Chapter Twenty One

One Month Later…

Today was a big day. Charlie was nervous but excited. She was so desperate to go home. It was a long time to be stuck in hospital, although she couldn't fault the staff there, especially Alex, Jasmine, her physiotherapist and her Cognitive Behavioural Therapist, the last two of whom she would continue to see. She had also been doing a lot of extra sessions with Willow, who had been helping her build up her strength.

She hated that she hadn't magically regained the use of her legs but she felt proud that she had gained a lot of other power in her body. She had learned to transition by herself in and out of her chair. Through the month, she was spending less and less time in her hospital bed, making her feel less trapped. When Joey and Ruby took her out into the gardens each day, she could wheel herself independently. She no longer needed a catheter and could get herself to the toilet. She had passed all the hospital tests for independence, meaning that today, she was cleared to go home. She could hardly wait.

Over the past few weeks, Charlie had had meetings with the HR Department at work who had agreed that she had been injured while still employed by the police force. Therefore, she was entitled to full sick pay if she were to return to work. Charlie hadn't understood at first. How could she ever return? She had been trying to come to terms with putting her badge in a drawer, never to be looked at again without bursting into tears. But their proposal had been that during her paid sick leave, Charlie might study for her Detective's exam, something that she had previously expressed interest in. Then she might return to the station at Detective Charlie Buckton and although she might not be able to go out into the field, her knowledge and skills would be useful in putting together the pieces of the puzzles behind the scenes.

However, if she were to take sick leave and then decide to retire from the force, she would have to return the money they'd paid her. She had happily signed the contract, desperate to keep the job she had been about to walk away from.

Joey and Aden, meanwhile, had relocated to Summer Bay again. Joey had scored a job with Ziggy, working as a mechanic. She could take apart a boat engine in her sleep and as it turned out, cars weren't all that hard to work out. She had started an adult education class to get her qualifications while she worked and so far, things were going well. And most important, it paid a wage which meant that she, Aden and Charlie could rent a bungalow together, ready for them and Ruby to move in together when Charlie was released from hospital. Irene was able to give Aden work at the Diner without any hesitation. It was like he had never left.

Leah was sad to see the girls leave home but the bungalow they'd found to move into was already adapted for Charlie's mobility requirements. She would be able to move around the place easily and feel comfortable and at home. She was also pleased that Charlie and Joey were so happy together and already in such a solid, serious relationship. Stability was exactly what Charlie needed and exactly what Joey provided.

As for Brax, he had visited Charlie a few times since their breakup. He had tried to persuade her that dating Joey was a mistake and the two of them still belonged together. Charlie disagreed. She understood his feeling that their breakup was temporary and that they would eventually get back together. That's how it had been for them for the past year.

He had gone off with other people plenty of times, or at least he had, but they had ended up back together. They had argued and ended up back together. She had sworn that he was the opposite of everything she believed in and they had ended up back together.

But it just wasn't going to be like that this time. Things had gone too far. She wasn't going to deny that she had loved him. None of this would have happened if she hadn't loved him. But it was over now. Brax was the past and Joey was the future. Joey was all she wanted.

"Good morning!" Alex said cheerfully, knocking on Charlie's door and entering the room.

Charlie was already sitting up in bed, half dressed, eager for the day to begin.

"Well, today is the big day, right?" the Doctor said.

"Yep!" Charlie said happily. "What time can I go?"

Alex laughed.

"We just need to go through a few things and then as soon as your girls are ready to collect you, you're free," she promised.

Charlie breathed a happy sigh of relief. She really couldn't wait.

"Hey," she said a little nervously. "When I'm out of here… will we still be friends?"

"I'm looking forward to it," Alex replied.

"Maybe when I'm up to actually going out, we could… well, go out sometime? Double date or something?" Charlie suggested shyly.

"Well, considering you helped Willow and I get together in the first place, we would absolutely love to," Alex told her. "And I hope you feel able to get out and about quickly, Charlie. You've been cooped up in here too long."

Charlie nodded.

"Alex, do you have time to um… help me?" she asked. "I got my top half done but I'm still struggling with…"

She gestured to her pyjama bottoms. Alex smiled.

"Of course I have the time," she said.

"I just want to be completely ready for when Joey and Ruby get here," Charlie said. "They're going to have to help me enough when we get home."

"You don't have to explain, Charlie," Alex said.

