Decisions

[katieabandon]

Story Title: Decisons (AU)

Type of story: S/M fic

Main Characters: Charlie, Brax

Other Characters: Elllie, Mr Buckton

BTTB rating: T (Suitable for teenagers)

Genre: Drama/Angst

Does story include spoilers: No

Any warnings: Mild drug references in some chapters. Willl warn at start.

Summary; Charlie has to make a life changing decision. Will she reconcile with her father before she goes?

It was a typical Saturday night in the Braxton household. Brax was in his bedroom sorting out his movie collection. Ever since Brax was little, all he wanted to do was make movies and become this all-time movie director. This was his life’s passion.

Charlie on the other hand, had no idea what she wanted to do. She never had the chance to find out what she wanted out of life. Her mother died when she was just 16 years old and her father was never around. She had an older sister who she lives with.

As Brax was sorting his collection, Charlie climbs through the bedroom window. As kids, this was something they always did whenever Charlie came round to see Brax which was almost every day. In fact, Charlie spent more time with Brax than she did at her own house.

“You’re here?” Brax stated the obvious, surprised to see her.

“I thought we were watching movies tonight, Brax.” Charlie was also a little taken aback at his comment. Usually they spend every night together, watching movies.

“Yeah, okay, what have we got here?” He asked himself as he rummaged through his collection. “How about this one?” he pointed to one of the films. “We haven’t seen this one in a while. It’s a huge cliff-hanger!”

“Cliff-hanger?” Charlie questioned. “Come on Brax, you of all people should know, that a cliff-hanger is merely a manipulative TV standard designed to improve ratings.

“No.” he corrected her. “A cliff-hanger’s purpose is to keep people interested, to keep them guessing of what’s going to happen in future episodes.”

Charlie takes a seat on the edge of the bed and takes the TV remote from Brax switched off the TV

“Just like in our own lives, they are so predictable. It’s boring, Brax”

“Well what if this time, something is different, you wouldn’t want to miss that, would you?” He answers back switching the television back on.

“It all sounds like one big tease to me, Brax.” Charlie reluctantly started watching the T.V.

This is my second fic so please tell me if I should continue

[katieabandon]

Thanks guys!

Brax was at his standing at the bar with Tegan having a drink when Charlie walks past them both in a daze obviously with something else on her mind. Brax got her attention and brought her out of the trance that she was in.

“Oh, hey, Brax”

“Everything okay?”

“Yeah, I think so…” Charlie started. “How do you about getting a passport?” She wondered.

“Why? Where are you going?” Brax asked with a smile on his face.

Charlie explained that one of her colleagues turned down the opportunity to go to France and work for 5 months because she had other commitments and family issues. The station had to find a replacement

“And they picked you?!” Tegan exclaimed, obviously very excited for her. Brax however had a concerned look on his face and didn’t want her to go.

“Yeah” Charlie said shyly

“Wait a minute! You’re going to France?” Brax asked worriedly.

“Well, I don’t know yet. I have two days to decide.”

“But if you did go, when would you leave?” He asked getting even more worried. He didn’t want her to go.

“Two weeks”. Charlie simply answered and could see the concerned look on Brax’ face. She couldn’t look him in the eye. “I’ll see you guys later,” she said and walked away leaving Brax lost for words.

“I definitely think she should go, don’t you?” Tegan turned to Brax who was still in a state of disbelief.

“Yeah…..um….why not?” He said completely taken aback by her confession and took another drink.

[katieabandon]

Thanks everyone for commenting, I really love to read them!!

Back at Charlie’s house she was helping Ellie get the groceries out the truck and told her the good news that had recently came about.

“I mean, France is so far away. I don’t know anyone and I don’t speak the language and plus I’d feel too far away from home…” Charlie tells Ellie her good news.

“Well, whatever you decide to do, I think it’s an honour just to be asked. Really, Charles, I’m proud of you!” Ellie was really happy for her older sister. She figured this was just the opportunity she was waiting for.

“And dad will be too, when you tell him all about it” she added as she walked away from the car with a bag of shopping.

