Flicking through her wardrobe, Charlie tried to think about what to take and what to leave behind for her and Ruby's temporary move to Perth. Although she knew regardless of the outcome that they would eventually be coming back to the Bay, six months was a long time to be away from home. Which was probably why she was having so much trouble deciding what to bring with her to Perth? The one thing she was positive she wouldn't need for the move, her police uniform. Having informed her superiors of her current circumstances, and her need to be on the other side of the country, they were more than willing to allow Charlie the extended time of work.

That was certainly a load of Charlie's mind. It was one thing worrying about Ruby and doctors and moving to Perth, she didn't want to have to worry about finding a new job. Although she quickly realised how insignificant that detail was when she remembered that they were doing all this to get her daughter better. It was mind blowing to Charlie that she could love someone this much. Whenever Angelo mentioned moving in to a place together, she would run a thousand miles in the opposite direction and have a panic attack. Yet here she was, packing up her life to move to the other side of Australia. But that's how much Charlie loved her daughter. She would drop everything in a heart beat; do anything, go anywhere for Ruby. So long as she was happy, and healthy, then Charlie was content with life.

Looking at the clock, she noticed the time and sighed. Two whole hours she had spent trying to sort out her packing, and she was still no better off than she was a week ago when she had originally started. Throwing down the shoes she was holding in her hand, she decided to call it a day. It was coming up to lunch time and she needed to check Ruby's blood sugar levels. On a good day, Ruby would go about her day as if she were never ill. But on a bad day, Charlie's full time nursing job would take on a lot more work in the day. Not that it bothered Charlie. But it did bother Ruby. It made her feel like she was losing her independence. And that was not something a very headstrong teenager accepted very well.

Walking into the living room, Charlie made her way over to the couch and found that Ruby was still napping. It didn't seem fair to wake her, especially since she had been so ill recently, but Charlie knew she had to do it to check Ruby's levels. Charlie made her way around t the head end of the couch were Ruby's head lay. She gently placed her hand on her daughters arm and stroked it before gently giving it a nudge, to rouse Ruby from her sleep. Her eyes slowly began to flicker open, but only remained half open. The bright light beaming in through the window was too sharp for Ruby's sensitive eyes. Slowly, she began to gather herself up into an upright position and then she turned to face her mother.

"Hey", Charlie said in a soft soothing voice. "It's time to check your levels", she finished as she stroked Ruby's cheek. Standing up, Charlie made her way into the kitchen and began making up a light snack that Ruby's terribly nauseous stomach would be able to handle. Once the sandwich had been made, she removed freshly squeezed orange juice from the fridge and half filled a glass to go with the snack. Picking up the glass and the plate, she made her way back into the living room and sat the food down on the coffee table in front of Ruby. Before sitting down, removed Ruby's insulin kit from the cabinets and handed it to Ruby. Taking a seat next to her daughter she took the pen and pricked Ruby's finger, swiped some blood onto the strip and placed it in the monitor. When the reading appeared on the BSL monitor she jotted it down in the little diary and placed it back in the kit.

"Charlz, I don't think I can eat this", Ruby said looking at the plate. Her face was pale white and she looked as if she were going to be sick any minute. She licked her lips to moisten them and placed her arms across her stomach. Trying to settle the wave after wave, of sickness that was being lashed upon her like a raging storm. She knew that the nausea pills the doctors had given her took a while to take affect. But when it was bad, she wished they would just hurry on up and get into gear. Ruby felt like she was on a never ending merry-go-round she couldn't get off and it was beginning to take its toll on her.

"Rubes, I know this is hard for you. Believe me I do. But you have to eat. If you don't your diabetes will get worse and you'll just get sicker", Charlie tried desperately to encourage her daughter to eat. She knew this was tough on Ruby, but she had no choice. Not eating was not an option. Ruby needed to sustain a healthy eating pattern if she wanted to keep up her strength, fight her illness and keep her diabetes in line. It was hard, but Charlie was determined not to let her daughter slip at any cost. The move to Perth and a possible future for Ruby was a matter of days away. Now was not the time for letting everything fall apart. Not when they had gotten this far. Ruby looked at the food again and tried to push the sick feeling to the back of her mind. But she couldn't do it. She wasn't physically strong enough.

"I can't do it. I'm sorry Charlie", Ruby said in between her sobs. She felt like she had let her mother down. Ruby wanted to be able to eat. She knew she needed to eat. But when she was feeling so sick, so tired and so weak, she just couldn't bring herself to do it. Charlie looked at her daughter, then at the plate. To her it was only a sandwich, but to Ruby it was a challenge. Glancing back at her daughter, she could see the upset in her eyes. Leaning towards Ruby, Charlie engulfed her in a comforting hug. Gently she stroked her back as she whispered tender words of support into her daughter's ear.

