Summer Daze

Currently: Heath and Bianca are together expecting Rocco, Casey is at school and doesn't have a criminal record (not arson ever took place, he backed out at the last minute) and Brax is learning to cope after Charlie's death.

Apologies for any mixed up dates especially concerning Rocco

Chapter 1

Another sunny late afternoon found the Braxton's in the garden with a BBQ and drinks a-plenty. The last few months had been hard on the eldest, Darryl or Brax as he preferred to be called, but as time moved on the grief he felt in the wake of his girlfriend Charlie's death seemed to ease. Brax had thrown himself more into his family as he ensured that Casey continued to study in the hope that he would become the first Braxton to finish school and with HSCs, whilst he helped Heath prepare for the arrival of his baby boy Rocco.

As he continued to man the BBQ with a beer in hand, he smiled at his brothers as he remembered how far the three of them had come and how much they were turning their life around now. Brax was certainly not expecting a police car to pull up outside their house just moments later. Looking suspiciously at his brothers, who both shrugged, Brax put down his beer and watched as a police officer let herself into their garden and approached him.

"At ease boys, I'm not here to arrest you." She smiled seeing the looks exchanged between the three brothers. "I'm here on another matter."

"What can we help you with officer?" Brax asked, feeling somewhat easier that his brothers weren't in trouble; that was all he needed right now.

"I'm here about your sister."

"Sister?" Casey questioned, looking between the officer, Brax and Heath with confusion. Since when did they have a sister?

"What's happened? Is she ok?" Heath stood up from his deck chair suddenly, concerned as he stood next to Brax. "Where is she?" This caused yet more confusion for poor Casey.

"Chill out Heath, she's ok. She's in the car…" The officer didn't get chance to explain before Heath rushed over to the car. Instead, the officer turned to Brax "I'm afraid your uncle was found hanged this morning. As she is still a minor, we took her to your mothers this morning but with the door being slammed in our faces we thought it better to bring her here."

"Thanks." Brax grimaced as he walked with the officer towards Heath and the car.

Heath was crouched down with the back door open trying to talk to his sister. "Summer, it's Heath." But there was no eye contact from the girl, who was shaking in the backseat.

"Come on sweetie, you're staying with us now." Brax said, also crouching down to Summer's level. "You'll be safe here with us." Heath shot Brax a confused look as he stood up and backed away slightly.

"Heath" Casey hissed, who was now stood at the fence watching everything unfold. "What's going on? Who's that."

"You mean you don't remember?" Heath asked, but he shouldn't have been that surprised. When Summer left them, it was in a dark time and Casey was only 6 years old. Casey shook his head at Heath and just watched as Brax managed to coax a timid Summer from the police car. As soon as the girl stood up her legs gave way and she collapsed into Brax's arms clearly exhausted.

"We managed to pack a small bag for her but I'll let you know when you can go to the house and pick up the rest of her things." The officer said handing a small rucksack to Heath as Brax lifted Summer into his arms, carrying her into the back garden.

"Thanks." Heath muttered not letting his eyes leave his little sister as Brax carried her passed him. "I mean it, thank you." The police officer just nodded, knowing how difficult it was for Heath to express any emotion or gratitude. Not wanting to push the situation any more, she simply got back in the car and drove off leaving the Braxton's to deal with their new arrival.

Brax sat Summer down on one of the deck chairs and crouched down in front of her, lifting her chin with one hand he stroked her hair with the other. "It's ok Summer, you're safe with us here."

"Brax, who is she?" Casey pestered causing Summer's eyes to snap onto him. There was no doubting the resemblance the four of them had; the same colour eyes and dark hair although Summer was much more petite than her muscle clad brothers.

"Casey just leave it a minute yeah?" Brax spat causing Summer to shy away slightly.

"No Brax, what's going on?" Casey forced the issue before Heath stepped in.

"Look Case, lets sort the food out. I'm sure Summer hasn't eaten all day, kid looks like she's just skin and bones." Summer looked at the middle brother as he grinned at her and she smiled nervously back, she was pretty hungry.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Brax asked, unsure of what to do in this situation, he hadn't really seen her much over the last 12 years; was it really appropriate for him to jump into the big brother role straight away?

Brax didn't have to consider the answer for very long as all of a sudden he found his little sister in his arms as she sobbed into his shirt nearly knocking him off balance. "Shhh" He comforted as he rubbed her back in a soothing manner.

"Hey, how are my favourite boys?" Called a pregnant Bianca who appeared at the gate with arms full of BBQ supplies. "Who's that?" Bianca asks as Heath hurries to greet her with a peck on the cheek and to take the bags she's carrying.

"Apparently that's our sister." Casey says bitterly, more like a spoilt child than anything else.

"I never knew you had a sister." Bianca asked Heath, shocked by the revelation.

"It's a long story babe. We'll explain once she's a bit more settled." Heath said nodding towards where Brax was still supporting a distraught Summer. Bianca nodded and began to set out the table with food as Heath plated up the mountains of meat they'd cooked.

"How can you be so calm?" Casey asked Bianca, "Don't you want answers?!"

"Casey, you know as well as I do that your brothers will tell us in their own time and when they feel it is most appropriate. Your sister looks pretty fragile right now, the last thing she needs is you spitting out your dummy because you don't know everything." Bianca said softly but still sternly, leaving Casey speechless and regretting his previous actions.

"Hey Summer, do you want some food?" Bianca turned and asked the youngest Braxton as if she had always known her. Summer looked uneasily at Brax before nodding and walking towards the feast in front of her.

Brax stood beside Heath as they watched Summer interact nervously with Bianca, whilst she helped herself to food. "Where's Richard?" Heath asked his oldest brother quietly.

"Dead. Suicide" Brax replied in more of a whisper than anything else.

"Poor kid." Heath nodded, "But she's safe now."