"Charlie i feel like we''re being watched"

"what so you mean Jo?" charlie's cop instinct kicking in.

"That boat over there, it hasn't moved since last night and i can see the shadow of 's really freaking me out. I feel someones eyes boaring into this boat, watching us."

"Do you have binoculars here, Alf should carry some surely?"

"Sure hon, let me take a look."

Joey returned some 5 minutes later with a pair of binoculars. Charlie taking a look across the waters, anger rising. Her facial expression changing to a scowl, Joey realised something was wrong.

"Charlie, who is it?"

"I don't think you even have to ask Jo."

"What??? Angelo??"

"You got it. Hole in one. What does he want?' Charlie questioned, unsure as to the events that were about to unfold.

Ruby came back to the deck to overhear Angelos name. Curious to know more, she looked in the direction of the boat, which was making its way towards the Blaxland.

"Joey, what's Angelo doing coming towards us?" the young Buckton asked.

"Honestly rubz, i'm clueless" Joey replied, shaking her head.

Charlie scowlled down the line of sight, as Angelo parked his boat close to the Blaxland, climbing aboard without an invite.

Charlie stepped in front of Joey and Ruby, one hand holding Joey's. The trio formed a triangle. Facing Angelo she quizzed "What do you want Angelo?"

"Thanks for the invite" Angelo replied, with a fake smile "licence and rego details please", his eyes firmly settled on Joey.

She pulled out her boat licence and handed it to Angelo, without a seconds hesistation.

"Rego?" Angelo quizzed once more.

"Angelo, you know this is Alf's boat", Charlie started.

"Yeah, but you should have the paperwork irregardless" he snapped in reply.

"Come on Rosetta, the gigs up, you're not here to see about our licencing. Out with it!!" Charlie exclaimed in frustration. Tension growing, Joey reached for her hand again, hoping that she could calm her evidently angry lover down.

"Ah well spotted Charlie, you get me thrown out of Summer Bay, transferred to another station into a job i dont want. You didn't think that I would just leave would you?" he asked, moving in closer to Charlie until he was an inch away from her face.

"Angelo, you have no official business here, so i tell you now get off this boat!!" Charlie yelled.

"Nah, i'm not through with you yet" he replied angrily.

"Angelo, please I have to get home, I have exams on Monday" Ruby pleaded, hoping that a deterrence will allow Angelo a chance to see reason and leave the girls alone.

Angelo turned to face Ruby, still being protected by her Mother. He edged closer saying "Ruby, do you honestly think I care about your exams right now? You never suported my relationship with your Mother. You should have fought harder with her to see reason. You just let her break up with me and what, return to a relationship with a woman of all things!"

Ruby stepped out of Charlie's line of protection, annoyed at Angelo's accusations. "How dare you? When you two broke up, I was the one telling Charlie she had a good thing going with you. I could only say so much. She insisted it was over. She couldn't return to you. Do you honestly think that now that Joey has come back and I see how happy she makes Charlie, that I'm going to ask her to reneg on that happiness and seek you instead? A man she clearly despises? Get out of Summer Bay, you have nothing to keep you here. Leave while you have any decency left."

Charlie was proud of her daughter, the way she stood up for her relationship with Joey. The way she handled Angelo, poised, and firm. But would it be enough for him to leave? Taking Rubys hand, she gave it a squeeze, her way of saying thankyou. Ruby held onto it, amazed at her own reaction to Angelo.

The radio chimed in. The girls hearing Alf on the other end, instantly relaxing, knowing that they had to get the boat back.

"Alf; Sergent Rosetta here, got the Buckton girls and Joey Collins here. They have no rego papers here. Can't let them drive back to the Pier until we resolve this."

"Struth Mate, I have the paperwork. I never leave it on the boat. I want you to let the girls get back. I need Joey for a tour this arvo. The boat has to be cleaned and prepped for the tour. Can you come back to Noah's and check it out. Let the girls get back eh?"

"No Alf, Collins needs the paperwork here and now, can't let her go with out it."

Hearing Angelo's response Alf timed out for a minue, needing to serve some customers.

