For anyone in the UK, waking up to the horrific Election Results, a happy little chapter to cheer you up! This is the penultimate chapter. Thank you all for your readings and reviewings! I really appreciate it. Love, IJKS xxx

Chapter Thirteen

"So… do you have to go into work today?" Joey asked.

She and Charlie were curled up in bed, their breakfast long since forgotten.

"No, actually," Charlie said. "I didn't know how long the trial was going to go on so I booked the week off. So I'm free for the next couple of days. What um… what are your plans?"

"Well, I really need to be getting back," Joey said awkwardly.

Charlie's heart sank.

"But I want to see this case through," Joey told her.

"And then what?" Charlie asked, eager to know where they stood with each other.

"I… don't know," Joey admitted.

"Well… I mean, do you want… us? Or…?"

She sighed.

"Do you want us, Joey?"

"Of course I want us," Joey said, pulling her in for a kiss.

Charlie closed her eyes, losing herself for a moment.

"That's what I want too," she said. "Properly this time. I mean it. I want everything I never gave us the chance to have before."

They kissed again.

"What do we do though?" Charlie asked. "We live two hours apart. And I can't just leave my job. Or Ruby. I can't leave Ruby. She put her whole life on hold for me when I got shot. Like a whole year of her life. She put Uni on hold. Delayed her career. She looked after me. She…"

Joey interrupted her by putting her index finger to her lips.

"I'm not asking you to do that," she said.

Charlie kissed her finger.

"But I can't ask you to give up everything you have either," the police officer said. "You've worked so hard to get where you are with your job and your studies."

"I love my job but I can find another centre to work at," Joey told her. "Otherwise, I have no ties where I live. I can keep in touch with my friends. And to be honest, after the breakup… well, friendships are never really the same when a couple break up as part of a group. It's just kind of awkward. Alex moved away but it didn't help me maintain my friendships. I've just kind of been alone, to be perfectly honest."

"But what about the people you help at the centre?" Charlie asked.

"I can tie up my cases and pass them onto equally capable people," Joey said. "If… if you want me to. If not… we could try long distance. Or… what do you want, Charlie?"

"I want you to move here," Charlie said without hesitation. "I just don't want you to have any regrets."

"The only regret I would ever have is if I didn't take a chance to be happy," Joey said earnestly. "We didn't take the chance we had properly ten years ago. I was too damaged and you were too scared. But we have a real shot this time around. It's been ten years. We've both grown up, changed and learned so much more about life."

"So you'd really move here?" Charlie asked. "To be with me?"

"I would," Joey said.

"What about Alex?" Charlie asked. "Wouldn't that be weird?"

"Well, I don't think I'd suggest double dating or anything but we're friends, Charlie," Joey assured her. "We're fine. We just want each other to be happy."

"And you're… just friends, right?" Charlie checked. "I mean, you're not going to get back together or…?"

"You're the only person I want to be with," Joey promised.

"Then I guess this is it," Charlie said, pulling her closer.

"I guess it is," Joey agreed.

Willow and Alex, who was freshly showered and dressed and feeling a lot more human, walked along the beach together, holding hands out of view of anyone else.

"So… do you have plans today?" Willow asked.

"Nope," Alex said. "You?"

"Nope."

She giggled, hardly able to believe this was actually happening. They had decided just to see how things went, not to label anything or rush anything. She appreciated Alex's kindness and patience, aware that this was all so new for her.

"Maybe we could do something?" Willow suggested.

"Maybe we could," Alex said.

The shy giggling was becoming infectious. She couldn't help it. Willow was so confident in some ways and yet so unconfident in others. The more time Alex spent with her, the more she adored her. She was beautiful, charming and so much fun. She couldn't help but fret about the nagging voice in her head, warning her that this was just a phase for Willow. But overriding it was the way that Willow made her feel whenever she looked at her, the way she kissed her and the tingles that shot through her when she held her hand. Whatever this was, she didn't want to walk away.

"Let's," Willow decided. "I want to spend as much time with you as possibly can."

She smiled. Forgetting they were out in public, Willow leant in and stole a kiss. Unbeknownst to the fledgling couple, Irene was stood nearby and had witnessed their moment together.

Charlie and Joey arranged to meet Ruby for lunch at the Diner. If she and Joey were going to be together then the first person who needed to know was Charlie's daughter. She had always been Charlie's number one champion and she had always wished for Charlie and Joey to get back together somehow.

The new couple sat and waited at a table and were pleased when Ruby, followed by Mason arrived. Charlie waved her daughter and her boyfriend over. Ruby spotted Charlie and smiled. Her smile widened when she saw Joey sat beside her.

"Please tell me that this is what I think this is," she requested eagerly.

"We're back together," Charlie confirmed.

Ruby squealed with delight, making several people turn and look, including Leah who hurried over.

"What's going on?" she wanted to know.

With the jury out for deliberation, Irene had insisted that everything continue as normal in the Bay, meaning that she and Leah return to work at the Diner, even though the atmosphere did not feel normal at all.

"Mum and Joey are back together!" Ruby announced, just as Alex walked through the door with Willow.

