Most people voted for Hearts on Fire but this chapter is especially for Eatmywords, who was keen for an extra update of this. Enjoy! Love, IJKS xxx

Chapter Fifteen

Joey went for her morning run on the beach before work. Over the past few weeks, since her break up with Charlie, she hadn't been sleeping and so she'd taken to early starts in the fresh air to try and clear her head and keep herself from dwelling too much. Seeing Charlie last night hadn't been easy and she'd left before Charlie and Angelo had. She couldn't help but wonder, knowing their history, if something might happen between Charlie and her ex-boyfriend. All this time, she had insisted that she didn't want to be with Charlie anymore or ever again but the thought that she might move on with someone else made her feel strange and uncertain. Did she really want to forget about their relationship forever? Or was she biding her time without even knowing it? Did she want to get back with her after all? And how would she react if Charlie transitioned so quickly to someone else?

"Ooh! Sorry!" she gasped when she and another person suddenly tumbled to the ground.

"No, it's my fault," the woman said. "I was in my own world."

"Me too," Joey said, standing up and extending her hand to help the woman she had collided with.

"I don't think we've actually met," the woman said. "I'm May."

"The new school teacher?" Joey asked. "Ruby mentioned you."

May nodded and smiled.

"I'm Joey."

They shook hands politely.

"So, were you off anywhere nice?" May asked.

Joey looked confused.

"In your own little world," May explained.

"Oh! No. Unfortunately, I was nowhere nice," Joey admitted. "I was fretting about my ex."

"Coincidence," May remarked.

Joey again looked puzzled.

"I was fretting about my current," the school teacher revealed.

"Sounds unpleasant," Joey replied.

"I don't suppose you'd like to go for coffee? I feel a complaint session coming on and it's so much more satisfying if someone's complaining with you!"

Giggling, Joey agreed and they headed up the beach together.

Charlie was at work early like she normally was, although Ruby had begged her to finish work on time tonight and take her out to dinner so that they could spend some much needed time together. Now, with her essential coffee on her desk, the Senior Constable was preparing to tackle a mountain of paperwork. She couldn't get the way Joey had been looking at her last night, out of her head. What did it mean? Should she try and talk to her about it? Or would everything all go wrong again? Sighing heavily, she forced herself to focus on a nice night with Ruby and some much needed girl time. She just wished she could forget about Joey, even for just a second.

"So, what's up with you and your current?" Joey asked when she and May were settled down together.

To be honest, it was a relief to think about someone else's problems than her own, especially now that Aden and Belle were back on cloud nine. Aden had even admitted yesterday that he was saving up to buy a ring in order to propose to Belle.

"Nothing really," May sighed. "I mean, he's perfectly nice and everything. But I heard on the grapevine that he went out for a drink with his ex last night. And I know there's nothing wrong with exes being friends and they dated months ago but... I don't know. I really like him and I don't think he likes me quite the same amount. But he really liked this Charlie woman and I'm worried that..."

"Charlie?" Joey interrupted.

May nodded, her eyes wide as she hung onto Joey's every word.

"You're dating Angelo Rosetta then, are you?"

May nodded again.

"Do you know them both?"

"One more than the other," Joey said. "I've only spoken to Angelo a couple of times."

"So, what's this Charlie like? Do you think she could have feelings for Angelo still or am I panicking about nothing?"

Joey sighed and sipped her coffee.

"I'd say that you shouldn't underestimate anything Charlie Buckton is capable of," she told her. "Charlie isn't exactly known for her ethics in relationships. She uses and abuses people in order to get what she wants, no matter who gets hurt."

"And you're friends with her?" May asked in alarm.

Joey laughed bitterly.

"I didn't say that," she said. "I said I knew her. Personally, I'd cross the street to avoid her."

May looked crestfallen.

"So, do you think I should be worried?" she asked. "Do you think she and Angelo might still have feelings for each other?"

"I have no idea," Joey told her. "But I'd honestly advise you to find out."

It was the afternoon and Charlie was still suffocating under her now fortunately dwindling amount of paperwork. She looked up when Angelo charged into her office and threw himself into a chair.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"I think May and I just broke up," Angelo sighed.

Charlie put her pen down.

"How come? I thought you guys were going well."

"She just started interrogating me. She was ranting and raving about me going for a drink with you and accusing us of having feelings for each other and..."

He sighed heavily.

"I have no idea where it came from."

"That's weird," Charlie said. "Of course we don't have feelings for each other. Being with you again has never even crossed my mind!"

