Finding Something True

[Guest]

Great chapter

I look forward to more update again soon

[Melbelle94]

Chapter Seven: Surprise.

Nicole and Ruby stared at the man, Darryl, before them making him slightly uncomfortable with their intense gazes. They weren't sure if it was the Darryl they had been told about but by examining him they could see distinctive features that were similar to Heath.

Ruby glared at him. "Did you say Darryl?"

"Yea. Names Darryl Braxton, everyone calls me Brax. Do I know you?"

Ruby saw red as she launched herself in his direction smacking him in the chest. "You selfish bastard. I hate you. I hate you" Ruby shouted at him.

Brax looked down at the teenager abusing him with great shock, the groceries and coffees in his arms dropping to the gravel. "Hey. Hey!"

Ruby didn't stop; she fought harder as he tried to pull her away from him. "I hate you"

"Ruby" Nicole called as she tried to grab her sister's arm. "Ruby. Stop. It's okay"

"It's not okay" Ruby cried as she punched his chest. "You hurt her"

Nicole looked around frantically, spotting Heath at the entrance of the diner. "Heath. Heath!" Nicole shouted loudly grabbing his attention.

Heath dropped the coffee he was carrying and raced over pulling Ruby off Brax, she fought against his grasp. "Ruby. Stop!" Heath said sternly.

Ruby looked at him, tearing streaming down her cheeks. "He..."

Heath nodded. "I know, kiddo" Heath wiped away her tears. "But nothing is solved with violence, understand?"

"Heath..."

"Ruby" The warning tone crept into his voice fast; he'd dealt with stubborn kids a lot at home. "I want you to apologize and wait for me in the diner"

"No" Ruby muttered as she crossed her arms, glaring at Brax.

Nicole tugged on Ruby's arm. "Do it. Mum's waiting"

Ruby exhaled as she kicked a stone on the ground. "Sorry" Ruby muttered as she turned around and walked towards the diner, her head down sulking.

Nicole looked at Brax. "Sorry"

"What the hell was that about?" Brax shouted at Heath as he stared after the two girls. He was so confused; everything had been fine until he'd spoken his name.

Heath sighed as he glared at Brax. "What did you do?"

Brax looked at offended. "Nothing unless it's crime to have the name Darryl" Brax didn't think he knew the girls but the brunette had seemed familiar, like he had met her before but he didn't know the name Ruby, he couldn't place her face in his past.

Heath scoffed. "It is now. Did you tell them your last name?" Heath had his fingers crossed internally but he knew that Brax was going to erase all hope with his next words.

Brax eyed his younger brother wearily. "Yeah, why?"

Heath huffed knowing he couldn't tell Brax that it was because they were Charlie's daughters. Charlie would confide in him when the time is right for Brax to know she's in town. "Nothing. I gotta go" Heath muttered as return around to head back to the diner.

"Heath!" Brax called after his younger brother. "Dammit"

^..^

Ruby rushed into the hospital room, letting a small gasp of relief break through her lips when she saw her mother sitting up in bed reading, Cody in a small hospital crib beside her bed. In that moment all she could think about was wrapping her arms around her mother's body and never letting go.

"Ruby" Charlie looked up from her book with a smile.

Ruby didn't attempt to manage a smile back, she walked forward and wrapped her arms around her mother, climbing up onto the bed and snuggling in.

Charlie looked down surprised, but she could feel the tears seeping through her shirt and immediately knew something wasn't right. "Hey. Hey, what's happened?" Charlie didn't receive a response a coherent from Ruby, just a number of echoing sobs.

"I…I, uh, I…" Ruby hiccupped as she squeezed Charlie tighter.

Charlie rubbed the teenagers back as Nicole and Heath came through the door looking rather nervous but relieved they could see Ruby was safe. "What is going on?"

