Home & Away 1. Chapter 1

Ruby stood at the top of the beach waiting for Casey to come and meet her as they were due to go and meet Charlie and – Ruby had recently discovered – her brand new and secret boyfriend, who turned out to be Brax. Ruby wasn't cross for Charlie for keeping her new lover a secret, she actually found it quite amusing and thought it was cute how her mum was dating her boyfriend's brother. Written down like that it sounds a bit messed up, but it didn't bother anyone.

Casey was late so she texted him. _Where r u? I miss ure sexy chest. Get ure arse here now. X_

As she impatiently waited for a reply she looked down to the beach. Her eyes widened angrily as she spotted Casey with a vivacious blonde. She was wearing a short skirt and a very revealing top. Her hair was long and fell in perfect ringlets. She was annoyingly perfectly pretty. Another thing that was absurdly annoying was the fact that she and Casey were laughing as though they were incandescently happy. They sat down on the sand and Casey gave the girl a hug before kissing the top of her head lovingly.

"What?" Ruby said out loud, utterly outraged. She continued watching mesmerised.

After a few minutes they stood up again and held hands as they walked up the beach.

Ruby gritted her teeth as she got out her phone again. _Obviously I'm just a toy. Look what you destroyed. Stupid boy._

She would show him what she was made of at the lunch.

* * *

><p>Charlie got up when Ruby came into the Diner and hugged her.<p>

"You OK?" she asked. "You look a little glum."

"Yeah, I'm cool."

They talked about random things for a while and then Brax came in and kissed Charlie affectionately and ruffled Ruby's hair. He was very fond of her. She was the best thing that had ever happened to Casey. He sat down and he and Charlie talked, ignoring Ruby who checked her phone. There was a message from Casey. _What the hell are you talking about? Speak for yourself, where r u? U said we'd meet at the beach. On my way to diner now :)_

Ruby turned to Brax. "Does Casey have any other friends who are girls?" she asked.

Brax obviously found this a funny question as he laughed uproariously. "No way Rubes. He doesn't even have many friends who are boys. You're like the only person out of our family who he hangs out with." Brax stood up as he spotted Casey entering the Diner. "Hey mate," he said and they high fived.

He sat down beside Ruby and gave her a little kiss on the cheek. "What's with that mad text?" he said.

"You know very well."

"No really I don't," his cute little face looked completely bemused.

"Yes you do," Ruby insisted.

"No I really don't. Please enlighten me."

"Oh for God's sake Case, use you're head. You're supposed to be really clever."

Casey was starting to doubt his cleverness.

Charlie and Brax did not notice this heated discussion as they were too much absorbed in each other and drowning in each other's beauty.

There was still one place to be filled at the table. Charlie wished it wasn't there. She really felt uncomfortable around Heath. He gave her the creeps the way he leered at her. She wished he wasn't Brax's brother.

She and Brax were in the middle of a lovely kiss (in public – wow) when he gatecrashed.

"Oh look at that!" he exclaimed. "The happy couple." He sat in-between Charlie and Casey. "I'm so happy for you guys, I really am. You're great together. Right, shall we order?"

Charlie sighed and wrinkled her nose. Whenever Heath was around he just took over everything and had to be the centre of attention. Sometimes she wondered if Heath was jealous that she was with Brax as he spent so much time with her. Or in fact he was jealous of his brother because he wanted her. Well, Charlie definitely did not want him.

They ordered and made small talk with each other. The conversation was less interesting than it usually was as Ruby and Casey weren't imputing much. They ordered their starters which arrived along with a little surprise.

* * *

><p>Ruby dropped her cutlery onto the floor as she saw the girl she had seen with Casey earlier walk in and head towards their table. She had such a nerve and she walked with such a swagger. There was so much attitude.<p>

"Hey guys," the girl said, surveying the table and she rested her arm on the back of Brax's chair. "Dad," she said. "Can I have some money?"


	2. Chapter 2

"Dad?" questioned Charlie, wondering if she had heard correctly and really hoping that she hadn't. "Brax?" she had a very puzzled expression on her face.

"Um," said Brax very awkwardly, pondering how he was going to get out of this situation. He had been going to tell Charlie at some point, when she right time came. Trust his daughter to suddenly appear at exactly the wrong moment when everything was going great.

Ruby was slowly taking things in. She felt a little guilty at the assumption she had made.

Casey came to Brax's rescue. "Ruby, Charlie, this is my niece, Ashley."

Ashley didn't say anything. "Dad, I want some money," she demanded again.

"Oh yes," Brax hurriedly fumbled in his pockets for his wallet. "How much?"  
>"As much as you want to give me."<p>

Charlie and Ruby watched Ashley with interest.

