Hi guys. Thank you all so much for your reviews. Another long chapter! This chapter's kind of angsty and yeah I know I have Joey doing something most of you don't really want but...Drama and angst are necessities, right? Don't worry though I can't write sadness for very long and I most certainly can't write uh...Unhappy endings. It will get happier. I promise. Oh and just to warn you all there's a small sex scene at the end of this...and the song is 'Save Tonight' By Eagle eye Cherry.
Chapter 36
Mickey exhaled nervously and wiped his sweaty palms on his jeans before he reluctantly picked up his phone.
"I hope you know what you're doing Brett..." he muttered to himself as he dialled the number.
"Hello?" he smirked into the receiver when his call was answered "Yes...I'd like to report a crime. Anonymously of course" he listened for a moment to the voice on the end of the line "It concerns Senior Constable Buckton..." he turned his gaze to the note in front of him and grinned evilly.
---
Joey walked silently in the kitchen and paused, an automatic smile brightening when she spotted Charlie making coffee. She stood still and gazed at her girlfriend for a moment before moving quietly over to her.
"Hey Beautiful" she murmured as she wrapped her arms around the older girl "How you doing?"
Charlie jumped slightly at the touch but leaned back when she realised it was Joey and released a giggle at her Joey Tribianni impression.
"Nice impression" she responded quietly "Fitting since you both share the same name"
"Mmnhm" Joey hummed into Charlie's neck. She ran her hands lightly down the other girl's arms to grasp her hands lightly "You shouldn't be doing that. You just got out of the hospital"
"I'm not going to break Jo. I'm fine, honestly"
"How are you feeling today?" Joey asked quietly as she rewrapped her arms around Charlie's waist.
"I'm okay" Charlie answered uncertainly "Just a headache...Apparently I had quite a few drugs in my system. I guess a headache is the least I can expect"
"Yeah" Joey sighed sadly "I guess it is..."
"Don't do that" Charlie murmured turning in Joey's embrace to face her.
"Do what?" Joey asked in confusion "I wasn't doing anything"
"The guilt" Charlie cupped Joey's face in her hands and kissed her softly "You have absolutely nothing to feel guilty about Jo...This wasn't your fault"
"You say that" Joey smiled weakly as she pulled away "But we both know it isn't true. This is all my fault. He's my brother"
"What he's doing is nobody's fault but his" Charlie corrected gently "He's the one with the problem. Not you"
"But..."
"No buts!" Charlie interrupted with a smile "It's not your fault and that's final...Got it, Collins?"
"Got it" Joey whispered unsurely. She leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on Charlie's lips "Thanks Charlie"
"Anytime for you" Charlie shrugged before she pulled Joey back into a tender kiss.
"You know..." Joey said thoughtfully when they finally pulled away from the kiss "I could stand here and kiss you all day Senior Constable Buckton"
"Yeah?" Charlie smiled and pressed a light kiss to her girlfriend's lips "But don't you think you could be using your time more...Productively?"
"Definitely not" Joey said seriously. They fell into a mutually comfortable silence, though it didn't last long.
"Joey?" Charlie whispered suddenly "Will you do something for me?"
Joey gazed at her in curiosity but nodded anyway "Anything"
"Close your eyes" Charlie wrapped her arms around Joey's neck pulling her even closer.
"O-kaaay" Joey found herself confused but trustingly closed her eyes.
"What do you see?"
"Uh...The back of my eyelids?" Joey grinned mischievously but didn't open her eyes.
"No" Charlie laughed "I mean...Think about the future. What do you see in it?"
Joey opened her eyes and gazed intently at the older girl "Why? What do you see?"
"I asked you first" Charlie pouted.
"Okay fine. When I think about the future I see..." Joey thought carefully for a moment before speaking seriously"I see you" she smiled adoringly when Charlie blushed and glanced away "What do you see?"
"Hmmn..." Charlie looked up at her and grinned "That Ms. Collins is for me to know and you to find out"
"Awww come on Charlie!" Joey whined sadly "I told you mine, why can't you tell me yours?"
"I..." Charlie was cut off from replying as a knock sounded at the door. She reluctantly untangled herself from Joey and walked over to it. When she pulled it open her heart clenched fearfully in her chest when her eyes fell upon Watson and three other officers.
"Watson?" she frowned "What's wrong?" she glanced over her shoulder at Joey who seemed just as concerned as she herself felt.
"Can we come in?" Watson requested quietly.
