Caught In The Middle Chapter 4: I Don't Know You Anymore, a home & away fanfic

Sorry for the delay getting this one posted guys. Having a few issues at the moment with my computer getting infected with viruses. So now my computer's slightly out of commission as I can't access the Net from it.

So I'm borrowing my brother's computer to post this chapter - shhh don't tell him :P

Not sure how long it'll take me to get my computer fixed but until I do updates for my fics might be slightly few and far between so bare with me

I wanted to get this chapter to you guys as I can see from the reviews there's already a lot of support surrounding it - thanks to everyone who takes the time to review!

And for all of you who doubted Joey was at the door - shame on you lol!

"I Don't Know You Anymore"

*Lyrics altered by me to suit this fic just a 'lil better :P

"I would like to visit you for a while
Get away and out of this city
Maybe I shouldn't have come but someone had to be the first to break
We can go sit on your back porch
Relax
Talk about anything
It don't matter
You'll be courageous if I can pretend that I've forgiven you

Because I don't know you anymore
I don't recognize this place
The picture frames have changed and so has your name
We don't talk much anymore
We keep running from the pain
But what I wouldn't give to see your face again

Springtime in the city
Always such relief from the winter freeze
The snow was more lonely than cold
If you know what I mean
Everyone's got an agenda, don't stop
Keep that chin up, you'll be all right

Can you believe what a year it's been
Are you still the same?
Has your opinion changed?

'Cause I don't know you anymore
I don't recognize this place
The picture frames have changed and so has your name
We don't talk much anymore
We keep running from these sentences
But what I wouldn't give to see your face again

You know you let me down
Again and again
You know you never really treated me right
You've paid the price
You're still paying for it every day

So maybe I shouldn't have come
Was it too soon to tell?
Oh what the hell
It doesn't really matter
How do you redefine something that never really had a name?
Has your opinion changed?

I see your face
I see your face"

Charlie stood there staring aimlessly for a moment before she finally found her voice and whispered, "Joey?" "Yeah...look who's back Charlie...just when you thought all hope was lost and you were ready to give up," Ruby grinned happily, as she stood behind Joey, noticing the sudden tension between the former lovers as they got lost in each other's gazes, then Ruby began rambling trying to ease the tension, "It was the craziest thing bumping into her at the bus station this morning. But you know after a cup of coffee I convinced her to come see you...kinda came with her to make sure she didn't chicken out and take off again."

Charlie frowned as she suddenly noticed Ruby behind Joey. She'd been so distracted and confused when she nearly collided into Joey that she hadn't noticed her own daughter standing behind the girl.

Charlie swallowed hard as she watched Joey...avoid her gaze. Joey suddenly stared nervously down at the floor, her confidence waivered the second Charlie spoke her name. Charlie wanted nothing more than to throw her arms around the younger girl and never let go, but before she could make a move they were interrupted.

"Charlie I thought you left...already..." Angelo walked back into the kitchen, slowing down as he noticed the girls standing on the back door step, "What's goin' on?" "Angelo!" Ruby hissed lightly, just loud enough for Joey to hear, annoyed that she'd forgotten to check if Charlie was alone before bringing Joey back...home? Joey continued staring away from Charlie, as Angelo recognised her disappointedly.

Ruby watched as the three adults all stood there fidgeting and not looking at each other, then she sighed, "Since Charlz is still in shock...Angelo this is Joey, Jo this is...Angelo." Joey raised her head nervously looking at him, as Angelo took a few steps forward, standing next to Charlie, all he could manage was a small nod towards the woman who had returned.

"Joey...what are you doing here?" Charlie suddenly pleaded, breaking the silence between the pair. Joey's gaze finally locked on Charlie again, as she could feel the intense stares of Angelo, "I...uh...I got your letter." "My letter?" Charlie repeated confused. Joey had her hands in front of her, and began fidgeting with her nails anxiously, "Yeah...I know you probably didn't expect me to show up here ...I mean it's been a week since you dropped the letter off at my apartment...I guess...I needed some time."

Charlie stared at her in a daze, "I don't...understand...what do you mean I dropped off a letter at your apartment?" Joey frowned, then shyly pulled out the now slightly worn and withered envelope containing Charlie's letter from her back pocket. Charlie's eyes widened in surprise as she recognized it, and she instinctively reached out for the letter Joey held up. Charlie was crushed when Joey pulled her hand back from her reach, obviously too afraid to have any physical contact.

Charlie cleared her throat, "I didn't...I didn't send this. How did you even get this? I wasn't even sure I was ready to..." "Send it," Joey finished for her, "Yeah I read the whole letter...I know you were pretty scared to send it. But the letter was in my post box last week...there weren't any post marks so it...it had to be hand delivered. That's why it took me a week to work out if I could come back to see you...I thought you'd dropped off the letter and were too scared to see me."

"Yeah I was too scared to see you...hence the letter," Charlie admitted nervously, "But if I didn't send it...Ruby?" "Hey you're looking at an innocent face over here," Ruby told her, "I didn't even know about the letter 'til Joey told me just now." "I just ah...told her that's why I came back...I didn't...tell her very much about what you wrote," Joey whispered, knowing Charlie would've been devastated if Ruby had found out how bad things had been since the younger girl moved out. Charlie nodded, "So then who...?"