Alex nodded towards Joey who nodded back.

"Joey, is this okay or…?" Charlie asked.

"It's fine," Joey assured her, placing her hand atop Charlie's.

Not understanding, Ruby and Leah ploughed on. Mason glanced behind him at Alex who sat down at a table with Willow. He had started working at the hospital, thanks to Alex pulling some strings but they had remained polite and professional after his clumsy pass at her. He felt awful for what he had done and he didn't know how to fix it, both with Alex or with oblivious, wonderful, hardworking Ruby.

"So, this is exciting!" Leah said. "I mean, does that mean you're back for good, Joey?"

"Yeah, does it?" Ruby asked.

"Yeah, well, I have to tie up some loose ends at home and then that's the plan," Joey told them.

"That's amazing!" Ruby said. "I am so happy for you guys."

"We're pretty happy too," Charlie said, gazing affectionately at her girlfriend.

Joey beamed back at her.

"Honestly, I've been so worried about this one for so long," Ruby said, shaking her head. "Now I can finally relax!"

Mason put his arm around his girlfriend, secretly wondering if he could also relax. With Charlie back together with Joey, perhaps Ruby genuinely would worry about her mother less. Then Ruby just needed to control her work hours and perhaps she would have a bit more time for their relationship.

Across the room, Irene approached Willow and Alex's table.

"Looks like some good news over there," she remarked, glancing over at Charlie and Joey's table.

"Yeah," Alex commented. "Looks like it."

Willow studied her face, trying to read her expression.

"Hey, um… I was thinking about having a bit of a dinner here tonight," Irene ventured. "Just to thank the people who have really helped me with the case and to let the people close to me know how much I care about them."

"That sounds great, Irene," Willow said. "But shouldn't we wait for the 'not guilty' verdict?"

Irene sighed.

"Oh," Willow realised.

Irene wanted to have the dinner before the verdict in case it wasn't the result they were hoping for.

"Anyway, are you girls free tonight?" Irene asked.

"Yep, I'm free," Willow said.

"And you, Doctor Alex?" Irene asked, turning to the new girl.

"Oh! Me?" Alex replied, surprised to be invited.

"Yes, of course, love," Irene said. "If it wasn't for you, Joey wouldn't have come back to help me with my case. Plus, I feel like you and Willow come as a bit of a pair now…"

The two women looked a little flushed. Irene just smiled at them.

"I'd… I'd love to come," Alex managed. "Thank you."

"Great!" Irene accepted.

She told them the time and headed over to another table.

"How does she…?" Alex wondered.

"I don't know," Willow said. "But I think we just got the Irene Stamp of Approval."

Shortly before the close of the day, Irene and her loved ones were suddenly called to the court. The jury had reached their verdict. Charlie, Joey and Ruby raced to the court together. Leah took Irene with Marilyn and Jasmine. Colby brought Bella, who had insisted that she wanted to attend. Alex had kindly offered to take Willow and support her. Everyone had struggled to hold it together when Irene had been found guilty. But it seemed like the judge had also struggled with the decision, as he had given her a non-custodial sentence for what was essentially a very serious crime. She had been given community service and a suspended sentence. Now, she just had to stay out of trouble, which Irene was confident wouldn't be a problem.

She had insisted that her meal was still on, inviting Leah, Marilyn, Jasmine, Colby, Bella, Ruby, Charlie, Joey, Willow and Alex to the Diner. And there was a serious amount of food.

"So, how fun is this?" Joey remarked, finding herself sat between Charlie and Alex.

Alex chuckled and shook her head.

"Not exactly in the post-breakup rule book," Alex agreed.

"Well, we were never ones to follow the rules," Joey conceded.

"True. So, I'm guessing you followed my advice and all is going well?"

"All is going well," Joey confirmed. "And for you?"

"So far so good," Alex said.

She cast a glance at Willow beside her. She was chatting animatedly with Jasmine, who had been hardly available recently, caught with a serious investigation involving her new husband, Robbo.

"I'm glad," Joey said. "Listen, um… I'm moving back to the Bay."

"I thought as much," Alex said. "When I saw you two together this morning, I thought… there is no way you guys are doing long distance!"

Joey laughed. Charlie stopped talking to Ruby and glanced a little anxiously at the former couple.

"Relax, Charlie," Ruby said quietly. "It's you she wants."

"I know," Charlie said quietly. "It's just a really weird date."

Ruby chuckled.

"I get it," Ruby said. "But before you know it, all of this is just going to be normal."

Charlie nodded gratefully. She relaxed a little more when she felt Joey take her hand under the table.

"What about you, Alex?" Joey asked. "Are you sticking around here for good or…?"

Alex looked at Willow thoughtfully.

"I hope so," she said. "I really want this to work out."

"I want it to work out for you too," Joey said honestly.

Their attention turned to Leah who stood up, clinking her glass with a fork.

"I would like to raise a toast to Irene," she said. "The woman we love, adore and cherish."

"To Irene!" everyone chorused.

"Thank you for bringing us all together," Charlie added.

Next time… Charlie and Joey and Alex and Willow embrace their new relationships…