2012: Bay of Destruction

[Miranda]

Good to know about the Braxtons and their mysterious past

[ldscott]

great couple of chapters guys, nice to hear there is a good side to Heath, you don't really see it in the show!

Can't wait for the next one!

Lisa x

[HighwayUnicorn]

CHAPTER FIVE

“So” Aden began, as he gestured to the front room of their apartment which they now shared together as a married couple. “This is it.”

Belle nodded her head slowly and smiled, emitting a breathy laugh.

“What?” Aden asked, a little surprised at her reaction towards the lounge area.

“Nothing. Just wondering if you’re going to keep it relatively tidy” she smiled.

“Oh” Aden smiled happily as he reminisced about one moment in particular. “You mean that time when you thought the place was a mess and you couldn’t resist me?” he asked.

Belle shook her head. “No, I knew the place was a mess and I could resist you. I just chose not to.”

“Yeah right” Aden laughed. “You were all over me.”

“I didn’t see you complaining.”

The couple stood in silence for a few moments, unsure of where to take the conversation. They stood hand in hand as they headed towards the kitchen, exploring it.

They then headed upstairs, taking a look at the two bedrooms, bathroom and en suite.

“I guess this is where we’ll spend most of our time” Aden murmured softly when they entered the bedroom, as he placed his arms around Belle’s waist, who smiled.

“If you’re lucky” she told him.

“I’m counting on that” Aden laughed.

“It looks smaller though” Belle commented. “All the furniture in here now ...” she added.

Aden nodded, agreeing. “It’s all we can afford babe.”

After a few moments, the couple headed downstairs into the lounge and sat on the sofa, Aden resting his hand on Belle’s knee before Belle began to speak.

“We need to talk, you know; about everything that’s happened whilst we’ve been apart.”

Aden nodded. It was a conversation he dreaded having but knew it was going to occur at some point and might as well get it over and done with. “Where do you want to start?” Aden asked.

Belle shrugged. “I don’t know. How about ... relationships? I had no idea how long I was going to be away from you and I sent you that letter telling you to move on ... did you?” she asked gently.

Aden quickly licked his plush lips and swallowed before nodding. He stood up, Belle following him as she noticed his features, and once in the kitchen, Aden began to make a coffee, as though distracting himself and detaching himself emotionally from the conversation about to occur.

“I didn’t exactly move on. I had a one night stand with some chick ... I don’t know who she is. I haven’t had contact with her since” he told her, barely able to look Belle in the eye, knowing there would be a glint of pain there otherwise. “But a while after, me and Nic got quite close, very close, actually. After everything with Justin and dad as well ...”

“Did you get together, as a couple?” she asked.

Aden nodded. “Yeah. For a few months.”

Belle had to hold back the tears as she continued to question their relationship. “What happened?” Belle asked.

“I couldn’t tell her I loved her” he told her truthfully. “She could say it to me; it just rolled off of her tongue. I couldn’t, because the last person I said it to was you and you were ... well, I thought you were dead.”

“And she didn’t take it too well?”

Aden shrugged. “In a way, no, but that was to be expected but she was mature about it ...”

“Which is unlike Nicole!” Belle scoffed.

“And” Aden continued, brushing off Belle’s comment, “she said that was the reason we couldn’t be together. Are you angry?” he asked.

Belle shook her head. “No, just a little upset you moved on so quickly. But saying that, if I were actually dead, then if she had made you happy, I wouldn’t have minded.”

Aden smiled, slightly relieved at Belle’s answer.

Minutes later, Belle stood up from the sofa and grabbed her bag.

“What are you doing?” Aden asked her.

“We have people to see” Belle told her. “Irene thinks I’m dead.”

Aden cringed slightly, not wanting to even contemplate the thought of Belle having passed. He still couldn’t believe she was alive and with him right now and he knew he wasn’t letting her go so easily this time.

*

A sudden knock at the door of the Beach House was all that was needed to cause Irene to turn off the television and head towards the front door.

She opened it slowly, and gasped in horror as she instantly recognised who it was.

“Oh my good God girly! What on earth are you doing here? Am I dreaming?” Irene reached out and tenderly touched Belle’s arm, jumping back slightly in shock when she realised that it really was Belle.

