Complications We Didn't See Coming

[Guest]

Great chapter

Poor April

Update again soon

[Melbelle94]

Thankyou for commenting!

Chapter Twelve: Return, Future & Fight.

Brax stepped into the kitchen placing his jacket down on the bench, his breathing turned heavy as he noticed his mother sitting across from Charlie at the kitchen table. He didn’t think he could tell her that Heath was back, he couldn’t explain the middle Braxton’s sudden return.

He knew the moment his mother found out about Heath that she would demand to see him. Heath hadn’t forgiven his mother about what he learnt that day, his whole life had been put into another aspect and it changed everything he’d once known. Brax understood that feeling but Heath had taken it harder, it was like he was holding something back, keeping something to himself.

“Brax, you’re home!” Ruby squealed as she ran past the kitchen table and over to Brax.

Brax glanced down smiling slightly as he felt her small arms encircle his waist. “Of course, couldn’t stay away from you kid. Why aren’t you outside playing with Nic and Case?” Brax had noticed the other two children where in the backyard playing basketball, usually it would have been Nicole that was hiding inside.

Ruby smiled. “I am going too; I just had to use the bathroom. Where are Heath and Darcy?”

Brax cringed as he heard the sound of the mug hitting the table, looking up he noticed his mother’s eyes had gazed over and she was staring at him in shock. “Darryl?”

Brax glanced over at Charlie looking for help. “Ruby, sweetheart, let’s go outside. Brax needs to have a talk with Cheryl” Charlie stood up leaving her mug on the table.

“But mum…”

Charlie placed her hands on Ruby’s shoulder. “Now, sweetheart”

“Heath is back?” Cheryl whispered, looking at Brax awaiting his confirmation.

Brax scratched the side of his head awkwardly, he moved away from the bench towards the table. “Yeah”

Cheryl’s eyes glazed over, her hands tightening around the mug, mouth gaping just a little as she breathed deeply. “Why?” Cheryl whispered. It wasn’t that she didn’t love Heath, she did. The thought of him coming home was wonderful but she couldn’t help the fear that was seeping into her body. “Darryl, did you force him?”

Brax frowned. “No”

Cheryl sighed. “Then why? Nothing has changed. Casey can never find out the truth. Why has Heath come home?”

Brax exhaled, it wasn’t his place to fill her in on Heath’s life. “I can’t tell you mum, you need to talk to Heath”

^..^

Heath knocked on the white wooden door in front of him, Darcy beside him squeezing his right hand tightly, April beside her. He didn’t know what had spiked his sudden interest in the girl but when she decided to go home Heath decided that he would walk her. He would call it an instinct, he knew something wasn’t right. The way she had been crying at the bench, flinched when he touched her. Heath knew those signs.

“Daddy” Darcy tugged on her father’s large hand. “Is the door gonna open?”

Heath glanced over at April who kept her gaze firmly on the ground. “Is anyone home sweetheart?”

April bit her bottom lip; she didn’t want Heath to meet Liam. And if he met her mum then April knew that could end badly as well. “I don’t know” April finally whispered, her toe of her shoe pointed into the ground.

Heath frowned as he rang the doorbell. “Hopefully someone is” Heath muttered to himself as the door reefed open suddenly frightening Darcy who moved behind his legs. Heath looked at the man who stood in the doorway, he was obviously drunk and Heath could clearly tell he’d just been sleeping. “Uh, hi mate”

Liam glared. “What do you want?”

Heath looked down at April. “I found your daughter on the beach, thought I would escort her home”

Liam looked back into the house grabbing something from the side table as his hand came back into view Heath noticed it was a bottle of whiskey. “I don’t have a daughter”

April looked up wide eyed; she knew this wasn’t going to be good. Putting on a small smile she tried to act as innocent as possible, knowing she shouldn’t upset Liam in front of other people. “Is mum home?”

Liam rolled his eyes. “Bianca! Your kid is back”

Heath almost choked when he saw the blond that appeared beside the man, she ducked under his arm and embraced April into a hug. Heath couldn’t remove his eyes from the scene; he didn’t understand how someone so beautiful could end up with the likes of the man standing behind her. “Urm, uh. Hello” Heath cleared his throat when he noticed her staring.

