Gunnii11, here's my part of the deal! I eagerly await yours!

Chapter Eleven

Charlie's breath came in short, sharp, painful bursts as she and Joey reached Joey's bed and breakfast. Joey pushed the door open, clutching Charlie's hand and bringing her inside. Charlie stumbled up the stairs, waves of pain coursing through her body. Joey slowed down and gently guided her to her room. She sat Charlie down on the bed, staring at her cut and bruised face, completely unable to speak. Her mind was a jumble. Charlie looked sick. Joey rushed to her, kneeling down in front of her. She held onto her hands, gazing into her eyes.

"Why did you do that?" she asked.

Charlie shrugged and then winced. Joey leapt to her feet, rushing to the sink, grabbing a baby wipe from the pack she'd carried round with her since she began working on the boat. Clean hands were impossible to keep when working on a fishing trawler but dirty hands drove her crazy. She hurried back to Charlie and attempted to carefully mop up the blood. Charlie winced and then silently scolded herself for being a baby. Joey dabbed the blood away but the injury definitely looked like it was going to need stitches.

"Is it bad?" Charlie asked in response to Joey's worried expression.

"I need to get you to the hospital," she replied.

Charlie leapt up in the direction of the mirror but stumbled, her head spinning. Joey reached out to grab hold of her.

"I'm going to call an ambulance," Joey said.

Charlie shook her head. The motion made her ill. She retched into the sink. Joey's arms were around her shoulders. She rubbed Charlie's back and held up her hair while she threw up. Wiping her mouth, Charlie looked at Joey and apologised.

"I think I can forgive you," Joey said. "Now, please let me get you to a doctor?"

Charlie shook her head. She didn't want to be fussed over. They both noticed the blood on the floor at the same time and it wasn't coming from her face. Joey reached for Charlie's shirt. She nearly threw up herself when she saw a shard of glass sticking out of Charlie's abdomen. Charlie looked down and seeing the injury suddenly made it hurt. She knew she had been uncomfortable. She knew she was hurting there but nothing prepared her for how much the pain increased once she saw the wound. Joey pulled out her phone quickly. Charlie tried and failed to protest.

***

An hour and half later, Joey was sitting by Charlie's bedside in the hospital. The glass had been safely removed. Her tummy and face had been stitched and they'd sent her for a scan to check there were no internal injuries in her stomach or her brain. They had been told the results would probably be back in thirty minutes. Charlie was lying back on the bed feeling sore and uncomfortable, both physically and emotionally now, in the harsh light of the hospital with nothing to do but talk to Joey. She felt a tender hand reach out to clutch hers. She turned her head to gaze into Joey's frightened, pale face.

"Why did you do this?" Joey asked, reiterating the question she'd asked inside her room.

"I had to protect you," Charlie said, returning her gaze to the ceiling.

"You put your life at risk, Charlie."

"I'd do it a thousand times if it means keeping you safe," Charlie replied honestly.

"You actually told them to do whatever they wanted to you if they left me alone," Joey recalled.

"I thought they were going to…"

She trailed off. The word was too painful for either of them to hear.

"So did I," Joey admitted.

"I couldn't let that happen to you again."

Joey burst into tears.

"So you would have let it happen to you instead?" she asked.

"If I had to."

Joey cried harder and rose out of her chair. She leant down, hovering over Charlie, desperate to make eye contact. Charlie relented and looked into Joey's eyes. She reached out her free hand to stroke Joey's face, concerned about her tears.

"I didn't mean to upset you," she managed.

Joey cried harder and sank onto Charlie's chest. Charlie stroked her hair, desperately wanting to soothe her.

"I just can't believe that you did that for me," Joey said.

Her voice was muffled against Charlie's cleavage. Charlie felt her chest becoming wet from Joey's tears.

"I'd do anything for you," she replied. "And besides, you were the real hero. You saved my life."

"After you saved my life!" Joey said, looking up.

"Call it even?" Charlie said with a smile that hurt her cheek.

"Not really," Joey said, shaking her head. "You've already saved my life twice before."

"Twice?" Charlie said.

Obviously there was the time that she had rescued Joey from Robbo trying to drown her in the bath but she didn't recall anything else.

"Once from Robbo. And once just generally."

"I thought it was only me that felt that way about you," Charlie said.

She had long since been aware that Joey had changed her life, saved it, healed it and made it worth living. Joey smiled at her. She was still stunned that Charlie had literally been willing to lay her life down for her if that was what had been called for.

"Every time I think I can't love you more than I already do, you excel yourself," Joey told her.

Charlie tried not to let hope burn in her heart. Just because Joey was overwhelmed by what had happened, it didn't mean that she was about to offer herself up to be her girlfriend again.

"I know I keep saying it but I'm just so… I don't know. What happened tonight was… I just can't believe you did that."

Charlie held tighter to Joey's hand.

"Joey, telling you I'd do anything for you isn't some empty promise. It never has been. I love you. I'd live and I'd die for you."

Joey gazed into Charlie's beautiful eyes. There were no barriers between them. Never had they been this real and raw with each other. Joey lowered her mouth in order to find Charlie's. This was it now. There was no turning back. She leapt away when she heard the door open. The doctor entered, preventing them from making contact. Joey blushed and looked at the woman with the stethoscope. She held up Charlie's scans. They gave her their full attention, refusing to break their hands apart.

"We've got your results and you're all clear," the doctor said. "You were so lucky."

"I know," Charlie said. "And I'll take great satisfaction in getting them arrested tomorrow and I hope to be the officer in charge."

The doctor smiled.

"The cops did show up to speak to you but I asked them to leave it until tomorrow when you're feeling clearer and calmer."

"Thank you. Can I go home now?" she asked.

"Yes," the doctor said. "Do you want me to call you a cab?"

"Thanks. I'm staying at…"

"Breakaway Bed and Breakfast," Joey interrupted.

Charlie glanced at her. Joey looked firm. There was no way she was going to pack Charlie off back to the hotel. She couldn't let her out of her sight.