Dying To Be Alive

[jenlee]

Comments are awesome

PART SIX

9.08am

Aden had made a small amount of progress since his realisation that being back home was a good thing. He was no longer slouching on the couch next to the counter, having moved to sit at one of the middle tables. He was no longer feeling like he had nothing left in the world, having felt himself become somewhat emotional after his reunion hugs with Leah, Rachel and even Miles. He had even managed to choke down a muffin Irene had forced his way.

He was however, still feeling horribly guilty at the shock he had given Belle, and completely terrified at the though of facing her. It was going to be done though. He had already convinced himself of that was not about to let himself talk himself out of it.

Glancing up he saw Roman heading his way, wiping his hands on the front of his chef‘s shirt. They hadn’t had a chance to speak since just after Belle had run off, due to the breakfast rush that was slowly dying down now 9am had been and gone and most people had headed off to work or school.

“You’re not thinking about running off on us again are you?” Roman asked, taking a seat opposite Aden.

“No I’m not,” Aden said and was met with a slightly dubious look.

“You’re not?” Roman asked, eyebrows arched.

“No,” Aden insisted, deciding to keep the fact that he had very nearly taken off, to himself.

Roman grinned. “Glad to hear it mate. I think it’s about time you and Belle got things sorted out.”

“I don’t know about that,” Aden said flinching. Sure he had convinced himself it had to happen and that it would help them both in the long run, that didn’t mean he was looking forward to it or that he thought the timing was right. Not only today, for as far as he was concerned, ten years from now may very well be too soon for the both of them.

“I’m sure it’ll go fine,” Roman said and even a complete stranger would have heard the uncertainty in his voice.

“Uh-huh.”

“You doing alright mate?” Roman asked. “I know being back and seeing Belle can’t have been easy on you.”

Looking at Roman, Aden saw that his eyes held no blame, no resentment, no unpleasantness at all. In fact (excluding Belle and the obvious anger she felt towards him) it seemed that no one held any animosity towards him other than Geoff and the glare he had sent his way before he took off after Belle. It seemed the people of Summer Bay understood why he had left so abruptly. They understood that, though he had hurt Belle in the process, his leaving town was something he’d had to do.

Aden glanced at his hands as they fidgeted on the table in front of him before looking back at Roman. He remembered a time when he had trusted Roman enough to talk to him about anything and everything. From his relationship with Belle to what had gone on with his Grandfather.

Unfortunately, the past and everyone’s good reactions to seeing him weren’t going to change the wall he had built up during these last sixteen months. The wall that went right around his heart and any other place his feelings were kept. Every now and then, during the occasional good therapy session he and Dr. Sanders had, the gate would open up just a few inches and Aden would talk about his feelings.

Now, due to that wall, he found himself unable to be completely honest with Roman. The man was still his best mate, his father figure who emailed him every week, but Aden couldn’t open up to him more than he could open up to Colleen.

“I’m doing alright,” he lied. “Seeing Belle was hard but,” he lifted one shoulder in a half shrug, “it had to be done right?”

Roman nodded. “Yeah, I suppose it did.”

“I just wish Belle hadn’t taken it so hard,” Aden continued, feeling guilty that he couldn’t be honest with Roman but finding it easier talking about how Belle was doing than how he was doing.

“Belle takes everything quite hard these days,” Roman said with a heavy sigh. Aden watched Roman’s eyes glaze over slightly and wondered to himself just how much Roman knew of Belle’s pain.

“But you still think we need to sort things out?” Aden asked.

“I do,” Roman said, his eyes clearing as he looked at Aden. “I think it‘s just a step you both need to take in order to recover.”

Aden nodded to himself. The words Roman spoke, being so similar to Dr. Sander’s just made him even more sure that staying and talking to Belle was the right thing to do. He still wasn’t looking forward to it - as if that was possible - and he was still fairly certain that the timing wasn’t great, but he was sure it was the right thing to do.

“Mate,” Roman said suddenly looking towards the entrance. “Did you find her?”

Aden turned to see Geoff make his way towards the counter where Irene was looking at him with concern. He looked wind blown, fed up and, well, pissed off.

“No,” Geoff said, throwing another glare in Aden’s direction. “She wasn’t at home or anywhere along the beach in that direction. Mr. Stewart, Tony and Martha haven’t seen her either.”

“Well,” Irene said, a hopeful smile on her face, “here’s hoping Nicole found her.”

Aden noticed Geoff roll his eyes at the mention of Nicole before walking to the couch Aden had recently vacated and sprawling on it, still scowling in Aden‘s general direction.

Aden wondered what the story was with Geoff and Nicole. Nicole hadn’t been keen to talk about it earlier that morning and it was obvious Geoff was still in a tizzy about it.

“What’s up with him and Nic?” He asked Roman, glad for a change of topic and being sure to keep his low.

“I honestly don’t know,” Roman said, a frown forming on his forehead.

“Nic said she ended things a few days ago.” Aden prompted.

“Yeah,” Roman agreed. “Wouldn’t tell me anything about it though. They had been getting along so well since getting back together but then a couple of days ago she just came home, looking her happy, chirpy self and said she had dumped Geoff.”

“Just like that?” Aden asked.

“Just like that. As if breaking up with the guy she so obviously loved was the most natural thing in the world. She didn’t want to give me any explanation or anything either,” Roman continued. “Said she was fine, that it was her decision and she was happier already.”

“Wow,” Aden said.

