Finally I have a chapter for you guys, sorry it took me so long to get it up, been working like a lunatic. Hope you enjoy it! And remember you can now leave anon reviews.

xxxx

"Ruby come on, I'm going to be late for work if you don't get your ass in gear!" Charlie called down the corridor, it was almost nine o clock and they would both be late if Ruby didn't get a move on.

"Coming Charlie!" Ruby replied. She scooped up her lunch bag on her way out of the kitchen and collapsed into Charlie's car.

They travelled in almost complete silence, Ruby too absorbed with her upcoming exams and Charlie's thoughts centring on Joey. They had parted as friends, although neither was certain on the other honest thoughts. Joey's friendship was dear to both Charlie and Ruby, and she didn't want to compromise by going into unknown land.

It was only when they arrived at the school that the silence between mother and daughter was shattered "I'll be working until about five, so if you want to come into the station after school I can give you a drive home?"

"Sure, I'll see you then." Ruby smiled briefly before leaving the car and uniting with Nicole.

Paperwork, and plenty of it Charlie observed the collection of files on her desk, might help keep my thoughts on track. She opened the first file that was in reach and began reading through the victim's statement, trying her utmost to give it her full attention; but she was failing miserably. She was just beginning to get her focus when she heard her phone ringing on her desk. Seeing Morag's name displayed across the screen she answered it.

"Hey Morag how are you?" Charlie asked chirpily, her face dropping as she listened to Morag list out the day's events.

**********

Ruby walked to the station to get a lift from Charlie. She spotted Watson sitting at the front desk and decided to ask her to get Charlie; she never appreciated being walked in on, in case she was interviewing someone.

"Hey Georgie, could you tell Charlie I'm here? She said she'd drop me home."

Georgie smiled at Ruby, she knew the truth about their relationship and respected Charlie even more for taking on the sister role as a teenager just so she could be closer to her daughter. "She's not here Ruby, she cut her day short, she was only here about an hour when she left, said she'd be back tomorrow."

Ruby was baffled, Charlie never finished a shift early, and she hadn't even let her know. "Are you sure she didn't go out on call maybe? Charlie doesn't just… Leave?"

"No she said she was going home, do you want a lift?" Ruby was right; it wasn't in Charlie's character to put her work second place.

"No I'm fine, honestly. Thanks Georgie" Ruby called back, already having left the station. Ruby walked briskly along the path to their house, anticipating what Charlie's reason for cutting her day short would be. She gingerly eased the front door open to find Charlie's wallet and mobile dispersed across the kitchen table, but no sign of her mother.

"Charlie?"

Ruby crept lightly into the living room, stopping briefly; she'd found Charlie.

Charlie was sitting in the middle of the sofa, with her knees clutched tightly to her chest sobbing quietly. "Charlie?" She whispered softly moving over to the couch to comfort her. She settled her hand on top of Charlie's knee as a sign of comfort.

Charlie slowly turned to face Ruby, her face blotchy from crying "It's Dad Ruby, he's got Alzheimer's."

***************

Joey was sitting on the edge of the trawler she was meant to be preparing; but it was the last thing she wanted to be doing. Her head was spinning with thoughts of Charlie and how they had ended things last night; being honest with herself she wasn't certain she could keep things on a friend's only basis with Charlie. She'd give it a try because anything was better than nothing. Joey lifted her head and scanned the contents of the deck; she had still so much to do before she called it a day. She heaved her heavy body up from the railing and was just about to get started when her phone shrieked in her pocket; Ruby?

Joey answered it without hesitation, moving over to get the crates "Hey Rubes what's up?"

Hearing the terror in Ruby's voice Joey stopped dead in her tracks "Is she ok? Shush Ruby I'm coming, I'll be there in ten minutes. It'll be ok I promise." Joey grabbed her car keys and sprinted up the pier to her car, it wasn't long before she arrived at the Buckton household.

Ruby was in the kitchen making coffee when Joey walked in. "Hey are you ok?" she asked the teenager, concerned for her just as much as she was for her mother.

