CHARLIE'S POV:

"Here we go…" I proclaimed as I walked back into the living room with a tray "Ron, can I have a word?"

"Yeah, sure," she replied "help yourself, Dot."

RONNIE'S POV:

Charlie and I walked out into the hallway, shutting the door behind us…

"What's wrong?" I questioned

"Why did you lie to my Grandma?" he asked

"I didn't…" I replied "What're you talking about?"

"Why did you tell her I had nothing to do with Dad's death when I did?" he inquired

"You didn't have anything to do with it, Charlie," I sighed "you need to stop beating yourself up!"

"But I did have something to do with it though, didn't I?" he asked "I was planning on killing him, my own Dad. What sort of a sick man does that make me?"

"It doesn't make you sick," I informed him "it makes you brave."

"How do you figure that one?" he questioned

"Just believe me," I begged "because that's what I think. If the police thought you were guilty, they would've come knocking by now. You've given them all the information you can, so just try and get on with things. C'mon, let's get back to Dot."

CHARLIE'S POV:

"Everything okay, Charlie?" Grandma asked as I walked back into the living room with Ronnie "You look white as a sheet…"

"I'm fine, Grandma," I assured her "I think I might have a bit of a cold, nothing too sinister though."

"You will be alright for my meeting with the reverend tomorrow, won't you?" she inquired "I need you there with me, Charlie."

"I wouldn't miss it." I informed her "I'll be there."

She smiled at me warmly… "How're you, Ronnie?"

"Okay, thanks, Dot," she replied "how're you?"

"Exhausted," she admitted "I haven't been able to sleep since it happened."

"Why didn't you say something sooner, Grandma?" I questioned

"I didn't want to bother you. You've got enough on your plate." she explained "I'll be fine."

"Maybe so, but I think we should get you to the doctors to get you something to help you sleep," I admitted "I'll go and call the doctor now, see if he can fit you in."

"No, I don't want no drugs!" she proclaimed

"Dot, you need to sleep." Ronnie replied "You need something if it's not coming naturally."

"But Nick pumped so much poison into him and look what happened," she sighed "I want to live out the rest of my days gracefully, not dosed up to the eyeballs on drugs because I can't sleep."

"He'll give you a prescription, Grandma," I informed her "and if they help, he'll stop them."

"And what if they don't help?" she questioned "What then?"

"Then he'll try you on something else. You need some sort of sleeping tablet," I replied "and I'm not taking no for an answer!"

RONNIE'S POV:

Charlie returned almost two hours later, leaning his head back against the now shut front door, sighing heavily as he did so…

"Hey," I greeted him "how did it go?"

"Okay," he informed me "she finally agreed to take a course of sleeping tablets."

"Good," I replied "and how're you?"

"Fine," he admitted as he took his coat off "well not fine, but y'know."

"Why don't we go and have a bath?" I suggested

"We?" he inquired

I nodded my head… "Rox has taken CJ with her to pick Amy up from school, and then they're off to the park."

He smiled at me warmly and nodded his head. Holding my hand out to him, he took it and I led him up the stairs and into the bathroom…

Poor Charlie, and poor Dot too…