Thank you to everyone who has added my story to their alerts and who have reviewed it. It means a lot as this is my first fan fic.
Brax sat on the porch watching the sun go down and the evening turn from dusk to darkness. Sat by his feet was a box of beer. He'd drunk two bottles and was starting on a third when Gina and John came home.
"Are you alright Brax?" Gina asked.
"Hi Gina. No I'm not alright. I think I've lost the only woman I've ever loved," Brax replied taking another swig of his beer. He put his head on his hands before speaking to Gina again. "I as good as ruined her career. Why did I have to go to that singles night….. I would never have met her." Brax drunk more of his beer.
"Brax, I don't know what to say. We all make decisions that we don't know how they will work out. You never know Charlie could be coming to see you now."
Brax emptied the bottle. He put his head in his hands again. He thought back to lunchtime. He'd been too frightened to watch Charlie walk away from him in case she did not come back to him. He did not know what he was going to do if that happened. Move away open another restaurant so he never saw Charlie again. He just did not know.
John had been listening to the exchange between his wife and their River Boy neighbour. He looked down the road to see Charlie Buckton getting out of her car. He caught his wife's eye and gestured her to look at who was walking towards them. They both said goodnight to Brax and walked inside their home.
Brax mumbled his goodnights before bending down to open another beer. He did not notice Charlie's soft footsteps walk towards him.
"I hope you have a spare bottle for me," Charlie spoke to Brax. At first he could not believe his ears. Brax lifted his head up and stared at Charlie. He pulled out a bottle and held it out to her. Charlie walked up to him and took the beer off him. As she did so she ran her thumb along his hand. She sat down on the next step down from him.
"Are you staying?" Brax asked trying not to slur his words.
"Yes as long as you don't get any more worse for wear," Charlie laughed. She stood up and put her hand out to him. Brax stood up slowly. He took her hand and slowly led her inside. He led her to the settee before he crashed down onto it. Charlie released her hand and went back outside to pick up the box of beer and the empties that Brax had left on the steps. Putting the beers back in the fridge and the bottles in the recycling box she went back into the living area to find Brax half asleep on the settee.
He sat up when he saw her. "Are we back together Charlie?" He asked.
"If you want to then yes," Charlie replied.
"What about your job. If they don't like it…" Brax's voice trailed off.
"I've been offered a job by someone my Uncle knows. My Uncle knows everything and he filled them in but not with every detail but they still offered me a job." Charlie replied. "I will see what they say Monday. I think Inspector Joyce will be there when I get to work on Monday anyway." As she spoke Brax wrapped his arms around her as though he did not want to let her go. Charlie stayed there. On the table in front of her was half a bottle of wine and two glasses. One glass had a trace of wine in it. No wonder Brax was on the way to being drunk. Suddenly she was aware that Brax was gently snoring. She tried to get up but his arms tightened around her.
At half past eleven Heath arrived home to find Charlie still there wrapped in Brax's arms.
"Buckton, stuck there are we," He said sarcastically. "Here let me release you. We can't have you ruining our reputation by staying over." He walked over and pulled Brax's arms so she could get up. Charlie got up.
"Can I help you get him to bed?" She asked.
"No, I'm not being in the same room as you two. 'night Charlie."
She left Heath putting his brother to bed and drove home. Ruby was waiting up for her.
"What happened Charlie? Are you back together?" Ruby questioned her Mum.
"Yes we are." Charlie replied.
"What about your job. What if they don't like it?" ruby asked her Mum.
"Uncle Bob found me a job working for a hotel chain as head of security and the hotel is in Reefton Lakes. If my bosses are funny about me and Brax being together then I will leave."
Ruby got up of the sofa and hugged her mum.
"I am so glad that you are back together. I'm off to bed now Mum. 'Night Mum." Ruby went off to bed.
The next morning Charlie went for a run. Brax was in the water surfing. Charlie stopped and watched him. Suddenly he was in front of her.
"Hey. Are you alright?" She asked.
"Hey. A bit hung over but nothing a surf won't cure. You should give it a go."
Charlie laughed "That's Ruby's scene not mine. I don't think I could stay on the board" Charlie laughed. They made plans to meet up later then Charlie continued on her run.
On Monday morning Charlie was ready for work early. She hadn't eaten much breakfast she was too nervous. As she drove to work she wondered what Inspector Joyce would say about her seeing Brax. It was a novel way of crime preventing dating the leader of local gang and him going on the straight and narrow as a result of it. Charlie drove into work to find the inspectors car parked in the station car park.
Charlie walked into the station to find the Inspector talking to Watson. The inspector indicated he wanted to see her in her office. Charlie followed him into the office.
"It's nice to see you back Sergeant. I hope you are going to stay with the force. You are too good an officer to lose."
"What happens if I am involved with Darryl Braxton?"
"If he and his brother stay on the straight and narrow nothing. If Heath gets up to mischief then you will be investigated again and there will probably be consequences for you. But as you say he discovered he has a daughter things might change. I don't want you to leave."
"Thank you, sir." Charlie replied. "I would just like to say it looks like I am back with Darryl. He is also trying to make sure Heath behaves."
"Well I hope for your sake he does. I will let you get back to work. The courts will let you know about Pirovics trial and his lawyer's too."
At that Inspector Joyce saluted Charlie and left Yabbie Creek Police Station. That evening Charlie went into Angelo's to see Brax. He looked up and smiled at her as she walked to the bar. He poured her a white wine before asking her how things went that morning.
"My boss seemed fine about us. As long as Heath behaves himself we will be fine." Charlie answered Brax's question.
Brax leant over and kissed her. Then he asked her,
"Are you staying tonight?" He smiled at her.
Charlie smiled at him before answering, "Yes."