Chapter 5

Her first week back at work was finally over and the weekend couldn't have come quick enough. At first she had been looking forward to going back to work and having something to do, but this week her private-life had taken all of her energy and to then throw herself into her work and her old investigations had taken all of her energy. The puzzle made no more sense than it had before she left to go into hiding but it had started to come together. But it wasn't just her private life and work that drained her. It was also getting used to everything and being back in a place where she had spent half her life and it proved to be very easy since it felt more like home than her actual home.

She may have decided to live at Leah's place again, she wanted to live there, but she couldn't quite control her emotions or nightmares. Everything she feared, everything she loved and everything that was worth remembering had some kind of connection to that house and it affected her dreams and state of mind. Every night she watched from a third point of view herself get shot and then lying on the floor bleeding out until she fell unconscious and every time she would get up and sit on the living-room floor while leaning against the wall. No matter how late it was she would sit there, sometimes for hours, while trying to convince herself that she was safe. But she knew that things were far from over. She had gotten used the scars that graced her abdomen and she had come to terms with the fact that she had been shot and almost died, she had after all almost two years to do so. But to actually be back in the place where everything happened was totally different and it all felt more real than just looking at her scars in the mirror. So she spent as much time away from the house as possible, especially if neither Leah nor Zach was home, and she would tire herself out during the day so that she would easily fall asleep when she got home. But she still refused to leave because like she said, it was here where everything had happened. It was the only link she had left to her old life before everything went downhill, to Ruby, Leah, her dad, Joey, Angelo and of course Brax. She wasn't going to let any thug take that away from her like they had with everything else.

So now she was walking by the edge of the water with her black heels in hand and her grey slacks rolled up so they wouldn't get wet as let the sand and water run over feet on her way to the diner. As she looked up the beach when she neared the surf-club her eyes locked with a pair of mesmerizing green eyes further up the beach, a pair of eyes she knew very well and they were coming towards her without breaking eye contact. She hadn't really spoken to Brax since that night when she had cried in his arms in the middle of the night. He had called the house the day after to ask how she was and she had said she was fine and something about thanking him for the ride home before hanging up. Honestly she had kind of been avoiding him because she didn't know what that night had meant and how she was supposed to act now without the risk of getting hurt again. The whole time when he had held her and whispered calming words in her ear she had started to believe that he still cared for her. But it had also made her confused because it didn't match up with his previous words and her anger towards him. She didn't want to send him mixed signals when she wasn't sure if she could forgive him for everything or if she wanted him to leave Ricky and be with her.

She kept walking, never straying from her path, in hope that it would stop him from approaching her but of course she should have known better and that it wouldn't work. He wasn't stupid and had most likely figured out she had been avoiding him and he wanted to talk to her, so of course he would find her sometime.
"Hey Charlie, wait up!" She groaned inwardly and looked up in frustration towards the sky but stopped in her tracks and turned around to face him after taking a deep, calming breath.
"What Brax?" It came out cool and voided from any emotion and she hoped with every ounce of her being that her face was as well. She could feel his eyes looking her over in an attempt to read her before he spoke softly.
"I just wanted to make sure you were okay."
"I told you I was fine when you called."
"Yeah I know…" He scratched the back of his neck with one of his hands and she could see that there was something bothering him and that he wanted to say something else.

"Just say it Brax! I can literally hear you think so out with it!" He hesitated for a few seconds before he let out a sigh and let his hand fall back to his side.
"We need to talk Charlie."
"I thought that was what we were doing now?" She said acting stupid, she knew what he wanted but she didn't have the energy to deal with his excuses or have any deep conversations and argue right no. She had more than enough of that at the hospital to last her a life time.
"That's not what I meant and you know it!" He growled out. "We need to talk about what happened and get everything out in the open."

"And you want to it right now, out here?" When he didn't budge she let her anger take over and rule her actions. "Fine! There really isn't anything to talk about. You had your fun screwing the cop and when you were done you found your way out, with the bonus of screwing with my life as well. So well done you, you managed to fool the cop once again." She could feel her eyes burning with the anger she had inside that was slowly and slowly fading with every word she spat out. But it didn't make her stop, not even the clenching of Brax's jaw or the quick flash of pain on his face could stop her, she was on a role. "You know… I actually thought that you really loved me and that I wasn't just some pawn in a scheme but I guess was wrong about that."

