Caught In The Middle Chapter 18: In This Life, a home & away fanfic

Since I'm in a good mood - and I know you guys are desperate for me to get onto the rest of this fic - I thought I've give you this quick update

Rhyleigh - Wow that was the fastest review ever! It clocked in at the same MINUTE the chapter was posted! Did you read the chapter before reviewing lol? :P

AuthorW - Oh yes Joey certainly has some plans for her date...

JSCO81 - Always a tease! Hope the CJ date isn't a disappointment :P

Oniz - Welcome back! The CJ date is up in the next chapter! Glad you're looking forward to possible Gabby & Becca-ness :P

Chapter and Song inspired by the genius Movie249 :P

YouTube Vid - .com/watch?v=g1-ekTRQb7w

Enjoy guys!

"In This Life" -

"I was nurtured I was sheltered
I was curious and young
I was searching for that something
Trying to find it on the run
Oh and just when I stopped looking
I saw just how far I'd come
In this life
In this life

You give me love
You give me light
Show me everything's been happening
You've opened up my eyes
I'm Following
Three steps fight an honest fight
Two hearts that can start a fire
One love is all I need
In this life

I have faltered I have stumbled
I have found my feet again
I've been angry I've been shaken
Found a new place to begin
My persistence to make a difference
Has led me safe into your hands
In this life
In this life

I was put here for a reason
I was born into this world
And I'm living and I'm believing
I was meant to be your girl
In this life

Regardless, Charlie had called Ruby and asked to come over, as she had taken Joey's advice about showing Ruby the photo of them, hoping that Ruby would take it the right way. She couldn't guess Ruby's reactions anymore, not since Ruby had found out the truth. But she hoped that was one of the things that could repair between them.

Ruby knocked on the back door just as the kettle boiled. It hurt Charlie that Ruby felt the need to knock instead of just enter the place she'd called home. Charlie turned to her just as she lifted the kettle and began pouring the water into the mugs, "Hey how's things?"

Ruby hesitated at the doorway for a moment before sitting down at the kitchen table, "Things are…good. So…ah how come you called and asked me over?" Charlie grabbed a carton of milk from the fridge and poured some milk into the drinks, "I just…well we haven't really hung out lately…just the two of us. And since I had the day off work and it's not a school day I thought…we could just catch up."

Ruby nodded awkwardly, "So what did you want to catch up about? How's things going with Joey?" Charlie blushed, "Um…actually their really good between us. I might…um talk to you later about that if that's okay. I was kinda more hoping we could…maybe talk about us while you're here."

Ruby stared at the kitchen table, trying not to feel ambushed, "Um…okay." Charlie turned around from the counter with the two mugs and placed one in front of Ruby. Before she could sit down, Charlie watched on as Ruby's eyes fell on the photo of the pair of them that Charlie had left on the table, "Oh…um that's…I didn't mean for you to find it like that…I was meant to subtly work that into the conversation."

Ruby frowned as she looked up at Charlie, "What's this?" Charlie swallowed deeply as she sat down opposite Ruby, "It's ah…something that I've kept on me for…quite some years. Joey found me looking at it today and thought…maybe you should know about it." Ruby chewed on her lip, "Is this…us?"

Charlie nodded hesitantly, "Yes. Mum took the photo the day after you were born." Ruby continued staring at it, "And you said that you've kept it…what all this time?" "I couldn't part with it. It sounds awful but I've had it hidden in my purse for years…I was too afraid to keep it somewhere where you'd be able to find it…'cause it would've raised questions for you," Charlie admitted.

Ruby creased her eyebrows, "I thought you destroyed all the photos of yourself from this age…the photo albums at Aunty Michelle's." Charlie nervously took a sip of her tea, "That's the only one I kept. I needed to at least keep one memory of us…the way we were supposed to be." Ruby bit the inside of her cheek, "Are you actually…smiling in this photo?"

Charlie anxiously placed the mug down and fiddled with her watch, "Yes I was happy to have you. It didn't matter how you came to me. You were mine and yes I was happy to have my first photo with you. It wasn't like Mum and Dad forced me to be happy, I was. But then when I got out of hospital…things got too hard for me as I was forced to deal with everything I'd been trying to ignore. Then on top of trying to be a teenage mother…I already knew I was failing you…so I ran. Biggest mistake of my life…and you know I've made a few…but running away and leaving you with our parents to raise you…is without a doubt the worst."

Ruby suddenly glanced up at Charlie, "No it wasn't. It wasn't a mistake…you did the right thing. I get that now."

