Ah, my beta came to my rescue via reviews! Thank you Fi =D
I have to remember to write "Saw" instead of "Seen" ha ha!
Thank you so much for the lovely comments! They give me so much confidence and make me want to write more!
I would have uploaded this sooner, But sleep took over lastnight, sorry!
Madgal19, Nope, no cheekyness at all in asking for me to upload it!
Enjoy chapter three! I'm about to go and finish writing chapter four!
Let me know what you thought of this chapter, please!
MissToastie x
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Can't Fight This Feeling.
Chapter Three.
"So what do you think Charlie's going to do?" Nicole asked Ruby as they sat eating their lunch in the diner.
"About what?" Ruby asked as she finished swallowing the food she had been eating.
"About the whole ex girlfriend, the love of her life, being back in town" Nicole replied before taking another bite of her lunch.
"I don't think Joey is the love of her life, I think that was just some little phase Charlie went through"
"I think it was real, you can tell she still loves Joey." Nicole said as she had a drink of her milkshake.
Ruby stared at her friend, thinking about what she had just said. "You really think so? What about Angelo?"
Nicole laughed. "Charlie doesn't love Angelo that is really clear. There's no chemistry between them"
"Well why is she with him then?"
"Just for the sake of being with someone, I guess. Maybe she doesn't want to be alone. I don't really know Rubes; you'll have to ask Charlie that."
Ruby sat watching her friend finish her lunch. Surely Charlie wouldn't be dating Angelo 'Just for the sake of being with someone', would she? Ruby shook her head; the only way she was going to get the correct answer would be to do what Nicole suggested and ask Charlie.
---
Joey was cleaning down the bar as she saw Aden walk in to the Surf Club, she looked at her watch; it was 2:30pm.
"Now this is what I call a late lunch" Joey walked over to the side of the bar where Aden was approaching.
"Sorry, I lost track of time." Aden smiled and handed Joey her lunch. "Beef and salad roll for you madam"
"Thank you kind sir" Joey started to unwrap her lunch. "I spoke to Charlie earlier"
Aden looked up from his food. "How'd that go?" He took another bite of his lunch.
"Horribly Awkward." Joey walked around and sat on the stool next to Aden. "I wish I didn't have to deal with seeing her around."
"The joy of Summer Bay, right?" Aden laughed.
"I'm going to have to put up with her and her boyfriend acting all lovey dovey" Joey sighed and started to eat her lunch.
"Lovey dovey? Charlie and Angelo?" Aden shook his head. "I doubt that. There's nothing lovey dovey between them"
Joey shot her friend a confused look. "They are in a relationship, no?"
"Yeah they are. Probably one of the worst couple match ups in history. It's all pretty much one sided. I don't even think Charlie knows what to make of the situation. She's just going with the flow." Aden finished saying as he took a big bite of his roll.
"That doesn't sound like something Charlie would do" Joey shook her head and turned around so she was facing with her back to the bar.
"Maybe not the Charlie you knew. But she's been back in robot mode ever since you left. Not showing her true emotions to anyone." Aden scrunched his lunch papers up and threw them in the bin.
---
Angelo walked in to the Surf Club looking for Joey. He really needed to speak to her. He see's her sitting at the bar with Aden. He walks over to her.
---
Joey looks up as she see's Angelo approaching her. "Aid" she mumbles. Aden turned around and saw Angelo standing behind him.
"What do you want Rosetta? Aden asked.
Angelo ignored Aden and focused on Joey. "Just so you know, I love Charlie and I will do anything to keep her" Angelo leant close to Joey.
Aden stood up and put his arm in front of Joey. "Just back off alright."
Angelo looked at Aden and stepped back. "Stay away from Charlie or I will make you"
"Was that a threat?" Joey asked and grabbed a hold of Aden's arm, pulling him back as he went to move closer to Angelo.
"What are you going to do about it Jefferies? Hit me?" Angelo laughed. "That would go down very well, hitting a cop. I would have you down the station in 3 seconds charging you with assault"
"Does Charlie know what kind of guy you really are?" Joey raised her eyebrow at Angelo. "Do you usually go around threatening people?"
"No he usually goes around killing people. Isn't that right Angelo?" Aden smirked.
Angelo shook his head, turned around and left the surf club.
Aden sat back down and turned to Joey. "Killing people? What do you mean?" Joey was confused.
"He killed Martha's husband Jack late last year"
"Charlie's dating a killer?" Joey almost turned a pale white.
"It was an accident. He randomly shot into the dark and Jack was unlucky; wrong place, wrong time. Angelo lied to everyone; he even read the eulogy at the funeral."
Joey looked at Aden, not wanting to believe what he was saying. How could Charlie date Angelo after everything he has done?
Joey was pulled from her thoughts as three men started fighting near the pool table. Two men where kicking a young guy as he lay on the ground, Aden stood up to jump in and help the guy being attacked. Joey called the police.
