Hi guys thank you for the reviews and well wishes, mum is back home and officially back to her normal bossy self lol... So here is the next chapter hope you guys enjoy and you shouldn't have to wait too long for the next one :)


Heath walked into Bianca's hospital room to find her and his baby girl sleeping soundly, placing a kiss on his daughter's forehead he sat beside Bianca's bed as he stroked her hair, he watched as she lay peacefully but his thoughts were elsewhere.

"SHE WAS RAPED" Brax's voice filled his ears, he found himself lost in his thoughts as Bianca unknowing to him began to stir

"Hy" Heath's head shot up at the sound of her voice, Bianca's soft expression soon changed as she saw the grievous looks that lay upon his face

"Hy" she sat up as she placed her hands softly on his face "What's wrong?" she stared at him waiting for a response

"You should have told me Bianca" asked Heath

Bianca shuffled up on the bed unsure of what she had apparently kept form him

"What are you talking about Heath; I should have told you what?"

"Charlie...you should have told me about Charlie"

Bianca looked at Heath unsure if he was referring to the secret she and the girls had kept, she continued glaring at him unsure of what to say. Noticing this Heath spoke again

"She told Brax about Grant" Edging up further on the bed Bianca grabbed a hold of his hand as she looked down at him pleadingly

"I wanted to, But I made a promise, we all made a promise to her Heath... it wasn't my place to say anything, you know that"

"Bianca he r..., that scum acted like our friend when all the while he was the reason they left" Bringing her hand back to his face Bianca stroked his cheeks knowing full well why he was so upset, Heath's gaze settled on her other hand that laid on his

"They're dead, just like that they're gone... we didn't even get the chance to say goodbye and it's all because of him" Pausing for a moment Heath looked up at her

"You said it time and time again that you didn't trust him, and I just ignored you, he drove them away and we just invited him in"

"Heath you didn't know... the only person to blame here is Grant"

"You should have told me, one of you should have said something"

"Heath we couldn't... More than anything we wanted to; if Jack, Brax or even Miles told you something in confidence regardless of what it was or who it affected would you break that trust and tell me" Heath looked at Bianca knowing she was right, looking over he noticed his daughter stirring in the cot, walking over to her he picked her up as he cradled her in his arms, he couldn't begin to imagine how Ross and Elise must have felt, looking down at his daughter he couldn't imagine anything or anyone ever hurting her, the thought alone made his blood boil

...

"Hy" Casey stood at the doorway as Ruby opened up

"Hy what you doing here" asked Ruby

"I figured we could walk to school together"

"Ruby smiled at him "Yh sure come in I just need to grab some stuff" Casey nodded as he walked into the house

"Ruby have you seen my..." Charlie stopped at she noticed Casey stood awkwardly in the living room

"Oh hy Casey" Charlie smiled over at him

"Hy Charlie I'm just waiting on Ruby" Charlie nodded in response, she still found herself amazed at how much he had grown"

"What?" asked Casey nervously as he noticed Charlie studying him

Grinning at him Charlie spoke "Nothing I just- I can't believe how much you've grown, I'm actually looking up at you"

Casey laughed at her comment before shifting uncomfortably on the spot; he couldn't get himself to forget what he had overheard the night before, he looked on at the genuine smile on her face and wondered how she managed it despite what Grant had done to her

"You ok?" Charlie noticed his unsettled state

Casey looked at her unsure of what to say, how was he supposed to tell her he knew her secret, he sighed before replying her

"Yh I'm fine just didn't get much sleep last night" Before Charlie could further question him Ruby walked out of her room

"Ready...Charlie your curlers are in my room" Ruby walked past her mother

"We have to go...You coming Case" Casey nodded as he followed her to the door

"Bye Casey... and love you too Ruby"

Laughing as she shook her head Ruby replied

"yh love you"

...

