Thank you so much to those who reviewed the first chapter, seeing as there wasn't many Italian Job ones, I honestly didn't think I would get any reviews. In regards to those who asked about the object of Steve's revenge, after this chapter it will fast forward to show everyone in their new homes etc, and Stella and Charlie will have kids, amazingly, as does another character which will be who I thought most unlikely to have kids.

Sam

xx

Stella won the first bet. Charlie had been officially handelled. She stayed in the position Charlie had pulled her into for ages. A very drunk Left-Ear offered her another glass of champagne. She was closely catching up with him on the amount she had drank now, but she was handling it better, or at least, hiding it better. She went to take the glass from him, but stopped as soon as she had stretched out her hand, recoiling and hissing in pain.

"Ouch!"

Handsome Rob almost laughed at the expression on Charlie's face when Stella cried out, but instead he frowned in slight worry.

"What's wrong?" Charlie asked her. She held her right hand in her left, but Charlie took it in his own and looked over the skin. The skin around her knuckles was red and swollen, some parts beginning to bruise into purplish black. Charlie pressed down on the swollen area and felt her hand twitch beneath his touch, as if she were fighting her instinct to recoil from the pain. "Sorry." He muttered.

"Its probably the bruising from hitting Steve so hard," Rob pointed out.

"It's worth it." Stella said, through clenched teeth. "He deserved ten of them."

"Still," Charlie began. "You should probably put some ice on it, bring the bruising out quicker."

Lyle slid over the bucked of ice that was cooling the champagne. "Ice." He said simply.

Charlie put Stella's hand on the table, placing a few icecubes over her knuckles, then withdrew his hand slowly, making sure that icecubes weren't about to fall. At first, it was extremely cold, but soon it began to numb her hand.

"Leave those on there for a while." Charlie instructed. "That should do it, just fine."

Lyle shook his head tiredly. "What time is it?" He asked.

Rob checked his watch. "11pm."

Stella sighed, leaning back against Charlie again. "How much longer til we get, wherever we're going?"

"A few more hours at least." Charlie told them. "Then we've got to drive to the airport, where I've booked us a flight for us to Italy."

"Italy?" Lyle asked.

"Well, I figured as that's where this all started, it would be a good place to lay low for a while."

"I like Italy." Stella said lightly. "It's romantic."

Charlie did a hand gesture for emphasis. "And that," He added.

Stella yawned, as did Lyle. "We should take a while to sleep, making sure that one of us is awake so we don't miss the stop." Charlie pointed out. Stella took this as an invitation and moved so that her head was rested against Charlie's shoulder, but so that the ice was still balanced on her hand. She sighed gently, closing her eyes and falling asleep within seconds.

Rob and Lyle watched this with looks on their faces that suggested that Charlie was insane. "Lyle." Rob said, a bit threateningly. "Don't even think about doing that to me."

The rest of the men all laughed, and after about an hour Rob and Charlie were the only ones awake, seeing as Left-Ear had drunk himself unconsious, finishing a whole bottle of champagne to himself.

"You know," Charlie began teasingly, "For someone who spends such a lot of time with women, you really hate relationships, don't you?"

Rob still had a look on his face which half said 'that's disgusting' and half said 'you're insane', which was amusing Charlie a lot. "For someone who was single yesterday you're really gross aren't you?" He countered.

"It's not 'gross'" Charlie argued.

"It is for the rest of us."

"I don't care." Charlie said with a cheeky smile, his trademark smile. "It's brilliant."

"Well at least I don't have to listen to you moaning every day now." Rob said, rather relieved.

"Moaning?"

"'I wonder how Stella is,' 'We haven't seen Stella in a while,' 'I might call Stella, see how she's doing,' 'Stella would love this,'"

"Ok, ok, you made your point." Charlie surrendered, not noticing Stella's eyes opening. Rob noticed, and decided to have some fun with it.

"Truth is, you've been nuts about her since the day John introduced you." Rob said, folding his arms over his chest as he Charlie put his hand over the part of Stella's that wasn't balancing the ice. Although being secretly awake, Stella did not move. Charlie didn't answer. "Admit it, Charlie."

"That was like, seven years ago Rob." Charlie pointed out. "She was only twenty."

"And you were only twenty two." Rob countered. "Besides, who's counting? Two years means nothing nowadays. There's schoolkids going out with a bigger age gap than the one between you and her." Charlie shifted uncomfortably in his seat, but carefully as to not 'wake' Stella, who he still thought was sleeping.

"Ok, I admit it." He mumbled.

"Sorry, Charlie, I didn't quite hear that?" Rob asked teasingly, even though he had heard perfectly what Charlie had said.

"I said I admit it." Charlie repeated louder. "I admit that I've been nuts about Stella since I saw her seven years ago."

Handsome Rob smiled his devilish smile. "That's better. Let's see if the feeling's mutual. Stella?" Stella threw Rob a shocked look.

"Rob, she's asl-" Charlie looked down and saw Stella staring at Rob. "Nice, you two, real nice." He said, realising that he had been set up.

Stella laughed quietly. "I had nothing to do with it," She said innocently.

"Of course not, Stella." Rob agreed sarcastically. "How could you? I mean, you were asleep."

Stella raised her head from Charlie's shoulder, stretching her neck. "You're just jealous." She teased him.

"Yes," Rob said, sarcasm dripping off every word. "I am so jealous that you get to be all disgusting with Charlie. Which reminds me," He said, leaning forward on the table, resting on his forearms. "You didn't answer my question."

"What question?"

"Is the feeling mutual?"

"Of course it is." She said.

"Ah, but has it been mutual for seven years?"

"It was mutual seven years ago, but for the past year it hasn't been entirely mutual." She told him.

"Now that everything's out in the open," Rob said, somehow proud with himself, for embarrassing Charlie infront of Stella. "I am going for a piss."

"Thank you Rob," Stella said cheerfully. "My life feels really complete know I know that."