He handed her a large amount of money.

Meanwhile Ruby turned to Casey. "I'm really sorry. That text I sent, I thought you were cheating on me. I was just angry. I do things before I think if it's a good idea or not. I'm so sorry, please forgive me. Everything makes sense now," she said, even though things really did not make sense to her.

"It's OK Rubes," said Casey and gave here a long kiss on the lips.

Ashley turned up her nose. "Oh my God, guys if you're going to snog, get a room please. It's so disgusting."

"Hey sweetheart," said Heath who was only ever nice to Ashley and no one else. "You're just jealous that you've got no one to kiss," he said in a cheerful kind of way.

"Shut up!" Ashley retorted, equally as friendly. "You are such a lame excuse for an uncle."

Charlie winced. She would hate to have Heath as an uncle.

"Ashley, this is my girlfriend Charlie, and Casey's girlfriend Ruby. You could say hello." Brax always tried to teach Ashley politeness, but always unavailingly.

"Yeah, I know Dad. You and Casey do not stop talking about them at home. It's so boring."

"Why don't you join us for lunch?" Brax tried.

"Er, no, I'm not going to stay and watch you both flounder your tarts in front of me. I'm going to go and meet some nice people. Why you have to spend time in this dull town, I don't know."

"Well go home then." Brax was angry with her for messing everything up.

"Yeah, I will," Ashley pouted and sauntered out.

"I'll just go keep her company," Heath excused himself. He had been getting bored between the two sets of love birds. He had only come along so he could get a free meal out of Brax.

"Wow," sighed Charlie, "she's certainly something."

"Yeah, sorry about that. I should probably go after he as well. She hates it that Casey and I have found ourselves other girls and we used to give her all out attention and she thrives on attention."

Charlie looked disappointed and Brax felt sorry for her.

"Listen, why don't you and Ruby come over to our house this evening and we can redo this family get together, with Ashley if she cares do join us. She's OK once you get to know her and I can explain things to you then," he gave Charlie the smile she had fallen for.

"Yeah sure," she agreed to anything he said.

Brax stood up and kissed the top of she head before clicking his fingers at Casey. "Let's go."

Casey sighed and got up and followed him, leaving Ruby and Charlie bemused.

* * *

><p>Back home, Charlie and Ruby got ready to go to dinner that evening. As they got ready they talked about Ashley.<p>

"What do you think of her Charlie?"

"I don't know her, I'll just wait and see."

"Are you cross with Brax for not telling you?"

"A little. I think he should have done, after all I told him about you. I even told him I got raped and I don't generally tell people that."

"Yes, well I'm more difficult to keep a secret. I just think it is so weird how Casey is an uncle to a girl who is the same age as him. I can't actually believe I thought she was dating him earlier." Ruby had filled Charlie in on her muddle.

"They probably get on like brother and sister more that uncle and niece, I supposed," thought Charlie. "Sort of similar to our situation. I think in a way it makes me feel closer to Brax, we actually finally have something in common: wayward daughters!" Charlie grinned.

"Oh come on, that is so not fair!" exclaimed Ruby. "I am so much better than her!"


	3. Chapter 3

The pathway to the Braxton household was muddy and Charlie was regretting wearing heels. She had almost slipped at one point and so she was glad when she finally reached the firm concrete of the porch. She rang the doorbell.

"I love Casey's house," said Ruby.

Charlie wondered how she could so she pretended to ignore her.

Ruby continued. "It's just so full of character and there's always so much going on," she continued praising the house for five minutes and no one came to open the door.

Charlie rang again and again.

Inside shouting could be heard.

"Do you suppose they've forgotten about us?" asked Charlie.

"No, of course not. They're obviously in."

They heard the barking of the dog, Schultzy, next.

"Oh come on!" yelled Charlie and banged on the glass door.

As she banged Brax came to open the door. "Hey guys, sorry, I was in the kitchen. I told Ashley and Casey to let you in when you arrived. Come in, come in."

They entered and Charlie handed him the bottle of white wine she had bought. The door opened straight into the sitting room which was a mess with a tatty old sofa on which Ashley and Casey were sitting.

Ruby suddenly felt a little awkward and out of place being there and wondered if she really did love the house as much as she thought she did before Ashley arrived on the scene.

Ashley didn't look up from where she was texting a mile a minute, but Casey peeled his eyes away from the television.

"Rubes," he said getting up to kiss her. She felt as though she belonged again.

The television was blaring: on full volume.

"Hey, you two," Brax reprimanded his brother and daughter. "I told you to open the door."

Ashley ignored him.

"Ashley, look at me when I'm talking to you."

