Hi again! Thank you for all of your lovely reviews, keep them coming! How exciting is it that Esther Anderson's coming back! I'm just hoping they bring her back alive, fingers crossed anyway…enjoy this one guys! xx
CHAPTER 36-Always the gentleman
Brax sighed as he gazed out of the window waiting for the kettle to slowly boil. It'd been a restless and sleepless night on the couch and he eventually carried Charlie to their room. She had slept peacefully, he hadn't, he'd tossed and turned all night, his mind filled with fears of seeing Jake's face again. He wanted to be able to handle himself in there, stay tough and not crack in front of Charlie…or Jake for that matter.
Morag smiled as she walked through the eerily quiet corridors of the house the following morning. She frowned as she saw Brax gazing absentmindedly out of the window with two coffee cups placed out in front of him and the kettle rumbling to the boil yet, he didn't seem to notice. She quietly made her way over to him and took the kettle off the stand, steadily filling the two cups with water. He still failed to snap out of his daydream. Slamming the kettle down onto the hard, rigid worktop, Morag chuckled as Brax jumped out of his trance and shook with fear for a brief moment.
"Oh good, you're still with us then." Morag mocked, still laughing as Brax had his hand firmly over his chest and breathed deeply to get over the initial shock.
Brax smiled faintly before laughing along with Morag. He turned back to the cups and stirred the milk in before handing one to her.
"Didn't you make one for Charlie?" Morag asked, gesturing her thumb over her shoulder to point back to their bedroom.
"That was for her." Brax said pointing to the cup in Morag's hand "But considering you're up early, and the likelihood of her getting up before that gets cold is low, I gave it to you." Brax said modestly, chuckling as she rolled her eyes at him.
"Ah always the gentlemen Darryl." She sighed, shaking her head at him.
Brax's eyes widened, "Did you just call me Darryl?" Brax asked, completely in utter shock.
"I suppose I did…Darryl." Morag joked, raising her eyebrows at him.
"Woah, steady on, I feel like we're making progress here." Brax laughed, making his way to the cupboards and pulling out a box of cereal "Coco pops?" He asked, taking two bowls out from the cupboards.
Morag grimaced before shaking her head, "No, no, I'm more of a Frosties girl." She said
Ironic. Brax thought. "Well I reckon we have them in stock, Bianca's been having a fetish for them lately." Brax smiled, pulling out a box from the highest shelf at the very back of the cupboard, "And she's been hiding them so we can't get them…" Brax explained as he pulled the box out, being careful not to drag the rest of the contents of the cupboard out with it.
"Frosties isn't the only thing Bianca has a fetish for…" Morag frowned, knitting her brows as she thought of the antics she heard last night.
"Oh god…" Brax said, biting his lip as he tried to contain his laughter "I apologize on their behalf." He said, screwing up his face at the thought of Heath and Bianca.
"Apology accepted…so how did you and Charlie sleep? I see you moved from the sofa." Morag asked curiously, Brax shrugged his shoulders.
"She was out like a light, which was good, she needed that I think, so it was you who put the blanket over us?" Brax asked; smiling slightly as Morag nodded hesitantly, the lady did have some compassion.
"Well I couldn't have you both going cold now could I?" Morag said, defending herself, Brax nodded at her before a long silence fell over them. "You know, you still didn't answer part of my question." Morag said, leaning back in her chair and watching Brax with eager eyes "How did you sleep last night? She asked him
Brax sighed, drumming his fingers on the sides of the worktop. "Because I heard someone in the kitchen at 3am in the morning, and I can guarantee it wasn't Heath and Bianca." She concluded, both of them laughing in unison,
"Not that well." Brax replied honestly, Morag nodded slightly before taking her empty bowl to the sink next to him.
"Night before nerves, you'll be fine." Morag encouraged, patting his shoulder awkwardly
"It's not me I'm worried about." Brax sighed, making his way over to the couch and slumping down into it. Brax rubbed the palm of his hand along the arm of the couch, feeling it sticky with sweat from anxiety and worry. He ran his hand over his face and leant his head back into the couch and stared hopelessly at the ceiling.
"Charlie will be fine." Morag said certainly, joining him on the couch. Brax turned and smiled weakly at her, he didn't want the extent of his worries show; he had to be strong for Charlie. "And Jake will get his comeuppance." Morag concluded, nodding at him in hope to ease his worries.
