Deadline

[Taniya_K]

Whoop! Spike to the rescue

Another brilliant chapter! I actually like Belle getting into trouble with Gavin cos she seems to throw out more hilarious excuses and oneliners then!

Lol at her stealing the wrong tape, but yay that Aden put it to use.

And that ending was great! Can't believe she stole his passport! A whole change from the ending of the last fic.

Cannot wait for more!

xoxo

[LAURZY!]

Go Spike!!

Loved it!!

The ending was brilliant!!!! she stole his passport?!!! haha

Fantastic, cannot wait for the next update

[Jody]

I loved this chapter.

Geoff and Belle were once again brilliant together. Geoff teasing her was so funny. That was a nice way to start the chapter.

Belle getting into trouble with Gavin is really funny as usual. I loved her stealing the wrong tape. Good thing Aden was there to save the day.

Loved Belle trying to get Aden to stay. Only she would come up with something like paying him to stick around. Her stealing his passort was hilarious. She really can't let go of him, can she?

Please update soon.

[Adelle_fan1000]

Oh!! I love this Sequel So funny..

Can't wait for more

[Luc]

Thanks Taniya, Laura, Jody and Adelle_fan1000

-Chapter Four-

Killer on the Line; Part One

The newsroom telephone began ringing. Drew looked up from the comic he was reading. It was nearing 10pm and he was tired. He reached out to grab it. He shrugged when he didn’t reach it. The phone eventually stopped. Aden pushed the door open as the phone began ringing again. He placed his bags down on the floor and Drew looked up with a grin.

“Don’t ask!” He snapped. He looked down and saw Ruby sitting under her desk. He looked back up at Drew.

“Don’t ask,” Aden shrugged and looked down at the phone, which was still ringing. He shrugged and walked over to Belle’s desk. He flicked on the lamp and pulled her tow drawer out and emptied it on the desktop. He threw the empty wooden container aside and began rifling through her stuff. The phone began ringing again as Aden began throwing pieces of paper around the room in anger. It had stopped again by the time he began searching through the wastepaper basket. Angrily, he threw it aside and pulled out the other desk drawer. He emptied it and threw it away. When he didn’t see the item he was looking for, he stormed over to Drew.

“Where is Belle?” He shouted. Drew didn’t look up from the comic.

“You haven’t checked the filling cabinet,” He told the American. Aden groaned.

“Do you know what that woman has one to me?” Aden asked. Again, Drew didn’t look up from the comic.

“Dated you, dumped you, broken your heart, sent you packing back to America,” Drew looked up as he thought what to say next, “Given you a serious complex about all love of women because you know deep down you’re still crazy about her and always will be,” He looked back down at hic comic.

“That was a lucky guess,” Aden joked. He lowered himself onto his knees and made his way over to Ruby. It looked as though she had been crying as her mascara had run down her face.

“Have I missed anything?” Drew asked,

“Yeah, she stole my damn passport,” Aden replied. He turned to Ruby. “Some guy you’re crazy about stood you up, right?”

“How did you know?” Ruby asked sadly. Aden shrugged.

“Well, it is Saturday.” Aden smiled and stuck out his hand. “Come on,” Ruby clutched it and rose from the ground.

***

“Remember the lessons we covered last year?” Aden asked Ruby. She was sitting at her desk now, and was no longer crying, “The assertiveness ones?” Ruby nodded. “You never wait in all night for a call, because a guy can hear that in your voice, and you never ever answer on the first ring!”

“But I can’t help it!” Ruby moaned, wiping the mascara away from under her eyes. “I’m all tense from waiting, so I just sort of pounce. I answer the phone if the door knocks!” She cried. The phone began to ring and Ruby jumped up. Aden grinned.

“Drew is the same,” The pair looked across at Drew, whom was still sitting about a metre away from the phone, the same comic book in his hand. He didn’t get up to answer it. “Only his response time is like a month.” Ruby smiled and Aden grinned. “Hey Drew! You ever gonna get that thing?”