Angelo placed a comforting hand on Charlie's shoulder, surprising Charlie into remembering he was there, "I went to the city and dropped the letter to her place." Charlie swung around towards him rapidly, causing his hand to drop off her shoulder, "What?! You knew about this and you gave her the letter?"

Angelo looked down at her sheepishly, "I found the letter three weeks ago. Took some time but I guess I realized...you two needed closure." "Closure?" Ruby repeated sarcastically. Charlie frowned, "How exactly did you find the letter?" "I...ah...came across it in your drawer...I know I should've said something...but it kinda hurt to think about the things you wrote," Angelo confessed. "And how exactly did you find it? What did you stumble across it while rifling through my bedroom?" Charlie snapped angrily.

"No Charlie it wasn't like that. I just couldn't sleep one night so was looking for something to read," Angelo tried to explain. "So now you're telling me that you found a letter in my private drawer? A letter that wasn't addressed to you and you read it anyway? How dare you invade my privacy like that!" Charlie fumed. "You wrote a letter addressed to your ex...what did you expect me to do?" Angelo accused. "I expected you to leave it alone and not go through my personal things. How dare you?" Charlie shouted heatedly.

"I'm sorry okay. When I found the letter, I should've put it back without reading it and instead talked to you about why you wrote it," Angelo apologised, "I could see we were drawing apart and I tried to believe it wasn't happening or you didn't write some of that stuff. Again I should've talked to you but I decided instead to go to the City to do what you couldn't and find Joey. I wasn't sure if I could give her the letter but she deserved to know you needed help and I obviously wasn't the right person to provide you with that. I tracked her down to find out if...she'd moved on. Then I found her and watched her for a while--"

"You were spying on her!?" Charlie raged as Joey's nerves began to dissolve, and she stated at the same time, "You were spying on me?!" Angelo took a step back, "I needed to know whether or not I should give her the letter. I figured if she was lonely and miserable like you Charlie...maybe she could help you get through this. If she was happy and had...moved on...I knew that would only hurt you more Charlie so I knew I couldn't give her the letter. Then I found her leaving her work walking back to her apartment and...Joey you were practically in tears...and I knew you needed to know that Charlie was struggling too so...I dropped off the letter and came home. The fact that it took you this long to show up...I thought that meant you...weren't ready to come back here."

Joey looked down at her feet anxiously, her nerves returning. "You had no right to spy on her like that," Charlie stated protectively, "And I'm guessing you've been in such a cheerful mood the last few days because you thought she wouldn't be coming back." Ruby stood quietly in the background, shaking her head in disgust at Angelo, "Maybe it's time you left Angelo...I think these two need to talk." Angelo crossed his arms across his chest, "Well I guess it's too bad that Charlie's on her way to work. They'll need to talk another time."

Charlie took a deep breath, staring at Joey nervously, "Joey...would you stay here for a coffee so we can talk if I don't go into work today?" As Joey raised her head to look at Charlie trying to decide her answer, Angelo stepped forwards again, "Ah since when do cops get personal days because their ex rocks up on their door step?" "Excuse me?" Charlie turned to him. "You're not getting a day off for this Charlie," Angelo insisted.

"Are you pulling rank on me?" Charlie demanded. Angelo clenched his jaw, "I'm your Sergeant, Senior Constable, and I'm ordering you to get to work." "Or you'll what?" Charlie harassed him verbally, "In case you haven't noticed I am pissed off at you for invading my privacy and then you had the audacity to admit you went to spy on Joey. You want a reason for me taking the day off? Look in the mirror. I just realized how much of a lying scumbag my boyfriend is. Don't you dare pull rank and play the moral high ground with me. Go to the station and do my shift for me if you're that concerned. I think it's about time you left Angelo."

Angelo stared down at her, "I have every right to pull rank on you when I'm your boss. I was put in charge for a reason--" "Leave!" Charlie ordered him. Angelo ignored her, "Charlie I'm not just going to--" "Now!" Charlie growled at him viciously.

Ruby and Joey almost cowered, having never seen how angry Charlie had gotten like that before. Angelo shook his head in disgust, "Fine. You have your little talk with your ex. But like I said before...I didn't bring her here for anything but to give you closure Charlie. And if she...thinks for one second that she's back for anything more that...you can both know that I'm not giving up that easily. I know we belong together, and despite all this we're gonna get through it so I'm gonna fight for you Charlie."

With that Angelo took off, rushing past Joey and Ruby at the doorway, giving no apologies for bumping into them. Ruby bit her lip, "Okay well...as he goes...I go too. You two have...a lot to talk about. Call me later and tell me how it went." "Ruby...thanks," Charlie whispered. "Anytime," Ruby nodded, as she then turned to leave.

Charlie stared quietly at Joey for a moment, watching as the younger girl continued to look down at the floor nervously, "So...I guess we should talk." Joey glanced back up at her shyly, "I guess you're right..."