It had been a long shift and all Charlie wanted was to get back home to her little girl, well that and take off the ridiculously high heels she was wearing. She had been working since 1 in the afternoon and it was nearly 12 at night, she was shattered but when Marie didn't turn up for her shift Charlie couldn't refuse the over time. She might be able to eat and pay rent this month.

She really couldn't grumble, she had only worked at the little bar in Yabbie Creek for 2 a couple of weeks and so far it wasn't half as bad as some of the places she had worked. She had even made a few potential friends with some of the girls she worked with. The only real problem she had been with her sleazy boss Eric and the fact that she would had to dress like a

"Here gorgeous," Daniel the only barman she actually liked said handing her a tray full of drinks."Take this to the back table."

He didn't need to specify what table really because the loud group of guys taking up two tables at the back where the only customers left other than the few regulars that where sitting at the bar.

"Here you go boys." Charlie sighed only just putting the tray on the table before hands reached out from every direction to grab their chosen drink. "Can I get you anything else?"

"No thanks sweetheart." A good looking older guy told Charlie with a wink.

"Your far too pretty to be working in this joint." A voice to her left said. Charlie turned around and was met with an average looking man (That was her being nice.) covered in tattoos which wasn't anything new. Most of the people at the table had a tattoo showing. Charlie had never seen them in here before but according to Daniel they where in quite often and always left a hefty bar tab, Charlie hoped that meant they where also good tippers.

"Thank you. " She replied turning to leave but a hand grabbed her around the waist holding her in place.

"When do you get off?" The guy asked pulling her into his lap as Charlie tried to get away without causing a scene.

"When you all decide to go home." Charlie quipped. She had worked in places like this before and knew what to expect from the drunken customers but that didn't stop a shot of panic going through her.

"How about you come home with me. We could get off together." The guy breathed into Charlie's ear. She guessed he was trying to be seductive but the smell of stale beer on his breath was making her nauseous.

"How about you let me go and I wont pour your drink over you." She replied earning her laughter from those around her.

"Come on baby don't play hard to get." He said leaning in for a kiss, Charlie quickly reached for the drink closest to her and poured it over him and subsequently her. "You bitch!" He roared releasing her.

"Aww baby don't be like that." Charlie cooed sarcastic taking her leave not noticing the pair of eyes that hadn't left her since she arrived at the table.

The rest of her shift seemed to drag in she had already collected all the glasses and last call had been called but she had to wait until the group in the back where ready to go before she could start clearing up their mess. Her sitter was going to kill her, this was the third time this week she was late for Ruby.

"Hey, why don't you just go." Daniel asked breaking her from her revive. "I can handle this lot." He said gesturing towards the group.

"Are you sure." Charlie asked feeling slightly guilty.

"Darling I was doing this long before you came along," Daniel winked handing her her coat and bag. "And I'll probably be doing it long after you've left now go home to that beautiful little girl waiting on you."

"I could kiss you right now."

"Your not really my type and I don't think my boyfriend would like that." Daniel laughed. Charlie loved that about Daniel, he was always happy. When she first met him she had thought he was trying it on with her but she quickly dispelled that notion when he burst out laughing after she told him she wasn't really interested in a relationship right now and he said that was good considering he didn't think his boyfriend would like to share him all that much.

Charlie hated walking home in the dark no matter how many times she done it she could never shake the uneasy feeling she got in the pit of her stomach until she hit her front door. That night how ever she was convinced someone was following her and not just her usual craziness but she could hear someone stumbling behind her and it sounded like there was definitely more than one person. Charlie tried to quicken her pace silently cursing herself for not waiting on Daniel to walk her to the bus stop.

"Hey wait." Someone called out making her freeze slightly before she hurried on.

"We just want to talk to you is all." A male voice slurred.

"Go away." Charlie shouted behind her not slowing her pace.

Oh god, Charlie thought looking around for someone anyone but the streets where empty at this time of night, only her and the drunk guys following her where stupid enough to be out at that time. She started wreaking through her purse looking for the bottle of pepper spray she bought on a whim cursing herself when she couldn't find it. Of course it wasn't in her bag it was sitting in one of her kitchen drawers with all of her other junk.

"Your hurting my feelings now." The same voice called out causing laughter from the two or three guys he was with.

Charlie tried to ignore them but it was getting increasingly difficult to do. Spotting the bus stop up Charlie made a run for it dialling the bars number as she did. before she could even register what was happening she lost her balance and went tumbling to the ground leaving her phone smashed and her body aching.

"Here let me help you." One of the more sober looking guys said jogging over to where Charlie lay. Charlie remembered him now he was the guy from the bar the one who was actually quite nice to her.

"Don't touch me." She said batting his hand away as she got to her feet.

"Just trying to be friendly sweetheart."

"I don't need any more friends thanks," Charlie said before trying to leave again but the guy grabbed a hold of her upper arm pulling her closer to him. "And I am not your sweetheart."