"Let's hope so." Brax said uncertainly, his gaze settling into his lap.
"Everything will go to plan today and Charlie will be fine. She's a lot tougher than you think, she's been through a lot in life." Morag explained, Brax frowned at her, sure him and Charlie had spoken about their childhoods, but Charlie had never mentioned anything tough apart from her mother's death. "She has you and Ruby there for her. She'll be ok." Morag said, squeezing Brax's knee reassuringly, Brax nodded faintly.
"You're good for her Darryl. She loves you, that's all she needs. Love." Morag finished, patting his knee twice before retreating to her room to prepare for the long day ahead, leaving Brax troubled with his own thoughts and worries.
…
Charlie froze as the door swung open and she was wearing nothing other than her bra and panties, she felt her whole body relax as Brax clicked the door shut and wrapped his arms around her and held her close to him, his hands settling firmly at the small of her back. She smiled faintly at him as he placed his hands on her shoulders before running them soothingly up and down her arms.
"How are you feeling?" Brax asked worriedly as he looked down at her timid expression
"I'm ok." Charlie replied weakly before shaking her head at him "I think…I think I'm ok" She whispered, running her hands down the front of his chest and playing with the waistband of his boxers "I'm scared Brax…I'm scared of seeing him again." She said, taking weak deep breaths to calm herself down, she relaxed as Brax placed a tender kiss on her temple and pulled her to him, his chin resting down into her shoulder and his fingers drawing circles into her hair.
"You have nothing to be scared of." Brax reassured her, trying to settle his own fear "He can't hurt you." Brax said, placing a soothing kiss on her bare shoulder
"Not physically…" Charlie whispered, gripping the hairs on the back of Brax's neck with her hand.
"He's not gonna get in your head Charlie, you're way to smart for that." Brax said certainly, cupping her cheeks with his hands "I won't let him ok?" He said, running his thumb along her cheekbone as she smiled in agreement. "You've got this far, nothing's going to stop you, just think of it as a marathon, and you're on the home stretch…it'll all be over soon." Brax said, flashing her a small smile as a lone tear trickled down her cheek.
"And I'm gonna be there, the whole time, I'm here for you. Just look at me if you feel scared." He said, smiling as she pulled him closer to her and leant her head into the crook of his neck, his warm skin immediately making her feel safe and his calm persona helping her to relax. She could have stayed there forever and never let go,
"You ready?" Brax asked, pulling away and squeezing on her hand, she nodded her head and grinned at him before picking up her dress from the bed and continuing to get ready for the day ahead.
….
"I'm scared Case." Ruby spoke worriedly as she clung onto Casey's hand on the couch whilst they were waiting for Charlie and Brax.
"You'll be ok Rubes." Casey encouraged, looking down at her knee he chuckled to himself as it was bobbing up and down on the spot, something she always did when she was nervous. He placed his hand firmly on her knee to stop it.
"I promise you, everything will be ok." He said softly, stroking her cheek with his thumb "We'll be fine."
"You don't know that." She whispered, adamantly shaking her head. "What if he gets a lighter sentence…what if he can get out sooner?" Ruby tremored, wiping a stray tear that fell from her eye.
"I promise you, Rubes, that won't happen…you're stronger than this don't let him get to you." Casey whispered, tugging on her hand and pulling her into his embrace.
Charlie, Brax and Morag all stopped in the lounge doorway, smiles adorning their faces, as Ruby lay snuggled into Casey's warm embrace. It was nice to see the pair of them doing ok after their tough time lately. It was good to see that Case was being strong for Ruby for a change.
"Oh…sorry…" Ruby muttered, as she broke free from Casey's arms to see the trio standing in the doorway.
"It's ok, you ready to go?" Charlie asked, gripping firmly onto Brax's hand, hoping she could find her strength to get through today.
"Ready." Ruby confirmed as she and Casey got off the couch and walked arm in arm out the front door.
….
The drive to the City courthouse was long and eerily quiet, Charlie and Brax sat in the front, Brax's right palm gripping the steering wheel with immense strength, his other hand firmly entwined with Charlie's.
Ruby sat in the back, her gaze drifting outside the window, watching as the other cars on the high way drifted past at high speed, her presence never once fully focused on anything inside the car. She felt Casey's arm loop around her shoulder and tug her slightly, so her small frame slotted gently next to his body.
