Chapter 18

"Ruby" Charlie muttered hoarsely, attempting to push back her tears. She shifted slightly and managed to pull her jacket off without taking the pressure of her hands from Joey's wound. She slipped the jacket under her hand so that it pressed onto the wound in an attempt to stem the rapid blood flow.

"What?" Ruby questioned tearfully.

"I need you" Charlie stated as calmly as she could "Over here"

Ruby released Joey's limp hand and moved as quickly as she could to kneel at her sister's side "What?" she asked anxiously "What can I do?"

Charlie turned her gaze from Joey to her sister "I need you to put pressure on this as soon as I move okay? Don't let go no matter what...It's important"

Ruby swallowed nervously but nodded anyway "Y...Yeah okay, I can do that"

Charlie smiled weakly at her sister "Okay? Ready?" Ruby nodded and moved slightly closer "1...2...3!" Charlie moved her hand and Ruby quickly placed her own over Joey's wound. Charlie moved quickly to Joey's other side and knelt down next to her. She placed two fingers on her wrist and paused, her brow furrowed in concentration.

"There's no pulse" she said softly, tears stinging at her eyes. She looked tearfully to Ruby who didn't appear to be listening to her.

"Joey" Charlie moved her hand to her girlfriends' cheek "Jo, you can't do this. You have to..." she choked on a sob "You have to stay with us Jo. We need you. I need you!" a moment passed and when Joey remained still Charlie's features hardened in determination. She interlocked her hands on Joey's chest and pressed down 5 times before gently tilting the younger girls head back. She leaned down and pressed her lips to Joey's breathing air into her lungs.

"Is it working?" Ruby questioned hopefully. Charlie didn't respond instead she continued to repeat the process unsuccessfully "Charlie..."

"I'm not giving up" Charlie panted breathlessly before she stubbornly returned to carrying out the CPR. She leaned down and listened closely to Joey's chest trying to find a heartbeat.

"She's breathing" Charlie said at last "And she has a pulse" she slumped back slightly breathing heavily.

"But she's losing blood really fast!" Ruby exclaimed in panic. She looked up at her sister with wide eyes and nodded at Joey's abdomen where both of her hands were currently pressed on the wound. Charlie glanced towards where the teenager was motioning and saw that indeed her jacket and Ruby's hands were covered in blood.

"Okay...its okay" she said calmly as she placed her hands atop Ruby's "I hear sirens...They sound close"

Ruby didn't have time to answer before two paramedics burst into the room and rushed over to the three girls.

---

Ruby chanced a worried glance at Charlie who was sitting next to her staring unseeingly at her blood stained hands. The youngest Buckton could tell that her sister was deep in thought and was hesitant to interrupt her but knew she had to anyway.

"Charlz?" when Charlie stayed silent Ruby released a forlorn sigh and raised her voice slightly "Charlie?"

"What?" Charlie mumbled, without looking away from her bloodstained hands.

"How did find out about Robbo?" Ruby asked curiously "And how did you 'trick' Colin?"

"Robbo slipped up" Charlie responded finally looking towards her sister "He told me that he was working with a guy named Colin. I went through all of his files trying to find anything out about this guy and finally found out that he was Robbo's brother. Which the other cops didn't know because they didn't think it was linked to Robbo..."

"Right" Ruby nodded unsurely.

"I figured that since they wanted Revenge on Joey and they had taken you...That I would be next" the older girl explained quietly "I convinced Watson to lend me her gun and I went to the beach at night to wait for him. Figured he would show up eventually. I tricked him by giving him my gun. He thought I was unarmed. So...It all went to plan except...I didn't plan on Joey getting shot"

"Do you think she'll be okay?"

"I hope so Rubz..." Charlie shrugged tearfully "We've just started to get our relationship on track...But she lost a lot of blood on the way to the hospital"

"She stepped in front of a bullet for me" Ruby said softly, guilt lacing her voice "Why would she do that? What...What was she thinking?"

"She cares about you" Charlie responded "She thinks of you as a sister...You know that"

"It was stupid!" Ruby exclaimed forcefully "She could DIE!"

Charlie turned toward her sister in disbelief and sighed when she noticed the tears which had gathered in the younger girls eyes. She turned slightly towards her and opened her arms "Come here Rubz"

Ruby moved quickly towards her sister and found herself instantly wrapped in a warm embrace.

"Joey knew what she was doing" Charlie whispered smoothing a hand comfortingly over Ruby's hair "She made a choice...This is in no way your fault"

"It is my fault!" Ruby sobbed quietly into Charlie's shoulder "She said that she would protect me no matter what and I...I told her not do anything stupid but she didn't listen to me!"

"Since when does Joey listen to anyone?" Charlie pulled away slightly and smiled weakly "If she had her mind set on protecting you nothing you say could have stopped her."

