CJ4Eva – this help to make I clearer a little? Prob not I can but try lol thank you for sticking with it :)

lil20 – well miss S what can I say but enjoy :P

Thank you to all that read I hope you're enjoying the adventure we're all on :)

And now on with the show

Linda

x x x

Chapter 21

James and his family were saying goodbye to each other, Jay had gone off to get some dinner before leaving as none of them felt like cooking or even dining out that night as they had had a long day. James' memory still hadn't shown signs of returning, he was healthy enough to be released the next day as long as all his tests came back good. He found it strange to be reliant upon strangers in a unfamiliar town, even the thought of being released wasn't exactly bringing out the happiness he thought it should. James had a harrowing and nagging feeling deep inside him, he didn't know how to explain it, it just was and that was all he could think about. The searing pain of feeling useless to an unknown situation was driving him mad, Lucy knew something but wasn't letting on and that hurt him even more and made him even more curious. The name 'Joey' kept being flung around the room by many lips, and still it was like a hollow word with no meaning. Jay sloped back into the room unsure of what he had just witnessed, should he say something or keep quiet? He took a hold of an instinct, a thought that he should of dismissed straight away but decided not too.

Silence had filled Charlie and Joey's room, it wasn't full of awkwardness or nerves but a calming air that flourished through them both. Charlie had pulled the chair closer and kept hers and Joey's fingers and hand entwined. She had snuggled her head into the crook of Joey's shoulder, nuzzling her lips gently against Joey's soft flesh.

"Charlie?" Charlie shifted her head slightly and slowly, so not to startle Joey at her movement.

"Yes Jo?"

Joey gulped attempting to replenish her arid mouth, slowly she licked her lips and bit weakly upon her quivering bottom lip as she spoke in a whisper, "Kiss me."

Charlie looked some what bewildered by this request, they had only been together this way in her dreams, for a year now. It was nerve wrecking and her heart was pounding like it was about to escape. Her whole body thrived and yearned any part of Joey she was lucky to have, but to have Joey requesting her was the most purest form of happiness she had ever felt, well it was equal to the first kiss they shared. Instead of placing her lips upon Joey's, Charlie held her lips over Joey's neck and her breath lightly grazed across the supple skin, little goosebumps began to show as Joey's breathing raced and her eyes glazed over with a heated mix of lust and love. Charlie slowly leant in and her lips grazed Joey's skin as she kissed her, a soft and gentle kiss. She nuzzled her nose against Joey's skin as she made her path towards Joey's lips, caressing upwards and reaching her earlobe Charlie paused and wrapped her lips around it. Raising her head she whispers with baited breathe, "Are you sure you want me to kiss you?" Charlie takes a deep breathe as Joey's eyes convey her answer, "Good, because I've been waiting to do this for a long time." Charlie had planned to slowly kiss over to the lips she yearned to touch again, but she had so much need flowing through her that she couldn't wait any longer. In one swift move Charlie had placed her lips over Joey's and they met, tasting each other they melted into a kiss so familiar they couldn't stop. Lips merged perfectly together and soon lips mingled as one, relishing the tantalising flavours of each other. Gasping for an ounce of air that they were both lacking they reluctantly pulled apart, little did they know but their kiss had lasted the good part of an hour. Both of them were too wrapped in being able to kiss and be with each other that way again that they still didn't notice as they both went to talk.

"Charlie..."

"Joey..." In unison they spoke and their words merged to one, and it sounded like they had said "Choey". In realisation they both giggled and looked away from each other. Instantly missing the connection felt as their eyes were apart, they both moved their heads back and as eyes meet hearts fluttered and lips turned to become a euphoric smile. Raising her hand Charlie stroked down Joey's cheek with her fingertips grazing softly upon smooth skin, trailing the outline of the lips she wanted to be kissing again. Instead she placed her finger upon those sweet lips and as Joey kissed her fingertip Charlie spoke.

"It was real...wasn't it? I felt you, tasted you...I could smell your perfume, I knew it wasn't a dream. I felt alive, like you had come back to save me." Charlie's cheeks began to turn a beautiful shade of crimson red, Joey caught sight and turned her head as much as she could and proceeded to talk as Charlie's fingertips rested upon Joey's chin. "Save you? Save you from what?" With a now sullen and sunken head, Charlie replies quietly. "From me!" Joey's eyes fill with confusion trying to piece together why Charlie, a beautiful caring woman, would need any kind of saving especially from herself.

"I don't understand Charlie, what do you mean?" As Charlie lifted her head all Joey could now see was fear and panic, craving to be able to move from her cocooned state. Joey let out a sigh and without knowing how her eyes shinned through and captured Charlie's. Infusing them with love, nurture, trust and a knowing look of understanding. "Charlie please...please tell me what you mean. I'm not going anywhere okay? I couldn't even if I wanted too." She chuckled and Charlie let a small smile encroach her lips. "Please, just trust me. I need to know how I saved you and why, please." Joey now gave up, but didn't avert her eyes, she decided that if Charlie wanted to tell her she would, in her own time. A slow trickle began its trail down Charlie's cheek, she wasn't crying from sadness or fear but crying tears of relief and joy. She had just realised that for the first time she wasn't scared of opening up, she was more scared of staying hidden away. Then as if she was living everything again she told Joey everything, in more detail than she had told Georgie, but she was never met with sorrow just compassion and a new look of love.

Ruby's body was throbbing, a dull ache was pulsating through her and her throat was arid dry. Attempting to even blink her eyes seemed like a daunting job in itself, let alone moving her now weighted head. She could feel her arms resting in her lap, but they too were seeming to not want to move. Her back was cold and behind her could feel she was pressing against something but wasn't sure what, her neck felt trapped in a vice. The lead weights that were now her eyelids began to lift but were brought back down fast as the painful light hit them. Her memory was now, it seems, coming back to her but only in a movie clip style. Then bit by bit it hit her, she had been drugged that's why she ached, that was why she felt numb, and that was why she now felt physically sick.

Grant was washing his hands as the rustling noise of stirring began, he pulled back the dishevelled curtain and saw the youngster. Her hands were where he had left them, tied with twine and nestled in her lap, he was pleased his knot had done the job. The bath she was in was grubby, the varnish had been long gone as the marks of previous users remained. Grant was lost, he had never taken a teenager against their will like this before, let alone Charlie's sister, he had panicked and drove as far as he could. Once the gas gauge was on the red he searched madly for a place to hold up till it was light and a garage was again open. This motel was far enough away and looked as seedy on the outside as it was on the inside, by his own deduction he knew he would be left to his own devices here. He reached into his pocket and felt for something, Ruby then knew she wasn't alone as her ears awoke then and heard the man, the man from the elevator. Gulping to quench her thirst in an attempt to talk soon, to try and reason with him, she felt something against her lips.

"Open!" He demanded, she thought he was trying to help, that somewhere inside this beast there was an ounce of compassion or a conscience. As the liquid flowed between her chapped lips Ruby's mind again went hazy, that was when she realised he was not a man but a beast. With a thud her head hit the back of the bath, catching the taps slightly and cutting her head. As blood began to fall Grant turned, switched off the light and went into the other room, putting the rohypnol back into his pocket before taking a slug of whiskey to knock himself out.

Jay sat in silence on the trip back to the hotel, he couldn't shake the visions any more and the fear of what might of happened kept haunting him. This is when he made his decision, this is when he knew what he had to do. He had come to this conclusion, this choice, now he just had to find out if it would be the right one.