Charlie stared at Ruby questioningly, so Ruby continued, "If you had of stayed you would never have gotten over what…he did to you. You needed time away to heal yourself without the constant memories of what happened. And then without leaving you would never have come back to me being raised by Mum and Dad, you would've been raising me yourself as a teenager.

You wouldn't have had the same opportunities. Probably would've needed to drop out of school…and instead of being a well-respected cop…you'd probably be working some dead-end job earning no money just to get us by. All of this means that I wouldn't have had the life I've had. I'm not saying that other life wouldn't have been great too…but I don't blame you for abandoning me and letting Mum and Dad raise me. You made the right choice considering the circumstances…and I get that now."

Charlie blinked back several tears, moved by Ruby's acceptance, then suddenly confessed, "I want you to move back home with me." Ruby raised her eyebrows, "You…want me to move back here?" Charlie took a deep breath, "I probably shouldn't have asked you and thrown it out there like that…but yes I'd like you to move back home…if you're ready. Because I'm ready and proud…to be your sister or your mother…whatever you want…I'm ready to be there for you…if you want me to."

Ruby stared back down at the photo in her hands, "I think I need to take some time to think about it." Charlie nodded, trying not to show her disappointment, "Of course…take your time." Ruby suddenly stood up from the table, "Well I might…um go for a walk…and think about that. Do you mind if…if maybe I take this photo with me…while I think things through?"

Charlie plastered a small smile on her face, "Of course you can take the photo…if you want you can keep it. I know it's not much…but that photo means a lot to me. I'm glad I finally had the courage to show you." Ruby smiled as she walked to the door, "I'm glad you showed it to me Charlie. I'll see you later okay?" Charlie grinned again at Ruby with as much hope as she could portray, then once Ruby walked out of the house, Charlie's smile faded as she felt upset that Ruby hadn't agreed to move back home. And she probably won't when she's had time to think about it.

Several hours later after Ruby had spent some time walking along the beach she found herself standing in front of Aden's apartment, hoping that Joey might be home so she could talk to her about Charlie's offer for her to move back home. She was confused and still unsure of whether or not she could trust Charlie and wanted to find a way through it.

When Joey opened the front door, Ruby let out a small smile of relief. "Hey Rubes," Joey greeted her. "Hey," Ruby whispered, "Can I come in?" Joey nodded, "Yeah of course. What's up?" Ruby hesitantly walked into the apartment, "Um…is anyone else home?" Joey sat down on the couch, "Nope. Aden's at work and the girls have gone down to the beach for a swim. Actually I've got…ah something I need to do soon but I can spare a few minutes if you wanta talk."

Ruby followed suit and sat down next to Joey on the couch, "Oh if I'm keeping you…I can come back later. What do you need to do?" Joey smiled shyly, "I sort of…have this date tonight that I need to get ready for." Ruby nodded, "Oh…that's nice for you and Gabby." Joey quirked her head to the side, "No the date's not with Gabby…it's with Charlie." Ruby frowned, "You're two-timing Gabby with Charlie?"

"What? No of course not," Joey told her urgently, "Have you not spoken to Charlie today?" Ruby creased her eyebrows, "Well yes but she mentioned that things were good between you two…but she was gonna talk to me later about…it…wait are you two...?" Joey blushed lightly, "We're back together yes…or I mean I'm hoping that after our date tonight…we'll officially be back together."

Ruby lurched forwards and wrapped her arms around Joey, "That's fantastic! God I can't believe Charlie didn't tell me. So this is for real this time?" Joey pulled out of the hug, overjoyed by Ruby's reaction, "Yes it's for real. I love Charlie…and I guess I couldn't keep fighting it. So I broke things off with Gabby and I'm setting up my date tonight with Charlie."

Ruby smiled nervously, "Oh…well I should really leave you to it. I don't want to get in your way. Unless you want some help." Joey grinned, "That's good of you to offer but I've got things under control. Like I said I've got a few minutes free and I don't think you came here just to hear about my news which you didn't really have a clue about."

Ruby nodded slowly, "Yeah I was…hoping I could talk to you about something." Joey wrapped her arms around Ruby, "You know you can tell me anything." Ruby leant her head against Joey's neck, "I went to see Charlie earlier…she asked me to move back home with her."

Joey smiled at Charlie's courage but grimaced at Ruby's obvious uncertainty about moving back in with Charlie, "Do you want to move back home with her?" Ruby sighed softly, "I want to trust her…I just don't know if I can yet. She also said that she's ready to be my Mum. How do I know if I'm ready for that?"

