First of all I am soooooooo sorry that I haven't updated this in like years - but first both the laptops in our house have gone to laptop heaven - I have one of those tablets but it took me a while to figure out how to type up and upload stories from it - the I was ambushed by Blue Bloods stories. Not a great excuse I know, but its the only one I've got!

I realise that the show is waaaay past Danny now but I guess I ought to finish this! Thank you to anyone that is still interested in this and reads it - and once again, apologies for the wait.

Daddy Dearest - chapter 2

Brax looked at his watch as he grabbed a couple of glasses and a bottle of wine to take to a table. As he made his way back to the bar area, he glanced at his watch again, "You got a hot date or something?" His middle brother asked, smirking. He was currently propping up the bar drinking away any profits from that night. Brax looked at him in confusion, "What do you mean?"

"You've checked your watch like a thousand times, what gives?"

"Casey was supposed to be doing an extra shift tonight, and he's late..." Brax looked concerned.

Heath brushed it off, "He probably changed his mind - you know what he's like."

"Nah, he was keen to do it. Even if he did change his mind, he would call me - he'd let me know..."

"Oh dear, boy wonder not towing the line?" Heath taunted, but he stopped when he saw the genuine concern on his oldest brothers face, "Seriously bro, what gives?" He's probably fallen asleep or something..."

"Yeah...probably...I don't know..."

Brax sighed then served some more customers. Suddenly his phone rang - he looked at the caller display, "Hey Case, thought you were coming to do a shift tonight," he tried to sound relaxed.

The silence on the other end of the phone made the hairs on the back of the neck stand up, "Casey? You there?"

Something in the older man's voice made Heath look up.

"Casey!" Brax was sounding more urgent now.

"Brax.." came a strained whisper for the other end of the phone, "Help...hurt..."

"What?! Casey, you're not making any sense! What's happened?"

Heath jumped down off the bar stool, trying to listen to the conversation.

"He hit me...hurts...Brax..."

Then there was silence until the sound of breaking glass filled the void, "Casey!" Brax yelled, causing his customers to stop eating and watch the unfolding drama, "Brax...help..*cough*...fire *cough*" The line went dead.

Brax stared at the phone in stunned silence, as opposed to Heath, who was already tearing out of the restaurant. One of his staff members put a hand on his arm, "Go," was all she said to crash him back into reality and he quickly followed his brother.

As they broke all speed limits in their haste to reach their brother, Heath asked, "What exactly did he say?"

Brax felt a shiver run down his spine as he recalled Casey's quiet, pained voice, "He just said that someone hit him...that he was hurt and then the fire..."

Brax felt sick as he remembered the sound of breaking glass, "Must have been a fire bomb..." Heath thought out loud - Brax pressed his foot harder on the pedal.

The sight that met the two Braxton brothers as they tore around the corner to their home was like nothing they had seen before. The whole front of the house was a wall of flames - surely no-one could survive that?

They were both out of the car before it came to a halt, to be met by a soot covered, hysterical Ruby, "Brax! Thank God! Casey's inside! We were passing - saw a car screeching away, then this! Dex is trying to get Casey out!"

Heath began to run towards the burning building, but Brax grabbed hold of him, "Get off me! That's our brother in there!"

"You think I don't know that?! Dex is already in there - the fire trucks are here - I can't lose you too!" Brax cried desperately over the noise.

Just as they were turning away, something caught their attention, "Dex!" yelled Ruby.

The Braxton's turned to see Dex, barely on his feet, his face blackened from the smoke, staggering down the garden, carrying an unconscious Casey.

Anyone could see that it was taking a huge amount of strength for Dex to do this - he was already faltering.

Brax and Heath dashed over to him, as the fire crews began their job. Heath gently took hold of Casey, "He's breathing...just..." He informed Brax who had caught hold of Dex as he collapsed into a coughing fit. Heath checked his little brother over as much as he could. He noticed the cut on his forehead where whoever it was had hit him - when he found out who it was...

"Dex?" The voice was barely heard above the noise around them. Dex weakly lifted his head at the sound, "Dad? What the..." he rasped as another coughing fit overtook him.

"I was riding with the paramedics today - what happened?" He looked at Brax while he was setting his son up with some oxygen.

"I...I don't know Sid. Casey phoned me at work - said someone had hit him - we heard breaking glass then Casey said that there was a fire. When we got here Ruby told us that Dex was inside trying to get Casey out - which he did, thank God!" Brax sat back as he ran a trembling hand through his hair.

"Sir!Sir! Can you please give us some room!" One of the paramedics was pleading with an extremely concerned Heath, who was fighting to stay with Casey.

"Go to him," Sid insisted as he continued to monitor his son.

As Brax grabbed hold of Heath, he caught his first proper glimpse of his little brother - blackened and bloodied from his ordeal. He was suddenly overcome by an overwhelming urge to gather his youngest brother up in his arms and run away - far away, where no-one could hurt him, "Heath, come on mate, let them do their job. They need to get him to hospital..."

Heath stopped struggling and looked at Brax, a murderous expression forming on his face, "Who could've done this? Whoever did...when I find them they are dead!"

He pulled himself from his brothers grip and stormed towards the car, where he slammed the door shut.

Brax then noticed the forlorn figure of Ruby, standing apart from the action, her arms wrapped around herself. He walked over to her and pulled her into an embrace - he could feel tremors running through her thin frame, "You ok? Are you hurt?" He asked gently.

She shook her head, tears still cascading down her face, "Is Casey alright? She sobbed.

Brax looked back to where the paramedics were still working on his brother, "He's alive..."

Suddenly Mr Stewart arrived in his car, "Good grief, what's gone off here?"

"We're not sure - but we think Casey was attacked," Brax tried to explain, but how could he explain something that he didn't understand himself!

"Sid called me, asked if I'd pick up Ruby seeing as she was living with us," he glanced down at the girl in question, "Looks like you could do with a nice warm bath..."

Ruby nodded and found herself enveloped in the safe embrace of the older man, "Let me know how Casey's doing...please," she pleaded.

"Of course I will," Brax promised as he watched her leave.

"Mr Braxton!" He turned in the direction of the voice, "He's stable for now - we're taking him to hospital. I'm afraid we don't have room for anyone to go with him..."

The paramedic apologised but Brax jogged over to the stretcher and rested his hand on Casey's chest, only removing it when he felt the rise and fall of it, proving that Casey was indeed...alive!

Hope it was ok. Again I am sorry about the wait and if you are fed up of waiting I don't blame you. Should I bother carrying on?