Charlie sat on the step of her stairs with a coffee she was exhausted after Brax had left Dan Jack and their dad had turned up and refused to leave, now she had Jack sleeping on the sofa her dad and Dan in the kitchen and Peter walking around making sure all her locks were working. She jumped when her phone started to ring beside her "hey," she said quickly.
"Hey you okay babe?" Brax asked.
"Yes," she yawned "I'm fine, my dad and the other three are here and not leaving anytime soon," she groaned and stood up. "Dad! I'm going to bed!" she called and walked up the stairs "did you call for something?" she asked as she went into her room.
"No just to make sure you were okay," Brax replied "are you going to bed now?"
"Yeah I think I'll stick on a movie in my room Jack's sprawled out on my sofa," she said and climbed onto her bed "Pete is going around banging away with a screwdriver so I'm not gonna get sleep anytime soon."
Brax chuckled "what's he doing with a screwdriver?" he asked.
"Making sure all my locks are working because my word is not good enough," she replied.
"He's worried-they all are that's why they're there," Brax replied.
"So why aren't you here?" she asked she was kidding she just wanted to hear what he'd say.
"I could be there in five minutes if you wanted me to be," he replied "but I know you don't like people fussing over you so I'm at home with our son."
"At least someone listens to me," she sighed "the one night I get to myself."
"Do you want me to come over?" Brax asked "they might leave if they know I'm around."
Charlie scoffed "they'll still sit there...they're not going anywhere," she sighed.
Brax chuckled "at least you have a family that cares so much."
"I know, I just wish sometimes they'd remember I'm a fully grown woman-anyway, I'm gonna go watch something for a while, I'll see ya in the morning," Charlie said and picked up her remote.
"Alright babe, I'll be over after I drop Daryl off-I love ya," Brax replied.
"Love ya too," Charlie smiled "bye," she said and hung up.
A while later Peter stuck his head into her room "Charlz?" he whispered loudly when he was faced with the back of her head "you still awake?"
"Yeah," she yawned and sat up.
Peter walked to the bed and sat beside her "you okay?" he asked.
"Yeah," she nodded "just thinking who this Daryl Collins is."
"Has anyone other than the normal people been in or around the house?" Peter asked.
Charlie thought for a moment "no, the only newish people would be Brax and his brothers but that was over a month ago."
Peter sighed "then why all of a sudden did this guy turn up-here-at this house?"
Charlie shrugged "your guess is as good as mine...he did say he saw this Daryl come in here with me last night," she said and looked over at Peter "but that was Brax," she added.
Peter nodded and stood up he walked to the window as he thought of something "Charlz," he said slowly and turned back to her "what do you know about Brax's past?" he asked cautiously.
Charlie shrugged again "not much he doesn't really talk about it," she narrowed her eyes "don't you go all detective on this Brax has nothing to do with anything."
"I know," Peter nodded "I'm just asking...where's their dad?" he asked.
"Pete," Charlie said in a warning tone.
"Alright," he chuckled and walked over to her "I'm gonna go down the station and see have any prints come up yet," he leaned in and kissed her on the cheek "I'll see ya later," he said and walked out of the room.
Charlie sat back and looked at the door as it closed why was Peter asking questions about Brax? Shaking her head she went back to her movie.
...
Over at Brax's he had just put Daryl to bed and was now sitting on his laptop with a beer, sitting looking at the screen he sighed he knew the way his old mates worked, if you didn't want to be found you weren't it was that simple. Deciding to try the obvious he typed in Benji's name and sighed when five hundred odd names came up- some not even people.
Typing in his mums name he sighed when she came up as living in France with her new husband and also a new sir name. Standing up he walked to the fridge and grabbed another beer he knew this was gonna be a long night. He frowned when the front door opened Casey and Kyle were already in their rooms and Heath had said he was out for the night. Walking to the kitchen doorway he smiled as she sat on the sofa looking back at him "hey baby," he smiled and walked to the sofa "what are you doing here?" he asked sitting beside her.
