-3 days later.-

Nobody was coping too well with the death of Tegan, not even Charlie, and least of all Brax, and Aaron. Brax had taken full responsibility of him after Tegan had died, and it was putting strain on Charlie and Brax's relationship, him being thrown into being a full-time Dad just like that.

Charlie's POV:

I sighed as I slipped into my black heels before running my hands down my black dress and heading outside. Everybody was dressed and ready in their funeral clothes, Sam and a few other River boys in the house too, along with Cheryl and Tegan's parent's, I smiled as I watched Ruby helping Aaron into his little jacket, the only person not ready out of this lot, was Brax, I glared at him in the kitchen, wearing just board shorts and a casual blue t-shirt,

"Charlie, you have to talk to him." Sam said as he placed a comforting hand on my arm,

"Why?" I asked.

"He's not coming."

"What?" I asked, clearly astounded.

"He said he can't do it."

I nodded before walking into the kitchen, watching as Brax made his coffee,

"It's rude to stare you know." He said, emotionlessly, his voice bearing the same monotonous tone it had for the past three days.

"Brax-"

"Listen Charlie." He interrupted, "Don't nag me okay? It's all you've done for the past three days and I'm sick of it okay? Everybody grieves in their own way, so just let me be."

"But it's not just you is it?" I began, before he cut in again,

"Oh, is this the part again where you tell me you love me and you're here for me no matter what because we're in this together?" He mocked. "Well we're not, and you shouldn't even bother coming to the funeral, she never liked you."

"Fine." I retorted, "And to answer your earlier question, no. No it's not just you." I snapped, "Because you've got a son, a three year-old son, who's just lost his mom, and his Dad needs to fix up, and start looking out for him!" I yelled the last part, causing a few people to stare.

Brax glared at me, a mixture of emotions on his face before I paced back into his bedroom and took my shoes off,

"Charlie, what are you doing?" Brax asked after following me into his bedroom,

"Getting changed." I replied shortly, although he was grieving, I couldn't bring myself to forgive him for pushing me away and having been so cruel to me over the past three days.

"You look beautiful as you are, babe."

"DON'T!" I screamed, "Don't you dare 'babe' me, after the way you've just spoken to me, and how you've treated me over the past few days, you haven't got the right." I yelled before I stood up and paced towards the bathroom down the hall, I attempted to slam the door and lock him out but he blocked it, being far too strong for me.

I swung the door open before pushing past him and going back into his room, "Charlie, what are you doing now?" Brax sighed as I began picking my clothes up off the floor before stuffing them into my suitcase, having spent the past few days here,

"I'm going home."

"Please." Brax said sadly, the first real emotion I'd seen coming from him in days, "Please don't go."

"I'm not invited, remember." I snapped, he grabbed the bag off me and threw it on the floor, angrily, before replacing where he held the bag with my hands,

"Look at me." He pleaded, I did so, regrettably, showing him my tears, "Listen Charlie, I've been inexcusably awful towards you these past few days, and you don't deserve it, because you- you're truly amazing, and I love you so much. It's just the grief, Charlie, I can't handle it, and Aaron, I can barely look after myself, let alone him too, and I can't lose you, I can't, because you're truly the best thing that's ever happened to me, and I can't stand the thought of not being without you."

I finally met his eyes, both of our eyes glazed over with tears, I gave his hands a gently squeeze, "You're not going to lose me, but you've gotta try and stop pushing me away, because it hurts, it does, and I can't keep fighting, I don't have the strength." I replied.

He sent me a weak smile, "I'm sorry, I really am, but you know what I'm like, I just do it, I got drunk, a lot, and treated you inexcusably, I am sorry." I smiled at him, "Please, please come to the funeral?" He pleaded with me, I nodded before he quickly pulled me into a tight hug, "I love you." He whispered.

"I love you too." I whispered back before pulling away and kissing his cheek, "Now hurry up and get ready, Brax."

He smiled ever so slightly, "You're nervous aren't you?" I asked, whilst squeezing his hand, he nodded, I placed my left hand on his hip, the right on his cheek, "Listen baby, you'll be amazing, it's gonna be hard standing up there in front of everyone, but you can do it, think of Aaron, think of Tegan."

"I really don't deserve you, Charlie." He spoke quietly, his gaze burning down on me, I felt my cheeks flame up and looked away, he soothed me, placing a long, soft kiss on my lips, I pulled away and pushed him towards the bathroom,

"Now get ready, and quickly."