She looked at him crossly and pulled one of her earphones out. "I didn't hear."

"OK, well you can start listening and stop being antisocial." He turned to Charlie. "I've got to finish dinner, you can help if you'd prefer, rather than staying with the children." He went into the kitchen and Charlie obediently followed as did Schultzy.

Ruby sat on the edge of the sofa next to Casey as she did not want to be near Ashley and they talked about their upcoming trip to Mountain Music Festival with Xavier. Charlie had finally agreed, a) because Gina was accompanying them and b) Brax had told her she should let Ruby go.

When Ashley assumed they were deep in conversation she took the television remote from Casey's lap and changed the channel.

"Hey!" said Casey instantly. "I was watching that."

"No you weren't. You were talking to your girlfriend," she sneered.

"Yeah, but I can multi task, it was a really good show."  
>"You're a man; men can't multi task."<p>

"You're listening to music and texting. You can't listen to music and watch the show at the same time."

"I'm a girl, I can."

"Give me the remote!" Casey tried to snatch it off her, but Ashley held it up out of his reach.

A full scale fight ensued.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Charlie was helping Brax prepare dinner. She put spaghetti into an pan big enough to feed an army. Mind you, the River Boys were like an army.<p>

"Tell me about Ashley," she said.

"What do you want to know?"

"Everything. I can't believe you kept her secret when I told you all about Ruby. Now I know why you were so good at giving advice about daughters when you have one yourself."

Brax grinned gorgeously. "Well she's just been expelled from a boarding school which is why she suddenly came home and I didn't have time to warn you about her."

"What about her mother?" This actually meant, is there another woman in your life?

"OK, here's another surprise for you. I married a girl, Joanne, when I was twenty and almost straight away Ashley was conceived. Casey was almost two then and he lived with us too as Mum couldn't look after him properly. Then about a year after Ashley was born Joanne ran off with a very old and rich man who lived in England and I haven't heard from her since."

"Oh," said Charlie, she couldn't think of anything else to say.

"And in case you were wondering, you are the only woman in my life. Well apart from Ashley, she's quite jealous of you actually."

Charlie gave a little laugh. There was something about Ashley that frightened her.

* * *

><p>Back in the sitting room, Casey and Ashley were still fighting like wild animals. Ruby had been kicked on the leg and elbowed in the eye.<p>

Then Heath burst threw the door. "What is going on here?" he demanded intimidatingly.

"She stole the remote and I was watching a good program."

"He is being a pain in the arse." Ashley and Casey spoke in unison.

"Well you can both stop being pains in the arse when we have guests. Poor Ruby." Heath had a soft spot for Ruby even if he didn't like her mother that much. "And I'll take the remote." He grabbed it roughly off Ashley and sat heavily in an old armchair and switched the television on the playboy channel. "What's for dinner?"

* * *

><p>At dinner there was not a friendly atmosphere. It was plain Ashley did not want to be there and every ten seconds a text came through with a very annoying ring tone. Brax didn't say anything about it. If it had been Ruby texting all the way through dinner Charlie would have taken her phone away.<p>

Brax asked Ruby and Casey about school. It transpired that Ashley would be starting there next week. It also transpired that for all her wayward ways, Ashley was incredibly clever so would in fact be in the same classes as Ruby and Casey. Ruby was not too happy about this, but Casey thought it would be cool. He was very close to his niece, almost like best friends, and he knew that she would liven things up.

Heath started joking around and making everyone laugh so that in the end everyone had a really good time. Even Charlie laughed at some o Heath's jokes and thought maybe he wasn't so bad after all. The only person who had a horrible time and didn't say a word was of course Ashley.


	4. Chapter 4

A week passed during which Ruby tried to avoid Ashley as much as possible, but then came the day when she started at Summer Bay High. Ruby had been dreading it as she knew Casey would like having her around. She wasn't exactly jealous of Ashley, it just annoyed her how Casey loved her so much. Just like Ashley was jealous of Ruby because she had always been the only young girl in Casey's life, Ruby was jealous of Ashley because she wanted Casey all to herself.

But the dreaded day came of course and it was just like any ordinary day, except, there she was.

Ashley arrived in the regulatory school uniform, but it looked different on her. She wore her hair down, which she wasn't supposed to and her dress was short and she had a diamond studded belt around her waist. It glistened as she walked. As she entered the building everyone looked at her, thinking she was someone famous. Even Miles gasped in awe and dropped a pile of papers which he had to mark on the floor. A little embarrassed he hurriedly picked them up before scuttling off.

Ashley came over to where Casey and Ruby were standing beside their lockers.

"What do I do?" she asked him.

"Well Brax told me to look after you on you're first day, so you can hang out with us, can't she Rubes?" said Casey.

