Two days after finally being released from hospital, Joey gets an unexpected surprise when she opens her door, to find Ruby holding up both hands
- Titanic or New Moon?
- Ooo, tough choice; doomed romance on a sinking tub or moody girl torn between pasty-faced corpse and beastie boy
- Or the third choice?
- Much better
While Ruby makes the popcorn, Joey sets up the movie, wincing slightly when she sits down
- You ok Joey; you're not looking too flash?
- Haven't been getting much sleep since the accident
- You still in pain?
- Only when I breath...I'm joking Ruby. It's just a bit of discomfort from the bruises.
As the movie is about to start, Ruby's curiosity gets the better of her
- Are things better between you and Charlie now?
- I haven't seen her since that day she came to the hospital
- Please tell me you're not serious!
- Ruby, she's probably busy and it's not as if she had to come; we weren't exactly on the best of terms before the accident
- That's bull Joey. She could barely even sleep or concentrate on anything until she knew you were ok.
- Yeah, but I'm ok now. Ruby, Charlie and I aren't together anymore, so I don't expect her to keep track of me. Besides, she's really not supposed to be around me except at work.
- That's ridiculous; you can hardly walk five feet in this town without running into each other.
- How about we just watch the movie.
Halfway through the movie, Ruby is unwilling to let the matter rest
- Is there a chance you and Charlie are going to get back together?
- I don't think so
- Why not? Maddi's not exactly your type; I'm not even sure what type she is.
- Ruby, you hardly even know Maddi
- She's the woman who came between you and Charlie; that's all I need to know
- Ruby!
- You sound like Charlie when you say that. Ok, fine, I'll drop it.
Turning her attention back to the movie, Joey can do nothing but smile at Ruby's determination when she hears her muttering to herself
- I still think you should get back together.
Still upset with Charlie for not having seen Joey again, Ruby sits staring at Charlie over brekky the next morning
- What is it Ruby; you've been staring at me since you came in.
- I saw Joey last night
- How is she?
- If you had gone to see her at the hospital again, you'd already know.
- Ruby
- She's been home for two days now.
- Ruby, please; how is she?
- She says she's fine, but she just seems so sad.
- Sad? In what way?
- I don't know, she just wasn't her usual self
- Joey could have died; I'd be surprise if it didn't affect her in some way
- It's not that. When I asked her if there was a chance that you two would get back together, I got the impression she wanted to say yes.
- Ruby, I don't want you putting pressure on Joey like that
- I don't get you Charlie. You still love Joey and I know she loves you
- Joey's with Maddi now
- Only because you gave up on her
- Ruby, please, just leave it be.
- I know she hurt you when she kissed Maddi and then hooked up with her, but you're not exactly blameless Charlie. You've made a lot of bad choices, but letting Joey go was the worst.
Standing up, Ruby pauses for a moment, before turning back towards Charlie
- You're my mother and I love you, but I care about Joey too. I just want to see you both happy; and the only time I've ever seen both of you happy was when you were together
Ruby walks out of the room, leaving Charlie to think over what she had just said
Early that evening he sits in his car watching as he had the past several days, imagining what he could do to her. His thoughts are interrupted by the arrival of another. Ducking down in his seat until she is out of sight, curious as to why she was here.
- How are you feeling Joey?
- Besides going stir-crazy, I'm fine; and at least I got to ditch the sling
- Are you sure you're ok Joey, you look tired?
- I was just about to take a nap actually
- I won't stay long then.
Letting Charlie in, they head into the lounge room
- You never came back to see me at the hospital.
- Yeah, sorry, but Maddi was always there and I didn't think you'd appreciate us getting in to it. Is she here?
- You can relax Charlie; Maddi's not going to be back for another hour or so. So why are you here?
Charlie is acting more like a nervous teenager, than the confident cop she usually is
- I'd like to say I'm just here to ask you more questions about the accident, because it certainly sounds a lot better than saying I'm here because I got an earful from my daughter this morning
- Join the club. She certainly is tenacious.
- That she is. Joey, Maddi wasn't the only reason why I've been avoiding you
Charlie is clearly struggling with something
- Charlie, what's wrong?