"How dare you question if I cared about you or not?! I gave up everything for you! I was prepared to give up my family because I saw a future with you in the city, it was all that mattered to me. I have never felt that much for anyone and never have I ever made sacrifices to be with a girl but for you I found myself compelled to do so. And then you just took off, angry with me for some reason I don't know. So I think it was me who misread you if you're all of the sudden prepared to leave your daughter behind just because you're angry!" She knew she had pushed and taken out to much of her frustration and anger on him, but for him to mention Ruby in all of this was reaching a new level of low.

"For the millionth time Brax, I didn't have a choice! When I woke up I was already hiding and for some reason you weren't there, and that hurt!" The anger had nearly totally transformed into hurt and she could see that it got to him as well. "I woke up alone in a half dark room after being shot and I was terrified and the only person I wanted to hold me, he wasn't there. Instead I got to see pictures of him with other girls, moving on with his life, and every time it felt like I was punched in the stomach. It hurt so much Brax… Cause I loved you with every ounce of my being but it appeared you didn't love me back."
"Nah, I loved you so much Charlie! What do I have to do to prove it to you?! I thought you were dead, I had no idea that you were still alive, but I am so grateful that I have you back. I just can't get over the fact that you left us and let us believe that you were dead for two years. I just can't."
"I guess there's no point in talking about it anymore then." She said slightly hurt that he still refused to believe her when she said she had nothing to with it. "Goodbye Brax." She continued on walking down the beach towards the diner while hugging herself tight, refusing to let herself look over her shoulder and see if he was still there. What his reaction had been.

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

"Detective, can I have a word with you in my office please?"
"Of course sir!" The Inspector motioned for her to walk by him into her own office and once they were inside he closed the door behind them before he sat down in her chair and motioned once again for her to the same in the chair on the opposite side. "No offense sir, but why the prompt visit?"
"I wanted to talk to you about the gang-ring case, we have made some breakthroughs that confirms our suspicions and I think that it will all come as a shock to you because it all concerns you."
"How so?" She said slightly suspicious, because honestly what could a two years old case have anything to do with her? Considering she died and currently has nothing to do with her old relationship. The Inspector stayed silent for another minute just watching her like he was considering how much he should tell her.

"After you went into hiding and we caught Pirovic we had this theory that he was hired by someone to kill you. We were right and now we know who. It turns out that whoever hired Pirovic also connects the missing dots in the mystery of the Riverboys' success and that someone is Adam Sharp."
"Adam Sharp?! The same man who just tried to kill Mr. Braxton?"
"That's right. Mr. Sharp it appears has been the head man over Darryl for quite some time now and we believe he has been there from the start, helping them with money when needed, contacts and get them out of trouble that even Darryl couldn't fix. His sister is or has been involved somehow but we do not know her full part yet. We have charged Sharpe with this on top of his previous charges and what's left now is just to inform Mr. Braxton and I thought we'd leave that to you if that's okay?"
"Yeah, that's fine!" She said in what she hoped was her professional voice that was voided of any trace of how she really felt.
"Alright then, I'll leave you to it Sergeant."

As soon as he had walked her office and closed the door around her and her fear again, everything came crashing down again. The very same man that had for some reason tried to kill her had nestled his way into Bianca's life and used her when she was at her weakest just so that he could mess with Heath. His son Jamie, had messed around and attacked Leah, he broke into her house to take photos that scared her to death. Both him and his sister had gone after Brax by firstly put all of his brother's in danger before trying to kill him too. Her stomach churned. It all lead back to her one way or another, she was the reason somehow why he had felt threatened enough to go after Brax's family. Whether she got in the way or knew something she shouldn't have, it all lead back to her.