“Might not be for me,” Drew replied, not looking up.

“How will you know if you don’t answer it?” Aden asked.

“It’s difficult, isn’t it?” Drew looked over at the phone and shrugged his shoulders, “I just give up as soon as it rings,” Aden grinned again and picked up the phone, he pressed Drew’s line.

“Hello, Spike Jeffries’ advice line for the lovelorn,”

“I've just met this girl I really like. Is it too early for me to steal her passport?” Geoff asked. Aden laughed.

“You knew about that?” He exclaimed. Geoff scoffed.

“Spike, it’s Geoff!”

“I guess you’re looking for the bitch editor from hell, right?” Aden asked.

“Don’t ever call her that Spike!” Geoff announced, “She likes it.”

“If she shows up, I’ll bring her over,” Aden told his friend. “In suitcases,” He added.

“Yeah, well leave them at the door,” Geoff replied, sounding slightly more relaxed, “I’m in serious need of sleep. I haven’t gotten any for the last two days, Mel keeps calling up.”

“How is she?” Aden asked curiously. Both of them had left the Coastal Junior at the same time, he never even got to say goodbye.

“She’s loving it in Japan, but can’t wait until she heads to the UK next.” Geoff replied. Aden smiled, “Look, in between the witty barbs and the furniture throwing, could you tell Belle we’ve got distribution problems all around Summer Bay, and tell her that Alf Stewart’s been trying to call all night but nobody’s answering at the newsroom.”

“Alf Stewart?”

“Just a plain and ordinary guy I wouldn’t mind seeing dead,” Geoff replied casually. “Gotta go Aden,” He finished, placing the phone down. Aden did the same.

“Who’s Alf Stewart?” He asked Drew and Ruby.

“Long story, mostly dull,” Drew replied, opening another comic book. Aden nodded and the phone began ringing again.

“Enough already!” He shouted at the inanimate object. He pulled off his San Francisco Giants baseball cap and threw it on top of the pile of Belle’s personal items. Ruby looked over at the phone desperately. She looked down at her watch. She stood up and walked over to it. “Are you expecting a call?” Aden asked her.

“When David cancelled, he said he might phone around eleven,” Ruby answered, debating whether or not to pick up the telephone. Aden looked down at his own watch.

“It’s only five to ten,” He called back.

“Well, eleven-ish,” Aden scoffed.

“Well, you tell it like it is!” He shouted, “Get that sucker sweating guilt!’

“Right I will!” Ruby replied in determination.

“Go for it!” Aden shouted back. Ruby picked up the phone and pressed her line.

“Hello,” she said, “I’m fine!” Aden rolled his eyes.

“What?” an unfamiliar male voice asked Ruby.

“David?” She asked. The male hung up on her. She looked at the telephone she had clutched in her hand before hanging up.

“Not David?” Aden asked as he began to rummage through Belle’s desk drawers again.

“Must have been a wrong number,” She responded. The telephone began ringing again and she picked it up.

“Hello,” she said. Nobody replied. “Hello?”

“Where’s George?” The male from before asked. Ruby raised an eyebrow in confusion. “I need to speak to George,”

“I’m sorry, there’s no George here,” Ruby apologised, “What number are you dialling?”

“I don’t know!” The boy shouted at her, “I just know George is there, so get him!” He ordered.

“How can you not know..?”

“I’m stuck here! I could be found any minute!”

“Where are you stuck?”

“Who is this? Who am I talking to?”

“Why are you stuck?” Ruby asked again, sounding more determined. “Look, what do I tell George?” She finally asked. She was desperate to get a story out of this.” “Why are you stuck, he’ll want to know! I mean, you know George, right?”

“Well I can’t see,” The boy responded. Ruby nodded, pulling out a notepad, “He had some kind of spray stuff and sprayed my eyes, and now I can’t see.” Ruby heard muffled voices in the background, “And if I’m caught here... I’ll call you back,” He hung up again. Ruby placed the phone down and pulled out a pen.