A couple of hours later, Charlie was all packed up and ready to go. She could hardly believe that she was actually leaving the hospital room that had been her home for so long. And she was going home to a place that was completely new. Joey, Aden, Ruby, Casey and Leah had all done the heavy lifting. She gathered that Alex and Willow had also helped out, as had Ziggy and Dean when it came to moving everyone's belongings into the new place, building furniture and getting everything in place, although Joey and Ruby had said repeatedly that nothing was set in stone. Anything could be moved and rearranged if Charlie didn't like it either because it wasn't practical or because she felt like being a diva.

"Ready?" Joey asked, pulling Charlie's bag onto her back.

She had gained quite a lot of belongings during her time in the hospital.

"Absolutely," Charlie replied.

Ruby held open the door and Charlie wheeled herself through it. She was startled to find all the staff waiting for her, everyone smiling and clapping, ready to wish her well. Alex and Jasmine waited at the end of the corridor.

"We're so proud of you, Charlie," Alex said.

She had already given the team a card and a big box of chocolates to say thank you.

"When you came into the hospital that day, you were so broken," she said. "To look at you now, how far you've come, how hard you've fought… we're all so, so proud of you."

Charlie swallowed the lump in her throat. She thanked her, extending it to everyone gathered. Jasmine held open the door. Charlie led the way out.

Joey drove Charlie and Ruby to their new home where Aden and Jasper were eagerly waiting for them. Charlie was especially excited to meet Jasper, who she had seen pictures and videos of and heard so much about but never met.

"Charlie, this is Jasper," Joey said, as they headed up the front path. "Jasper, this is Charlie."

The happy Labrador bounced around. Charlie laughed, eager to stroke him as Joey begged him to calm down, worried he might knock her backwards. Eventually, he settled enough for petting.

"Welcome home, Charlie," Aden said.

"Thanks," Charlie said.

"Shall we?" he said, leading the way into the house.

Joey, Jasper and Ruby followed Charlie into the bungalow. Ruby and Aden hung back as Joey led her girlfriend around, Jasper eagerly following them. She took her through the kitchen, the lounge and into the adapted bathroom.

"And this is our room," she said.

Charlie followed her into their large, pretty bedroom. Everything was tidy and Charlie recognised her belongings, laid out and made at home. Joey closed the door, upsetting the dog who was left out on the other side of the door. They heard him whimper and walk away. Joey perched on the edge of the bed and smiled at Charlie.

"Welcome home," she said seriously. "Is all of this okay?"

Charlie beamed at her.

"It's… everything," she said. "Thank you for going to so much trouble."

"It's no trouble," Joey said.

"Joey, you packed up your entire life, moved house, moved towns…"

Joey reached out and held both Charlie's hands, looking deeply into her eyes.

"It's no trouble," she said. "Are you happy though?"
"I am very happy."

They kissed.

"So… we have our own room, hey?" Charlie said. "We're so grown up!"

Joey laughed.

"We are," she said, kissing her again.

She leant forward, wrapping her arms around her, kissing her more passionately. They reluctantly broke apart.

"We should probably be polite and go back to the others," Joey said. "But just so you know, it's a brand new bed so it will need christening."

Charlie grinned. She followed Joey out of the room and down the hall, where Joey pointed out Aden and Ruby's bedrooms.

"This is all so amazing," Charlie said, returning to the lounge where Aden and Ruby had made drinks for the four of them.

Jasper was lying on Aden feet.

"We were starting to wonder if you two were coming back," Aden remarked with a raised eyebrow.

Ruby shook her head.

"As if we'd be so badly behaved!" Joey said.

She waited while Charlie transferred herself rather expertly from her chair to the end seat of the sofa and then took a seat beside her.

"Yeah, as if I've never walked into Charlie's hospital room to find you all over each other!" Ruby remarked, tutting.

Charlie and Joey both blushed a little guiltily but neither could deny it. It had been a long few weeks, waiting for Charlie to finally be released from hospital, ready to restart her new life and their new life as a couple.

Alex knocked and entered Willow's house. She was a regular feature at Irene's now and had come to get to know her and the rest of the household very well. After a week of being together, Irene had invited her round for a family dinner, which Alex had gladly accepted and been relieved to discover that she got along well with Irene, Bianca and Jasmine very well.

Not finding anyone obviously at home, she walked through to Willow's bedroom and knocked on the door.

"It's Alex," she called through.