Charlie turned to face Ellie horrified at the mention of her father. “A question: why would I tell dad?!”

“Don’t tell me you’ve forgotton what tomorrow is?” asked Ellie

“Apparently I have” said Charlie

“It’s his birthday, Charlie” she reminded her

“You’re on your own, Ellie. Enjoy yourself.”

“I’m not going, Charlie,” Ellie told her. “You are.”

“Wake up, Ellie!! I’m not going anywhere!” She turned around and stood directly infront of her sister, adamant that she wasn’t going. Charlie hadn’t seen her dad in a while and quite frankly she wanted to keep it that way.

“Charlie, we made a deal. I know you remember! Alternating birthday visits for as long as he is in there. Now, I went last year, so according to my calculations, it’s your turn.” Ellie said, also determined she wasn’t budging.

“Forget it!” Charlie said. At the thought of seeing her dad made her sick and she didn’t want to go through that.

“You’re not getting out of this one Charlie. If you don’t go, I will make you regret it!” Ellie shouted but after a moment she calmed down. “Look, I know you’re still angry about what he did to us and to mum. I am too. But you know what, Charlie? He’s still our father…”

“Yeah, our father who art in prison.” Charlie said coldly and walked away angry and annoyed.

Next time

Will Brax encourage Charlie to go and what would he do if Charlie left?

[katieabandon]

I'm glad you like this story!! okay, theres some drug mention in this chapter

Charlie told Brax about visiting her dad in prison and that she didn’t want to go alone. As the gentleman Brax is, he offered to go with her, and Charlie was more than happy to accept.

“Thanks a lot for coming with me, Brax. I could kill Ellie for making me do this.”

“Not a problem”, Brax assured her.

Charlie and Brax got their tickets from the office and went over to sit at a nearby bench for the bus to come.

“When was the last time you saw your dad anyway?” Brax asked curiously.

“Two years ago” Charlie told him. She continued, “About the same time I discovered he was trafficking marijuana and cheating on my dying mother with a bleach blond cocktail waitress.” Charlie said in disgust as she leaned back on the bench

“It’s only for today. You’ll get through it, I promise” Brax tried to reassure her touching her arm gently to offer further support.

“Thanks”

“So any more thought about the whole European thing?” Brax said trying to change the subject.

“Still weighing it up for fantasy elements” Charlie quipped back which made Brax chuckle but at least it put a smile on Charlie’s face for a brief moment.

“It’s an incredible opportunity…” Brax said genuinely pleased for her but he was hiding his true feelings from her.

“And what would you do if I left?” Charlie asked curiously.

“Erm… um… suicide. Something painless- car fumes maybe” Brax said being sarcastic.

Charlie shook her head, “No, seriously Brax. What would you do?” she asked anxiously.

Brax had to think about this. What would I do? He thought.

“If Paris made you happy, then I’d be happy for you.” He said seriously

There was a small pause as the looked into each others eyes for a brief moment. Charlie nodded her head slighty glad that Brax would be happy for her if she left.

[katieabandon]

Okay guys, this is a longer post so I hope you like it

Four hours later

The bus arrives at the stop point and Charlie and Brax are the first ones to get off. Charlie looked around herself nervously, taking in her surroundings. There was a big yard with barbed wire fences all around it. The gardens had small shrubs and there was a long passageway to the entrance of the prison centre, which was surrounded by security guards. Charlie was ready to turn back and go home.

“You ready?” Brax asked her already knowing her answer with the expression on her face

“No” she said as she continued to take in her surroundings

“Well too bad” Brax said as he guided her towards the path to the reception.

***

Charlie and Brax stood at the reception waiting to be seen. The clock above the desk read 5:05pm.

“You’re kidding?!” Charlie gasped. “We missed visiting hours?!” Charlie spoke angry and annoyed.

“I’m sorry. These are the rules. Visitation ends promptly at 5 o’clock." The officer told her.

“Yeah, but we just spend four hours on a bus! What are we supposed to do now?” Charlie was fuming.