"No Heath and Bianca today then?" Morag asked, breaking the intense silence.
"No they have their 20 week scan today so they couldn't come." Brax explained, his hand running softly up and down Charlie's thigh.
"You alright Rubes?" Brax asked, his eyes settling on Ruby through the rear view mirror.
"Huh? Oh…yeah, yeah I'm fine." Ruby replied faintly before her gaze drifted back to the passing cars,
Charlie turned around in her chair so that her head was peeping between the two front seats.
"You know Rubes, if you don't want t-"
"I'm fine Charlie, seriously, I'm alright." Ruby interrupted, knowing what Charlie was going to say to her. She smiled as Charlie leant her hand out and tucked a few stray hairs behind Ruby's ears, her hand gently lingering on her daughter's cheek for a moment "If you're sure." Charlie said, her comment earning a furious nod from Ruby.
"I'm sure." Ruby confirmed, taking her mums hand and holding it for a moment before Charlie turned back around and she couldn't hold on anymore.
…
"Miss Buckton, Mr Braxton." Joyce greeted Charlie and Brax as him and now sergeant Watson entered the courthouse, leaving behind a stream of photographers and their flashing camera's behind the large wooden framed doors. Brax nodded curtly but still didn't utter a word to Charlie's former boss. He didn't feel as though he should, he was the reason they were here today; he was the reason Charlie was shot in the first place.
"Good luck." Watson said sympathetically to Charlie, Charlie flashed her a weak smile before her friend continued down the maze of corridors and out of sight. Charlie felt Brax's grip on her hand tighten for a brief moment, she smiled as she turned to face him before resting her head on his shoulder and closing her eyes.
"They're ready." Morag called down the corridor, marching towards Charlie and Brax. Charlie nodded and stood up, brushing her black pencil skirt down repeatedly so that it was smooth.
"Ready?" Brax asked as he watched her nervously, she lifted her chin to meet his gaze and nodded timidly. He pulled her into his embrace as they strolled down the corridor, Ruby and Casey following behind. Charlie smiled as she felt Brax's lips press softly onto the top of her head and his arm creep around her waist, holding her tightly to him. Charlie kept her head down as they entered the room, taking their seats in the second line of pews. She jumped slightly as the heavy doors of the room clanked shut and prison guards began to line the walls.
"You ok?" Brax asked when Charlie gripped on tighter to his hand; she nodded anxiously before rising as the judge entered the room. She smiled faintly at Morag who put her thumbs up at her from across the room. Her smile instantly faltered as a familiar blonde caught her attention. Hayley, now Charlie was unnerved.
Brax felt Charlie's body shake as Jake entered the room in his murky green jumpsuit and handcuff's, he pulled her body closer to his, his arm firmly around her waist as Jake eyed them both up from across the room, winking at Brax. Charlie looked up and saw Brax's jaw clench and pure venom bursting through his eyes. She placed a supportive hand on his back as Jake was taken to the opposite side of the room, as far away from them as possible, she turned away as he caught her eye, her stomach churning from seeing his attempt at remorse, she could see right through him, his eyes burned with hatred and anger and his fists clench under the heavy constraints of the hand cuffs.
Jake's amusement faltered as his eyes came into view of the youngest Buckton eyeing him up viciously like a woman scorned. She stood stone cold and rigid glaring at him from a distance. It unnerved him to say the least.
….
Charlie sat listening as Watson got called to the stand; she felt Brax lace his hand into hers and squeezed her fingers gently around his. She took a deep breath as Hayley began to speak.
"And you believe the accused intended to murder Sergeant Charlie Buckton on the 23rd of January 2012?" Hayley asked, pacing back and forth in front of Sergeant Watson
Watson nodded her head, looking at Charlie and Brax dead in the eyes "Yes, witness statements suggest the accused stalked the victims days in advance and a hotel booking shows he planned to flee the Summer Bay that afternoon" She said, watching as Charlie and Brax's eyes widened at this piece of information. She saw Ruby's face falter before her head hung looking down to her lap. She smiled sympathetically at Charlie and Brax in disbelief herself that Jake's actions had gone unnoticed.
"Can you tell the court how long the accused waited before he confessed to the crime?" Hayley asked, leaning against the wooden table in front of her.
