Authors Note: I do NOT own Home and Away! All credit to the writers.

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Thank-you for all your reviews, they have all been lovely. Please check out my other stories it would mean so much.
Thank-you to NZGirl25 for all her help, please check out her stories.

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Chapter Nine:

Charlie eyes were wide as she stared at Brax, she couldn't believe what he had said. The panic rising within her was becoming overwhelming, she never thought those words would leave his mouth. They were meant to be best friends!

"Charlie?" Brax asked softly but Charlie shook her head firmly.

"No. No. this wasn't part of the plan!" Charlie exclaimed as she turned around and ran towards the front door of the apartment, she left him standing there. Those words lingering in the air.

Brax watched her as leave, the door slamming shut behind her. Brax knew he was an idiot, he didn't know why he said it. At one point he thought she might have felt the same way, but staring at the emptiness of her bedroom he didn't think she felt that way at all.

As he ran a hand through his hair, pacing the small hallway with Jie in his arms – he didn't know how he could blurt something so important out of his mouth, he didn't know how he could tell his best friend that he loved her. It was crossing dangerous territory and Brax was afraid that he had lost Charlie for good.
That thought almost broke his heart, she had been the only one he could every count on, she knew all his secrets, what made him angry, how to cheer him up, they even shared the same dreams.
Ten years of friendship could disappear all because of one thought, one emotion he struggled to contain.

Brax fell back into the couch staring at his children; Brax honestly didn't know what he would do without her.

^..^

Charlie sat on the beach, tears streaming down her face as she looked at the picture from her ultrasound.
That day had been so perfect, she remembered every detail. The argument over names, the way he held her hand, joked with her, his tender lips on her forehead. That moment, that perfect moment was one to cherish forever.
But his words – where would those words leave them now.

Charlie could feel the tears welling in her eyes, he was her everything. He'd given her the most amazing little gift, two beautiful children. What would happen if the lost they felt for each other screwed everything up?

"Charlie, can we talk?" Brax asked as he dropped down beside Charlie on the sand hill, Charlie jumped startled by him but quickly composed herself.

"Talk about what, Brax?" Charlie asked as she looked out at the ocean. "We're friends, Brax. I thought that's all we were and now you've changed that"

"Are you telling me that you don't feel the same, not even slightly?" Brax asked and Charlie breathed heavily.

"It's more complicated than that Brax, we've known each other for ten years. That's ten years of friendship Brax. Are you willing to throw that all away?" Charlie asked him, she could feel is eyes on her but she tried not to display any emotions.

"Who say we are throwing it away?" Brax asked, he was a little hurt that Charlie thought their friendship couldn't survive a relationship.

"Brax, I don't know if I can do this" Charlie admitted. "We've been friends for so long, I don't know if I could risk anything more" Charlie told him and Brax sighed.

"Risk it? Charlie our relationship, friendship, whatever you want to call it could survive anything. I've always loved you Charlie, I just didn't know I was in love with you" Brax told her honestly, his heart was pumping with emotion, his palms sweaty. He hated being this vulnerable; it wasn't the Brax he had always showed everyone.

"Brax, I don't know" Charlie said softly. "I don't want to lose you" Charlie admitted as she turned to look at him.

"Charlie, you would never lose me. Never. You've always been my everything" Brax said as he took her left hand between his gently. "Remember that pact we made when we first met, if one of us ever confessed our love we would give it a go" Brax said and Charlie smirked.

"If I remember correctly I slapped you and then I punched you, I couldn't believe you would ever think we would fall in love" Charlie said and Brax smiled at her.

"But I have fallen in love, in love with you" Brax muttered and Charlie blushed slightly as she looked down at the photo in her right hand.

"What about our children? If this doesn't work Brax…we are risking more than just us, you know" Charlie muttered and Brax sighed.

"I know Charlz, but where would it leave us if we never tried? I'd always be wondering" Brax said and Charlie looked down.

"I don't know what to say Brax, this changes everything" Charlie murmured as she stood up, Brax rose as well. He grabbed her hand to stop her from walking away, he looked at her his eyes were wide with emotion.

"Charlz please, his doesn't change anything. We act like an old married couple as it is" Brax said but Charlie shook her head.

"That was before you declared your love for me Brax! This does change everything, and you know it" Charlie sad as Brax went to grab her other arm, Charlie wrenched herself from his grasp before running off.

Charlie couldn't be near him she needed time to think, needed time to think about where they would go from here. Brax confession of love was bound to put a strain on their relationship, how would he react if she couldn't return that love.
She knew she felt something for Brax, he was her best friend but she knew that the feelings for him ran deeper than that, and that scared her. It scared her to think that she could lose her best friend.

Because the truth was, she loved him too.

^..^

Authors Note: Please Review! Let me know what you think.