“Look miss, I know you think your problem is very important and I’m sure to you it is, but here at a prison housing over 800 felons, its not even a blip on the radar so can I ask you are we done here yet?” the guard told them in one breath and turned back to his paperwork.

Charlie gave the guard a glare of annoyance and frustration and walked away with Brax unable to do anything,

“This is becoming a far bigger nightmare than I ever anticipated.” Charlie was furious, she never wanted to come here in the first place and now she isn’t able to see her dad.

“I’m sorry, I know you wanted to get this over with” Brax said trying to ease the situation but it wasn’t helping. “If you ask me nicely, I’ll come back again tomorrow.” Brax offered. He figured it was the least he could do.

“Thanks for the offer, Brax, but there must be a better solution than spending another day on the bus….” Charlie pondered

They both breathe heavily equally exasperated with the situation. Brax looks around himself, not looking for anything in particular and a sign caught his eye.

“Maybe there is”, he finally spoke.

***

In the motel room, Brax was sitting on the edge of the one of the beds trying to find something to watch on the T.V. Charlie was in the bathroom using the facilities and had just walked out into the room to find Brax. Once he got her attention, he spoke.

“Hey, I spoke to my mum, she said she’d tell Ellie we had to stay overnight” Brax told her as she walked over towards the bed. He asked her if she felt like watching TV but she said it had been a long day and just wanted to sleep so he switched off the television and Brax went over to his bed and Charlie went to hers.

“Charlie?” Brax said once her got her attention. It was late but the room was still fairly well lit with the lights outside shining in.

“Yeah?”

“I don’t want this to affect your decision about Paris, but I would really miss you if you left”. Brax told her quickly before he could take it all back.

“I’d miss you too, Brax.” Charlie said.

“I’ve been thinking about us a lot lately”

“You have?” Charlie asked surprised

“Yeah, I have” was all that Brax said.

“And?”

“And I want to know where we are. What’s going on between us?”

“And how do we do that, Brax?” Charlie asked knowing that every time she thinks something is going to change, something is always in the way preventing them from telling each other how they really feel about each other.

“I’m sorry, Charlie, I’m just not all there yet” he said looking into her eyes. “I can analyse someone else until the cows come home, but as soon as I turn on that indulgent perception on myself, it’s like I completely lose connection between my heart and my head.” Brax tried to explain how he felt. He continued, “It’s like the two are incompatible, and I can’t get it together. I really wish I could because I’m so scared of what might happen if I don’t. I…..” he decide to stop when he saw the complete and utter confusion on Charlie’s face. “Did you get any of that or was I talking way too fast?”

“What are you so scared of, Brax?” Charlie said and turned to face the other way.

Brax did the same and muttered to himself, “I don’t know…”

Next time:

Charlie sees her dad for the first time in 2 years.

What do think her reaction will be?

[katieabandon]

The next morning, Charlie and Brax were in the visiting room waiting for her dad anxiously on the appearance of her father.

“Well, I should probably get going, I’ll be right outside….” Brax said and stared making his way to the exit. Charlie grabbed his arm and pulled him back telling him to stay. “but don’t you want to be alone with him, you haven’t seen him in, like, forever.” He wondered.

“Yeah, right! Like I want to spend time alone with the man who is responsible for the destruction of my family.” Charlie said coldly.

“Just then, Mr Buckton appeared at the door with two guards, Brax looked up at him and Charlie followed his line of vision and saw her father. She reluctantly went to sit on a chair opposite her father, Brax sat beside her. Charlie was dreading this moment however she was glad Brax was at her side helping her through it.

“If I knew you were coming, I would have sent for cigars and champagne.” Her father joked trying to lighten the mood but no-one was laughing.

Charlie sat opposite her father, mad, angry. She didn’t speak up or even acknowledge the fact that he was there.

“Charlie, you’re beautiful…” Her dad made a compliment in her direction.

“No, I’m not!” She said grimly.

“Hello, Brax” he acknowledged him.

“Hello, Mr Buckton” Brax said pleasantly.

He turned his attention back to Charlie, “I thought the other night you would come, but I thought I better not get my hopes up…” he said, “birthdays in prison are depressing enough.”