Before she really knew what she was doing she was running out of the station to her car and drove off to Angelo's, the only thing her mind was that she needed to see Brax. Tears were falling down her face while she was letting out sobs as she made her way across the parking lot to the surf-club and up the stairs to the restaurant as she longed for seeking comfort in his arms. Fear was running through her veins as the old, familiar memories kept flashing in front of her eyes. The end of the barrel on a gun in the hand of a very, very angry man. Two popping sounds that kept ringing in her ears. Waking up alone in a dark, empty hospital room with no windows. The never ending case files that she kept reading on and on in an attempt to put a face on the man that wanted to have her killed, as she at the same time tried to find the final puzzle pieces so that they could crack the gang ring.

Now that she had pretty much all the answers it all made so much more sense. She had stayed away to keep her family safe but it had done no good, they had still gotten hurt. Everything she had felt over the last few years, every suppressed emotion, came flooding over her and she felt exhausted after all the fighting.

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Brax looked up from his task by the bar where he was wiping glasses when he heard a commotion by the entrance and saw Charlie in the doorway with tears streaming down her face, her body was shaking and her eyes were screaming fear.
"Brax!" Her voice sounded so small and it was almost like she was pleading with him, that's was the indication he needed to know that something really bad must have happened for her to come him of all people crying. When she started to make her way through the restaurant towards him, like she didn't notice all the people that was sitting at the tables, he dropped what he had in his hands and rounded the bar to be ready to embrace her.

His arms found their way around her slim waist, hugging her tight to his chest, while she was clinging to the back of his shirt like she was terrified to let him go. He had no idea what had brought this on but he couldn't help the small smile his lips formed at the thought of her in his arms willingly, neither at just the feeling of her in his arms again. But despite her being obviously upset he couldn't help but relish in the familiar warmth that radiated from her body. "The restaurant is closed and your meals is on the house, you too!"

He said almost pleading as well while pointing at the staff-members and within minutes the room was cleared and they were left alone. Leading Charlie over to one of the booths he placed her on his lap and tucked her head under his chin nuzzling his neck.
"Charlie what's wrong?" She didn't answer, she just kept staring straight ahead and her eyes kept moving back and forth like she was putting together a complicated puzzle in her head, trying to figure out what to tell him and what had any relevance.

"Baby come on, you're scaring me!" She snapped out of her thoughts and looked up at him, her beautiful turquoise eyes was filled with fresh tears like something was hurting her.
"It's all my fault Brax."
"What is your fault?"
"I know who shot me." What was she talking about? She was confusing him and he didn't quite catch on, first she was talking about something she had done wrong and suddenly her supposedly murder. Of course she knew who shot her, she has known all along just as everyone else, the guy was currently in prison for that very same reason.

"Yeah so do I, it was Pirovic."
"He may have pulled the trigger Brax, but he didn't plant the gun."
"What are you talking about?" She slipped out of his lap and started to pace around the room as she ran a hand through her hair over and over again, a clear sign that she was anxious and didn't know what to do with herself.

"I should have just left you guys alone once we caught you, but they kept pushing for me to get to the top and to be honest I wanted to know too. If I hadn't none of this would have happened."
"What the hell are you on about?"
"Do you remember when after I was gone how Adam came and helped you out with this whole Geoffrey King business? And you got involved with the boys again?"
"Yeah…" He said, still as confused as before. She was talking in circles, going from one event to another and never once did she get to the point, or at least not so that he caught on anyway.
"We know that Adam Sharp has been another figure behind the curtains that has been protecting the boys' interests, so we have this theory that he wasn't too pleased when you told him you were going straight."
"Where are you going with all of this."

Charlie took a deep breath and stopped her pacing to stand by the big floor to ceiling windows and look out over the ocean, something he found her doing lately every time she was thinking about or is about to say something that troubled her or scared her. A feeling that had been very present lately when it came to her, something that he found highly unusual since there wasn't much that could scare her. He got up from his seat and walked up to stand beside her by the window, straining himself not to touch her in case she would reject it.

