"What do you mean gone?" Katie asked frantically "Amelia can't be gone she would have told me"

Brax had spent the past 20 minutes explaining to Katie what had happened "I'm sorry Katie someone should have told you" Brax apologised to the traumatised teenager "But we have all been going through so much lately"

"Yeah of course you have" Katie replied "Its ok I understand" Katie just stared at the floor.

"Can I get you a drink or anything?" Brax asked as he walked towards the fridge and pulled out a juice carton.

"Yeah" Katie replied still completely shocked "So how's Casey taken it?"

"He's devastated" Brax sighed as he handed Katie a glass of juice.

"I bet" Katie said as she took a sip from the glass "They were always really close. And what about Heath how's he?"

"I don't really know he hasn't really said a lot" Brax replied "So what brings you here, you said you needed help or something?"

"Oh don't worry I can figure it out for myself" Katie smiled weakly "You are dealing with enough already"

"Katie" Brax frowned "You wouldn't be here if you could sort it yourself, now come on what's happened? Milly would want me to help you"

"I'm in trouble Brax" Katie sighed as Brax sat beside her "I've got into something I shouldn't and now I am in it up to my eyeballs, the police are involved and everything"

"What about your mum and dad?" Brax wondered why Katie felt so alone.

"Oh they disowned a while ago, after what happened with Casey and everything" Katie took another drink from her glass of juice.

"Why didn't you come to us sooner" Brax asked curiously.

"I didn't want to bother you, and I knew Casey had a new girlfriend and wouldn't want his ex hanging around" Katie explained "And I found out about Amelia being pregnant so I figured she wouldn't need the stress either"

"Hey look at me, you are not stress Katie. We meant what we said before you are family and have always got a home with us. Hey listen when was the last time you had something to eat?" Brax smiled as he stood up and walked over to the kitchen.

"Ages" Katie groaned "Can't remember the last time I had a shower either"

"Well why don't you go for a shower and I'll fix you something to eat" Brax suggested "I'm sure Ruby has some things that might fit you"

Katie didn't need asking twice, she just stood up and looked at Brax awkwardly "The bathrooms through there and the towels are in the cupboard"

Brax waited for the shower to turn on before heading over to Katie's rucksack, he wanted to know exactly what trouble he needed to prepare himself for. As he opened the bag Brax wished he hadn't, wrapped inside a t-shirt was about $40,000 cash, it wasn't that, that shocked Brax though, the thing that shocked him most was another t-shirt that looked to be bloodstained, wrapped tightly inside the shirt was a knife "Shit" Brax exclaimed as he stared at the blood and knife.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door, Brax jumped out of his skin before shoving everything back inside the rucksack and throwing it in a kitchen cupboard. Brax was a little surprised to see Charlie standing in the doorway as he opened the door "Hello you" she grinned widely before kissing him on the lips gently and walking in the lounge.

"Hey" Charlie could see Brax was a little on edge "Everything ok?" she asked curiously.

"Er…yeah I'm fine" Brax replied, Charlie could hear the shower was on.

"Oh were you about to have a shower" Charlie asked with a cheeky smile "Maybe I could join you"

"NO" Brax almost bit Charlie's head off "No it's ok…" Brax didn't get chance to finish his sentence when a very wet Katie came out of the bathroom wrapped in a grey towel.

"Hey Brax I couldn't find the shampoo" Katie said before stopping in her tracks, she spotted the horrified expression on Charlie's face.

"Well at least now I know why you have been avoiding my calls" Charlie snapped before rushing out of the door.

"Charlie wait" Brax called after her, he knew he couldn't leave the house though because Scarlet was still taking a nap and Katie needed to explain what he found in her bag "Shit" he exhaled as he hit the door frame.

"I'm sorry I didn't realise someone was here, who was she anyway?" Katie asked

"Just a friend" Brax said without thinking "Come on lets find you some clothes and then we can talk"

x-x-x

Charlie walked aimlessly along the beach, she had no idea what to think about what she had just seen, she was in a world of her own when she bumped into Casey "I'm sorry" she apologised quickly

"Hey are you ok Charlie?" Casey asked when he saw how upset she seemed. Charlie didn't reply she just read a message she had got on her phone It's not what you think Charlie, I'll explain later I promise DB x x

"Whatever" Charlie said out loud as she stuffed her phone back inside her pocket.

