CHAPTER 21 STEPPING IN

Charlie and Ruby sat outside on the step of the verandah waiting. All they could do was wait. They hadn't heard anything in about half an hour and Charlie was growing anxious. She was sick to the pit of her stomach. And she promised she would never forgive herself if anything happened to Joey. She was supposed to be there for her. She was meant to look after her.

"I should call them again." Charlie picked up her phone.

"Charlie." Ruby stopped her. "They'll call when they know something."

"God, I'm just sick of waiting!" Charlie stood up clearly frustrated and ran her fingers through her hair. "It's dark and they're not even going to see anything."

"They'll see the car." Ruby got up and put her hand on Charlie's arm. "You need to calm down."

"No." Charlie moved towards the front door. "I'm getting changed and then we're going."

"Going where?"

Charlie appeared back out the front about five minutes later. "Come on." She started to walk down the concealed driveway.

"What? No. Charlie, stop!" Ruby grabbed Charlie's wrist. "What are you doing?"

Charlie turned around. "We have to do something. We can't just sit around here waiting for them to find her. Ruby, please. I feel so helpless."

"You can't do anything at this time of night," Ruby reminded her. "It's too dark. Come on, Charlie. I know you're worried but it'll be okay."

That was when Charlie's phone rang and she answered it immediately, her heart pounding even harder than before. "Have you found her?"

"Charlie, it's Hugo. Robbo's gone but the cops are after him."

"And Joey? What about Joey? Is she okay?" Charlie was panicking. She felt Ruby grab her hand.

"She's… we had to get an ambulance. Listen, we're coming to pick you guys up now."

"What do you mean you had to get an ambulance?" Charlie felt all the blood rush to her face, feeling it boil inside her.

"We'll be there soon." Hugo hung up, avoiding telling Charlie what had happened. Charlie looked down at Ruby, tears forming in her eyes.

"What's going on?" Ruby was concerned.

"He wouldn't tell me." Charlie looked away down the driveway. "Something's happened to Joey but he wouldn't say."

Ruby didn't know what to say. All she could do was hold her sister and give her a blanket of comfort. Something to tell her that she was there for her.

A minute passed when Hugo came down the driveway and Charlie and Ruby jumped in.

"What's happened?" Charlie's voice was pleading. Pleading for an explanation. Pleading for some answers. She needed to know that Joey was okay.

Hugo took off, focussing on his driving while getting together the words in his head. "I don't know. We… found Joey in a ditch. Robbo was nowhere to be seen. He'd obviously dumped her and left her there. Done something to her. I don't know. She…" He looked at Charlie momentarily and saw the shock on her face. He saw the hurt and the pain and wished he hadn't said anything. "But she'll be okay. She's no doubt at the hospital right now."

"Is… is she okay?" Charlie choked out.

"I don't know." Hugo said truthfully.

As soon as they arrived at the hospital Charlie sought out Joey's room, anxious and worried. Joey was being checked out when Charlie appeared outside of the room.

"Are you family?" A nurse came out after a few moments and looked into Charlie's tear filled eyes.

Charlie shook her head after a moment. "I'm a… friend." Ruby appeared at her side.

"She's pretty bruised and battered but she'll be fine."

Charlie breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank God."

"Can I ask what happened to her?"

"Ah." Charlie shook her head, realising that she didn't even know. She didn't know what Robbo had done to her. "Can I see her?"

The nurse nodded. "Sure."

Charlie moved slowly through the door and choked back tears when she saw Joey. She had a deep gash on the side of her head and minor cuts around her face, revealing that Robbo hadn't just dumped her.

Joey opened her eyes when she felt someone beside her. She tried to smile when she saw it was Charlie.

"Hey." Charlie returned the smile and pulled up a seat beside her. "Thank God you're okay. I was so worried…"

Joey feebly moved her hand toward Charlie's and held it loosely. Charlie looked down and tightened her grip, feeling like she couldn't ever let Joey go again. Like she never even wanted to.

"I'm sorry." A tear rolled down Charlie's cheek and she quickly wiped it away. "I should've protected you."

"Don't apologise, Charlie. Please. This wasn't your fault." Joey's voice was croaky and strained.

"How could I let him do this to you?" Charlie blamed herself. If they hadn't gone to the shack in the first place then none of this would've happened.

"Don't blame yourself." Joey looked up at Charlie seriously.

"I was just so scared…"

"It's okay. I'm fine." Joey faintly smiled.

Charlie looked down and then back into Joey's eyes. "What happened? What did he do to you?"

"Hit me. Told me he wasn't finished with me." Joey forced a laugh. "Stuff I'm used to."

"And he left you there? In a ditch?"

"When he saw the headlights behind us he threw me out."

Charlie leaned forward and placed her hand lightly on Joey's face, stroking it softly and looking into those deep brown eyes and seeing the hurt that Robbo caused. She could tell Joey was trying to lighten the situation but deep down she knew that she was hurting.

There was a short silence between them before Joey turned her eyes toward the ceiling. "Why does this keep happening to me?" Her voice was a whisper this time.

Charlie squeezed her hand. "Oh Joey."

Joey turned back to Charlie as tears began to roll down her cheeks. "I don't understand."

"I don't know." Charlie wiped away her tears. "But it's stopping right here. Robbo won't be getting out again. I can promise you that."

"What if he does? What if he comes after me again?"

"He won't." Charlie reached over and kissed Joey's cheek softly. "Not if I have anything to do with it."He