Frozen in Time

[Angel90]

Plz let Brax be at the hospital... Dont wat him to get arrested...

Love reading this os gripping...

Loved Heath he was sos caring awww bless

Looking forwaqrd tot eh next chapter

[Samantha28]

Loving this story!!! Last few chapters have been absolutely brilliant!!

Looking forward to more!!

[Claire_Blake]

Many thanks to all who are reading and reviewing. This may be the last update for a few days as I have a busy few days ahead. Hope you enjoy it.

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Sitting in the waiting room Heath fumbled at the magazine lying on his lap in front of him. It was crap. Looking at the clock across the hall he was surprised to find it to be 8.30pm already. Having managed to get into the house before the cops had flocked upon it he’d managed to dispose of the gun effectively before making his way back to the hospital. Having arrived back he found Ruby and Casey in relatively high spirits and his mother on the verge of a mental breakdown. Instructing her that he would call one of the boys to come and pick her up only on the basis that she went and stayed at one of her friend’s houses, she swore an oath to God before practically sprinting out of the building.

Brax, meanwhile, was still being interrogated. Not content with the belief that he saw nothing, heard nothing and didn’t have a clue why somebody would want to kill him, the Police had decided to keep hold of him a little longer and were currently in the process of attempting a different angle on interrogation. In the wake of recent events combined with now suspecting that his relationship with Sergeant Buckton was considerably more than a strictly professional one, key to their new approach had been withholding information as to her condition. This they hoped, in his agitated state, would lead to him relinquishing more information than he intended. Ruby and Casey, meanwhile, had embarked on a tour of the hospital. Having ignored Heath’s pleas for her to go home on the basis that she outright was not willing to set foot outside of the hospital, she had settled on allowing Casey to take her for a walk so as she could at least stretch her legs.

Heath had promised to stay put need there be any developments in their absence and, more so, so he was in grasping reach of the cops who had implored him to remain on the hospital grounds for when they had finished questioning his brother. After, they had implied, he was next on their list of people they wanted to have a little chat with. Leah had been and gone. She’d left an hour earlier having brought Casey and Ruby some food, made her apologies, promised to come back first thing tomorrow morning and successfully ignored him the whole duration.

He sighed running his fingers through his hair and was interrupted only by the sound of footsteps approaching him. Looking up, he grimaced and turned away at the familiar face of Morag Bellingham walking towards him. Comforted in sensing his unease, she greeted him coldly before taking a place in a chair adjacent to him.

“Mr Braxton. What a less than pleasant surprise.”

Raising his eyebrows he looked up before forcing a slight smile in her direction. Despite his overwhelming desire to tell her exactly where she could go he was, also, aware that after everything that had happened today pissing off the local Magistrate was perhaps not the wisest move. Grimacing he leaned back in the chair before letting his head hit the cold wall behind him. Clenching his fists he anticipated the conversation that he fore sore awaited him.

“I hear my step daughter is likely to make a full recovery.”

Nodding in recognition of her statement he watched as she placed her bag on the floor next to her. “No thanks to you and your brother I presume.” Letting out a snort of expectation Heath chose to ignore the statement before looking up and down the corridor in the hope that Ruby and Casey may relinquish him of his current predicament. Morag, meanwhile, started to pick at the corner of a broken nail before continuing, “I am aware of more than my step-daughter gives me credit for…not least her relationship with your so called brother.” Growing increasingly irritated and impatient, Heath addressed her sharply, “Your point?” Aware of his lack of interest in having this conversation she continued regardless, “My point is Charlie is a police officer. You and your brother are known criminals and, because of that fact, she nearly died today.” Snorting half at the implication of them as criminals and the other at her recognition of the ongoing war that had erupted around them Heath glared at her mockingly from across the room. “I’m still none the wiser as to your point.” Morag stared at him impatiently before tapping her foot on the floor, “My point Mr Braxton is that regardless of what Charlie believes her feelings towards your brother are, today has proven, would you agree, that he is no good for her?” Shrugging his shoulders Heath acknowledged in the affirmative, ‘Well sleeping with the pigs has never been high on my priority list.” Grimacing at his use of terminology and watching as he allowed himself a smile in recognition of his own humour, she continued nonetheless. “Sensing that you and your brother were likely to be less than accommodating in assisting the officers with their inquiry I had a few friends of mine apprehend some of your acquaintances this evening.” Knocking his head against the brick wall behind him Heath listened indifferently as Morag continued to talk at him regardless of his apparent disinterest.