“Hey, thank-you for bringing April home” Bianca tightened her arms around her daughter. “You didn’t have to”

Heath shrugged. “No child should wander alone”

Bianca smiled. “I understand. April is very familiar with the bay, she usually doesn’t wander. Do you, sweetie?”

April bit her bottom lip, looking up at Bianca. They both knew that wasn’t why she had been on the beach. “No mum, I just wanted to go to the beach”

“It’s alright” Bianca kissed the top of her head. “I am just glad your home safe”

Liam grunted. “Is dinner ready?”

Bianca tensed as if remembering his presence, her eyes flashing to Heath’s while she spoke to Liam. “Yes baby, I am just putting it on the table. April, say thank-you to Mr…”

“Braxton, Heath Braxton. Just call me Heath. This is my daughter Darcy” Heath motioned to the little girl who stood behind him clinging to his leg.

Bianca smiled. “Very nice to meet you both. I’m just in the middle of dinner”

Heath’s eyes wandered over to Liam who was very obviously glaring at the back of Bianca’s head, it made Heath reluctant to leave but he could see in her demeanour that she wished he would leave. “Of course, I’ll let you get back to it” He looked down at April. “It was very nice to meet you, April”

April smiled meekly. “Thank-you for bringing me home, Mr Braxton”

…

Heath walked up the drive to Brax and Charlie’s house, Darcy was sleeping soundly in his arms tired from the walk around Summerbay, he cringed the moment he saw her hunched over on the wooden chair on the deck. He hadn’t expected to see her so soon, he didn’t know what to say, he didn’t forgive her for the choices she’d made, he hated that she wanted him to lie. But it wasn’t just that, knowing about Casey and being asked to lie brought up the fact that he was lying to his family, keep secrets from them.

Cheryl heard the footsteps on the stairs, looking up at Heath a fresh wave of tears welled up in her eyes yet they were already red and puffy from the amount of tears that flowed down her cheeks since she’d found out he was back. “You’re not going to tell Casey are you? Heath, if he finds out…”

Heath exhaled, he didn’t want to have to deal with this right now. “I don’t want to talk about it mum”

“We have to, this is his future Heath. I don’t want him to know, I have to protect him”

Heath chuckled, his head shaking. “You’re protecting yourself. Casey has a right to know the truth”

Cheryl stood up, wiping her eyes. “It will only hurt him”

Heath heard the door creak open, Brax stepped out onto the porch. “Pass me, Darcy. You two need to sort this out. We are a family” Brax muttered as he took his sleeping niece into his arms before disappearing back into the house.

Cheryl looked up at her middle son. “He’s right. We are a family”

Heath snorted. “A family that’s filtered with secrets and lies!”

“Heath, please” Cheryl pleaded; she placed a hand on Heath’s arm only for him to shrug it away. “You have to understand…”

“I don’t have to understand anything” Heath snapped. “He has another family out there, other brothers, a stepmother, a completely different father”

“Heath”

Heath glared at her. “He’ll never know any of that because you want him to live a lie. What happens when he’s eighteen or twenty, I don’t know when, but what happens when he figures it out? Secrets don’t stay hidden”

Cheryl couldn’t stop the tears that rolled down her cheeks. “He can’t know”

Heath sighed, rubbing a hand over his hair angrily. “You’re thinking about yourself, not Casey, he has every right to know that Johnny Barrett is his father. Not dad” Heath turned around and walked down the steps, he refused to be moved by the sobs that escaped his mother’s mouth.

He needed a break; he couldn’t stand there and argue with her for her decision to keep it from Casey when he was making the decision to keep something from her. He felt like since his father had gone to jail that everything was falling apart, the secrets, the lies, it wasn’t how a family was meant to work.

…

“Casey. Casey. What’s taking so long? You were meant to get the ball” Ruby nudged Casey in the shoulder.

The ten year old looked up at Ruby, his eyes filled with tears. It didn’t want to believe what he’d just heard but Heath had never lied to him, he’d always told him the truth. “Huh?” He rubbed his eyes when he noticed Ruby was staring at him.

Ruby frowned. “Are you okay? Did you hurt yourself? I can get your mum”

“No!” Casey exclaimed as Ruby went to turn away. “I’m fine” He wasn’t fine, he didn’t understand, how could Danny Braxton not be his father?

“You sure?” Ruby raised her eyebrow.