Charlie leaned into him as he sat back "I'm sorry my dad and Dan were doing my head in, dad kept checking on me every five minutes and Dan kept walking around the rooms."
Brax wrapped his arm around her and pulled her closer "I'm glad to see you," he said and dropped a kiss on her forehead "you staying the night?" he asked.
"No," she sighed "it won't take long before one of them notice I'm missing, I just wanted to sit here with you for a bit."
Brax chuckled "so you snuck out?"
"Yes," she giggled "climbed out my window and down the side of the house."
Brax chuckled again "like being a teenager all over again."
Charlie giggled again "and I'm still sneaking out on my dad."
Brax flipped them so she was lying on the sofa "admit it, you just wanted to see me," he said hovering over her.
Charlie sighed dramatically and ran her hands up his chest and around his neck "fine, you got me," she said and pulled him down to her.
As the kiss deepened Brax lifted her and sat down so she now sat straddling him, groaning when she pushed against him he pulled away "babe we can't- not here," he said trying to catch his breath "Daryl is in my room- Casey and Kyle are in theirs, not to mention Heath could walk in at any moment."
Charlie giggled and rolled off him "I know," she said and stood up "I better go," she shook her head as her phone rang "and just in time too," she leaned down and kissed him "I love ya," she said and kissed him a few times.
Brax pulled her back onto him "you can't go yet you just got here," he said his grip tightening on her.
Charlie answered her phone "I'm fine Dan, I'm at Brax's," she said and hung up "guess I could stay a while longer," she said and threw her phone on the table before leaning in to kiss him.
After persuading Brax to fool around in Heath's room Charlie rolled out of the bed and gathered her clothes "sneaking off without saying goodbye?" Brax asked and sat up.
She chuckled and turned back to him "I thought you were asleep," she said as she pulled on her clothes "I really have to go before Dan shows up here I have another five calls from him."
Brax rolled out of the bed and pulled on his bottoms "I'll walk you to the door then."
"Such gentleman," she chuckled "I just wanna see Daryl before I go," she said and placed her keys down beside his laptop.
Brax's eyes widened as she hit off the pad and the laptop came on still on the page he had opened earlier "uh you better be quick if he sees you you won't get out," he said quickly.
Charlie walked to Brax's bedroom and stuck her head in she smiled at his sleeping form, as she took a step into the room he turned in the bed. Jumping back quickly she walked back out of the room "he's tossing and turning I better not…what are you doing?" she asked watching him quickly cancel something on the laptop.
"Nothing," he said quickly "just shutting it down I won't be on it again," he said and turned to face her.
Charlie wasn't convinced all her years as a cop was telling her he was lying "what are you hiding?" she asked walking to him slowly "and don't say nothing I know you're lying."
Brax sat back against the chair trying to cover the laptop "I'm not hiding anything I'm just shutting it down," he said not breaking eye contact.
"Why don't I believe you?" she asked looking at the laptop there was defiantly something he didn't want her to see.
"I don't know Charlie why don't you tell me?" he said smartly "why are you making such a big deal about this?"
Charlie scoffed "because I am a cop Brax I can tell when someone is lying," she said and leaned over him "what don't you want me to see?" she shot her head to him when he grabbed her arm "let go of me," she said.
"No, it's my laptop it's none of your business what's on it," he snapped.
Charlie glared at him "I can come back with a warrant if you like."
"You do that," he said letting go of her "coz that's the only way you'll be seeing what's on it," he said and closed it over.
"Fine," Charlie said and grabbed her keys "don't bother coming over tomorrow, I've been through enough shit Brax I won't take someone that is supposed to love me lying to me!" she yelled as she stormed out of the house.
"I'm not lying!" he yelled after her and hurried to the door "you're being stupid Charlie!"
Charlie stopped and turned back to him "I'm being stupid?" she scoffed "if you've nothing to hide why won't you let me see it?"
