As Long As I Have You

[Sazzle]

Really great update! Sally was properly out of line...Charlie has been open and honest with Ruby but never pushed her relationship and always encouraged Ruby to listen to her parents.

Writing was really good...bless Ruby not wanting to be so far away from Charlie after just getting to know her.

Hope its not anything too serious with Charlie collapsing! Looking forward to your next update

[beebee]

I have only recently registered so I can comment .. but I have been reading your fic forever LOL .. your are an amazing writer!!

I really hope that you are going to continue with this fic .... I am really hanging onto a miracle happening and the baby being Brax's

Also I saw the spoilers for the coming weeks .. there is similar event that took place in your fic LOL

Pls pls continue

[callyha]

hey guys! sorry if you think this is an update, just thought I'd let you know that I do have a couple of updates ready to post, its just my internet is playing up now! grr so as soon as I have that fixed, I can update for you. I hope I still have readers, I know I haven't been on her for ages! hope you are all well xxx

[totally]

I am definitely looking forward to an update, hope your internet is fixed soon!

[JoJo1602]

Only just made an account but been reading your story for a while and i love it!!

I hope you update soon

[callyha]

Hey guy SO SO So sorry for the huge delay in gettng this update up! Intenet has only just been fixed! I hope I still have a few readers left, I feel really bad for leaving this midway through

Anyway, hope this is okay for you! and thank you for commenting!

Chapter 47

Ruby stared out of the car window, her head resting on her hand as she cried silently. Paul looked across to Ruby, and could tell she was crying, he was unsure of what to say to her that would make her feel any better; he and Sally had made her leave the house as soon as the paramedics entered Charlie and Brax's house

"Ruby" Paul tentatively said

"Don't" Ruby shook her head and held her hand up "I don't want to hear it"

"I know you wanted to stay-"

"I didn't just want to stay, I had to stay. Brax looked like he was about to break down in tears" Ruby looked around to Paul and wiped her face "Its bad enough you and mum are dragging me to New Zealand and far from Charlie already, but now you've taken me away from her when she needs all the support she can get" Ruby cried "something could be wrong with her, or the baby and her I am going home" Ruby shook her head and went back to looking out of the window, a tear mimicking the same flow as a water droplet on the glass

Paul looked at the distress in his daughters face. He hated seeing any of his kids with that look on their faces "Don't tell your mother" Paul said as he turned the wheel and headed down a back road, Ruby sniffed back some more tears and looked at her father "I'll go to the supermarket, you got to the hospital and see Charlie" a huge smile presented its self on her tear stained face "But" Paul raised his voice to emphasise "when I get to the hospital, you have to come and we have to leave"

"I will, I promise" Ruby excitedly said as she saw the hospital drawing closer "Thank you dad" Ruby hugged Paul as he pulled up outside the hospital. She then opened the door and made her way to the reception.

~*~

Brax sat in the chair beside Charlie, cupping her hand in his as he waited for the doctor to re-enter the room and explain to him why she had a drip in her arm and why she wasn't awake. He could hear the clock ticking away as he kept a firm gaze on Charlie, only breaking his eye contact with her to glance to her stomach and see the lump in the bed caused by her stomach

"You'll be ok" Brax said as he placed a hand on her stomach and gently stroking it, a tear rolled down his face "you both will" Brax added as he looked back to Charlie, who remained asleep. Brax looked to the door when he heard a knock "yea" Brax sniffed back tears and briefly looked to the person who knocked "Ruby"

"How is she?" Ruby asked as she closed the door behind her and walked over to Brax

"Okay I guess" Brax replied "she's on a drip for something and the doctors are supposed to be coming back in and telling me what's up"

"Will the baby be okay?" Ruby asked

"I hope so" Brax replied "I don't want to loose it Ruby" Brax looked to the teen through his glazed eyes "I don't want to loose the baby or Charlie"

"You won't loose either of them" Ruby placed a comforting hand on Brax's shoulder "Charlie will be fine, and the baby won't even know Charlie collapsed or that she was in hospital"

Brax was about to speak when the doctor came into the room "Doc" Brax rose to his feet but kept hold of Charlie's hand "what's wrong with her?"