"You are being very rude," He said as two other guys joined them. She wasn't surprised when one was the guy from the bar who she spilled beer over. "I was just coming to apologise for the way Andy here was acting earlier and all you do is insult me."

"I'm sorry." Charlie stuttered her heart constricting with fear.

"See that wasn't so hard was it," He replied smiling at her. "I'm Jake."

"Charlie."

"Well Charlie I was wondering if you'd like to go to a party," He said releasing her arm before wrapping an arm around her shoulder making her stumble along after him when he started walking. "You look like the type of girl who's up for a good time."

"I just want to go home." Charlie whispered.

"Aww come on sweetheart the nights still young and you're not going to leave me all alone now are ya."

"I said I want to go home." Charlie said trying to appear braver than she actually felt as she unsuccessfully tried to free her arm from his iron grip.

Jake's smile faltered slightly. "You're a real ungrateful bitch, y'know that?" He growled closing in on her.

Charlie's burst of confidence quickly disbanded as she realised a number of possible horrific outcomes to the current situation.

"I just." She steadied her voice trying to pass off a smile. "I'm sorry, I've just had a bad day and I could really do with some sleep."

Jake hesitated. Charlie could smell the alcohol on his breath, he may have been more sober than the rest but he had definitely been drinking. "I understand." He grinned. "I have a little party favour for you I think you're gonna like."

Jake fished a small plastic bag from his pocket and Charlie didn't need to be a genius to work out what was in it.

"I don't do that." Charlie said managing to break away from his grip as he open up the bag.

"It's only a little E." Jake said holding out the pill to her. "It's not gonna kill ya, just give you a nice little pick me up."

Charlie hesitated briefly before reaching out to take it figuring her safest bet was to humour him. "Thank you."

"Now lets party." He shouted towards the group of guys that seemed to be hanging back waiting on him making a move. Charlie quickly dropped the small pill into her jacket pocket hoping no one noticed.

Jake started walking ahead of her laughing and cheering with the other men obviously expecting her to follow but Charlie knew this was going to be her last chance to leave. She quickly tipped off her heels and started running not bothering to slow down any when she heard the yelling from behind her.

Brax was having an amazing night so far and there hadn't even been one fight so far. Well there was that one guy back at the second or was it third? bar who Heath had decked but he was pretty sure the guy was asking for it even if he couldn't remember what had happened only him and the boys getting chucked out with the threat of the police being called.

There was no way he was going to be spending the night in the cells, nope he was celebrating. Celebrating the fact that he was a free man again. Him and Tegan where over and this time for good. He doesn't even remember when they had decided to become a couple because he sure as hell didn't remember ever asking her to be his girlfriend, sure they where friends with benefits but as far as he was concerned that's all they where until she started scaring all the other girls away. He was an idiot who should have put an end to it but he used to think it was all kinds of hot when she'd do that now it would just do his head in. He didn't have time for her mind games any more and he felt sorry for the next mug who got sucked in.

"So are we taking bets about how long it lasts this time boys." His brother Heath laughed patting him on the back as they all swayed along the path that he hoped leaded to a taxi rank.

"Na mate it's for good this time." Brax slurred hardly recognising his own voice.

A few of the boys around him started laughing. "Brax you say that all the time but in the end Tegan always comes crawling back on her hands and knees and I've heard that's where she spends most of her time anyway."

"Shut your mouth." Brax warned.

"I think everyone knows just how good she is with her mouth." Brodie said suggestibility.

"Even Tegan has higher standards than you Brodie." Heath intervened sensing that Brax had nearly reached his limit. "I fancy pizza anybody else?"

"I can always go for pizza." Brodie said with a couple of guys agreeing.

"Brax you in."

"Na mate I think I'm gonna call it a night."

"Suit your self," Heath shrugged. "You coming boys."

Brax watched them leave before strolling along to the taxi rank. He thought of each one of those boys as his family but sometimes it was nice to get a break from them.

"Oaf." Brax groaned as someone banged into him he automatically grabbed hold of the other person stopping them both from falling.

"Oh god I'm so sorry are you OK?" Came a rushed feminine voice. Brax looked up suddenly feeling like he was being bowled over again.

Standing in front of him was one of the most beautiful women he had seen in a long time not like Tegan when she wore so much make up that he was afraid to kiss her, no more like the natural kind with her long dark hair, bronzed skin and hot bo-

"Are you OK?" She asked again breaking him from his revive.

"Yeah yeah no harm done." He smirked lowering his arms from where they where holding her.

"That's good, well sorry again." The beauty said turning to leave.

Brax touched her arm causing her to pause before turning to look at him. "We haven't been introduced."

"I don't have time for this again." She rolled her eyes as she walked away from him.

"I don't even know you." Brax shouted confused by her statement.

She snorted but kept on walking.

"I'm Darryl." He called after her.

Darryl? since when do you like being called Darryl! He asked himself.

"I'm not interested Darryl."