Joey noticed Angelo's back turned to her, so she flicked the microphone on, allowing the opportunity for Alf to hear everything that is said.

"Well, looks like we're not going anywhere." Angelo sighed

Charlie was getting frustrated, unable to contain herself any more.

"Come on Angelo, the only reason you're here is to create tension between me and Joey. Nothing you say or do will make me want to be with you. I'm happy with Joey. I know what I want and who I want in my life. You're just going to have to accept that and move on with your own!" She blasted in retaliation.

"I can make your life very difficult right now and you know it. I can arrest and charge Collins with not having the necessary paperwork for taking the boat out. She may have a licence, but as far as I'm concerned she's stolen this boat for a joyride."

"Rosetta!!!" a voice boomed over the microphone "You let those girls go right now, march yourself off that boat. I want Joey back within 20minutes or you'll be dealing with me. She took the boat out with my permission. She moored it overnight, and is still on it because I gave her permission. She was to return it last night but since my morning tour had to postpone until after lunch, i gave her the chance to sleep out on the water with Charlie and Joey. Now, don't infuriate me any more you big galah, and let me have my boat back. Within 20 minutes you hear me!!??!!!" Alf yelled down the radio, his voice echoing through the Blaxland.

"You heard the man, you have 20 minutes to get back to land. Take a minute longer and I'll be booking you myself" Angelo stated, with his jaw clenched.

"Rosetta!!!" Alf's voice boomed again.

"No worries Alf, I'm getting off now!!" he exclaimed.

Charlie was still steaming as she watched Angelo climb off the boat, and back onto his. She did think about pushing him off but with a 20 minute deadline to get the boat back to Alf, she decided against it.

In the meantime, Joey had turned to respond to Alf and thank him for rescuing them.

"No worries Darl, listen.... there's no tour this arvo. Keep the boat. Just have it back before lunch. I want to do some fishing after work so I thought I'll get Aden to do some work on it for me.'

"Alf, thankyou, Charlie and I will clean it up for you. You won't even know we were on it." Joey sighed with relief.

"just enjoy your morning Joey. See you when you come back in". With that Alf signed off and left the girls to recover from the whole Angelo debarcle.

Setting sail down the river, to make it look like they were headed home, Charlie wrapped her arms around Joey, kissing Joeys shoulder and whispering into her ear "You look so hot right now!!"

"mmm Charlie... how you can be so calm after all that was said just now, I mean... didn't Angelo get under your skin?"

"Of course he did, but i'm not going to let him get in between the happiness that I feel. I'm not going to let anger rule me. That's what he wants, so we fight and give up. i'm not that insecure woman anymore Jo. I was when I was with him. I was afraid of commitment. I didn't want anything to do with him, no family, no moving in together or buying a house. With you, I want it all. I want the family, the house, the white picket fence. I want a happily ever after fairytale. If i can't have that, then I can't go on.'

Turning around to face her lover, Joey looked into Charlie's eyes, realising everything she had just said was true. She wasn't just saying it.

"I love you Charlie Buckton. I promise you we will take each day as it comes, and each year as it goes by and I will give you everything I can. My whole heart. The house. The picket fence. All of it." With that she sealed her promise with a kiss.

"mmm hmm, sorry guys" Ruby interrupted, wishing she didn't have to "I have to get back to dry land, exams and study await me, any chance we can get a move on?"

"Of course Rubz. No worries, just help us clean up and I'll have you back in 15 minutes" Joey replied with a smile.

The Blaxland was clean and returned to its previous state. Joey and Charlie wanted to reassure Alf, that despite the debarcles with Angelo, they could be trusted to return his boat in one piece. So they headed home, to Leahs.

Upon returning home, they had dropped Ruby to Irene's on the way, they told Leah what happened with Angelo, making her aware the guy meant trouble. All three of them deciding to beef up the security at Leah's, locking the place up even if there was someone home.

None of them knew how unpredictable Angelo could be so better to be safe than sorry.

Returning to their bedroom, both girls lay down together, eager to forget the morning's events.