"But..."

"No buts" Charlie interrupted "This is not your fault okay?!"

Ruby didn't look convinced but she nodded anyway. She leaned back in her seat but kept her gaze fixed firmly on Charlie "I kind of missed you while I was away"

"You did?" Charlie offered her sister a small smile "I missed you too" she pulled Ruby closer to her and wrapped an arm around her reassuringly. They sat in silence for a moment before Charlie noticed Ruby shifting restlessly.

"Hey" she said in concern as she turned her gaze to the younger girl "Are you okay Rubz?"

"Yeah" Ruby nodded. She exhaled deeply and waved a hand in front of her face in a fanning motion "It's just...is it hot in here?"

"I don't think so" Charlie watched in worry as Ruby stood up in front of her and moved away slightly.

"Ruby? Maybe you should sit down"

"No" Ruby shook her head and tugged uncomfortably at the hoodie she wore. Charlie couldn't help the smile that tugged at her lips when she realised that it was Joey's "I'll be fine...I mean Joey said that I had uh...Hypothermia or...."

Charlie frowned when she noticed that her sister's speech was slurred "Ruby..."

Ruby shook her head as if to clear it as the room began to spin around her "Charlie? Everything's moving...I think I'm going to..."

"RUBY!" Charlie exclaimed as Ruby collapsed to the ground. She jumped up from her seat and raced over to her sister, dropping to her knees next to her. Rachel who had been approaching them anyway picked up her pace until she reached Ruby's side.

"What happened?" she asked Charlie quickly as she knelt down next to the teenager. She placed two fingers on Ruby's wrist relieved when she felt a pulse. Her relief faded as she moved her hand to the young girl's forehead and almost winced at the temperature.

"She was stuck in a freezing room for about a week" Charlie answered guiltily "Joey said that she had hypothermia but with all of this going on...I completely forgot! How could I just forget?!"

Rachel didn't respond and instead pulled Charlie away as Ruby was picked up and placed gently onto a hospital trolley.

"What's going on?!" Charlie questioned anxiously "What's wrong with her? Where is she going?!"

"Slow down" Rachel responded calmly as she guided Charlie into the seat behind her "We're just going to run some tests...She's still breathing and has a pulse though it is quite weak so...that's a good sign that the hypothermia hasn't gotten too far" Charlie nodded slowly though she still looked alarmed for her sister "As for Joey...She's going to be fine. The bullet luckily missed all of her vital organs but did cause quite a bit of bleeding which as well as the shock is the reason that she passed out"

"She's going to be okay?" Charlie questioned hopefully "Really?"

"Really" Rachel nodded "You can go and see her if you want..." noticing Charlie's hesitance she smiled reassuringly and continued "I'll tell you as soon as anything happens with Ruby...I promise"

"Thanks Rachel" Charlie smiled weakly at the doctor before standing up "Uh...Which room?"

"Follow me" Rachel stood up and led Charlie through the corridors to a room. Charlie thanked her profusely before entering the room.

"Joey?" she whispered into the stillness. She received no answer and sighed sadly as she moved over to the hospital bed. She moved her chair closer to the bed and took Joey's hand in her own, placing a delicate kiss on her palm "You have to wake up Jo...I need you with me. Ruby's sick and I just...I really need you right now..." she stopped talking and held her breath when she felt a slight squeeze to her hand as if Joey was unconsciously comforting her but released it when her girlfriend made no other movement. She leaned forward and rested her head on her arm on the bed. She fell asleep in a matter of minutes as the exhaustion from the last couple of days finally caught up with her.

---

Charlie stirred slowly in her sleep "Joey?"

"Charlie"

Charlie's eyes shot open at the unexpected reply and she straightened up to look directly at Joey who was smiling down at her lovingly "Joey! You're awake!"

"Yeah I...mmph!" Joey was cut off from replying as Charlie leaned forward and kissed her passionately. Though she was slightly surprised at first she responded with equal fervour. They were both slightly breathless when they pulled away.

"Wow!" Joey gasped her cheeky grin sliding into place "I take it you missed me?"

"You have no idea how much I missed you" Charlie stood up and wrapped her arms tightly around her girlfriend "I thought I was going to lose you! You weren't breathing and...I was so scared Jo!"

"Hey" Joey pulled back and smiled at Charlie as she wiped her tears gently away "I'm fine...honestly."

"How long have you been awake?" Charlie asked quietly as she sat precariously on the edge of the hospital bed.

"Not long. I was going to wake you up but you looked like you needed sleep" Joey shrugged "I didn't want to wake you"

"God I love you" Charlie muttered in amazement.

"Yeah?" Joey grinned raising an eyebrow at the older girl.