“Many of them were of little interest to us but, one of them…Stuart I think his name was, if I recall correctly, seemed to be carrying something in the boot of his car that was very interesting indeed.” She watched intently as he leaned forward making eye contact with her at the reference to the latter name. Propelled by his sudden visible unease she continued as he glared at her attentively. “I don’t think I need to repeat what was found in the boot of that car Mr Braxton. I think we both know.” She watched as he shifted on the chair uncomfortably. “Now judging by my enquiries as to your property and the surrounding area it appears that this afternoon was perhaps not as one sided as you and your brother may have led the Police to believe.” Pausing, she watched as he clenched his fists angrily refusing to relinquish his gaze from her. “And I suspect that if I were to hand that gun over to the police then they’d find some rather familiar fingerprints on it, don’t you?” She didn’t wait for a response from him. “And it won’t only be my step daughter’s attacker facing charges of attempted murder.” Pulling himself upright on the seat before rubbing at his hair forcefully Heath hesitated before addressing her abruptly.

“What do you want?”

She smiled in recognition of his intelligence before reaching for her bag on the floor and replacing it on her shoulder once again, “I’m not naïve enough to think that my telling Charlie to stay away from your brother will have any effect. She’s too strong willed. I want, Mr Braxton, for this war to stop before her or my granddaughter are hurt any more.” Pausing, she continued, “I also want whoever was responsible for today to be brought to justice.” Shooting her a look of confusion, Morag held her hand up indicating that she had yet to finish, “I want your brother to stop playing stupid and name the people responsible for today.” She glared across at him intently, “and I then want you both to stand back smiling as you let the police deal with the situation.”

He continued to watch as she stood up pushing the creases down on her coat before gazing across at him. Shaking his head he addressed her bluntly, “I’m telling ya now he won’t listen to me. Not after today.” He grimaced at his own recognition of his brother’s unwillingness to see reason, “He doesn’t care. He’ll kill them.” He signalled to the room in which Charlie was situated. Frowning, Morag slung her bag over her shoulder before turning to face him as she walked off:

“Well it’s your job to help convince him not to now isn’t it?”

Walking up the corridor in the direction in which she had come she paused before turning around and addressing him again; “One more thing” He glared across at her impatiently. Frowning slightly she finished her sentence:

“Afterwards, I want him to walk away from her. Walk away and never look back.”

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Brax leaned back in the chair uncomfortably. He was beginning to get restless. By his reasoning he’d been here for four hours already. He gazed across at the vacant position on the wall where the clock had been situated. Having grown frustrated with his constant preoccupation with it the male Officer had proceeded to stand on a chair and remove it from the wall. It was now situated on a table in the corner with its back to him. They could have at least taken it out of the room. Staring across at his company he ran his hands across his head in irritation. They still had not bothered to tell him how Charlie was. He wasn’t stupid. Nobody these days is kept in theatre for five hours from a gunshot wound. It was clearly a tactic of theirs. Make him sweat and hopefully he’d break. He laughed inwardly at their naivety comforting himself with the fact that at least if she was dead their moral conscience would have prevented them from doing this. Sighing he stretched him arms out behind him. The officers glanced across at each other before indicating that they wished to further proceed with their questioning. At least he had been granted a change of face. The two from earlier had seemingly finished their shift and left him as someone else’s problem. Leaning back in his chair the male officer addressed him calmly.

“So Mr Braxton, for the benefit of my colleague here let me go over what we know already.” Brax leaned back in his chair impatiently. “You saw nothing, you heard nothing, you have absolutely no idea why somebody may want to harm you and you deny reports that you were witnessed by numerous people shooting at a vehicle that was leaving your premises.” The Officer raised his eyebrows at him as he shrugged his shoulders, grinned before leaning forward and resting his elbows on the table. “Nobody could ever accuse you of not being forthcoming, could they?” Brax ignored the sarcasm and looked across at the clock in the corner. If he could just throw something at it and knock it over.

