Chapter 5
"Hey" Joey smiled as she entered Charlie's hospital room with Ruby at her side "ready to go home?"
"That's an understatement" Charlie frowned "I don't know why it would take them so long to get my pain relief anyway"
"Somebody's grumpy today" Ruby grinned at her exasperated sister.
"Yeah well..." Charlie grumbled unhappily "Wouldn't you be slightly unhappy if you had to walk with that stupid crutch?" she motioned disdainfully at the crutch which leaned against the wall "And on top of that I feel like my head is full of loose marbles"
Ruby opened her mouth with a witty retort but thought better of it as her sister attempted to push herself from the bed.
"Whoa!" Joey rushed forward and grabbed Charlie's arms gently "Are you sure you should be doing that?"
"I probably shouldn't" the older girl replied "But I have to do it eventually"
"You could hurt yourself" Joey cautioned quietly as Charlie continued to attempt to get up.
"It's a bit late for that" Charlie winced pressing a hand to her throbbing stomach "Ow"
"What?" Joey asked "What's wrong? Do you want me to get Rachel because..."
"No" Charlie inhaled deeply trying to push back the pain "She'll never let me out of this place if she thinks there's something wrong with me"
"But what if there is something wrong with you?" Joey asked her concern palpable.
"Why do you care so much?" Charlie questioned softly.
"I'm your friend, remember?" the younger girl answered shakily.
"Sorry" Charlie sighed "I'm just frustrated with all of this..." she gazed at Joey bashfully "Can you uh...help me up?"
"Sure" Joey whispered as she wrapped an arm around Charlie's waist and helped her stand up from the bed "Are you okay?"
Charlie leaned heavily on Joey "Not really...I feel a bit unbalanced..."
"Maybe you should sit down..."
"I'm fine" Charlie stated as she released her grip on Joey and pushed away from her slightly "See? I'm totally fi..."
Joey hastily grabbed the other girl's arms to steady her as she almost lurched forward.
"Really?" she questioned sarcastically "You're fine?"
"Is our patient giving you trouble?" Rachel's voice sounded from the doorway.
"Yes!" Ruby exclaimed "But we knew that she would anyway, didn't we?"
"Good point" Rachel muttered as stepped into the room and narrowed her eyes a Charlie "What are you doing?"
"Um...Leaving?" Charlie questioned in confusion.
"No you're not" Rachel shook her head adamantly.
"She's not?" Joey and Ruby questioned in unison.
"Not yet...I have to talk to you all first"
Charlie sighed and stumbled backwards so she was leaning against the bed.
"Okay" Rachel said when she was sure she had everyone's attention "First of all Charlie you don't go to work until I say you can okay?"
Charlie nodded silently deciding that arguing would only prolong the talk.
"And if there are ANY problems at all I want to know right away okay?"
"Okay" Charlie nodded "Can I go now?"
"Yes" Rachel nodded. She looked between Joey and Ruby and held up a white paper bag "These are for the pain. If she needs them the guidelines are on the box. But...they will make her very tired so only use them when necessary"
Both Joey and Ruby nodded solemnly and Rachel handed the bag to Ruby.
"You're free to go" she said to Charlie.
"At last" Charlie sighed in relief. She glanced at Joey piteously and the girl moved once again to her side.
"Thanks Joey" Charlie whispered gratefully as she leaned against Joey.
"No problem" Joey smiled as she grabbed the crutch and handed it to Charlie. She slowly shifted from Charlie's grip on her and made sure she was steady before fully releasing her.
"You okay?" she questioned still hovering unsurely mere inches from Charlie.
"I'm Okay"
They began to move slowly towards the doorway where Ruby was standing. Joey placed a hand on the teens shoulder and gazed at her in concern.
"Are you okay?" She mouthed silently.
Ruby shrugged and offered her a weak smile.
Charlie glanced back at them and noticed their exchange. The other two girls quickly caught up with her and they walked slowly out of the hospital doors towards the car.
--
"It's good to be home" Charlie commented quietly as Joey helped her sit down on the couch.
"Are you okay?" Joey questioned "Do you need anything?"
Charlie shook her head "I just need my bed"
"Charlie?" Ruby questioned somewhat tentatively as she sat down on the couch next to her sister.
"Yeah?" Charlie responded "What's up Rubz?"
"Can I skip school tomorrow?" at her sister's resolved expression she held up a hand "Wait just hear me out..." when Charlie nodded Ruby continued to speak "I just really don't think I can go back yet...I want to be here for you...Just for tomorrow, please?"
Charlie bit her lip undecidedly "I don't know Rubz..." she glanced at Joey "What do you think Joey?"
"Huh?" Joey questioned slightly surprised "Uh...Why are you asking me?"
"Because I want your opinion" Charlie replied "So what do you think?"
Joey glanced at Ruby who gazed at her pleadingly "I think she should stay home...but just for a day..."
Charlie nodded and turned back to Ruby "Okay Rubz you've got one day...No more okay?"
Ruby nodded "Okay"
"Hey" Charlie said suddenly after a moment of silence as she looked at Joey in confusion "Where do you sleep?"