"He admitted it before we even questioned him." Watson said, somewhat proud that Jake had dug his own hole there and no one could help him out of it.
Hayley frowned at this "So how did this information come about then?" Hayley asked, blatantly confused.
Watson sighed and turned to Jake "He was having a brawl with the victims boyfriend Darryl Braxton, he said to Mr. Braxton, I quote 'Missing someone Braxton?' At that moment in time only the victims closest friends and family knew of the incident." She explained, smiling as Jakes face turned from the look of remorse he'd been trying to plaster on, to a look of pure excitement at the memory.
"This is your first murder investigation isn't it Sargeant Watson?" Hayley asked, averting Watson's attention back to her, Watson frowned and turned to look anxiously at the judge, who just nodded to tell her to answer
"Yes…however I don't see how this is relevant." She said, knitting her brows in a haze of confusion.
Hayley smiled spitefully at her and battered her lashes as though she was superior to her "Well I just think that it is important for the jury to know just how inexperienced you are." She said viciously,
"Just stick to the facts please, Miss. O'Connor." The judge sighed
"Couldn't the witnesses simply have mistaken the person for Mr. Pirovic? One said 'a dark man, in his mid twenties, around 6 foot tall.' Fairly vague don't you think, they could have seen Mr. Braxton lurking around the house." Hayley said, turning around to point at Brax who shook his head at her comment, the fury evident in his eyes
"Objection your honour!" Morag shouted, slamming her fists down onto the table, making Hayley jump with fright at the fiery red head "They may well have done, but that still doesn't change the fact that on multiple occasions the accused confessed to his crimes … or the fact that Charlie Buckton was left lying on her own with bullets in her chest matching those supplied to Mr. Pirovic's gun, does it Miss. O'Connor?" Morag said sternly, her eyes burning with anger, and her face thunderous, daring Hayley to argue with her. She smiled as Hayley looked at her timidly before shaking her head and bringing Watson's time on the stand to the end.
….
Charlie gave Brax a small smile as he was called to the stand. He nodded at her before making his way to the stand. Fighting his inner demons to resist making a B line for Jake and punching him square on. His hands fidgeted with the ring on his finger, anxiously twisting it around repetitively, his eyes looking down to the polished oak wood floor beneath him.
"Mr. Braxton, I believe you had a fight with Mr. Pirovic that afternoon, I ask you, why weren't you supporting Miss. Buckton at the hospital at her time of need." Hayley asked, Brax poked his tongue into the inside of his cheek as he tried to restrain his anger at her, and she'd only asked one question so far.
Morag rolled her eyes "Objection your honour, how are the actions of the victims boyfriend connected to the case?" she yelled out, glaring coldly at Hayley, her eyes piercing through her in a destructive stare.
"I'm just trying to establish what went on Miss. Bellingham." Hayley replied innocently, the coldness in her voic not going unnoticed by Brax and Morag.
"Mr Braxton, not only did you hit him, here are the accused injury's from that afternoon, read from the highlighted section please." Hayley demanded, handing Brax a medical report. Brax resisted the urge to smile as he read through the list of injuries he had inflicted upon Jake.
"Bruised cheek bone, broken nose, one missing tooth." Brax said smugly, trying to hide how amused he was that Jake had those injuries from a few gentle punches. He would have finished him off if the police hadn't arrived so soon.
"That was some hit Mr. Braxton." Hayley said, squinting her eyes at Brax "Losing your temper run in your family?" She said, knowing full well what the answer was and hoping to unnerve him.
Brax smirked and leant his hands on the wooden fram in front of him "It does as a matter of fact yes, but let me ask you a question Miss. O'Connor." He said, looking at the judge for approval.
"Go on Mr. Braxton."
"Have you ever been in love?" Brax said, furrowing his brows at Hayley.
She folded her arms and stood defensively "No, no I have not."
Brax bit his lip and nodded, it was the answer he was hoping for, "Well then, you have no idea of the pain I felt when I found Charlie on the floor and you have no idea of the pain I still feel when I think of how I could have lost her, so I reckon, Mr. Pirovic got away scot free with his broken nose, didn't you buddy?" Brax grinned smugly, raising his eyebrows at Jake who sat with an unrecognizable look on his face, it was rather solemn and pitying.
Then Brax realized, he was trying to convince the court he was remorseful.