“Well, I’m here aren’t I?” She answered back not exactly filled with enthusiasm.

“I’m so glad, you have no idea” he told her. “You’re all grown up. It’s amazing” her father was trying to conduct some kind of conversation with his daughter but was so far failing miserably.

“Well, that’s what people do. They grow up!” Charlie said harshly.

“How’s ….uh….” he tried to think of something to talk about, “work?”

“So that’s what you want to talk about?!” Charlie was angry and upset and simply shook her head.

“What do you want to talk about?” he asked her questionably.

Charlie looked into her fathers eyes and said, “Nothing”, If her father doesn’t realise how he hurt her over the past two years, then she wasn’t about to explain herself to him.

“It gets so lonely here, Charlie… I miss, you, your sister. I miss my family…”

“Your family?! Tell me this: do you miss mum?” She questioned him, angry unable to comprehend what he said.

There was a small pause as Mr Thomas hung his head in shame. He then said, “Yes, very much.” He truly was ashamed of what he said all those years ago. “Charlie, talk to me, tell me what you’re thinking.” He tried to get her to talk to him.

“You don’t want to know what I’m thinking. Believe me” Charlie told her father,. “All this was a mistake. I guess I should tell you leaving in a few weeks. I’m going to France”, Charlie said quickly “so I won’t be around anymore, so…..”

At this comment, Brax looked at her, stunned. He never knew she had actually decided to go. I mean, he knew she was thinking of going but never knew she was certain.

Charlie continued, “And that family you miss? It doesn’t exist anymore!” Charlie abruptly pushes the desk away allowing her to get up from her chair and heads for the exit. “Its over.” Charlie said as she stormed out the prison centre.

****

Brax gets up from his seat to follow her out, but he was held back by Mr Thomas who asks him to stay. Charlie’s father was still very calm, giving the circumstances and remained in his chair the entire time.

“Brax, wait, please” he pleaded. “Tell me about her. Tell me about my daughter.”

“What do you want to know?” Brax asked.

“Anything. Everything.”

Brax sat down again and started to tell him about her. To be honest, he never actually knew where to begin.

“She’s great. She’s smart. She’s beautiful, She’s funny, she’s a bit of a scaredy cat. She’s honest and loyal to a fault. She calls things just as she sees them. You can count on getting the truth from Charlie, even if the truth hurts. She’s stubborn – we fight a lot! But she’s a really, really good friend. She believes in me. I’m a dreamer so it’s so good to have someone like that in my life. She’s my best friend. She’s more than that- she’s everything.” Brax drifted off. He felt so good to get all that off his chest and opened up to how he really feels. But the only thing was he was saying it all to the wrong person….

Next time

Will Brax tell Charlie how he feels before it's too late?

[katieabandon]

Thanks guys for the comments! I love reading them! This story is sadly coming to an end but don't worry, there will be another 2 updates after this one before that happens! x

Both Brax and Charlie walked in silence all the way back to Charlie’s apartment, not one word was spoken between them. Brax was walking in a daze wile Charlie was trying to make sense of what was going through his mind.

“So, what’s wrong?” Charlie finally asked frustratingly.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, you haven’t said one word the entire bus ride home! If anyone should be brooding, its me…” Charlie gave him a chance to speak but he remained quiet. “Talk to me Brax. What did he say?” She asked nervously.

“He asked a lot of questions about you. He misses you. He loves you.” He told her. “You shouldn’t have left…”

“Don’t lecture me!”

“I’m not but…”

“But, what?”

“You’re going to have to deal with him sometime!” he tried to tell her,

“I deal with him everyday. Every second I am dealing with the legacy he left behind! He doesn’t want me to help him, he wants me to make him feel better. He wants me to say ‘I forgive you, dad’ but you know what? I can’t. I don’t forgive him for anything!”

“Well tell him that” Brax said, trying to help.

“What’s the point?!” Charlie questions him.

“The point is, he’s your father- he’s your only father”

“I hate him, Brax”

“Hates a strong word….”

