I'm really sorry that this chapter is a bit late but I couldn't seem to get it right and so I had to rewrite it. Thank you all for your wonderful reviews...I always really look forward to hearing your opinions x

Chapter 31

"Boring, Boring, Boring" Ruby mumbled as she flicked blankly through the channels. She released a heavy sigh and threw the remote onto the couch next to her, settling on a re-run of friends. She looked up in surprise when she noticed Joey and Charlie entering the room through her peripheral vision.

"Hey" she smiled, happy that she wasn't alone anymore "I didn't think you guys were ever going to come out of that room."

"Figured we had to come out some time" Charlie shrugged as she sat next to Ruby on the couch, pulling Joey down with her.

"I was bored" Ruby commented "You guys have been in there all day!"

"It's only 2 o clock" Joey pointed out "So we haven't really been in there all day"

"Yeah, well..." Ruby huffed dramatically "It felt like all day"

"We're sorry Rubz..." Charlie wrapped her arm lightly around the teen's shoulders "We didn't mean to take off...Right Joey?"

"Huh? Oh right...Yeah"

"Whatever" Ruby grinned at Joey's obvious distraction "So let me see the rock" she held her hand out to Joey expectantly.

Joey offered her hand to the teen with a smile.

Ruby whistled lowly as she gazed closely at the diamond in the ring "Wow...That must have cost you an arm and a leg"

Charlie shrugged "None of that really matters"

"Yeah..." Joey nodded in consideration "It must have cost you quite a bit Charlie. Are you sure...."

"Joey?" Charlie turned towards Joey and pressed a finger to the other girl's lips to stop her talking "Shut up...It doesn't matter what to Ring cost me. I already told you...You're so worth it"

"But..."

Ruby glanced between the two girls and moved quietly out of the room, in an attempt to give them some privacy.

"Nope" Charlie interrupted again. She leaned forward and pressed a quick kiss to Joey's lips "I don't want to hear any of that self deprecating stuff about how you're not worth it because I know that you are, okay? I love you Joey"

"I love you too" Joey smiled tearfully at her "I'm sorry I'm being so...I don't know...Critical of myself. I guess Brett really shook me up the other day"

"I'm sorry to say this since he's your brother" Charlie said quietly as she entwined her hand with Joey's in front of them "But he's a prick"

"I know" Joey laughed softly "He's just like Dad in that respect"

"You know..." Charlie snuggled close to Joey and wrapped her in a warm embrace "You say stuff like that...But you haven't really told me anything about your past"

"Not a happy subject" Joey responded softly "I don't really think it's worth dwelling on..." when she noticed Charlie's sad frown she leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her lips "But if you want to know, I will tell you...Someday. I promise"

"Okay" Charlie smiled at her. She glanced to her right and noticed the empty seat "Hey...Where did Ruby go?"

"I don't know" Joey frowned "I didn't even notice her leave...Did you?"

"No...C'mon" Charlie stood up and pulled Joey up from the couch "Maybe she's in the kitchen..." they entered the kitchen and sure enough spotted Ruby sitting at the table.

"Where did you disappear to?" Charlie asked releasing Joey's hand and sitting next to the younger girl.

"I noticed that you two needed some space" Ruby answered honestly "So I gave you some...Space that is"

"Thanks Rubz" Joey said as she ruffled the teens hair playfully "You're the best 'almost sister in law' ever"

Ruby grinned as she found her own words repeated back at her "Y'know technically I'm not your sister in law...If you're marrying Charlie that would make you my step-mo..."

"Whoa" Joey held up her hands "Slow down for a sec speedy...I never actually thought about that..."

"Second thoughts already?" Charlie smiled. Joey noticed however a nervousness in her eyes.

"Never" she said softly "My answer is still yes...That part of your life just takes a bit of getting used to that's all..."

Charlie nodded and glanced at her sister. It suddenly occurred to her that that was the first time Ruby had referred to her as something other than her sister.

"What?" Ruby asked as she noticed Charlie practically beaming at her with (What she assumed) were happy tears in her eyes.

"Nothing" Charlie looked away unable to wipe the smiled off her face "I was just thinking...That's all"

Joey moved over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. She smiled knowingly as Charlie looked up into her eyes.

