Shadow of the Day

[JosieTash]

This fic is like TV series “LOST” !!!!!! i have NO idea what’s REALLY going on, but I LOOOOOOOVE it!!!!

That was TOTALLY coooooooooooooooooooooool !!!!!!, especially ......

 The beginnings of life were truly beautiful. To watch a child grow, flourish and discover would be the greatest gift Bianca could hope for. So when she saw Brax walking down the beach hand in hand with little Jade, her heart whimpered in a mixture of love and grief.

‘Hey Bee, hey Liam, look I got ice cream,’ and so Jade held up her ice cream cone as proof. ‘Leah gave me it.’

 ‘Oh yeah, pre-school, bye Bee, I gotta go,’ Jade waved with her free hand and smiled.

‘We’re not in a rush,’ Brax found the excitement amusing. In a few years, he knew he’d hear nothing but complaints at the mere mention of school.

They weren’t in any rush, but apparently Jade was.

 ‘You know, it’s going to happen, babe,’ Liam sat in front of her on the coffee table, leaning forward. ‘You just wait.’

‘Oh for god’s sake, Liam, don’t give me that,’ Bianca snapped and stood up to walk off. ‘I am so sick of that glass half full crap.’

Liam sighed. The first few days after a negative result were always the hardest and it had only been three days. He knew the routine. She’d cheer up in a few days. But the next time, the anger would return. This was supposed to be a happy fun period in their lives full of anticipation and hope. Unfortunately too much anticipation is dangerous for the mind, especially when all of it keeps constantly leading to nothing.

Banging the door shut to her bedroom upstairs, Bianca breathed in deeply. She was so sick of menstruation and ovulation and the frustration that came with it all when it came down to nothing. What was the point of it all? She remembered Jade’s cheerful face and she knew.

 Ms Gold was a tall chirpy blonde ex-ballet dancer with a heart of gold.

 Marissa sympathised. After months of knowing him, she had grown to like the man. There was something quite vulnerable about him. ‘Ruby, I met her before. She and Jade have been seeing each other then I take it?’

‘No,’ Brax elaborated. ‘Well, she’s coming over tomorrow to hang out with her. Ruby hasn’t got around to it yet.’

‘That should be good for Jade. Reconnecting with her sister.’

‘Yeah, I just hope Ruby’s feelings for me don’t get in the way of that.’ Brax sighed. ‘I know my past isn’t exactly wholesome but I really want this. I want us to be a real family. I just wish she could see it too. I wouldn’t be considering adoption otherwise.’

‘Adoption, that’s a big step. We’ll be seeing a lot more of each other in that case.’ Marissa smiled at the thought. ‘For now why don’t we stick to today?’

‘Sure, I guess thisis the part where you go check out Jade’s room and talk to her?’ Brax knew the procedure too well, having been accustomed to these regular home visits. He hated them but Marissa was nice and that made up for it. If he had his way however, the social worker wouldn’t be there, even if she was the sweetest thing in the world.

 The first thing VJ always did when he entered his house was flick the lock on the door and turns the key into the secondary lock so it was double secured. This was the only way his mother would feel safe. And even then, she’d still have her nervous moments. There was a door chain as well but that was saved for the nights when no one came in and out.

 VJ replied turning around to face his mum. Leah couldn’t help but notice that he was standing in the exact spot Charlie had been standing when she’d told her about the baby.

‘You know I really want a boy this time.’ Charlie had smiled that October night and bit her lip happily. ‘A little Darryl Braxton, I’d love that. This is my chance for a do-over. I love my family with all my heart and wouldn’t take it back for anything but; I have the opportunity to have a normal pregnancy. No drama for the first time in my life, you know?’

‘Yes, I know.’ Leah had replied. Unfortunately, drama had followed. And it was a real pity too.

When VJ was gone, Leah hadn’t even realised she was still staring. Shaking her head to clear it, Leah scolded herself for day dreaming and returned to her work.

Never again. Never again would a person be wrongfully harmed in her home. There was too much pain within the four walls, from Dan to Charlie to even Peter for a while, and Leah’s unborn child, it was all too much. The security craze had started the time Jake had broken in; yet it had happened again after that. As far as she was concerned that kind of thing wouldn’t happen again in this house.