"I'm sorry Case what did you say?" Charlie said as she looked up at the confused teenager.

"I was just asking if you were ok." Casey repeated his question "It's just you seen a bit upset"

"Oh yeah I'm fine, it's nothing really. Just one of those days" Charlie had never been a convincing liar.

"Right ok" Casey frowned "Well I hope t picks up for you"

"What?" Charlie hadn't really been listening to Casey she was still trying to process what she had just seen.

"Your day" Casey said again "I hope it improves"

"Oh yeah thanks Casey" Charlie smiled as she started to walk away before turning back to Casey "Hey Case don't suppose you have seen Leah at all this morning?"

"Yeah she's in the Diner" Casey replied before turning and continuing along the beach.

"Thank you" Charlie called as she hurried towards the Diner.

x-x-x

"Well it seems you are right" Katie smiled as she walked out of Ruby and Casey's bedroom wearing a pair of short denim shorts and a yellow tank top "We are the same size" she added before stopping when she saw the contents of her bag laid across the coffee table. Katie swallowed hard as she walked closer to the table and Brax who was sat on the sofa.

"Is this what you needed to talk about?" Brax asked sternly. Katie nodded slowly before breaking down.

"I'm so sorry; I didn't know what else to do. I had no-where else to go" Katie sobbed; Brax quickly stood up and wrapped his arms tightly around the frightened teenager.

"Come on, sit down" Brax said softly as he led Katie to the sofa "We'll start from the beginning yeah" he said as he help her sit down.

x-x-x

Leah handed Charlie her coffee and sat in the empty seat beside her "So what's happened, is this about Brax?" Leah asked.

"I caught him with someone else Leah" Charlie said weakly.

"What, how do you mean caught him?" Leah was stunned surely Charlie must have made a mistake.

"I went round to see him earlier, he couldn't get rid of me quick enough" Charlie replied "He was about to go in the shower and when I asked him if I could join him, as a joke obviously he practically bit my head off"

"Maybe it hit a nerve, he is still grieving" Leah tried to make excuses for Brax.

"He bit my head off because she was already in there, waiting for him" Charlie explained "And do you know what the worst thing about it is, she was about 18 years old Leah"

"I'm sure it's not what you think Charlie, I mean look how long it has taken for him to get this far with you" Leah replied "She might have been a friend of Casey's, what did he say?"

"I didn't give him chance to explain" Charlie frowned "I just ran out of there"

"Well there you go then, why don't you go back to the house and give him chance to explain what's going on. It's probably not even what you think it is" Leah smiled as she put her hand on Charlie's arm.

"You're right thanks Leah" Charlie smiled before getting up and heading towards the door.

x-x-x

Brax was sat with Katie on the sofa as she explained what had happened "After my dad threw me out I moved around a lot" Katie sighed.

"Where did you sleep?" Brax asked nervous of the answer.

"Anywhere really, empty old houses, refuges and the streets mainly" Katie replied to a horrified Brax "Then one night it was really cold, and this woman came to me and said she knew somewhere I could go, somewhere warm and safe. I didn't think twice I just went with her" Katie took a deep breath before continuing "She took me to this flat, she said I would be safe there. She told me to get some sleep and she would come back and see me in the morning"

"Then what happened" Brax interrupted preparing himself for what Katie told him next.

"Well she came back and brought me some clothes and food; I didn't know who she was. I just thought she was being nice you know" Katie said looking to Brax for reassurance.

"But she wanted something in return right?" Brax guessed and Katie nodded "How long did you work for her?"

"A few months" Katie sniffed "Then that's when I met Jimmy"

"Jimmy?" Brax asked curiously.

"Yeah he was a regular" Katie said "He was different to the others though; he was sweet and kind and promised me he would take me away. Then one night he did" Katie smiled "I was so grateful to be out of there, until he got me home" Katie swallowed hard "He had pictures of me everywhere, and I don't mean snap shots I mean proper stalker kind"

Brax gritted his teeth and his tense jaw told Katie he was getting angry "So then what happened?"