“Problem, Ruby?” Aden asked, sticking his head up from under Belle’s desk.

“If the phone rings again, let me answer it,” She replied, turning back to her notepad. Aden got up from his knees and began throwing the paper on Belle’s desk around in search of his passport.

“Dear Diary,” He heard Belle say, he looked up and saw that she was standing in the doorframe; Angelo was standing next to her, “It’s that cute American again, and he’s searching my desk. Does this mean he likes me?” Aden rolled his eyes and pulled open the filling cabinet that was next to Geoff’s desk. Belle began walking over to him, “It’s so difficult to know what to say in an event like this. One wants to be firm with him, but just a little seductive, find out what the hell he’s doing but maybe encourage him a little. I need style, authority and sex appeal,” She leaned against the filling cabinet as she thought of what to say. “Something of interest in my drawers?” Aden looked up from the filling cabinet in anger.

“Let’s get one thing straight,” Aden said, resting his arms on the edge of the drawer. “I know you stole my passport, and I’m going to get seriously, and dangerously, angry, if you try to deny it.”

“Fair enough,” Belle replied, “I stole your passport,”

“Then give it back to me!”

“No.” She grinned at him, “Thank goodness that’s settled.” Belle picked up a folder that was lying on top of the filling cabinet, “Have a look through the rainy day file. Damons’ has pulled the Chambers and Grainger story for legal reasons, so we need a new lead,” She handed him the folder, “She what you can find in there,” Aden rolled his eyes and threw the folder down onto her desk.

“Spike, baby!” Angelo said, walking up to the American, “I didn’t know you were back from Newcastle,” Aden laughed,

“America, Angelo. I went home to America,” Aden informed him,

“No kidding?” The Italian asked, “I always thought you were from Newcastle,”

“Right,” Aden said, backing away from Angelo slowly. He turned to Belle. “Belle, will you listen to me, please?”

“Any point Aden?” Belle asked, picking up the paper Aden had thrown on the floor, “You don’t appear interested in telling me the truth these days,” She made her way over to Ruby, who was sitting at her desk, the pen still in her hands.

“What?” Aden asked her in confusion.

“Ruby, we need a new lead. Any ideas?”

“You know that spray stuff?” Ruby asked, looking up from her notepad, “Like you use if you’re being attacked or something, a little aerosol. It blinds people for a bit.”

“Yeah, sure why?” Belle asked her head reporter.

“Ruby, I don’t think you’re supposed to use that of you’ve just been stood up!” Drew called out from his desk.

“Belle, I’m only going to say this exactly once, will you give me the damn passport?” Aden snapped at her. Belle rolled her eyes and turned to face him.

“I don't recall in any point in out relationship just doing what you told me!” Belle snapped.

“Good point. I see you never did loose any weight off your ass.” Aden shot back,

“Well, I never had much confidence in your aim,” Belle retorted. Aden scoffed.

“The point is the spray is defensive, right?” Ruby asked, ignoring Belle and Aden’s minor tiff. “It’s used by someone who’s being attacked, so someone who’s had it used on them is likely to be the attacker, yeah?”

“I suppose,” Belle told her friend.

“The question is why is he phoning us?”

“Ruby, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Ruby replied, turning back to her notepad, “I’m just thinking.” Aden rolled his eyes and walked over to Belle.

“Belle, will you damn well listen to me?” Aden asked her in anger. Belle rolled her eyes and passed him the rainy day folder,

“Just have a look,” She told him, winking at Ruby, who was not paying any attention, “See what you can find.” Aden snatched the folder and threw it down on his old desk.

“I saved your ass a couple of hours ago, I don’t deserve this!” Aden moaned, folding his arms across his chest. Belle walked over to him and folder her arms across her chest.

“You better know, I've worked out the real reason you’re back in Australia,” Belle informed her former boyfriend.

“Everyone!” Ruby called out. Belle and Aden turned to face her. “In a moment we’re about to receive a phone call from someone who’s in the process of committing an assault, and possibly a burglary, and for some reason, he’s got our phone number. I thought that might be news to you.”

