of the compelling drama for me. Her relationship with Aden will only be a component in the story sometimes for good and sometimes not. With all the best will in the world they simply may not be able to support one another adequately. We'll have to wait and see how all this plays out. One point of agreement I do have with you is the idea of a relationship between Belle and Geoff. But then I really liked her with Lucas.

In fact her feistiness may be her way back.

Quite a mild New Years Eve at 20 C. A bit different to last year when it was 40 C

I said in a thread some time ago that the writers seemed to be trying to establish Belle as an individual now that most of her teenage group has left the show. At the time I thought that they were doing a really good job of it. I agree with Slade that to make further progress with this she does need to re-establish her career in journalism or photography so that we can see her in a work setting interracting with other people and developing an adult personality. At this stage she is on a downward spiral and when she hits bottom, however that might be, there will be a golden opportunity for the writers to do all this as she recovers. They may even make it part of the recovery process. I find the writing of Belle to be very consistent. She is a very driven character with "tunnel vision" very much prone to becoming obsessed with people or issues. She doesn't tend to realise the damage these obsessions can cause to others until it is too late. In fact at the moment she isn't really aware of the damage she is doing to herself. I agree with those who see Belle as a character in deep trouble. Much of her behaviour is not particularly attractive. However I do find her absorbing as a character because I know so many people just like her who are living their lives coping with personalities damaged by their background and/or events seeking to make some sense out of life. They are like drowning swimmers who can sometimes be a real danger to their "rescuers" by clinging on in terror. Sometimes they succeed and rise above their circumstances, all too often they fail and in doing so damage both themselves and those around them. I look forward to the coming year as I see Belle not only in relation to Aden but in how she interracts with all the other characters in the show.

Wow there surely are some strongly held opinions here. Unfortunately language that is "over the top" does have a habit of provoking responses which are similarly "over the top". Perhaps if we retired to our corners secure in our own view of the character of Belle and when we "came out fighting" we did it with reasoned argument rather than name calling, provocative langauge etc. Remember nobody is either right or wrong here, they just hold an opinion. The OTT language aside this has been a great thread and I'm sure that the writers must be thrilled at having provoked such dedicated involvement in the characters they have created. ( I checked carefully to see if I had used any we's )

Well written. You've captured the build up of emotions very well and the sense of not knowing what to expect at the start of a relationship. keep going.