“Then it applies” she made her feelings towards her father clear.

Charlie, you’re going to have to deal with these feelings of anger towards him or you will end up being hand-cuffed to him for the rest of your life…”

“Even in Paris?” She interrupts him and heads to her apartment.

Brax catches up with her and pulls her back.

“You’ve decided to go?” he asked worriedly

“Yes, Brax, I’ve decided to go. I think a geographic change is exactly what I need”

“Charlie, you don’t have to…”

“Why should I stay? Give me one good, non-analytical, off -the-top of your head reason why I should stay!!”

There was awkward moment of silence while Charlie waited for a response. Brax stood with his mouth open searching for the right words, the three words he wanted to say for so long. Charlie stood in front of him staring into his eyes, to his mouth. Tears were welling up in her own eyes.

Brax wanted so much to tell her how he felt about her, but he couldn’t express himself in that way. Instead he said nothing.

“I thought so.” Charlie said when she didn’t get an answer and headed up the steps to her apartment.

Brax was left outside, looking on, kicking himself for not saying anything. Has he lost his chance to tell her how he really feels?

Charlie went in the house, slammed the door shut and threw her keys on a table at the front door. She went threw to her bedroom and lay on the bed with her head in her hands. Charlie seemed to have all the emotions thrown into one: mad, angry happy, upset, frustrated annoyed and furious. How could Brax not say anything? Why didn’t he ask me to stay? Why? She let the tears flow freely down her cheeks. We used to rely on each other for everything, our lives used to happen together, me and Brax , that’s the way it has always been, so what’s changed? They were best friends, they were more than that – they were soulmates, and yet he still couldn’t give her a reason to stay.

After a few hours Charlie calmed down a bit and thought of everything that has happened in her life. When her mom died, Brax was there for her and when her father was convicted, the person who stood by her side was Brax. So why can’t he be there for me now? Why can’t he support me on this? She thought. She then realised Brax was there for her and he was trying to help her through it, because he doesn’t want her to feel like this for the rest of her life. She thought about what Brax said before, outside the house, about her father and not letting the feelings of anger towards him eat her up any longer, because she, herself wanted him to know how he made her feel. She decided to do just that.

Next time

Charlie goes to visit her dad again. Any thoughts on will happen?

[katieabandon]

Okay, I thought I'd post this chapter seeing you are keen to see what happens. The last one will be posted tomorrow. I hope you like it!

Outside the prison centre, Charlie anxiously waits for to see her father, pacing, back and forth as she does so. Her father approaches the barbed wire that that separated him from his daughter. It was a cold, dark, Friday night but there was enough light in the surroundings for her to see.

There was a moment of silence before anyone spoke. Her dad was surprised to see her, after the visit he had before. Charlie broke the silence.

“I don’t really know what I’m doing here.” She said anxiously with a small grin appearing on her lips. “That’s not true.” She forced the words out. “I came here tonight to tell you that you messed up. You really messed up.” Charlie was so thankful she was able to tell him how she felt as she has kept it bottled up for so long. She was now able to get it all off her chest. She continued, “Not because, you broke the law or you got caught or you left me without a…” She had to fight back the tears. She didn’t want sympathy, “father.”

Her father looked at her with tear in his own eyes. Taking in everything is daughter told him.

“You messed up because you don’t know me. I’m your daughter and you don’t know me at all…” She told him the truth. “I just came here to say, I’m alright. I turned out pretty good. And I’m going to be okay – no help from you. And I just have one question” Charlie paused to gather her thoughts, she stared to the ground, but struggled to get the words out. “Do you love me?” She finally found, the courage to ask her father.

Tears were now in her fathers eyes too, and he let them flow. He knows he hurt her more than words could ever express, and if you could do his time over, he would have done it differently.

“More than you’ll ever know.” he tells her softly

“Do you think about me?”

“Sweetheart, all day long, every day, every hour, every minute.”

“Do you really love me though? Because I’m 25 years old and I go through everyday of my life thinking that nobody loves me.” she cries.

