Okay, so now that Charlie and Angelo are over and he is finally gone, I have ventured back into watching Home and Away again. I don't get this 'Charlie and Brax are a perfect couple' malarkey. Personally, I think they're only a fraction less hideous than Charlie and Angelo and I wish they would realise what a gem they've got in Esther Anderson and actually give her something to work with instead of this 'Charlie meets someone, dates them in secret and then watches it all go wrong'. It's really quite dull. These days, I mostly watch because Dex is hilarious!

But anyway, that ramble got a little out of hand. The reason I was explaining that I still watch it is because a few weeks or so ago, they ran this storyline that Ruby set Charlie up on a dating website and an idea pinged into my brain. I've approached it a little differently because I started writing it before the episode aired, but yes, that's the basic premise. Guess who she gets chatting to...!

I really appreciated feedback, especially on new stories as I get all nervous when I post something new. I really hope you enjoy this one. Love, IJKS xxx

Chapter One

"Ruby, I really don't need a dating site," Charlie Buckton said desperately.

The police Sergeant sat down in the chair beside her seventeen year old daughter who was busily setting up a profile on a singles website.

"So, do you want me to say you're looking for just men or for men and women?" Ruby asked, ignoring her protests.

Charlie had been alone and single for nearly four months and Ruby was convinced that if only she could meet someone nice then she would at the very least, chill out, smile and stop hassling Ruby and her new boyfriend, Casey. It had been a turbulent time to say the least. The previous year, after an argument with her ex-boyfriend, Angelo, in all her panicky wisdom, Charlie had attempted to force the relationship into a place she wasn't ready for. They'd survived living together for a couple of months but it had become very clear very quickly that Charlie was unhappy and uncomfortable. Ruby didn't really know exactly what had happened and at first she had jumped to the conclusion that her mother had freaked out over the commitment and dumped him. But as it had turned out, Angelo had been the one to end things, having realised that living together and progressing through their rollercoaster of a relationship was never going to work.

"I'm not looking for either," Charlie snapped.

She shifted a little uncomfortably, debating over whether now was the time to tell the truth or not. She wasn't in a relationship per se, but she was seeing something and it was a secret. Having not learned from her mistakes, she was not only dating a local bad boy, Darryl 'Brax' Braxton, but she was adamant that they had to sneak around. She was ashamed. It could easily affect her career and her standing in the community to be a police officer who was sleeping with a notorious River Boy. She also didn't relish the idea of Ruby labelling her as the hypocrite she was. And on top of that, if she was going to get hurt and if it was going to die a death sooner rather than later, then she very much preferred to do that privately. She didn't want to broadcast an irrational and ill advised romance to the world.

"Well, a site like this isn't really for asexuals," Ruby remarked.

"Ruby, I don't want to advertise myself on a dating site, okay?" Charlie said desperately. "Please would you drop this?"

"No, Charlie!" Ruby insisted. "I have watched you fling from one romantic disaster to the next – Roman, Angelo, Miles, Joey, Hugo behind Joey's back..."

"Thanks," Charlie said bitterly.

She did not need to be reminded of the worst mistake of her life. It haunted her quite readily enough without people pointing it out.

"Then Angelo, and then Angelo again, oh and then Angelo again, and um... then Angelo again... was it only four times you broke up and got back together or am I missing one?"

Charlie merely glared, refusing to dignify her daughter with an answer. Ruby was only getting cheekier the older she got. It was very irritating.

"So, gender preference?" the teenager persisted.

"Men," Charlie decided. "Joey was different. She's the only person I want to be with."

Ruby raised her eyebrows. Charlie flushed at her mistake.

"I mean, she's the only woman I want to be with," she said quickly. "I mean, no, not that. Just... I want her to have been the only one."

Ruby stopped typing and studied Charlie's face.

"Do you still love her?" she asked seriously.

"Of course I still love her," Charlie admitted. "We broke up because I was too damn stupid to keep her, not because I didn't love her. I did. I do. I probably always will."

"Well, we could probably try and track her down if you wanted," Ruby said. "It's been two years. Maybe she'll have found a way to forgive you by now? I mean, she might be on Facebook..."

"She's not," Charlie said quickly. "I checked."

"I could still do some digging if you like," Ruby offered.

"I was never any good for her, Rubes," Charlie said sadly. "Letting her go was the right thing to do. She's probably off having a lovely time now. She's probably working a job she loves, dating a wonderful woman... she doesn't need me haunting her. That part of our lives is over now."

"Okay," Ruby replied, turning back to the computer. "So, tell me a little about you..."

"Ruby, I don't want to do this," Charlie said seriously.

"You speak like you get a choice," Ruby said.

Groaning, Charlie resigned herself to helping fill the form out. She could only hope that nobody would be interested in her so she could carry on her torrid affair in peace and secrecy. She had no idea where things with Brax were going. She didn't even know if she wanted them to go anywhere. But he was attractive and interesting and she couldn't help but find the bad boy thing rather alluring and somewhat dangerous. And although he had a nice side that seemed to be shining through more and more, Charlie was in no doubt that he would ever be the irritating, sappy, emotional type that Angelo had been. She was resolute in her desire to keep Brax at arm's length. She'd wanted that with Angelo too but he wanted to settle down and be a family. He wanted to constantly discuss their relationship and always push it forward. It pissed her off and she hadn't been able to cope. At the end of the day, she just didn't think she was that kind of girl. For her all too short relationship with Joey, she had briefly wanted those things. She'd felt content, safe and loved. And she had loved her in return, even if poorly. But that was over now and Charlie was determined not to get that close to anyone again. Flings were all she needed. It was easier on the heart.

Next time... Charlie ponders over whether to admit online that she's bisexual and in a fit of curiosity, gets talking to a girl...