"Yeah" Charlie nodded in the affirmative "You jumped in front of a bullet to save my sister's life Joey, you have no idea how much it means to me that you care about her so much...You're just amazing. Not that I'm not mad at you for actually jumping in front of a bullet because you scared me to death!"

Joey blushed slightly and looked away "Yeah well..." after a moment she realised something and sat up in alarm "Wait! Where's Ruby?! Did something happen to her?"

"Oh my God!" Charlie gasped "I can't believe I fell asleep...Rachel was meant to tell me how she was..."

"Why?" Joey questioned anxiously "What's wrong with her?"

"She collapsed last night" Charlie replied standing up from the bed "She said that she was hot and then she just collapsed!"

"Then Go" Joey urged "See how she is"

Charlie was about to move toward the doorway when it swung open to reveal Ruby standing there leaning against the doorway.

"Ruby!" Charlie gasped as her sister entered the room. She moved forward quickly and hugged the teen tightly "Thank God you're okay"

"I'm fine" Ruby smiled weakly when Charlie eventually pulled away "But I woke up and got kind of worried...Figured you would be with Joey" her gaze travelled to Joey and she offered her a tentative wave "Hey Joey"

Joey tilted her head in slight confusion at Ruby's somewhat formal and totally un-Ruby like welcome "What?" she smiled "Don't I get Giant Ruby-hugs anymore?"

Ruby shrugged and looked away guiltily "I don't want to hurt you"

"You won't" Joey countered "Really...Now c'mere"

Ruby moved tentatively over to Joey "Are you sure I won't hurt you because..."

"I'm sure" Joey reached out and pulled Ruby forward slightly. The teenager needed no more encouragement as she wrapped her arms tightly around the older girl. She felt tears mist her eyes and stubbornly pushed them back. Joey pulled back slightly and immediately noticed something wasn't completely right "Are you okay Rubz?"

"I'm fine" Ruby smiled weakly as she moved away and shoved her hands into her pockets "Really"

"Why is your arm bleeding?" Charlie questioned suddenly.

Both Ruby and Joey glanced down at her arm and the youngest girl shifted uncomfortably "Uh..."

"You didn't..." Joey said softly, looking up at her.

"Didn't what?" Charlie asked somewhat confused.

"You pulled your IV out?" Joey questioned incredulously.

"You did WHAT?!" Charlie gasped.

"It was annoying" Ruby shrugged "And it was stopping me from moving" she was met with two angry glares and she looked at them with the infamous Buckton puppy dog look "I just wanted to see how Joey was..."

"Fine" Charlie sighed "It's okay. But I don't think Rachel will be quite as forgi..."

"Ruby Buckton!" a voice sounded from the doorway.

"Aww crap!" Ruby ducked behind her sister for protection "Yes, Rachel?"

"You're supposed to be resting!" Rachel stated firmly as she stepped into the room "And you pulled your IV out! Do you have any idea of the damage you could have done..."

"I'm sorry?" Ruby offered lamely "But I really wanted to see if Joey was okay..."

"The puppy dog look isn't going to work with me Ruby" Rachel said quietly though her tone had softened slightly "You have to stay in bed for a while"

"What exactly is wrong with her?" Charlie asked.

Rachel turned to her "She has mild hypothermia from being in the room for so long as well as slight dehydration though it wasn't too bad..."

"Joey was looking out for me" Ruby flashed a warm smile at Joey who blushed and looked away modestly.

"Well that's good" Rachel smiled "It could have been a hell of a lot worse but you..." she pointed at Ruby "need to go back to your bed"

"But..." Ruby began to protest. At Rachel's warning looked she sighed "Fine" she hugged Charlie and Joey quickly before leaving the room.

"What about Joey?" Charlie asked in concern as she moved to sit next to Joey on the bed "Is she okay now?"

"As far as I can tell she's fine" Rachel nodded "We have to keep an eye on you for a couple of days but you should be able to go home after that...Hopefully Ruby will be able to leave at the same time..."

"Thanks Rachel" Joey smiled softly.

"Anytime" Rachel shrugged "If you need me I'll be just outside okay?"

Joey nodded and watched Rachel leave before she turned back to Charlie "Charlie?"

"Yeah?" Charlie smiled softly and took Joey's hand in her own.

"Did Ruby seem weird to you?" Joey asked unsurely.

"I think she's just feeling guilty about what happened..."

"Why?"

"You did risk your life to save hers" Charlie smiled adoringly "It sounds like you saved her life in quite a few ways..."

"Yeah well" Joey smiled "Both of you saved mine, right?"

"How did you know that?" Charlie questioned in surprise.

"You said that I wasn't breathing" Joey answered "So you must have done something while the ambulance was on its way, right?"

Charlie nodded slowly "Yeah" she leaned close and kissed Joey tenderly "I love you so much Joey Collins"

"I love you too" Joey beamed unreservedly.

TBC