Tapping a pen impatiently on the table the female Sergeant turned to address him. “You haven’t asked how Sergeant Buckton is in a while?” She watched as he shrugged his shoulders complacently. “Bit of a change of tune from when you first came in here wouldn’t you say? My colleague informs me that he couldn’t shut you up then.” Ignoring her attempt at humour he started to fiddle with the edge of his t-shirt. Readjusting her position in her chair, she continued, “You don’t care?” Sitting up in the seat leisurely he allowed himself to slant backwards as he addressed her smiling somewhat; ‘Well I’d presume that had she died you would have had the decency to inform me.” Tensing slightly at his bluntness, the male officer looked at his colleague before taking over. “Mr Braxton, Sergeant Buckton nearly died today and, by your game playing, whoever was responsible for her injuries is walking around leisurely.” The Officer watched intently as he muttered something inaudible under his breath. Unsurprisingly hedeclined the request to repeat what he had just said. Glaring across at his colleague in apparent frustration Brax leaned back in his chair as their presence was interrupted by a firm knock at the door. He watched as the male officer smiled across at him before answering it and signalling for Dr Walker to enter the room.

Brax glared across at them trying to hide his confusion. His heart began to race as he attempted to hide his growing anxiety as he let him arms rest on the table in front of them. Sid, meanwhile, listened intently as the male officer addressed his quietly at the door before his female colleague exited and her position at the table was swiftly taken up by the Doctor. The male officer retained his previous position. Growing increasingly uncomfortable Brax shifted in the seat before glaring across at them nervously, “What’s going on?”

He watched as Dr Walker placed a file down on the table before opening it slowly. He turned to Brax as the police sergeant addressed him bluntly. “You asked for an update on Sergeant Buckton’s condition so Dr Walker here has kindly agreed to come and brief you.” Brax stared across at where Sid was now glancing across at him coldly before relinquishing his gaze. Brax leaned back in the chair perplexed as to what was happening. The Police didn’t do this sort of thing. He watched intently as the male Officer nodded indicating to Dr Walker that the floor was his. Looking up from his file in front of him Sid addressed him calmly. “As you are aware Mr Braxton Charlie came in with extensive injuries caused by a gunshot wound to the abdomen.” Turning the page over in his file Brax watched uncomfortably as he continued, “She suffered severe blood loss, respiratory failure and the bullet succeeded in perforating the lining of her stomach.” He watched intently as the Officer indicated for him to continue. Sid looked up at him questioningly; “Are you aware of the effects of a wound to the abdomen?”

Brax shifted uncomfortably as he saw the direction the conversation was now going in. Interpreting his silence as an answer Sid continued, “Having perforated the lining of her stomach almost immediately the bullet severed one of Sergeant Buckton’s major arteries causing her to go into Hypovolemic shock. This is ordinarily caused by a lack of blood to the circulatory system.” The male officer watched as Brax stared intently in the Dr’s direction. He didn’t move a muscle. Dr Walker continued to explain Charlie’s injuries in deafening detail. Brax, meanwhile, listened intently refusing to relinquish eye contact with him. He hadn’t moved a muscle and, as the officer observed, he was desperately attempting to stop his hands from shaking underneath the table. He felt like he was going to be sick. Dr Walker finished his briefing, “Coupled with losing approximately five pints of blood on top of that it is safe to say that Sergeant Buckton would have been in excruciating pain. The hypovolemic shock would have started to shut down her respiratory system causing her heart to slow down depriving her of oxygen.” He hesitated watching nervously as Brax turned his attention momentarily to the officer sitting beside him. “…In short, before falling unconscious she would have begun to feel as if her lungs were about to explode.” The officer watched as Brax glared across at him coldly. Allowing a small smile to creep across his lips he watched bemused as Darryl Braxton went for him as Dr Walker shouted for assistance.

[cb2180]

another great chapter! really mean making brax listen to all that!

[Samantha28]

Another great chapter!! Brilliantly written!

Looking forward to more!

[Guest]

Great update look forward to more

[Dingo x]

Amazing chapter,

I can't wait for your next update (:

xx

[CharlieAndBraxLover]

Can't wait for more. One of my favourite Chax fanfics ever update soon please

[soph1303]

Great update - really liking this fanfic,

Grr Morag! I get that she's trying to protect Charlie and all that, but Charlie and Brax HAVE to be together !!!! But Heath talking to her was funny though

at the cops basically baiting Brax by telling him all the gory details to get him to snap, and proving that he has feelings for Charlie!! That was so low!! I was glad Brax hit the guy - I was getting ready to myself !!

More soon please

[mft]

another amazing chapter. Can't wait for the next one