Before Ruby got a chance to answer, Ashley said to her, "It's OK, I don't want to hang out with you anymore than you want to hang out with me. But I'm going to stick with Casey, so I guess will both have to put up with each other."

"You should tie your hair up," pointed out Ruby. "You'll get into trouble otherwise."

"Whatever biatch."

The bell rang.

* * *

><p>In class Ashley said on the other side of Casey and busily twirled her hair around her fingers. She ignored everyone who tried to make an effort and say hello.<p>

Then Miles came in. "Good morning everyone!" he said very cheerfully as he looked round the room for a new face. "Now I believe we have a new girl somewhere – Ashley. I don't know if she's arrived yet. She's only fifteen, I think, but very clever which is why she's in our class, though perhaps we have two new girls. Are you new too?" he asked in Ashley's direction.

"Actually sir," said Ruby, helpfully. "That is Ashley."

"Oh!" Miles seemed a little taken aback. "I'm so sorry, you just looked a lot older than fifteen."

Ashley gave him a cold smile.

"Well welcome. If you could just tie your hair up, then we can begin our class."  
>"I'm not going to tie my hair up!" Ashley was appalled. "What's the point of having hair if it's not around your shoulders to be beautiful."<p>

"Well Ashley, you don't come to school to look beautiful. You come to learn. So please tie your hair up."

"With what?" she said rudely.

Miles sighed and began the lesson. He lectured for a little while and then handed out a worksheet. "Now if you could all do this exercise as quickly as possible we can all move on as I can tell you are obviously finding this topic very boring."

The class groaned, but all set about doing the sheet, all except for Ashley.

When Miles looked up from his desk a little while later, he was not impressed to see Ashley just sitting their, staring at the wall beside her.

"Um," he began, "Ashley, are you going to do the work?"

"No," she answered simply.

"I've done this topic already, I'm not going to waste my time doing it again." She spoke haughtily.

Miles wasn't quite sure what to do with her.

* * *

><p>At lunch time Ruby was very relieved when Ashley wanted to be alone so Ruby could have Casey all to herself. They talked a little about Ashley, Casey telling Ruby that she's really clever when she wants to be, but she's very lazy. He felt sorry for her because she was finding it difficult to make friends.<p>

Ashley was glad to be alone and away from crowds. She'd never really had any friends, most people tended to stay away from her. It was as if she had a disease, if people saw her coming they would literally run away. She repelled people who tried to make an effort.

She hated Ruby for being Casey's girlfriend. If she was wasn't, she might be OK, but Ashley would never be friends with her, she vowed because she was so stubborn. Casey was her friend and should just be giving her attention.

Oh my God, and then there was Charlie. She was just too horrible for words. What her father saw in her, Ashley could not imagine. Ashley had thought that if she found out he had a daughter, Charlie might break up with Brax which is why she decided to gatecrash the lunch. But oh no, it just made her closer to him. Ashley knew it was dangerous being involved with a cop and felt that this relationship was only going to end up in tears.

She removed a packet of cigarettes discretely from her bag along with a lighter and then not so discretely began to smoke. Maybe it was a bad idea, seeing as this was what she had got expelled for at her old boarding school, but she really didn't care. She'd be happy to just not go to school.

As she sat on the bench, Mrs Austin, the headmistress, marched towards her. Ashley had met her that morning. She was OK. She didn't look very happy now though.

"Ashley Braxton come with me please."

Ashley sighed and rolled her eyes. What had she done now? But she got up and followed Gina.

"Put the cigarette out," Gina barked.

Ashley threw it on the floor and trampled it out.

Ooops.

* * *

><p>Ashley sat outside Gina's office. When Gina called home, the only person there was Heath and now he was on his way to school to talk with Gina about Ashley's behaviour. She would have preferred it if it was Brax coming in because he wouldn't punish her for smoking (she could get away with murder with him), but Heath would not be happy with her and that is the biggest understatement of the year.<p>

Ashley's hair was up now – Gina had forced her tie it up with a rubber band. Her hair would be ruined.

A few minutes later in came Heath, not looking at all pleased. He came up to her. "Where's your phone?"

"In my bag."  
>"Give it to me."<p>

"No!"

"Now, Ashley."

She pouted and got it out and handed it to her uncle who pocketed it. "You'll get that back when you start behaving."

