Thank you as always to those who read and reviewed. Your feedback is always appreciated! :)

Chapter Eighteen: Separated

Lila continued to bring Casey to visit Brax everyday and Brax's physical and mental health continued to improve as a result of the visits. Within the week, Brax was well enough to be discharged from hospital. Spending time with his baby brother had given him his fight back. He couldn't just give up. He knew he had to fight the demons in his head as well as the charges against him because Heath and Casey needed him. They were everything!

Brax slowly walked out of his hospital room and met Lila at the reception desk. His ribs had healed significantly but they were still tender and he felt a bit shaky on his feet after spending the past couple of weeks in a hospital bed. Lila was flanked by the two police officers who had brought him to hospital. Lila rushed forward to greet him. "You all ready to go?"

"Yes."

She handed him some pain medication. "Remember to take these until your ribs are completely healed."

"I will."

"The officers are going to take you to your hearing now and there will be a DoCS worker at the Police Station to help you." Brax nodded. Lila turned and walked behind the reception desk. "But before you go, I have someone here who wants to say goodbye to you." She picked up the baby capsule and carried Casey over to Brax. Brax smiled down at his brother. "Do you want one last cuddle?"

"I don't want to wake him," Brax said as he reached over and brushed his finger against the baby's soft skin.

"I'm sure he won't mind," Lila encouraged.

Brax shook his head. He leaned over and kissed Casey's forehead. "I'll see you soon little guy," Brax whispered, fighting back tears. He stepped back and looked back at Lila. "Do you know how much longer they will have to stay here?"

"I'm not sure, but your mother is doing much better. It shouldn't be too much longer."

Constable Cooper stepped forward. "We have to get going Darryl."

Brax nodded. "Thank you," he said to Lila before the police officers led him from the hospital. He hoped she knew just how grateful he was.

-x-

Brax sat behind a large desk in one of the rooms at the Police Station, nervously waiting his hearing. Three adults made their way into the room. Two males and one female. They sat down opposite him. "Please state your name and your age for the record," a man in his 40s coolly demanded.

"Darryl Braxton. I'm 12," Brax replied shakily.

"Your case has been referred to us because you are a repeat offender. You have not taken the previous warnings that have been issued to you seriously," the female juvenile court officer stated.

"I did take them seriously," Brax's voice was cracking he was so nervous. "I didn't mean to hurt anyone."

"But you did. According to our records, you put a boy in hospital."

"Yes, but he started the fight. He threatened my family."

"Does that make it right?"

"No. I reacted badly and I'm sorry." Brax hated groveling but he had his brothers on his mind as he swallowed his pride and said whatever he could to escape a stint in juvie. "I will never do anything like this again, I promise."

"Enough!" one of the court officers snapped. "We have carefully reviewed your case Darryl and we have a pretty clear picture of your crimes. We also know that your family is going through a tough time at the moment. We have taken a variety of things into consideration when deciding whether or not you will need to be formally charged and go before a Judge." Brax's heart raced. "We have decided that we won't be taking the matter to court," Brax hadn't realised he had been holding his breath and he let out a big sigh of relief. "However… you will need to undergo counseling, pay some victim compensation and we are placing you on probation. One wrong move and you will end up straight back here, and we won't be as lenient next time!"

"I understand. Thank you!" Brax felt a wave of relief wash over him.

-x-

As Brax left the Police Interview Room he was met by an older lady with a kind face. "Darryl?" she asked.

"Yes."

"My name is Judy." Judy reached out to shake Brax's hand. "I'm from DoCS. I'm here to take you to your new foster home."

Brax froze. "Foster home?"

Judy spoke kindly. "Your father is under investigation and your mother is still at the hospital. You need someone to look after you."

"I know, but what about my uncle's place? That's where my brother Heath is staying isn't it?"

"Yes, but unfortunately that is not an option for you," Judy replied sadly.

"Why?" Brax desperately questioned.

"Your uncle is not in a position to take you both."

"In other words, he doesn't want me," Brax sighed dejectedly.

"Come on, we have organised a very nice home for you to stay. They are expecting us, so we better not keep them waiting."

Brax begrudgingly got into Judy's car. She drove him to his house to collect a small number of his possessions and then she took him to a house not far from his school in Mangrove River. As Judy and Brax approached the front door, they could hear the sounds of children laughing, screaming and yelling. Judy turned to Brax. "Mrs Richardson has many foster children in her care. I'm sure they will all make you feel very welcome." Judy knocked on the door. They were greeted by a little girl who looked younger than Heath. The little girl ran away giggling. "Jill," she called out. "There's a lady at the door," she said before skipping out of sight. Jill Richardson ambled to the door, holding a young screaming toddler in her arms.

"Hello Mrs Richardson," Judy greeted the frazzled woman.

"Please call me Jill."