The walk to Summer Bay High had been too quiet for Ruby but every time she tried to start a conversation it seemed she was talking to herself. Asking Casey if anything was wrong seemed to not work either, each time he shrugged it off telling her everything was fine. She had hardly seen him all that day, even in their classes together he had said little to nothing to her, looking further down the beach she noticed him walking in the opposite direction

"Hy Casey" she picked up her pace in order to get to him

"Hy... what's up?" asked Casey as he tried to avoid making any eye contact

"Err I should be asking you that, what's going on with you, you've been really quiet"

"Nothing I'm just a little tired"

"Right, so you're not going to tell me?" asked Ruby

"I just did"

Ruby knew there was no truth in his words

"Right" Ruby decided there was only one way to get it out of him

"Fine... guess I'll see you later then" Ruby hoped her cold approach would get something useful out of him, she picked up the pace in an attempt to emphasise the change in her own mood hoping he would buckle and tell her what was bothering him

Sighing heavily Casey too picked up his own pace as he called out her name

"Ruby wait up" Stopping in front of her he spoke immediately

"I know about Charlie" he watched as Ruby looked up at him her eyes instantly glazing over with tears

Stepping away from him she continued on walking gradually picking up her pace until she was almost jogging, she could hear him calling her name but she refused to stop

"Ruby wait" Casey ran after her "Please just wait" getting close enough her grabbed her arm gently, he was stunned as she turned round to him face full for anger

"Leave me alone Case, I've got the message"

"What... what message?" Casey looked at her confused

"You found out now you want nothing to do with me" Still Casey stood confused 'why would he want nothing to do with her'

"Ruby what are you talking about? I just didn't want to tell you because I didn't want to go and say the wrong thing" taking note of the confusion on his face Ruby glared at him

"What do you know?"

Casey's hesitated making sure to choose his words carefully

"About Grant... I know what he did"

"That's all you know?" asked Ruby

"Is there more?" Casey looked at her nervously, how could there possibly be more, he was still trying to wrap his head around how Grant, the guy he had known as Brax's friend the same person that he had addressed civilly on several occasion could have done such a thing

Ruby's expression softened as she realised he had yet to work out who she really was to Charlie

"Brax didn't tell you"

Casey looked at her bemused, what else was it that Brax had failed to mention; he hoped it wouldn't be in relation to what he had already found out. Pegging herself onto the sand Ruby cursed herself; she had never had to tell anyone this before Charlie had always been the one to do that. Out of the corner of her eye she took notice of Casey's body lowering itself to her level until he was sat beside her his gaze firmly placed on her

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to" She knew his words were only for her benefit, she contemplated how to say it, was she supposed to just blurt it out or explain it step by step, before fully processing her decision she found she could hear her own voice

"He got her pregnant" Casey's eyes widened at the news she had delivered, she was sure if he had been standing his feet would have buckled

"Ruby I..." Casey paused unsure of what the right thing was to say; he couldn't imagine what Charlie must have gone through but he had a feeling Ruby still had more to tell him

"Ruby I don't know what to say... she must have been terrified"

"She says she was... but she lets me know she wouldn't trade me in for anything" Ruby smiled at the unconditional love Charlie had continuously shown her regardless of how she was conceived, she could see Casey's eyes glaring at her in bewilderment, he obviously was confused by her statement

"She kept the child" continued Ruby hoping he would soon catch on but yet he stared at her with growing confusion

"Right... so she gave it up for adoption?" asked Casey not fully grasping what she had meant by 'kept'

"No"

"No" Casey couldn't deny that he no longer understood what Ruby was saying "I don't understand"

Ruby sighed before finally looking up at him again

"Charlie's not my sister Case... she's my mum"

...

"Mummy" Reece ran into Bianca's hospital room instantly jumping up onto her bed

"Hy baby" Bianca placed a kiss on his forehead before looking up at the door

"Hy Brax" she smiled as he walked into the room

"Hy Heath left him with me and he hasn't stopped asking about you or the little one all day...how is the little one?"