Casey nodded. “Uh huh, I’ll find the ball” He turned away from Ruby the tears rushing to his eyes. All his life he’d been a Braxton, but everyone had lied. He couldn’t help but wonder if Brax knew? If his dad knew? If Johnny Barrett knew.

Casey leaned against the tree, sliding down to the ground, tears rushing down his cheeks. Nothing was right. It was all a lie.

^..^

Charlie set the two cups of coffee down on the kitchen table, her eyes wandering over to Brax who was standing above the couch looking down at Darcy who was sound asleep, Heath had been gone for over three hours yet Brax insisted they didn’t call, that his brother needed the space.

Her smile widened as Brax pushed the hair back from Darcy’s eyes and pulled the blanket up to her chin, he was so wonderful with Nicole and Ruby but it was different to see him with someone so small, Darcy was only three.

“What are you staring at?” Brax asked as he walked over to the table, leaning down he kissed Charlie on the bare shoulder before taking the seat beside her.

Charlie smiled. “You” Cupping her hands around her coffee mug, she looked over at him. “Have you ever thought about our future?” She finally asked.

Brax pulled his mug away from his lips in surprise. “Huh?” Brax set the mug down, looking at her. “Of course I have”

Charlie raised her eyebrow. “What do you think about?”

Brax rubbed his hand where some coffee had spilt. “I think about us, Nicole, Ruby. I think about marriage and the idea of more children” He let the image of a pregnant Charlie flow through his mind. He wanted kids with her, he wanted a house full, six or seven but he wasn’t ready for it yet. Nicole and Ruby were more than enough for the moment.

“You want marriage and children?” Charlie questioned, her heart tightened. Marriage had become a concept to her one she never thought she would experience.

Brax nodded. “Of course. Charlie, my plan is to grow old with you, so frankly you better get used to it”

Charlie giggled at his serious expression. “How many kids to you want Brax? Nicole and Ruby, they are enough for me for now”

“I don’t want any more yet, I am content with the girls” Brax reassured as he took her hand. “But maybe in a few years we could consider adding some of our own”

Charlie squeezed his hand. “You’re so good to us” She couldn’t help but be proud of the man he was becoming, he’d adapted to caring for Nicole and Ruby so easily, the nature of their relationship with heart-warming”

Brax leaned forward. “You’re so good to me” Brax breathed, touching his lips to hers. “I love you, Charlotte”

Charlie giggled. “I love you too, Darryl”

“Eww” Charlie and Brax pulled apart at the sound of Nicole’s voice, she stood at the kitchen sink with a plastic cup. “You do have to do that in the kitchen?”

Brax chuckled. “Yes, yes we do” He smiled fondly. “What are you doing up missy?”

Nicole rolled her eyes. “Getting a drink, Brax” She held up the now empty cup before placing it back in the sink. “Tuck me in”

Brax set down his coffee mug and winked at Charlie, shooting up out of the chair and hurried after Nicole who ran down the hallway giggling madly. Charlie shook her head; she couldn’t imagine anyone sweeter to bring the family unit closer. Brax was the kind of man she’d been hoping for.

^..^

Heath stood at the front door, willing himself to know. He didn’t know Bianca well, but after the encounter this morning he felt drawn to her. He couldn’t explain the feeling, he knew something wasn’t right with her family, he knew she could use a friend as he could, to confide in.

He felt as if he should turn away, he didn’t think she would appreciate him just turning up on her doorstep but he felt like he had to be there.

The shattering sound startled him, catching his attention. He moved forward to peer in the window beside the front door but he couldn’t see anything.

“BRAT!”

Heath frowned and moved quickly around to the front of the house remembering the curtains had been drawn before. Standing to the side of the window his whole body froze, the blood draining from his face as he looked at the little girl he’d meet earlier in the day.

The tears were streaming down her cheeks as she cradled her arm yet the man from earlier didn’t seem to care as he grabbed her by her dark brown hair and threw her against her bedroom door.

“GET IN THAT ****ING BEDROOM!”

Heath felt his blood boil and fist tighten as the man from earlier slammed the door open and forcefully through her into the room, her little legs flying out from underneath her. “That son of a bitch” Heath hissed through his teeth.

“YOUR TURN!”

Heath froze mid way through turning around; looking back at the window his eyes darkened at the man punched Bianca in the stomach repetitively. He couldn’t stand by and watch knowing that this was happening to them, it wasn’t right; he didn’t understand why no one had helped them sooner.