"Joey thank you so much for coming. I'm ok, a bit upset but nothing as bad as Charlie, she's in there if you want to go in" Ruby nodded in the direction of the living room.

Joey smiled at her before making her way into Charlie. As if sensing her presence, Charlie slowly turned her head and a minuscule smile escaped her lips. Without saying a word Joey walked over to the sofa and sat beside Charlie; close but not crowding her either.

Charlie could only presume Ruby had called Joey and asked her to come over, but the fact that Joey was sitting here, in an effort to comfort her resulted in Charlie breaking down completely.

"Shh Charlie its ok, I'm here." Joey whispered into her ear as Charlie crumbled into her arms, her head now resting on Joey's chest. She wrapped her arm tightly around her, willing to comfort her and let her vent what she was going through. Charlie didn't try and keep it together any longer, being here in Joeys embrace brought all her emotions to the surface. She cried bitterly and all Joey could do was stroke her back and hold her close. Upon hearing Charlie's sobs subside, Joey placed a gentle kiss on her forehead to let her know she everything would be ok, and she wasn't going anywhere.

Charlie snuggled tighter into Joeys embrace, being so close to the woman she couldn't deny she had certain feelings for, made her feel safe. "Dad's got Alzheimer's, I can't… I can't believe it Joey he's the one who was always so level headed and in control when we were kids. And now he's going to be anything but that. Morag called to say they're enrolling him into a home already, the doctors don't think he's safe living without care. They're coming to visit at the weekend, Morag's so supportive of him, I don't know what we'd do without her. I know he'll be ok but I just… Cant take it in…" Charlie began to sob quietly again.

"He'll be ok Charlie, he'll get the care he needs and he won't be a danger to himself, these are professionals who know how to care for him and they'll be able to treat him properly." Joey soothed, stroking Charlie's back and holding her tight as ever.

"I know it's the right thing to do but, he was never around when we were kids, he and Mum never had much of a married life because he was so busy with work. Then Mum died and he only let himself fall deeper into his work, but now he's just retired and he's got Morag. It just doesn't seem fair that when he gets a chance to have some quality of life it gets taken away from him… And Morag, this has got to be so tough on her." Charlie felt the initial raw pain begin to ease, the shock was evaporating and talking to Joey about it seemed to bring her a sense of acceptance.

"I know Charlie, I'm sure he'll be much happier getting the care he needs, he'll be the best he can possibly be because they know how to give him the treatment he needs, and who knows, once they've managed his condition who's to say he wont be out again. Right now they're probably going to focus on getting the medication right so they can treat him properly and get it under control." Joey loved being able to reassure Charlie, she only wished it wasn't under such circumstances that they got to be so near.

Charlie sat in silence taking in everything Joey had said and she had to confess it did make a lot of sense and maybe things weren't going to be as bad as she had initially thought. Ruby walked in carrying too large mugs off coffee, she set them down on the table in front of the sofa where Charlie and Joey were.

"Are you ok Charlie?" Ruby asked softly, not used to seeing her mother so upset.

Charlie managed to smile, feeling much more confident after hearing what Joey had to say about the situation. "Yeah, I got a bit of a fright initially but, things are gonna be ok…. Are you ok?" She hadn't even thought how this might affect Ruby.

"Yeah, I'm ok, but I'm going to go over to Xaviers for a while if that's ok. Are you two ok here alone for a while?"

This time Joey took on the task of answering "Of course, I'll stay with Charlie for as long as she needs, don't worry."

Ruby smiled appreciatively at Joey, she had called her in a moment of despair unsure of how to comfort Charlie. She was frightened to find Charlie so visibly upset and couldn't think of any other solution other than to call Joey. For a moment she had immediately regretted it, thinking Charlie would be annoyed with her. But now seeing them cuddling together and Charlie wasn't crying any longer; Ruby was certain she had made the right decision. "Ok, well call me if you need anything ok?" she bent down and kissed her mothers damp cheek "I love you Mum"

Joey's heart skipped a beat hearing terms of such endearment from Ruby.