"Because you should take my word for it and it's my personal stuff, how would you feel if I went into your room and read your diary?" he asked walking to her.
"This is different and I don't have a diary," she spat.
"How is you wanting to look through my laptop any different than me wanting to read your diary?"
Charlie shook her head "if you thought I was hiding something and you wanted to see my diary I'd give it to you!" she yelled "if you've nothing to hide I don't see a problem."
Brax walked closer to her "now see that's where you're wrong," he said "you don't trust me and it kinda hurts," he said and walked off.
Charlie shook her head "why would I trust you when I know nothing about you!"
Brax chuckled "you trusted me enough to sleep with me a week after you met me!" he yelled and slammed his front door.
Charlie stood there looking at the door in shock she couldn't believe he had just said that, if it weren't so late she'd be barging in there and taking Daryl home. Stomping her foot like a kid she huffed and climbed into her car.
Arriving home she climbed out and slammed her door "stupid Brax," she muttered as she let herself in "don't you lot start!" she snapped when they all looked up from table "I am a grown woman I can go out if I want to, this is my house and my life I can do whatever the hell I want!" she yelled as she stomped towards the stairs.
"Uh okay," Jack said with a raised eyebrow.
"What the hell is wrong with her?" Tony asked.
Dan shrugged "beats me, she said she was with Brax maybe they've had an argument…I'll go see what's wrong," he said and stood up.
Peter jumped up "I'll go…I uh kinda put stuff into her head if they're fighting it's my fault and I know what it's about" he said and hurried up the stairs.
Knocking on her door he opened it and walked in "Charlz," he said and walked to her by the window
"How long has that car been parked there it wasn't there when I left," she said looking out at it.
Peter looked out over her shoulder "I don't know it was there when I got back a few minutes ago," he said and turned her around "what's going on why are you snappy?"
Charlie sighed "me and Brax had an argument…I may have over reacted," she added and smiled quickly.
"May have?" Peter asked and raised an eyebrow.
"Okay fine I blew it out of the water, he was shutting down his laptop and I asked him what he was doing he said nothing and I flipped I didn't believe him then I lost it altogether when he wouldn't let me see it…said a few horrible things-him too," she sighed and walked to the bed "and now we're not talking, it's all that talk of this guy and what you were saying to me about Brax's past."
"So you went all Charlie on him?" Peter asked and walked to sit beside her.
Charlie nodded "crazy Charlie," she said and threw herself back "god I'm such an idiot, all he was doing was shutting the stupid thing down and I went all cop on him-told him I'd come back with a warrant."
Peter chuckled he stood up and dropped a kiss on her forehead "you know what you have to do," he said and walked to the door "I'm sorry Charlz I put all that in your head, I was looking at every angle."
"I know," she sighed and stood up "I'll leave him to cool down…I'll call him in the morning-night Pete," she said and walked back to the window.
"Night Charlz," he said and walked out of the room "we're all going home, I'm gonna leave Jack here just to be on the safe side," he said and closed her door.
Charlie smiled out of all her brothers Peter could read her best-even though she was closer to Jack he could always tell what was wrong without even asking, smiling to herself she walked to her bed and climbed onto it. Thinking about Brax for a few minutes she sighed and pulled back her covers, shedding her clothes she climbed in and pulled them over her and closed her eyes-tomorrow was another day.
….
Over at Brax's he sat at the table on his laptop he had tried to continue his search for Benji but all that was swimming in his mind was Charlie and their stupid argument. He looked to the front door as it opened "alright mate," he greeted as Heath walked in
"I know that face," he said and sat beside him "what's going on?"
Brax sat back and sighed heavily "Benji is in town," he said and looked over at Heath "he showed up at Charlie's looking for me."
Heath's eyes went wide "so now she knows?"
"No," Brax said "he asked for Daryl Collins Charlie doesn't know it's me, he told her he was here to warn me that I was in danger."