"When you told Adam you were going straight he didn't like it because that meant he would lose his most valuable asset and your loyalty to each other, your favor for favor deal. He wouldn't have the same control anymore and that was something he wasn't willing to lose. So he, he hired Jake to kill me and Jake was more than willing to do so since I killed his brother trying to protect you, which he happily shared when we caught him."
She crossed her arms over her chest like she was hugging herself to give her some sort of comfort and strength to carry on.
"He claimed that he had been paid but not by who and that he would have happily done it for free so they didn't read too much into it, to them it was just an attempt from him to throw them off. But then Adam came back into your life and started to stir things up again confirming the suspicions we've always had, that he had some strings attached to you. Then when I was in witsec we noticed a tail so we moved, they eventually managed to identify the persons whom lead us to Adam. Who had by then reappeared into your life for the second time so they looked into him and found a transfer from Sharp to Pirovic of ten grand a few days after my shooting."

"What are you saying Charlie?"
"I'm saying that I was threating to ruin his operation so he needed me out of his way and when he found out he was unsuccessful he tried again. Only we didn't know it was him at the time."

"He-He tried again?" The words were incredibly hard to find and they stuck in his throat just thinking about someone trying to kill her, not only once but twice. He had let that man into his life again with open arms after he had lost Charlie and had let him help him out of a lot of messes. It was a man whom he had looked up to as a father for his entire life since his own wasn't around, none of them perfect role models but Adam was clearly the better choice, or so he thought. They were both as conniving as the other only with different selfish reasons. Adam knew his only weakness and he had exploited that for his own gain, he knew the misery he felt and the reason for it but the whole time he had known that Charlie was alive. "Who was it? That came after you?"
"They won't say until they are totally sure, they only told me a bit and then to tell you to get down to the station soon so that they could provide you with the same and they asked you to bring Ricky. With Adam being her brother and all."

He just stood silent for a while, looking out the ocean as well and trying to process everything he had just been told. If Adam had been involved and played such a big part of all this then there was a huge chance that Ricky was as well, after all she had been in her brother's back pocket up until a few weeks ago. But that was something he didn't like to think about, she couldn't have been involved because then she would have come clean about that when she told him everything else, the feeling wouldn't fully go away though. He was startled out of his thoughts by the soft touch of Charlie's hand on his arm but the warmth radiating from her skin soothed him almost immediately.
"Are you okay, Brax?"
"Am I okay? I should be asking you that!"
"I'm fine!" She quickly plastered a strained smile to back up her statement that was falser than Heath's singing in the shower and removed her hand from his arm and he could feel the coldness and loss immediately.
"Come on Charlie, this is me you're talking to. I can see that you're not fine!"

"I'm just scared." She said in a shaky voice. "I'm all alone and these face that I have never met but only seen photos off keep popping up and mess with my life. I keep looking over my shoulder every time I walk out of my own house or walk across the street in case I see a somewhat familiar face. I'm alone, I'm scared and I'm exhausted. I've done nothing but look over my shoulder for the past two years and I finally thought that it was over but it's- it's still haunting me. It keeps me from going to sleep at night. It makes me uncomfortable of being alone in my own house and I do everything possible to prolong going home. And I'm not sure how long I can keep going." She rambled out every feeling that was consuming her, but for once she actually made sense. He recognized himself in many of those statement because his life had also been turned upside down and he found out that the people around him wasn't all what they seemed to be.

"Come here." She didn't respond, she just looked at him in disbelief like he was speaking a foreign language or coming from Mars. "I said come here!" He opened his arms and waited for her to walk over to him and once she did he embraced and held her close to his chest. One of his hand tangled in the hair on the nape of her neck while the other curved around her waist where his thumb drew soothing circles on her hip. "You're not alone Charlie. You have Leah, Bianca and I know that if you asked there is a whole town ready to help you… and you have, me."

She pulled away a little so that she could look him in the eye, her eyes glowed with surprise and her eyebrows were raised. "You? I don't have you!"
"If I say you have me then you have me." He looked her dead in the eye to make sure he got through to her but her eyes were once more guarded and he couldn't be sure that he had.
"I should probably go, I'm sorry if I ruined your business. Don't forget to get down to the station later on." She gave him an actual real smile before she walked out of his embrace and his restaurant. Once she had disappeared from his view he slumped down on the closet chair and put his head in his hands. This was one hell of an afternoon.