 ‘Charlie Buckton…’ Looking back at the door, he curiously picked up the file and glanced through it. November First 2011. Xavier read through the report. Weakened by a chloroform cloth to her mouth, she had difficulty fighting back. It accounted in detail how Jake Pirovic had trespassed through the front door, drugged her from behind and carried her unconscious to his car. One month, she’d been gone, and found barely conscious driving Jake’s car down the road, bruised with a severe concussion, cuts, a broken rib, and burns…Xavier couldn’t read anymore and skimmed down.

Down to the memory loss and how Charlie had suffered the after effects. The lack of evidence due to a victim testimony hadn’t damaged the investigation. The physical evidence was more than sufficient. Xavier could remember that time well. When she’d finally remembered, it was like her whole world had fallen apart. Again,

 Georgie pursed her lips as the junior officer left quickly. She wasn’t supposed to have been looking at the Buckton file either but she couldn’t help herself. From time to time, she needed to read it. It was her way of remembering. And in a way, it felt like reading that horrific account of her friend’s life and feeling that hurt herself would take some of the pain and burden away from a woman who had done nothing to deserve such grief.

 The ENTIRE Ruby, Jade scene --- in partric. ‘Do you know mummy?’ Jade asked as they bobbed up and down in the ocean. The question hit Ruby like a bullet. Did she know mummy?

‘Yes. We have the same mummy you know.’ It had been questions all day. What’s your favourite colour? Where do you live? Why is your hair curly? Why is mine straight? Do you like Sponge Bob? It was an endless monologue of childish banter, accompanied by an endless abundance of energy.

 the WHOLE Christmas part scene…in particular …. In her five inch heels, she grabbed the nearest person to her and danced with him without a care in the world. Drunk, the boy pulled her in close so their bodies touched on every crevice. ….AND …. Ruby shook her head. She wasn’t stupid, she’d pour her own. This she’d learnt from experience. Ruby had been lucky that time, but she wouldn’t take any more chances.

[~Zoe~]

I dont know whats going on, but this is very good.

[mizziette]

Thanks everyone,

SIX

‘Did you just get back from work?’ Ruby lay on the bed in her room at the Austin house having just come down from her high the previous night. That girl had been right; the pill really had been amazing. Ruby had tried other stuff before but no other party drug compared to the euphoria she’d experienced. Xavier smiled as he stood by the door.

‘Yeah,’ Xavier had popped his head in early from his night shift to find Ruby just heading to bed yet again. Probably out at some party or other as usual doing god knew what but he didn’t ask. ‘How’s the head?’

Ruby rolled her eyes. ‘Why do you keep asking me that every morning?’

‘If I don’t you’ll just complain about your hang over any way so…’ She’d changed so much Xavier sometimes found it hard to believe she was really the same Ruby Buckton that he’d fallen for in high school. She’d only been back for a week and the difference was startling but once in a while the quintessential Ruby would break through the hard exterior.

‘Well, at least I’m not wasting my time on video games and surfing 24/7. I don’t remember Casey being so damn lazy; he doesn’t even pretend to earn a living.’ Ruby grumbled light heartedly. ‘Knowing his type he probably does “business on the side”, you might want to look into that.’

‘I don’t have to look into anything.’ Slight annoyance crept into Xavier at the constant criticising towards Casey. ‘Rubes, he’s just finished university, got a job teaching next year at Summer Bay High. It’s the holidays. Maybe you should stop criticizing him and actually talk to the guy for once.’

‘Alright, alright, I was just saying,’ Ruby leaned against the head board seated up under the sheets. ‘How was your night?’

‘I spent most of the night on an empty road armed with a breathalyser. Not fun. My night was pretty uneventful, at least a lot more than yours would have been. When did you get home last night? Or should I say this morning?’ There was worry in his voice.

‘You’re not my mother Xav.’ Ruby joked with a smile on her face. ‘So quit mothering me and get to bed. You’ve been working hard all night, you need sleep.’

‘Well, you get some sleep too. You’ve been partying hard all night. You need it more.’ With that Xavier closed her bedroom door.

Bianca sat on the familiar patient’s bed, waiting for the doctor to return with her three hundred dollar hormone shot. Who would’ve thought making a baby could be so expensive? It seemed the days when conceiving considered of pure no fuss sex- something that cost no money at all- were over.