…
Charlie felt the tears sting her eyes as her daughter battled against Hayley's questions, her words tearing through Charlie as she spoke.
"They told me, they told me that my mum couldn't breath on her own." Ruby said, choking back her tears and clearing her throat, her eyes briefly flickering over to Charlie. "That she could never be fixed. I had to turn her life support off to give her some dignity. What dignity is that? She was shot in cold blood and left to die with no one to hold her hand." She said, her tears now pouring from her eyes as she turned her attention viciously to Jake.
"And that was all your fault." She growled venomously at Jake, her cheeks burning with anger as she stared him in the eyes, she kept her vicious gaze upon him as Hayley spoke
"Objection your honour-"
Ruby cut in smartly, speaking through gritted teeth "I withdraw the comment."
Hayley looked back up to Ruby with a glimmer of hatred in her eyes "Don't you think Miss. Buckton, that really, it was you who tried to kill her, by turning off the machines." she said, her heels clonking along the hard wood floor as she stood with her feet firmly planted in front of Ruby, who's eyes burned through her fiercly
"Objection!" Morag yelled, only to be silenced by the judge
"Continue."
Ruby looked at Hayley with confused eyes, stinging from the intensity of anger she felt pulsing through her entire body at the memory of her mum lying dead on the floor "I don't understand I was told I would be letting her go with dignity, that she was already dead." She said shakily, looking at Charlie from across the room, who sat with tears in her eyes as she watched her daughter being grilled by Hayley.
Hayley laughed wickedly and turned to point at Charlie "Well clearly not, she woke up. You were incredibly lucky don't you think Miss. Buckton, you decided a day before, you may have killed a fighting woman." She spat bitterly, Ruby felt a tear trickle from her eyes as they closed shut, trying to get the memories out of her head, her eyes snapped open when she heard Brax's voice like thunder echoing throughout the courthouse.
"Don't you dare, say that to her Hayley!"
"Calm down!" Morag yelled, pushing Brax back who had now marched towards Hayley with pure anger in his eyes, Charlie following and trying to restrain him,
"Rubes, come here." Brax demanded; all three of them looking at her like she was a fragile, delicate china doll, ready to shatter into a million pieces any second.
"Your honour." Hayley yelled, looking back at Brax fiercely, stepping back as he broke out of Charlie's grasp and walked up to Ruby, holding her close to him and helping her down from the stand.
"Hayley, that's enough." He growled, before guiding Ruby and Charlie back to their seats, the immense tension in the room rising by the second ready to boil over.
Hayley brushed the front of her skirt down nervously and turned back to Charlie and Brax, trying to look as calm and collected as possible as their harsh stares remained upon her.
"I'd like to call the victim Charlie Buckton to the stand." She said, Charlie gulped and felt her heart in her throat as it beat ten to the dozen. She felt the jury's eyes upon her throughout the room, yet her legs wouldn't move and her hand still lay laced with Brax's.
"You can do it." Brax whispered in her ear before bringing her hand up to his lips and kissing it gently "Just look at me if you need to." He said, smiling at her as she stood and made her way to the stand, her eyes avoiding Jake's the whole time, though his gaze on her back slowly taunted her. She took a shaky breath as a knot tied in her stomach from the nerves she felt,
Look at Brax, look at Brax she repeated to herself. Her eyes drifted across the room to where he and Ruby sat. She smiled faintly at him as he blew her a kiss from the far corner, she felt her eyes water as she thought back to that day when she thought she was going to leave him and Ruby behind, when she thought her life was over, when her dreams were tossed on an buoyant sea. She wasn't going to let Jake win now, she was on the home stretch, and it was too close to back out.
"Is it true that you killed the accused Brother on the 29th September 2011?" Hayley asked her, Charlie swallowed anxiously before nodding her head in response.
"Yes." She replied quietly, feeling her nerves getting the better of her she gazed back to Brax again, her eyes locking on his.
"And how would you describe the accused when he supposedly entered your house?" Hayley asked, her arms folded and her eyes piercing through Charlie.
"Vengeful, angry, full of hatred. Weird for someone who claims to have been so out of it on drugs that he couldn't aim straight." Charlie replied, smiling as Hayley's expression went blank
"What's that supposed to mean Miss. Buckton?" She asked, squinting her eyes viciously at Charlie. A switch flicked inside Charlie as Hayley spoke, her anger and hatred at Jake for the loss of her child overpowering the fear she felt on the stand. All of a sudden the pain turned numb as she put her fiery gaze upon Jake.