Joey squeezed Ruby's shoulders, "Do you miss having her around? Do you want to get close to her again?" "I do miss the relationship we used to have…but I don't think we can get back there," Ruby confessed. "Well is it impossible for your relationship not to be better if you give it some time?" Joey pointed out. "Maybe it is possible for us to have the relationship we were always meant to…as mother and daughter," Ruby mused, "Do you think moving in could give us that chance?"

"I think it's a step in the right direction…but it's really not up to me," Joey answered honestly. "I guess you're right," Ruby realized, then she pulled out the photo Charlie had given her from her jeans pocket, "Charlie…she ah…she gave me this photo. Told me she'd kept it…since it was taken."

Joey took the photo from Ruby's hands as Ruby passed it to her, her instincts telling her not to inform Ruby that Charlie had already shown her the photo and she had been the one to help convince Charlie to have the courage to ask Ruby to move back home. She didn't want Ruby to feel like Charlie wasn't strong enough to do it on her own. "It's a beautiful photo Ruby. You can see how much Charlie loves you."

Ruby nodded softly at Joey's comment, "Do you think she did the right thing when she gave me up? I told her after she showed me this that she'd made the right choice because our lives wouldn't have turned out like this if she had of raised me. But then I went down to the beach and just sat there staring at this photo for an hour or so…and I couldn't help but imagine what our lives could've been like if it had just been the two of us. I understand why she did what she did…but I'm not so sure she did do the right thing."

Joey traced her finger against Charlie's face in the photo, "Whether she did the right thing or not…I guess you'll never know. It's what happens next that'll count. But I can tell you that Charlie must've done something right…because of the incredible person you turned out to be." "You really think that?" Ruby asked anxiously.

"Ruby you've got a whole amazing life ahead of you that you can do anything with because of the person you are. You're so lucky Rubes," Joey told her. Ruby stared up at her, "Why am I so lucky?"

Joey sighed softly, "Because when I grew up I had a family who didn't want me. The only time my Dad noticed me was when I went fishing with him, my Mum…didn't love me enough to stick around when she started having problems with my Dad. And Brett…well it's safe to say that Brett only cared about me in his…Brett-ish way…but when things got tough for him when I came out…he couldn't get far enough away from me. I don't want you to feel bad for me Rubes, I got over not having a real family a long time ago. I'm just saying…Charlie loves you Ruby and she's desperate to be either you mother or your sister…and that makes you pretty much the luckiest girl in the world to have someone like that."

Ruby swallowed deeply, "So how do I sort through all this pain I've been in since I found out the truth and find a way to trust Charlie again?"

Several hours later, Charlie was in her room trying to decide what to wear for her date with Joey. She was incredibly nervous and wanted everything to go perfectly for them. She knew that Joey felt the same way about her and that they were both going to give their relationship the chance it should have had the first time. She knew Joey was giving her another chance to prove that she could be with her for real this time.

As Charlie stood by her bed staring at all the clothes she'd laid out on the bed, hoping to find a suitable option for her mystery date with Joey, she suddenly heard a knock at the back kitchen door. Charlie's eyes flung to the clock on her bedside table. It's not even six o'clock! Joey can't be over an hour early! She just can't…I'm not even ready yet! How can I make tonight perfect when I haven't got a clue what to wear and Joey might already be here because she can't wait for our date to start?

Charlie sighed heavily and left her room to answer the back door, fully prepared to embarrass herself in front of Joey by admitting that to distract herself from Ruby's decision she'd spent nearly two hours sorting through her clothes and still wasn't any closer to finding the perfect outfit.

As Charlie swung open the door nervously she wasn't prepared to find Ruby standing on the back porch. Charlie leant against the door frame as she noticed that Ruby had a large back pack on and was holding a box in front of her.

Ruby held onto the box awkwardly and glanced nervously at Charlie, "So…ah…I realized something today. I've been very confused and had a lot of pain to deal with since I found out who you really are. It's time that I start to sort through this pain in my heart…and I kinda need my Mum to help me do that."

Charlie wiped away several tears that trickled down her cheeks as she reached forward with her left hand and took the box Ruby was holding. Holding the box by her side, Charlie reached out her right hand, stroking Ruby's cheek. Ruby instinctively leapt forwards and wrapped her arms around Charlie in a tight hug. Charlie's free hand found its way to stroke Ruby's back as she kissed the top of Ruby's head. Feeling Ruby crying against her, Charlie held onto her daughter tighter, then through her own tears, she whispered, "Welcome home Ruby."

Next time - CJ's first official date!

Will it end in tears or a kiss?