Another attempt at fluff for these two. Hope you guys enjoy it. I guess you could call this another teenaged story. I know I said I was done with the one - shots, but then I got this idea and I thought it would be quite cute to write.

I don't know if Ricky's mum has been mentioned, since I've only been watching from last year. So, in this Adam is Ricky's legal guardian.

OC as a teenaged Ricky's friend. Ricky's address in Mangrove River is made up.

This is just been sat in my documents since before Turkey.

Watching the show while I write this.

I supposed I could have waited until I got home from my week in the caravan, to upload this, but I thought I would try to upload it while I was away in the van.

Spelling and grammar mistakes are mine, I don't own the show, or Brax and Ricky, Steve and Bonnie portray them.

The Dance

Ricky was sat in the library, attempting to get some extra revision done as she had exams coming up and she wanted to do well, in them. She took a bottle of water out of her bag and unscrewed the lid as she brought the bottle to her lips.

Looking, at her watch, she had decided that she had enough of studying and she decided to have a look at the books to see if there were any that interested her. When, she found none, she decided to go back to studying, it never hurt to know too much.

After she'd finished studying for the night, she got a text from her friend Jessica. She unlocked her phone and went in to her messages.

"The schools holding a dance. The guys get to ask the girls. Maybe you know who will ask you?"

Ricky could sense her friends enthusiasm in the words. But she knew that Brax would never ask a girl, who was in year 9, had not spoken a word to him all year.

She stood up and in a bit of a hurry, she left the library, bumping in to someone. She dropped her books and bent down to pick them up. Mysterious guy also helped her.

"Thanks" Ricky smiled.

"Don't mention it" Brax smiled.

And that smile melted her heart, turned her stomach in to a mass of butterflies.

She started walking home. She put in her iPod and started to walk.

"Adam" Ricky called, to see if her brother was in. She got no answer from him. She felt relieved. She walked in to the house and put her bag down in the hallway before she locked the door and headed up the stairs.

She opened the door to her room and put her bag down by her bed and then she walked over to the desk and got out her art pad and sat down as she started to sketch.

"Ricky!" Adam roared as he entered their house. Ricky sighed, her peacefulness was disturbed. She went to see what her brother wanted.

She walked down the stairs and met Adam, who wore an annoyed expression. Ricky knew that Adam wasn't going to let go of whatever was bothering him. She folded her arms across her chest as she walked in to the living room to see Adam. She swallowed her nerves and walked over to him, knowing what he wanted her to do.

"I want you to do a job " he told her, smirking.

"No" Ricky shook her head, she wanted to concentrate on her education, not be her brothers skivvy, it wasn't what she wanted, she wanted to make something of her life. She wanted to be a vet, or, oh, she didn't know. She had plenty of time to figure it out.

Adam loomed over her and she raised her eyebrows at him. She picked up her phone and walked out of the room, heading up the stairs.

Slamming, the door to her room, Ricky leant against it as she rubbed her hands over her face. Adam annoyed her, manipulated her, and hurt her, but deep down, she loved him, although, she would never tell him, and she kept that feisty Sharpe spirit.

15 year - old Ricky agonised over what to wear as she stared at the dresses in her wardrobe. She didn't own many dresses preferring to keep cool in, shorts and jumpsuits, and maxi dresses.

There wasn't anything in there, that was suitable for a dance. She shut the doors to the wardrobe. She sat back on her bed and looked at the time on her clock.

The next day was a Saturday, Ricky and Jessica were heading in to the city to see if they could find the perfect dress. They headed in to New Look, and Jessica headed for the dresses.

There were short dresses, long dresses, some were short and some were decorated with crystals. She didn't know which one she liked.

"I don't know" Said Ricky, as she looked at the price. It was $20, 000. She wondered weather it was out of her price range.

"Oh, go on" Jessica encouraged her.

She reluctantly picked the dress up and headed in to the changing rooms while Jessica waited outside for her.

She undressed so she was standing in her bra and knickers and she tugged the dress over her head. It was a perfect fit.

She turned to face the mirror so that she could see what she looked like.

The dress fitted her like a glove. It was a light blue colour, full length and it brought out her complexation.

She secretly loved the gown, now, all she had to find was shoes and accessories. She took off the dress and hung it up as she dressed in to her normal clothes and walked out of the changing room.

Also, in town, was Brax getting his outfit for the dance. He was with Heath and they'd had to take Casey with them as Cheryl had been on yet, another bender.

"Brax?" Casey moaned, pulling on his brothers hand.

"What Case?" Brax asked, as he looked at his younger brother.

"I'm bored" Casey said.

Heath laughed. "So am I mate "

Brax glared at the two of them. "Oi!"

