Ruby and Aden came back from the diner. They went straight downstairs to the basement, where both knew Charlie and Joey would be, excited to tell them the news that they found out at the diner.

"Charlie, Joey, guess wha---"Ruby stopped, grinning at what view met her eyes.

Charlie stepped away from each other, breaking eye contact, blushing profusely.

"Seriously… are you guys sure you're not back together yet?" Ruby teased.

"I know, ei? We left them for just a couple of minutes and they were all over each other." Aden added, gesturing at Charlie and Joey's state and the mess they made.

Charlie and Joey looked at each other and then around the room.

"She started it!" Charlie ventured, pointing at Joey.

Joey looked at Charlie with her mouth hanging a bit open, as if shocked that Charlie dubbed her in.

"Oh yeah. Very matured, Senior Constable!" Joey quipped.

Charlie smiled.

"Well, it was the truth." She giggled.

Joey looked at her and pouts. Aden and Ruby giggled with Charlie, both happy with how Joey and Charlie are with each other.

"Aww… poor baby… are we ganging up on you?" Charlie said, wrapping her arms around the still pouting Joey. Joey pouted more.

Aden and Ruby watched the interaction between the two, can't help noticing how natural their actions towards each other and the happiness that is swimming in both eyes, for the first time in a long time.

"Ok, you two love birds. Let's eat. I'm starving!" Ruby said, seating down the floor covered with newspapers, rummaging through the plastic bag full of containers of food.

Joey, Aden and Charlie followed suit, as if resuming their position from the night before. The foursome was having a good meal again, when Joey remembered something about Ruby.

"Hei, Rubes… what was that you were saying when you guys came?"

"Oh yeah, about that." Ruby said after swallowing her food. "Guess what's happening on Friday?" she asked excitedly.

"We have no idea…" Charlie said wanting to cut the chase.

"Oh c'mon… guess," insists Ruby.

"Someone got a birthday party?" Joey guessed.

"Nope."

"Then what is it?" Charlie asked.

"Fine! Karaoke Night!" Ruby squealed.

Aden and Joey grinned, liking the idea, whilst Charlie showed no reaction to it.

"So???" she asked.

"It'll be fun!" Aden, Ruby and Joey said in unison.

Charlie shook her head and continued to eat, oblivious that the 3 are looking at her expectantly. Charlie finished her food and found Joey, Aden and Ruby staring at her.

"What?"

All 3 smiled at her sweetly. Charlie shook her head, knowing exactly what the smile meant.

"NO!"

"Please…"

"No, Rubes. You know I don't like going to those. You guys can go without me. It'll be fine."

Ruby pouted.

"Charlie… please. I wanted to go, but not without you. If you're not going, then…" Joey ventured, trying her luck, giving Charlie her puppy-dog-eyes look.

Ruby looks at Joey and so did Aden, grinning from ear to ear, thinking of the same thing.

'Who can say NO to that look? Good one Jo… Good one!' Aden and Ruby thought.

"Ah! You guys are so mean! Especially you! Woman!" Charlie remarked, pointing at Joey. "Fine! I'll go!" she gave in, knowing that she couldn't say 'NO' to Joey even without the pouting and the puppy dog look.

"Thank you!!!" Joey shrieked and launched herself at Charlie, knocking both of them on the floor.

Charlie instinctively wrapped her arms around Joey, who is now on top of her, beaming at her. Charlie smiled back and stared in Joey's brown eyes, willed herself to get lost in it. Joey did the same, now realising just how much she missed looking/staring/gazing at Charlie's bright-blue-pools.

"AHEM!!!" Ruby pretended to clear her throat. As much as she wanted for those two to keep doing what they're doing, she's still aware that there are still some works to be done. She thought, they can keep their staring match later, when their done with Joey's basement/room.

Both Charlie and Joey turned and look at Ruby's direction. Now aware of their position, Joey on top of Charlie, immediately blushing, Joey reluctantly removed herself from Charlie, apologising profusely. Charlie on her part kept saying it was fine, because, seriously, it was really fine. Ruby giggled and Aden smirked, finding the whole thing very amusing.

