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Guest Melbelle94

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Chapter Twenty Five:

Brax squeezed Charlie's hand gently in anticipation as they waited for the results, the answer they'd been waiting nine months for. Brax knew that whatever the outcome was it wouldn't change the relationship he would have with Bailey. The little girl would be his daughter either way because he knew he'd raise her. He knew deep down it didn't matter where she got her genetics from.

"Stop" Charlie spoke as she saw Nate's mouth open.

Brax glanced down in confusion but he saw her eyes wide with fright. "Charlie?"

Charlie shook her head. "Once he reads it out we can't take it back. We'll know, you might look at Bailey differently. I couldn't handle that Brax" Charlie murmured.

Brax glanced at Ruby. "Take your sisters out into the hall. I'll come get you in a moment" Brax told her as he helped Shay down from the bed and then Katie.

Charlie watched her three daughters leave before looking up at Brax again. "I just..."

"I know, Charlie, I know. But you have to trust me, whatever the outcome I will love Bailey. I am going to raise her, she is my daughter"

"Yes she is"

Charlie and Brax froze as they turned to Nate, he was smiling. "What did you say?" Charlie asked.

Nate chuckled. "Bailey is Brax's daughter. She is biologically your daughter Brax"

Brax grinned as he looked down at Charlie; she had tears running down her cheeks as she looked down at Bailey. "She's ours" Charlie murmured.

Brax grinned as he leaned forward and kissed Charlie on the forehead. "Ours. Our baby girl" Brax told her as he took Bailey from Charlie's arms, kissing the little girl softly on the top of her newborn head. "I love you, Bailey"

"Can we come back in?" Ruby asked as she poked her head around the corner.

Charlie giggled as she wiped her tears away. "Yes!"

Katie and Shay came running in behind Ruby, all three girls looking at Brax with curiosity. "So?" Ruby asked.

Brax smiled. "She's a Braxton"

"Yes!" Ruby exclaimed as she pulled Katie and Shay into a hug. "Bailey Braxton!"

Katie tilted her head. "Mummy, is me a Braxton?" Katie asked.

Charlie glanced down at the little girl before her. "No sweetie, you and Ruby are Buckton's"

Katie sighed. "What's Shay?"

Charlie bit her bottom lip. "Shay and Connor are Blencoes"

Ruby squished onto the bed next to her mother. "Maybe we can all be Braxton's" Ruby suggested her eyes lighting up with delight. "You could even marry dad"

Charlie giggled. "You have it all planned out Miss Ruby"

Brax grinned as he looked at Charlie. "Wouldn't be so bad, a house full of Braxton's, mostly girls. How do you feel about that, Katie, Shay?"

"I'd hold off on that Mr Braxton"

Brax glanced over to the door to see an elderly woman with grey hair and black rimmed glasses looking into the room a file and envelope in hand. "Can I help you?" Brax asked as he noticed the woman looking closely at Shay.

"I'm Mary; I am a lawyer and this..." Mary gestured towards another woman who entered the room behind her, a tall young brunette dressed in a business suit. "Is Jane from DHS. I would like to inform you of an investigation starting now as well a custody hearing set for the fourteenth of July"

Charlie glared. "What are you talking about?"

Mary smiled but it wasn't a kind smile. "You are lucky the police haven't been informed Miss Buckton, kidnapping not only one child but two" Mary tusked.

Charlie didn't follow but her eyes landed on Shay and Katie. "I didn't kidnap, they are my daughters"

Mary nodded. "Katie might be biologically but Shay isn't. And as you are aware Grant' Blencoes name is on the birth certificate for Katie"

"Only because he made me put it there, he told me if I didn't then she would die" Charlie exclaimed as Jane stepped forward.

"Miss Buckton, I am going to be taking Shay and Katie into custody along with Ruby pending an investigation into claims of neglect and abuse. They will remain with until the temporary custody hearing in two days' time" Jane spoke.

Brax glared at the worker as Katie and Shay hurried to stand behind him, he could see Ruby clinging to Charlie. "You can't take them"

Jane nodded. "We can and we are, Mr Braxton. Serious allegations are being made against both you and Miss Buckton until these are resolved the girls will be safer in our care"

"I won't go with you" Ruby spoke definitely. "I'm not going with you"

Mary motioned to the doorway and two officers entered. "If you do not comply Mr Braxton, Miss Buckton, you will be placed under arrest"

Jane glanced at Mary before turning to Charlie. "Is that your newly born daughter?"