* * *

><p>After the talk with Gina, miraculously Ashley started acting like a normal school girl. Though perhaps it wasn't so much what Gina had said, but what Heath had said. It took a while for her to get her phone back.<p>

* * *

><p><em>That's the last you'll hear from me for a while - sorry guys. Have lots of exams to do, but if I find a free moment, I'll get you chapter 5. Hope y'all liking it so far, please let me know what you think. Bye for now, love Ruby-Angel xxx<em>


	5. Chapter 5

Hello everyone - I'm back, yay. Hope you're all well and like this new chapter. Please review: I love to hear from you. Love Rubes xxx

* * *

><p>Ashley quickly got bored of becoming a good girl. Despite how she acted she was actually very intelligent. Miles was pleasantly surprised – in fact delighted that he seemed to be making progress with her. He just thought she was working very hard. She wasn't. She could just get good grades really easily without bothering.<p>

Anyway she got bored of doing what she was supposed to. She hadn't really made any friends. She hang out with Casey and Ruby which drove Ruby insane and she suspected that that was why Ashley was doing it.

Ashley also found it very annoying how no boys were particularly interested in her. In the town where her boarding school had been she was the most popular girl with the boys. But in Summer Bay all the boys already had girlfriends or they ignored her and thought she was silly or she couldn't stand them.

Dexter however, did not fit into any of these categories. He was single. He didn't ignore her exactly – he smiled at her when he saw her and had tried to be friendly, but Ashley of course had pushed him away thinking her was not the type of boy for her. But then as time passed she discovered that she didn't mind him after all.

* * *

><p>One lunch time Ashley and Dex were alone in the Science lab. Earlier that morning they had been put as partners for an experiment, much to Dex's disgust – he wanted to be with April or Xavier, but April had got Ruby and Xavier Casey. Ashley was pleased: she liked to talk to Dex, she found him interesting and obviously very clever. She quite liked the fact that he was full of himself, rather like herself.<p>

Anyway so during that lesson they had not been able to finish their experiment so the science teacher – Gina – had asked them to come back at lunch time and finish it then, so there they were.

They hadn't said much to each other. In fact the conversation was very limited. Ashley occasionally asked what went where and so on and Dex would answer with grunts. Mmm hmm meant yes and mmm mmm meant no and so began the foundation of conversation.

Finally they finished and set about tidying up.

"Do you think we got the results right?" Ashely asked Dex.

"Of course. I never get anything wrong," he answered speaking in actual words.

"Nor do I."

Dex gave a grunt to which Ashley sighed. She wanted to have a proper conversation with him. Everyone else seemed able to get real words out of him, so why couldn't she? Some boys were impossible.

"Are you doing anything after school tomorrow? Do you want to go and see the final _Harry Potter _with me?" She knew he liked films.

"Oh sorry, I can't," he genuinely seemed apologetic. "I'm going with April, Xavier, Ruby and Casey."

"Casey?" Ashley questioned. "He didn't ask me if I wanted to go too."

Dex realised he probably shouldn't have mentioned that Casey was going. Casey would probably have to face a very angry Ashley later and Ashley angry wasn't pleasant. He felt sorry for her. "Look, maybe someone else could have my ticket and we could always go without them to another cinema." Dex could have kicked himself for saying that. Why would he want to go with Ashley rather than his real friends? He was too nice.

"You're so sweet Dex," she said flirtatiously.

"I know, it's always been my problem." He had to get out of this somehow.

"You're idea sounds pretty good. I'd love to go to the film just with you."

"Would you now? I might just have to check with Ruby that..."

"Oh stuff Ruby, she's so annoying. Forget about everyone else."

Ashley then completely startled Dex by giving him the biggest kiss he had ever had. He was so shocked he just stood there like a puppet. Finally he pulled away and had a comical expression of horror and surprise on his face.


	6. Chapter 6

"Oh my God!" screamed Dex, not knowing what else to say. "What was that?"  
>"A kiss."<p>

"Well, yes, I figured that out, but why? I hardly know you. You hardly know me. Why did you do that, that was not meant to happen. And don't say I've encouraging you because I haven't." This was all said in one breath.

"I wasn't going to say you had."

"Well why kiss me then?" Dex was busy cleaning the edges of his mouth.

"Because I think I might be starting to like you a bit more than just like."

"OK that's very nice Ashley, but I don't like you in that way. At least not in that way," again he was being too nice. "And now, I'm sorry, but I have to go. So you can finish tidying up and I'll catch you later." Dex ran as fast as possible to the door and straight into Casey who had been outside.

They both fell onto the floor.

"What the heck was going on in there?" asked Casey trying to scramble up from under Dex. "How dare you kiss Ashley!"

"I didn't. She kissed me!"

"Really?"

"Yes, don't worry, she is not my type. I have to say that I didn't enjoy it. Now if you excuse me I am going to go and have a cold shower."

Casey shook his head as he watched Dex walk away. He found this quite amusing.

