Fatal Attraction

[lollypop]

Have just started the next chapter and it will be finished tomorrow. Hopefully I'll have it up by the evening time :-)

[lollypop]

Thanks for all the comments. Here's the next chapter. Enjoy

Chapter 9

Charlie awoke the following morning ready for work, and was surpised to find Ruby up out of bed and making herself breakfast. Although every day tasks were more difficult for Ruby to carry out, with the proper strategies and careful planning, she and Charlie had come up with ways for her to carry on as normal around the house. Or at least as normal as possible. Which made tasks such as making breakfast easier and more efficient. It also meant Ruby didn't have to depend on Charlie or Leah to prepare meals for her throughtout the day. The layout in the house was exactly the same and the rule was, when something in the kitchen was used, it was put back in its original place and nowehere else.

Even the pantry was layed out in a very specific way. At first it was hard for Leah and VJ to adjust to the way Charlie had configured the house, but once they realised that the system worked for Ruby they were happy to go along with. After all, they didn't have it as difficult as she did. Leah was actually quite surprised with the positive effect it had on VJ. Now he put away his school bag and surf board out of the way and his room was spotless. Everything with it's on place. He felt it was something he could do to help Ruby. Rather than risk having her falling over his stuff all over the house. He was almost like a new young man. As he told hid mum, Ruby was like a big sister to him, he wanted her to feel comfortable at home.

Watching from the living room doorway, Charlie watched in amazement at the way in which her daughter had learned to make breakfast in an effective manner. To measure out the amount of milk that went into her cereal, Ruby would place her finger in the bowl to mark out the level at which to stop pouring. When making a pot of coffee, Ruby would hold a spoon inside the pot as she poured the hot water in to it and once she felt the spoon and the water connect, she knew to stop pouring. It was actually quite ingenuious, the ways in which she had adapted to everything. It made Charlie incredibly proud of her. Watching Ruby place the cereal bowl, the coffee pot and a cup onto a tray, she decided to make her presence know in case she startled her daughter and caused an accident.

"Morning Rubes", she said walking up to the fridge and removing a fresh yogurt and the bowl of fruit salad Leah had prepared this morning before work. Walking over to the counter she picked up a bowl poured some of the fruit mix and yogurt into the bowl and mixed them together. "Hey, I made a fresh pot of coffee. You want some?", she asked. "Yeah", Charlie replied placing another cup and her bowl of fruit on the tray. Picking it up she walked behind Ruby as they made their way into the living room to sit down. "You know, I've missed that", Charlie said as she poured out a coffee for herself and for Ruby. Chewing her cereal, Ruby swallowed and responded to her mothers random remark. "Missed what", she asked with a slight laugh.

"That smile on your face", Charlie said beaming at the happy expression on her daughters face. She grabbed a hold of Ruby's hand and gave it a squeeze. "For a while there I thought I'd never see it again", she said with a somewhat sad tone in her voice. Ruby put down her spoon and began to laugh. Charlie looked at her daughter curiously. "You know, never in my wildest, most obscene dreams, would I ever have imagined that Heath Braxton would be responsible for it", Ruby said, sounding almost grateful. Charlie flinched when Ruby mentioned Heath Braxton. Anyone who knew Charlie, knew she had issues with the middle Braxton. Especially now that he was hanging around her daughter. "It's weird, in the last couple of days I've gotten to know this whole other person. Someone I would never have thought existed before", Ruby finished as she picked up her spoon and continued to eat.

Charlie sat in silence, almost forgetting to breath as she listened to what Ruby was saying. There it was. What Charlie had feared since the day she had spotted Heath and Ruby on the beach together. Her daughter was forming some sort of a relationship with the middle, most troubled and unstable Braxton and she didn't like it at all. Ever since they had arrived, Heath had always made it clear that he was the least interested in dropping his Riverboy persona. In fact he played it up. Which was what made Charlie take an instant dislinking to him and any chance of a sense of trust forming between them. At that moment all she wanted to do was pull Ruby into her arms and wrap her in cotton wool and keep her away from Heath and his lifestyle.

"Rubes, I know the last thing you want to hear is me lecturing you on Heath and what he's capable of", Ruby was about to interrupt Charlie when she was stopped by her mother placing a finger on her lips to stop her from talking, "BUT, I also know from bitter experience that whenever I do lecture you, you tend to just go against what I say anways. So what I will say, actually more what I will ask of you, is that you promise me you'll be careful...and that you'll keep your guard up?", Charlie asked, hopeful that Ruby had taken what she had said into consideration. Gripping her mothers hand, Ruby nodded her head, "Okay, I promise", she said. With that conversation over and done with both the Buckton women returned to eating their breakfasts.

