Right just to confirm that Charlie left town just before the newspaper found out about her and Brax. There was still a lot of rumours and their families knew about them.

Somehow Charlie had managed to get out of the station without any of the officers noticing her. In a few days she would go in and explain everything to them all but today just wasn't the day for it. She was now sitting in a carpark for the second time today but this time she was outside the diner. Rubbing her hand over her small baby bump a smile spread across her face.

She had been able to hide the fact that she was pregnant for 4 months while in Melbourne. The truth had come out when her morning sickness had decided to make its one and only appearance when she had been in her bosses' office. Luckily she had found the rubbish bin in time but he didn't believe her when she tried to pass it off as a tummy bug. Until she had come clean to her boss it almost didn't seem real, a lot like the first time she was pregnant. The biggest difference was this time she was happy about being pregnant and she knew for the moment she found out she was pregnant that she was going keep her baby.

It was an unplanned surprise but somehow it just felt right. As happy as she was to be pregnant she didn't feel the need to tell people. Her boss had said she could work on the streets as long as she felt she was able to and of course it was safe. Charlie had made her mind up when she was 5 months along that it was time for her to give up the streets. This came as a surprise to many at the station who didn't even realise that she was pregnant. There were a few people that questioned who the father was which Charlie chose not to answer.

This morning she had decided to wear a loose fitting top that mostly hid her bump, it would make things easier until she was able to tell those close to her. In her head she had made a mental list of all the people that she needed to tell and the first person on that list was Ruby. She had called her before leaving the station but her phone had gone to voicemail. Leaving her daughter a message she realised how hungry she was and that's how she found herself at the diner.

"Be with you in a minute" came Colleen's voice from behind the coffee machine as soon as Charlie walked through the door.

"Thanks Colleen" smiled Charlie, waiting for a reaction.

"Oh Sergent Buckton!" shrieked Colleen. "What are you doing here?

Before she had time to answer shocked another voice came from the door. "Charlie?"

"Rubes!" turning round she closed the space between them before pulling her daughter into a tight hug.

"You didn't tell me you were coming back!" Ruby could feel the tears in her eyes.

"I thought I would surprise you" Charlie held her tight. "My plans kind of changed a few days ago and I decided it was time to come home."

Still holding her tight Charlie finally noticed Casey standing behind Ruby. "Hi Casey how are you?"

"I'm good Charlie. It's nice to see you" he didn't even bother trying to hide him his grin. He hated seeing what Ruby went through when she left.

"Are you two here for lunch?" questioned Charlie. Her head starting to work over time trying to work out if it was a good idea to tell Casey at the same time she told Ruby or if she could ask him to leave.

"Buckton!" boomed Heath as he walked in the door. "What are you doing back here?"

Heart beating a thousand miles an hour Charlie tried to come up with an answer. Heath didn't faze her but the fact that Brax and some woman had followed him into the diner did. Casey noticed the look on her face and spoke up. "Actually we are here for a family lunch. Not often that we can all get together."

"Oh" Charlie was surprised when she heard her voice. It seemed that her mouth had opened before her brain had time to think about what she was going to say.

"Do you want to join us?" he continued on.

"Um actually I was kind of hoping could have some time with Ruby?" said Charlie finally finding her words.

"Sounds good. We have so much to catch up on. See everyone later" responded Ruby quickly, a grin still plastered on her face. Grabbing Charlie's hand she lead her outside. Making her way to furthest table Ruby pulled her in for another hug, knowing that it was the first time she had seen Brax in 6 months. "Are you Charlie?"

Nodding Charlie felt her eyes starting to water. She had left the Bay to save her career but it was one of the hardest things that she had ever had to do. Leaving didn't mean she didn't have feelings for Brax...it didn't mean that she didn't love him. Pulling back from Ruby she sat down at the table, pulling herself together. "Who is she?"

Sighing Ruby sat down as she answered. "Natalie. She is the school counsellor and has been helping Casey through things."

"Are they together?" The words stung as she said them. After everything she really had no right to ask but she had to know.

"Yes." To anyone else it may have sounded like she was asking if Natalie and Casey were together but Ruby knew who she meant.

"Oh." For the second time that was all Charlie could manage. Ruby shared everything in her life with Charlie while she was in Melbourne, everything except Brax. Charlie know he would still be part of her life, he was Casey's brother after all, but she had done her best not to think about that.

"Charlie..." started Ruby.

"It's ok Rubes" said Charlie reaching out to touch her hand. It broke her heart but he hadn't done anything wrong. "You don't have to try and explain his relationship. I left him. I put my job before him. I couldn't expect him to wait for me."

"He could have done more, he could have gone to Melbourne to look for you."

"Rubes he isn't the one to blame for what happened. It wasn't right and it had to end sometime" pausing she held her tears back. "I left a letter for him explaining my reasons."

That explained a lot to Ruby- after she left Brax hadn't talked to Ruby about it at all. For two weeks he had been in the worse mood before going away for a week and coming back just like himself again. At first Ruby thought he might have gone to see Charlie but she soon realised that he had taken the time to get himself back together.

Watching her daughter process everything Charlie decided it was time to tell her. "I have something to tell you but I'm not sure here is the right place. Do you want to go for walk?"