"She is severly dehydrated" The doctor replied

"What?" Brax replied "she's always drinking though" Brax said "she just had a huge bottle of cherryade before we came here"

"She didn't have that much Brax" Ruby replied, remembering that Charlie had had at least a quater of the bottle; due to the fact Sally had had a huge go at her

"But she still drank" Brax replied "she's always got a drink in hand"

"Charlie is still drinking the amount she drank before she got pregnant; its something all women do, and some women are unfortunate to collapse" The doctor

explained "that and we also did some routine checks and tests and it turns out that your baby is -shall we say- a big one"

"What does that mean?" Brax shrugged his shoulders "a big one"

"To say Charlie is twenty weeks pregnant, the baby is close to a gestation of twenty four weeks"

"So you're saying the dates are wrong" Brax asked

"No, she is twenty weeks, its just the baby is taking so much from Charlie quicker than she can put it into her body" The doctor simplified his talk to Brax, noticing how confused Brax had grown

"So, what does Charlie have to do differently? What can I do to help?" Brax asked

"Regular drinking patterns is all I can say; even if it mean carrying a litre bottle of water whenever you go out"

"Isn't there anything else? I mean, you've got her on a drip. What if she faints again?" Brax asked

"If she does, you simply bring her back and we will run some more tests" The doctor replied "there is nothing else we can do medically speaking"

"Okay" Brax nodded "thank you"

"No worries" the doctor smiled befoe leaving Brax and Ruby with Charlie

"You okay now?" Ruby asked as she sat on the edge of the bed "you not panicking?"

"I'm panicking" Brax replied, looking to Ruby wide-eyed "dehydrated? she's dehydrated" Brax's voice rose "I drink the same amount as Charlie and I'm peeing every five minutes"

"Brax, its the baby; the baby is needing more water than Charlie is providing. You can't force Charlie to drink anymore than she already is doing; she'll slosh if she drinks anymore"

"But she's supposed to drink loads. You can die from dehydration; I don't want Charlie collapsing again and I don't want it risking her's and my baby's life" Brax held more tightly onto Charlie's hand, placing a kiss on her hand

"Brax" Ruby stared at Brax until he broke eye contact with Charlie and looked to her "you thought the doctor was going to tell you the dates were wrong, didn't you"

Brax bowed his head and nodded "I meant what I said to Charlie; the baby is Angelo's I don't care, I'll love it like its my own" Brax looked to the bump, hidden beneath the bedsheets "but there is the small part of me that wants the baby to be mine; not just so its my first born, but so Charlie can cut all ties off with her past"

"I know you do Brax" Ruby replied "I think every one in the Bay will want that also"

"They already think its mine" Brax replied "only you, Bianca and Casey know the baby isn't mine"

"Oh god" Ruby placed her hand over her mouth "can you imagine what people would say if they found out I am Charlie's child as well?"

"Colleen would have a field day with telling everyone" Brax smiled "I can't believe there are only a few of us that know"

"I kind of like it" Ruby replied "it's a sore subject still really, and becasue few people know, its easier for me and Charlie to spend time together"

"She never stops talking about you, you know" Brax smiled "I don't think I've ever seen a wider smile on anyone's face before" Ruby smiled as she heard Brax talking about how Charlie was whenever she wasn't with her, she felt embarrased by what Brax was saying, but a good embarrased, not an awkward embarrass.

~*~

Sally shook her head when she saw Paul in the car park of the supermarket alone. Her hands planted straight to her hips and she glared at paul as he walked over to her, ready to try and calm her down

"Where is Ruby?" Sally asked, looking behind Paul

"I took her to the hospital" Paul replied

"Why?" Sally asked, looking to Paul who rubbed his hand over the back of his neck

"You should have seen the look on her face Sal" Paul pointed to the door and then slapped his hand onto his thigh as he lowered it "Charlie is pregnant, in the hospital, not awake and she was worried. Charlie is apart of Ruby's life now; she has the right to be in that life"

"No she doesn't" Sally shook her head "ever since Charlie came on the scene, Ruby has been so different"

"Different how?" Paul crossed his arms "All I have seen is a hole filled in her life; she knows where she has come from"

"Don't make it out so that I'm the bad guy here Paul" Sally retorted "I don't want Ruby going anywhere near that hospital. She is coming to New Zealand with us as

planned"

"Planned when, Sal?" Paul took a step closer to Sally "Issy was the one who was going to New Zealand for the school terms, she was coming back home during holidays. Dan would join her if he wanted to"

"Why have you suddenly changed your mind? A few days ago you were on my side" Sally questioned

"You think I'm okay with uprooting my life, quiting my job and moving to another country? I'm not" Paul shook his head "it doesn't make sense to leave Australia and go to live in New Zealand. We always said we would never stop the kids doing from what they want to do, and if we go to New Zealand aswell, Issy and Dan aren't living their own lives; they will be just be in a different country"

"I don't want to loose Ruby" Sally cried "If she comes to New Zealand with us, I know I'll always have her"

