Surprise! I found myself with some extra time so here is a quick update for you. Love, IJKS xxx

Chapter Twenty Six

Joey woke up still wrapped around Charlie's body. Keeping her eyes closed, she couldn't help but breathe in her scent. Her heart flipped at being so close to her and she was relieved not to feel quite as much self hatred as she had previously done at the realisation that she was still in love with a woman who had treated her so badly. She dared to place the gentlest of kisses on her back. Charlie pretended to still be asleep.

Angelo woke up and went out for a run. Life was starting to settle down a little now and for that he was grateful. All he wanted to do now was complete his mission and leave Jack's family in peace. He didn't want to live in Summer Bay any longer than he had to. The only delight he had found in the place was Charlie and he deeply regretted knocking her back the other night. Even if she was still in love with Joey and even if she had offered herself to him for the wrong reasons, he wished he had taken her up on it.

Although both awake, neither Charlie nor Joey had moved.

"Sorry about last night," Charlie ventured uncertainly. "It was wrong of me to hit on you like that. I hope you can forgive me."

"It's okay," Joey said. "Although I don't really understand why you said and did any of it."

"I was hurting," Charlie said, glad not to have to look at her just yet.

"But why would sleeping with me solve anything?" Joey wondered.

Charlie sighed and then took a couple of breaths.

"The only person I have ever had good sex with is you," she began. "You're the only person I consider myself to have made love to. You're the only person who ever made me feel safe and loved and cared about. Otherwise... I use sex as a negative. I hide in it to stop myself from feeling whatever I'm feeling. I use it to punish myself or ruin my own life."

Joey held her a little closer.

"Why?" she asked.

"Because I'm no good," Charlie replied without hesitation. "I ruined what we had because I knew I didn't deserve you. And I tried to be with you last night because I couldn't cope with everything that's going on right now. I'm freaking out about Ruby and Xavier, and I feel so lost without you..."

Joey kissed her back again, breathing her in once more.

"You're an amazing person," she said. "And if you manage to stop destroying yourself time and again then I think you might actually realise it."

"How can you lie there and tell me that I'm acceptable?" Charlie asked. "After everything I did to you? And I'm not just talking about cheating on you, Joey. I'm talking about the way I behaved from the start. I messed you around so many times. It nearly got you killed. I hurt you so much."

"You also savedmy life," Joey pointed out. "And if Robbo had wanted to get me, he would have succeeded at any time. Me making the decision to run away from you just gave him the opportunity. But if that hadn't happened, he would have found some other way. And yes, you hurt me by pushing me away but it wasn't that long ago that I was struggling with my own sexuality. I understand that it was hard for you to accept that you had feelings for me."

Later that morning, Charlie reluctantly left Joey's embrace and headed home. She arrived just as Xavier was leaving. He looked bashful and Ruby looked like she was on cloud nine. Charlie tried not to cringe as she hurried to make herself a coffee.

"I guess I don't need to ask how last night went," she murmured.

"It was amazing," Ruby swooned, sitting down at the kitchen table.

Charlie nodded, although she didn't particularly want to hear about it.

"We spent the whole night together," Ruby said.

"Well, I should hope he wouldn't have just finished and left!" Charlie remarked, coming to sit beside her.

"We just slept, Charlie," Ruby admitted.

The police officer looked startled.

"You just slept?" she asked, her voice rather higher pitched than she meant it to be.

"I decided that I wasn't ready after all," Ruby explained. "And he was so great about it. He was so kind. We just went to bed and cuddled all night."

She beamed. It was infectious. Charlie was relieved that they hadn't yet taken that step; she was proud of Ruby for knowing she wasn't ready and she was glad that Xavier had responded so nicely to her decision.

"I'm glad you had a special night, Rubes," she said honestly. "And not because I'm relieved you're still a virgin."

"Speaking of spending the night with someone..." Ruby grinned. "Where were you last night? And please, please, please say you were with Joey!"

"I was with Joey," Charlie confirmed.

"Yes!" Ruby cheered.

"But before you get carried away, it wasn't like that," Charlie added quickly.

Ruby's face fell.

"But it was really special," Charlie said. "It sounds like it was a lot like your night with Xavier."

"Really?"

Charlie nodded.

"We spent the whole day together after you went back to school. We dropped your stuff back at home and then trekked up to the lighthouse. We just hung out and spent time together and ended up watching a DVD back at her place."