Brax bounded up the stairs and into Angelo's, stopping the reconstruction work and sending the crew on an early lunch break. Walking up to the counter he stopped, leaning his on top of it and lowering his head, trying to regulate his breathing. He was visibly flustered and he couldn't let anyone see him like that for fear of it raising questions. Especially not the cops who were still hanging around. Picking up a bottle of bourbon from a box of deliveries, he picked up a shot glass and filled it up. Picking it up he knocked it back and then poured himself another. Then, reaching into his pocket he removed something, something that was covered in an old red cloth, and placed it on the lower counter next to the till and he stood there looking at it.

"Mr. Braxton. I would say how lovely it is to see you again but you and I both know that I have a particular distain for men like you. So don't expect this to be a social call", Morag said before Bax had a chance to try and use one of his witty remarks to break the tension. Looking up, he was startled by Morag's appearance, so leaning into the counter he moved the object he had placed next to the till, in behind it. "Mornin' Morag. What can I do for you?, Tie a noose around my neck and let you kick the chair from under me?", he said with a grin on his face, trying to defuse the situation. Morag scowled at him as she sat on one of the new bar stools. "Oh don't tempt me. And it's Mrs. Bellingham or Buckton to you. We are not family and we never will be so I expect you to treat me with the same manners you would treat your business associates with. The one's on the right side of the law that is", she said glaring at Brax with a hint satisfaction when she succeeded in wiping the grin of his face.

"What do you want? If this isn't a social call then why are you here?", he asked, his own patience running out. Morag raised an eyebrow at him and couldn't help but sense that Brax was very much aware of what she herself had just been informed of. Years of working as a judge had helped her develop almost like a sixth sense. She knew when people were lying or hiding something. Even if she didn't ask them outright what it was. "I bumped into an old friend of yours. A woman by the name of Tegan Callaghan. Colourful girl I must say. She told me some interesting, yet worrying news about Brodie Upton and his friends looking for revenge", she said her facial expressions becoming dark and almsot menacing as she remembered the hurt and the damage they had cause to her family.

"Look, the boys, it's me they want. They don't want anything else, just me. So you've got nothin' to worry about eh", he said trying to give her his hardest look. Unfortunantly for Brax, he was trying to fool the wrong person. As hard as he was or liked to believe he was a tough guy, Morag Bellingham was stronger, tougher and smarter and had many, many more years of experience and wisdom over Darryl Braxton. Something she wanted him to be very much aware of. "On the contrary Mr. Braxton. You see I've dealt with your kind before and I know for a fact that while they may want you dead, if they succeed they will go after everyone and everything else you have so much as touched in your lifetime. They will bring pain and misery and I for one and not prepared to sit back and let my family suffer any longer", she said slamming her handbag down on the counter top.

"What are ye doin'?", he asked as he watched Morag remove some papers and a pen. She flung them at him and watched him as he let them hit against his chest and fall to his hands. "I'm giving you a choice. Although one which you probably won't agree with it. But for the sake of others and your life, it's in your best interest to g along with it", she said zipping back up her handbag se looked at Brax who looked very confused. "Oh yeah what's that?", he said leaning his hands against the counter so that he was in closer contact with Morag. "You confess everything you've done to the police. The outcome, based on my experience as a judge, you will more than likely serve a hefty sentence. However if you comply, I will do my best to get you a more lenient sentence even if it is against my better judgement", Morag said raising her eyebrow to indicate the just how serious she was being. "And if I don't?". Brax asked. Morag glared at him.

"If you don't Mr. Braxton your only other choice is to go up against your "boys". However you will lose and you will put the lives of those you care about at greater risk", she said. Picking up her handbag, Morag stood up and waited for Brax to agree. Shaking his head Brax began to tap his fingers off the counter. "I can't do it. It's too late", he said, his voice breaking as he thought about the reason why he couldn't go to the police. Morag leaned against the counter snarled at Brax. "You have just made a very big mistake", she said. And with that she left. Leaving Brax to contemplate just how deep he was in all this.

