Sitting in the room Ruby called home for the last three weeks, Charlie looked around at the bare white walls. There was nothing to the room, there was a bed, a wardrobe and a beside locker and the was it. There was an ensuite attached, but no mirror. In fact anything that could be seen to be a cutting device was absent from the room. Even the light lightbulb in the room was cover over with a hard plastic covering that was screwed into the ceiling. There was nothing present that could cause bodily harm. It made Charlie feel uneasy that the doctors felt it was necessary for Ruby's safety.

Looking over at the bed, she saw her daughter sitting against the headboard, Her knees up under her chin and her arms wrapped tightly around them. She looked so scared and lost. Like a child who had lost their way in the crowd. Only she wasn't the only one feeling lost. Charlie had felt so desperatly lonely without her daughter around. However, her loneliness was self inflicted, she chose to shut herself off from everyone. But she couldn't help it. She felt guilty for sending Ruby away.

It reminded her of when Ruby was sent away to boarding school after Elsie had died. Even though Charlie was against the idea, she didn't fight hard enough to change her fathers mind. She felt she didn't have control over the matter. But she did have a say this time around and she chose to send Ruby here. And the decision weighed heavily on her mind even now. Especially when she looked at Ruby. Regardless of the fact her daughter was now a young woman, during times like this, all Charlie could see was the little five year old girl who used shower Charlie with hugs and kisses.

Walking over to the bed, she placed her handbag on the the locker beside it and the sat down on the bed next to with her hands, she looked up and saw fresh tears forming in her daughter's eyes. Charlie put out her hand to Ruby, offering her comfort but not forcing it in case it unerved her daughter. Noticing the gesture and seeing the look of compassion on her mother's face Ruby gladly took a hold of it and felt Charlie squeeze it tightly. Feeling strange with the gap between them, Ruby dragged herself over to Charlie and wrapped her arms around her neck. Holding on tightly.

Something Ruby always did when she wanted to be comforted, and without fail, Charlie was right in the moment holding her daughter close to her, stroking her hair and kissing her on the temple. Ruby cried against her mother's shoulder as she felt her Charlie's hand stroking her back. It made her think back to when she was little and how Charlie would hold her when she was upset.......

Waking in the middle of the night, Charlie heard the high pitched cries coming from down the hall. Rubbing her eyes to wake herself she realised what it was. Jumping out of bed she grabbed her night gown and threw it on as quickly as possible and bounded out the door and down the corridor. She stopped outside a room that had a childlike drawing stuck to the door. Gently opening it, she stepped into the room and flicked on the bedside lamp.

Looking down at the little girl sitting up in bed, she saw the tears rolling down her cheeks. Walking over to the bed she saw the little girl look up at her with cute little puppy dog eyes, her long wavy hair all over the place. She looked adorable. The little girl reached up and wrapped her arms around Charlie's neck, holding on tightly. Feeling the grip around her neck, Charlie wrapped her ams around the little girl and lifted her up into her embrace.

Swaying from side to side to calm the girl, she felt her drift off to sleep in her arms, still holding onto her. Moving towards the bed, she pulled back the blanket and climbed into the bed, still holding the little girl in her amrs. Stretching out her legs she pulled the blanket up over herself and the young girl and cuddled her tightly, stroking her hair and placing kisses on the little girls head. After a while, she too faded off to sleep, her arms wrapped tightly around the precious little bundle of joy that made her smile everday .......

"I missed this", Ruby spoke softly, her head now resting against her mother's chest.

Charlie smiled down at her daughter's words and placed a kiss on top of her head. It had been so long since she had been able to hold Ruby in her arms like this, she never wanted to let go. She ran her fingers through her daughter's hair, the silky smooth feeling so soft to the touch. If Charlie had her way, she would gladly stay locked in this room with Ruby. Away from all the drama and heartache. Safe from all the dangers of the outside world.

"Me too", Charlie replied.

A knock at the door interrupted them and they both turned to find Dr. Petersen smiling in at the sight before her. She entered when Ruby answered her. Walking up to the bed she placed her charts down and turned back to the two Buckton women. In her hand she held a small black kit.

"Ruby, it's time to check your levels", she said with an upbeat tone to her voice.

Ruby sat upright in the bed, pulling her legs under her. Charlie looked from Ruby, to the kit, to the doctor and noticed that her daughter wasn't doing it herself.

"I'm sorry, can't she do it herself?", she asked, a little annoyed her time with her dsaughter had already been interrupted.

"No I'm afraid she can't. It's one of the policies here. A nurse or doctor has to be here to supervise at all times. Especially with patients of self harm", she finished.