Sprinting up the path, he ran straight into the door busting it open with his left shoulder. He didn’t have any idea where to go but he navigated according to the whimpers finding him hunched over Bianca who was curled up on the ground he was gripping her hair and kicking her repetitively in the stomach.

“HEY! Get off her” Heath jumped over the back of the couch and tackled Liam to the ground, wrestling until he was on top. “What the **** do you think you’re doing?”

“GET OFF ME!”

Heath raised his right fist and punched him in the jaw only for Liam to roll them over punching Heath in the jaw. Heath groaned, using both hands to push Liam in the chest sending him flying backwards he landed next to Bianca’s unconscious body. “You’re a piece of scum. How the hell touches their daughter and girlfriend like that?”

Liam chuckled darkly. “You got no idea what you’re talking about. That brat isn’t my daughter. And this…” Liam kicked Bianca’s hand as he stood to his feet. “This piece of crap, is a pathetic excuse for a girlfriend”

Heath couldn’t stand to hear him speak, swinging his right fist out he knocked Liam in jaw sending him flying sideways into the coffee table where he hit his head, the blood immediately starting to fall.

Heath shook his fist as he made his way over to him, he didn’t want Liam to be a threat while he tended to Bianca, leaning down his eyes bludged when he noticed Liam’s chest wasn’t rising.

^..^

[Guest]

Glad Heath took April home.

Oh so Casey heard what Heath said

Aww Brax wants more kids in the near future

Glad Heath put Liam in his place.

I look forward to more

Update again soon

[Inactive User]

Great chapter

Liked how Heath protected Bianca and April from Liam

Uh oh! Casey overheard what Heath had said

Update soon please xx

[Melbelle94]

Thankyou for the reviews, Romeo&Indi Forever and JarlieFanEver.

Means a lot!

Chapter Thirteen: Hospital, Shock, Sadness and Death?

Charlie giggled as Brax rolled over on top, pinning her against the bed. His right hand had gathered her wrists above her hair while his left hand was running up her thigh. She couldn’t help but smile at the pure happiness that was clouding her body; she loved these moments with Brax, but not only these ones. She loved how he just clicked with her family, with her girls.

“Stop thinking” Brax grunted as he trailed kisses down her neck.

Charlie whined as he removed his lips. “I can’t”

“You can” Brax murmured placing a chase kiss on her lips. “Trust me?”

Charlie breathed in deeply as he nuzzled her neck, his naked body brushing against hers causing her to moan. “You know I do”

Brax released her wrist. “Lie on your stomach”

Charlie moaned at the loss of contact, he pulled away from her body allowing her to roll over onto her stomach. “Please”

Brax chuckled. “We’ll get to it baby. Just relax” He placed both hands on her right leg at the ankle and ran them upwards is a massaging motion.

“Ooooh” Charlie moaned in want. “That feels great”

Brax grinned. “What I do to you later will feel better” Brax whispered to her just as his phone started ringing from the nightstand. “That’s probably, Heath”

Charlie reached out to grip Brax’s hand as he reached for the phone. “Brax. No!”

Brax smirked. “Hands on the bed, Charlie. It’ll be two seconds”

^..^

Heath scrambled over to Liam, his long golden fingers feeling for a pulse, his heart stopping when he felt nothing coming from the drunken abusers lifeless body. His face paled he didn’t understand how he killed him so easily, he had simply shoved him, he hadn’t meant for him to hit his head, it was an accident.

Reaching into his pocket he reefed his phone out, pushing the first speed dial button to contact the only person who he felt he could trust in the moment.

“Heath! Mate, this better be good”

“Brax!” heath called out his name is desperation. Hearing a moan escape Bianca’s lips, he crawled across the floor sweeping the blonde hair away from Bianca’s eyes that were shut tightly. “Brax, get to Bianca’s now!”

Brax sensed the panic in his brother’s voice. “Heath, what’s happened?”

Heath looked down when he felt something wet seeping onto his knees, his eyes widened in panic at the side of blood pooling in a puddle. “****!” Heath grunted holding the phone between his ear and shoulder as he checked for Bianca’s pulse which was weak. “Brax, get to Bianca’s. I think Liam’s dead. I’ve got to take Bianca to the hospital, she badly injured” Heath hung up the phone not giving his brother any time to respond.