Charlie stepped hesitantly away from the door and backed away from the officers. She stopped when she felt herself bump into Joey who wrapped a protective arm around her waist.
"I'm really sorry to have to do this again Charlie" Watson began guilt and sadness shining in her eyes.
"Do what?" Joey asked pulling Charlie even more securely against her.
Watson took a deep breath "I have a warrant and orders to search the house. And..." Watson closed her eyes for a moment and exhaled "and If we find anything I have to place you under arrest"
Charlie and Joey watched in stunned shock as the three officers behind Watson walked out of the kitchen.
"I'm really sorry Charlie" Watson said in a low voice "I have orders to do this. If I could I would do anything in my power to stop it..."
"What have I done now?" Charlie asked quietly her breath catching fearfully in her throat.
"You're suspected of usage of and intent to supply class A drugs" Watson answered quietly.
Joey and Charlie looked at each other in fear.
"No..." Joey shook her head firmly as she looked back to Watson "That wasn't Charlie. That was Brett!"
"There's been another accusation" Watson countered "I know it's not true but there's nothing I can do right now. I'm powerless!"
"I haven't done anything" Charlie said quietly "So you won't find anything in here."
Joey took Charlie's shaking hand comfortingly in her own.
"I know th..." Watson began to say just as a male officer walked into the kitchen behind her.
"Watson?" He held up a small bag filled with white pills "We found something...there doesn't appear to be anything else there..."
Watson gaped in horror at the small packet for a moment before she swallowed heavily and nodded "Okay..." she turned back to Charlie and Joey her expression immediately softening "Charlie..."
Charlie had paled dramatically and looked like she was about to burst into tears. Joey didn't appear to be fairing much better.
"Th...Those aren't mine!" Charlie stuttered "You have to believe me Watson...They aren't!" she turned to Joey and gazed at her pleadingly "Joey I swear I've never seen them before!"
Joey turned her gaze to Watson "Those aren't hers. Charlie wouldn't do anything like that..."
"I'm sorry Joey" Watson responded sincerely "It's out of my hands"
"This isn't right" Joey protested weakly "You can't do this to her again...She's innocent!"
"We'll sort this out down at the station" the man spoke gruffly.
"Shut Up!" Joey growled out.
"Joey..." Charlie squeezed Joey's hand in warning.
"We have to go" the man pulled his hand cuffs from his belt and stepped towards Charlie. Joey instantly stepped in front of her shaking girlfriend and tensed as if waiting to react should he come any closer.
"Hold it Strauss!" Watson stated angrily "There's no need for cuffs. She's not a criminal so there's no need to treat her like one!"
"But..."
"Wait for me in the car" Watson said without taking her eyes from Joey and Charlie "And tell the others to get out of here..."
The man rolled his eyes but did as he was asked.
"I'm sorry" Watson stepped forward when the other police officers had left "You have to come to the station Charlie. This is serious. Drugs were found in your house!"
"But they're not mine" Charlie protested feebly "I've never seen them before"
"You still have to come with me. You know how this works"
"I'm not letting you do this!" Joey exclaimed firmly as she tightened her grip on the older girl.
"Joey, you have to!" Watson implored "If you get yourself arrested which you're well on the way to doing...Who's going to look after Ruby?"
Joey appeared torn as she shook her head vehemently.
"It's a mistake" Charlie said from behind her "It has to be...We'll sort it out"
Joey turned around to face Charlie "You're not going Charlie! You haven't done anything!"
"I have to go" Charlie said bravely "Look after Ruby for me, okay?"
"No, this isn't right..." Joey mumbled agonizingly "Charlie..."
"If I don't go willingly they're going to make me..." Charlie leaned forward and kissed Joey softly, allowing her lips to linger for a long moment.
Watson looked away in an attempt to give them some privacy.
"I love you Joey" Charlie said tearfully when she pulled away.
"I love you too" Joey whispered, still hanging on tightly to the other girl.
"You have to let go Jo..." when Joey still didn't release her Charlie pulled away forcefully and stepped back. She walked out of the room with one last tearful glance towards Joey.
---
Joey and Ruby walked slowly behind Watson, hanging onto each other's hands tightly.
"Ready?" Watson questioned when they stopped next to a door.
Joey and Ruby nodded unsurely.
Watson pushed open the door and entered with the other two girls behind her.
"Charlie..." Ruby muttered when her eyes landed on her sister. She was slouched at the table in the centre of the room; shoulders slumped in defeat and face tearstained.
Charlie looked up from where she sat at the table to see Joey and Ruby staring at her "Hey"
Joey managed nothing more than a shaky smile.
