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Here is Chapter 9.
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"There is nothing to risk! You risked my life, he didn't."
"Charlie Buckton, as a police officer, I expected a lot more-"
"Braxton." Heath interrupted with a grin.
"Pardon?"
"Braxton." Brax nodded.
"Am I missing something?" Joyce asked as he turned around to look at Watson who also appeared to be confused.
"It's Charlie Braxton." Charlie confirmed.
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"Oh if there was ever a time that I needed a camera it would be this moment, right now. You should see your faces."
When Joyce and Watson made to move to comment Heath continued.
"Cat got your tongue?"
"Braxton?" Joyce asked no emotion to his tone.
"Braxton," Charlie smiled.
"You got married?" Watson asked.
"That's pretty clear isn't it?" Heath asked.
"How could you let this happen?" Joyce asked, anger clearly evident in his voice.
"Let it happen, this is my marriage you're talking about," Charlies stated.
"I should have put an end to this when you told me about this relationship. You're in way too deep. You can get it annulled."
Heath laughed, "Mate, do you really think they have ever been able to keep their hands to themselves. An annulment is out of the question. Besides, how would you have put an end to this?" Heath asked harshly. "They're two grown adults."
"I should have had you transferred or put on the desk," Joyce answered Heath's questions but his eyes remained glued on Charlie.
"Yep, because that would have stopped them from doing it, wouldn't it?" Heath barked.
Joyce fell into another stunned silence, processing the new information.
"I'm sure you had a witness for the ceremony?" Joyce asked.
"That would be me, witness and best man too, but you would have guessed the second one," Heath declared proudly.
"Were you the maid of honour too?" Watson quipped.
"I wasn't asked," Heath deadpanned.
"This marriage is a joke," Joyce announced.
"The only joke in here mate, is you. You come in here all high and mighty; you think you're better than us." Heath fired up.
"I didn't even know you were engaged," Watson said.
"After everything that has happened, we thought we might as well skip that part," Charlie smiled at her friend.
"No, what you meant to say was after everything that happened he convinced you to get married to protect him, and in the meantime you're without an engagement ring, it's a bit skimpy if you ask me?" Joyce snarked.
"Well they started doing it before they were together so why can't she have a wedding ring before the engagement ring?" Heath asked.
Charlie looked at Heath and finally realised how strong the bond between the two elder Braxton's was. Heath was a force to be reckoned with, a powerhouse of support for both Brax and now remarkably Charlie.
"Sir, we can't force her to testify," Watson spoke quietly in an effort of hiding her words from Heath, Brax and Charlie.
"And why not?" Joyce asked, not taking the hint to be quiet.
"She'd be testifying against her husband."
"Now it all makes sense," Joyce whispered. "Do you seriously think that getting married is going to keep him out of trouble?" Joyce asked Charlie.
"No, not in the slightest," Charlie started, she was about to say more but Brax cut her off.
"If you think I'm going to defend getting married to you, you're dead wrong. I love her, she loves me, we got married, it's as simple as that," Brax fired up.
Joyce had nothing else to say and Brax reflected upon the events of the past twenty four hours.
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"If I'm with you I'm safe. If I'm with you here in Summer Bay, I will still be safe."
"Not if O'Connor is around, you've already proven she's dirty and along with anyone who works at her law firm too."
"Brax, they are going to use me to get to you, if we leave that makes you look guilty and we'd be leaving Heath here alone."
"I'm a big boy Buckton."
Brax acknowledged Heath's comment with a nod.
"Brax, trust me, they will find us wherever and they will use me to get to you, to get information about you. I have a better idea."
"Let's hear it then?" Heath asked and for the first time ever, Charlie appeared to be shy.
"Give us a minute, would ya?" Brax asked his brother.
"Oh sure, just when things look like they're getting interesting, I get the boot. Typical mate."
Charlie didn't need to look to know that the words were being said half-heartedly and she waited for the door to close before she continued.