Looking around he grabbed the black blanket off the arm of the chair to cover the lower half of Bianca’s body. He didn’t want April seeing any traces of blood; he didn’t want to panic her.

Standing up he looked over at Liam hastily covering him with a blanket before rushing over to April’s bedroom door. “April. April, it’s Heath Braxton from earlier today. Sweetheart I need you to come out of the bedroom” Heath knocked softly though he didn’t receive a response. He could hear her harsh breathing from the other side of the door, his chest constricted as he considered the pain the little girl was going through.

“April, please open the door sweetheart. I promise he won’t hurt you but I need to take your mum to the hospital”

“I’m scared” April cried out from inside the bedroom.

Heath’s fist enclosed with anger as he thought about the emotions that would be running through the ten year olds mind. Relaxing his fist, he exhaled. “I know you are sweetheart but right now I need you to be brave for mum. Come on, April. Auntie Charlie will meet you at the hospital. I promise” Heath took a step back from the door as it opened slightly.

April stepped out cradling her left arm close to her chest, her eyes red and tears streaming down her cheeks. “Can I see mum?”

Heath saw the vulnerability in her eyes, the scared nature. “I promise you will but can you do something for me first?”

April nodded. “Yes?”

“I need you to find mummy’s car keys” Heath watched April nod before he turned around and stepped back into the living room making sure to stay in front of April concealing her view from both Bianca and Liam. He scooped the blonde up into his arms and turned to April who held the keys. “Can you show me to mums car?”

…

Heath wasn’t sure how April had kept up with him as he had run from the car park to the elevator without stopping, yet April stood by his side as they stepped out of the elevator onto the floor. “Help! Help!”

“Mr Cooper! Help my mum!” April pleaded with Nate Cooper as he stepped out from behind the reception desk having heard the calls from Heath.

“I need a bed! Hurry up!” Nate shouted down the hall, in seconds the bed was pushed into the main area. “Lie her down. What happened? Bianca, Bianca can you hear me?” Nate shone a light in her eyes. “Unresponsive”

Heath looked up distraught. “She was attacked by her boyfriend”

Nate frowned but nodded to Hannah. “Let’s get her to theatre. I need to find out the cause of the blood”

April whimpered as they started to push Bianca down the hall. “Mum! Mum! Mummy!” April cried out.

Heath scooped the ten year old up in his arm to stop her from running after her mother. “Shh, April. You’ll see your mother soon. Let’s sit down” Heath carried her over to the seats as she cried into his chest, still cradling her arm. He raised an eyebrow, noticing the redness. “April” He frowned when she didn’t respond. “Sweetheart, is your arm hurting?”

April nodded against his chest. “Yes”

Heath looked up about to call a doctor when Charlie stepped into his view. “What happened?”

“Auntie!” April sat up on Heath’s lap, tears still streaming down her cheeks as she moved to throw herself in Charlie’s arms. “Auntie!”

Charlie embraced the young girl, looking at Heath for answers. “Shh sweetheart. Everything is going to be okay”

Heath sighed, rubbing his eyes. “They’ve taken her to theatre” Heath saw Brax standing off to the side. “I have to talk to you”

“Wait” Charlie called as he stood up. “Who’s her doctor? Where’s Liam? Heath, what happened?” Charlie pleaded with her eyes, she needed to know.

Heath looked down at the child in Charlie’s arms. “Focus on April; she needs a doctor to look at her arm. I’ll be back; I need to speak to Brax about Liam” Heath spoke the same bitterly causing Charlie to raise an eyebrow.

Brax exhaled as he placed a hand on Charlie’s shoulder. “He’s right babe. You look after April”

Charlie squeezed her eyes shut to push back the tears. “Okay. Okay. Come on April, let’s go find a doctor”

^..^

Brax looked at Heath as they walked down the corridor towards the coffee vending machine, Heath quiet and Brax found the look of sheer panic on his younger brothers face quiet unsettling. He was almost certain something else was going on beside what was happening to Bianca.

“What’s going on Heath?” Brax asked as they came to stop at the vending machine.

Heath looked around nervously. “Did you go by Bianca?”

Brax frowned. “No. You said you were bringing her to the hospital. Charlie wanted to come straight here”

Heath groaned, leaning his right shoulder against the wall. “Did you listen to what I said?”

“What? What are you talking about?” Brax questioned curiously.