"Well Mr. Pirovic claimed his drug use meant he couldn't possibly pull the trigger or aim for that matter, he hit me twice." Charlie said, tilting her head to the side and smiling in disbelief as Jake sat trying to act remorseful, with his eyes sullen and his mouth in a deep and unconvincing frown.
"Considering how long you were in a coma for Miss. Buckton, don't you think that your imagination could simply be running wild." Hayley said, causing Charlie to flick her gaze back onto Hayley.
Charlie threw her arms in the air "Well I haven't shot anyone else's brother…so who else would walk into my house and say 'this one's for my brother'?" she asked, narrowing her eyes at Hayley.
Brax felt the tears sting his eyes as Hayley homed in on Charlie, pin pointing her weaknesses, and testing her strength by talking about the child they lost, questioning Charlie as to whether she really loved her baby. He could feel himself losing it as Hayley continued to question Charlie, Morag objecting nearly every question and the judge giving it the all clear to go on. He smiled as Ruby crept her hand along the seats and squeezed her fingers between Brax's, smiling tearfully as the shudder in Charlie's voice echoed throughout the room.
Charlie sighed tearfully with relief as the questioning came to an end; she fled past Hayley and Morag, avoiding everyone's eyes until she got towards Brax and Ruby, she saw Brax stand up and hold his arms around her as she fell into him, her crying and emotions of loss overtaking her new found courage. He felt her turn around as Jake's name was called out and he walked to the stand, the whole room falling eerily silent.
…
Charlie cringed as she heard Jake admitted to the crime and hung his head in remorse, all part of his deceitful poker face. She clung fiercely to Brax's hands as Jake spoke of how he hadn't known about Charlie's pregnancy and lied to the jury about how, had he known he wouldn't have shot her. She watched intently as he cried about how he had got 'mixed up with the wrong crowd' and taken drugs. She had to hand it to him; the guy was a natural actor.
Charlie mentally blocked Hayley's words from her mind as she continued to argue how Jake was high on drugs and incapable to take responsibility for his own actions. She felt her throat tighten as Jake looked at her blankly and stared remorsefully at Brax in a bid to convince the court of his lie. She felt her heart lung to her throat as he tried to plead with the judge and defend his actions, claiming that he would never knowingly kill a child.
Charlie felt Brax's body tense as Hayley referred to their child as merely a fetus, with no rights and no feelings. No life. She wanted to get up and scream at the top of her lungs about just how much Jake had ruined their family, but she couldn't, neither could Brax, they were both glued to the spot with overwhelming disbelief.
…..
Brax, Charlie, Ruby and Casey all sat outside the courtroom anxiously, waiting impatiently for a verdict, Charlie smiled as Ruby and Casey stood in a tender embrace, Casey whispering into Ruby's ear as she clung to him tightly.
Charlie smiled as Brax wrapped his arm around her and pulled her so she sat on his lap. No words needed to be said; both of them knew that just having each other's presence was enough comfort for a lifetime. Brax smiled softly as Charlie buried her head against his chest, his hand slowly running softly up and down her back. The time seemed to drag out forever and the minutes felt like hours, all of them silently praying that things would turn out ok.
"They're ready." Morag announced, tapping Brax on the shoulder. He nodded and slowly whispered to a sleeping Charlie, nudging her arm gently with his fingers. He smiled as she stirred awake and looked at him with un-alert eyes, her hair slightly messy from resting against his chest.
"Ready?" Brax asked as Charlie stood to her feet, she nodded anxiously at him, smiling weakly as he held onto her hand tightly and all five of them made their way into the all too familiar courtroom. Charlie felt her heart pounding against her chest as the Judge and Jury each entered the room, Jake following, accompanied by 4 prison guards. She felt her mouth dry out as the room fell silent, she felt someone hold onto her other hand an turned to see Ruby was holding on fiercely, her nerves being seen by the immense rate at which her chest was rising an falling through her dress. She turned her attention back to the front of the room as the judge's voice echoed throughout the room.