"Sleeping... that's all she seems to want to do" Laughed Bianca

"Brax laughed at her words "Well that's one thing she defiantly got from Heath"

"Yh" Bianca laughed at his words

Taking a seat beside his niece Brax peered into the cot as he smiled down at her; Bianca's unmoving glare that lay upon him had not gone unnoticed

"Brax are you ok?" Brax turned to be faced with her worrying eyes

"Yep" Brax knew full well what she was referring to, there was no doubt in his mind Heath would have already questioned her about it

"Brax you don't have to always put up a front" Bianca hoped he would open up

"Bianca I don't want to talk about it ok" he glared at Reece who now stood beside him as he glared happily at his baby sister

Glaring down at his hand Bianca glanced back at him

"Right so the cuts on your hand have nothing to do with Grant" Brax stiffened at the sound of his name and Bianca instantly noticed the change in his composure

"I'm sorry"

"You have nothing to be sorry about" Brax stood up to his feet

"Brax" Before she could continue Brax stooped her

"Bianca I can't deal with this right now I just need some time"

"This isn't about you though, it happened to Charlie not you" Bianca tried to keep her voice as low as possible not wanting to alarm Reece or her sleeping daughter

"Charlie was the one that went through it, he took her innocence from her, she's the one that as to live with that night for the rest of her life; Brax I get that her leaving hurt you but you can't make this about you"

Sitting back down Brax ran his hands over his face

"I don't know what to think or do or even say" He looked up at her "What am I supposed to say"

"Just be there for her"

"I can't-I don't know how to do that" he admitted, the honesty and fear in his voice gained a sympathetic look from Bianca

"Just simply be there Brax... and she may not admit it, but I can guarantee you it's neither me nor Leah and Martha that she wants consoling her it never has been"

"How did you do it?" asked Brax softly

"Do what?"

"Be around him knowing what he did, keep that secret and having to tolerate his presence" he looked at her expectantly

"It wasn't easy but... each time I felt myself about to break around him I remembered Charlie and the morning she told us- I remember her cries and her pleading for us not to say anything... I didn't have a choice, we did what we had to do for Charlie and I guess that meant putting our feeling aside regardless of how difficult it was... I know she would do the same for me"

"I don't think I have that kind of strength... maybe that's why she didn't tell me because she knew I wouldn't be able to handle it"

Bianca shook her head adamantly

"You have more strength than most people I know, Charlie knows that just has much as I do. Her not telling you was out of fear; her silence was more about her than it was you... I guarantee you she has never doubted your strength for a second I think the person she doubted most was herself"

"She shouldn't have left" said Brax

"Honestly I agree with you, I wish she had stayed but she didn't neither of us can change that, but she is here now and the fact that she has told you means she is ready to let you be there for her... don't push her away"

Brax glared at Bianca as he sighed heavily, how was it that everyone seemed to have their heads screwed on correctly apart from him. Charlie had opened up, she had told him about something so horrific and he had failed to consider how it must have affected her instead he made it all about himself. Smiling warmly at her he once again rose to his feet

"I have to get back to the restaurant just wanted to bring Reece to see you guys" he placed a kiss on his nieces head

"Come on buddy we have to go now"

"We stay two more minutes... please"

"We can't buddy but how about I get daddy to bring you back in later"

Reece gave Bianca a kiss before latching onto Brax's hand

"Thanks"

Bianca smiled at the sincerity in Brax voice

...

Charlie walked along the beach glad to get some alone time, she settled herself in the same place she had been going to since they arrived

"Hi mum, hi dad" she smiled warmly at the ocean that twinkled before her

"So I finally told him... but I don't know what he's thinking at the moment" she ran her hand through her hair only to turn at the sound of her name

...

He stood watching her, it didn't matter that it had been a decade since she had left he couldn't help but notice how beautiful she still was, before he could register it he found his feet walking towards her, it looked like she was talking to someone but yet he continued on towards her

"Charlie" She looked up to the voice that had called her name, instantly smiling up at him and was relieved when he immediately returned the smile

"Is it ok if I sit?"

