Our Special Connection

[Danni02]

Great update. Poor Charlie indefinate suspension I thought she might have pushed Brax away too, but so glad she didn't!

Sucks about the news article and what the RB's have done! Not sure it will be an easy ride for Chax for the next while at least!

Update soon

[Jen1205]

Not sure how I missed this story but I just read all the chapters earlier and I love it, Really love how close Charlie and Brax are, I'm glad they are finally out in the open now and hopefully things get better with Charlie's job and the riverboys. I hope you decide to continue with the story.

[Inactive User]

Awesome chapter. Poor Charlie Please update soon xx

[Sazzle]

Great update! Love how Charlie and Brax are supporting eachother and staying together. Hope that Brax doesn't get himself in bother...

Looking forward to next update! Thanks for sharing

[CharlieAndBraxLover]

Thanks for all the reviews everyone! Sorry I took so long to update! I hope you like this chapter, I kinda do Please review, the only reason I have continued is because you people review and tell me you enjoy this story and want me to keep going.

CABL. xxx

Chapter 13:

"Ohhh my goodness, Irene! Have you heard the news!? Our own Sargeant Buckton is having relations wth that criminal Riverboy!" Colleen squawked as she scurried through the diner and into the kitchen.

"God Colleen, give it a rest would ya!" Irene replied as she continued plating up food.

"But it's a scandal! How is our town going to be safe if our own police officer's are corrupt! This is outrageous!"

"Oh put a sock in it Colleen! I'm sure the newspaper has exaggerated the whole thing. It's none of our business, so if you don't mind, these orders need to go to table three" Irene ordered as she shoved the plates into Colleen's hands.

"Hmphh" Colleen let out as she waddled off whispering snide comments to herself.

--------------

The next day, Charlie and Brax walked hand in hand along the beach on their way to get some breakfast, making general small talk as they went. The beach was rather quiet of people at this time of the morning, as the waves were rough and not many people dared to try them.

As they walked further, Charlie suddenly stopped in her tracks, removing her hand from Brax's and taking a slight step away from him. Brax turned his head at Charlie, she was acting extremely weird and he was quite confused.

"Charlie, what are you doing?"

Charlie stayed silent, her eyes fixed on a group of guys with their surfboards who were wrestling on the sand. Brax noticed her intense gaze and followed her line of sight, until his eyes landed on Heath and the rest of the Riverboys who were about two hundred metres in front of them.

One of the Riverboys spotted Charlie and Brax and pointed them out to everyone else in their group. A few of the boys started yelling out some harsh words while the others laughed. Heath just stood there and glared at Brax, neither of them had spoken to each other in days.

"Can we just go, please?" Charlie asked Brax which pulled him out of his thoughts. Luckily she did so too, any longer and Brax would've marched over to the boys and roughed them up for what they were saying and for what they did to Charlie's window.

"Uh, yeah, sure" Brax said, signalling for Charlie to walk up the sandbanks to avoid any further confrontations with the Riverboys.

Reaching the main pathway that lead to the Diner, Charlie was still walking beside Brax, but with a foot long gap separating them.

Brax leaned over and grabbed Charlie's hand, intertwining his fingers in hers and pulled her closer towards him. As quickly as he did this, Charlie spoke.

"Brax, no. I can't. Everyone is looking and judging us, well... judging me." she said as she pulled her hand out of his, stepped away and continued walking.

Brax sighed, they were supposed to be out in the open like a normal couple.

"No one's looking and no one's judging Charlie, just come here" Brax said as he reached over for her hand again, but instead she moved it out of the way.

"No, Brax!" Charlie yelled slightly as she stopped and looked at him in the eyes before starting to walk again but quicker, making her a few metres ahead of Brax.

"Charlie, why not? You said we could hold hands and stuff in public now, that's what you said!" Brax raised his voice as he ran to catch up with Charlie.

She stopped walking, turned around and stared into Brax's eyes which were somewhat now filled with anger. Charlie knew how much Brax wanted to be open about their relationship, she wanted it as well, but it was much more difficult for Charlie than she first thought it would be.

Charlie glanced down at the ground and let out a sigh.

"I'm sorry, okay? It's just, I don't want people always staring at us, or talking about us behind our backs, or making smart comments if they see us walking together. I didn't think it'd be this hard. I just need time to adjust" she said as she looked at Brax hoping he'd understand.

"Alright, fine" Brax said softly.

"Thank you" Charlie replied with a smile.

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Charlie and Brax went in and out of the Diner as quick as they could, deciding takeaway breakfast would be the best option so Colleen wasn't constantly breathing down their necks.

Walking around the back of the diner, Brax felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. Skimming through the message, he stopped walking, put his phone back in his pocket and rubbed the back of his head.

"What's the matter?" Charlie asked as she looked at Brax's annoyed face.

"That was work, someone's stuffed up the supplies and they need me to sort it out. Why can't anyone in that damn place do anything right?" Brax's reply came a little harsher than intended.

"You should probably go and sort it out then."

"I know... It's just, today was supposed to be my day off and I wanted to spend it with you eh? Maybe it can wait until tomorrow." Brax said as he felt his phone vibrate a couple more times.

"As lovely as it would be to spend the day with you, I think you should go sort out the restaurant."

"Are you sure? I mean, what if you run into the boys ag.." Brax said as Charlie interrupted.

"Brax, I'll be fine. You go, I'll catch up with you later yeah?"

"Righto."

They stood in the same spot hesitantly, Brax didn't know if he should kiss Charlie because of the way she acted earlier.

Charlie subtley looked around the area to see if there were many people around. It was just about clear of people, so she leaned in and placed a kiss on Brax's lips.