"Okay, it's okay. Why don't we get you get you into bed for some proper rest. We can try this again later", Charlie said as she wiped the tears away from Ruby's face. Looking at her mother, Ruby nodded and then gently tried to stand up with the support of Charlie's arm wrapped around her waist. Together, they made their way into Ruby's room. Pulling back the bed covers, Charlie sat Ruby down and gently helped her mover her chest catheter for comfort. When Ruby was finally settled, Charlie leaned down and gave her a small kiss on the cheek and then left the room.

Walking over to the coffee table, she picked up the uneaten sandwich and the glass of juice and carried them out to the kitchen. Just as she was placing them on the worktop she heard a knock on the door. Turning on her heel, Charlie made her way to the door and opened it.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't good old Charlie Buckton. I see time has been very kind to you", the woman said with a big grin on her face.

"Oh my Gosh. Jodi, what are you doing here", Charlie replied with a smile on her face. "I haven't seen you in, oh God, what's been, ten years?" she finished, still looking the tall blonde woman up and down.

"Yeah something like that. Now are you going to invite and old friend in or am I just going to stand here all day?" Jodie replied sarcastically. Stepping aside, Charlie invited her in and they made their way into the living room. As they did so, Charlie asked Jodie to keep the noise to a minimum as Ruby was sleeping. And that was when good old, subtle as an atomic bomb, Jodie decided to dive right in to some long overdue questioning. "So Charlie, I was in the diner earlier getting some lunch and I asked a nice old lady about you. She kindly filled me in on some details I appear to have missed out on. Want to fill in the blanks for me?" she said. As she finished she could see Charlie's face drop as she realised that Colleen had obliged in telling Jodie probably everything about her past.

Over the next two hours, Charlie and Jodie engaged in a very deep conversation about what had been going on over the last sixteen to seventeen years. Charlie told her about the rape, conceiving Ruby, running away, the lie her parents came up with about Ruby being her sister, Ruby finding out, Grants murder, everything. There was no point in holding back. Ruby was her daughter and that was the story of her conception. She wasn't ashamed of her daughter so she wasn't going to continue hiding it anymore. Not with everything else going on.

"Oh Charlie. I'm so sorry", Jodie said. Suddenly all the pieces fit together. All the blank questions had been answered and now she felt deep remorse for not knowing this. She and Charlie used to be best friends when they were younger. "I wish you'd told me. You know it all makes sense now. You were always the overprotective older sister. But, I guess, you weren't. You were a mother worried about her daughter. Just like any parent", Jodie finished as she sympathetically placed a hand on Charlie's arm.

"Yeah, but you know what? I'm done feeling sorry for myself and being bitter about the past. What Grant did was horrible. And that will always be with me. But out of all that evil, all that spite and hate, came the greatest love I have EVER known", Charlie explained, emphasising her words with hand gestures. "Ruby is the most important thing in the world to me and that will never change", she said, smiling as she thought about her daughter. Jodie looked over Charlie's shoulder and spotted a picture of Charlie and Ruby together on top of the cabinets next to the phone. She pointed at it causing Charlie to turn around.

"Is that Ruby?" Jodie asked as Charlie went over to the cabinets to retrieve the picture. She picked it up and handed it to Jodie so she could get a closer look at it. "Wow. She's grown up so much. I remember her as the curly haired little kid who used to pound on that piano in your front room for hours on end. Used to drive your mum and dad crazy", Jodie laughed as she reminisced about old times. Charlie laughed as she remembered exactly what her friend was talking about. "I hate to say it, but I can see a little bit of Grant in her. You know, cause they have the same wavy hair, skin tone..." Jodie trailed off as she continued to gaze at the photograph. Charlie flinched at what Jodie had just said. Feeling uncomfortable she made an excuse to exit the room.

"Um, I'm just going to make myself a coffee, do you want one?" she asked. Jodie replied with a simple nod of her head and with that Charlie made a beeline for the kitchen. She walked over to the kettle, filled it with water and sat it back down. How could anyone think Ruby looks like Grant. She looks nothing like Grant. Or maybe I care too much about Ruby to see what's really there. Charlie thought to herself. She cursed herself. How could she think such a thing. Sure fifty percent of Ruby's DNA came from Grant. But that was it. He had nothing to do with the person she had become. Once the kettle had boiled, Charlie made up two cups of coffee and headed back for the living. She was stopped in her tracks at the doorway by Jodie who was on her way out to meet Charlie in the kitchen. They just managed to stop themselves from colliding.