"I love you."
"I love you too, Charlie. You know that," Brax answered not understanding what she was hinting at or how it related to a grand idea.
"How much?" Charlie asked and Brax noticed that her voice has lowered slightly.
"Are we back in high school?" Brax joked. "I cannot begin to even try to explain how much I love you, you wouldn't and couldn't understand how much."
Charlie smiled. "Then let's get married," again her voice had dropped to almost a whisper and Brax was floored.
"What?"
"You heard me, I said let's get married."
Brax was literally stunned into silence.
"I want this, Brax. But if you don't," Charlie let the sentence linger.
"I do want this, Charlie, you know that."
"Then marry me. If we were going to get married at some point, why not now?"
"Why not now?" Brax repeated although Charlie could see something was wrong.
"What are you thinking?" Charlie asked.
"You don't have to do this, Charlie. We'll get through this without you putting yourself on the line for me."
Charlie laughed.
"I've never thought of putting myself on the line when considering marriage. I'm not marrying you to save you. I'm marrying you because I love you and we've been through so much. Well maybe anyway."
"What do you mean maybe?" Brax asked.
"You have to ask me," Charlie smiled.
"It's your idea?"
"No I'm putting the idea in your head, you can still ask me, thank-you."
"Really, is that what you think?" Brax smirked and Charlie leant forward gently brushing her lips against his.
"That's what I know," she whispered seductively. "You want me, Brax in more ways than one. Picture this, Charlie Braxton."
"That has a pretty damn good ring to it doesn't it."
"Mmmm I thought so."
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"You guys just don't give up do you? What are you doing back here?" Brax asked later that evening.
"Well news of your nuptials has spread and Miss O'Connor has asked to see you."
"You mean you ran back and told her and you want us to go see her while you cross your fingers and hope to find something."
"That too," Joyce answered and Charlie noticed just how sneaky and snakelike her former superior truly was.
"There's nothing to find," Charlie answered.
"I'll be the judge of that Miss uh, Mrs Braxton."
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"They're waiting for us to slip." Charlie said on the way to the car.
"They'll be waiting a while, let me tell you right now, if I was protective of you before when you were my girlfriend, that's nothing compared to what I'd do now."
"So when I was just your girlfriend you were holding out on me were you."
"Yeah, that's about it, too much of a good thing might have spoiled you," Brax eyes remained on the road but Charlie recognised the teasing tone of his voice. "Listen, are you sure you want to do this? You don't have to, I can go by myself."
"No, there's nothing to worry about anymore, Jake and Tommy are dead, Hayley's no longer an issue. It's all over. I've got my life back." Charlie said with a smile.
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Joyce led Brax and Charlie an interview room where Hayley O'Connor was being held.
"You wanted to see us?" Brax asked before he or Charlie had even sat down.
Charlie held Brax's hand lightly but when Hayley O'Connor looked up at them she squeezed his hand not because she was scared, far from it, it was more the reassurance that she was there for him.
Hayley's eyes dropped to Charlie's left hand and found what she was looking for.
"So it's true. You got married, how sweet," Hayley commented sarcastically.
"What do you want?" Brax
"A pretty drastic move don't you think? Getting married to avoid having your little girlfriend being forced to testify against you."
"Right, so you got that off your chest, was that all?"
"Same old Brax, not going to admit to anything are you."
"There's nothing to admit, if you think that's the reason we got married, nothing I say is going to change your mind."
"And you," Hayley turned to Charlie. "You are more pathetic that I gave you credit for."
"Says the woman who's going to spend the rest of her life behind bars," Charlie commented looking bored.
"You two play this well, you're a good team, at least I can give you credit for that."
"Come on, Hayley. What are we here for?" Brax asked.
"I know you killed Jake."
"Really?" Brax asked smugly, he felt gently pressure on his thigh and knew that he'd have to be careful with what he said.