"Hello Jill. This is Darryl Braxton." Judy turned towards Brax who was hanging back and clinging tightly to his small backpack. "Thank you for taking him on at such short notice." Judy leaned in and whispered, "We don't know how long it will be for at this stage."

"The more the merrier at my place," Jill said over the screams.

"I won't keep you long but I just need to let you know that Darryl will need to be enrolled in Reefton Lakes Primary School tomorrow. They are expecting you."

"I live right near the Mangrove River School. Why can't he just go there?" Jill placed the toddler down who now proceeded to bang his fists on the floor.

"I'm afraid he was expelled, so that is not an option," Judy explained and Brax looked down in shame.

"OK, we will sort it out." Jill beckoned Darryl over. "Come in Darryl and we'll get you settled in."

Brax slowly proceed to walk towards to front door and entered the house.

"Thank you Jill. Please contact us if you have any problems," said Judy.

"We'll be just fine, won't we Darryl?" Jill gave him a gentle slap on the back. Brax watched Judy leave and he turned around to examine his new home. There were toys strewn everywhere and children much younger than himself running around playing and fighting.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Jill screamed. "Calm down or you will all be sent to your rooms." The screaming stopped and she turned to Brax. "You, follow me." Brax followed Jill to a bedroom crammed with two bunk beds. "You will be sharing with the boys." Brax nodded. "And let me make something clear. You will pull your weight in this house. The only reason I took you in is because I needed more money and another pair of hands to help me out with this lot. I won't take any of the tomfoolery that got you expelled from the school. Do I make myself clear?" Brax nodded again. "Cat got your tongue boy? Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes," Brax whispered.

"Good. Now put your things down and you can bath the younger children for me. No more than two at a time."

Brax soon worked out that there seven other children in the house. Six children under the age of 7 as well as 10-year-old Katie. Brax wanted to tell Jill to stuff her house and her rules but he knew he couldn't. He had to be smart if he had any chance of getting to Heath. He thought of Heath and Casey as he bathed all the younger children in the house, organised their dinner and put them to bed. His brothers could just as easily find themselves in this position and he would want somebody to look after them.

Brax sat down next to Katie on the couch. "You're good at looking after little kids," she said as she turned from the TV screen to face Brax.

"I have two younger brothers, so I've had lots of practice," Brax replied.

"Where are your brothers now?"

"Hopefully in bed," Brax said before standing up to make his own way to bed. He was in no mood to discuss his sad life story with some inquisitive kid. Jill emerged from her bedroom where she had been tending to the youngest member of the house, baby Annabelle. "All the children in bed?" Jill quietly inquired.

"Yes," Brax responded as he continued to walk towards his bedroom.

"I think I'm gonna like having you around Darryl," Jill grinned.

Brax entered the bedroom and two of the young boys, Josh and Max, were out of bed and fighting over a lego car. "Oi," Brax called out. "I already put you two to bed."

The youngest of the two, Josh, quickly scrambled back to bed and pulled the covers over his head. Max laughed.

"You too," Brax grabbed the lego car off Max.

"You're not the boss of me. I'm not scared of you like Josh is," Max replied defiantly.

"Why is he scared of me?" Brax looked over confused at the little boy cowering under the covers.

"We both saw you break that kid's nose at school," Max explained. "And your brother Heath bullies Josh all the time and steals his lunch."

"Oh, I see," Brax replied ashamedly. Brax walked over to Josh's bed and pulled down the blankets. Josh squirmed but Brax gently put his arm on his shoulder to calm him. "I'm not going to hurt you mate." Josh relaxed and sat up. "You know my brother Heath?" Josh nodded. "I'm sorry that he takes your lunch sometimes."

"More than sometimes," Max interjected. "Heath is always stealing food off the Kindy kids."

"Has he stolen your food over the past couple of weeks?" Brax was upset at the news of Heath's frequent bullying but he would worry about that later. Right now he was desperate to find out how his brother had been faring while he had been in hospital.

Josh shook his head. "He hasn't been around lately," Max added.

"So he hasn't been at school this week?" Brax inquired.

"I dunno, but I haven't seen him for ages."

"Right." Brax's heart dropped. Brax stood up and turned the light off. "Time for bed," he said before slumping down on the bottom bunk.

Brax had been trying to keep his fears about Heath's well being under control but now they were consuming him. Their Uncle Bryan was not a nice man. He was full of anger and, similar to his sister Cheryl, liked to drown his sorrows with alcohol. His aunt and uncle lived a reclusive life on a farm out of town and Brax shuddered to think what could be going on out there. His one hope had been that they were getting Heath to school each day, but now that he knew that wasn't happening, he was beyond concerned. Brax knew what he had to do. He waited until he was sure everyone in the house was asleep and he snuck out the front door. He was originally planning to meet Heath at the school the next day but he now knew that wouldn't be possible. This was risky but Heath needed him. Brax set off in the dark, on the long walk to his Uncle's farm.