Heath exhaled in frustration. “Brax!” He paused looking around. “Listen, I think Liam’s dead” Heath whispered. “Actually, I pretty sure he’s dead”

Brax’s eyes widened. “Bianca killed the guy? ****. ****”

Heath shook his head. “No!”

“No?” Brax asked confused. “Heath, what the **** is going on?”

Heath pulled Brax around the vending machine as he saw two nurses heading there way. “Listen, just listen. I saw him through the window abusing them, I went in to protect them but I shoved him and we’ll he hit his head. I don’t think he was breathing when he left”

Brax looked at his younger brother clearly stunned by what the man had said. “What did you just say? Heath! You killed him. You have a daughter!”

“I didn’t mean to!” Heath shouted before lowering his voice. “Look, I checked for a pulse, I’m not sure if I did it right. Will you check it out? I need to stay with Bianca, I feel like I have to. Where is Darcy?”

Brax grimaced. “With mum. Look I’ll check it out but you better pray he isn’t dead Heath. You’re a ****ing idiot” Brax shook his head as he grabbed two cups of coffee that had been pouring while they talked and walked back towards Charlie.

…

Charlie exhaled as she looked up at Brax who entered the room holding two cups of coffee; he looked over at April who was lying on the bed with her arm in a sling. “Hey, how’s she holding up?”

“Worried about her mum. It’s sprained but they’ve given her some pain medication, it’s knocked her out” Charlie accepted the cup of coffee. “You were gone a while. What did Heath need to talk about?”

Brax smiled as he placed an arm around her. “He wanted to talk about Liam, and ask about Darcy. How are you holding up?”

Charlie sighed. “She’s my best friend. My sister. Nothing can happen to her Brax, I mean it, nothing. I need her”

Brax rubbed his girlfriend’s back. “It’s going to be okay Charlie. I have a feeling Bianca is a fighter”

Charlie giggled. “She is, but I really need her” She paused looking up at Brax with sad eyes. “He did this didn’t he? Liam, I mean”

Brax breathed deeply. “Yeah, babe, but Heath got there just in time. I was going to see if you had a key to Bianca’s house, I was thinking it might be useful to get April something from home to hug, a teddy bear perhaps and Bianca will need clothes and things”

Charlie smiled sadly; she couldn’t believe how thoughtful he was being. “I do. That would really help, it might help April settle when she wakes if she had Raffety”

Brax nodded. “What is Raffety? A duck, doll, rabbit? What do kids have these days?”

Charlie couldn’t help but giggle. “Raffety is a panda; he will be at the head of her bed like always” Charlie placed her hand on Brax’s arm. “How’s Heath? I don’t know how to thank him for saving her, when I get my hands on Liam…”

Brax raised an eyebrow. “You’ll do nothing; you have two daughters at home who need their mother. Heath, wouldn’t have walked away and left her” Brax brushed the hair away from Charlie’s eyes. “Heath is doing okay, he just wants to make sure Bianca and April are alright. He’ll stay here with you while I go and get them some belongings”

Charlie moved away from him to reach into her handbag that was resting on the chair by April’s bed. Pulling the keys from her bag she held onto them tightly, turning back to Brax. “Hurry back” Charlie whispered as she placed the keys into his palm.

Brax closed his fist over them. “Of course”

^..^

Brax turned the key in the door, pushing it open as quietly as he could. He knew Heath had said he thought Liam was dead but he also knew it was possible his younger brother had been incorrect and he didn’t want to startle Liam if he was just lying on the ground injured.

Leaving the keys in the door he rounded the corner to walk towards the living room, he knew where Liam was supposed to be. Brax crossed his fingers; he was praying for Heath’s sake that Liam was alive. Darcy needed her father, not a man she saw every month behind the bars of a prison cell.

Brax’s shoes clunked against the wooden floor as he stepped into the living room, his eyes widening at the pool of blood which had obviously come from Bianca. He could see that a fight had occurred in that particular space but what shocked him to the core was Liam’s body…it was gone.

Brax turned around trying to be as quiet as possible as he walked towards the two doors off to the side of the living room, looking down at his feet he stepped to the side of a small blood trail. He placed his hand on the bedroom doorknob, the other hand against the white wood as he pushed it open.

He stood in the doorway scanning the bedroom, the ensuite door was open but no one was in there. Brax saw the blood trail had lead to the dresser; a draw pulled open and was currently empty.