That evening Charlie and Brax went out for a date. They hadn't been able to see each other as much as they used to since Ashley had appeared. She had been wanting to spend a lot of time with Brax. Brax took this well, thinking that it was just an excuse to spend time with him, he couldn't see through his daughter's real plan of trying to keep him and Charlie apart. She really hated that woman.

However she hadn't been able to stop this date.

They ordered.

"So hows Ashley settled in at school?" Charlie asked.

"Yeah good. As far as I know. She doesn't really talk about school. You know it's quite nice to have her around again, even though she does cause destruction wherever she goes. I missed her."

"I'd miss Ruby if I didn't get to see her every day."

"Yeah, you're pretty close. Sometimes I wish I was that close with Ashley. But I guess our age gap is bigger. I'm closer to Casey really. I mean I know I'm Ashley's dad, but I feel like I hardly know her."

Charlie smiled awkwardly. "Um, Brax, about that age gap. There's something I wasn't quite honest with you about Ruby and I."

Brax sat up, looking interested. "What?"

"I told you that Ruby was my daughter and I had her when I was fifteen, didn't I?"

"Yep." He wondered where this was going.

"But I didn't tell what happened."

"OK, you've lost me know."

"I didn't tell why I became pregnant. I never tell anyone. I mean it's not really the sort of thing you just go around bragging about." She stopped.

"Charlie are you ever going to tell me? Just spit it out it can't be that bad."

"Brax..." she began and stopped.

"Look Charlie, you obviously don't want to tell me so you don't have to if you don't want to."

"I do want to. You've been honest with me about Ashley and all your home life so I should be honest with you about Ruby." She took a deep breath. "I was raped."


	7. Chapter 7

Brax wasn't quite sure what to say next. I mean, what do you say when someone tells you that they have been raped (coming from experience, it is not easy.) His mouth opened and closed like a gold fish swimming in a glass bowl and wondering how he could escape. He could jump out of the pot, but he would most likely die. In terms of Darryl Braxton he could get up and run away, but Charlie would not be impressed and it was also not his style to run away at the first sign of trouble and he wouldn't look like a very good boyfriend and he wanted to be the best.

"Say something please," Charlie begged.

"Oh," was all that came out and he hadn't meant it too.

Speechless.

"Please, Brax, I thought..." she didn't actually know what she had thought. Why did she tell him again?

Brax gathered his wits. "Charlie I'm so sorry." That was more like it. "I can't quite believe it. That someone so strong as you could have got into that position."

"Yeah, I was quite stupid to get into that position."

"Do you mind if you tell me the rest?" Brax asked. She had left him on a cliff hanger. It was like the time when he had been reading a really good book and had just got to a really gripping part and the had chapter finished, but when he turned onto the next page he discovered that some of the book was missing and so he couldn't find out what had happened to the man who had left him hanging on to every word. It transpired that Heath had taken a few pages from the book to wrap around some chips. Brax was not impressed when he found it out, especially when the bookseller informed him that that book was now out of print and poor Brax has not been able to track down another copy yet.

I think we should get back to the real story now.

Charlie seemed a little hesitant.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

"No," she disagreed, "It's good to talk about it. I kept it bottled up inside for a long time after it had happened."

Brax waited expectantly.

"When I was fifteen I had a boyfriend, Grant, and I thought he was wonderful, but it turned out he wasn't." She spoke haltingly. "So we'd been dating for a little while and then it just sort of happened. We were in the park and, before I knew what he was doing – he was doing it. I screamed and I cried and I begged him to stop, but he wouldn't. When he had taken what he had wanted from me he just left and I never saw him again."

She stopped, inserting a dramatic pause – she didn't notice she was doing this of course – leaving Brax on tender-hooks. "Can I ask what happened next?" he said.

"Well I got up from the wet grass and ran home. I had a bath, but I didn't feel clean. I didn't know what to do. I just wanted to forget it had ever happened. So I didn't and I tried to make things go back to normal – that didn't really happen though. I didn't know that I would become pregnant."

Another dramatic pause ensued.

"I eventually broke down and told my parents what had happened. My dad wanted to go out there and find Grant and bring us both to court and get him convicted, but my mum wouldn't let him. She knew it would do more harm to me than good. I didn't really know what to do with the baby, but somehow we ended up keeping it and somehow baby Ruby copied me and called my mum 'mum' and my dad 'dad'. She we just acted like I was her sister and not her mother. Eventually I almost came to believe it was true. It was just easier to pretend."

"Wow," Brax breathed feeling quite moved. "And so you told Ruby?"

"Sort of, the truth just sort of came out, it was partly Morag's fault I think. She grew interested and being the very clever person she is, she probably worked it out before I actually told Ruby. I knew that I was going to have to tell her though because with my dad having Alzheimer's he probably would have spilled the beans eventually anyway."