Eventually the remaining 3 resumed eating, giving each other glances once in a while. At some point, all their eyes met and they all ended up laughing and giggling.

******

By the end of the day, eventually, all four of them got to finish painting the whole room. Exhausted from the day's work and half paint war, all found themselves on the floor, forming some sort of circle, lying contentedly and staring at the ceiling.

"So, Friday at the Surf Club, yeah?" Aden asked.

"Yup!" Ruby answered enthusiastically.

Charlie groaned silently and Joey giggled.

"Why're you giggling?" Charlie asked, turning to Joey.

"Nothing." Joey replied simply, still has her smile on her face.

Charlie then rolled onto her stomach and scooted closer to Joey, who was lying on her back. Propped up on her elbow, Charlie blocked Joey's view of the ceiling with her face.

"You don't giggle for nothing." Charlie stated matter of factly.

Ruby and Aden turned their heads just to see Charlie almost on top of Joey, her face over the brown-eyed-girl. Both then looked at each other and wonder how long will Charlie and Joey last before they give in and just make their whatever kind of relationship official. Both knew though, that it wouldn't be too long.

"I do… with you." Joey said seriously, getting lost in Charlie's beauty.

Charlie smiled peacefully and Joey smiled back at her.

"You know, you make me happy." Charlie said sincerely, not caring going all sappy with her sister and her friend in the same room, hearing her. Although Charlie doesn't seem to remember that they have company as all her attention was on Joey.

"You make me happy too, Charlie."

Charlie continued to gaze at Joey's lovely face and felt blessed that she was able to look at her again like this.

"I love you, Joey."

"I love you more." Joey replied.

Charlie moved her face down to Joey's until their noses were touching. Joey closed her eyes, not remembering anything at all, just feeling and anticipating Charlie's lips to touch hers.

Ruby continued to watch, not minding if she is about to see her sister kiss another woman. She thought it wouldn't be the first time; but know for sure that this time she will not freak out. She then turned to Aden and saw the rather too excited goofy look on the guy's face. Ruby shook her head, thinking boys will be boys and though she really didn't want to interrupt the loving moment of Joey and Charlie is having, she knew she had to. If her sister and her friend will have an intimate loving moment together for the first time in a long time, she figured it should be in the confinement where there are just two of them, not being watch by anyone, including herself.

"Uhm… people… we're still here, you know." Ruby said loudly, hoping it'll get Charlie and Joey's attention and it did.

Joey shut opened her eyes and saw Charlie's face turned red. Charlie hovered herself off Joey and turns to glare at her sister. Ruby just smiled sweetly at her and Aden just look at Joey, a smirk on his face.

"What?" Ruby asked innocently as the older Buckton kept throwing daggers at her with her eyes. "Besides, you guys are not allowed to kiss yet. You're still the unofficial couple."

Both Charlie and Joey then smiled at Ruby's cheekiness. Aden on the other hand was thankful that Ruby didn't mention Angelo's name.

Later on Joey and Aden insisted for Ruby and Charlie to stay for the night, but as much as they Bucktons wanted to, Ruby still has an assessment to work on and Charlie needs to come to work and do some more overtime.

******

Sunday morning and Charlie was already heading towards the station. She was walking in to her office and was surprised to see Angelo there, sulking.

"Angelo? What's wrong?" Charlie immediately asked concerned.

Angelo looks up and saw his girlfriend's beautiful face. He was due to go home and pack his stuff to go to his hometown because of a bad news, but he stayed to wait for Charlie to say goodbye and to not worry because he will be back soon enough. He smiled at Charlie masking his sadness.

"Nothing. I just wanted to see you."

Charlie eyes him curiously and then remembered what she told Joey. She thought, there won't be a good time to break up with someone so, she thought she might as well get it over and done with now.

"Angelo…" Charlie started, "since you're here now… ahm… there's something that I need to talk to you about."

"Ok. What is it, Babe?"

Charlie went around her table and sat on the chair across from Angelo, so she's facing him. She slowly reached for his hands and hold on to it firmly but still gently. Angelo smiled at the gesture.