[LAURZY!]

Love Belle and Aden!

That was so good as per usual! the way you write the humour is so good!!

Bless Ruby.... hope she's got a big story there though, sounds interesting

Brilliant!

Cant wait to read more

[Jody]

"Do you know what that woman has one to me?" Aden asked. Again, Drew didn't look up from the comic.

"Dated you, dumped you, broken your heart, sent you packing back to America," Drew looked up as he thought what to say next, "Given you a serious complex about all love of women because you know deep down you're still crazy about her and always will be," He looked back down at hic comic.

"That was a lucky guess," Aden joked.

I read this quote when you posted it in the quotes thread but it's still funny now.

"Spike, baby!" Angelo said, walking up to the American, "I didn't know you were back from Newcastle," Aden laughed,

"America, Angelo. I went home to America," Aden informed him,

"No kidding?" The Italian asked, "I always thought you were from Newcastle,"

Now that is definitely one of my favourite quotes from this fic. Angelo calling Aden 'baby'. As for thinking he's from Newcastle, he really doesn't pay attention to anything, does he?

I loved Belle not paying any attention to Aden's anger. And him getting more worked up by it. Both of them were brilliant in this chapter.

Drew and the phone and Ruby and her problem was hilarious as well.

Great chapter. Please update soon.

[Taniya_K]

Loved that update!

I dunno why, but imagining Drew sitting there with the comic book, not bothering to move the slightest bit for the phone, and giving the line sthat he did just made the chapter for me! It was too funny!

Angelo was hilarious as always! Esp considering that in the last chapter of the last fic, he didn't even know that Spike was from America

Ruby and the phone call was awesome. Sounds like a good story!

Belle and Aden. Funny as heck. like always! Oh, and I liked that comment that Geoff gave over the phone about meeting a girl and asking if it were too soon to steal her passport!

Cannot wait for more!

xoxo

[Luc]

Thanks Laura, Jody and Taniya

-Chapter Five-

Killer on the Line; Part Two

Ruby tapped her pencil down on the top of her desk as she waited for the phone to ring. Drew sat on the edge of her workspace, ready to tape the conversation. Belle was sitting at her desk and Aden was rummaging through her filling cabinet.

“This is good!” Angelo called out as he left his office. “This is great!” He dropped to his knees and looked from Ruby to Drew, “A crime in progress phones us! Are we a newspaper or what?”

“There’s nothing in this yet Angelo, this is just a guess,” Ruby told him, pointing to the phone. Angelo scoffed.

“I can just feel the sales figures when this one hits!” Angelo said, choosing to block out Ruby’s voice, “And I know you’re gonna write us a real seller this time!” He grinned at her.

“Really?” Ruby asked him eagerly,

“I've got faith in you!” Angelo told her as he pointed to his chest, “Number one fan over here!” He added. Ruby laughed, “Trust you till the day you die.” He added.

“Thankyou Angelo,” Ruby said timidly. Angelo stood up.

“Can you put in loads of adjectives?” He asked her, playfully punching her shoulder, “I love those!” He told her.

***

Aden looked through the first drawer of Belle’s filling cabinet desperately. In anger, he pulled out a handful of archived articles and threw them over Belle. She rolled her eyes at his immature action. The telephone began ringing and both Belle and Aden looked up nervously. Ruby reached out to pick up the receiver.

“Drew,” She said. Drew placed his comic down and pressed the record button on the tape machine.

“Ready,” He said. Ruby picked up the phone and pressed her line.

“Hello,” She said. She heard heavy breathing.

“Where’s George?” The same male voice from before asked.

“You missed him,” Ruby lied. She heard the breathing get heavier.

“What?” He asked her desperately. Belle made her way over to her best friend. Aden followed.

“He wants to know where you are,” Ruby added.

“Look, George knows where I am!” The boy shouted at her, “He brought me here!” Ruby looked up at her editor; she was looking at the tape recorder intensely, listening to every word that was being said. “Did you tell him I’m in trouble? Did you tell him about my eyes?”

