AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Thank you to all my readers and reviewers (especially BluePeacocke, CholeHomeAndAway and fanficforyou) for your continual support. It means a lot to me and I really appreciate it. :D

I'm still trying to squeeze in an extra chapter for Kyle, so bare with me. Until then, enjoy the next chapter.

Chapter 64: Someone to blame

It was early morning and Heath sat on the couch watching TV when Cheryl had wandered into the room drunk.

"Is that all you gonna do all day, sit and watch TV?"

Heath didn't get a chance to answer before Cheryl walked into the kitchen and saw the dishes piled up and the mess in the kitchen from dinner the night before. Cheryl felt irritated and who better than to turn her anger towards the one she blamed for all the changes.

"Casey! You get your bratty backside out here now!" She yelled.

Casey flinched at the sound of his name. He had been sulking in his bedroom thinking about the visit with Brax at the hospital and how guilty he felt. Casey got off his bed and entered the kitchen to where his mother stood and Heath who had alerted from the yell stood not too far behind.

"What is all this? I thought I told you to clean all this mess up last night before you went to bed." Casey shook his head.

"Mum, Casey's right you didn't tell him anything." Heath said trying to protect his brother from his mother's wrath.

Cheryl turned to Heath. "Shut ya face! I'm talkin' to ya brother not you!" Cheryl approached Casey and leaned in.

"You think just because ya father's gone and Darryl ain't here to protect ya, you can get away with murder in my house?" Cheryl yelled.

Casey shook his head. "Well bloody think again because you won't!"

Cheryl slapped Casey across the face harshly. Casey held his face and started to cry, the slap had really hurt, and it left a nasty red mark on his face.

"Mum!" Heath yelled. "Oh shut up you. The kid deserved it!" Cheryl snapped at Heath.

Cheryl leaned over Casey. "Now get and bloody clean up this mess like I told ya, before I use one of ya father's belts to whack you so bloody hard you'll learn to do as you're told and keep ya mouth shut!"

Casey shuddered at the threat and cried harder. Heath stood in shock at how badly Cheryl blamed Casey for Danny's arrest he was just a little kid.

When Cheryl stumbled out of the kitchen Heath raced to his brother and wrapped his arms around him.

"Case you alright?" Casey shrugged Heath off and continued to cry. "Casey show me your face. I need to see that you're okay." Heath ordered softly.

"No." Casey sobbed and turned further away from his brother, ashamed. "Case I might not be Brax but I'm trying to look out for you. Now please show me."

Heath gave Casey a light shove to turn him around. Casey sobbed and looked up at his brother. Heath saw the angry red mark on Casey's face and didn't know what to do, besides pull his baby brother into a tight hug. Casey continued to cry into Heath's shirt.

"I miss Brax. I wish he was here." Heath knew it was hard on Casey not having Brax around and especially with his mother berating him all the time.

"I know Case. He'll be home soon I promise." Heath pulled Casey away from him. "In the mean time you stay tough okay." Casey nodded.

"Here, I'll help you clean all this up." Casey wiped his nose on his sleeve. "Thanks."

"That's what brother's are for." Heath smiled.

Later that day still missing his big brother and unsure on how to cope without him, Casey decided to go out for a walk. He wandered off along a dirt track where he tripped and fell down a hill.

"Ow!" He shrieked as he rolled over something sharp and rusted, cutting a gash on his arm.

Casey rubbed his sore arm and when he moved his hand away he saw blood seeping from his torn sleeve. Feeling shaken Casey stumbled to get up but fell back down with a moan. He had twisted his ankle in the fall. Casey struggled to get back up and limped back home.

When Casey walked through the door, Cheryl rushed out of an adjoining room with an agitated look on her face.

"Where 'ave you been? Ya go wandering off and don't even tell ya mother where ya going and look at you, you're filthy! Get yourself cleaned up now!"

Casey wandered down the hallway, trying to hide his limp as he headed towards the bathroom to take a shower. On the way he bumped into Heath. Heath grabbed Casey's upper arm and turned him to face him.

"Hey Case, you okay? What happened to you?" Casey glanced at his brother, trying not to cry.

"I just had a fall. I'm fine." Heath gave him a queried look and cast his eyes over his brother examining him before letting go of his arm.

"You sure? You look pretty beat up and did I just see you limping down here just now?"

Casey shook his head. "Don't lie to me Case. If you're hurt..."

"I'm not!" Casey snapped and turned away blinking back tears. "Heath I'm not. I just fell." Casey whispered.

Heath sighed. "Okay if you say so kid, but if you wanna talk just come to me okay? At least until Brax gets back."

Casey turned to walk into the bathroom. "Case I know Mum's been tough on you since the incident with Dad, but you stay tough okay? I'm here for you if you need me." Heath smiled and patted Casey's shoulder.

"You better take that shower hey." Casey nodded and quietly walked into the bathroom and locked the door.

As soon as he locked the door and heard Heath walk away from the outside Casey sat down and cried. He was scared, his arm was dirty and bleeding, and he had no idea what to do and he couldn't ask for help because part of him believed he deserved to suffer.

Casey grabbed a cloth and wiped his arm then wrapped some bandaging material he found in the cupboard tightly around the wound.