The door was immediately flung open. Willow was wrapped in a towel and her hair was wet.

"Sorry," she said. "I was late back from work."

"No objections here," Alex said with an appreciative smile.

Willow pulled her quickly into the room and kicked the door closed.

"How did work go?" she asked. "Did Charlie get discharged from hospital okay?"

"All fine," Alex confirmed.

"Good," Willow said. "Now… I think we have the place to ourselves…"

"So… do you want to go out somewhere, Charlie?" Ruby asked eagerly. "You've been cooped up in that hospital for so long. Do you want to get some fresh air?"

"Oh, maybe later," Charlie said. "I'm pretty tired. I think I might just stay here a while. Get used to our new place."

"Oh, okay," Ruby said, disappointed.

She had been looking forward to getting out and spending some time with her mother. Life had been on hold for so longer. She was eager to get things started again as quickly as possible.

"But I want to spend time with you, Ruby," Charlie added quickly. "Maybe we could all have lunch together? Here?"

"That sounds good," Aden said, standing up. "Leah has literally rammed our fridge, freezer and cupboards full of food. We're bursting! I'm sure I can rustle something up to eat."

He left the girls together. Jasper followed him, hoping he might also get some food.

"Did Joey show you out the back, Mum?" Ruby asked.

"I didn't," Joey said.

"It's so lovely out there," Ruby said. "There's decking and grass. We could absolutely be the party house! Everyone will want to come over!"

Charlie laughed.

"I'll look forward to that!" she said.

They were interrupted by a knock on the door. Ruby went to the front door. Charlie and Joey strained to listen in.

"I think she's talking to Casey," Joey said.

"Is she sending him away?" Charlie wondered.

She urged Joey to invite Casey in. She didn't want Ruby to push her boyfriend away because of everything that had happened – the shooting and Charlie's breakup with Brax. Joey hurried to the door.

"Charlie suggested that Casey might like to stay for lunch," Joey said as diplomatically as possible.

Ruby and Casey both looked awkward. Ruby had just told him that Charlie was tired and he ought to leave.

"Are you sure?" the teenage boy asked.

"She'd love you to," Joey confirmed, putting her arm around Ruby.

He followed them both inside the house, which he had spent a lot of time helping them all move into.

"I um…"

He held out a bunch of flowers.

"I brought Charlie some flowers."

Even Ruby thought he was sweet. He brought them to Charlie who was touched as he welcomed her home.

"I'll put them in some water," Ruby said, taking them into the kitchen.

Casey hurried after her, leaving Charlie and Joey alone in the lounge together again.

"I feel sorry for him," Charlie admitted quietly. "I don't want Ruby to ruin her relationship because of all of this. Before I got shot, she really loved him, Joey."

Joey held her hand tightly.

"They'll work it out if they're meant to," she said. "Look at us. Who would ever have thought we would have found our way back to each other after all that's happened?"

"We were meant to be," Charlie said with a smile.

Joey leant in and kissed her.

"So if Ruby and Casey are meant to be," she said. "They will be. All we can do is support them."

"I just don't want to be the reason…"

"You have to stop taking responsibility for every little thing, Charlie," Joey said sternly.

She kissed her again.

"And I did notice that you swerved going out, by the way," she added.

Charlie looked down. Joey tilted her chin back up with her index finger.

"It's okay," she said. "But just remember that the longer it takes you go out and face the world, the harder it's going to be. And also remember that you don't have to do any of it alone. Ruby and I are here with you. One hundred per cent. And Aden too."

"I still can't believe that he just up and moved too," Charlie said. "He must love you so much."

"He loves you too, Charlie," Joey said. "We're all a family now."

"Are you sure you want me to come to this lunch?" Alex asked as she and Willow got dressed.

Willow paused in brushing her hair.

"What? Of course I want you to come," she said. "I need you to come!"

They were due to have lunch with Colby. Relations between them and Colby were tentative to say the least but they were getting there. Willow was pleased to have her old friend back in her life. She just hoped that Dean would come around soon and they could return to being a family, with Ziggy and Alex as new additions.

"I just thought you might want to spend time with Colby by yourself," Alex said. "Three's a crowd and everything."

Willow turned around and gathered Alex into her arms.

"No way," she said. "These meet ups are about bringing us back together, being a family again. And you're part of my family, Alex. You're my everything."