"Thanks!" Angelo shot back sarcastically.

She quickly apologised.

"Sorry but... it hasn't. I don't mean to sound rude but..."

She shook her head.

"May has nothing to worry about. Maybe you should go and tell her that. Clear the air. Fix things."

Angelo shook his head, sighing heavily.

"To be honest, I don't think I want to go out with anyone that jealous and controlling," he told her. "If she can flip out like that just because I've gone out for a spontaneous drink with an ex... No. I think she just stopped us both wasting a hell of a lot of time trying to make things work."

After work, Joey was heading home when she spotted May sitting on a bench by the beach looking tearful. Feeling a little guilty for projecting her own feelings about Charlie onto the situation, she went to sit down with her. But she hoped that her intentions had been in the right place. She didn't trust Charlie with Angelo, even if he was dating May. By all accounts, Angelo had been besotted with Charlie from day one and if she so much as clicked her fingers, something was likely to happen. And feeling entirely qualified to judge her sexual decision making, Joey thought she could easily click her fingers any day now.

"Hey, are you okay?" she asked gently.

"I broke up with Angelo."

"Oh, May... Shit, I'm so sorry. I think I might have been projecting my issues onto you earlier..."

May gazed at her.

"Charlie is the ex I told you about," Joey explained.

"Oh!" the teacher said in surprise. "The one who cheated on you?"

Joey nodded unhappily.

"Well, it that case, I'm glad I ended it if her morals really are that loose," May said bitterly.

"But that doesn't mean Angelo..."

"He didn't deny having feelings for her," May interrupted. "I asked him out right and he just kind of stuttered and stumbled and..."

She shook her head.

"Obviously I don't know how Charlie feels but I'm surer than ever now that Angelo still likes her."

Charlie and Angelo had been on patrol together for much of the afternoon and were now headed to the Diner to grab a coffee before the last hour of their shift. Charlie was animatedly talking about her dinner plans with Ruby and how much she was looking forward to it when Angelo stopped her. He took her hands and turned to face her. She stared at him in the Diner car park, looking bewildered.

"Charlie, was May right?" he asked.

Charlie's confusion grew.

"Is there something between us still?" Angelo persisted.

"No," Charlie replied without hesitation. "No, there's really not."

She tried to back away but Angelo held on fast to her hands.

"I couldn't deny it when May asked me because I am still attracted to you, Charlie. And I still think you're the most incredible person I've ever met. You've always meant everything to me. I..."

He leant in to kiss her. Startled, Charlie let him come close before she realised exactly what his intention was. She pulled back abruptly and broke contact with him.

"You've read this all wrong," she told him, turning to leave and abandon the coffee run.

She paused in her steps when she realised that, sitting alone on a bench, Joey had witnessed the whole thing. With her heart pounding, Charlie watched Joey get up and leave. She hurried after her, calling her name and leaving Angelo hurt, confused and trudging into the Diner by himself.

"Joey!" Charlie said desperately.

"Don't let me interrupt," Joey said when she realised that Charlie was right behind her.

Charlie made a grab for her, spinning her round and almost startled by the way Joey's deep, dark eyes blazed.

"Nothing happened," Charlie said.

"Really? It looked like you were kissing him from where I was sat."

"I wasn't," Charlie insisted. "He tried but I stopped him. I'm not interested in Angelo. I'm in love with you."

"Like that's ever stopped you banging someone else," Joey shot back, although much to Charlie's surprise, she hadn't broken contact with her.

"Joey, I made a big, stupid, awful mistake but I'm never going to make one like that again," the police officer stated. "The only thing I want in the whole world is to get you back. I'm not going to wreck any small chance I might have to kiss some guy I don't even like."

Joey stepped a little closer, focussing on their joined hands.

"I wouldn't bother trying to be virtuous for the first time in your life, Charlie," she said. "It's a wasted effort. You don't stand any chance with me. Not even a small one."

With that, she abruptly dropped her hands and turned to leave.

"Then why are you so upset?" Charlie called after her.

Joey spun round, staring at her in surprise.

"You thought I was kissing Angelo and you were hurt," Charlie said. "Why would you feel that if don't have feelings for me anymore?"

"Because it just rams home exactly the kind of person you are," Joey replied dishonestly. "So it reminds me of exactly how hard you trampled over my heart and my life."

This time, she left for real.

Next time... Aden asked Joey to be his best man and Ruby offers Charlie some advice...