Heath scratched the side of his head as he shut the door. "They met Brax"

Ruby's mumbling suddenly became clearer. "I hate him. I hate him. I hate him"

Charlie shook her head. "You don't know him, sweetheart" Pulling the teenager away, she cupped Ruby's face within her hands, brushing the tears away by her thumbs. "You hate what he did, you don't hate him" Charlie sighed. "I know it's upsetting but you don't hate him, Rubes, you can't hate someone you haven't properly met"

Nicole walked over and looked down into the cradle, smiling slightly at the sight of Cody wrapped up in a light blue blanket. "Why can't we hate him? He didn't stay by your side, he used you. He left Heath and his brothers when they were younger"

Heath looked over. "That was different, Nic. Brax says he has changed, he wants to get his life back together before he searches for your mother"

Charlie looked at her daughter. "Nic, he didn't use me. We were both adults and we made a choice"

"He could have left his phone number" Nicole grumbled as she lightly brushed her fingertips over Cody's head. "He didn't leave a number and if we didn't come to Summerbay Cody wouldn't have got to meet his Uncles"

Ruby looked at Charlie with a serious gaze. "Wait! He doesn't know you're here?"

Charlie shook her head. "No. I told Heath I didn't want him to know yet"

"Maybe he doesn't have to know"

Charlie could see the hope in her daughter's eyes. "Rubes, it's a small town. He is going to find out"

Heath let out a large grunt as the door to the room swung open and hit him in the ass. "Geez. What the hell?" Heath muttered as he turned around to see Darcy, she had one foot in the door but was looking out into the hallway.

"Hurry up, mum" Turning around she spotted Heath looking down at her with a raised eyebrow, she shrugged. "Sorry daddy"

Heath sighed, Darcy was always in a rush lately that she never looked and was often doing similar things. "What are you doing here?"

Bianca walked into the room carrying a sleeping Harley and beaconing the kids to enter the room, her eyebrow shooting up at the sight of Heath. "What are you doing here?"

"I asked first babe"

Bianca gestured towards Kyle and Casey who were making their way over to the cradle, whispering to each other. "Someone had to bring the boys to meet their nephew"

Heath looked over at his brothers, they didn't seem as distressed as they had been when Brax's name had first been mentioned but by the way Kyle had reacted Heath knew they would have to talk. Something had happened to upset Kyle and before Heath brought Brax to the house he needed to find out what.

"Hey Heath" April kissed his cheek as before bouncing over to look at the baby.

Heath glanced looked over at the girls, he didn't know how he was going to deal with them when they got boyfriends, the way April cooed over the baby made him slightly overprotective, the thought of locking her away was creeping into his mind. They were only young but the amount of teenage pregnancies terrified him.

Tamara smiled. "Hi Heath"

"Don't forget about me" Charlie called from her spot on the bed, Ruby had vacated her arms and was now standing by Casey's side.

Bianca rolled her eyes as she passed Harley to Heath and moved to hug her best friend. "So dramatic. Who could forget the woman who gave birth to a beautiful little boy like Cody?"

Heath snickered at Charlie's glare. "Nice one, babe"

"Is that all I am to you, Bianca Scott?!"

^..^

Charlie walked into the diner, the warm breeze blowing her hair around. With the sun shining it had been a perfect day to take Cody for a walk even though they had only been home from hospital a day; Charlie needed a real coffee though after nine months of drinking decaf. She was just lucky that for a four day old baby, Cody was perfect. He didn't cry much, slept in four hour blocks. Charlie couldn't remember Nicole or Ruby being so easy.

"Auntie Charlie"

Charlie smiled as she glanced up to see Ryan and VJ skidding across the floor in her direction. "Hi boys" Charlie ruffled VJ's hair, she couldn't help fall in love with Leah's two boys, their cuteness was undeniable.

"Can I see the baby, Auntie Charlie?" VJ asked excitedly.

"Of course" Charlie peeled away the blue blanket that was placed over the pram to keep the sun from hitting Cody.

Ryan looked up with a grin. "He's so cute"

"Do you think mummy will let me have a baby?" VJ asked innocently.

Charlie glanced down with a smile; she couldn't help the little giggle that escaped her lips at VJ innocent question. Hearing the deep chuckle from behind her, startled her as she turned around, her mouth drying up at the sight of him standing at the entrance of the diner wearing nothing but a pair of wet board shorts and thongs.

His eyes went wide at the sight of her. "Charlie?"

"Oh my god" Charlie took a step back bumping into the handle of the pram. "Darryl?

^..^

Hope you all enjoyed the seventh chapter.

Thank-you to those who took the time to review, hearing your thoughts on my stories really does make them worth writing.

Questions:

How do you think the Charlie and Brax will react to seeing each other again?

[Guest]

Great chapter whoa at the end I look forward to more update again soon

[Inactive User]

Great chapter

Whoa at the end. Can't wait to see how they will react to seeing one each other

Please update soon Xxx