Sorry for the delay in updating; life got in the way as per usual. If you're still reading this... thank you! Very much appreciated, thanks for your patience. Hope you enjoy and review and let me know what you think. Skater.

Chapter for funkyshaz, sorry it's two days later than I said! But better late that never ay!

Chapter 13

Lying in bed, Joey couldn't sleep; too many feelings were whirring around inside her. Every thought she had somehow brought her back to the same thought - Charlie. She still couldn't believe how much she had enjoyed the night with her; for a long time Joey had resigned herself to the fact that she was never going to feel happy ever again. But after the evening she had had with Charlie - seeing the person Charlie now was, seeing for her herself that she really had changed. It was now blatantly obvious to Joey that Charlie had meant every word she had said to her since she had come back.

*****

"Here you go Charlie, here's the food you ordered." Leah said as she heaved the heavy box onto the counter. "It should have everything you could possibly need in there, and I put a few extra things that you didn't ask for but that I know that Joey likes." Leah smiled, happy to help Charlie win Joey back in any way she could.

"Thanks Leah, that's really kind and thoughtful! See you later! Thanks again, I owe you!"

As Charlie left the diner lugging the box to her car, she racked her brains, trying to think if there was anything she had forgotten. Music, check. Food, check, she thought to herself.

****

As Joey stumbled along the path she started to wonder what she had let herself in for.

"Charlie! Is the blindfold really necessary?!" Joey protested; she hated not knowing where she was or where she was heading.

"Well, actually yes it is, if the whole this is a surprise thing is going to work." Charlie stated, matter-of-factly.

"Oh ha ha. Well just hurry up would you! The suspense is killing me!!" Joey pleaded, as she was guided carefully to the boat by Charlie, who kept her eyes fixed upon the water, careful to make sure that Joey didn't get too close and fall in.

"Okay Miss Impatient, we're nearly there, just a few more steps." Charlie said, the excitement clear in her voice.

As they got to the end of the pier, Charlie put both hands on Joey's shoulders, signalling for her to stop. Ever so gently, Charlie turned Joey round to face her, kissed her softly on the lips and slowly removed her blindfold.

"Your chariot awaits" Charlie said, taking Joey's hand, turning her around to face the Blaxland. The short path to the boat was lined with red and pink rose petals, as was the deck of the boat, where Charlie had also placed large snugly cushions and soft blankets.

"Charlie it looks amazing!" Joey said, amazed at the sight in front of her. Charlie smiled to herself, proud to have impressed Joey.

"You've gone to so much effort Charlie! You really shouldn't have!" Exclaimed Joey, her eyes still fixed upon the hundreds of petals.

"Yeah, well, you deserve it. And plus I still have a lot of making up to do, and the chance to show who I really am."

"Well the person I've seen since I've been back seems pretty damn amazing if you ask me."

Charlie tried not to get over excited at Joey's statement, knowing that it was still very early days and they still had a long way to go. Both girls hearts were beating frantically as they leaned in towards each other and shared a tender kiss.

*****

"You know what Jo, you never did finish giving me that boating lesson."

"Ahh! No I didn't did I!? I'd forgotten all about that!" Joey said, memories of their previous day on the Blaxland flooding back.

"Well how about you give me that lesson now?" Charlie said with a cheeky glint in her eye.

"Hmm sounds like a plan! But what time do you have to get the boat back for?" Joey asked, secretly praying that it wasn't any time soon.

"Ah see, that's the thing. Okay Joey… please don't be mad at me. I booked the boat until late tomorrow morning. Don't feel like you have to say yes, but… umm… would you like to stay on the boat tonight? As in with me? I mean just spend the night together… Oh no! I don't mean it like th-"

"Charlie! Calm down! I know what you meant! In answer to your frantic question asking, yes! I'd love to."

"..seriously?" Charlie asked, unsure as to whether she had heard Joey correctly.

"Yes, seriously. Come here you muppet." Joey said with outstretched arms. Charlie practically fell into her arms and into a loving embrace as Joey whispered 'I love you' into her ear.

"How about that lesson now then, before you get all soppy again!?" Joey said, excited that Charlie seemed to be taking such an interest in the boating.

*****

An hour and a half later, the girls were sitting on the cushions Charlie had scattered everywhere, enjoying the rest of the delicious food courtesy of Leah.

"Seriously Charlie how much food did you order!? We've ate loads and there is still tonnes left!"

"Trust me, not this much! Honestly, Leah's just being her usual kind, thoughtful self! She said that she had put in some extra stuff that she knew that you liked but I didn't think that she meant this much!" Charlie responded, making a mental note to say a special thank you to Leah and repay her when they got back.

"Well anyway, it was all delicious! But I don't think I could eat another bite! I'm seriously stuffed!"

"Yeah, I know how you feel", Charlie said rubbing her now full stomach. "Stay there a minute honey, I just need to go and do something."

"Okay, but I can hardly go anywhere can I really?" Joey joked, pointing to the bright blue ocean that surrounded them…

Charlie got up, giggling, and left Joey where she was. Once she was out of Joey's view, she pulled out her phone from her pocket and quickly wrote a text to both Leah and Ruby - 'Thank you for everything you've done! It's going great! Love, Charlie. X.'

When the texts had finished sending, she grabbed two more beers and the iPod and speakers she had borrowed from Ruby. When Charlie had asked to borrow them, Ruby had jokingly replied that she could only borrow them if she let her borrow her entire wardrobe for two months, and Charlie, eager to make the day as perfect as possible for Joey, had agreed without a second thought.

Back on deck, Joey was enjoying being on the open sea, knowing she didn't have to answer to anyone and could just simply enjoy the tranquillity and spend time with the woman she was so desperately in love with…

Okay guys, sorry it sucked so much! I know it did, so I apologise. :)