- Every time I think of the accident, I see you lying there, motionless. Joey, I thought you were dead, and that terrified me
- Well as you can see, I'm not dead. Charlie, don't keep doing this to yourself, you saved my life, that's all that matters.
Charlie goes to Joey, sitting beside her, not able to stop herself from raising her hand up to the side of her face, lightly caressing the outline of the bruise still visible.
- Charlie, we shouldn't be...
Putting a finger to her lips
- Shhh, don't say anything.
Leaning forward, brushing her lips lightly across Joey's, meeting no resistance, she kisses her again, this time more urgently. Resting her forehead against Joey's, Charlie sighs
- God, I've missed you.
Drawing Joey into her arms, careful not to hurt her as she feels Joey snuggle up to her on the couch.
- When I thought I may lose you forever, I nearly died inside.
Holding Joey tighter to fight off her fears
- It's been torture not being there for you. Joey?
Charlie smiles as she notices the soft breathing that always tells her when Joey has nodded off.
Waking an hour later, amazed that she had nodded off herself, Charlie gazes at the woman curled in her arms. Feeling content, she allows Joey to sleep a little longer until she's no longer able to resist the temptation as she starts to nuzzle Joey's neck. Rousing from her short nap to the warm breath at her neck, Joey turns in Charlie's embrace until they are facing each other. Forgetting their surroundings and thoughts of anything but each other, Charlie leans forward, kissing Joey with passion and longing, intent on reminding Joey how much she truly loves her and how she has missed her. Breathless, they pull apart
- Wow.
- Just reminding you how much I love you
- I think I'm still a little fuzzy on that; you may need to remind me some more
- Gladly.
Lost in the moment, it is the sound of a car pulling into the driveway that makes Joey remember where she is, making her pull away from Charlie.
- OMG, what are we doing?
- I still love you Joey, it was a mistake to let you go.
- This isn't fair Charlie.
Feeling Joey draw away from her both emotionally and physically, Charlie looks at her, regretting putting her heart on the line
- You made the decision to end it Charlie, and now I'm with someone else, you say it was a mistake.
- I was hurt and confused ok, about you and Maddi and with Buchanan's threat hanging over my head; I reacted, but I was wrong Joey
- Now you know why I did what I did when I found out about Hugo. It's too late Charlie, you made your choice and I'm with Maddi now.
- Your body was telling me something different
- You should go
- Do you love her?
The sound of the front door opening saves Joey from answering. Getting up, Charlie looks down at Joey
- You know, you're right, this was a mistake; one I won't be making again.
Turning around, almost knocking Maddi over as she rushes to the front door.
Careful to remain unseen, he watches as Charlie stops halfway down the path, turning to stare back towards the house with longing.
- keep looking Charlie; you may not have much more time with her.
Back in the house, Maddi is furious
- What just happened here? Why was she here?
- She just came to see if I was all right.
- It looks a lot more than that, the way she ran out of here. Joey, please don't lie to me
Joey hangs her head, not able to look Maddi in the eye.
- She kissed me
- She what!
- Maddi, it was nothing
- Nothing! You're ex-girlfriend kisses you and it's nothing.
Finally looking up at Maddi, seeing the guilt in her eyes, Maddi relents a little
- Why Joey?
- I'm sorry; everything is just so confusing since the accident
Walking over to her, she brushes the tears out of Joey's eyes
- Joey, sweetie, I don't blame you. I blame her; she should never have come here while you are still so weak from the accident. As soon as I talk to Snr Sergeant MacKenzie, she won't be allowed anywhere near you.
- Maddi, no. It's not her fault; she was just as upset by everything as I was. And she won't be doing it again.
- You shouldn't make excuses for her.
- I want you to promise me that you won't say anything about this to anyone; please Maddi
- Ok Joey, I'll do this for you; but she's still under investigation, if she does this again, then I won't have any choice but to report her.
- I just want to forget this ever happened.
Maddi kisses her, trying to reassure her.
- I can help you forget her.
Maddi takes Joey's hand, pulling her up
- Starting now.
