"Happily Never After"
Well hot damn I don't think I've ever received that many reviews on any of my stories until the last chapter lol!
And if that's the kinda reviews I get then I'll be writing more drama for this fic lol jk!
Welcome to all the new reviewers - don't be afraid of coming back and giving me more feedback!
A few quick comments to the reviews:
Musician17 - Too annoyed to review my stories before now? Ha I think that's the best reason I've ever heard for not reviewing a fic. Don't be a stranger and get too annoyed again, I loved what you said.
Crooksey18 - Glad to hear your finally convinced you like the fic - took a little while huh? Don't blame ya!
Movie249 - Wow I don't think I've ever laughed so much at a review! That was hilarious and everyone should check it out. No sorry no freak shopping aisle accidents for Kaitlyn anytime soon sorry but Angelo...I like it! Dying of having tin cans drop on his head...that's so very Angelo!
Ani788 - I don't think they'll stop feeling anything for each other anytime soon so stick around, no need to be scared
Onix197 - You're the 2nd person to mention the L Word's Mama B & Mama T but no sadly I didn't stick with the series long enough to see that so Mama J & Mama C weren't inspired by the L Word. Yep we can only hope that something good can come out of Riley's accident - a CJ reunion perhaps? Not spoiling anything I've got planned for these two lol!
Funkyshaz57 - I think we can label the last chapter good and bad. Yep that was always part of the plan to make all of you do a 360 on who's side you're currently on - Team Charlie or Team Joey? Team Charlie is currently well in the lead but you might change sides a couple more times before we may finally get a...Team CJ?? Everyone for Team CJ? :P
1818 - But if Riley lives with Aden, where would Joey move to? In with Charlie? That could be...interesting. The friendship thing will come in time as they need to set aside their relationship for now and concentrate on being parents. You're right - no one is safe in my fics! Next up...maybe Angelo dying by tin cans dropping on his head in a shopping aisle - anyone?? Oh admit it - you cried a little lol!
Kerstin74 - I feel so bad when people tell me they cried over reading my work - I'm sorry! I don't mean to make people cry - really that's not the point of the drama in my fics. Thanks heaps for the compliments - it's really nice to hear.
AuthorW - Thanks again for all your help for the ideas in this chapter - namely Charlie's reaction. Oh and Joey accusing Charlie of being with Angelo - yeah that kinda got added at the last minute to expand the chapter and just give them something else to argue about. I also felt that Joey needed a reason of why she withdrew from Charlie and why she's 'convinced' Charlie's feelings for her aren't true...but how wrong could she be?
Without further ado - enjoy reading and reviewing!
Chapter Fourteen
Kaitlyn made her way towards Joey's apartment. Anxious about bumping into Riley again after the way he reacted at the end of his party, she hoped Joey hadn't gone to bed yet and she could try to repair any damage done with her. After the party Joey had insisted it wasn't her fault that Riley acted the way he did, but Kaitlyn could see it was stressing Joey out, and tonight just wanted to remind her she was there for her if she needed to talk. Carrying Riley's birthday present, planning on leaving it for him as a surprise for the next day, Kaitlyn found herself at the front door. Noticing the door was ajar, she knocked quickly, poking her head in briefly, "Jo it's just me. You home?"
Not receiving any answer Kaitlyn pushed the door open further, instantly looking up the stairs directly in front of her as she heard the faint sounds of arguing. Joey and Charlie? What's Charlie doing here? Shaking her head, feeling like she was intruding, she decided it might be best if she left...until her eyes landed on the small body at the bottom of the stairs. "Oh my God," Kaitlyn gasped, as she dropped the present and rushed forwards. Kneeling down besides Riley, she immediately checked for a pulse. Feeling relieved the second she felt it, she whipped out her phone, dialling 000.
While she waited the few seconds for the operator to pick up the call, Kaitlyn checked Riley's body for any major injuries. As she found his arm twisted slightly behind his back, the operator answered the phone. "Hi yes I need an ambulance sent to...ah Unit 3, 17 Prescott St, Summer Bay. I've got a four year old boy who appears to have maybe fallen down the stairs. He looks like he's got a broken arm, and a severe concussion. His pulse is slightly weak but he's breathing," Kaitlyn rattled off quickly.
Hanging up the phone, Kaitlyn quickly considered rushing upstairs to get Joey, but didn't want to leave Riley alone. "Joey!" she yelled up the stairs...but nobody answered. Now inside the house, Kaitlyn could hear the loud noises of Joey and Charlie yelling at each other. Leaning over Riley, Kaitlyn placed her jacket under his head, to use as a mock pillow, as she turned back to yell out to Joey again, noticing the sudden silence that had fallen over the apartment. Before she could open her mouth again, Charlie was at the top of the stairs.
Charlie was shaking her head, angry at the way she and Joey had argued with each other, and had stormed out of the room. Nothing but anger and frustration clouded her mind as she reached the top of the stairs...and looked down to find Riley lying on the floor, with Kaitlyn leaning over him. It didn't take Charlie another second to spring into action, her anger and frustration now had another target. Leaping down the stairs as quick as possible, Charlie launched herself at Kaitlyn before the woman could open her mouth. Charlie tackled her to the ground, then pulling her up, slammed Kaitlyn into the front door, as it shut loudly at the impact.
"What the hell did you do to my son!?!" Charlie screamed at her. "Charlie stop, this isn't what you think," Kaitlyn tried to defend herself, her head throbbing from being roughed up by the police woman. Charlie, locking Kaitlyn's arm behind her back so she couldn't escape, yelled again, "I swear to God if you ever lay a finger on him again, I'll kill you!" "Charlie this wasn't me. I just walked in and found him like this," Kaitlyn claimed. "You expect me to believe that?" Charlie questioned furiously. "Ow," Kaitlyn groaned, as Charlie pulled her arm tighter behind her back, "Damn it Charlie check my phone, I just called 000 for him."