Charlie looked away from Dr. Petersen to Ruby and noticed her daughter was blushing and looked embaressed as she lowered her head to avoid her mother's gaze. Dr. Petersen carried on removing the equipment from the kit, not noticing the tension in the room. Feeling Ruby's discomfort, Charlie stood up and walked over to the doctor and pulled her aside so she could speak to her.

"Would it be possible for me to do Ruby's bloods?", Charlie asked. From the look on the doctors face she knew that by asking she was asking the doctor to break som sort of protocol. But she also knew that if things continued it would just become more awkward. "Look, I know it's probably against protocol, but I'd really like to do it. I just....I want to spend as much time as possible with Ruby", she finished with a pleading look.

Dr. Petersen finally caved in and handed over the equipment to Charlie who gave her a grateful smile. Picking up her charts, the doctor looked down at her timetable and turned back to the two women before she left.

"Oh Ruby, your next councelling session is today at three o' clock", she said with a smile and then looked at Charlie, "You can sit in if you'd like, I mean if Ruby would like you to" she said.

"Yeah....", Ruby said nodding her head.

With that Dr. Petersen left the room and Charlie and Ruby were alone again. Walking around to the side of the bed, Charlie picked up the pen and pricked Ruby's finger, taking the sample and placing the strip in the monitor. Once the levels were recorded she measured out the insulin in the syringe and injected Ruby in the stomach. Tidying away all the contents back into the kit, Charlie placed it on the bedside locker and sat back down on the bed, looking at her daugher's saddened expression she placed a hand on her arm and gave it a gente caress.

"Hey, what's the matter?", she asked, somewhat sensing what it was that could be bothering.

"It's just...it's only really been hitting me lately, you know, the stigma that comes with....this", she said waving her bandaged wrists in front of Charlie.

Watching as Ruby made the hand gestures, Charlie found herself instinctively reaching out and gently taking a hold of her daughter's wrists and kissing each one. She paced her hand on Ruby's shoulder and gave it a rub.

"Hey, this, this does not define who you are, ok. You can be whoever you want ot be, it's up to you. But don't let this be you. It's a part of you, but it is not you!", Charlie said, her words of support and wisdom and flooding out as she tried to console Ruby.

Although Charlie did not consider herself to be an exceptional parent, she did know her daughter and she knew how to comfort her. And that's what she did. Night or day, whenever Ruby needed her or wanted her, she would be there without fail. Seeing Ruby perk up a bit she smiled. and sat back, relaxing herself a little.

"So, how's working with Angelo going?", Ruby asked.

"It's going.....", Charlie said sarcastically.

Ruby rolled her eyes at her mother's response.

"Mum, it's been months. Cna't you forgive him and get back to the way you were?", she asked.

"Rubes, look I know you have this romantic view on relationships but you need to see things from my point of view....", Charlie found herself cut off by Ruby.

"Yeah but what happened that day was an accident....", Charlie stopped her daughter.

"That's not the point Rubes. Angelo knows that you are the most important thing in my life and his actions almost took you away from me. He has never put anybody else first and I can't be with someone like that, I can't be with someone who can't love you and care for you as much as I do. Angelo can't do that so it's time to move on", she said more as a statement than anything else.

Ruby nodded her head understandingly. She flinched a little.

"What time is?", she asked and Charlie told her the time. "We may go, my councelling session starts soon".

"Rubes, if it makes you uncomfortable I don't have to go, I can wait here till you get back", she said not wanting to intrude.

"No it' fine. I want you there. Plus my councellor thinks it would be good for me to let you hear what we talk about in person", Ruby said with a slight confidence.

Charlie nodded. Picking up her handbag and Ruby's kit off the bedside locker she walked over to her daughter and they linked arms walking out of the room and down the corridor. Within a matter of minutes they found themselves outside the councellors room and Ruby knocked before entering. As they walked in, Ruby greeted the man and introduced him to her mother.

"So your Charlie, I've heard great things about you", the man said in a deep voice as he shook Charlie's hand. "I'm Michael. Please take a seat", he said as he pointed to the leather armchair beside the sofa where Ruby sat cross legged.

Charlie made herself comfortable in the chair and watched the the interaction between Ruby and Michael. She seemed so at ease with him and he seemed caring towards her. Like a father. It made Charlie smile.

"Okay Ruby, why don't we pick up where we left off yesterday", he said as he sat down in a chair across from her.

Ruby looked at Charlie and then back to Michael.

"Okay", she said.

"Okay, so your father, your biological father, Grant",..................................................................