Waking up the next morning, Joey lies there staring at the bedroom ceiling, as Maddi stirs beside her, wondering at how her life had changed so much recently, when the light touch of soft kisses moving across her bare stomach, interrupts her thoughts. Looking down, seeing green eyes staring back at her as Maddi rests her head on her stomach, twirling her fingers across bare skin
- I've missed waking up with you Joey
- Maddi
- I know, you weren't ready back then to commit to me; that when you were with me, it was her you were thinking about.
- I'm sorry about last night
- It's ok, you're here with me now.
Maddi kisses her way up Joey's body, being careful of the bruises and abrasions that still mar Joey's body, cursing when Brett knocks on the door
- Joey, Watson's here
- Ok, I'll be out in a minute
- Damn. I bet she did that on purpose.
- Don't be silly; she doesn't even know you're here.
A gleam comes into Maddi's eyes as she watches Joey dress. Getting out of bed, she waits until she can hear Joey and Watson talking, before strolling out of the bedroom, wearing only Joey's shirt, enjoying the shocked look on Watson's face as she walks up behind Joey and puts her arms around her, peering over her shoulder at Watson
- Georgina, you're here early
- So are you.
- I never left
- Maddi, it's too early for this
- It's ok Joey, I'm just on my way to the shower. Bye George.
- Well I guess if I still had any doubts about you two, I don't anymore
- Georgina, is there a reason you're here this early?
- I just came to check up on you on my way to work; I can see you're feeling better
- You want a coffee; Maddi'll be ages in the shower.
- Yeah, it must take forever to get those scales clean; especially with those claws
Laughing in spite of herself, Joey goes to make the coffee.
Home for a week now, desperate for some fresh air, Joey decides to take a walk with Maddi along the beach. Enjoying their walk, Maddi is annoyed when she sees two figures heading towards them and tries to steer Joey away from them.
- Come on Joey, it's time I got you home; you're not supposed to over-extend yourself
- Wait a minute Joey
Turning at the sound of her name, Joey is less than overjoyed when she sees Charlie is with Watson
- Hey Georgina
Pointedly ignoring Charlie who lets Watson take the lead
- Can we talk to you about the night of the accident?
- What about it?
- Do you remember anything more from that night?
- No, it's all still a blank.
- I didn't want to tell you before Joey, but someone had siphoned the petrol from your car.
- What!
- Did you see anyone near your car at all that day?
- No, no one
- Can you think of anyone who would want to do that?
- You mean besides Angelo? I don't know, unless it was one of the guys at work playing a joke.
- Seems a malicious sort of thing to do
- You know what some of them have been like, Georgina.
- Look Snr Constable, Joey's tired; if you haven't got any more questions, I'd like to take her home
- We may have some more questions tomorrow
- Fine; but perhaps you should call first?
And with that, Maddi drags Joey away
- What was that all about?
- Just shut it Watson.
Charlie heads back to the car, a muttering Watson following
- Great, just what I need; just once, I wish Charlie would keep her personal crap out of the office for one bloody day.
A week later, Watson gets a breakthrough on the case when she attends a call out to an abandoned car. Returning to the station, Watson runs a check on the car and makes a few calls. Three hours later, armed with new information, Watson reports her findings to Mac
- Senior, a car's been found abandoned just outside of Yabbie Creek. The rear passenger side shows evidence that it was involved in an accident, and the colour matches the paint scrapings on the stop sign
- It's the car that hit Const. Collins?
- Look's like it.
- Who owns the car?
- It was a rental. It was rented by a man three days before the accident; he reported it stolen the afternoon of the accident. So far he checks out and he has an alibi for that day.
- Fingerprints?
- We just got a match
- Who?
Watson takes a moment to answer, before practically spitting out the name
- Angelo Rosetta
- I was afraid his name would turn up again. I want regular updates on this Snr Constable and I think it would be best if we kept the Sergeant out of this for the time being.
- Senior, it's a small station in a small country area; it's impossible to keep this quiet
- Until it does become public knowledge, you are to say nothing to her; I don't want the Sergeant involved in this investigation in any way. We cannot afford for there to be even the slightest hint of a conflict of interest when we apprehend Rosetta; so that means keeping both Buckton and Collins well away from the investigation.