"Was she OK with it?"

"No." That was the simple answer. Ruby hadn't been OK with the truth at all. It had caused a lot of problems between Charlie and her daughter, but thankfully now that had all blown over and Ruby had gradually accepted things. Though she had never called her 'mum'. Did Charlie miss that? Yes, she did and she often wondered it she would ever get the chance to be a proper mother.

"And that's why I became a policewoman. To try and bring some justice even when I know there can't be any." Last dramatic pause of the evening occurred. "We should go," she said to Brax and together they got up and Brax walked her home.

"Are you OK?" he asked as he made to leave her and her front door.

"I am now," she gave him a long lingering kiss.

Ruby watched from inside the house, hiding behind the curtains and squealed delightedly. She was so happy that Charlie seemed happy at long last. It had taken nineteen years.

"I'll see you tomorrow," she said smiling and holding onto his hand as she went inside before letting it fall out of her grasp.

Brax looked after her lovingly. He had thought she was so perfect, but it turned out she wasn't and that made her love her even more.


	8. Chapter 8

Ruby decided to scuttle back into her bedroom after spying on Charlie and Brax, but she decided to scuttle too late. Charlie was already in the house and caught the back of Ruby's blue dress flying behind her.

"And what are you doing up so late missy?" Charlie called out as loudly as she dared so as not to wake Leah and VJ.

Ruby turned back to Charlie. "Nothing."

"Well that means you were up to something," said Charlie fondly.

"No it doesn't," Ruby tried to deny.

"Rubes, I have not been your sister and mother for nineteen years without learning something about you: you are always up to something."

"I was just getting a glass of water," Ruby held up her hand to show Charlie the glass of water and then realised that was nothing in her hand. She hadn't thought of that.

"Which has now become invisible, what a coincidence," Charlie gave a little laugh."

Feeling beaten Ruby said, "OK. I was spying on you and Brax."

Charlie was a little taken aback. "Why?"

"I don't really know," Ruby shrugged. "I'm happy to see you so happy again because you haven't been happy since you broke up with Angelo and things. It's nice to see you happy again and I just wanted to make sure he was treating you right because, well, you deserve the best."

"Oh Ruby," Charlie opened her arms for a hug and Ruby came to them. "That's so sweet. Thank you."

"It's OK."

After a little while Charlie said, "I told Brax about us tonight."

"What about us? There's a lot to tell," Ruby looked up at her mother adoringly.

"I told him why you were born."

"Oh," Ruby pulled away and went to sit on the sofa. "Why?"

"I felt that he deserved to know. Rubes, what's wrong?" she said as Ruby burst into tears. Charlie went to comfort her and Ruby fell into her arms. Charlie held her daughter as she cried for a little while. "Please tell me why you're crying?"

Ruby sobbed a bit more and then said, "It's just that Angelo was the person you told first – even before me and he was there like a constant thing during that period and he wouldn't leave us and he was so good, he was like my real dad and somewhere I wanted you to get married and we could be a proper family and when we got a house together I felt like that was finally happening and then you broke up and I hoped and prayed that you would get back together like you had done, but you didn't and so I knew it was really over."

"But he was still there for you Ruby and I know he always will be. I know he loves you like he would his own daughter."

Ruby continued. "It's just I felt that the only thing connecting you, me and him was the fact that he knew everything about your rape and things and we were the only three people in this town who you that and when he moved away with Nicole, I felt that that was all we had connecting us now and I thought it would forever, but now you've told Brax I just feel like all that's gone, along with the friendship we had between the three us. I miss him so much."

Charlie wasn't sure what to say, but she told Ruby what she had been feeling too. "You know, I miss him a lot too. And sometimes I wish we could go back in time to when Angelo and I were still together because I was so much less complicated then, but I love Brax too. You know you can always talk to Angelo whenever you want about anything, I know he'd be happy to listen."

"It's not the same though."

Charlie thought for a little while. "How about we go and see him in the city sometime soon and then you can see Nicole and George too. I could go somewhere with Nic and the baby and you and Angelo could spend some time together without us, then we could all meet again for a meal and then you can talk to Nic and I can talk to Angelo. How does that sound? We could even go for a couple of days if you like and we could spend some quality mother and daughter time together too, like we used to. Would you like that?"

Ruby nodded and dried her eyes. "That sounds good."

Together they fell asleep on the sofa in each other's arms.

* * *

><p>A few days later Casey found Charlie at Angelo's (which should really now be called Brax's or Darryl's as it now belongs to him but oh well) debating over what she should eat.<p>

"Can I talk to you Charlie?" said Casey.