“Look, we’re kind of foggy about what actually happened,” Ruby told the boy she didn’t know, “What happened over there?”

“I told you, he got me with the spray!”

“You still can’t see?”

“Not well enough!” Ruby looked around the newsroom again, everybody was looking at the tape machine, “I've gotta be sure no one see’s me coming out of here, I mean, I really cracked that old guy on the head!” Ruby looked up, her eyes met Belle’s. They were both worried. She looked around and saw that everybody else was as shocked by this revelation as she was.

“How is her?” Ruby asked in concern, “The old guy. What state’s he in?”

“I don’t know, he’s breathing, but he could get worse. Also, I've got to get out of here.”

“Tell us where you are!” Ruby shouted. Belle nodded. “We’ll come and get you.”

“Who’s ‘us’?” The boy asked her. “Who am I talking to?” Belle picked up Ruby’s notepad and a permanent maker. She scrawled a few words down and turned it around so that Ruby could see it. ‘Own Up.’ It said. Ruby nodded.

“Look, I’m gonna tell you the truth, okay?” Ruby asked the boy. “Are you listening?”

“Yeah.”

“The truth is, you’ve got a wrong number.” She announced. “I don’t know anyone called George, there’s never been any George here, just don’t hang up!” She pleaded, “You’re in trouble. Maybe we can help.”

“Do you think I’m some kind of an idiot?”

“What?”

“Look, I know for a fact I've got the right number!” He whispered loudly, “An hour ago, George phoned this number and said he’d be over in ten minutes. I was there!”

“I’m sorry, but you did get the wrong number,” Ruby told him calmly,

“Is this part of the test?”

“What?”

“I know this is the right number. Do you understand me? I know!” He placed the phone down on the receiver. Ruby placed the phone back down sadly. Angelo groaned.

“I can’t believe you blew it like that!” He shouted at the upset girl, “I feel so let down on a deeply personal level!”

“Shut up Angelo!” Ruby shouted at the Italian. Angelo ignored her.

“I trusted you like family!” He continued shouted, “I've always looked up to you like... like one of my own mothers!”

“Shut up!” Belle shouted, walking over to her friend’s desk. Angelo nodded in agreement,

“Just shut up Ruby!” He shouted. Belle shook her head.

“Angelo, go away,” Belle demanded. Angelo looked at Belle, hurt. He nodded weakly.

“You’re right,” He said to Belle. She rolled her eyes yet again. “I’m hurt and I’m vulnerable. I need to be alone, thanks Belle.” He gave Belle a pat on the shoulder and walked over to his office. Belle scoffed. Ruby looked up at Belle, whom had just called the police.

“What did the police say?” She asked curiously. During Angelo’s rant, she had only been able to hear the words ‘police’ and ‘but’.

“I got a patronising lecture about hoax calls to newsrooms,” Belle told her. Drew shrugged and picked up his comic book again. “They might send someone by later, but don’t hold your breath.”

Over by the shelfs, Aden angrily picked up a container and emptied its contents onto the floor. Belle uncrossed her arms and walked over to him. Aden picked up another container and began rummaging through it.

“We still need another story Spike,” She said, grinning. “Found anything in the rainy day file?” Aden emptied the contents of that container onto the floor, and then dropped the container itself.

“I don’t work here anymore,” Aden said bitterly, resting his elbows on the shelf. “Remember?” He turned to face Belle.

“I really did miss you, you know,” She told him sincerely. Aden scoffed and turned back to the shelf. He picked up a folder that was lying next to him and flicked through it.

“What you missed Belle was a good reporter,” He corrected her. “I know what I can do,” He added, throwing the folder on the paper covered floor. “You just want me for my mind! You’re so shallow Belle,” Belle folded her arms across her chest again and tilted her head.

“We’re shallow people, Spike.” She informed him, “That’s why our relationship was such a success. We never had anything to talk about.” Aden laughed. “Know what the give away was?” Belle asked him, starting on a new topic.

