Authors Note: I do NOT own Home and Away! All credit to the writers.

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Please Review as I would like to hear your thoughts and input on your story as I will be trying to incorporate would you would like so questions will be asked either at the start or end of the chapters.

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Enjoy.

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Chapter Two: Decisions.

Charlie dipped her spoon back into her tub of chocolate chip ice-cream, the tv was playing in front of her but she couldn't bring herself to be interested, her mind was focused solely on Darryl Braxton. Of all the people in Australia, of all the places she couldn't believe her best friend was married to his brother.

Picking up another spoon full of ice-cream she put the clump into her mouth as the front door swung open.

"Hey mum" Ruby spoke cheerfully.

Both girls dumped their bags by the front door. "Oh no. What's wrong?" Nicole asked as she moved over to the couch, sitting cross legged beside Charlie facing her.

Charlie sighed. "Long story"

Ruby handed Nicole a spoon and sunk down to the floor by Charlie's legs. "Talk to us, mum"

Charlie looked down into Ruby's eyes. "I met the baby's Uncle today"

"Is the father here?" Nicole asked.

Charlie shook her head. "No. But his brother Heath is. Heath is married to my best friend"

Ruby pulled her spoon from her mouth. "Leah?"

"No. Bianca. You'll meet her eventually. She is the principle at your high school" Charlie sighed. "What if he comes here, what if he sees that I am pregnant, he doesn't want commitment?"

Nicole stuck her spoon in the ice-cream and looked at Charlie. "Did Heath say that the baby's father…what is his name?"

Charlie pursed her lips together. "Darryl"

"Did Heath say Darryl would be coming to Summerbay?" Nicole asked.

Charlie sighed. "I didn't give him a chance to say anything. I left pretty quickly after that. They were asking a lot of questions"

"You should talk to his brother then, maybe he can help you stop worrying" Ruby suggested.

"Doubtful" Charlie sighed, she wasn't certain she would ever be ready to face her child's father. "Let's watch a movie"

Ruby knew it was her mother's way of changing the subject and avoiding what was really happening but she nodded anyway. "Sure. What do you want to watch?"

"Oooh lets watch hunger games" Nicole said with excitement.

Ruby rolled her eyes. "Mum needs something cheerful. Not doom and gloom"

Nicole's eyes narrowed. "What your idea then?"

"Twilight?"

Nicole giggled. "That is cheerful? It's a horrible movie"

Charlie smiled at her daughters. "What about…" The knocking at the door caught everyone's attention. "Why don't you pick a movie and I'll get the door. No arguing" Charlie moved the tub of ice-cream and went to stand up but couldn't quiet move out of her grove in the couch. "Nic…"

Nicole grinned as she scrambled off the couch and grabbed her mother's hands pulling her to her feet. "There you go"

"Thanks" Charlie wattled over to the door, pulling it open she was surprised to see Heath Braxton standing on the other side of the door. Two teenage girls stood off to the side holding pizzas, uninterested in what was going on but Charlie vaguely remembered them from Bianca's house. "Heath!" Charlie spoke surprised.

"Hey. Uh" Heath scratched the side of his head. "I'm not good with words but I'll give this a shot. Can I come in?" Charlie nodded as she held the door open. "Ap. Tam. Wait here"

Charlie shook her head. "They can come in. Ruby and Nicole are trying to pick a movie maybe they can help" Charlie offered.

Heath nodded as he waved the girls into the house before him. "Thanks. I just need to talk to you. You ran out before I had a chance" Heath said as he closed the door.

Charlie looked over at Nicole and Ruby who were arguing quietly in front of the shelf filled with dvds. "Ruby. Nicole. This is Heath and uh, his daughters" Charlie spoke, she was guessing as she hadn't been introduced to him.

"April"

"Tamara"

April shoved the pizzas she was holding into Heath's arms. "There you go, dad" April grinned teasingly, Heath grinned as he reached out to playfully ruffle her hair but she shoved his hand away.

Ruby looked up. "Do you think the hangover would be a good movie to cheer our mum up?"

Charlie placed her hands on her hips. "Ruby Buckton, you are too young to be watching the hangover. Pick something suitable"

"Mum…"

Charlie shook her head as she turned to Heath. "Would you like a drink?"

"Sure. You got coke?"

Charlie nodded. "Yeah"

Heath followed her into the kitchen, placing the pizzas onto the kitchen table. "Charlie…"

Charlie pulled the cups from the cupboard. "I know you think I should tell him but I can't. One of the first things he said to me was he wasn't up for commitment. I won't be the one who ties him down" Charlie pulled poured the coke into the glass and handed it to Heath.