Looking back down at the counter he removed the cloth covered item from behind the till and placed it on the counter top. He unwrapped it to reveal a silver .357 magnum revolver handgun. Brax picked up the weapon and gazed over it. Picking up the bottle of bourbon, he poured himself another shot. Placing the gun back down and wrapping it up he put it in the security box and locked it up. Then picking up the shot of bourbon, he lowered and let the burning sensation settle. Picking up the keys of the restaurant he made his way downstairs to attend to other business. Walking along the side of the restaurant Brax felt two hands shove him up against the wall. Raising his head, he saw Heath standing before him with his two hands pinning him to the side of the Surf Club.

"Well done mate", Heath said getting his face right up against Brax's. "What are ye talkin' about Heath?", he asked pushing his brothers hands off him and straightening up his shirt. "I'm talkin' about you makin' a deal Jake and his boys to help you get Brodie and the boys off you back. Only thing is, now Brodie and the boys know and they're takin' their revenge plot one step further", he said getting in Brax's face and shouting at him. Brax's face became more serious and he looked Heath square in the eye wanting nothing more than to know what this revenge plot entailed. "Wait, how do they know, what are they plannin'?", he asked hoping Heath would be generous enough to share with him.

"I dunno who told 'em. All I know is that they plan on finishin' the job they started on Casey and Ruby then they're comin' after you. Don't worry bout your copper girlfriend. They no better than to try and mess with law enforcers. Unlike some", Heath spat as scratched the facial hair under his chin. "Look, I know everythin' is is messed up right now but trust me eh. I'm workin' on it. I'm gonna sort all this out", Brax said placing a hand on his brothers shoulder. Heath swotted it away and began walking towards the beach. Turning around he looked at his older brother and gave him angry look, "Yeah whatever Brax. Talk means nothin'. What happens to the rest of us if Brodie and the boys decide to get in before you have a chance to "sort it all out"?", Heath said using air quotes to convey his sarcasm. "We might be able to look after ourselves but Case and Ruby, that's a whole other game", he said and then walked away. Leaving Brax with an even more complicated situation to try and handle.

After making his down to the beach, Heath was about to go for a surf, when he spotted Ruby sitting on the sand, Jacob her puppy who was now beginning to get even bigger, was laying down beside her. Heath walked up to her and laughed out loud to get her attention. "You know if we keep meetin' like this people are gonna start thinkin' your stalkin' me", he try to play off his charm on the young Buckton who laughed to herself as her focus remaind on staring straight ahead. "That's rich coming from a guys who just went out of his way to come over and talk to me. If anybodys doing the staking it's you", she said and then smiled a big cheeky grin.

Heath smiled back. Feeling stupid since she couldn't actually see it. Then his smile faded and he scratched the side of his head. Conflicted over whether or not to tell Ruby about Brodie's threats. But he knew he had to. It wasn't fair on her to be walking around carefree when the fact of the matter remained, she was in serious danger. "Look Rubes, I dunno how wo say this to ye so I'm just gonna come out with it. Brodes and the boys have been makin threats against Brax and Case...and you", he said. He watched as he saw the fear creep into Ruby's smile as it too began to fade. "Great, now that I'm blind I might as well just stand out in the open wearing a target mark around my chest", she said as tears began to fall down her cheeks. Heath dug his Surf Board into the sand and sat down next to Ruby. The side the protective young dog wasn't sitting on.

"Ye know Rubes, ye don't have to be a victim or helpless in all this. You can learn to defend yourself and adapt", he said. Ruby laughed, "Adapt to what?", she said wiping away her tears. "To your surroundin's. You don't have to be strong or tough to defend yourself. If your smart and you know your surroundin's especially in the dark, you can come out on top", he said. Ruby thought about what he was saying and suddenly, it was like a lightbulb going off. She turned her focus to the direction of Heath's voice and nodded. Then turned er head back towards the sound of the waves. Listening intently to what Heath was saying.

That night, Ruby was sitting in the living room listening to music when she heard her mother arrive home from work. "Charlie", she called out. "Yeah it's me", Charlie responded entering the living room and placing her bag and jacket on the table before crossing the room to the couch and sitting down next to her daughter. "So how was your day", she asked placing a quick kiss on Ruby's forehead. Ruby shrugged her shoulders "It was fine", she said. Charlie gazed at Ruby and took in her daughters empty expression. "Come on Rubes I'm a cop. You'll to lie better than that to fool me", she said as twirled a strand of Rubys hair around her fingers.