"Yea" Charlie watched as he placed himself down beside her. Both sat for several minutes unsure of what to say; Brax willed himself to speak but everything he thought to say sounded stupid and weak, he stole a quick glance at her only to be met with her eyes; quickly turning back towards the ocean she felt her cheeks flush red as she had been caught out

"I'm sorry" she turned back to him when he spoke

"I'm sorry for not giving you a chance to explain the first time you tried to explain to me"

She smiled over at him

"Its fine... you had every right to be angry... I would have probably reacted the same if the roles were reversed"

"Na you wouldn't " said Brax

"What?"

"I know you... you would have given me a chance" he sent her a smile that sent an unexpected shiver through her body, she quickly shook away the feeling

"I'm sorry too, you may not believe me but it took all my strength to leave you behind" barely finishing her words he spoke again

"I believe you... I just wish you hadn't"

"Me too"

Deciding to bite the bullet Brax spoke

"The other night at the restaurant before Ella showed up you was about to say something" Brax knew he was playing with fire but he couldn't help it, he wanted to know; he had to know

Tensing up at his question Charlie shifted slightly; after Ella had showed up she had hoped the conversation would have ended there.

Brax glared at her noticing the sudden change in her composure, he knew he should probably have told her it didn't matter, she didn't have to tell him if she didn't want to but he couldn't bring himself to say the words; more than anything he needed to know

"Charlie?" she turned to him meeting his pleading eyes, she was suddenly aware of how close to her he was, she tried to ignore the way he made her feel, she couldn't let herself think like that he was with someone; so why couldn't she break her eyes away from him, she watched as he studied her face, she was unsure why she found herself speaking

"I needed- I needed you to love me... I thought if you knew the truth that would change" She looked down briefly before looking back up only to find that he was still glaring at her

Brax felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up at the sound of her words; to anyone else it may have sounded selfish but the realisation that she needed him so much regardless of the secret she had kept from him brought a sense of comfort to him

"I don't think anything could have changed how I felt about you Charlie" instinctively he brought his hand to her face settling it upon her cheeks, he felt the wall that she had began breaking a few nights ago finally give up as it crumbled to the floor, he stroked her cheek gently with his thumb, it didn't matter what she had done he was determined to do what he wished she had given him the chance to do all those years ago; he was going to be there for her

...

She fought back the tears that lingered on her eyes as she listened to his words, she felt her body stiffen in expectation and excitement as his hand reached forward to her face; feeling his hands settle on her face she closed her eyes as she leaned into his touch. The feeling of his thumb running softly against her cheek brought a familiar comfort and warmth to her. She opened her eyes and smiled up at him, in that moment there was no denying it her feeling for him still firmly stood

Relently Brax slowly retracted his hand away from her face, he couldn't help but smile as he noticed the disappointment on her face

"I know you've always been somewhat odd but talking to yourself is a new one even for you" Brax grinned at her trying to lighten the mood

Charlie looked at him confused

"You were talking to yourself before... I saw you"

"Oh" Charlie laughed "I err... I was talking to dad and mum"

Brax instantly dropped the grin and looked at her confused with a raised eyebrow causing Charlie to laugh lightly

"I'm not going crazy... me and Ruby scattered their ashes here when we returned" Charlie turned and looked out to the ocean

"Oh right sorry- I didn't know- I..."

"Brax stop, its ok... I've been here a few times, I just- I feel like they can hear me"

Brax nodded in response as he too peered out onto the ocean

They sat in silence for a few more minutes

"I wish I had the chance to have seen them again... even if just once" Charlie sighed as she felt guilt overcome her at his words, Ross and Elise leaving the boys was her doing, she had given them no choice but to leave them behind. Noticing the mournful look on her face Brax realised his words probably hadn't helped in easing her obvious guilt

"I didn't think... I know they left for good reasons" Brax tried to make up for his earlier words

"No you're right, you should have had the chance to see them again, I shouldn't have asked them to leave you guys like that... it wasn't fair"

"Charlie what happened to you wasn't fair and I think what Ross and Elise did was what any loving parent would do... I can't fault them for that" Brax gave her a smile hoping it would be enough to reassure her, his smile widened as she spoke

