We have a nice long chapter for you guys. Thanks to the people who continually review, and to those who favourite and alerted to our story. It is very much appreciated. Hope you guys enjoy! Xx

BRAX'S POV:

Charlie fell asleep in my arms, hours ago, while we were still sitting on the couch. Leah and VJ were home in bed – neither of them particularly impressed with the state of the house, despite Charlie's efforts to clean it. I knew Leah had never really approved of Charlie being with me; I used to think that it was none of her business, but when our relationship was the reason being fear being brought into her home, I guess it kind of became her business.

I was close to drifting off to sleep myself, until I heard a noise outside. Normally the sound of rustling leaves and branches wouldn't put me on edge, but after everything Charlie has been through recently, I don't want to take any chances. I leave her on the lounge and head over to the window; I peer out, but see nothing in the darkness. I quickly check on Ruby, who is sound asleep; VJ and Leah likewise. Charlie remains asleep on the lounge as I tiptoe my way around the house, checking every corner before I head outside, locking the door behind me, just to be safe.

Pocketing the key, I move around to the side of the house. There's nothing and nobody there, and there's no one around the back; no cat or possum or any other kind of animal, and no human being. But there is no breeze blowing either – no reason for the leaves to have been rustling. I can't shake the feeling pressing down on my shoulders, the feeling that something is not right, and as I head back around to the front door, my feelings are given reason. A hooded figure runs at me – from which direction I can't tell – and slams me into the side of the house. Whoever it is, is strong, obviously a male; I struggle with him, trying not to breathe in his putrid alcohol breath, and eventually I manage to get him pressed up against the wall. I pull down his hood, and am genuinely surprised by who I see.

'You,' is all I can say. 'What the bloody hell are you doing here?'

'Surprised to see me, Braxton?' Jake Pirovic spits back at me, a nasty smile spreading across his lips. I push into him harder.

'How the hell did you get out of jail?' I ask, my voice lowered. I do not want to wake up Charlie, or anyone else for that matter. Jake does not share the same mindset.

His voice loud, he says, 'Wouldn't you like to know.' He laughs, finding some amusement in his being here that I am apparently missing.

'It was you that trashed the place wasn't it? Huh? Was it because we got your brother put in the slammer with ya?' My voice is still quiet. 'I would've thought you'd want to stay with him while he's in there. You just know he's not gonna last in there.'

Jake laughs again. 'Wouldn't it be a shame if your precious Sergeant Buckton got woken up by us? I guess I'd better whisper too, huh? Hey, wouldn't it be a shame if anything bad were to happen to her...again?'

I release my hold on him, and push him against the wall one last time, taking a few steps back afterwards. 'What's your game, Pirovic?'

'That's for me to know, and for you to wish you knew,' he says. 'But know this – you put my brother in jail, and you're right, he probably won't last very long in there. So I'm going to make sure that the person you care about most doesn't last very long either.'

'Are you threatening me, Jake? Coz I really don't think you want to be doing that.'

He laughs. 'It's more of a promise than a threat.'

With one last laugh, he steps away from the house and closer towards me, before walking off down the street. If he thinks I'm scared of him, he's got another thing coming. There's no way I'm going to let him hurt Charlie.

I go back inside the house and find Charlie, thankfully, still asleep on the couch; she looks so peaceful. I pick her up off the couch, cradling her in my arms – this, unfortunately, wakes her up.

'Mmmm ... Brax?' she says drowsily.

'Hey, Charles,' I say quietly.

'What's going on?'

'Nothing, I just thought you'd be more comfortable in your bed than on that old couch,' I say. She doesn't need to know anything else.

I get up early in the morning; leave a note next to Charlie's bed, saying I'm going surfing, and that I would be back soon.

I head to my house, seeking out Heath. He is asleep, and although he is going to kill me, I decide to wake him up.

"HEATH!" I shake his shoulders whilst screaming at him... I didn't have time for this. I needed his help, and I needed it now!

"WHAT?" he screams back, getting madder by the second. "What the hell do you want! I'm trying to sleep!"

"I need your help", I say, my voice becoming calmer, "Jake's back"

Heath sits up straight away, processing my words...

"How is that possible!"He asks, "He's supposed to be in jail"

"I know. I don't know how he got out, but he's out, and he trashed Charlies' house. He came over last night saying that he was out for revenge. We need to get him before he gets us, and Charlie can't know about this... she's been through enough"

He nods knowingly. "Anything you need me to do... I'm in"

CHARLIE's POV:

I wake up to an empty bed. I begin to wonder where he has gone, until I see his note. I decide that while he is gone I will have a shower and try to clean up the house a bit more. I feel horrible that Leah and VJ have been pulled in to our drama.