He walked back in to the changing room to put his shorts and tee back on, before he came back out and they headed home, after Brax paid and they got in to his car and drove home.

Arriving, at Cheryl's house, Brax sighed, his hand hitting the steering wheel, she was never in when she said she'd be. Shutting, the door, he locked them and then walked up to the front door. Inserting, his key in to the lock, he pushed down on the handle and entered the house.

Casey ran up to his room while Brax followed him and went to his own to hang the suit up, so that it didn't get creased.

Ricky walked in to the Jewelry shop, she felt too much accessories would ruin the gown. She had an idea of what she wanted to buy. She wanted to buy a necklace and a pair of studs.

She brought a necklace with a and a pair of blue studs.

Next, they were off to a shoe shop to try to pick up the perfect pair of shoes.

Getting the train back to the Bay, Ricky looked through her purchases. She'd brought the dress. New underwear. A bottle of perfume. A necklace and studs. It was fair to say that her bank card was feeling the pinch. She said her goodbyes to her friend and then started the walk back to her house.

She slept through the night and woke up, the next morning, feeling refreshed. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood up before making her way in to the ensuite and turned on the shower.

It was the day of the dance, and students had been given the day off to get ready.

Ricky had taken her time. She'd ran a luxurious bath with lavender bubble bath in. She took off her clothes and stepped in to the warm water.

She lay back in the water and washed her hair.

Walking back in to her bedroom, she got her straightens out and plugged them in to the wall. She waited for them to warm up before she touched them. She picked them up and ran them through her hair, feeling the heat off them.

Picking up her dressing gown, she wrapped it around her while she painted her toenails and then her toes. Leaving them to dry, she looked at the dress and went to her jewelry box where she opened it and got out what she wanted.

She looked in the mirror. Her reflection shocked her. Her hair was in a bun, a few strands framing her face. Mascara strengthened her lashes and a pink lipstick highlighted her lips. She would do.

Over, in Brax's house, he was standing in his bedroom, a breeze coming from his window. He looked at the outfit which was handing on his wardrobe door. He picked it up and hoped that Ricky would like it. He first put on the shirt and sat on the bed to put on the pants, socks then his shoes, which he had neatly polished the night before.

He gelled back his hair and then he was done.

When Brax was was ready, he tucked Casey in to his bed. He kissed the top of his head.

Brax rang the doorbell to Ricky's house. Adam answered.

"Adam, is Ricky, ready?" Brax asked, he was sounding nervous, which was unsual for Brax, as he usually had no problems asking girls out.

Adam nodded.

Brax walked in to the house.

Ricky walked down, the stairs wearing the gown that Jessica had encouraged her to buy. Her hair was up in a bun with a few strands of hair framing her face.

Brax stood there, speechless. "You look amazing " He told her.

Ricky laughed softly as a reply. "Thanks"

"Ready?" He asked, running a hand over his hair.

"Sure" Ricky smiled as she picked up her clutch bag which had in her phone, purse and lipgloss.

Adam picked up her camera and took a picture of the two of them. It would be a memory, a chance for Ricky to look back on the night Brax asked her out.

Brax offered her his hand. "Come on"

"Sure. " She slipped her hand in to his as he escorted her to his car. He opened the door to allow her to get in to the passenger seat.

Brax had, driven them to the school, in his ute. It had been a gift from his mother for his birthday, and he'd driven it ever since. It was the only decent thing his mum Cheryl had done, for him, getting him a car, the rest of the time, he barley seen her, the house was a tip and the curtains weren't drawn. Brax shook his head, he didn't like thinking about his upbringing, but Ricky noticed.

"Are you OK?" She asked, as he pulled in to the car park.

"Yep" Brax said, as she got out of the car elegantly and walked around to where Brax was. He locked the car and put his keys in his back pocket as they walked up the steps that led in to the school. They walked through the corridor and in to the large hall.

Music was playing, people were laughing, and drinking punch.

Brax went to get them both a drink while Ricky went to see her friend.

During a slow dance, Brax wound his arms around her and time seemed to freeze as they only had eyes for each other. The other students didn't matter; this was their time. The music blasted through the speakers.

As, he gently twirled her, she rested her head on his shoulder.

After, the dance, like a true gentleman, he'd walked Ricky home. He couldn't drive her as he'd had a couple of drinks and didn't want to cause, or be in, an accident, as a result of his drinking.

"Thank you " Ricky whispered as she kissed his cheek, it was a simple gesture, telling him that she appreciated him walking her home.

Brax blushed, as he replied. "That's alright"

Ricky smiled as she opened the door and walked inside, shutting the door behind her. She

Before, she went to bed, she checked her phone and was surprised to see a message from Brax.