“I’m literally the living dead Irene” Belle smiled. “And I can explain everything to you if you let me in?” she suggested.

Irene smiled although it took her a while before it began to sink in that Belle was standing in front of her.

After Irene had let both Belle and Aden in, Belle explained what had happened about the Development Site and Witness Protection.

“Wow darl. So it’s been pretty intense then” Irene told her. “To be honest love, I’m still in shock. I can’t believe you’re here.”

Belle held the mug of tea in her hand gently, which Aden had made whilst Irene and Belle were talking to each other. Belle looked down before speaking. “I’m sorry, Irene. I wanted to tell you but I couldn’t. I couldn’t risk you all not being safe.”

“I understand that darl. You’ve always been that way inclined and put everyone else before yourself.”

“Sounds about right” Aden murmured.

“Who else knows?” Irene asked.

Belle shook her head. “Only you two. Actually, Irene, can I use the phone. I need to tell Amanda, Annie and Geoff.”

Irene nodded. “Sure love, you know where it is. But you’ll need the phonebook to contact Annie and Geoff” she informed her.

Belle got up and headed towards the phone, before taking the book beside it and searching through the names available. She continued by contacting them all individually, also explaining the situation regarding the development site and being in witness protection.

She had been shocked to discover that Annie was in Japan and both her and Geoff were leading their own separate lives although she was proud of them and happy.

“Why didn’t you say goodbye?” Irene asked softly.

Aden shrugged. “I know it was rude of me, Irene, after you helped me, and I’m sorry, but I had to get away from the Bay. I couldn’t stay there any longer.”

“But are you back for good now?”

Aden nodded. “I hope so, I really do. I’m just so glad Belle’s back in my life. Although I feel like I’m going to wake up any second, as though this is all a dream.”

“I know the feeling!” Irene laughed.

With time eventually progressing, and Belle having told Amanda, Annie and Geoff via phone call, Belle and Aden decided to head to the Diner with Irene, who was due to work a shift there.

Upon arrival, Colleen was instantly made aware of the situation having also been working during the day and as expected, literally the whole Summer Bay community were aware of Belle and Aden’s return.

The Diner had changed in appearance and Irene explained about the fire that had occurred before Belle and Aden decided to take a stroll along the beach.

“I’ve forgotten just how beautiful Summer Bay really is” Belle murmured softly.

“Same. Only you’re more beautiful” Aden smiled as they held hands gently, Belle’s enclosed in her husband’s.

“Smooth talker” Belle muttered, her smile instantly fading as she recognised a figure on the beach. “Oh my God” she murmured, before pulling her hand away from Aden’s and heading towards the other person.

“Belle!” the voice cried happily. “I heard you were back, Colleen told me everything. Seems a bit unreal though, doesn’t it?”

“What on earth ...” Belle cried in horror as she observed the baby in the pram. “Aden?” Belle murmured as tears stung her eyes.

Aden flushed slightly, unsure of how to react to seeing his ex girlfriend, whilst with his wife. He avoided looking Nicole in the eye as he stood opposite her.

Belle observed the small bundle in the pram, automatically jumping to the conclusion that it was Aden’s baby. The baby had thin, blond hair and was wrapped in a blue blanket, signalling that Nicole had had a baby boy.

“Nic?” Aden asked, confusedly. Even he was unsure when he looked at the baby.

“No” Belle moaned.

“Relax” Nicole smiled. “He’s not Aden’s.”

Belle sighed with relief, as did Aden.

“Then who’s?” Aden stuttered.

Nicole progressed to explain about Penn.

“But I’m with Angelo now and he’s taking care of us” she murmured softly.

“I’m glad to hear you’re happy” Aden smiled. “And I’m sorry ... about everything, how I left. That was horrible of me.”

“Well I must admit, I wasn’t your biggest fan when you upped and left without saying goodbye but Aden, it’s forgotten, seriously.

Put it this way, if you hadn’t have left, I wouldn’t have had George, would I?”

Aden smiled. “He is lovely” he told her. “You did well.”

“Thanks. And what about you’s two? Are you staying in the Bay now?” she directed the question at both of them.