"Very snugly!" Ruby commented.

"I didn't want to go home and we talked a fair bit and in the end she invited me to stay over," Charlie said. "I got a bit stupid and emotional and she was so good. We cuddled all night and then when I woke up in the morning, when she didn't know I was awake, she kissed my back."

Charlie couldn't help but grin.

"I really think it's only a matter of time, Charlie," Ruby said certainly. "She still loves you. And it's wonderful that she's finally letting you in again."

It was three days before Belle and Aden's wedding. As best man, Joey had organised a night out at the Surf Club with Tony, Miles and Alf. Rachel was playing hostess to Belle's hen night, which was being attended by the bride, the bride's mother, Irene, Annie, Martha, Colleen, Leah, Nicole and Charlie. Everyone involved had been looking forward to it for days.

"Okay, spill," Aden said when he, Joey, Tony, Miles and Alf were seated round the table together.

"I'm not drunk enough to spill my drink," Joey replied, although she knew exactly what her friend was talking about.

He and Belle had seen Charlie leaving her room a couple of days ago and neither believed that nothing had happened.

"Tell me that nothing happened between you and Charlie the other night," Aden said.

"Nothing happened between me and Charlie the other night," Joey said obediently.

"Tell me honestly!"

Alf, Miles and Tony watched the debate with interest.

"Nothing happened," Joey said. "We just cuddled."

"Does that mean you think you'll get back together?" Miles asked eagerly.

He didn't know Joey very well but he cared a lot for Charlie and he wanted to see her happy.

"We're not getting back together," Joey said.

"Why not?" Tony asked, although he wasn't sure interfering was the best move. "You love each other, don't you?"

"It's not as simple as that," Joey replied.

"Why not?" Aden asked, echoing Tony's question. "Honestly, if you love someone the way you love Charlie, any time you don't spend together is just a waste. And I'm speaking from experience."

"Hark at the sappy romantic!" Joey teased.

"You bet I am!" Aden grinned.

"So uh... how are things going with Joey?" Rachel asked.

She had intended to take Charlie aside and get the gossip but both women were horrified to realise that everyone was now listening. Fortunately Colleen was late at least.

"We're friends," Charlie said patiently. "It's nothing more than that."

"Except you love her," Leah teased. "And you get all swoony and cute whenever she's mentioned."

"I do not!" Charlie insisted.

"Yes, you do!" Leah, Martha, Rachel and Belle argued.

"So, why don't you ask her to be your date for the wedding?" Belle suggested when the laughter had died down.

"Because she's Aden's best man. She's kind of already going," Charlie pointed out.

"You should ask her anyway," Nicole told her. "I think she'd say yes."

The following morning, Charlie went out for a run along the beach. Last night had climaxed in Rachel going into labour and giving birth to a beautiful baby boy called Harry. Now, Charlie was fitting in some exercise before she started her shift at work. She stopped when she saw Joey sitting on the sand and gazing out at the ocean. Reminding herself that they were friends now, Charlie approached and asked to sit down.

"Of course," Joey said sweetly.

"Thanks," Charlie said, settling herself beside her.

"How was your night last night?" Joey asked. "Suitably girly?"

"It was great," Charlie said. "Until we had to rush Rachel to hospital."

"Shit. Why? Is she okay? What about the baby?"

"She gave birth to a healthy baby boy," Charlie informed her. "He's gorgeous as well."

They grinned at each other.

"How was your night?"

"No births but yeah, it was cool. We had fun. I think Aden's going to have a pretty sore head when he wakes up this morning though!"

Charlie laughed.

"All is as it should be then!" she said.

Silence fell for a few moments before Charlie braced herself to take the plunge.

"Would you um... well, would you like to go to lunch tomorrow?" she asked nervously.

Joey studied her face, trying to work out if she was asking her out on a date or if it was a friendship thing. Charlie had made it clear that she still wanted to be with her and Joey wasn't entirely sure what she wanted.

"It doesn't have to be a date if you don't want it to be," Charlie added quickly. "I thought lunch might be a nice option, you know. Less scary than dinner? But I thought... I hoped... that maybe you might be willing to spend some more time with me and just... just see how it goes?"

Joey considered her options for a short while, chewing her lip until it got sore.

"That sounds nice, Charlie," she finally replied.

Next time... Charlie and Joey go on their date...