This is for luckdog who directed me to the song feature in this fic. I meant to use it earlier when it was so perfectly relevant but I forgot! Oops! But hopefully it still works in this context. I hope you enjoy the chapter. Love, IJKS xxx

Chapter Twenty Three

Once again, Joey had barely slept. Images of the pain Charlie had been through all these years plagued her to the point of tears. The radio sounded to wake her up, although there was really no need. The song playing was one that Joey instantly recognised as being one of the many 'anti-Charlie' tracks she listened to on a regular basis, 'Devil in Me' by Kate Voegele. Lying back on the pillows, she listened to the words.

You took me for granted

Planted thorns in this garden of mine

What are the chances my hope has died?

Sighing heavily, Joey closed her eyes. She had committed herself to the lyrics a long time ago. They'd summed her feelings up so perfectly only a couple of days ago. But now, everything had changed.

So don't break my heart

I ain't never done nothing to deserve this

And I'm torn apart, you've had your fun

Do you suppose I earned it?

Do you not see how I'm begging on my knees?

No, don't speak, don't breathe

You bring out the devil in me

That was certainly true. Thinking over everything that had been said and done over the last few months killed her. Part of her stood by it because Charlie had hurt her so much. She had broken her into pieces. She'd destroyed her until it felt like there was nothing left. But now, picturing Charlie so vulnerable on the pier yesterday, she couldn't help but love her. It felt like an impossible situation.

I had a suspicion

But didn't want to believe you a liar

You had a mission to prove me right

You took my trust

Ground it to dust

Found out I know better, yeah

Tears surprised her. She couldn't help but remember exactly why she and Charlie had broken up. Charlie had had sex with someone when she was meant to be in a committed relationship. She'd implied so many times that it had 'just happened' but for the life of her, Joey couldn't figure out how it had. Sex took time, one would presume – surely there could have been a moment when Charlie knew she was doing the wrong thing? Kissing someone on a whim was one thing, but undressing with them, letting them be intimate with you, spending the night sleeping beside them... that took time. It took consciousness.

And I don't want to feel the pain

And I don't want another day

Shackled to your ball and chain

You're entirely to blame

And I'm so tired of explaining

The sensation I've known over time

I don't even care that there is

No charity in your heart

Couldn't you spare me?

I've done my part.

But lyrics that had once summed up every fibre of her being were gone. Knowing everything she knew now, giving Charlie that space to offer her explanations. Sitting there by the water's edge, holding her as she cried... she could no longer believe that Charlie was a monster. And it terrified her. If she were to let her in again, what would become of them?

So don't break my heart

I ain't never done nothing to deserve this

And I'm torn apart, you've had your fun

Do you suppose I earned it?

Do you not see how I'm begging on my knees?

No, don't speak, don't breathe

You bring out the devil in me

Having a day off work, Joey headed out to the gym and despite Tony's anxiety after last time, took her frustrations out on the punch bag. Behind her, Hugo entered the gym and approached Tony.

"We were wondering if you'd like to come to dinner tonight," he said. "You and Rachel."

"That would be great," Tony accepted.

"It's our way of saying thank you for being so great about our news."

Joey continued to pound the punch bag, envisioning both Robbo and her own ideas of what the monster who had raped Charlie had looked like. She felt worse than ever about how unkind she had been to her ex-girlfriend, regardless of what she had done to deserve it. Her head was full of confusion. She'd meant it when she'd told Charlie that she would like to be friends but there was a voice in the back of her head that told her that for them, with the kind of love they shared, it was likely to be a case of all or nothing. And she didn't know if she had anything to give.

"Well, I just want to see Martha happy," Tony said behind her. "And you too. Jack's gone and... well, if Martha is going to be with anyone but him then I'm glad it's you."

Hugo thanked him and the two men shook hands before Hugo glanced in Joey's direction.

"What's with her?" he asked.

"I'd assume Charlie," Tony said.

Hugo nodded, feeling a little guilty. He had wanted Charlie from the moment he had first arrived in the Bay. Martha aside, he thought she was the most beautiful woman he'd seen in a long time. He'd known that he didn't want a relationship with her. He'd known that he wanted her to be a notch on his bedpost. And he'd got exactly what he wanted, regardless of the consequences. Now, he was happy and in love with Martha and they were preparing to share their lives together. And Charlie and Joey's romance was left in tatters.

"Hey, are you...?" he tried, tapping Joey on the shoulder.

She promptly punched him in the face.

"So spill," Ruby demanded.

It was her sixteenth birthday and she and Charlie had both managed to brush yesterday's argument under the carpet. They had also both had the sense not to bring the issue up again. Charlie still didn't want Ruby to sleep with Xavier and Ruby remained adamant that she would do it anyway. So, ignoring the situation seemed like the best possible solution.

"What do you mean?" Charlie asked uncertainly.

She'd made her secret daughter breakfast in bed, like she normally did on her birthday. She'd showered her with gifts and a card and everything seemed to be back to normal now that they were sitting round the kitchen table together before Ruby was due to go to school and Charlie was meant to be heading out to work.

"You and Joey," Ruby said. "I saw you yesterday."

For a moment, Charlie froze, fearing she had heard their conversation.