"So Charlie, what's this darling daughter of yours doing in bed at this hour of the day anyways?" Jodie asked. Curious as to why a teenage girl who lived by the beach would be indoors on a beautiful day. Charlie gasped realising she had never mentioned to Jodie about Ruby's illness. Before she could open her mouth, they were interrupted by the quite voice of the pale girl standing limply behind them at the doorway of one of the bedrooms. "Charlie", Ruby said as she clung to the door frame. Placing the cups down on the dinner table, Charlie walked over to where Ruby was standing and place and arm around her shoulder. Jodie was stunned into silence as she stared back at the young girl next to Charlie.

This was not the young girl she had seen in the photograph. She looked desperately ill. Her face was pale and her cheeks were sunken in. Her eyes were lifeless and she looked like she would collapse at any minute. She looked at Charlie hoping that her body language would give her some answers. But Charlie was focused completely on Ruby. After a couple more awkward silent seconds, Charlie finally spoke. "Rubes, you remember Jodie. One of my friends from back in the city. Went to school together", Charlie reminded her. Ruby looked at the woman and gave her a weak smile. "I'm sorry I don't mean be rude", Ruby started before turning back to face Charlie, "Charlie I feel really hot", she said.

Charlie placed her hand on Ruby's forehead and could almost feel the heat radiating from Ruby before she even touched her. "Oh Rubes you're burning up. You're getting a fever again. Go back to bed. I'll be right in with a cold towel and something for the nausea. Charlie watched on as Ruby made her in to her room. When she was out of sight she turned around to face a very quiet Jodie, who was leaning against the door frame of the kitchen. Before Jodie could even ask any questions Charlie began to speak.

"Ruby was diagnosed with leukaemia eight months ago. She has good days and she has really bad days. As you just saw. That's the reason we're moving to Perth. At least temporarily. She's going to undergo a bone marrow transplant", Charlie finished. Walking passed Jodie into the kitchen she got a bowl out of the press and began to fill it with cold water. She picked up the bowl and walked back into the living room and placed it down on the table and stopped. Looking back up at a tearful Jodie.

"I'm so sorry Charlie", she said as she went over and hugged her old friend. Charlie was received the hug with open arms, but was to distracted to allow herself to get lost in it. She pulled back and looked at the bowl and towards Ruby's room. "I should really go be with Ruby", she said not wanting to sound like she was pushing her friend out. Jodie nodded, picking up her handbag, understanding Charlie's need to be with her daughter. "No not at all. Go be with your daughter. I'll see you around again someday soon", she said with a smile. Jodie made her way to the door. Just before she went to leave she turned to Charlie. "I really hope it works out for Ruby in Perth". And with that she was gone.

Charlie took one last glance at the door before picking up the bowl and heading into Ruby's room. She placed the bowl down on the bedside cabinet and went over to Ruby's dresser to remove one of the towels they kept in Ruby's drawer for situations like this. Sitting on the edge of the bed, Charlie stroked Ruby's cheek. Grabbing a hold of the towel, she dipped it in the bowl of cold water and proceeded to dab it across Ruby's forehead. The teen let out a small grunt as the coldness of the towel touched against her skin. She could feel the soothing affect.

As Charlie continued to trace the towel across Ruby's forehead, she studied her daughter's features. What Jodie had said about Ruby looking like Grant hit a nerve. It wouldn't matter to Charlie if Ruby did bear a resemblance to her biological father. She loved Ruby for the person Ruby was. But she hoped for Ruby's sake that the resemblance for Ruby stopped at just DNA. And that was exactly it. That was the one thing Grant would hold over Ruby for the rest of her life. That they both shared the same DNA. What he did to Charlie was one night she will never forget. But sharing the same gene pool was something Ruby would have to carry around forever.

Looking at her daughter Charlie smiled. Even after Jodie's comments, she still couldn't see the resemblance. All she saw was and angel. Sent from above to help her get through the darkest period of her life, and to guide her to richer more fulfilling life. As a police officer, a defender of the people and a protector of the most precious thing she held so dearly. A daughter she would love the world over, from here to eternity. Leaning down she placed a long lingering kiss on Ruby's forehead and then lay down beside her. Instinctively, Ruby curled up into Charlie's side and wrapped herself up in the arms of a mother who truly loved her.