Charlie nodded as she hugged Ruby tightly, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Yes"

"We'll be taking custody of her as well" Jane spoke as she moved forward to take Bailey from Brax's arms but he moved away, pushing Katie and Shay back with him.

"You're not taking her, you're not taking any of my girls" Brax told her sternly but Jane remained unfazed.

"Either you give me the children Mr Braxton or you will be placed under arrest; it will not help your case"

Charlie sobbed. "Brax you have to, I don't want to either but we have to" Charlie cried.

Brax looked at Charlie with wide eyes. "No!"

Charlie reached out for his hand. "We must, we'll get them back, we will" Charlie told him, her voice was weak but her words were strong.

"I'll take her dad" Ruby said through her tears as she walked around the bed and took Bailey from his arms.

Brax couldn't help the tears that fell down his cheeks as he leaned down and kissed Bailey on the head. Looking at Ruby he cringed at the sight of her crying. "I love you, Rubes" Brax said as he kissed her forehead.

Ruby nodded. "I love you too, dad" Ruby said as she moved back to Charlie to say goodbye.

Brax turned and knelt down to Shay and Katie's levels. "You two be good for Ruby, your mum and I are going to get you back. Stay together. I love you girls" Brax said as he pulled them into a fierce hug, trying to stay strong as they cried on his shoulder.

"I love you and mummy, daddy" Katie cried.

"I love you dad" Shay sobbed as she pulled away and launched up onto the bed gripping Charlie. "I love you mummy"

Charlie broke down as she gripped Shay tightly. "I love you baby girl, I love you so much" Charlie said as she looked at all four of her daughters. "I love you all" Charlie said as she hugged Katie as well.

"It's time to go" Jane told them as she gestured towards the door.

"I don't wanna go" Katie shrieked as an officer moved in and picked her up. "Let me go!" Katie screamed as she squirmed in his grasp, his grip tightened as he walked out of the room.

Ruby grabbed Shay's hand, holding Bailey tightly as they walked out of the room. Ruby knew she wouldn't be strong enough to turn around, because she knew what she would see. Her mother breaking down in her father's arms.

^..^

Authors Note: Let me know what you think.

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Chapter Twenty Six:

Ruby sat in the small room cradling Bailey close to her chest as she watched Shay and Katie cuddled up on the bed their cheeks tear stained, holding onto each other for dear life. Ruby didn't understand why this was suddenly happening. Why it was happening to her family. What they had done wrong. She'd just got her mother back she couldn't picture losing her again. She couldn't imagine losing her father. Her siblings, all three of them.

Looking out the window Ruby watched as the other children from the group home played outside but she couldn't bring herself to even think about going out there, about being happy, one night away and she already wanted to be home.

The knocking at the door brought her out of her daze as it opened a crack to show the manager of the group home.

"You have visitors"

Ruby raised an eyebrow as she vanished from sight and Heath and Bianca stepped into the room. The hope within Ruby vanished as she realised her parents wouldn't allowed to visit but relief at the thought of at least being able to see some of her family.

"Uncle Heath. Bianca" Ruby exclaimed softly as she stood up from the chair.

Bianca smiled softly as she hugged Ruby while taking Bailey into her arms. "How are you doing Ruby?" Bianca asked as she watched the teenager bury herself in Heath's arms.

"Not good. I want to go home" Ruby whispered as she felt Heath hug her tighter.

"I know Rubes" Heath said as he pulled back and tilted her chin up with his hand. "How are you holding up? You ain't being strong for everyone else's sake. You're allowed to cry" Heath told her.

Ruby just moved forward and buried herself back in his arms, allowing the tears to fall from her eyes for the first time. "I miss mum and dad. I want to go home" Ruby whispered against his chest.

"They miss you as well Ruby" Bianca said as she rocked Bailey. "They miss you all"

Ruby glanced at her mother's best friend. Her Uncles girlfriend. "How are they?"

Bianca grimaced. "Not good. Your mother is a mess. Your father angry. They just want you home"

"Auntie Bi?" Katie stirred as she pulled out of Shay's arms, rubbing her eyes before looking up as if realising it was really Bianca. "Auntie Bi!' Katie exclaimed as she got up from the bed and wrapped her arms around Bianca's waist. "I missed you!" Katie sobbed as Bianca leaned down and rubbed her back.

