Storylines
Charlie arrives in Summer Bay to tell Morag Bellingham to leave her father, Ross, alone. However, Ross tells her that he loves Morag. Charlie is partnered with Jack Holden when she starts her job as a Senior Constable at the Yabbie Creek Police Station and her sister, Ruby, arrives in the Bay. Charlie begins a relationship with Roman Harris and she eventually accepts Ross and Morag being together. Ross and Morag marry, but after they come back from their honeymoon, Charlie realises something is wrong with her father. Ross is diagnosed with Alzheimer's, devastating Charlie. He later moves into a home. Roman breaks up with Charlie and she begins drinking and refusing help. She rescues Annie Campbell from a storm drain and nearly dies. She is rescued by Roman, which makes her bitter. Charlie gets a promotion at work and she goes on a date with Angelo Rosetta. Charlie becomes a respected member of the community and she builds up strong friendships with Leah Patterson-Baker (Ada Nicodemou) and Miles Copeland (Josh Quong Tart).
Charlie gets involved in Joey Collins' rape investigation. When Joey's brother, Brett (Toby Levins), kicks her out of their home, Charlie invites her to stay at Leah's. Charlie and Joey grow closer and after Charlie saves Joey from drowning, they kiss. Charlie rejects Joey, but she eventually admits that she likes her and they begin a relationship. One night, Charlie gets drunk and sleeps with Hugo Austin. Joey finds out and leaves town. Charlie admits to Angelo that she has feelings for him and they begin dating. Charlie is deliberately run over by Brett during a date with Angelo. She is taken to the hospital and a doctor notices a cesarean scar. Morag confronts Charlie and she claims that she had a baby boy who died. Charlie later tells Angelo and Ruby that she was raped by her boyfriend, Grant, when she was fourteen and that Ruby is actually her daughter. Ruby runs away, but she returns and moves in with Irene Roberts (Lynne McGranger). Grant arrives in the Bay, horrifying Charlie. She angrily confronts Grant and later kidnaps him and tries to force him into confessing that he raped her. Grant later dies and Charlie becomes the prime suspect. She is arrested, but Ross later confesses to killing Grant.
Angelo is promoted to Sergeant and Charlie is promoted to Leading Senior Constable, becoming his second-in-command, which causes tension between the pair; not only does Charlie have to take orders from an officer who was until recently her subordinate, but also has to get used to sharing what had once been her own office. Angelo is forced to leave the police force and Charlie feels guilty when she is made Sergeant. She encourages Angelo when he decides to set up a restaurant. They later decide to end their relationship and agree to remain friends. Ross dies and Charlie and Ruby attend his funeral. The River Boys, a surf gang from Mangrove River, arrive in town and Darryl "Brax" Braxton begins flirting with Charlie. He later kisses her and Charlie arrests him for assault. Charlie becomes concerned when Ruby tells her that she had sex with Romeo Smith and later suffers a hypoglycemic attack. Charlie discovers Ruby with Casey Braxton and she tells Brax to keep Casey away from Ruby. Charlie is called out to a party at a mansion and arrests Casey. She realises that Ruby was also involved and threatens to stop her from seeing Casey. Brax visits Charlie and they argue. Brax kisses her again and they have sex. Charlie tells him it was a mistake, but she kisses him again and asks him to keep their relationship quiet.
Angelo tells Charlie about a marijuana plantation. When Charlie and the other officers get to it, they find and arrest Heath Braxton (Daniel Ewing). Angelo goes missing and Charlie worries that Brax is involved. Angelo is eventually found, but he tells Charlie that he does not remember what happened. Morag and Angelo discover Charlie's relationship with Brax and she decides to end it. The couple eventually get back together. Brax's ex-girlfriend, Tegan, arrives in the Bay and works out Charlie is seeing Brax. Charlie arrests Heath and Jake Pirovic following a drugs raid and Ruby learns of Charlie and Brax's relationship. Brax and Charlie split up again. Charlie is devastated when she learns Brax had sex with Tegan. Charlie arrests Heath again and he is sent to jail. Brax is stabbed and Charlie finds him and gets him to the hospital. She realises she loves him, but Tegan arrives and announces Brax is the father of her daughter. Charlie later learns Tegan was lying.
Heath gets out of jail and walks in on Charlie and Brax together. Charlie tells the Inspector about her relationship with Brax, but he allows her stay with the case. During The Great Storm, Tegan is in a car accident and Charlie attends to her, they talk about loving Brax. Tegan dies and Charlie learns Jake's brother, Hammer (Benedict Samuel), has threatened her life. While she is out jogging, Charlie is shot at. Brax pushes her out of the way, but she sustains an injury to her arm. Hammer kidnaps Charlie and holds her and Brax hostage. When Hammer goes to kill Brax, Charlie shoots him dead. She is briefly suspended from her job. Charlie begins investigating an arson attack at Jake's place and she arrests Casey. During his hearing, Casey's lawyer, Hayley O'Connor (Alyssa McClelland), exposes Charlie and Brax's relationship and the Coastal News publishes a front page article about it. Charlie tells Brax they should be together, but she changes her mind when she learns Brax had sex with Hayley.
Charlie investigates a robbery at a petrol station and she goes on a date with Simon Peet (Rory Williamson). Forensics link Brax to the robbery and he tells Charlie he is being set up. Charlie is later removed from the case and she gives Brax an opportunity to steal evidence. Charlie goes to a cabin in the countryside with Bianca Scott (Lisa Gormley) and Brax and Heath show up. Brax and Charlie talk and they get back together. On their way home, Charlie and Brax crash into Liam Murphy (Axle Whitehead). Bianca and Heath cover for them and Charlie's friendship with Bianca breaks down. Charlie decides to quit her job and she asks Brax to leave the River Boys, which he does. Charlie and Brax then make plans to move to the city with Casey and Ruby. On her last day in uniform, Charlie is shot twice by Jake. She is found by Ruby and Brax and taken to the hospital, when she undergoes surgery. Charlie is placed on life support and Ruby is told she will not breathe on her own again. Ruby and Brax decide Charlie's ventilator should be turned off and Charlie dies.
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