She pulled back and as she went to walk away, Brax pulled her by the hand in for a longer and more passionate kiss, their two tongues both meeting each others half way. Charlie pulled back again with a shy smile on her face, looking at Brax who wore his usual cheeky grin.

"I'll see you later" she said, rubbing his forearm softly before walking home.

--------------

After Brax finished working out the complications at the restaurant, he set off down the beach and in the direction of Charlie's house.

As he walked along, he noticed the same bunch of Riverboys still on the beach, Heath included.

'Now or never' Brax thought as he made his way over to them. The boys noticed and met him half way.

"Look who's come crawling back, ey boys" Sam said in a mocking tone as the rest of the boys laughed and jeered him on.

"Finally realised where you really belong huh?" Sam said looking directly at Brax.

Brax looked around at the group of boys and laughed at them.

"You guys are pathetic, you know that?" Brax replied as he directed his firm gaze back on Sam.

"We're pathetic? Ya serious? We're not the ones who ditched the brotherhood for a PIG" Sam replied with emphasis on the word 'pig'.

That one word sparked something in Brax. He lunged himself towards Sam, sending them both to the ground and throwing as many punches as he could. The rest of the Riverboys finally realised what had happened and had pulled Brax off Sam and held him up so he couldn't move.

Brax struggled in their grasp trying to get free, but a group of nine was always going to defeat one person.

Sam and the other boys started to ruthlessly lay into Brax, punching and kicking him whereever they could.

After a short while, the Riverboys threw Brax down onto the sand, his barely conscious body covered in blood and bruises.

As the boys made their way off the beach, Brax struggled but managed to sit himself up. There was one of them still standing a few feet infront of him, Heath.

Brax clutched his ribs with one hand and wiped some of the blood off his face with the other, all while staring at Heath wondering why he wasn't helping him.

Heath stared back at Brax, his face expressionless. Heath didn't lay a finger of Brax during the beatdown, but he didn't help Brax either. Before Brax could stop his heavy breathing and say something, Heath turned around and made his way up the beach to rejoin the others.

-----------------

Charlie opened up the back door of Leah's house, knowing it would've been Brax coming over, but she definitely wasn't expecting this.

"Oh my god! Brax! What happened? Are you okay? Who did this? We have to get you to hospital!" Charlie yelled immediately as she saw a very badly bruised and battered Brax standing infront of her.

Charlie lightly grabbed his face with her hands, turning his head both ways to inspect his injuries further.

"Nah, nah I'm fine" Brax said quietly as he pushed Charlie's hands away from him with one arm, the other still discretely holding his ribcage.

"Brax you're not fine! Look at you!" Charlie continued to fuss.

"Relax, Charlie. I'm alright" Brax replied trying to calm her.

Charlie gazed at Brax with an upset look on her face, which he returned. Charlie took a step forward and put her arms between Brax's arms and body, pulling him in and hugging him tightly.

"Ahh! Jesus." Brax said as he stepped out of Charlie's grip and clutched his ribs once again.

Charlie looked at him concerned.

"Brax, seriously, you need to go to the hospital, you're really hurt."

"Can we just go sit for a bit?" Brax said as he limped through the kitchen and sat on the lounge, Charlie sitting on the coffee table facing him.

Brax avoided eye contact with Charlie, keeping his head down looking at his shorts.

"Bra..." Charlie started before he interrupted.

"Charlie, drop it. Seriously."

"Drop it? Are you joking! Brax, you turn up on my doorstep looking like this" she signalled to his face and body, "You can't just expect me to act like nothing's happened! What the hell is going on?" Charlie yelled.

"I wanted to teach the boys a lesson for what they did to your window and then they said some horrible things about you, and I lost it" Brax sighed.

"Who would've thought nine people could beat one ey" Brax joked but saw the look on Charlie's face and stopped.

Charie was again about to speak up, but Brax got in first.

"Okay Charlie, I know what I did was stupid, but I couldn't just let them get away with what they're doing" Brax coughed, causing him to groan in agony.

"Brax, just let me take you to the hospital. Please." Charlie begged.

"Look, how about we see how I feel tomorrow, and if it's worse you can take me to get checked out, okay?"

Charlie nodded reluctantly. She moved across and sat next to Brax on the lounge, wrapping her arm around his stomach and resting her head on his chest.

"Ahhh" Brax groaned again.

"Sorry! Are you alright?" Charlie fussed.

Brax just smiled at her as she leant off him and sat back on the lounge. He reached over and grabbed Charlie's hand, intertwining their fingers. Brax gave her a warm and appreciative smile before flicking on the TV.

[beebee]

Awesome update!

I kinda get why Charlie was reluctant to hold Brax's hand ... But I felt for Brax :-(

Poor Brax ... Regardless of whats gone on I can't believe they into him 9 on 1 ... Can't believe Heath just stood there & watched grrr

Hope Brax is ok ... Looking forward to more Chax

Pls update again soon xxx

[Inactive User]

Awesome chapter Aww poor Chax having to deal with these gossiping and etc... hope the scandal better not end Casey or Ruby up in danger! More soon please xx

[Spotd1]

Great update CABL! I understand why Charlie acted the way she did..loved the kiss in public! I feel so sorry for Brax, cannot believe Heath just watched and didn't help his own brother! Please update soon!! Xx

[Danni02]

Great update. Can't believe Heath did nothing to help Brax!! His own brother! I agree with Charlie, he needs to get to the hospital!

Update soon

[Lucii]

Brax needs to let Charlie take him to the hospital. Can't believe the boys turned on him like that and 9 against one he had no chance

Update soon xx