---
Charlie sat in her office staring at the pile of paper work that had to be done.
"Hey gorgeous" Angelo said as he walked in to Charlie's office.
Charlie looked up at him and half smiled. "Hi" Charlie's attention turned to Watson as she was about to knock on the door. "What's up?"
"There's a fight going on at the Surf Club"
"Let's go" Charlie grabbed her hat and walked toward her office door.
"Want me to come?" Angelo asked.
"No you have some paper work to fill out from the break and enters last week. Watson and I have this one, thanks." Charlie said before she followed Watson out the station door.
---
The two guys had ran off as Aden rushed in to help the guy they where beating up. Aden bent down and checked if the young guy had a pulse, he did. He shouted for Joey to phone an ambulance.
"Don't move mate, Ambos' are on their way" Aden told the young guy as he tried to sit up, but the pain was over bearing and he was forced to lie back down. Aden looked up as Charlie and Watson walked in.
"What happened?" Watson asked as she bent down to Aden. Charlie looked around and saw Joey walking over to where she was standing.
"These two guys where giving him a beating" Aden spoke.
"Do you know his name?" Watson asked looking at Aden.
"Xavier Austin"
---
Charlie and Watson where outside Xavier's hospital room waiting to hear when they could interview him.
Ruby and Nicole ran in to the corridor. "Charlie, what's happened? Is Xavier okay?" Ruby was almost out of breath as she stood in front of Charlie.
"He received a beating at the Surf Club from two guys" Charlie placed her hand on Ruby's shoulder and lovingly squeezed it. "We're just waiting to hear from Rachel on how he is."
Ruby leaned in and rested her head on Charlie's shoulder. Charlie rubbed her hand up and down Ruby's back for comfort.
"Do you know if Xavier has any enemies?" Watson asked Ruby.
"No, I don't think so. I mean he's hardly the type to have enemies" Ruby sounded and looked confused by Watson's question.
Rachel walked out of Xavier's room. Watson turned around and asked how Xavier was doing.
"He's pretty lucky. He has several broken ribs, fortunately for him; none have broken through and punctured his lungs. He's going to be sore for a while, but like I said, he's pretty lucky"
"When can we interview him?" Charlie asked.
"Can't you wait Charlz?" Ruby looked up at her mother, her question almost sounded like a beg.
"Perhaps you could come back late this afternoon? He is very tired and has asked not to see anyone" Rachel looked from Charlie to Ruby, who had tears welling in her eyes.
"What about me?" Ruby asked Rachel.
"I'm sorry Ruby, but Xavier specifically asked to not let you see him for the moment" Rachel looked apologetic toward Ruby, she knew that Ruby was worried and wanted to see her boyfriend, but Xavier had strictly asked for Ruby not to be let in. Rachel had to follow her patients' orders.
Charlie placed her hand on her daughters shoulder. "Come on Rubes, come back and see him tomorrow"
"Stuff him!" Ruby shouted. "If he doesn't want to see me then he can kiss our relationship goodbye" Ruby made sure she yelled loud enough for Xavier to hear her. She turned around and left the hospital, Nicole following after her.
"Sorry about that Rach" Charlie apologised for Ruby's outburst and she and Watson left the hospital.
---
"Why don't you want to see her?" Hugo asked his brother. The two had sat in a short silence after hearing Ruby yelling outside the door.
"Because I just don't want to and for good reason too, she doesn't give stuff about me. Can you go I'm tired, I want sleep" Xavier closed his eyes, not really giving Hugo any chance but to leave.
"You really need to sort yourself out Xav" Hugo said before he left his brothers hospital room.
---
Not long after Charlie and Watson left the hospital, they where called to another fight outside the Diner. Aden had walked by just as the two cops had placed the handcuffs on the guy they caught fighting and confirmed him to be one of the guys that helped beat up Xavier. It didn't take long for the guy to tell the police who his 'partner in crime' was and they where charged by the end of the day. Charlie arrived home utterly exhausted, Ruby was sat in the kitchen, she looked up as Charlie entered the house.
"Hey Charlz." Ruby mumbled as she stirred the spoon around in her coffee.
"Hi Rubes" Charlie joined her daughter and sat at the table. "We caught the guys who beat Xavier."
Ruby looked at Charlie. "As if I care Charlie"
"Ruby, I know you're angry at the moment" Charlie began.
"I'm more than angry Charlie. Xavier has been acting really strange lately; he has been snappy and absolutely horrible to everyone. I am honestly over caring about him" Ruby cut Charlie off. Ruby saw the look on Charlie's face. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to snap at you. I shouldn't be taking it out on you."
"It's okay Rubes" Charlie placed her hand on Ruby's.
"Do you love Angelo?" Ruby blurted out.
Charlie looked taken back.
"Charlie? Do you love him?" Ruby asked again.
"No" Charlie whispered. "I don't love him"