Thank you to everyone who has been reading and reviewing this story. It's turned into far more of an epic than I anticipated! We will soon be coming to a close but there are a few more chapters left. I hope you enjoy them!

Chapter Thirteen

Joey was roused from sleep by someone knocking hurriedly on her door. Taking a moment to rub her eyes and gaze at Charlie's sleeping form beside her, Joey hurried out of bed to open the door. Ruby stood there looking frantic.

"Where is she? Is she okay?" the younger girl asked, pushing her way into the room.

She stopped when she saw Charlie sleeping in the bed.

"What happened?" she asked, turning to Joey.

"She saved my life," Joey explained. "I was being hassled by some guys. It turned violent. Charlie stepped in to help me."

"And what happened to her?"

Joey gestured to Charlie's injured face.

"And…"

"And what?"

"She got stabbed in the stomach with a broken bottle."

"What?" Ruby yelled.

Charlie woke up with a start, yelping in pain from the sudden movement. Ruby rushed over, apologising. Joey hurried over also, wanting to make sure Charlie was okay.

"I'm fine," Charlie said, attempting to shift herself into a sitting position.

"Are you sure?" Ruby squeaked, hating to see her sister so broken.

"I'm sure. I'll be off sick for a week, the doctors said and then after that, I'll be back to normal."

She looked at Joey, hoping that getting back together last night hadn't been some delirious fantasy. As if reading her mind, Joey stepped closer and reached for her hand. Ruby observed the contact and the way they looked at each other.

"Are you…?" she began. "Are you…? Are you?"

Joey broke out into a smile.

"We're back together," she told her.

Ruby leapt into Joey's arms excitedly. She then bent down more gently and kissed her sister's cheek.

"I'm so happy for you both," she declared. "So happy! Hey, my plan worked!"

Charlie laughed.

"I wish it hadn't been quite so dramatic but at least it worked," Ruby added. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine," Charlie assured her.

***

Once Ruby had left, Joey crawled back into bed beside Charlie, holding her as gently as she could, not wanting to hurt her.

"Are you really okay?" she asked.

"Yeah. I'm just sore and uncomfortable," Charlie said.

"Is there anything I can do?"

Charlie offered up her lips. Joey rewarded them with a kiss.

"I can't believe we finally get back together after five weeks of grief and I can't even do anything about it," Charlie sighed when they parted.

"I'm fairly certain that life has a very warped sense of humour."

She snuggled into Charlie's shoulder.

"Tell me about it. We finally get back together, I'm laid up and can hardly touch you and then you're going to disappear on me."

"Disappear?" Joey asked, sitting up again.

"You still have two months of work left to do," Charlie reminded her.

"Oh! I forgot about that."

"I wish I could have. I'm leaving here in two days. When are you going?"

Joey shrugged.

"I don't know. Whenever we're allowed back in the water, I guess."

"Maybe I could stick around until you go," Charlie suggested.

"What about your job?"

"I have done so much overtime that I'm owed some time off."

Joey smiled.

"And you never know, I might have healed enough by the time you leave!"
They both giggled.

"You know, I'm sure receiving pleasure wouldn't interfere with your recovery," Joey said, grinning wickedly.

"But I wouldn't be able to give back…" Charlie protested.

"I'll learn to enjoy the anticipation," Joey told her, slipping down the bed.

***

Aden looked up when Charlie and Joey emerged from the police station, having made statements against the lads that had assaulted them the night before. Charlie being a cop, had been able to give very definite descriptions. Even during the altercation, she had paid attention to detail. He smiled at them as Charlie climbed into the passenger seat of her car. She wasn't capable of driving it so Aden had offered once Ruby had gone back to him and the others to explain what had happened. Joey jumped in the back and Aden drove them back to the bed and breakfast. Saying goodbye to him, Joey guided Charlie inside where she collapsed onto the bed, exhausted.

"Do you need to sleep?" Joey asked.

"No, I need to snuggle," Charlie said, opening her arms for Joey to come closer.

They kissed tenderly and Charlie couldn't help but let her hands wander as far and as vigorously as her injuries would allow. A knock on the door interrupted them. Charlie and Joey growled in unison, feeling frustrated. Joey kissed Charlie once and got to her feet, rearranging her clothes as she headed towards the door.

"Katie!" she said, surprised.

Charlie frowned. She was sure Katie had glared at her.

"We have to go," Katie told Joey.

"Go?"

"They've lifted the ban. We're going back out to sea at three o'clock."

"Today?" Joey asked, her heart sinking.

Katie nodded.

"You'd better pack your stuff and say your goodbyes."