A knock at the door caused all three girls to jump slightly.

"I should get that..." Charlie stood up and opened the door surprised to find her colleague standing in front of her.

"Hey Georgie" Charlie smiled somewhat quizzically at the other officer "What can I do for you? Aren't you supposed to be working, right now?"

"Can I come in for a minute?" Watson questioned quietly, trepidation colouring her tone.

"Sure" Charlie stepped back and allowed Watson to enter the house. She frowned as she noticed that her colleague didn't appear happy at all.

"I'm really sorry about this Charlie..."

"Sorry?" Charlie echoed in concern "Sorry about what?"

"I have to arrest you on suspicion of Battery and attempted assault as well as false imprisonment" Watson said slowly.

Charlie stood and stared at her speechlessly "Uh..."

"No!" Joey stated firmly as she pulled Charlie behind her and stood protectively in front of her "She didn't do anything..."

"That's not for me to decide" Watson responded "I have to arrest her. It's my job"

"What's going on?!" Ruby questioned from where she stood next to Charlie.

"Charlie I have to do this..."

"I didn't do anything!" Charlie said quietly "This isn't fair Watson!"

"I can't choose the rules..." Watson moved forward slightly but Joey refused to move and Ruby only grew more panicked, clutching tightly to Charlie's hand "Joey you have to move"

"No way!" Joey exclaimed adamantly "You can't arrest her...She hasn't done anything!"

"Charlie" Watson looked beyond Joey at Charlie "You have to come with me. It'll only be so much worse if you resist arrest" she motioned towards Joey and Ruby "You don't want them to have to see that, do you?"

"Fine" Charlie said quietly "I'll come with you...Just give me a minute" she turned to Joey and Ruby "I'm sure this is all just a stupid mistake..."

"It's Brett" Joey muttered angrily "It has to be..."

Charlie shrugged "Maybe" she leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to Joey's lips "It'll be fine" she glanced at Ruby who appeared to be fighting tears "Hey Rubz...What's wrong?"

"What's going on?!" Ruby asked in a small voice "What's Watson talking about Charlz?!"

"Don't worry about it" Charlie pulled the younger girl into a quick hug "I'll sort it out, okay Rubz?"

Ruby nodded unsurely and Charlie stepped away from them towards Watson "Are cuffs really necessary?"

"I'm sorry Charlie" Watson sighed sadly "You know its protocol with charges like these against you"

"What do you think she's going to do?!" Ruby questioned angrily "Attack somebody?!"

"Ruby..." Charlie turned towards the teenager and placed a hand on her arm "Calm down...It's okay. I'll be fine"

"It isn't okay!" Ruby stated furiously as she turned her gaze to Watson "Charlie isn't violent! She wouldn't do anything like that!"

"Joey..." Charlie looked up at Joey trustingly, an unspoken message drifting between them.

Joey nodded after a moment and stepped up next to Ruby "I will"

Charlie smiled quickly at her before turning back to her colleague and nodded stiffly "I'm ready"

"What...?" Ruby began as she watched Watson cuff her sister's hands behind her back "What are you doing? This is ridiculous!"

Charlie stopped and turned back around, fear settling on her features for the first time.

"Charlie..." Joey stepped forward slightly and gazed at her girlfriend in unadulterated fear "What should I do?"

Charlie gazed at her numbly and shook her head. Joey swallowed heavily as her mind drifted back to a scene similar to this...

"I'm sure It'll be fine" Charlie said unsurely "I love you guys"

She received an echo of "Love you too" from her girlfriend and her sister before she nodded at Watson and they began to move towards the door.

"We'll be right behind you" Joey called out. Charlie looked over her shoulder and flashed her grateful smile before she disappeared from sight.

"Joey?" Ruby questioned shakily "What's going on? What did Charlie do?"

"I'll explain when we get there" Joey squeezed the teens hand reassuringly.

---

"Charlie" Brett acknowledged with a grin when he saw her walk into the police station, with hand cuffs on "Quite a reverse position for a cop isn't it?"