-Later on-

Brax's grip on my hand tightened outside the Church, I felt the palm of his hand begin to get sweaty,

"Charlie, I, I-" He began breathing heavily,

"Brax?" I asked as I looked up at him, "Look at me, look at me." I repeated, he looked like he was going to faint, "Come over here."

I informed Casey where we were going before I took Brax over to the bench nearby, away from everyone else and sat him down,

"Brax, babe, just breathe, come on." I gently stroked his face, "Look at me, Brax." He glanced at me before looking down at my hand on his leg,

"Charlie I can't do this, I can't be here, let alone speak, I can't I gotta go." He jumped off and headed towards his car, be following close behind,

"You're letting her down!" I yelled, he stopped and turned around, he shook his head,

"Please, don't make me feel guilty, babe, I hate myself already, I don't need you to blame me."

I took his hand, "Listen, I'm not blaming you, Brax. Please, at least stay for the funeral, and if you don't want to speak, you don't have to, alright?"

He nodded before he stepped forward and hesitantly leaned forward, I smiled slightly before leaning the rest of the way and planting a kiss on his lips. I pulled away and gently tugged on his hand,

"You ready?" I asked, he nodded slightly before squeezing my hand as we followed the others into the church.

Myself, Bianca, Ruby, Casey, Cheryl were sitting a row behind Brax, Heath, Aaron, Tegan's mom and Tegan's sister.

The service was beautiful so far, soon approaching Brax's eulogy. I noticed him playing with his hands, I leaned forward and rubbed his back,

"You can do this baby." I whispered in his ear before planting a kiss on his cheek. He nodded slightly, "If you're struggling, you just look at me, alright?"

"And now we'd like to invite up Darryl Braxton to say a few words."

I moved back into my seat as Brax pulled a sheet of paper out of his pocket and approached the alter.

"I promise I'll make this short and sweet, Tegan and I have known each other all our lives, so you'd be here for years if you wanted me to give you all those details of our lives together. We, eh, we-"

I glared at him as he hesitated, trying to choke his tears back, he looked up at me, I smiled and nodded, he glanced around at the crowd,

"We've been good friends always, not so good at being more than friends, and yeah, Tegan rocked up in the Bay a while ago, and yeah, to cause trouble, 'cause that's what she was like, but she also brought my beautiful son into my life, Aaron." He smiled over at Aaron, "I know I've missed out on three years of his life, but I've got a liftetime to make it up to him and eh- I eh, I've got Tegan to thank for that."

He tried to evade the tears but he simply couldn't, "Tegan we've spent so much of our lives together, we grew up together, and I'm never, ever going to forget you, I love you, rest in peace."

I watched as he silently came back to his seat and sat back down, pulling a very upset Aaron onto his lap in the process.

Outside the church, Ruby was hugging Casey, Bianca and I waiting for our boys to come out, Tegan's mom came out, carrying Aaron, shortly followed by Heath, then Brax. Heath walked straight over to Bianca and allowed himself to collapse in his arms, Brax got stopped by a few people, congratulating him on his beautiful eulogy no doubt.

I laughed slightly as he rushed along with saying his goodbyes to people before he paced towards me and we instantly found our way into an embrace,

"I'm so proud of you." I mumbled into him.

"Thanks baby." I smiled as we parted, only to be joined by a kiss this time, we pulled away shortly after and entwined our hands as we headed back to the car and to the cemetery for the burial.

We arrived back at the Braxton house after the wake at Tegan's mom's house. Brax had brought Aaron into Heath's room after he fell asleep on the journey back, Heath was staying at Bianca's place tonight.

"Mom, we're gonna get some sleep." Ruby said.

"Night sweetie." I gave her a quick kiss and hug,

"Night Charlie." Casey said.

"Night Case."

Brax soon enough came back out, he smiled at me silently, both of us standing there in an awkward silence which quickly grew very uncomfortable,

"Brax, I'm gonna head home now." I spoke up.

"Wait, Charlie, could you stay with me tonight?" I watched as he glared at me with sad eyes, I smiled softly and nodded before placing my hand in his as we shared a soft kiss before he led me towards his bedroom.

I woke up the next morning to an empty bed, freezing cold as I was simply in my underwear with no Brax to keep me warm, I ran my hand over where he should be, his side of the bed still warm,

"Morning." He said groggily as he re-entered the room,

"Hey, what you doing up?"

"Aaron woke up." He said tiredly.

I held my hand out to him and lifted the duvet up, he smiled lightly before taking it and rejoining me in bed,

"Babe, you're freezing." He said as he placed his arm around my waist.