"Hey" Ruby attempted to smile "Orange isn't really you colour Charlz. We really need to get you ou..." Ruby trailed off as her voice cracked and her expression crumbled into sadness.
Charlie swallowed back her tears and stood up from her chair "Come here" Ruby rushed quickly into her offered embrace and Charlie struggled to hold her tears back as she held tightly to her daughter.
Joey looked on guiltily as both girls clutched each other tightly.
"Joey..." Charlie looked over at Joey and held out her free arm "Get over here"
Joey moved unsurely towards her girlfriend and found herself engulfed in a desperate embrace which she returned just as enthusiastically.
After a couple of tearful moments all three girls seemed to remember Watson's presence at the same time and pulled away from the embrace to glance at her uncomfortably.
"Charlie..." Watson moved towards Charlie and gazed at her in sympathy "How are you doing?"
"How do you think I'm doing?!" Charlie exclaimed tearfully "I've been stuck in a cell for TWO DAYS Watson. I haven't done anything..."
"I know that" Watson nodded slowly "But you had drugs in your possession and there was an accusation made against you"
"This is ridiculous" Charlie sniffled "Why would anyone do that?!"
"I don't know..." Watson appeared just as confused.
"What if I go down for this?!" Charlie asked hysterically "Do you know what they'd do to me in prison?! I'm a cop...They'd destroy me!"
"Charlie" Watson attempted to calm the obviously agitated girl but to no avail "You have to calm down"
"Calm down?!" Charlie yelled "Don't tell me to fucking calm down Watson...I'm screwed!"
Watson shot a pleading look at Joey who was gazing at Charlie in pure guilt.
"Charlie..." Joey moved forward and took Charlie's hands in her own "It's going to be okay. I promise, I'll get us out of this"
"How?" Charlie questioned tearfully "There's nothing anybody can do Joey..."
"I'll fix it" Joey promised brushing a strand of hair away from Charlie's tear stained cheek "I promise. I'm not going to let anything at all happen to you"
"You've been granted bail" Watson offered quietly from behind them "Morag sorted it all out, right Joey?"
"Right" Joey nodded "Does that mean she can go home? Today?"
"Yes" Watson answered "Bu she can't leave the country"
"Obviously" Charlie said her voice hoarse from crying.
"Watson?" Joey asked softly "Can I talk to you for a minute? Outside?" she motioned towards the door. Watson nodded and moved out of the room.
"its okay" Joey smiled weakly when she notice Charlie's questioning glance "I'll be back in a minute" she kissed Charlie quickly before she moved out of the room, closing the door behind her.
"I need to see Brett" she informed Watson quietly "As soon as possible"
"Um...okay" Watson frowned in confusion "Are you sure you want to?"
"I don't want to" Joey corrected sadly "I have to...I have to do this" she walked back into the room refusing to meet Watson's eyes.
---
"Brett" Joey nodded stiffly at her brother as she walked into the room where he was sitting at a table.
"Joey" he grinned at her as he watched her sit down opposite him "What's going on? Have you finally seen sense? Came to apologise?"
"No" Joey struggled to remain calm and clenched her hands into fists under the table "I know what you've done Brett...I know that you somehow set Charlie up"
"And?" Brett smirked "There's nothing you can do about it now Jo..."
"I want to make you an offer" Joey said shakily.
"An offer?" Brett echoed curiously "What kind of offer"
"I want you to stop this with Charlie...Get the charges dropped. I don't care how"
"And what do I get out of it?" Brett enquired "What you're doing with her is still wrong. I can't let you..."
"I'll leave her" Joey blurted out the words alone bringing tears to her eyes "If you stop this vendetta against her I'll leave her"
"Okay" Brett nodded "Consider it done...But if you don't stick to your end of the bargain I'll know Joey"
Joey nodded tearfully at him "Fine"
"I'm only doing this for your own good Joey. It's not right..."
"Shut up!" Joey stood up quickly causing her chair to fall to the ground "Don't make a martyr out of yourself Brett...You're being selfish and trying to make me unhappy!"
"Joey..." Brett was clearly shocked at the ferocity from his usually calm sister.
"I hate you!" Joey exclaimed tearfully before she rushed from the room.
---
Go
on and close the curtains
cause all we need is candle light
You
and me and a bottle of wine
going to hold you tonight
Well we
know I'm going away
and how I wish, I wish it weren't so
So
take this wine and drink with me
let's delay our misery
"So what was all of this for again?" Charlie smiled as she gestured at the table in front of her. She had walked into the house after talking to Morag only to find Joey waiting her with a beautiful romantic candlelit dinner.