"Really, but I haven't made up my mind on which one of you was responsible."
"Why not both of us?" Brax asked.
"No, not together. It's one or the other, and although it's more likely that you took him down," Hayley began, her eyes trained on Brax. "Something tells me you're not so innocent," her eyes finished on Charlie.
"I don't really know what you're wanting me to say."
"Yeah, you had something to do with it. He's already risked so much for you, why wouldn't you return the favour."
"You don't know anything." Charlie replied.
"That sounds like an admission of guilt."
"Well it's not. Jake almost took the one thing I cared about in this world from me. I'm glad he's dead," Brax announced.
"You think you're so tough, so smart. Does it matter that in this stupid little game of yours that other people's lives were affected too? It's not only about you and your stupid River Boys and your stupid girlfriend," Hayley stopped and took a deep breath to calm herself.
"I do have a question for you though." Hayley looked at Charlie. "How long do you think this is going to last?"
"That's a stupid question," Charlie answered.
"Is it? He's using you just like he used me."
"Actually I think you used him, but continue."
"Seriously, I'll put my money on a year tops."
"The ring on my finger says otherwise. Marriage is forever, it's a shame you won't get to experience that for a while."
"You think too much of this guy, Charlie."
"Really, now that's interesting because it isn't the first time I've heard those words, but you know that don't you?" Charlie asked shifting in her chair. She leant on the desk causing Hayley to lean back.
"And what's that supposed to mean?" Hayley asked.
"You know exactly what it means. Harmon Perovic said the exact same thing to me, a bit coincidental if you ask me."
Hayley scoffed.
"Hammer didn't have the smarts to make comments like that," Charlie continued. "So where'd he hear it."
At that comment Brax turned his head sharply at Charlie.
"You do know, Hayley, that not everybody goes into a relationship with the sole purpose of getting something tangible.
Hayley shrugged her shoulders and looked away a move that told Brax instantly that Charlie was on to something.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Hayley asked, she feigned indifference but Charlie, and Brax, could see that Charlie's words had affected her.
"How long ago did your relationship with Jake Perovic start?" Charlie asked.
"You're joking?" Brax asked before he barked out a laugh.
"That's none of your business in the slightest; it doesn't matter anyway thanks to you."
"My business no, theirs," Charlie pointed to the door where she knew Watson and most likely Joyce were listening, "yes."
"I wonder how many cases you worked while being high as a kite thanks to your drug dealer boyfriend?"
"Shut up," Hayley demanded venomously but Charlie continued.
"Just how deep were you in?" And just like that Hayley O'Connor came undone.
"People do crazy things for love, you know that," Hayley screamed
"No, people do crazy things when they're under the influence of drugs. Don't confuse the two because we are nothing alike," Charlie snapped.
It was the first time that Charlie was letting out all of the anger and frustration of the past few months and Brax let her go, he placed his hand on the top of her thigh providing the comfort just like she did for him when they first entered the room.
"Your drug dealer boyfriend nearly took my life. He threatened my boyfriend, my daughter my friends. Don't be naive, the world's a better place without him."
"There it is! That spark that fire, something tells me you're not so innocent, Charlie Buckton."
"This is getting very boring, very quickly, you're digging Hayley. You're digging for things that aren't there to find. If you have nothing worthwhile to say than we're leaving."
"Jake's dead because of you and your stupid girlfriend."
"You're right, it's such a damn shame that your drug dealer of a boyfriend is dead, a real shame." Brax saw Hayley was about to interrupt so he began to speak louder.
"But just on your little comment before this is not a game Hayley, was never a game." Brax leant closer to her and spoke very quietly "but if there was the slightest chance that it was, we won. You lost. It's over."
And with that, Brax stood, Charlie's hand in his and left.
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How was that?
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Also, I have a new story that will start the next few days. How spoilt are you? Be on the lookout, I couldn't help myself :)
Thank-you so much.
xoxox