"You saw us?" she asked, reminding herself that if Ruby had found out the truth about her parentage, they wouldn't be spending a happy day together today.

"Hugging on the wharf," Ruby said. "Have you made up? Are you back together?"

The hope in her voice was more than a little touching. While it might have taken Ruby a little time to adjust to Charlie's romance with Joey, she both accepted and longed for its return now.

"We're friends," Charlie said. "We talked a lot yesterday and... we're friends."

"Well, we all know where friends leads..." Ruby smirked.

Charlie blushed and shook her head.

"I don't think so," she said. "I don't think Joey will ever trust me enough for her to take me back but friendship is better than nothing. She told me that she forgives me now for what happened."

Charlie couldn't stop smiling.

"How did that happen?" Ruby wondered. "I mean, how did you end up talking like that? Usually you two can't be in the same room as each other for more than five seconds before a screaming match starts. I heard about what happened on her date with Crystal, by the way."

Charlie looked down, a little embarrassed and ashamed of her own behaviour.

"She saw me and you arguing," she admitted. "And she came to make sure that I was okay."

"Joey!" Tony shrieked.

Hugo leapt back, clutching his face. He felt blood seeping from his nose.

"He frightened me!" Joey said.

The last thing she had wanted or expected while she was trying to get her head around the concept of rape was a man touching her – especially that particular man. She might have forgiven Charlie now but she would never have any regard for Hugo Austin again.

"Sorry," Hugo said. "I was just checking you were okay."

Tony handed him a tissue. Joey took her gloves off and shoved her hands in her pockets.

"I'd apologise if it was anyone but you," she said honestly. "But for what it's worth, it was an accident."

Then she left.

At lunch time, Ruby had agreed to go for lunch with Charlie as a birthday treat. She had her party tonight and so had told her friends that lunch time was dedicated to her sister. Both Charlie and Leah had agreed to go out for the evening in order to give them the house to themselves. And Ruby hadn't bothered seeking permission to have Xavier spend the night. They were both aware of the situation and had no right, in Ruby's opinion, to object.

"Here," Charlie said, offering a large box out to the youngest Buckton.

"What's this?"

"Open it and see."

Ruby obeyed and then stared between the contents of the box and Charlie.

"Charlie, this is amazing!"

In a bid to let Ruby know that, however reluctantly, she supported any decision she made, Charlie had bought her a party dress.

"You don't have to wear it tonight if you don't want to," she said. "You probably already have something picked out. But I saw you eyeing this in the store last time we went shopping so..."

Ruby pulled her into a firm hug.

"You're the best sister a girl could ever have," she declared.

Joey was still feeling out of sorts. She was also sure that one of these days, after the amount of incidents she'd already been involved in, Tony would ban her from the gym. She also couldn't help but feel a little bit pleased with herself for making Hugo bleed. It couldn't have happened to a nicer guy, she mused as she walked into the Diner. The first people she spotted were Charlie and Ruby. Charlie was always the first person she looked for. She couldn't help it. Within a matter of seconds, Charlie had spotted her too. The women smiled shyly at each other. Ruby spotted her and waved her over.

"Hey," Joey greeted. "Happy birthday."

"Thanks!" Ruby said.

"Would you um... would you like to... to join us?" Charlie asked hesitantly.

Joey considered refusing but knowing that she and Charlie were trying to put the past behind them and be friends, she agreed. Once she was sat down, she pulled a card and neatly wrapped gift out of her bag, handing it to Ruby and wishing her a happy birthday again.

"Thank you!" Ruby beamed.

Charlie and Joey smiled at each other again as Ruby tore into the wrapping paper. Joey had bought her a CD of a band they both liked and had discussed at great length when they had lived together.

"This is wonderful," Ruby said. "Thank you."

They hugged. Charlie couldn't tear her gaze away.

Forty five minutes later, Ruby had to head back to school. Charlie promised to drop her extra gifts back at home and then returned her shy attention back to Joey.

"So, um... are you going back to work now or...?"

"I've got the day off," Joey said.

They both looked up when Hugo and Martha entered the Diner. Hugo was sporting a rather vivid bruise. Charlie did her best to pretend she hadn't noticed him until Martha marched up to them.

"Did you have to, Joey?" she asked.

"It was an accident," Joey insisted.

"Then why wouldn't you apologise?" Martha asked.

Charlie silently began to panic.

"Do I really need to go into that?" Joey asked.

"Well, if you have such a problem with him then I can only assume you did it on purpose."

"What kind of moron interferes with someone attacking a punch bag anyway?" Joey asked. "It was his own fault."

Hugo tugged Martha's arm, not wanting a confrontation. Joey returned her attention to Charlie.

"You hit him?" she asked.

"By accident," Joey repeated. "Although I have to admit it was a damn good shot."

She grinned. Charlie couldn't help but laugh.

"So, anyway," she said, wanting to switch subjects. "If you're not doing anything for the rest of day, would like to... hang out or something?"

Joey hesitated but then smiled.

"I'd love to," she said sincerely.

Next time... Charlie and Joey spend the day together, Ruby and Annie debate homosexuality and Ruby begins to reconsider her plans with Xavier...