She looked up from the menu. "Of course, sit down." She gestured to the chair opposite her. "What can I do for you?"

"Well we're having to do a project on school about how local places help a town and we have to research how they work and all that sort of details and I was given the local police force to study so I've come to ask you if you can give me some help. I've got a list of questions here which you just have to answer," Casey pulled out a notebook from his pocket and began to act like a reporter. "If that's OK with you," he remembered his manners, not wanting her to feel like he was forcing her into anything.

"I would be delighted to help you Casey. Ask away?"

"Right," Casey began to answer his long list of questions – a little nervously at first and then he gained more confidence. Charlie spoke clearly and in full detail, giving him time to write down her answers.

"Thanks so much," Casey said when he had finished. "I'll leave you to your food now," he got up and made to leave, but Charlie called him back.

"Hey Casey, sit down again."

He did so.

"I just want to apologise to you. I wasn't very nice to you when I first found out about you and Ruby which wasn't right of me. I should have given you a chance, like Ruby told me to, but I just jumped to conclusions and I'm really sorry about that. You're actually a good kid and I'm very happy for you and Ruby to be together. That's all."

Casey smiled. "Thanks that means a lot."

"And you know that if you have any problems about anything, such as school or your mum, you can talk to me in confidence."

"Thanks," Casey said gruffly. After a little while he said, "Ruby's really lucky to have you as a mum. I wish mine loved me like you love Ruby."

"I'm sure she does," Charlie said, even though she didn't really believe it herself.

"I'd like her to be proud of me when I get good marks in school like you are of Ruby. I'd like for the teachers and other students to not always think that I'm bad just because of my family."

"You're family's not all bad," Charlie said thinking of Brax.

There was silence once more and Casey decided to go. "I'll see you around," he said to Charlie.

"OK. I hope I was of some use regarding the project."

"Yes, heaps. Thanks again."

"Bye." Charlie returned to contemplating the food.

Brax, who had watched this little scene unfold from behind the bar, smiled to himself when he saw the positive faces of Charlie and Casey. He was happy that they seemed to be getting on at long last.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile a little while later, Ruby had decided to find Brax. She had a project to do too and decided to study Angelo'sBrax's. So she went to the restaurant to talk to Brax about his little small town business.

"Ruby!" called out Brax when he saw her entering. He liked Ruby, she was fun and caring and had been a great influence on Casey. All in all she was a good girl and that's why he liked her.

"Yo," she said. "I need a little bit of help." She wasn't as organised as Casey and so hadn't prepared questions. She would just go with the flow.

"Is this something to do with the school assignment?"

"Yep. I need to know everything about how running a restaurant works." She sat on the stool where her mother always used to sit and talk to Brax in the evenings after a long day at work.

Brax smiled at the resemblance between mother and daughter.

"OK. So what do you need to know?"

"I have no idea. You just talk about it and I'll listen and then I'll go home and start working and if I think of a question I'll come back and ask you."

"Sounds like a plan," laughed Brax. So he told Ruby everything he could think of about running a the restaurant, from planning the menu, to making sure they got reliable delivery boys.

Ruby wasn't particularly interested, but she listened politely and attentively as she wanted to get a good grade. When he had finished she said, "Well that was all very fascinating, I'll just head off and see what I can do. Actually I have a better idea, I'll work here and then whenever I need your help, here you will be."

Brax gave a nervous laugh and raised his eyebrows slightly horrified. The idea of having Ruby sitting in the restaurant for longer than half an hour filled him with dread. He really liked Ruby, but she could talk all day long if given the chance and this was very likely to happen. And once she got an idea in her head, she would never let it go, so there was no way he was getting out of it. "Oh OK, though for no longer than two hours because I will have to set up for dinner."

"Great thanks so much Brax, I'll just go and get my stuff," she made to go and then turned round. "By the way, I think its really cute how you and Charlie are together and then me and Casey are together."

He nodded, knowing that she was going to say more.

"Of course, when I first found out I thought it was so messed up it was untrue and then I thought it through and I was like, 'actually it's really sweet' each sister with a brother. And anyway my family's already so messed up that a little more messiness isn't going to make much of a difference either way so it's cool."

"Yes, thank you for that Ruby," Brax said, sarcastically pleased that Ruby had given him her blessing to be with Charlie, not that it would have mattered if she hadn't, but it was nice to have her approval all the same.

"Right, I am actually going to go now. I'll see in five minutes," and she ran headlong into the glass door. "Ooops!" she giggled and walked sedately through it before running off once she was outside.

Brax shook his head fondly. Now that was not like Charlie.


End file.

Home & Away, Family, Romance