Charlie face broke into a smile that almost reached her ears "Love you too Rubes"

Charlie exhaled deeply, consoled to be in Joeys arms. "Thanks for coming over Joey"

"I wouldn't rather be anywhere else Charlie. I'm here for you no matter what. Are you feeling any better?" Joey continued to draw her fingers up and down Charlie's spine.

"Yeah" Charlie said meekly, she lifted her head from the nook of Joey's neck to meet her gaze.

They stared into one another eyes; Joey was overwhelmed by Charlie's beauty, regardless of the mascara that stained her face. Looking up into Joeys face Charlie felt the sudden urge to kiss her. Whether it was her kindness towards her, their bodies held tightly together or lust that made her feel like this Charlie couldn't be sure. But what she was certain of was that she wanted to feel Joey's lips upon hers. She extended her neck, bringing her lips up to meet Joey's. Joey let her head fall forward, to enclose the gap between them.

As their lips met they kissed slowly, Charlie moved her lips apart and let the tip of her tongue stroke Joey's warm bottom lip, without further encouragement Joey complied with Charlie's demand and opened her mouth. Their hot wet tongues came together in a furious battle for dominance over the others mouth. Joey pulled back briefly not wanting to take advantage of Charlie in her vulnerable state. "Charlie, your upset and... and you're confused" Joey breathed heavily seeing the look of hurt spread across her face.

Charlie felt the tears well up in her eyes once again at Joey's words "I'm not confused." She whimpered reaching up to grasp Joeys lips. This time Joey didn't object, she went along with it. They kissed passionately, tongues probing deeper and deeper into the other mouths. Charlie wanted, needed to be closer to Joey, being held into her side wasn't enough. She tossed one leg over Joeys lap, bringing her body to straddle Joeys. She tangled her hands in Joey's hair as she devoured her mouth; Joey rested her hands on the small of Charlie's back gently pulling her shirt out of her pants. After revealing the balmy flesh of Charlie's back, she spread her hands wide across it; unable to comprehend that this was happening. Joey brought their make out session to a halt feeling wetness fall onto her cheeks, she placed her hands firmly on Charlie's hips and pulled her back. Looking into her red rimmed eyes Joey knew wasn't the time nor the place for them to get passionate. Charlie collapsed onto Joey's chest still straddling her; Joey was the first to speak as she let her hands softly caress the exposed flesh of Charlie's back to soothe her.

"Don't cry Charles, its ok… Shhh"

"I don't know what's going on Joey… With us…" Joey remained silent feeling Charlie wasn't finished yet. "I'm attracted to you, but we can't be anything more. I want your friendship but I don't want to hurt you."

Joey's insides were doing back flips; she's attracted to me. "Charlie you don't need to think about it now, you've more than enough going on."

Charlie smiled both inside and out at Joey's sensitivity towards her "I think Dad's diagnosis just took the biscuit. I've been confused over us and it was the final straw."

Joey guided Charlie to sit up so she could stare into her crystal blue eyes "So what do you want to do?"

Charlie looked deflated knowing there wasn't many options "There's nothing we really can do. You're Ruby's friend… I'm her mother"

Sensing her unease Joey shifted her hands further up underneath Charlie's shirt to claim more of her back. "It's not like that Charlie, sure I got to know Ruby first but I'm not a kid, I'm an adult and your gorgeous…"

Charlie smiled and leaned forwards pressing her head against Joey's "I can't be just friends with you Joey" she placed a small kiss on her lips.

Joey was delighted to hear her say those words it sent shivers down her spine. "For now, how does friends with benefits sound?" she offered, wanting to ease Charlie's hardship in any way she could.

Charlie pressed her lips fiercely against Joeys already massaging her tongue with her own "sounds good to me" she mumbled into Joeys mouth before moving her hand down inside Joey's t-shirt.