Really sorry for the shortness of the chapter. The next one will be longer and the drama is on its way. I promise. Thanks again for all of your reviews. I love reading your comments :)

Chapter 33

Joey exhaled deeply and closed her eyes allowing her head to fall back against the couch. She opened them after a moment and glanced at Ruby who was sitting across from her and Charlie, idly flicking through a magazine "Okay, so let's get this list sorted than. Who's coming to the wedding?"

"Ruby" Charlie offered.

"Obviously" Joey nodded as she scribbled Ruby's name in the notebook in her hand "We couldn't very well have it without her there could we? She's like our guest of honour"

Ruby looked up from her magazine and beamed happily at the older girl "Thanks"

Charlie smiled at the interaction between her daughter and girlfriend "Uh...Leah"

"Again, Obviously"

"Roman"

"With Leah" Joey nodded thoughtfully "Um...Aden...Belle"

"Rachel, Tony, Martha" Charlie listed slowly "Is Xavier coming Rubz?"

"More than likely" Ruby replied cautiously "Uh...Charlie?"

"What?" Charlie questioned in concern as she noticed her sister's nervousness "What is it?" Joey too looked over at the teenager from her notebook.

"Is uh...Dad...I mean...Is he coming to the wedding?" Ruby questioned.

"Oh my God..." Charlie murmured, paling slightly "I was obviously going to invite him to the wedding but it kind of slipped my mind that..." she bit her lip and glanced at Joey.

"What?" Joey frowned in confusion "What's wrong?"

"Dad doesn't know that I'm um..." Charlie bit her lip trying to find the right words "He doesn't know that I'm..."

"He doesn't know that she's gay...Or whatever she is" Ruby provided bluntly.

"Yeah..." Charlie nodded "What Ruby said"

"Oh..." Joey's eyes widened in shock "That's...not good"

"You can say that again!" Ruby snorted in amusement "I'd say we're well and truly screwed"

"Ruby!" Joey rebuked with a glare.

"Oh, right. Sorry" Ruby apologised sincerely as she turned to look at Charlie "What I meant to say is I'm behind you 100%"

"Thanks Rubz" Charlie smiled bravely at her daughter "You have to remember you said that though, okay?"

"Got it" Ruby smiled.

"So what are we going to do?" Joey asked hesitantly "Are we cancelling the wedding or..."

"No!" Charlie responded instantly "There will be no cancelations. I'm just going to have to go and see him and...Tell him" she nodded to herself thoughtfully.

"You're going away?" Joey said disappointedly.

"You're coming with me" Charlie informed her "You didn't think I would go by myself, did you?"

"Me?" Joey squeaked out fearfully "I don't know if I should...I mean what if your Dad doesn't take it well? I don't want to cause trouble..."

"You won't!" Charlie exclaimed puppy dog look firmly in place "Pleaaase Jo?" she stuck her bottom lip out causing Joey to waver slightly "Pretty please?"

"Fine" Joey sighed though she couldn't help the smile that appeared on her lips "But only because you're so damn cute!" she pressed a quick kiss to Charlie's lips.

"What am I supposed to do when you two are away?" Ruby asked quietly.

"You have to come with us!" Charlie turned to Ruby wide-eyed "I need you there with me Rubz. I don't think I'll be able to do this without you..."

"If you need me, I'll be there" Ruby smiled comfortingly. She got up and moved over to Charlie. She sat on the arm of the couch and wrapped an arm around the older girl's shoulder "You have my full support Charlz" she dropped a kiss on Charlie's head "Don't worry"

"Thanks Rubz" Charlie smiled up at her daughter, feeling tears well up in her eyes.

Ruby shrugged "No problem"

"Well..." Charlie coughed; slightly embarrassed at her show of emotion "I'm going to go get ready so we can get going" she kissed Joey lightly before standing up and moving towards the door.

"Already?" Ruby asked in surprise "We're leaving today?!"