"Sal, if you do that, she will never forgive you. There is not possible reason for us to move completely" Paul walked closer to Sally and placed his arms around her "Ruby and Charlie have a bond that is unseen; but so do you and Ruby" Paul wiped the tear falling from Sally's eye "Ruby knows where she belongs, but Charlie is also apart of her life now, and so is the baby. That baby will be Ruby's half brother or sister"

"I know" Sally nodded "It just seems like, she's rushing through everything with Charlie, and I don't want her to get hurt"

"But telling her that she can't see Charlie and telling her she's moving to New Zealand isn't the best way of dealing with things" Paul replied

"What else am I supposed to do?" Sally asked "Its like Ruby has forgotten who we are"

"You know that isn't true" Paul replied "just the other day she was telling Issy about the day she had had with Charlie" Paul smiled "she wants us and Charlie to get along well, you should be happy about that"

"I should" Sally nodded "so why aren't I?"

~*~

Brax stil had hold of Charlie's hand as she came too. Brax's face light up when he heard Charlie inhale and saw her eyes flutter open. He clasped both hands round Charlie's and placed a kiss on her fingers that dangled out

"Charlie" Brax smiled as he then placed a kiss on her lips "I was so worried"

"The baby" Charlie asked, moving her hand to her stomach

"Is fine" Brax replied as he placed his hand on top of Charlie's "you collapsed cos you aint been drinking enough" Brax said to Charlie as she looked to Brax "the doctor said the baby is taking things from you quicker than you can put things in"

"So nothings wrong?" Charlie sniffed

"No, nothing is wrong" Brax replied happily "you just need to stay in until the drip has finished putting fluids into you" Brax pointed to the half-emptied drip

"How are you?" Charlie asked as she pushed herself up in the bed

"You had me worried, but I'm alright"

"Aww, you were worried" Chalrie teased

"Don't mock. This is the only time I'll be like this. Next time I won't be" Brax smiled

"Cruel" Charlie smiled "what about Ruby? is she ok?"

"She was" Brax replied "Paul came back and took her home. He asked how you were and told me to let him know how things go"

Charlie sighed and looked at her surroundings and to the drip in her arm "So all of this is caused by me collapsing" Brax nodded "wow, never thought that would happen. I never once collapsed when I was pregnant with Ruby" Charlie remembered "well, I was four months when I found out so maybe I wasn't paying much attention"

"So if you never fainted when you were pregnant with a girl, I reckon this is a boy" Brax smiled

"Bare in mind I was fourteen when I was pregnant with Ruby, I'm twenty seven now" Charlie replied "that could have a difference too" Charlie replied

Brax was about to speak again when the door opened and the doctor walked inot the room "Oh, we're awake" he smiled "how do you feel?"

"Fine" Charlie replied "bit shocked to have this in my arm" Charlie held her arm out to show the drip and the slight bruise that was forming "but other than that, I'm fine"

"Good. Well, once the drip has finished, you can leave. I wil however, advise you to try and keep fluid levels high" the doctor handed a leaflet to Brax "now, I'm finishing my shift in the next hour, and so I wont be here when the drip has finished. My colleague will be the doctor to discharge you. Is there anyting you want to know before I leave?"

"I was wondering; would the age of a pregnant woman factor fainting?" Brax asked as he looked away from Charlie and focused on the doctor

"How do you mean?" the doctor asked

"Well, lets say a woman has a baby at fourteen and doesn't faint throughout the pregnancy. She then is pregnant and faints at twenty seven. Would that have anything to do with it? or is it that she didn't faint cos she had a girl and then she fainted cos she is having a boy?" Brax explained further

"The sex of the baby doesn't alter the prospect of fainting; a woman can have five daughters, and faint throughout the pregnancy of only one of them" the doctor replied "age has more to do with it; but only because and adult of twenty seven needs more fluids that a teenager of fourteen"

"Told you" Charlie smiled as she looked to Brax smugly "thank you" she said to the doctor

"No worries" he replied "and I hope the next time we meet, I hand you your son or daughter" he added before leaving Charlie and Brax in the room, looking deep into each others eyes.

[homeandaway13]

Great chapter and i can't wait for the next chapter so please update soon xx

[Inactive User]

Awesome chapter And welcome back, Callyha

Hope Sally changes her mind and stays here in Australia. If she does, hopefully she will soon get along with Charlie for Ruby's sake.

More soon please xx

[beebee]

Yay .... I was scared that you weren't going too continue

Loved this update ..how cute was Brax at the end trying to sus out if the baby was a boy lol

I was also praying that the dates were wrong .... I'm still holding out hope that the baby is Brax's :-)

Please please update soon xx

[MatildaHunterFan]

Cool chapter, well-written! More soon please