"Damn it," Heath muttered "Douggie?" he asked.
Brax nodded "has to be, who else is after me?"
"What are you going to do now?" Heath asked.
Brax looked back to the laptop "I'm gonna track Benji down before he goes near Charlie's place again."
Heath stood up "you better tell her Brax before she finds out by herself, you've a lot to lose mate, you've got a kid now," he said and clapped him on the back "think about what I said," he said and walked to his room. He stepped back out into the hallway "were you in my bed?" he asked with a frown "I know I made it this morning."
"Uh yeah, sorry mate Daryl was in my bed I just crashed for a while," he said and stood up "I'll change the sheets if you want me to."
"Nah it's alright," Heath said and waved it off "night," he said and closed his door.
Brax leaned against the table contemplating his next move he sighed and looked over at the table as something binged. Frowning he walked over and moved a magazine Kyle had dumped on the table a while ago "damn it Charlie," he sighed looking down at her phone, thinking for a moment he picked it up and grabbed his keys "drop it off, don't go inside, be home in ten minutes," he said and walked out to his car.
Over at Charlie's Jack had woken her going into her spare bedroom, yawning she sat up and rubbed her eyes, squinting at the clock she sighed she'd only been asleep for half an hour it wasn't even midnight yet. Rolling out of the bed she walked to open her window the room had gotten very stuffy, as she did she spotted the car still there but now someone was in it. Grabbing bottoms she pulled them on and grabbed a hoodie, slipping her gun into her waistband she headed out the door and down the stairs.
Walking across her lawn she walked up to the driver window and banged on the door "get out," she hissed and banged it again.
When he didn't move Charlie leaned down to the window "out now or a bullet goes through the window."
She jumped back and pulled her gun when he lowered the window "how about you get in?" he said holding out a photo.
Charlie lowered her gun and stared at the photo "where did you get that?" she asked taking it from him.
"So you do know Daryl Collins?" he asked.
"No," Charlie shook her head "this is my boyfriend Daryl Braxton," she said and looked over at him.
He chuckled "back to Braxton I should have known."
"What do you mean?" Charlie asked lowering the picture" how did you get this picture of my boyfriend and his brother?"
The guy sighed "get in then we can talk," he said and opened the door.
"No," Charlie said and shook her head "in my house or we don't talk," she said and walked off back to the house.
She stopped at her door and looked back sighing in relief when we wasn't far behind her. She waited for him to walk by her before she closed the door and walked behind him into the living room "what's your name?" she asked gesturing for him to sit down.
"Benji," he said and sat down "me and Daryl go back to kids," he said and looked over at her "does he live here?"
"No," Charlie replied "this is my house…you said earlier he was in trouble what trouble?" she asked.
"Has he told you about Douggie and what happened in Bali?" Benji asked.
"Didn't even know he was ever in Bali," she leaned forward "do you know about it?" thinking of the note she stood up and got it from the counter "did you leave this too?" she asked placing it in front of him.
Benji looked at it "No that wasn't me I reckon Douggie has found him. Word on the street- what I'm hearing around I came to warn him, word is Douggie is out for revenge for Daryl leaving him to die and he'll stop at nothing to find him," Benji answered.
Charlie nodded she didn't know what to say. "What do you mean he left someone to die… what happened?" she asked not believing they were talking about the same person.
"I don't know shot him I heard but that's just talk," Benji replied.
Charlie was gobsmacked "are you sure were talking about the same person here?" she asked.
Benji nodded "yeah, that guy in the middle between me and Daryl is Douggie, me Daryl Heath and their cousin met him at the same time. Lucky for me I didn't get as sucked in as those two. He had them selling for him since Daryl was fifteen and Heath fourteen-then they headed off to Bali before disappearing about two years later- their younger brothers too."
Charlie looked at Benji "Brax was a drug dealer?"