Instead of replying I just snuggled deeply into him as he placed a soft kiss on my forehead, my index finger gently drawing circles on his back, and eventually he fell asleep.

I smiled to myself before crawling out of the bed, putting on the smallest pair of tracksuit bottoms Brax owned and slipping on one of his t-shirts before heading outside to Aaron,

"Where Daddy?" Aaron asked as I sat down beside him on the couch.

"He was tired, he's gone back to bed baby, is it alright if I keep you company?" He grinned before nodding, I smiled at how alike to Brax he was.

He moved across the couch and crawled into my lap, "I miss mommy." He said cutely, my heart melted.

I sighed before stroking his face lightly as I placed my arm around him, "I know you do sweetheart, I know you do."

He looked up at me before speaking, "I loves you Charlie."

I smiled excitedly, "I love you too." I replied quietly as he snuggled into me, "Now, how about we make Daddy and the others some breakfast?"

"Yeahyeahyeahyeah." He said before clapping his hands together, I smiled before I picked him up and walked towards the kitchen.

Brax's POV:

I walked into the kitchen to see Aaron helping Charlie lay some cutlery out on the table alongside all the yummy food,

"What's going on in here?" I asked as I wrapped my arms around Charlie's waist from behind and rested my head on her shoulder,

"Bweakfast, it bacon, sausage, eggs, tomatoes, and toasts." Aaron replied whilst grinning up at me, I laughed at him,

"Yeah mate, I can see that."

His grin widened, causing my smile to spread, "Me and Charl yeah, we makes it for you, and Casey and Ruuby and Bianca and Heath."

"Bianca and Heath coming over for breakfast?" I asked Charlie, before she had a chance to reply, Aaron cut in,

"Yeah, Uncle Heath and Bianca."

Charlie laughed, I placed a kiss on her cheek before she moved away from me and finished laying the cutlery out,

"Why don't you go and wake Ruby and Casey up, Aaron?" Charlie asked.

Aaron nodded before he excitedly ran off, leaving the two of us alone.

I followed Charlie into the kitchen, she smiled at me briefly before closing her eyes tiredly and leaning back against the counter, I placed my hands either side of her, leaning closer,

"Why don't you get some sleep?" I asked, she opened her eyes and smiled up at me,

"No, I'm fine." She replied before kissing my cheek,

"I love you." I said. She grinned up at me, "What's this?" I asked as I pointed to her grin.

She smile shyly, "Aaron told me he loved me." I smiled at her before kissing her forehead,

"Well, he better not get too attached, because, you're my girl, and my girl only." I said before moving my hands onto her waist and pulling her closer,

"Is that right?" She asked seductively before kissing my lips softly and pulling away with a cheeky grin on her face.

"I'm sure you can share." She added.

I grinned slightly, "Only occasionally." I replied slowly before our lips soon joined, our tongues instantly meeting.

"Oh guys, cut it out!" Casey yelled, I laughed before breaking apart and turned to see Ruby with her hand over Aaron's eyes, causing me and Charlie to laugh more, her leaning her head on my arm,

"Knock knoock!" Heath and Bianca yelled before they entered, I turned back to Charlie before I pecked her lips again and took her hand, leading her over to the table.

Charlie's POV:

I placed the remainder of the empty plates in the kitchen, everyone else had gone out, leaving Brax and I alone,

"You've been amazing these past few days, so thank you." Brax said as he wound his arms around my waist, "And I know just how to show my appreciation." He added before swiftly lifting me onto the kitchen counter and began to kiss my neck, regrettably I placed my hands on his chest and pushed him away,

"Brax, no." I said sternly, his grin faded, replaced by a look of confusion,

"What? Why?" He asked,

I bit my lip slightly before replying, "Because you don't want this, you're still grieving."

I diverted my eyes from his, "Charlie, look at me."

I eventually did so, just as he intertwined our hands, "Look, I love you, that's all there is to it, and yeah I might still be grieving, but you've helped me through it, and I need you."

I smiled lightly before gently kissing his lips, "I want to be with you, babe." He added, before kissing my lips,

"Are you sure?" I asked before I pulled my hands out of his and placed them on his shoulders, he nodded quickly,

"Absolutely, now let me take you to bed." I grinned before kissing his lips heavily as he lifted me off the counter and carried me into his bedroom.

Hey guys, sorry for the little delay, this chapter was harder to write, hope it was okay, and sorry if there were mistakes!