"Heath bumped into me on the beach and made it pretty clear that Brodie and his boys were out to finish the job they started on me and Casey", she said. Charlie sat up alarmed at the statement that the Riverboys were gonna take care of her daughter. "What, how does he know, is he sure?", she asked grasping both of her daughters hands in her own. "Yep, he's pretty sure", Ruby replied. She chewed on her bottom lip, thinking over whether or not to tell Charlie the next part but knowing it would be for the best. "Heath has offered to help me learn some self defence tactics", she said but before she could finish Charlie cut her off. "No way. Forget it. If you want to learn self defence tactics I can get you an instructor". Ruby interrupted Charlie. Cutting her off with a harsher tone.

"Charlie PLEASE. For once would you look past the fact it's Heath Braxton and just trust him on this. He knows Brodie and the Riverboys, he's know how they operate. He can help me better than any instructor could", she shouted. Tears began to fall from Rubys eyes. "I'm tired of living with this fear every day. Not knowing when they're going to strike again. I just, I want to fell like I can at least try and defend myself. I don't want to be the victi anymore", she finished. The tears falling faster and more frequently. Pulling Ruby into her arms, Charlie held her tight. Wanting to protect her as best she could. But knowing Ruby was right. She needed to be able to defend herself if Charlie cound't be there to do it for her. Then came the word she thought she would never say where Heath Braxton was concerend "Okay", she agreed.

**********************************************

Next Time:

*Ruby is finally ready to give her statement to the police, but suffers a panic attack when she tries to recount "all the details" of the fire that night

*Inspector Joyce reprimands Charlie for trying to be a cop and a mother. Is she off the case?

*Charlie decides it's time she talk to Heath. Can he convince her that he has Ruby's best interest at heart? Or is Charlie right to be worried for her daughters wellbeing?

*With Casey gone A.W.O.L, is the case against the Riverboys about to fall apart?

[HighwayUnicorn]

That was an absolutely amazing chapter. Absolutely fantastically written.

Really well done.

The preview sounds awesome too so I look forward to more.

Love Carina xxx

[Red Ranger 1]

Wow, nice chapter.Liked the chat between Charlie and Ruby at the start and the insight into how Ruby's coping with being blind.Brax's life is seriously unravelling and it seems it's going to be the innocents suffering again.Looking forward to more of this.

[teespazzr]

I haven't commented in a while cause I'm usually on my IPAD and it a pain to comment but I will suffer through it tonight just to tell you this story is awesome

[Dingo x]

Great chapter,

can't wait for more.

Keep up the great work!

Update soon. xx

[Inactive User]

Amazing chapter

Update soon xx

[JosieTash]

Just caught up [from Chapter 4 on] ………

Beyond SOOOOOO much to LOVE !!!!! ….. both in terms of action & dialogue …

 the bracelets

 the guide dog

 “Ironic how Ruby is the one who lost her sight, yet you're the one who is truly blind to what's really standing before her"

 Ruby nightmare and aftermath / Ruby was still trying to be as strong as ever

 "I'm sorry for being human Leah."

 "If I feel out your facial expressions, I can picture you in my head. It's almost like I can see you again",

 The fire alarm/Heath saving Ruby

 Ruby’s breakdown

 "Oi shove off Stevie Wonder",

 “You know it's amazing. I see people more clearly now that I'm blind than I ever did when I could see", she said twisting the bracelet on her arm.

 "Okay, but just, be careful. Guys like Heath, they're bad news", Charlie said. Ruby stopped in her tracks. "Guys like Heath? What about guys like Brax? because the last time I checked they were in the same boat",

 Leah was actually quite surprised with the positive effect it had on VJ. Now he put away his school bag and surf board out of the way and his room was spotless.

 To measure out the amount of milk that went into her cereal, Ruby would place her finger in the bowl to mark out the level at which to stop pouring

 "BUT, I also know from bitter experience that whenever I do lecture you, you tend to just go against what I say anways. So what I will say, actually more what I will ask of you, is that you promise me you'll be careful...and that you'll keep your guard up?",

 "Ye know Rubes, ye don't have to be a victim or helpless in all this. You can learn to defend yourself and adapt" AND

 Charlie agreeing to Ruby’s request

SOOOOOOOO looking forward to more !!!!!!!!

[ldscott]

I've finally got caught up with tis story!

Love how you are showing Heath's soft side, I knew he had t have one!

Can't wait to read more!

Lisa x

[Zetti]

I knew I had some chapters to catch up on but this is so freakingly good!

I am so excited to read more! x