“What?” Aden asked in confusion. He pulled yet another container off the shelf.

“Bringing Zoe to Australia,” Aden let the container slip from his hands as Belle walked closer to him. “You wouldn’t even take your girlfriend to the corner shop in case you found the woman on the till attractive,” She told him coldly. “Yet here you are, shelling out for a plane ticket and introducing her to your relatives. Why didn’t I spot this sooner? Or for that matter, why didn’t you just tell me?”

“Belle...”

“So does this mean I’m not invited to the engagement party?” Belle asked him.

“That’s what you think, is it?” Aden asked her guiltily.

“Well I’m right, aren’t I?

“Which is usually what you think,”

“Well?” Aden avoided answering her.

“What’s the plan here Belle?” he asked her, turning around as to avoid eye contact. “You get me to hang around until I fall back in love with you?” Belle looked at him in hurt.

“You’re not going to find that passport, you know,” She told him coldly.

“In the end, I’ll make you give it to me!” Aden said to her through clenched teeth.

“Ditto,” Belle said sharply. The telephone began ringing and Belle and Aden turned their heads. Angelo was running out of his office and over to Ruby.

“That’s gotta be him!” Angelo called out as he came to a top in between Ruby and Drew. “Ruby, you’re so great!”

“Shut up Angelo!” She shouted. Angelo laughed and turned to Drew.

“Me and Ruby are always joking around like this!” He lied. Drew rolled his eyes.

“Shut up Angelo,” He said, holding his finger over the record button on the tape machine. Angelo laughed again.

“All this crazy newsroom banter!” He said, “Are we the guys or what?” he asked, throwing his arm around Drew’s shoulders. Angelo pulled his arm away as Belle began to walk over.

“Well?” She asked Ruby, whom had had her hand raised above the phone for a few moments. She looked around the group.

“Here goes,” She said. Drew pressed the record button and Ruby raised the phone from the receiver. She placed it to her ear. “Hello,” she said.

“I don’t want to speak to you!” The male yelled at her, “I want George!”

“I keep telling you, George...”

“No more of that stuff!” The boy stated. “No more of that ‘wrong number’ stuff!”

“Look, you have to believe me!” Ruby pleaded.

“I said enough of that!” The boy shouted over her. Ruby sighed. “Just get me the hell out of here!” He added angrily.

“But we don’t know where...”

“George knows!” The male said again, “And he’s there, I know he is, so no more rubbish, alright?”

“No!” Ruby shouted at him. Aden grinned. “Not alright! As a matter of fact, not alright at all! It strikes me that I’m your lifeline! You’re stuck there and you need me, so let’s do it my way, shall we?” Aden nodded his head, impressed at her attitude. He picked up another box from the shelf he was standing by. “First I wanna know about the man you attacked! How is he, still okay?”

“What’s it matter about him?” The male asked. Ruby scoffed. “Who cares about him? I've gotta get out of here!”

“Fine,” Ruby shot at him in anger, “Phone back when you’re ready to talk.” She slammed the phone down violently. Angelo jumped to his feet and folded his arms across his chest.

“I can’t believe you did that!” He shouted in disgust, “You better understand that this throws doubt over your position as head of features!” he turned to Belle, Aden and Drew, “Let’s all have a meeting about Ruby. Belle folded her arms across her chest and ignored the Italian.

“I think you played it right,” Drew said to her. Belle nodded in agreement.

“Absolutely,” Belle told her, “Good tactics.” Angelo laughed nervously.

“Well... of course that’s how I feel too!” I told her, “I’m just hurt you didn’t talk it through with me first. I mean Ruby, we’re like brothers!” Ruby scoffed, Angelo turned to Belle hopefully, she rolled her eyes.

[LAURZY!]

Go Ruby!!!!! lol, so glad she stood up for herself to that dude!

Angelo's an idiot so funny.....

Loved it all, just as i always do! lol

Really looking forward to reading more! i hope they catch the burglar man and that the old man's ok!!!