Hey all :)

I see many of you do not like Charlie at the moment and I agree she's being a little bit of a biatch but to be fair she is having to deal with having feelings for a girl for the first time. Also I'd like to apologise because I'm going to be giving Joey a bit of a personality transplant for this chapter at least – it's her way of dealing with things.

Livefortheday – Since when did mean fish?! Also Roman is a metaphorical fish? What kinda fish? Haha

I'd love to personally respond to all your reviews but I really can't since I have little enough time to write chapters as it is but just so you all know I do read them and appreciate them all muchleys. Feel free to personally message me if you have any queries about/suggestions for the story or if you would simply like to tell me what kind of pie you prefer, like From-me-to-you-ale did the other day which made me laugh.

Now I'm babbling again...I really need to stop drinking sugary drinks (Fanta all the way)

All the best,

Carrie :)

X

'Joey didn't come home again last night' Fiona sighed as she sat across the table from her son who was looking worried as he relayed the news to his mother.

'That's the third night in a row she's just sauntered in at around 3am. What's going on with her?' Fiona questioned more to herself than anyone else. Brett shrugged. He was worried about his younger sister as well. For the last week she had been withdrawn, sullen and had even started to skip school again. Fiona sighed once again as she looked down at the letter she had just opened.

'Suspension!' She gasped out loud. 'Apparently she hasn't been into school at all this week and they've suspended her for the coming one.' Brett groaned at the news, knowing what was coming next.

'Brett...' his mother started to say.

'Forget it mum.' He stated as he got up from the table 'I've tried talking to her and it's no good. I've even asked Charlie and she said she has no idea what's going on.' He kissed his mum on the top of her head and then left for a job interview. Fiona was left staring down at the piece of paper she held in her hands and wondering what on earth was happening with her daughter.

Finally deciding on a course of action she walked through to the living room where Ross was sitting, watching the television. She sat down next to him and told him what the school had decided to do about Joey. He groaned and switched the T.V. off.

'Ross I was thinking. Maybe the reason Joey's acting up like this is because she doesn't have a strong male role-model. She's acting now like she started to act when her father died and although it looked like she was getting better maybe you could talk to her?'

Ross looked unconvinced. He was fond of Joey who made him laugh and occasionally played football with him when Charlie wouldn't and Brett was out but he sensed she wouldn't take kindly to him trying to father her.

'I dunno Fi. She might think I'm trying to replace her father or something.'

'But I don't know what else to do!' Fiona cried out. She looked near tears and this alarmed Ross who hurriedly assured her he would have a word with Joey and see if he could sort things out.

It was a weekend and he knew that both of the girls were at home. He slowly walked upstairs, trying to work out what he was going to say but when he got to the room he could hear raised voices which were obviously trying to be hushed. Knocking on the door he smiled when his daughter answered it.

'Charlie could you pop downstairs for a bit love; I need a word with Joey.'

'Erm now? Now's not a great time dad' Charlie laughed nervously and turned her head back into the room, obviously gesturing something at Joey.

'What's going on Charlie?' Ross asked, more sternly.

'Oh let him come in Charlie, I have nothing to hide.' Came Joey's voice from inside the room. Charlie hesitated for a second before relinquishing her hold on the door and muttering 'Don't say I didn't try to save you.' With that she went downstairs.

Ross pushed to door open wide and stepped into the room. Instantly the smell of smoke hit his nostrils and he gagged. He saw Joey sitting on the window ledge casually holding a cigarette in her right hand and smirking at him from across the room.

'What the hell do you think you're doing?' He stormed as he marched across to her.

'Oh forgive me, I'm so rude. Want one?' Joey offered him the pack. He snatched it from her and shoved it into his pocket.

'No I do not 'want one' and you are coming downstairs with me right now young lady and we are going to talk this out with your mother.' Ross fumed.

Joey seemed to consider this for a moment, her legs swinging outside the window. 'Hmm no' she said simply after a few seconds.

Ross blustered 'What? What do you mean no?'

'It's the opposite of yes, look it up sometime.' Joey said smiling. Her smile wasn't mocking exactly but it had the air of someone who knew what she was doing and was amusing herself.

'Don't get smart with me, you're in big trouble. Do you know you've been suspended? Not to mention grounded now after this' Ross gestured to the cigarette which Joey was still holding.

'Suspended?' Joey's smile grew even wider and let out a small whoop of happiness.