- Yes Senior
- And Watson, I am aware that I still have a lot to learn about policing in a smaller community, but many of the recent problems have come about because of Rosetta's relationship with Buckton; we don't want to risk him weaselling out of jail again. You are to keep Buckton out of it; is that clear?
- Yes Senior.
- Is there something else Watson?
- Yes, it's about Joey's car
One hour after her warning from Mac, Watson pulls up to Charlie's house. Now sitting there with Charlie in the kitchen, Watson hopes she has made the right decision
- Mac asked me to keep you out of this, but I thought you should know that we found the car that hit Joey
- Where?
- It was abandoned just outside of Yabbie Creek
- What else is there Watson?
Taking a deep breath, worried a little at how Charlie will react when she tells her.
- I could get into a lot of trouble for telling you this, but you have a right to know; we found Angelo's prints on the steering wheel
- I don't believe this. When are we ever going to get him out of our lives
- Charlie, it's ok. We have his fingerprints in a stolen car used in a hit-and-run. There's no way he's getting away with it this time; but you have to stay out of it.
- You're kidding right?
- No Charlie, I'm not. I think Mac was wrong to keep this from you, but he is right about one thing; you can't be involved Charlie, not now that we know it was Angelo
Charlie sighs in frustration, knowing Watson is right
- You're right. I know that, but... he tried to kill my girlfriend, Watson, I just want him out of our lives.
- Ex
- Sorry?
- Joey's your ex-girlfriend
- Oh, right. I guess with everything that's happened
- It's ok to still care about her Charlie.
Seeing the look sent her way, Watson turns back to the investigation
- There is another problem; it wasn't Angelo who sabotaged her car
- Then who was it?
- I found a witness who placed Samuels near Joey's car that day. He's admitted that he siphoned out the petrol after she filled up, but he insists it was just as a prank. He overheard you two talking about the busted fuel gage a while back, so he thought it would be a good prank to have her run out of petrol; you know, the useless woman who forgot to fill up.
- He's had it in for Joey since she started at the station; are you sure he wasn't involved with Angelo in the actual hit and run.
- He has an alibi for the hit-and-run. And despite what he's said recently, he really couldn't stand Angelo; there was no way he'd be helping him.
- I'm going to ring Samuel's bloody neck for this; his idiotic prank is what gave Angelo the opportunity to go after Joey.
- You'll have to stand in line and Mac's already suspended him. Charlie, there's no way he won't be dismissed from the Force, not when he's still on probation for attacking Joey; he's finished.
- Joey needs to know
- I'm just going to tell her now.
- No, I want to tell her.
- Charlie, I don't think that's a good idea.
- Joey and I have both been put through hell because of Angelo, so I think I should be the one to tell her.
- Ok, but Charlie, be careful; he's already gone after Joey, you both need to watch your back.
- Don't worry, he's not going to hurt us again. Watson, thanks for this; I just hope you don't get into trouble with Mac for telling me
- I'd rather put up with a chewing out by Mac than say nothing and see you or Joey hurt because you weren't warned
Charlie immediately heads over to see Joey, but can't get past the screen door as Joey refuses to let her get any closer, preferring to keep the screen door between them as a barrier
- I don't want to see you Charlie, please, just leave me alone
- It's about Angelo
- What about him?
- His fingerprints were found in the car that hit you.
- Why am I not surprised.
- Joey, you have to be careful, he's already tried to kill you.
- You don't have to tell me that Charlie, I still feel like I got hit by a car
- Joey, we need to talk about what happened between us the other day.
Despite her plea, Joey's not interested in listening to Charlie any longer
- What happened is what always happens; I let you in and you play with my head. Go away Charlie; and please, don't come back
Closing the door on Charlie, ignoring the knocking, Joey turns back to Maddi.
- Joey, what did she want?
- Just to tell me that her lunatic ex tried to kill me; again
Charlie leans with her head against the door for a moment, before giving up and walking away
Having walked away from Joey yet again, Charlie sits on the beach, growing more frustrated everyday with the direction her life was taking, when a shadow falls across her
- You ok Charlie?
- Yeah Ruby, just thinking about things.
Waving her hand by her side
- Pull up some sand and keep me company.
Taking a seat next to Charlie, mother and daughter sit, staring out to sea.