"Shut up" Charlie stated trying to keep her cool "I'm innocent and I'm not going to give you what you want Brett"

"You pushed me into a wall!" Brett stated "Don't you know that's a crime? Any use of force on an unwilling person is Assault"

"You're pathetic"

"I'm doing what's best for my sister" Brett responded coldly "You lost it with me...How long until you do the same with her?"

Charlie tensed and inhaled deeply "I would never hurt Joey. Unlike you"

"Charlie, come on" Watson tugged lightly at her arm and lead her into an interview room.

"Can you take these off now?" Charlie questioned quietly.

"Sure" Watson removed the cuffs and Charlie sat down with a heavy sigh.

"So now what?" she asked.

"Brett Collins had pressed charges against you for assault Charlie" Watson said seriously "You have to tell me what happened"

"I pinned him to a wall" Charlie replied simply "and I told him that would kill him if he came near Joey again"

"What did he do to Joey?" Watson asked as she sunk down onto the seat across from Charlie.

"He grabbed her arm...Bruised her" Charlie said darkly "then he punched her. Plus he was verbally abusing her...I'm not just going to let him do that to her Watson!"

"The bruise on her cheek is from him hitting her?" Watson questioned thoughtfully "And she still has the bruises on her arm?"

"Yeah" Charlie nodded. She watched in confusion as her colleague stood up "Where are you going?"

"I have to interview Joey" Watson answered before she turned and walked out of the room. Charlie leaned forward and braced her head in her hands.

---

Joey and Ruby entered the station entered the station only to come face to face with Brett.

"Joey!" he exclaimed happily "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here with Charlie" Joey answered emotionlessly "So I suggest you leave me alone"

"But..."

"I don't want to know" Joey cut him off as she tightened her grip on Ruby slightly "You don't care about me Brett...If you did you wouldn't be doing all of this just to make me unhappy" with one last look of disgust at her brother she turned and led Ruby to the chairs in the waiting room.

"What's going on Joey?" Ruby asked unsurely "did Charlie really assault somebody?"

"Brett was hassling me again" Joey turned her gaze to the floor guiltily "He said something about me and...Charlie shoved him into the wall. She told him that she would kill him if he touched me again"

"Oh" Ruby nodded slowly "So wh..."

"Joey?"

Joey looked up at the sound of her name and saw Watson standing in front of them "Where's Charlie?"

"I need you to come with me" Watson said casting a dark look at Brett "I have to talk to you in private"

Joey nodded and stood up. She looked down at Ruby unsurely.

"I'll be fine" Ruby smiled softly at her.

Joey followed Watson into a room and sat down, gazing at her expectantly "What's happening with Charlie? Is she okay?"

"She's fine" Watson said quietly. She paused for a moment "The bruise on your cheek...How did it get there?"

"Brett hit me" Joey answered honestly "He was drunk"

"I know that Charlie will most likely yell at me for asking you this..." Watson began "But I think that you should threaten to press counter charges against Brett. I know he's your brother but he might r..."

"I'll do it" Joey said quietly.

"You will?" Watson questioned in surprise.

"I will" Joey nodded positively "Will it get Charlie out of here?"

"Only if Brett drops the charges against her" Watson sighed.

"Can I see Charlie?" Joey questioned hopefully "Please?"

"Um..." Watson hesitated for a moment before nodding "sure...She'll be with Ruby by now"

---

"Charlie!" Joey exclaimed in relief as she rushed into her girlfriend's arms and hugged her tightly "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine" Charlie smiled softly at her "This is just a hell of a mess Jo..."

"Watson said she would sort it" Joey informed her as they sat down next to Ruby.

"How?" Ruby spoke up curiously.

"I'm going to press Charges against Brett..."

"What?!" Charlie's eyes widened in shock "No, Joey...I can't let you do that"

"I'm going to do it anyway" Joey shrugged "Nothing you say will stop me Charlie..."

"I'm sorry" Charlie apologised "If I hadn't reacted the way I did none of this would be happening"

"You were trying to protect me" Joey pointed out "And I love for that. Anyway Watson says that Brett might withdraw his charges..."

"But how likely is tha..." Charlie was cut off as a door slammed and Brett stormed out of a room. He shot an evil glare at Charlie before walking out of the station.

Joey, Charlie and Ruby shared apprehensive looks.

TBC