'Look we'll discuss this all downstairs. Family meeting.' The words had slipped out before Ross had a chance to think through them. Joey's grin faded abruptly as she leaned towards Ross who, though angry, looked a little nervous having never had to deal with this kind of rebellion in a daughter before.

'We. Are. Not. Family.' Joey stated clearly in his face, enunciating every word. Ross shrugged off his apprehension and leant in towards Joey with just as much menace in his eyes.

'Not yet. But I'll be damned if I'm going to let you ruin your mother's life over some stupid teenage rebellion.' He snarled. Joey looked slightly taken aback by the mention of her mother but she shook her head lightly, evidently trying to return to her cool, detached appearance of before.

'Downstairs. Now.' Ross ordered.

Joey took one last drag of her cigarette then passed it to him saying 'Alright. Hold this a minute whilst I come in will you?' Ross immediately stubbed the offending item out on the windowsill near to where Joey was sitting. The girl lifted herself up as if to climb inside but at the last minute she sprung forwards. Ross yelled out in shock and made a grab for her, thinking she had fallen but a second later she was clinging onto the branch of a nearby tree, laughing.

'Gotcha' she cried out, still grinning in amusement. 'I don't feel like a lecture today Ross old boy. Maybe next time ay?' She swung herself onto a more stable branch then shimmied down the tree. The last Ross saw of her was her pulling out her I-pod from her pocket and whistling her way down the drive.

*

Charlie lay on her bed with a book in her hands. The book had closed over her fingers however and she was staring into space. She missed Joey. It had been a week since she had been caught smoking and been severely told off when she re-appeared, not that it had done any good. Now Joey was grounded until further notice which meant she couldn't go out with Charlie and the rest of the group (minus Leah or Roman) and even when she was at school she avoided Charlie like the plague.

Another thing that was bugging Charlie was the fact she couldn't stop thinking about the kiss the pair had shared. It was wrong on so many levels. It wasn't that she had any problem with gay people but she'd just never seen herself as being part of that category, not to mention the fact that she and Joey were practically related and insanely different.

Sighing she threw the book on the floor and ran her hands through her hair. She stayed in that position for a while, wondering where Joey was, when she heard a tapping at the window. Looking over she saw a familiar face and she couldn't prevent a grin spreading across hers. Tip-toeing over she let Joey in by flipping the catch on the window.

'Are you crazy?!' she whispered hoarsely. 'It's like 2am. Where have you been?'

Joey laughed quietly. 'I went to a bar with Jake' she slurred as she made her way over to her bed, stripping off as she did so.

'Who's Jake?' Charlie asked curiously. 'Wait no! Not Jake Hendry'

'Erm yeah I think that's the one. Can we talk about this later Charlie I'm shleepy'

'No we are talking about this now' Charlie said angrily as she stormed over to Joey's bed and pulled the drunken girl up. 'Hendry is no good Jo, you shouldn't be hanging around with him'

'Says who?' Joey asked, with her eyes shut.

'Everybody!' Charlie practically yelled before she remembered her parents were asleep in the next room and hushed her voice. 'He's a fucking murderer Joey! Dad says the only reason he hasn't been locked up yet is because he threatens people's families until they take the blame for him!'

'Well he was nice to me. Even bought me a drink'

'Of course he did you idiot, he's trying to get you into his bed!'

Joey opened one of her eyes and struggled to sit up. 'Charlie for crying out loud give it a rest will you?'

'Not until you agree never to see him again' Charlie insisted, sitting down on Joey's bed.

'Don't be stupid. He's fine, it's all rumours.'

'No smoke without fire' Charlie stated stubbornly.

'I said drop it. I don't need you mothering me' Joey replied, just as stubbornly.

'I'm looking out for you!' Charlie cried

'I don't need you to!' Joey replied heatedly. The pair were getting louder by now as their tempers got the better of them.

'Well somebody needs to since you obviously can't do it yourself'

'What's this about Charlie? Are you jealous or something?' Joey snapped

It was silent for a moment until Charlie stood up, shaking her head. 'You're fucking pathetic you know that? You think that going out and getting trashed is a way to show you're grown up. Well guess what? All it makes you look like is a stupid little girl who'll do anything for a drink.' With that Charlie stormed over to her bed and got under the covers, facing away from Joey who was still sitting up in her bed. Slowly Joey reached over and turned out the lights. The girls' faced away from each other.

Both were very aware that Charlie hadn't answered the question.