“He’s gone” Brax muttered to himself, he was relieved that Heath hadn’t killed him but he couldn’t help the fear that raged within his chest. If Liam was gone it meant he was out and that meant Bianca and April wouldn’t be safe.

Pulling the phone out of his jeans, Brax scrolled through and hit Heath’s name the younger brother picking up almost immediately.

“What’d you find? How much trouble am I in Brax?” Heath’s voice was a mess.

Brax glanced back at the spot where Liam’s body was meant to be. “He’s gone, Heath, he’s not here”

Heath sighed. “But…look, I swear I killed him”

“You couldn’t have, his body isn’t here, his clothes are gone” Brax run a hand over his face. “Just stay with Charlie and April, until we know where Liam is, well, it isn’t safe”

“How are we meant to know where he is?”

Brax picked up a photo of the dresser, one of Liam playing guitar. “I’ll speak to some of my contacts. I’ll track him down”

^..^

Heath looked at Charlie, who was staring down at her empty coffee cup, her eyes red from tears. He’d only met Bianca for a few moments earlier in that day; he couldn’t possibly claim to understand what Charlie was going through. He didn’t know what to say to her, to the woman that called Bianca her sister.

Stepping further into the room, Heath’s eyes wandered over to April who was sleeping cuddled up under the blankets, the medication having made her drowsy.

“Hey” Charlie whispered from her seat beside April’s bed, gently she pattered the chair next to her. “Come sit”

Heath could see the tears welling in her eyes as he moved to the chair beside her. “She’ll be okay, Charlie. She’s seems strong. She has a daughter to fight for” Heath spoke softly; it seemed to be the only thing he could say.

Charlie shook her head, tears falling down her face. “But what if she doesn’t make it through?”

Heath wrapped an arm around Charlie’s body as he noticed she had begun to shake. “Hey, hey, you can’t think like that”

“But it’s so hard. I always knew that there was something wrong with the relationship. I just couldn’t shake the feeling of uncertainty towards him. How could Bianca keep this from me? I could have helped her”

Heath pulled back so he could look at Charlie. “Sometimes women in these situations feel as though they can’t turn to their friends. Bianca had her reasons but we won’t know until she can tell us. Don’t give us hope that everything will be okay” Heath rubbed Charlie’s arm.

When the door creaked open Charlie felt Heath’s arm drop away from her, her heart stopped as Nate Cooper stood in the doorway with a chart in his hands. She stood up to face him; Bianca couldn’t leave her not after everything they had been through to get to this point. “Nate, is Bianca okay?” Charlie asked.

Nate smiled sadly. “We managed to find the cause of the blood, we performed an operation and Bianca is now in the intensive care wing”

Charlie looked up with hopeful eyes. “She’s going to be okay?”

Nate nodded. “It’s going to be a road to recovery but I am positive that she will heal quiet well”

Charlie breathed a sigh of relief; sinking back down into her chair she looked at Heath who was leaning back his head tilted a happy expression on his face. Charlie couldn’t begin to voice the relief that was flowing through her body but the relief soon turned to dread as she looked over at Nate. “What about the baby?”

Heath sat upright; he hadn’t expected that Bianca was pregnant. “What baby?”

Nate exhaled, walking further into the room. He looked down at April to make sure the little girl was still sleeping. “Bianca was further along in her pregnancy then we first anticipated, in the scan we calculated she should have been ten weeks this Thursday” Nate looked down at Charlie. “There was nothing that could be done; the baby had passed before Bianca arrived at the hospital”

Charlie felt the tears roll down her cheek. “Oh god”

Heath reached over to steady Charlie as her body shook, he looked up at the doctor. “How far along was she doc?”

Nate glanced down at the chart in his hand. “The calculations were out by three weeks, Bianca was thirteen weeks. Charlie…” He placed a hand on the woman’s shoulder. “We are confident is saying the baby was a girl”

Charlie’s whole body shook with sobs; she didn’t have any idea how to tell her best friend, her sister that her baby had died. The blonde was going to have such a road to recovery ahead of her; Charlie was concerned with what news like this would do.

^..^

[Guest]

Great chapter

Wonder where Liam went.

So sad that Bianca lost her baby.

Glad Heath and Charlie stayed with April.

I look forward to more

Update again soon

[Inactive User]

Great chapter

So sad that Bianca lost her baby

Update soon please