She kissed her. She so desperately wanted to tell her that she loved her but she had never said those words to anyone before, not even Dean. Shyness stopped her from saying it to Alex. Shyness and fear. She was scared that she might not say it back or it might scare her off. She was scared of doing something wrong and losing her.

"And you know you're mine, right?" Alex replied.

Willow smiled happily.

"I love being yours," she said.

They kissed again before Alex perched on the edge of the bed to put her shoes on and Willow continued to argue with her hair.

Charlie, Joey, Aden, Ruby and Casey were all sat round the table at the end of the large lounge, which had been separated into a dining area and would in time serve as a study area for Ruby to resit her final exam and Charlie to study for her Detective exams. Jasper was sat between Joey and Charlie, hoping for any offerings he may receive from the table. Charlie was secretly pleased that Joey's dog seemed to have taken to her so quickly. She had been afraid that the chair might have put him off and she had been scared that if her dog hadn't liked her, it might have been a deal breaker. But Jasper had been eager to come to her for strokes and treats so all seemed to be going well so far.

"So, how are you doing, Casey?" Charlie asked. "I guess you've hit the ground running since you came home."

"Kind of," Casey admitted.

"Came home from where?" Aden asked bluntly.

"I did a few months for arson," Casey explained quietly.

Aden just nodded and continued eating his lasagne, courtesy of Leah. Casey was relieved that nobody was making a big deal of things.

"And how's… Brax?" Charlie finally asked, hoping Joey wouldn't mind.

"He's… not great," Casey replied honestly. "Just… drinking and stuff."

"Mum, he's nothing to do with you anymore," Ruby said tightly.

She could hardly believe that she was even asking about him or that she even cared, especially in front of Joey.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Charlie said directly the Casey.

"I understand why you ended it," Casey told her. "I think this is better."

He glanced at Joey who had been nothing but nice to him since they'd met. She offered him a small smile.

"I just hope that Brax can pull himself together and realise that it's for the best," he said. "When things end with someone getting shot, it's time to realise that it's not a healthy relationship."

"Couldn't have said it better myself," Ruby said.

"Well, maybe you can tell your brother that," Aden suggested.

"I have," Casey said. "He's not one for listening much. But he'll get there. He just… loves you, Charlie."

"I know," Charlie replied. "I know."

She looked at Joey. She knew how it felt to love someone that much. It just wasn't Brax anymore. Joey reached out and held her hand. She looked down. Jasper had rested his head in her lap. She reached down and fondled his ears.

"So… what happens with school for you, Casey?" Charlie asked.

"I studied while I was inside," he said. "But I need to take the exams as resits next year. So I should be able to graduate within the next couple of months."

"Like Ruby!" Joey enthused.

"Then what are your plans?" Aden asked.

"I have no idea," Casey admitted.

"Like Ruby!" Joey joked.

Ruby poked her tongue out at her. Joey returned the gesture. Charlie shook her head in exasperation. She also felt extremely guilty. The plan had been to move to the city for Ruby to start University. Now that plan was shot, so to speak. Ruby had missed her final exam and couldn't graduate until she'd taken it and her place at University had been suspended for a year. She had committed to staying in Summer Bay in their new house and to helping Charlie adjust to her new situation rather than living her own life. It just didn't feel very fair.

"I don't think I'll go to Uni, put it that way," Casey said. "I guess I'll get a job with Brax or something."

"A legal one or…?" Ruby asked unkindly.

She hadn't meant to say it out loud. There was a very awkward silence for a moment before he told her had meant a job at Angelo's.

"What were you planning to study, Ruby?" Aden asked, realising he didn't know.

"Social work," Ruby said. "I want to help families in crisis."

"Well, we have enough of those round here!" Aden joked.

Charlie remained at the head of the table, stroking Jasper's head on her lap. She felt sad for the way Ruby was pushing Casey away. She felt responsible for it. And she felt sad that she had put such a spanner in the works when it came to Ruby's plans, hopes and dreams. She was meant to be out saving the world now, not stuck at home with her disabled mother. She sighed heavily. Joey noticed. She caught hold of her hand and caught her eye, silently asking her if she was okay. Charlie forced a smile and nodded. She had thought getting out of hospital was the big challenge but suddenly now it felt like she had yet another huge mountain to climb. And she didn't have the capacity to do it.

Next time… Charlie and Joey spend their first night together, Alex and Willow grow closer and Charlie and Joey have an unwelcome visitor…