"Charlie, you don't think Angelo's going to bother us any more do you?"

"Honestly Jo, I don't know. He's so hell bent on revenge. Just be careful when I'm not around ok? Make sure you tell someone where you're going and when you'll be back. I don't want to send out a search and rescue party to find you!" charlie replied, gently stroking Joey's body.

"Trust me, I think I'll lay low for a while, just at least until we know he's left" Joey concluded.

Charlie shrugged her shoulders, unsure as to what to do wanted to calm Joey down but even in her own mind, she was unsure of Angelo's next move. He was meant to leave Summer Bay. Why was he hanging around?

....

The next morning the girls headed out for a run. As they headed home, they detoured via the Diner to get a juice. Charlie ran in to pick them up as Joey waited outside, taking in the fabulous views surrounding her.

"So you're still here?" a voice gruffly asked.

"I see you are too Angelo."

"Collins, you know Charlie belongs with me, now get out of here. Make some excuse and leave."

"Hell No!! I left her once because of a stupid mistake she made. Then I came back to realise we were both were fighting to get each other out of our systems. When in fact we just wanted tobe together. Now we are.... Charlie isn't the same woman that broke up with you. She's not the same woman I broke up with. She's caring, confident, and focussed. She knows what she can give to the relationship with me. She knows what she wants from me and the relationship. She's not going to give up on us and neither am I." Joey reconfirmed, confident in her own stance.

"Collins, she's no good for you. She'll break your heart. She did it once. She'll do it again!" Angelo reiterated, realising Joey made a good point. He didn't know who Charlie was any more. Gone was the woman he left in Summer Bay many months ago. In her place, an unknown confident woman, who knew what she wanted. And this frightened Angelo the most. Despite all his efforts to try and convince Charlie to give him another shot, she wasn't budging.

Joey knew Angelo was trying to break her confidence in Charlie. He was trying to bring up old feelings in the hope she would get cold feet and run. But not this time. Joey stood her ground and face her nemesis.

"Angelo, if you really love Charlie, set her free. Let her explore love with me. If it doesn't work out you'll know about it. I believe strongly in this relationship. I gave up everything I love to do for a second chance at it. I could easily get on a trawler and take a long haul, never come back. I'd be breaking my own heart and Charlie's too. I love her and ruby too much to let them go. I think you know that better than anyone. For true love to thrive we have to make a sacrifice no matter how big or small. You leaving will give Charlie the freedom she desperately seeks. She is still going to counselling. She's having trouble returning to work. Do you honestly want to make life harder for her by sticking around, pulling at the emotional ties that are so fragile at the moment?"

Angelo stood there looking at Joey, realising her love for Charlie was greater than anything he could give right now. He wanted her back, but for all the wrong reasons. As he realised his mistakes, he looked back at Joey saying 'Look after her ok? Tell her I'm sorry. I never wanted to upset her or stop her going back to work. She's a great cop. Tell her to fix herself up cos Summer Bay needs her at the helm ok?"

With that Angelo turned and left, realising Summer Bay was not the place to be right now. One day, his return might be a more anticipated one. But he didn't want to hurt Charlie any more than he already had. He wanted her friendship. Nothing more. As he jumped in his car, he took one last look at the ocean views of Summer Bay and headed out, back to the City.

....

"Joey was that...??"

"Angelo, yeah. He wanted to say he was sorry for stuffing you around. He didn't want to cause you any more pain or delay your return to work." joey replied, taking her juice from Charlie.

"I wasn't expecting that... I was expecting a full fight of words and fists... geez... that man sure can surprise at the best of times" Charlie replied in shock.

"Well i say we go and enjoy our day off, while I still have you to myself" Joey purred.

Both girls were exhausted after their run, but happy as a new day had dawned before them. With that they headed down the beach to soak up the sun and some much needed alone time.

Thankyou so much for the feedback. Hitting 30 reviews, wow!! What an accomplishment.

I hope this chapter wasn't too cheesy. I wanted to ensure Angelo had left for good. His realisation Charlie was happy with Joey, should hopefully keep him out of Summer Bay.

Please R&R.