Shay looked everyone as the quick moving from Katie had woken. She looked at Heath with weak eyes. "Uncle Heath? Why are you here, can we go home?" Shay asked as she hopped off the bed and moved to wrap her arms around Ruby and Heath.

Heath glanced over and meet Bianca's gaze. It was the first time Shay had called him Uncle and he couldn't help the emotion that welled up within him. But looking down he was meet with her questioning glare. "I'm sorry honey, not now"

Shay shook her head as she threw herself into Heath's arms.

"Why are you here then?" Ruby asked as she looked at them both. "It's good to see you, but why? Why can't we go home?"

Bianca sighed as she gestured towards the bed, moving she sat down and with Bailey in her arms, Katie sat beside her almost on her knee. Ruby joined them on the bed but shay didn't leave Heath's side instead hopping onto his lap as he slid into the chair beside the bed.

"Girls..." Bianca started and Ruby gave her a warning look.

"The truth please" Ruby told her.

Bianca nodded. "The lawyer you parents have hired has said a few things. We told them we would break the news to you that Grant is seeking custody"

Ruby glared. "Of who?"

Heath swallowed. "Rubes, Grant is trying to get custody of you, Shay and Katie"

"What?!" Ruby exclaimed outraged. "He can't! After what he did to mum, and Katie isn't even biologically his daughter. Why is he doing this?"

Bianca placed a calming hand on Ruby's arms. "Your parents are going to fight this Ruby but your mother never reported what happened to her. And his name is on Katie's birth certificate so that makes him legally her father; it's another issue for the courts to settle"

Ruby shook her head as the tears started to pour down his cheeks. "Why is he doing this to us?"

Heath rubbed Shay's back as she looked up at him with wide eyes. "Why does my dad want to take us away?"

Heath glanced at Bianca, they shared a look. The three sobbing girls couldn't handle what was being thrown at them. They shouldn't of had to handle being separated from their parents, Bailey hadn't even had a chance to bond with her mother after birth.

"Uncle Heath?" Shay questioned.

Heath glanced down. "I don't know why he wants to take you away"

^..^

Charlie sat at the kitchen table her hands wrapped around her coffee as she waited for Morag to finish on the phone. She was aware that Brax was sitting next to her but she couldn't bring herself to look at him instead choosing to stare at the wall blankly, no emotion other then sorrow passing through her eyes.

She wanted her daughters back. All four of them. Charlie wanted them safe in her arms.

She didn't understand why Grant wanted custody he hated children but deep inside her she knew it was never really about them. It was about her. He wanted her to suffer and taking her babies away would break her.

She could almost understand him wanting Shay back but Ruby and Katie. She didn't understand that and to have Bailey taken off her as well. Charlie felt like she was being ripped apart.

"Baby?"

Charlie glanced at Brax at the sound of his tired weak voice but she couldn't bring herself to utter a sound.

"Morag's done"

Charlie turned back to see her stepmother standing above her. "I spoke to the social worker, they're going to give Bailey back as she needs to bond with you and there is no threat of custody but the girls have to stay until the temporary custody hearing even then I'm not sure they'll allow the girls to be placed with you"

Brax looked at her with dark eyes. "We get Bailey back?"

"Yes"

^..^

Authors Note: Let me know what you think.

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Chapter Twenty Seven:

Brax and Charlie sat on the sofa unable to contain their tears as Bailey was placed back into Charlie's arms by the social worker. Charlie hugged her little girl close as she closed her eyes and allowed the tears to seep down her cheeks freely. Brax moved his hand to cradle the baby's head, rubbing his thumb cross her tiny forehead.

"Bailey is being released into you care as there is no custody case pending but I will still be popping in for unscheduled visits and I will maintain a very close eye on the both of you"

Brax looked up, raising his eyebrow. "Our other daughters?" Brax asked as he used his fingers to wipe away his tears.

The social worker glanced down. "Ruby and Katie are still in a group home until we can provide a place from them"

Brax glared. "Shay? What about Shay?"

"Is none of your concern"

Charlie looked up at Jane, her eyes filled with rage. "She is my daughter. Where is she?" Charlie demanded to know as she passed Bailey to Brax. "I need to know that she is safe"

Jane clasped her hands around her clip board. "I'm sorry Miss Buckton but I cannot release that information"

Brax stood up. "How can you not tell us?!" Brax shouted.