‘Alright Bianca, are you ready?’ Rachel re-entered and tested out the syringe. She smiled reassuringly. ‘You know the deal.’

‘All too well,’ she had her own injections at home too, administrated to her once a day by Liam. She’d been taking pills before that, but that hadn’t seemed to work. If it meant getting a positive, five minutes of pain a day really meant nothing.

The stab barely registered in her thigh. Bianca was really that used to the feel of syringe puncturing her skin. Rachel pushed the fluid into the blood stream and cleared up the wound. Disposing of the syringe in the medical waste, she smiled at her friend. ‘All done,’

‘I missed my period last week. I made the sad mistake of taking a pregnancy test.’ Bianca quietly admitted. ‘Turned out I was just a little late. Should’ve known,’

‘Bianca, you can’t beat yourself up every time like this. You know, stress can make this process a little difficult. Maybe you should try some relaxation methods. Or skipping a cycle; be yourself for a while.’ Rachel suggested. ‘Who knows, some women find that spontaneity and a little break helps relieve the pressure.’

Spontaneity seemed like a life time ago. Everything in Bianca’s life at the moment was run on a strict schedule. She and Liam only ever had sex according to a schedule, arranged around her body clock. Hormone shots every day at four, this part of the day had to remain clear. They rarely went out, in case they lost the window. It all felt pointless.

‘I don’t think so.’ There was no way Bianca would miss a cycle. What if she missed her chance? No.

Brax could remember a time when Charlie would’ve been mortified at his presence while she was in the bathroom. When your own girlfriend couldn’t remember who you were, certain boundaries had to be reinstated. Ruby had university and couldn’t look after Charlie so it had been up to Brax. It was a hard few weeks, but they’d gotten through it, and things had been better than ever.

‘Brax, get out, I’m naked!’ Her voice was high pitched with embarrassment as she hide herself with whatever was on hand but Brax never had understood why she’d be so horrified to cover herself up. It wasn’t like he hadn’t seen it all before, before Jake had waltzed in and hit her over the head. Screw Jake, it was his fault Brax wasn’t getting any.

‘Nothing I’m not already familiar with, trust me,’ the cheeky comment from Brax received a shocked gasp and he could just have imagined Charlie with wide eyes touching her hand to her mouth stunned at the brazenness. Charlie’s sudden modesty had been actually quite amusing.

‘Alright, I’m leaving. Sorry.’ Good naturedly, Brax had even taken to sleeping on the couch- because she couldn’t share her bed with a stranger, she’d said. He never bothered to correct Charlie and mention that it was in fact his bed, not hers. And every time Brax mentioned anything about her childhood, anything about her secrets, she’d look at him with wonder, as if she was realising that he hadn’t been lying about knowing her.

Now, things had surely changed. As Brax walked into the occupied bathroom to pick up his watch from the sink top, Charlie didn’t even so much as flinch as she washed her hair. Smiling, he headed out into the living area to take their daughter to her music lesson.

[kiwi151]

Excellent chapter... all is clear now!

I love how Charlie is readjusting back into the relationship

[~Zoe~]

Great chapter

[caroline77]

I am glad that Charlie is still alive even though she has memory loss. This has been a different twist on Charlie and Brax. I am enjoying it. Looking forqward to see what happens next. Especially if Charlie starts to get her memory back....

[totally]

I think I finally got it now. Memory loss. Poor Charlie, I hope she can start to reconnect with her family. So is there a time gap between that last update and the previous ones? I think so, I hope I got it right this time. I am glad Charlie is not dead. Jade is so cute and Brax is such a protective daddy.

Poor Bianca as well.

Good story, I am really really interested in what will happen next.

[Danni02]

So she is alive! But memory loss. I hope she can start to remember somethings. Poor Bianca. I hope she gets her much wanted bubba!

[beebee]

Now the haze is starting to clear

I really feel for Brax, everything he has done for Charlie and is still doing & Ruby treats him the way she has been

Please update soon xxx

[pembie]

Ah it's much clearer about Charlie now.Your a very clever writer making us not know what to think over the last few chapters Hopefully now she will slowly gain her memory back.

Hopefully things will get better for Bianca and Liam too.

Look Forward to More.