Before I know it, I have had my shower and am cleaning up the kitchen when I hear Brax return. He wraps his arms around my waist and kisses me. We stay in the hug for a while, before I hear a knock at the door.

I open the door to see Watson and Joyce standing in their blue police uniforms with serious faces on. I soon realise this is no social visit.

"Hey what's up?" I say, as Brax makes his way into the living room as to not be seen by my colleagues.

"We know who trashed your house" Watson tells me. "May we come in?"

I open the door to show my answer. They join me in the kitchen as we talk.

"We found a fingerprint, and it was matched to Jake Pirovic" says Joyce.

I am absolutely gobsmacked. "He was supposed to be in jail... how could this be?"

"He escaped from jail yesterday. What we would like to know Charlie, is why is he going after you?" Joyce asks the one question I didn't know I could answer.

'Uh...um...BRAX!' I call him to join us. This is the easiest way to explain it to them. Brax slowly walks into the kitchen with his head down. 'You're not going to want to hear this, but we have been seeing each other for the past few months,' I confess to my workmates.

'Oh...' says Watson, sounding a little disappointed in me.

Brax smiles awkwardly. 'Officers,' he greets them in his usual way.

There is a moment of awkward silence, which, thankfully, Joyce breaks. 'Mister Braxton,' he says, extending the 'm', 'would you mind stepping outside with me for a moment?'

Brax looks quickly at me, and then at Joyce. 'Sure, no problem,' he says, and they both head outside. This leaves Watson and I alone.

She does not look impressed, to say the least.

'Please, don't hate me for this,' I say to her.

'What on earth are you thinking?' she asks, taking off her hat. 'Dating a River Boy? When did this start? Where did this even come from?'

'Ahh, it's complicated...'

'You're damn right it's complicated! How many times has he been a suspect in our cases?' she asks me. 'How many times have his mates been suspects? How many times have those boys gone to him to get them off of charges? Charlie, this is insane!'

'I know, I know, believe me, I do,' I say, searching for a way to try to help her to understand. 'Don't you think I've gone over it a thousand times in my mind? How wrong it is, how we shouldn't be doing this?'

'Again, you're right. It is wrong. But if you know this, then why are you still with him?'

'Because...I love him,' I say. Watson rolls her eyes. 'Seriously. Without him...I don't know where I would be right now.'

'Right.'

'I went through the hardest time in my life recently, and he is the reason I've pulled through it,' I tell her. 'He makes me feel safe. He makes me feel like no one else ever has...Please Watson...try to understand.'

'I am trying. Really, really hard...'

'I've never been happier than I am with him,' I tell her.

She doesn't seem to understand, but eventually she lets go of her hard exterior and relaxes a bit. 'Well,' she says, putting her hat back on. 'I guess if he makes you happy...then I approve.'

I smile, and she smiles, and we hug.

BRAX's POV:

'So what seems to be the problem, officer?' I say, as casually as possible.

'Cut the crap, Braxton,' he says, rather harshly, considering I haven't actually done anything, and this is just a casual conversation. 'While I may not approve of your relationship with Sergeant Buckton, I don't much care for it at all right now.'

'Ouch.'

'The most important thing here is her safety,' Joyce continues.

'I couldn't agree more.'

'Now, I know you know something about this Pirovic situation,' he says.

'What makes you think that?'

He ignores me, and goes on. 'Whatever it is you do know, you need to tell me now. Pirovic is very dangerous, and I think you know that as well as I. We need to keep Sergeant Buckton safe, especially after everything she's already been through...which I'm guessing is somewhat because of you.'

'Charlie,' I say. 'Her name's Charlie.'

He looks unimpressed. 'What do you know?'

I sigh. 'Pirovic was here last night.'

'And?'

I tell him what happened, and we discuss things further.

CHARLIE's POV:

Brax and Joyce come back into the room, only for Joyce and Watson to leave again.

'We'll be in touch,' Joyce says, not exactly looking at me.

Once they have gone I turn to Brax... 'I don't know if you heard...but it was Jake who trashed the place," I say to him, expecting a reaction from him, but I get nothing. He just says "oh", and looks away. It's almost as if he already knew...

"You knew about this didn't you!" I say, when he doesn't speak, I know his answer. My voice is gradually getting louder. "You knew and you didn't tell me! I thought we were going to be honest with each other? But you're still lying to me!" tears start falling down my face, as I run to my room and slam the door. I can't believe this!

Hope you guys liked it, please review! We'll update soon :)