Charlie placed a calming hand on his arm as the police officer standing in the doorway took a step forward. "Brax, please" Charlie spoke as she turned to Jane. "They are all our daughters"

"I'm sorry" Jane spoke as she placed a piece of paper along with a card on the coffee table. "I'll be in contact"

^..^

Ruby lay on the bed with Katie sleeping restlessly in her arms, they were both exhausted from crying, from having their sister ripped away from them and taken to the home of a family member. Ruby couldn't sleep; she hadn't slept since she arrived in the group home. It was loud, noisy; the man who ran the home was impatient.

Hearing the door creek open, Ruby glanced over to see the little boy who shared there room, three year old Noah. He'd arrived the day after them, his face bruised.

"Ruby?"

Ruby smiled sadly at the sound of his weak voice. She remembered the moment he'd first walked into the room, he'd held tightly onto his small worn backpack and looked at her with fear, he'd even cowered back against the wall.

But since then he'd sought comfort in her because Ruby had been able to talk to him to make him understand he wasn't alone. He didn't have any family like she had her sisters, her parents.

"Yeah?" Ruby asked as she rolled onto her side careful not to wake Katie.

Noah shuffled his feet. "I sweep there?" Noah asked innocently pointing to the spot beside her.

Ruby smiled and patted the bed beside her. "Sure bubba"

Noah crawled up onto the bed and Ruby lifted the blanket so he could hop under, wrapping her arm around his waist and pulling him into her side. Noah nuzzled his head into her shoulder as Katie rolled over and through her arm across Ruby, glanced at Katie before up at Ruby.

"Ruby?"

Ruby glanced down as she ran her fingers lightly over his back. "What's wrong bubba?"

"Is mean lady gonna take me 'way like they takes Shay Shay 'way?"

Ruby wrapped her arms around the little boy tighter, burying her face into his blonde hair. "I don't know, Noah"

"Is you gonna go 'way?" Noah asked as he looked up at her. "Is you gonna leabe me?"

"I don't know, bubba. I don't know.

^..^

Charlie couldn't take her eyes off Bailey as she slept peacefully in her bassinet in the living room, the thought of taking her eyes off her for even a moment scared her, the thought of someone taking Bailey away was too much to handle. A tear slipped down her cheek at the thought of her other daughters still out there, two in a group home and one somewhere else. It scared her to think that Shay had already been placed, and that Ruby and Katie were alone together in a group home.

"Charlie..."

Charlie spun around at the sound of her name, she was completely oblivious to the fact Morag was now standing with Brax, Heath and Bianca.

"Sorry" Charlie murmured.

Brax sighed as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "Come on"

Charlie held her breath as Brax pulled her away from Bailey and lead her to the table. "Sit down. We need to talk about Ruby and Katie"

Morag sighed. "They can't place Ruby and Katie back with you"

Charlie raised her eyebrow. "Why not? They are our daughters, we would never do anything to hurt them" Charlie told her stepmother.

Morag nodded. "I know that but until the custody hearing and investigation is done with they won't feel comfortable returning the girls, legally they can't" Morag told her.

"And Shay?" Brax asked.

Morag looked over. "Shay has been placed with a member of Grants family"

Charlie stood up her chair screeching backwards. "No! No! Why would they place her with Grants family? He could get to her" Charlie shouted.

Morag shook her head. "They aren't letting Grant anywhere near Shay"

"How can they know that?" Charlie spoke loudly.

Brax reached out and grabbed Charlie's hand. "Stop. Charlie, getting angry won't help" Brax told her.

Charlie sighed as she turned around and ran a hand through her hair. "What about Katie and Ruby who will they go to? Who will take them in if we can't?" Charlie asked.

Heath glanced over at Bianca seeing her slight nod. "Charlie, Bianca and I are going to apply for temporary custody"

Brax turned to his brother before glancing at Morag. "Will they allow that? Heath as a record"

Morag took her glasses off and rubbed her eyes. "He's a father. In a stable relationship. On the straight and narrow. I would say Heath and Bianca are possibly going to gain custody"

Charlie looked at Morag. "How long til we get them back? How long until the custody hearing? When can I see my girls?" Charlie asked it was clear it was tiring, becoming too much for the mother. "I just want my girls" Charlie sighed as she walked away from the group and over to Bailey.

^..^

Authors Note: Let me know what you think.

Poor Little Noah.

Poor Girls.

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