"Wh...Uh...I..." Joey sent a beseeching look towards Ruby.
"She sleeps in my room" Ruby answered for her "Moving in here was only temporary so yeah...I moved into your room..."
"Oh" Charlie still appeared confused "I don't know if sleeping in my room would be a good idea for you right now Rubz...I'll probably keep you awake with all my tossing and turning"
"Joey and I can switch!" Ruby stated brightly "I can sleep in my room and Joey can...um...Sleep with you...You're a night owl anyway right Joey?"
Joey offered no answer instead she gazed at her in shock.
"Would you mind?" Charlie questioned quietly "I think it would be better if I didn't wake Ruby up..."
"I don't mind..." Joey answered softly.
"Anyway!" Ruby grinned "It's not like you two haven't slept together before"
Joey shot her a glare silently telling her to shut up.
"Okaaay" Charlie frowned "You should go to bed Ruby...It's late"
Ruby nodded and gaze her sister a quick hug "Night Charlz" she pulled away from Charlie and pulled Joey too into a quick hug "Night Jo"
"Goodnight" The older girls said in unison.
Joey gazed after Ruby in surprise as she left the room.
"So..." Charlie said awkwardly "Should we..." she motioned vaguely towards her bedroom.
---
"Joey?" Charlie whispered into the darkness as she gazed at the ceiling. For a reason unknown to her she found herself achingly aware of the other girl's warm presence mere inches from her.
"Mmmhn?" Joey mumbled
"I know I've already said this but I really appreciate that you looked after Ruby for me"
"It's no problem"
"You said we were friends, right?" Charlie questioned in a hushed voice.
"Uh-huh"
"Have you and Ruby always gotten along so well? She doesn't usually like my friends" Charlie questioned.
"We didn't" Joey replied honestly "Not in the beginning, well...not really...Not like we do now" she offered no further explanation.
"Oh" Charlie said quietly. Unable to withstand the temptation any longer she reached out and grasped Joey's left hand with her right under the covers "Thanks for what you did at the hospital...For Ruby. I know this must be really hard for her.
"She hates to see you hurting" Joey agreed softly.
Silence settled once again between them.
"Joey?" Charlie murmured suddenly.
"Yeah?" Joey whispered.
"I wish I could remember you"
Joey tightened her grip on Charlie's hand and fought back tears at the sadness and confusion in the other girls' voice "Me too"
---
"Hey" Joey smiled as Charlie limped into the kitchen where she and Ruby were already seated.
"Hey Charlz" Ruby muttered as she glanced briefly at her sister.
"Hey" Charlie winced "Ow..."
Joey stood up and helped Charlie to sit down in between her and Ruby.
"Thanks" Charlie smiled as Joey returned to her seat "This really hurts"
"You're lucky you didn't need a cast" Ruby commented "Wait...we're lucky you didn't need one...You'd be even moodier than you already are"
"I am not moody!" Charlie protested glancing at Joey "Am I, Joey?"
"Well she's obviously going to take your side since you're..." Ruby trailed off as Joey kicked her under the table "OW! What was that for?!"
Joey narrowed her eyes at the teen and shook her head.
Charlie looked between them in suspicion "Are you two keeping something from me?"
"No!" Joey exclaimed "but uh...Do you need your pain pills?"
"No" Charlie shook her head "I'll just tough it out"
"Typical" Ruby mumbled.
Charlie chose to ignore that comment and instead turned to Joey "So what are you doing today?"
"I thought I'd just hang out here with you guys" Joey shrugged as she handed Charlie a cup of coffee "I don't really have much else to do"
"Great" Charlie practically beamed "Are you sure you don't mind staying here all day though? I mean don't you have a boyfriend?"
"Are you kidding me?" Ruby blurted out "Joey's about as straight as a freaking Rainbow Slinkee"
"Ruby!" Joey exclaimed as she felt blood rush to her cheeks.
"Oops" Ruby mumbled sinking down in her seat. She attempted to distract herself by returning to the bowl of cereal in front of her.
Charlie gaped at them both for a moment before she nodded slowly "Okay..."
Silence fell over the table and Charlie glanced between Ruby and Joey "Wait. Is this the big secret? " She glanced at Joey "Are you...And my sister" she made a vague gesture with her hands.
Ruby promptly choked on her cereal and Joey stared at Charlie in disbelief.
"No" she exclaimed shaking her head vigorously "No we're not"
"Oh" Charlie breathed a sigh of relief wondering why Jealousy had shot through her at the very thought "That's good. I mean I would have minded if she was...But she's too young y'know?"
"Yeah" Joey nodded understandingly "I uh...I get it..."
"Charlie!" Ruby finally exclaimed when she had finished choking.
"What?" Charlie questioned innocently "I was just asking. I mean it was possible..."
Ruby shook her head "Whatever" she glanced at Joey "Sorry for outing you"
"It's fine" Joey shrugged as she turned to Charlie "You don't um...mind do you?"
Ruby shot her a confused look but Charlie merely shook her head and smiled brightly "So what are we doing today?"
They fell back into the safe place of light conversation.
TBC