"First of all… I'm sorry." Charlie said looking straight into Angelo's eyes. "I'm sorry for everything that I did and for the things that I didn't do or cannot do for you."

"It's ok." Angelo answered reassuringly, thinking maybe its Charlie's way of telling him that she will try and make it up to him.

"No. Angelo, it's not ok. You're a great guy and I'm being unfair to you and I'm sorry. And… that's why I think… I think we should stop."

Angelo frowned, his brain can't or won't understand but his heart does and he doesn't want to accept it or acknowledge it, even.

"What do you mean?" Angelo asked as she took his hands back from Charlie's.

"I don't want to hurt you, Angelo---"

"You're hurting me now!" he interrupts.

"And if we don't end this, I will just end up keep hurting you and I don't want that. I hate the feeling of knowing that I'm being unfair and that is causing you pain." Charlie explained the best way she could.

"Why don't you start being truly fair and just tell me the truth and cut this crap?!" Angelo said glumly and coldness in his voice, evident.

"I am telling you the truth! I am being honest!" Charlie answered back, annoyed.

Angelo bowed his head for a while and then looks up at Charlie, showing her his tears stained face; tears that he didn't bother to wipe as he was to numb to even feel or know that it was there… that he was actually crying.

Charlie's heart broke, seeing the pain, hurt that was written all over Angelo's face. But when she saw his eyes, he witnessed both anger and pain in there that his eyes were almost lifeless.

"So, you can honestly tell me that it was a total coincidence that you finally decided to break up with me, not that your ex-girlfriend was finally back?" Angelo challenged, looking directly into Charlie's eyes.

Charlie was taken a back. She didn't expect that question. She should've, but she didn't. Now she asks herself, and she knows the truth. She told him the truth, but this was part of the truth that she didn't want him to know.

Angelo waited for Charlie's answer and when she didn't give him that and remained quiet for a while; it just made him furious.

"I thought so!" he said.

"But… you wouldn't want to be with me, when you know that I could never return back your feelings." Charlie reasoned, finally finding her voice.

"You never returned my feelings and I still chose to be with you!" Angelo answered back, "You know, why I waited for you today?"

Charlie's heart broke at Angelo's answer and then shook her head, no to answer his question.

"I waited for you so I can tell you that I will be away for a while. You know why?"

Again, Charlie shook her head.

"Because my brother just died!"

Charlie gasps and again felt her heart breaks for Angelo. She knew there isn't a right time to break someone's heart but her timing was definitely the worst. She stepped closer to Angelo, attempting to give the guy some kind of comfort, but Angelo held up his hand, gesturing for Charlie to stop.

"Don't. Don't pretend to feel sorry, because we both know you're not. You're incapable of feeling that. You used me to forget Joey. You used Hugo to prove to yourself that you're straight and you cheated on someone, you claimed you love. Some love you have!" Spat Angelo bitterly. "You don't know how to love, Charlie! You don't deserve to be loved either! You don't deserve anyone! And Joey will soon figure that out! That's she's a fool to give you another chance! I wonder how much time it will take for you to screw everything up again! 'Cause that is what you do best, Charlie! To screw everything and everyone up! You're no good to anyone!"

Charlie opened her mouth to say something, but close it again. Angelo's words swimming around her head. Thinking about it, she secretly agreed that half of it was true. But she knew in her heart that she did/do loves Joey. Charlie remained quiet, fighting back tears as she watched Angelo stormed out of her office.

******

"You'll pay for what you did to me, Charlie."

Angelo thought, while he drives his way out of Summer Bay, tears still unknowingly flowing from his eyes.

Raise your hand if you hate Angelo!!! Clap if you guys admire what Charlie did! Hehehe. Hate is such a strong word. Maybe just you know, kind of not like Anyways, here is the update for this story… next stop I dare you to love me. Lolz Hope you guys are still enjoying this story. And cheers! Sorry for the type errors…lolz and Sorry if I'm taking my time updating, its just that, my new job is getting in the way and with my other one, my manager just returned from her holiday and asked me to do a lot of things… tsk tsk. Anyways yeah, now I wont stop you from :P