"He kept me there for a few days, then one night he came home from the pub drunk, he was so angry he started throwing furniture and smashing things. I tried to stay out of his way but he came and got me out of the bedroom, he told me I was his and that we couldn't stay there. I thought he meant moving away but he didn't he meant we could stay on earth anymore, he took a knife out of the kitchen drawer and said it was the only way we could stay together" Brax could see Katie's hands were shaking "I didn't mean to hurt him I swear I just panicked, I didn't think I just grabbed the knife and then there was blood everywhere" Katie sobbed.

Brax was stunned, how could this gentle girl be capable of something like this "Then what happened?"

"I grabbed the knife and ran out of there" Katie sobbed "I wasn't even thinking, I just got out of there as quick as I could"

"And you didn't go back?" Brax wondered.

"Of course I did" Katie snapped ""hat kind of person do you think I am, I couldn't just leave him there, no matter what he was going to do to me"

"So what happened when you went back?" Brax asked as he looked at the coffee table.

"Nothing, Jimmy was already gone when I got back. The place was swamped with police and forensics" Katie sighed.

"What about the money?" Brax asked.

"Oh no, I got that from somewhere else. For a job I did" Katie replied almost blankly.

"What kind of job?" Brax asked still horrified that Katie had gotten herself into something like this.

"Transporting some gear" Katie was ashamed as she said this out loud "For a guy called Jake Pirovic"

"Pirovic" Brax repeated.

"Yeah do you know him?" Katie wondered.

"Oh I know him alright" Brax snarled as he thought about Jake "Are you still in contact with him?"

"No I did the job, took the money and that's it. I told him it was a one of" Katie seemed sure about this fact "I'm so sorry to bring this to your doorstep after everything you have been through with Amelia"

"Hey don't you worry about that" Brax smiled weakly "Milly wouldn't have wanted it any other way. I mean it Katie you are family"

"So what will happen now?" Katie asked.

"Leave it with me" Brax frowned "Don't say anything to anyone else, not even Casey. I'll sort it I promise"

Katie hugged Brax tightly "Thank you so much" she sniffed as she fought her tears back.

"It's ok" Brax replied "Hey is there any particular reason you wanted to speak to Milly about this?"

"Erm…no I just thought it would be easier to talk to Amelia about it that's all" Katie said quickly which caused Brax to be a little suspicious, but he decided not to say anything to her just yet, Katie was still fragile after what had happened with jimmy and Brax knew she would tell him whatever was worrying her in her own time.

X-x-x

Later that evening Brax was in Angelo's making a few phone calls, he was surprised to see Charlie walking towards him "I'm sorry about the way I reacted before" Charlie said shyly as she approached the bar.

Brax didn't seem to be listening "Brax I'm trying to apologise" Charlie frowned.

"Yeah I know I'm sorry Charlie I'm just a bit busy right now" Brax frowned as he dialed another number on his phone.

"What and that's it" Charlie snapped "I catch you in a compromising position with a young woman and all you can say is your busy, no explanation no nothing"

Brax put his phone on the bar and stared at Charlie for a few moments "What do you want me to say, I told you it's not what you thought"

"Oh and that's it?" Charlie snarled.

"Yeah, look Charlie you're going to have to trust me on this" Brax frowned. Charlie's lack of reply told Brax everything he needed to know "Oh fine well if you don't trust me then that's your problem"

"Oh that's rich you told me you wanted to take things slowly and then I catch you with another woman and you refuse to give me an explanation, but you still expect me to trust you" Charlie didn't mean so get so angry with Brax "How can I trust you when I can't get a straight answer, who would trust that?"

"Milly would have" Brax argued without thinking.

"Milly" Charlie gasped "And of course we all know I'm not Milly am I" she snapped before turning on her heels and storming out of the restaurant tears filling her eyes.

Brax regretted his outburst instantly "Charlie wait" Brax called after her "Charlie"

Sorry to end so abruptly but I wanted to save some for the next chapter, since this one is getting rather long. Hope this chapter was ok for you all. Please review and let me know what you think.

Also for those of you who haven't read- I am Amelia Braxton- it might be worth reading my most recent chapter as it will explain more about Katie and how she is connected with the Braxton's.

I promise for all you Chax fans this argument will be sorted in my next chapter. So the more reviews I get, the quicker I will post them making up. Much love Nikki x x

Coming soon-

Ruby is horrified when she realises the connection between Casey and Katie?

Katie is instantly attracted to a Summer Bay resident, but which one?

Charlie and Brax make up but who sees them and how will they react?