Before Charlie could take a second to work out if what Kaitlyn was saying is true, Joey appeared at the top of the stairs, "What is all this noise...? Oh God!" As Kaitlyn tried to wrestle out of Charlie's grip, Joey rushed down the stairs, to Riley's side. "God baby!" she sobbed as she reached out to stroke his face, "Baby wake up...please wake up. Is he...?" "He's got a pulse, Jo. It's weak but it's there. The ambulance is on its way," Kaitlyn said trying to look over at her, still struggling with Charlie pinning her against the door, "He's got a broken arm, severe concussion, and maybe a dislocated shoulder. That's all I could work out before...argh Captain Charlz here attacked me!" "How do you know all this?" Charlie demanded. "'Cause I'm a doctor for crying out loud! So let go of me so I can help him 'til the ambulance gets here," Kaitlyn announced, "Don't let this be your fault!"
Charlie relaxed her grip, as she heard the faint sounds of the ambulance siren in the distance. As Kaitlyn escaped her grip, she growled as she tried to move her arm, wincing at the pain, before rushing back over to Riley's side. "Wait...you're Riley's doctor?" Charlie asked confused, unable to move closer to the pair and her son, afraid of getting in the way. "Yes, that's how we met last week," Joey whimpered as she cradled Riley's head in her arms, while Kaitlyn checked his pulse again and started checking his small body for any other signs of injury. "I...I didn't know," Charlie whispered, "I just thought she was...what do you think happened?"
Kaitlyn looked Joey in the eyes sadly, then looked back up at Charlie, "I'm pretty certain he's fallen down the stairs. These injuries to his arm and shoulder, I would imagine means he landed on them maybe when he first slipped, then again when he landed...here. He must have been running down the stairs to have landed so harshly." Breathing heavily, Charlie blinked back tears, "What was he running from?" Joey burst into tears as she continued to stroke Riley's face, comforting him, "Us. God he was running away from us...this is all our fault." Charlie choked back more tears as they started rolling down her cheeks, as she swiftly bent down next to him, reaching out to hold his hand.
"Don't touch him!" Joey suddenly screamed, yelling over the sounds of the sirens close by, as Charlie pulled her hand back slightly, looking over into Joey's eyes, "I was wrong, this is all your fault. You kept pushing me Charlie, yelling at me when I told you to leave and this is what has happened to our son 'cause you wouldn't stop being selfish! I will never forgive you if he doesn't..." "Joey I..." Charlie cried, but she was interrupted as the ambulance officers strode into the apartment.
Before long, the officers had placed Riley's unconscious body on a stretcher and were wheeling him out to the ambulance. Standing next to the ambulance, Kaitlyn had her arms wrapped around Joey, who hadn't stopped crying. Charlie was standing a small way away from them with Aden and Nicole, who had come back home from a night out at the Surf Club. They were completely devastated by what had unfolded while they weren't there. As the officers moved Riley's stretcher up into the vehicle, Kaitlyn whispered to Joey, "I'm gonna follow you guys to the hospital. Aden and Nicole will probably want to come with me too, Aden doesn't look like he's right to drive, he's too upset. You and Charlie go with him in the ambulance." "I can't," Joey sobbed, "I can't be anywhere near her. I can't even look at her."
Kaitlyn wrapped her arm tighter around Joey, ignoring the pain still felt from Charlie's attack, "Joey she's Riley's parent. You can't stop her going with you two." "She's the reason this all happened," Joey sobbed. Kaitlyn kissed Joey on the top of her head, "No she isn't. This isn't anyone's fault." "I shouldn't have asked her to come over tonight. I knew she would just attack me and pick another fight. I should've handled Riley's bad mood myself...like I've always done for the past year," Joey whimpered. "This isn't your fault either, don't go blaming yourself. I'm not saying you have to talk to Charlie if you're not ready but she needs to go with you...it's just a ride to the hospital together," Kaitlyn insisted.
Joey leaned into Kaitlyn's embrace, wrapping her arms around her waist, leaning her forehead against hers, "Thank God you were here tonight. I don't think I would have coped without you." "Some things are just meant to be I guess. C'mon the officers are signalling for you if you want to go with them," Kaitlyn hugged Joey again, before leading Joey to the ambulance, watching as she got in the vehicle, immediately moving to Riley's side, reaching out her left hand, to hold his hand. Kaitlyn turned around to see Charlie hesitating as she stood next to Aden and Nicole, who were hugging each other, and both had tears in their eyes.
Walking the few steps over to her Kaitlyn motioned, "Well you gonna get over there? Ambulance will be leaving in a few seconds." "Kaitlyn I..." Charlie stuttered, unable to process any clear thoughts enough to talk. "Yes you can," Kaitlyn insisted, "Go be with your family. I'll drive these two there as well and meet you there." "Thanks," Charlie nodded, as she rushed over to the vehicle, then yelling to the ambulance officer as he was closing the back door, "Wait up...I'm coming with." "Well you better hurry up," the guy replied quickly. Charlie jumped into the vehicle, sitting down beside Joey as the officer followed her inside the vehicle, moving to the opposite side to check Riley's condition again, as the ambulance sped off.
Charlie watched as Joey continued to cry, as she looked at their son lying unconscious in front of them. Without a word, Charlie lifted her hand, entangling it with Joey's free hand. Joey silently gripped Charlie's hand, grateful that Kaitlyn had insisted Charlie come with her as she was now feeling slightly comforted to have someone...anyone there with her. I'm not just comforted because it's Charlie here...right? As Charlie squeezed their fingers together lightly, Joey felt Charlie's wedding ring, steel cold against her warm skin...