Belle nodded. “Yeah. We’ve got an apartment together now, Just got to get used to being with each other again seeing as it’s been so long” she smiled nervously. “Sorry for the reacting the way I did, by the way.”

Nicole shook her head. “It’s okay. I would have been the same if it were the other way round. It’s good that you’re ... here by the way” Nicole emitted a breathy laugh, unable of how to word her sentence.

“Alive?” Belle suggested before giggling. “Well it’s good to be back” she told her. “And thank you, by the way. Aden tells me that you really looked out for him when I supposedly died” she smiled.

“It’s okay” Nicole told her genuinely. “Maybe one day we’ll have to catch up and have a drink. That way, I can find out what Witness Protection really is like.”

“Hmm, secluded, quiet, peaceful ... perfect really” Belle giggled. “And it sounds like a good idea seeing as Colleen has decided to tell everyone I’m back. What are you doing at the moment?”

Nicole smiled. “Being a full time mother most of the time. I was really into fashion ages ago and hopefully, as George grows older, I can get back into that” she told her softly.

*

Time had eventually progressed and Belle and Aden had headed back to their apartment.

On their journey, they had come across many Summer Bay locals, including Leah, Charlie and Miles, to name a few, and they all had positive reactions to Belle’s return to Summer Bay, and as expected, heard it from Colleen beforehand.

“Long day, huh?” Aden asked Belle as they climbed into bed together, Aden wrapping his muscular arms around Belle’s petite frame.

“Just a bit” Belle yawned, clearly tired after the day she’d had, discussing what had happened to the people she loved and cared about. “It’s going to take time, isn’t it? To get back to normal?”

“Yes” Aden told her truthfully. “But we can work it out. I love you, Belle and want to be with you. We can get back to normal.”

They fell into a comfortable silence for a few moments. Aden jumped slightly as Belle spoke, having been sure she had fallen asleep.

“What work have you been doing since leaving the Bay anyway?” she asked.

“Anything that came up really sweetheart. But I want my old job back on the trawler so first thing tomorrow, I think I’ll be asking Gibbsy if there’s any chance of recruitment. What have you been doing? Please don’t tell me you stopped writing?”

“Of course not” Belle giggled slightly. “As if I would. I couldn’t really write for a newspaper because I was out finding news but I mostly stuck to the typical style of writing, like blogs and stuff.”

“Why am I not surprised” Aden muttered as he tightened his hold on Belle. “You best get some sleep sweetheart” he murmured softly when Belle yawned again.

“Night” she whispered softly. “I love you” she added.

“I love you too” Aden smiled, as he too closed his eyes and fell asleep next to his wife.

[Red Ranger 1]

Wow.Have to admit I rolled my eyes a bit on finding this was another "Belle's not dead, no, she was in Witness Protection" storyline but that chapter was really good, with the way Aden and Belle discussed what had happened while she'd been "away" and the way Belle dealt with seeing everyone again and everything that had happened to them all in her(and Aden's)absence.Good job!

[pembie]

Good Chapter

Liked Aden and Belles chat about what has happen since she went into Witness Protection.

and everyone reactoins about her being back

Hmm Belle does a bit of blogging I can see her teaming up with Dex here to try and save the world

Great stuff

[Miranda]

Oh gosh, yes a Belle/Dex blog interface, I can see those two getting on well.

I always like to see Belle return, she shouldn't have died

[ldscott]

Aww, such a nice chapter, seeing everyone so happy about Belle and Aden!

Wonder if anyone will be not so happy to see her? hmmm.

Can't wait for the next chapter, as always!

Lisa x

[Zetti]

You know how much I loved the chapter. I adore how Belle got confused about the baby and how she thought it was Aden's.

Loved the ending as well.

Well done

Zetti

PS: Forgot to say thanks before to everyone who commented on my update.

[elikell]

Loved it!

Typical Colleen. At leat Belle didn't have to explain it over and over.

I loved how you incorporated Home and Away now with Belle and Aden slotting into place.

Adored Nicole's introduction with George and Aden wondering if the baby was his.

Can't wait to see where this story goes.

Please update soon!

[Inactive User]

Great chapter. Loving this fanfiction Update soon pleaseee xx