The Story of Dean and Ziggy

The Beginning:

**Set after the 2018 season finale**
In this story, Dean found out about Ross' death when Colby tells him. Dean was not there.

Dean Thompson jogged down to the beach, surfboard in hand.

He saw his friend, Ziggy Astoni standing on the sand, staring out at the water.

"Are you actually going to go in or just stand there and look pretty?" Dean called out as he approached Ziggy.

"Good one," Ziggy responded weakly.

Dean saw tears streaming down Ziggy's face.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Dean said in a soft voice, clearly concerned.

"What's wrong?" Ziggy repeated, with a scoff.

"I walked in on Brody kissing Simone. Brody has been cheating on me for months. That's what's wrong," Ziggy declared.

For almost a year, Ziggy had been married to Brody Morgan.

Brody owned a restaurant in Summer Bay and he fell in love with his trainee, Simone.

"I'm so sorry," Dean said, at a loss for words.

"I'm pathetic. Look at me," Ziggy said.

"You're not pathetic, Ziggy," Dean assured her.

"No, I am, Dean. For such a long time, I knew Simone was bad news. Other people told me too, including you, but I stupidly trusted Brody".

Dean didn't know what to say to make Ziggy feel better.

"I gave my all to Brody. I gave one hundred percent of myself to my marriage and it still didn't work out," Ziggy said in a low voice.

"I think I'm done, letting my guard down; trusting people," Ziggy walked off.

*****************

Dean hated seeing someone he cared about in such pain.

The first thing he did was try to find Brody.

He walked into the Surf Club.

"Hey, Dean. Thanks for covering for me. I just got to go to drop off a board for Mr Nelson in Yabbie Creek," Ben Astoni picked up his keys from behind the counter.

The Surf Club had a gelato bar, a gym, Brody's restaurant "Salt" and a surfboard shop called "Ben's Boards".

Dean worked with Ziggy's father at the shop.

"Have you spoken to Ziggy lately?" Dean ignored Ben's small talk.

"Not since yesterday morning. Why? Is there something I should know?" Ben demanded, sensing Dean's concern for Ziggy.

In the corner of his eye, Dean noticed Brody coming down the stairs from "Salt".

"You're a real price of work. How could you treat Ziggy like that?" Dean snapped at Brody, as he pulled him over the pool table.

"Dean! What the hell is going on?" Ben asked as he separated the two men.

Dean looked at Brody.

"Are you going to be man enough to tell him? Or will he find out like Ziggy did?" Dean hissed.

"Someone better tell me what's going on right now," Ben was in protective mode.