"You're too nice you know that"

"Well I have been known to be the perfect gentleman" he winked at her as she laughed at him; he secretly relished in the sound of her much missed laughter, he couldn't believe after so long of wishing and praying she was sat next to him, he only hoped she would never have reason to leave again

Charlie laughed at him and her gaze descended on his grazed knuckled

"So what really happened? She questioned looking at him; Brax looked down at his knuckles before trying to hide the m from her sight

"I told you, just an accident at work"

"Yh but I want the truth" She knew too well that it probably had something to do with what she had told him the night of the storm

"What makes you think I'm not telling the truth?" asked Brax

"I just know... so?"

Brax exhaled looking away from her

"I just lost it"

"What did you do?"

"Put it through a frame... I just- his pictures where in the office and I just flipped" Charlie sighed as she took his hand in his slowly brushing her hand over the cuts

"I guess it's a good thing he left"

"Yh I don't think I would be able to control myself if I saw him" said Brax honestly, since the night of the storm he had many a times imagined how he would act if he was to see Grant again, and every single time he failed to see it ending well for Grant. A part of him wished he could see him and let out some of his frustration

As she removed her hand from his Brax felt the coldness of the wind brush past the space her hands had briefly occupied, he then remembered that Heath had found him at the time and that both he and Casey now knew about the real reason behind her leaving. Shifting nervously on the sand he took a deep breath as he spoke, he wasn't sure how she would react but he knew it wouldn't be long before she found out

"I think I might have done something you probably won't like" Charlie looked up at him with questioning eyes

"Heath found me when I... you know" he nodded down to his fingers "I told him about Grant and... Casey over heard" he stared at her waiting for her to flip or for her facial expression to harden at his confession but she just stared blankly at him,

"I didn't intend to but he kept pushing, then he said he was going to come ask you what it was that had got me so wound up and then..."

"It's ok" He stopped talking and looked at her unsure

"Charlie you're allowed to be angry, I had no right telling him"

"No you didn't but... to be honest I'm tired of telling people about it, it always feels like I'm back there, I guess in a way you helped me out" she sent him a small smile. She noticed the curios look on Brax face

"What is it?" asked Charlie

"Why didn't you let them tell me?"

"Let who tell you what?"

"Talking about what happened, I could see how much pain it caused you, why put yourself through that... why not just let one of the girls tell me? why even tell me at all" her answer came immediately

"I wanted to do it... I didn't think it was fair on you to have to find out from someone else and I wanted you to know my leaving want because of you" he smiled at her words

"Well I'm glad you did"

"So am I"

"You know I didn't get her name"

"Whose name?" asked Brax

"Bianca's new arrival, she forgot to tell me her name"

Brax smiled to himself "Its Abigail"

"Abigail...Abi" its suits her, I like it" Charlie smiled to herself

Looking out at the Ocean one more time Charlie sighed she didn't want to leave but she had an early shift and she knew if she didn't get back home soon Ruby would start bombarding her with calls

"I should probably get going before Ruby sends out a search party" Charlie stood as she dusted herself of the sand, she watched as Brax rose to his feet

"Come on I'll give you a lift" said Brax

"Its fine the house isn't that far"

"Charlie I know where you live, come on I don't mind" Brax nodded behind him as he began walking

"You sure"

"Yes"

...

"Here we are" Brax stopped outside her house, turning off the ignition he looked over at her

"Thank you" Charlie unbuckled the seat belt but yet she hadn't moved from her seat

"It's good to have you back" Brax smiled at her sincerely

She stopped the grin that threatened to play on her face and instead sent him a smile matching his

"It's good to be back"

"So I guess I'll see you later" said Brax

"Yeah"

Opening the car door Charlie sent him a final smile before closing the door and making her way towards the house, she listened for the sound of the fading car engine but she heard nothing, reaching the door she turned to find him still parked there watching her. As she opened the door he nodded lightly at her before driving off


Hope you enjoyed that :)