"Had a good time tonight. x"

Ricky smiled as she selected a new text.

"I know. x"

She also realised something. After, just one night, she was falling in love with Darryl Braxton.

Walking to school, the next morning, Ricky soon felt a pair of hands wrap around her waist.

"Hey!" Brax smiled, kissing her cheek.

Ricky laughed, swatting his hands away, she didn't want anyone to see them, she wasn't ashamed of them, it was just that she enjoyed the secrecy of their new relationship.

"How do you fancy meeting my brothers?" He asked her.

Ricky bit her lip, she wasn't sure if she was ready. "I don't know Brax "

Brax kissed the top of her head. "it'll be alright"

"I know"

They continued to walk to school. This time hand- in -hand.

The two had now gone public with their relationship and Ricky was feeling happier than ever.

A couple of weeks later, when Adam was out and Ricky walked home on her own, letting herself in to the house, she was stunned to find a letter waiting for her.

She scanned the label:

Erica Sharpe

21 Mangrove River.

Ripping the envelope open, she pulled out the paper and prepared to look at her results.

Art: A*

English: B

Health and Social Care: C

Science: A

Maths: B

She had a huge smile on her face when she come to the end of her results. It, just showed that hard work, paid off.

"Wl done sis" Adam said. Ricky stared, it was very rare for Adam to praise her but she knew it was an act in front of Brax. She put the results back in the envelope. Since, the death of her parents, in an accident, Ricky had been under the care of her brother, rather than go in to care. But the social were aware of Adam's criminal past.

Brax smiled and hugged her, she felt safe in his arms. But she was aware Adam was watching her.

Brax bid her goodbye and the door shut behind him.

Leaving her and Adam alone was dangerous.

Adam slapped her. "Digesting" He spat at her. She sat there, looking at her brother, who she was loosing respect for.

Ricky blinked back the tears as he grabbed a fistful of her hair and she knew she had to get out before he killed her. But she also knew he could turn on her for no ready and that

Ricky hammered on Brax's front door. Prayed he'd answer.

"Ricky?" He took in her pale face, smudged with tears and mascara. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing" She whispered, as more tears fell.

"Come in" He held the door open for her. He guided her to the living room where Heath was lying on the couch. Brax picked up a pillow and throw it at Heath.

"Move" He ordered him.

"Aw, man" Heath complained. But he got up, and left the two of them alone.

Shutting the door on Heath, he sat down beside her.

Rubbing at her back, in a gentle way, Ricky sobbed some more.

He hooked a finger under her chin and lifted her face. She still had faint tears on her cheeks.

He then guessed why she'd fled to his. He knew then Adam had something to do with it. He would kill him.

Resting her head, on his shoulder, she simply nodded.

"Brax, please, don't" She said, wiping the tears away.

Brax bent down in front of her, tucking a strand of hair behind her face.

"It'll be ok" He told her.

She knew he was only trying to help her but she knew that Adam wasn't going to let her forget that she ran away from him. She was under his spell, trapped under a web of tangled lies with no way of getting out of them.

Brax made her jump out of her thoughts. She saw that he was carrying a blanket and a pillow. He put them down.

"What's going on?" She asked.

"Your moving in " His response shocked her, but he knew he wouldn't have her going back to Adam.

She stared at him. "It's fine, really" She tried to tell him but he sat down beside her and placed his hand on her leg. He just wanted her to feel safe and secure. He was nothing like Adam and Ricky found that she appreciated the difference between the two men.

She stood up and walked out of the living room and headed in to the kitchen to make herself a chamomile tea, it helped relax her. She knew that Brax wouldn't mind her helping herself.

Looking, to the side, she could see her iPhone ringing. It was Adam calling her. She choose to ignore the phone call as she knew that she'd never hear the end of it. Adam was known for holding grudges.

"Ricky?" Brax called, as he sat on the couch, in the living room.

"Yeah?" Ricky whispered back in reply, carefully pouring the water in to the mug and getting a spoon out of the draw to stair her tea. She picked the mug up and walked out of the kitchen and sat down beside him. He looked at her and placed his hand on her knee.

"Are you ok?" He asked.

She felt a few tears trickle down her cheek. She pulled off a piece of tissue paper and dabbed at her wet cheek. "Yeah"

She threw the tissue in the bin.

Brax turned around and kissed her, once again. She rested her head on his chest, so she could feel his heart beating, it soothed her.

Brax fell asleep with his arm around her. It was what he wanted for the rest of his life, to be waking up with Erica Sharpe by his side.

I loved writing this. I hope you guys enjoyed this. Thanks for reading.