HOME AND AWAY

Chapter 13

"Heath?" Bianca shook Heath gently, but only heard him grumble in return. "Heath, wake up. Something's wrong!"

Hearing those words, Heath sat bolt upright and switched on the light. It was only then that Heath felt the dampness on the bed, Bianca's waters had broken. "Ok babe, I'll call the hospital and let them know we're coming in. I'll get Brax to come and help you!"

With a quick kiss to Bianca's forehead, Heath sprinted out of their flat and across the way to the house, banging on the locked door ferociously. "BRAX! BIANCA IS IN LABOUR!" Heath shocked, not caring who he woke up.

"Alright, alright!" Brax shouted back grumpily, letting Heath into the house. "You call the hospital, I'll get my keys and Bianca into the car." Brax level-headedly pointed his petrified brother towards the phone as he went in search of Bianca.

Before long the three of them reached the hospital and had Bianca checked in to a birthing suite. Brax was thrilled to see that it was Sid Walker on duty tonight and no some stranger, he was probably the only person outside of the family that Brax considered trustworthy. Brax had set up a vigil outside of the door as Heath stood strongly beside Bianca, terrified but excited at the same time.

Brax thought back to when Heath, Casey and Summer had all been born. He'd spent hours sitting outside their mother's room waiting for the arrival of his new sibling, excited to have a new baby in the house but also worrying about where he was going to find the extra money for that extra mouth. He remembered Summer's birth more clearly than anyone else's, Danny Braxton had been on a job somewhere when Cheryl had gone into premature labour; leaving Brax to be her birthing partner whilst Heath looked after Casey. He had been the first person to hold his new sister and had also had to care for her with Heath following their mother's rejection.

Summer had been such a tiny thing, looking like she would break if anyone even touched her. Heath had been even more protective of Summer than Brax had, especially when Casey insisted on holding her. Even now Brax still thought the younger girl would break, yet she continued to prove him wrong as she endeavoured to move on from her past and start a new life in Summer Bay even in the wake of their father's return.

Suddenly Brax was brought out of his musing by a nurse running passed him and into Bianca's room, looking for Sid. "Dr Walker, there's a serious assault coming in from the caravan park. Two victims both in their late teens. We need you." The nurse was frantic as she skidded into the room.

Brax was standing in the doorway, caravan park? Wasn't that where Danny was staying? Two teens? All of a sudden it dawned on Brax that he hadn't even stopped to check on Casey or Summer. Sid looked between the nurse, Bianca and the midwife who was attending, he knew that he was the only one able to help but he didn't want to leave his neighbours.

"Dr Walker, go." The midwife ushered him out of the room just as the doors leading to the emergency department banged against the wall and shouts of urgency were heard.

Sid ran to greet the ambulance staff and was surprised to find Brax at his heals, why was he following? Had he asked why, Brax wouldn't have been able to give him much of an answer other than 'I have a gut feeling something's wrong'. As the paramedic crashed through the door, Brax was shocked to see Kyle and Romeo accompanying the casualties.

Brax felt paralysed on the spot, on the trollies, covered in blood and needing help to breath, were two brunettes, a boy and a girl; Casey and Summer. An intense feeling panic consumed him as soon as when he saw them and it nearly forced him to his knees. "CASEY! SUMMER!" Brax shouted, he couldn't understand how this had happened, who had hurt his sweet and innocent little siblings?

"You need to stay back Brax, let us do our work. Someone will be out to update you soon." Sid put a hand up to enforce his authority as he took the siblings into resus.