“Yeah, and if I hadn’t heard her crying in the shower that night I would probably still believe her,” Roman said softly. “She puts on a damn good show.”

“Nicole cried?” Aden had seen Nicole cry before, a few times in fact. But it had hardly been a common occurrence, especially not over a boy.

“Yeah,” Roman said before turning towards Irene who was pouring coffee at a table close by. “You know, Nic finding Belle probably isn’t going to be a good thing.”

Geoff let out a snort from the couch. “You’re right about that. The only worse person to find Belle is the person who put her in this mess in the first place.”

Ignoring Geoff’s comment about him, Aden questioned what he meant by it. From memory of his emails from Roman, nothing had ever been said about Nicole and Belle not being friends anymore. “I though Nic and Belle were friends?”

Geoff snorted again. “Not since the day you up and took off.”

“What happened?” Aden asked as Roman’s cell phone began to ring.

“No one really knows mate,” Roman said pulling out his cell and checking the Caller ID. “It’s Belle,” he said before hastily flipping it open.

Aden felt a wave of relief wash over him and all thoughts of Belle’s friendship with Nicole float out the window as Irene and Geoff quickly made their way to the table. She was o.k. O.k. enough to call anyway, and that’s what mattered.

“Belle? Are you o.k.?” Roman asked into the phone straight away as he stood up and turned away from the three of them.

Aden didn’t know what was being said, he couldn’t hear any of Belle’s side of the conversation, but he could see Roman’s shoulders stiffen as Belle continued to say whatever it was she was saying. Roman didn’t say another word for a minute but Aden noticed his fist not holding the phone was clenching and unclenching every few seconds.

“We will be right there,” Roman suddenly said into the phone, before snapping it shut.

He paused for a moment before turning to look at the three of them and Aden’s gut twisted at the look on his face. Something was obviously wrong and all Aden could do was hope to God that Belle was o.k.

“Nic’s in the hospital,” Roman said quickly, eyes wide. “We have to go.”

* * * * *

9.33am

Belle hadn’t know what to do. She knew the basics of CPR, but Nicole had been breathing and her pulse had been strong. She didn’t need CPR. So Belle had done the first thing that came to mind.

She had rung for an ambulance and not left Nicole’s side as she tried to coax her into waking. However she had felt like an utter fool at the timing of all things when, a few minutes later, the ambulance pulled up just as Nicole was coming around and trying to sit up. The paramedic, Max his name was, said she had done the right thing though.

Nicole had disagreed of course. Vehemently too. The couple of minutes ride in the ambulance had been filled with Nicole’s insistence that they pull over immediately and let her out. By then Belle’s annoyance was slowly being replaced by worry as she took in Nicole’s paleness and weak voice.

Now, as Belle snapped her phone shut having told Roman what was going on, she found herself unable to stop the trembles that were cursing through her small body. She had been scared. She could admit that … to herself at least. She may have just fought with Nicole, refused to accept her apology and taunted her about Geoff, but the sight of her unmoving form on the beach had sent a wave of panic, fear and horror through Belle.

A wave that she had done her very best to ignore. As she waited for the ambulance, she had done her best to talk Nicole into waking up. In the ambulance she had glared at Nicole for making her look like a fool before letting herself be worried about her old friend. Once Nicole had been wheeled into one of the rooms, Belle had immediately rung Roman to tell him what she knew.

Now Belle had nothing to keep her mind off of that wave. She wanted to, she desperately wanted to forget all the panic and fear she had felt as she saw Nicole lying in the dunes. She had already agreed to open that damn box, she didn’t need anything else toying with her emotions today.

She knew it couldn’t be avoided though. Nicole may very well have simply fainted, but Belle’s fragile state couldn’t seem to take the fright that seeing Nicole like that made and the wave that was threatening to crash was quite possibly not something she could handle today. Not with everything else.

Quickly she made her way to the bathroom, ignoring the concerned look Nurse Julie gave her and saying a silent prayer that it was empty. Locking herself in one of the stalls, she let herself sink to the floor, folding her body up as tightly as she could in effort to keep her trembles at bay.

[LAURZY!]

Aww Nicole! i hope everything's ok with her!

I loved Aden's thoughts and stuff, that was really well written

Brill update, loved it

Cant wait to read more!

[KaiyaBlake]

Ohhh Nicole!? I wonder if she's pregnant or something!!

Can't wait to find out all the unanswered parts haha!

Hope Belle is okay too, and her and Aden get to talkk..

Great Chapter . More soon pleasee?

[xknomex]

oooo I wonder what happened to Nicole!?!! hope she is okay!!

I cant wait for Aden and Belle to talk,

Update soon

xx

[rfran]

Missed some of this fic and caught up fascinating really interested to find out what happened between Belle and Aden.

Can't wait to find out what happened to Nicole and caused her to get sick

[Lise]

That was very good.

I hope Nicole's going to be ok. I hope Belle is, too.

I loved reading Aden's thoughts. Geoff is funny.

[wrongturntaken]

That was great! It was good to get some of Aden's thoughts, even though we still didn't get any answers!

Poor Nicole and poor Belle!

Can't wait for next update! Soon please!

[BeforeItsTooLate]

Just caught up on the last three chapters and they were great! There are so many questions I am dying to know the answers to and I really hope Nic's ok...

Loved hearing Aden's thoughts and the Adelle flashback in the last chapter was awesome!

Can't wait for the update

[jenlee]

Thanks everyone. I'm working on, not the next chapter but the one after it so I can post the next one soon, as I type lol

[xknomex]

will look forward to it