"I just wanted to show how much I love you" Joey said softly, tangling their fingers in the middle of the table "Because I do...I love you so much Charlie"
"I love you too" Charlie beamed at her "But you really should have warned me...I'm not at all dressed for this..." she glanced down at her clothing which consisted of light blue jeans and a black shirt.
"You look perfect" Joey pressed a soft kiss to Charlie's knuckles "You always look absolutely perfect"
Charlie shrugged and blushed brightly "Yeah to you..."
Joey stood up from her seat and pulled Charlie up with her "To anybody with eyes more like it..."
"Thanks Jo" Charlie whispered as she leaned forward and kissed Joey softly.
"You know you mean the world to me right?" Joey asked in a hushed voice "I would do absolutely anything to protect you..."
"I know" Charlie nodded "I know you would but...I don't think anything can protect me from these charges..."
"I can" Joey whispered. She pulled Charlie close and kissed her passionately, not allowing her to respond. Charlie responded quickly and threaded her hands in Joey's dark hair pulling her impossibly close.
"I love you so much" Joey whispered as she backed Charlie against the wall and kissed her way down her neck "You have no idea..."
"I think I do..." Charlie gasped. She pulled Joey back to her lips and kissed her deeply.
"I really want...To...Make...Love to you" Joey said between kisses. She allowed her hand to slips down Charlie's back and rested them lightly on her backside. After a moment she lifted and Charlie instinctively wrapped her legs around Joey's waist. They stumbled to through the hall their kisses never breaking off until Charlie's back slammed into their bedroom door.
"OW!" she laughed.
"Sorry" Joey panted into her neck.
"Don't be" Charlie whispered as she reached behind her to open the door. They stumbled inside, almost falling over themselves in the process but managed to get to the bed first. Joey deposited Charlie gently on the bed behind her.
"I love you" she repeated as she pulled Charlie back into the soft but passionate kiss. She distractedly moved her hands to the buttons on the older girls' shirt and began to unbutton them quickly. She finally managed to pull the shirt from her girlfriend and a moment later her bra was thrown behind them too. She accidently caught the small iPod dock on the bedside table with her hand and music started to play quietly. Joey struggled to push back tears when she heard the song.
Save
tonight Save tonight
and fight the break of dawn
Come tomorrow
tomorrow
I'll be gone
and fight the break of dawn
Come tomorrow
tomorrow I'll be gone
"You're so beautiful..." she whispered as she began to kiss her way down the older girls' chest. Charlie arched into the light pressure and released a quiet gasp "Joey..."
Joey couldn't help the tears that began to spill as she rid Charlie of her jeans and briefs before kissing her way back up her stomach.
"Joey?" Charlie questioned when she felt a wetness on her stomach "Are you okay?" she gently pulled Joey back up to her and wiped tenderly at her falling tears "Why are you crying?"
"It doesn't matter right now" Joey leaned down and pressed a soft teary kiss to Charlie's lips "Tonight is all that matters..." she gazed intently into Charlie's bright blue eyes "Have I ever told you that when I look into your eyes I feel like I could get lost in them?"
"No" Charlie gasped as Joey's hand neared her centre "I don't think..." she gasped and arched into the touch when Joey finally pressed a light pressure to her "...So"
"And have I ever told you that I love you more than words can even say?" Joey asked her tears still falling rapidly "That I'll never love anyone like I love you?"
"I love you too" Charlie panted as Joey began to move her hand faster "Joey..."
There's
a log on the fire Save
tonight
and it burns like me for you
Tomorrow comes
with one desire
to take me away it's true
It ain't easy to
say goodbye
darling please don't start to cry
Cause girl you
know I've got to go, oh
Lord I wish it wasn't so
and fight the break of dawn
Come tomorrow
tomorrow
I'll be gone
"Remember this" Joey said softly "No matter what happens...Save tonight in your memories Charlie...Because it'll be in mine"
"Oh God Joey I'm..." Charlie arched slightly as light exploded behind her eyes. When she was able to think clearly she noticed that she was in Joey's tight embrace.
"Never forget..." Joey whispered kissing her way down Charlie's neck "And don't let go..."
Charlie was about to ask what she meant when Joey reclaimed her lips in the tenderest kiss she had ever received and all thoughts flew from her head.
Save
tonight
and fight the break of dawn
Come tomorrow
tomorrow
I'll be gone
TBC