Benji sighed "I shouldn't have told you anything this all should be coming from him, I just want you to trust me when I say I need to see him he's gonna need all the help he can get."
Before Charlie could reply there was a knock at the back door before it opened "Charlie!" came Brax's voice "I know you're awake your light is on!" he yelled from the kitchen.
Charlie stood up and walked to the kitchen doorway she looked at him and her eyes filled with tears who was this man standing in front of her?
Brax noticed her upset state and sighed "I'm sorry for what I said before I walked off," he said and leaned against the counter "you left your phone at mine," he said and placed it on the table.
Charlie looked at her phone quickly the back up to him "who are you?" she whimpered.
"What?" he asked confused.
"A drug dealer Brax!" she yelled and took a step closer to him "a fucking drug dealer!" she yelled and ad smacked him "you shot someone you left him for dead now you've brought trouble on me and my kids! How could you not tell me any of this?" she cried and stepped back. Her whole body was trembling she felt sick this wasn't happening.
Brax stared back at her in shock "babe I," he said and took a step forward.
"Don't!" she yelled and held out her finger "don't you come near me I don't want you anywhere near me!"
"Charlie you gotta let me explain, that was years ago," he said taking a step to her-something behind here caught his attention "Benji?" he gasped.
Benji stepped into the kitchen "Daryl," he greeted "long time no see mate."
Brax looked at Charlie "babe we need to talk you gotta let me explain."
"No," she shook her head "no I don't, I want you to leave my house," she turned to Benji "both of you, you've found him you don't need to follow me anymore. I don't want you to come near my house ever again," she said and walked to the door. Opening it she looked at Brax "I don't want you to call me or come around here, you wanna see Daryl- if I let you, you arrange it though Ruby or Casey, we're done please respect my wishes," she said and looked at the floor.
Benji walked to the door "thanks for listening and I'm sorry about earlier I didn't mean to freak you out or anything…for a copper you're pretty awesome," he smiled when she looked up" bye," he said and turned back to Brax "we've a lot to talk about I'll be outside," he said and walked out of the house.
Brax stood staring at Charlie "I asked you to leave," she said when he still didn't move.
Brax sighed heavily "I know you did," he said and walked to her "but I' not giving up on us."
Charlie scoffed "you're kidding right? There is no us Brax, you lied to me you've been lying to me from the day I met you!"
"No I haven't, not once have I ever lied to you," he said taking another step to her.
"Yeah?" she asked "then who is Daryl Collins and why did he call you that?"
Brax sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose "there is a reason you could never find me Charlie." He stepped closer to her and slipped his hand onto her cheek "I love with all my heart...I need to go take care of something but I need you to promise me you'll let me explain."
"No Brax," Charlie whimpered and stepped away from him "I can't deal with this-I don't want to deal with this!" We were happy we have a son we're finally together!" she sobbed "and you just went and ruined it all! Why couldn't you have just told me from the start?"
Brax sniffed his eyes stung from the tears he was trying to hold back, he hated what he had done to her "baby listen to me," he said and grabbed her face "I left that behind years before I met you, I thought it was done I thought we were safe here I thought we could start again here."
"You shot someone?" she asked.
"It wasn't like that it was me or him," Brax replied.
Charlie pulled away from him "oh god!" she yelled "I feel sick, I can't believe I'm hearing all this!"
"Babe I'm still the same guy that you met that day up coast, I'm still the same guy that loves you and those kids with everything I have," Brax said shakily.
"No you're not," Charlie said in a daze "everything we've built-how far we've come is all based on a lie."
"We can fix this Charlie we can," Brax said desperately pulling her back to him "I know we can if you just let me explain we can get pass this."
Charlie looked up at him, her heart was breaking she thought now she'd finally gotten her happy ending "your mate is waiting," she said and pulled away from him "you should go," she said and dropped into a chair.