"I'm not asking you to tell him" Heath said as he leaned against the bench. "Brax was…he left home at seventeen because he didn't want to be responsible for our brothers, he didn't want the commitment then so he left. We don't hear from him much at all. He calls on the boy's birthdays" Heath sighed as he rubbed his head. "He doesn't know about my kids. Bianca. I refuse to tell him. But I'm just asking you to think about what you're doing"

"I know what I am doing"

Heath raised his eyebrow. "If that was my kid I would want to know. Just think about it. At least give him the option to be involved. If he doesn't want to well then this kids still going to have some pretty awesome Uncle's" Heath grinned.

Charlie smiled slightly. "Thanks Heath but I don't think I can. Not right now"

Heath nodded. "Alright. But you let me know when" Heath looked over at the girls laughing as they looked at several movie cases. "I always introduce them as my daughters, but they don't call me dad. I get that feeling when they do though, it might be teasing but it means the world" Heath glanced back at Charlie. "Brax will feel like that. I don't doubt it. It'll take some getting used to though"

^..^

Leah placed her book down on the arm of the couch as Miles sat down beside her book. The serious look on his face caused her to raise an eyebrow.

"Is there something wrong?" Leah asked as she mentally scanned her brain for anything she should have remembered.

Miles clasped his hands together; it was obvious he was a little nervous. "I want to speak about Ryan and VJ"

Leah sat up straight, a slight feeling of panic crossing through her body. "Did something happen?"

Miles shook his head. "It's nothing bad, Leah"

His quickness to react worried Leah further. "Then what is it?"

"The wedding, well, after the wedding"

Leah sighed. "I'm not following"

Miles leaned forward and took her hand. "I know I can't replace their dad's but..."

Leah squeezed his hand. "Miles, if this is about more children…"

"No" he exclaimed. I mean sure someday if you're comfortable but this is about Ryan and VJ. I want to adopt them. Ryan Baker-Copeland. VJ Patterson-Copeland" Mile blushed slightly as he squeezed Leah's hand, creeping forward on the couch as he saw the tears welling in her eyes. "I want us to be a family with the same last name. I don't expect them to call me dad. And I know I will never replace Vinnie or Dan but I want them to know I'll always love them…so what do you say?"

Leah smiled through the tears running down her cheeks. "Yes. Of course I would say yes" Leah wrapped her arms around Miles listening to his chuckle. "But…"

Miles pulled back. "Yea?"

"I think we should wait until closer to the wedding and ask them. I want their opinions as this is a big adjustment"

He nodded. "I know. In six months we will have been together for three years. I just want them to know how important they are"

Leah leaned forward and embraced him. "They do know. I know. You know how much you love them and that matters"

Miles placed his right hand on her cheek. "I love you, Leah" He breathed as he leaned in to capture her lips.

"Geez. Get a room!" Ricky spoke as she walked into the house, Nate trailing behind her.

Leah pulled back blushing. "What are you two doing here?"

Nate held up the wine and pizza in his hand. "Miles invited us over last week"

Leah raised her eyebrow. "Uh" Miles scratched the side of his head. "I forgot to tell, Leah"

^..^

Bianca slid into bed beside Heath, smiling she rolled over and laid her arm across his stomach, snuggling into him, breathing in his scent.

"I'm so exhausted, having the six of them here is tiring" Bianca exhaled.

Heath smiled as he wrapped his arms around her tightly. "They all asleep?"

Bianca sighed. "Kyle and Case are still up; I said one more game on the xbox then bed. Tamara and April were sleeping soundly. Darcy went down over an hour ago; I swear she is our easiest. And our little monster is finally sleeping in his cot"

Heath chuckled. "I would have put him to bed"

Bianca pulled back with a raised eyebrow. "That kid may be a Braxton but he is a mama's boy"

"I know" Heath scoffed. "Uh, I actually have something to tell you"

Bianca snuggled back into this embrace, tracing the pattern of their children's names tucked under his other tattoos. "Hmm-mm"

"Should I tell Charlie that Brax is coming to the bay?" Heath tightened his grasp on Bianca to keep her from pulling out of his embrace.

"What did you say?"

Heath flinched at her tone of voice. "Brax is coming to the bay; he'll be here in four weeks"

Bianca punched him in the arm.

"Owww. Damn babe, what the hell?" Heath groaned.

"Sometimes I hate your family" Bianca muttered.

Heath rubbed his arm. "Geez, so do I but I don't punch people" Heath said as he looked down. "Should I tell her? She doesn't want him to know"

Bianca exhaled. "She has a right to know"

^..^

Hope you all enjoyed the second chapter.

Thank-you to those who took the time to review, hearing your thoughts on my stories really does make them worth writing.

As you can see Nate and Ricky are together, I know some of you may not like that, but don't fret you won't see too much of them within the story, well Nate you will because he is the doctor.

I will be posting more frequently but I haven't had internet the last two weeks. Pure sadness I know!

Question Time;

Charlie's baby: Boy or Girl?

Should Heath be the one to tell Charlie that Brax is coming to Summerbay?