“Well nothing could be further from the truth and I’m not the only one. Darryl Braxton. He loves you, Charlie.” Her father sees the confused expression on her face, her eyes filled with emotion. “He’s never told you?”

Charlie shakes her head, ever so slightly giving her father her answer.

“Well, he does. I know it….”

“How?” Charlie questions

“Because he looks at you the same way you’re mother used to look at me. And you love him?”

Charlie is taken aback by her father’s forwardness and doesn’t say anything but she knows her father is right. She nods her head ever so slightly confirming her fathers suspicion.

“Have you told him?” he asked to which Charlie shook her head.

“You have to tell him, Charlie. Don’t make my mistake. Don’t wait ‘til someone you love is eaten away by cancer while you’re holding back the one thing there waiting to hear…” her father drifts off.

Charlie moved closer to the barbed wire while her father did the same and their hands met and shared a tender moment, wishing they had done it sooner, and hoping it wouldn’t be as long before they can do it again.

“I love you, dad” Charlie told him softly, barely audible.

“I love you, too…” Tears flowing down his face

They stood in silence embracing the moment they shared then Charlie started to pull away, and said, “I’ve got to go. Bye” and walks away. Her father is left standing at the prison gates wishing more than anything, he could go with her.

How does everyone want the story to end?

[katieabandon]

I just wanted to say thank you so much for taking the time to read and comment on my story. I really appreciate it!! Here is the final chapter, it is short and sweet.

Back at the Braxton household, Brax was lying on his bed watching a movie when Charlie climbs in the bedroom window. “Hey, can I come in?”

“Yeah, of course.” He answered anxiously. “What’s up?” He invited her over to the bed next to him to which she obliged. Charlie sat on the edge of the bed next to him.

“I’ve just come from visiting my dad….” She started

“Oh” was all that Brax could say as he knew how she felt about him with regards to their last conversation. “And?”

“I just told him what you said. I told him that he hurt me.” Charlie simply said, she didn’t really want to talk about it. All she needed was Brax.

Brax never mentioned it again and tried to change the subject. There had been something that he wanted to ask her, but he was not sure how she would react.

“So…uh... do you think…uh… I mean, you’ve decided to go to France?” he finally managed to get the words out.

“Ah, the inevitable cliffhanger!” Am I going to France?”

“Well are you?” he asked seriously

“Look, I am tired of all the drama in my life right now Brax. And leaving

town just makes the most sense to me so...”

Brax interrupts, “No it doesn’t”

“Why should I stay? Is there some new release at the video store I don’t know about?!“ Charlie starts to get angry as she has been here before with Brax and they never got anywhere then either. “Its time to grow up, Brax”

“Then we’ll do it together. I can grow up. Just give me a chance.”

Charlie looks intensely into Brax’ eyes looking for something but not quite sure what.

“I’m so tired of dancing around these big words. I just want to be honest with you”

“Me too, Charlie. More than anything I just want to be honest”

“Do you think we’re ready for that honesty?” Charlie questions him

“Yeah, I do”

“Are you sure? Because honesty is a big word. Are you sure you are ready for all the things that go along with telling the truth?”

They look into each other’s eyes intensely, Charlie’s eyes are searching his face for some kind of response and looks hurt when Brax doesn’t say anything. Brax realises what he has done and has to do something but its too late.

“I’ll see you, Brax.” Charlie said as she turned around to head for the window.

“Charlie. Charlie!”

Brax grabs Charlie’s arm and she turns around and leans in to kiss her. He pulls back to give a chance to say something but she doesn’t. So they both lean into the kiss. Charlie puts her arms around Brax’ neck while he moves his hands around her waist and they kiss passionately.

Brax was the first one to pull back when he remembered something.

“What’s wrong?”

“France.” He simply said. He knew that would be enough

“After making amends with my dad, I feel as if I owe it to him and myself if I stay. Because, like you said, he is my only father and I don’t get another one.” She told him.

“Is that the only reason you decided to change your mind?” He asked with a curious grin on his face

“No”

“Well what was the other reason?”

“This” she said as she leaned into kiss him again passionately.”

“That’s enough for me”

THE END

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