Brax sighed again and wiped a tear that rolled down his face he knew the was no point trying to talk to her now she had shut down and nothing he could say would make her see different right now. Walking to her he wiped his face again "I love you Charlie so so much, please don't let a stupid mistake I made when I was a teenager ruin it all," he dropped a kiss on her forehead "call me when you want to talk," he walked to the door and stopped, looking back he shook his head this was killing him but right now he had something to take care of "I love you," he said again and waited to see would she reply.
"I love you too," she said in barely a whisper.
He smiled slightly and walked out the door closing it behind him.
Outside Brax walked to Benji's car and climbed into the passenger side "so what now?" he asked.
"We go back to yours round up all the boys and come up with a plan to get Douggie before he gets you," Benji replied.
No," Brax said shaking his head "not my house my son is there my brothers are there, no offence Benji I haven't seen you in years how do I know you're not trying to set me up?"
Benji scoffed "Daryl you helped me out a hell of lot growing up even when you took off to Bail you made sure me and my mum were okay, why the hell would I even think about doing anything other than help you?" he asked "blood and sand brother blood and sand."
Brax nodded he knew he could trust Benji he had nothing to gain by setting him up "right, me you and Heath for now we'll talk through what you know before we get anyone else involved-go to Wilsons I'll call Heath," he said and pulled out his phone-glancing at the house as Benji pulled away.
Inside Charlie watched them go she wiped her face and jumped as a cup appeared under her nose "it's me," Jack said softly "I heard everything," he said and led her to the table "sit down and drink that," he said placing the cup down.
Charlie dropped into the seat and wrapped her two hands around the cup "I'm such an idiot Jack," she muttered.
"No you're not," Jack said and placed his hand on hers "from what Brax was saying this happened a long time before he met you and if you'll let him explain I'm sure you'll understand too," he said and rubbed her back "get some sleep Charlz there's no point sitting here going over it on your head," he said and stood up" there's nothing that needs to be done tonight you'll know what to do in the morning."
Charlie stood up and took the cup with her "I let him get close to me-to my kids…I fell in love with him!" she cried.
"Aw Charlz," Jack said and pulled her into a hug "everything is gonna be okay you'll see it'll all work out."
Charlie wrapped one arm around him and leaned into him "he's in trouble Jack someone is looking for him they want to kill him I don't know what to do," she sniffed "I love him I don't want anything to happen to him!" she sobbed.
Jack pulled her closer and rested his chin on her head "you're gonna go to sleep and let this die down," he said and pulled her back to look at him "I promise you everything is gonna be okay."
Charlie pulled away from him and put her cup down "what if it's not?" she looked up at Jack "what if this guy gets to him? I can't lose him Jack I just can't," she whimpered.
Outside Peter stood by the door listening he sighed heavily and walked away from the house he had just climbed into bed when the lab rang him with the results-not that they needed them now. Climbing into his car he called Dan "we've got trouble mate, I need you to meet me at mine in ten minutes grab Noah on your way," he said and hung up, looking at the house for a second he sighed again and pulled away no one was gonna mess his sisters life up again didn't matter who they were.
Inside Charlie now lay on her bed in a ball Jack had just left her, looking over at the window she sighed her head was thumping. Rolling onto her back she looked up at the ceiling "mum if you're here I need you to help me, I'm calling in all favors here." She looked over at her dresser as something fell, getting up she walked to it and picked it up "mum you are a genius," she said looking at her police badge. Grabbing her shoes she ran down the stairs and out to her car, she needed to find out everything about this Douggie guy now she had two names for Brax one of them was bound to pop up as an associate to this Douggie and that's where she would find out about her boyfriend's past.
A/N hey all sorry for the lack of updates but as you know I have no laptop, I can only get one once a week :( so sorry I know people are losing interest but there really is nothing I can do until I have enough to get a new one please bear with me-hopefully next week I'll have chapters for all my stories as I haven't much work this week. For those of you who have stuck with me thank you so much it really means a lot and again I am so so so so sorry about the non-updates.