"We have heard the testimonies on both accounts of the events of the morning of the 23rd of January 2012. I feel that there is no remorse shown by the accused, no understanding of what is right or wrong and no display of guilt for his actions." He said, turning his attention to Jake Pirovic who stood with his head down and his eyes firmly gazing down at the floor, "You may have unknowingly killed a child Mr. Pirovic, but you intentionally went into Miss. Bucktons' home full of the desire to commit murder and you have the nerve to stand here today, claiming you weren't in the right frame of mind. I'm no fool Mr. Pirovic, and neither are my colleagues. On this basis, on the charges of 2nd degree murder to an infant sentence Mr. Jake Pirovic to 25 years imprisonment, in addition I sentence him to grievous bodily harm to Miss. Charlie Buckton adding 12 years to his sentence. I also recognize the illegal possession of firearm and therefore add 3 years onto his sentence. Have a jolly good 40 years Mr. pirovic."
Charlie felt a breath of air enter her lungs and heard Ruby sigh with relief, the tears pricking into her eyes with sheer joy. She felt herself smile as Jake was taken from the room, his misery obvious on his face. But as always he got the last laugh as he turned around and flashed his sick grin at them, waving them off as he was dragged off to his cell.
…..
Charlie smiled as they pulled up to the house after a long day. They had dropped Morag off on their way home, leaving the four of them to drive the rest of the way in a comforting silence. Charlie grinned as Ruby and Casey ran towards the front door to the house, Ruby sticking out her foot so Casey tripped over and she beat him. She shook her head at them before climbing out of the car and walking round to the bonnet, leaning against it gently.
Charlie smiled as Heath and Bianca's squeals of happiness could be heard from the house. Ruby and Casey must have told them the good news. She was happy for Ruby and for Casey. Having Jake behind bars not only meant that her and Brax got to live the rest of their lives together, it meant Ruby and Casey could too; Jake couldn't come after them to get to her and Brax. Everyone was safe.
"How are you feeling?" Brax asked, stepping closer to her and placing his hands on either side of her body, his legs settling between hers.
"I'm happy." Charlie nodded to him, her eyes glistening in the deep moonlight, Brax grinned, you could hear in her voice she was happy, a relaxed tone poured through it. "Its over, we did it. Its all over." she smiled, placing both of her hands up to his cheeks and pressing her lips against his, her tongue slipping into her mouth. She felt him flex his jaw and opened her mouth wider for him to snake his tongue in to hers. She smiled into the kiss as he placed his hands delicately on her waist, pulling their bodies closer together.
She pulled away breathlessly; their foreheads pressed gently against each other and their noses brushing past each other as they kissed passionately again, Brax's hands massaging her tiny frame and her hands becoming entangled into his hair. She dropped her hands to his biceps, gently stroking them up and down.
"Today has been a pretty good day." Brax grinned, showing off his dimples as he pulled away from her, placing a lingering kiss on her forehead.
"You bet it has." Charlie smiled, placing the palms of her hands on his chest before wrapping them around him, pulling him ever more close.
"I love you Darryl Braxton." Charlie whispered, as their lips were millimeters apart, she bit her lip as his grin widened,
"Well, there is this girl I'm madly in love with." Brax teased, smiling as Charlie placed her hands on top of his on her waist.
"Really? Tell me about her." Charlie whispered, smiling as he pushed his forehead against hers, his breath hot on her face.
"She's pretty special." Brax mumbled softly, bringing his hand up to stroke her left cheek "Pretty special he repeated, smiling wildly as her cheeks blushed a rosy pink.
"Braxxx…" She whined softly, before allowing him to pick her up off of the car bonnet and into his arms, her legs wrapping around his waist and his hands firmly underneath her bottom, their lips colliding against one and other and becoming more and more passionate and intense by the second.
"Well you two got down to celebrating quickly didn't you?" A voice chuckled; they broke apart, grinning as Bianca held up two glasses for them. "Champagne?" Charlie smiled and jumped down from Brax's waist and hugging Bianca tightly,
"Congratulations!" Bianca giggled.
In that moment, everything was perfect; there was no drama, no tears, and no sadness. Everything had fallen into place. Everything felt right; they could finally enjoy the rest of their lives together in complete and utter bliss. Starting that night, with a long night of celebrating together.
So I hope you all liked that, I know it was all pretty much on the court case but I wanted to get it out of the way with Jake out of their lives, so I hope you all enjoyed it! There's plenty more drama to come! Please review, it makes me smile xx