"Why not?" Charlie shrugged "I figured we should leave as soon as possible so you two should get ready. Anyway It would be best for us to get out of here as soon as possible"

"Right" Ruby frowned at Charlie's statement but nodded anyway.

"Hey, Charlie?" Joey called out as Charlie walked out of the room.

"Yeah?" Charlie stuck her head around the doorway.

"I'm missing you already" Joey smiled and blew Charlie a kiss.

Charlie grinned adoringly as she pretended to catch the kiss and press it to her heart "Back at ya" she ducked back out of the room.

"You two are so sweet" Ruby laughed as she dropped onto the couch next to Joey.

Joey shrugged her gaze still on the doorway.

"Joey?" Ruby waved a hand in front of Joey's face "Earth to Joey?"

"Huh?" Joey jerked back to attention "Oh! Sorry Rubz...I'm listening"

"I think something's wrong with Charlie" Ruby blurted out.

"What?" Joey frowned in concern "What do you mean something's wrong with her?"

"She's worried about your brother" Ruby kept her voice low, mindful that Charlie was just in the next room "She's talking about something happening to her. She's really freaking out about it..."

"She hasn't said anything to me..." Joey muttered hurt registering on her expression.

"Will you talk to her?" Ruby asked hopefully "Please?"

"Of course I will" Joey nodded, nudging the worried teen gently "Don't worry Rubz. It'll be fine. Nothing's going to happen to Charlie. I promise."

---

"Charlie?" Ruby questioned from the backseat of the car. She leaned forward slightly between the seats.

"What Rubz?" Charlie sighed exasperatedly as her eyes flicked from the road to the rear-view mirror and back again.

"Are we there yet?" Ruby grinned.

"No...Not yet" Charlie shook her head. All was silent for a moment before Ruby spoke up again.

"Charlie?"

"Yes Ruby?" Charlie growled out through clenched teeth.

"Are we there yet?"

"Ruby!" Charlie exclaimed in annoyance "I said NO!" she sighed heavily before silence filled the car.

"Charlie, Honey?" Joey asked softly, moving her hand to Charlie's knee.

"Yeah, Jo?" Charlie responded softly as the car came to a stop behind a line of traffic.

"Are we there yet?" Joey grinned mischievously.

Ruby burst out laughing the car as Charlie gazed at Joey in pure shock. After a moment both older girls burst into giggles, the sound of laughter breaking the tense silence in the car.

"You guys are not funny ganging up on me!" Charlie said as their laughter died down "It's just...Mean!"

The indignant tone of her voice coupled with the pout she was wearing set Joey and Ruby off into giggles again.

"Hmmph!" Charlie huffed playfully as she began to drive again. They fell back into a more comfortable silence.

"I'm bored" Ruby said suddenly "Can we put the radio on?"

"As long as we don't have to listen to that teen angst stuff again" Charlie grinned as she pressed the button on the car radio. A soft melody filled the car and Joey released an excited squeal causing both Charlie and Ruby to jump slightly.

"I LOVE THIS SONG!" Joey gushed practically jumping up and down in her seat.

Charlie grinned at her girlfriend's endearing excitedness. She shook her head in amusement when Joey began to sing loudly along to the lyrics, not even caring that her window was wide open.

Sittin' in the mornin' sun
I'll be sittin' when the evenin' come
Watching the ships roll in
And then I watch 'em roll away again, yeah

I'm sittin' on the dock of the bay
Watching the tide roll away
Ooo, I'm just sittin' on the dock of the bay
Wastin' time

Joey's happiness appeared to be catching as by the third verse all three girls were singing loudly along to the well known song.

I left my home in Georgia
Headed for the 'Frisco bay
'Cause I've had nothing to live for
And look like nothin's gonna come my way

So I'm just gonna sit on the dock of the bay
Watching the tide roll away
Ooo, I'm sittin' on the dock of the bay
Wastin' time

People driving past in cars shook their heads in amusement as the three girls sang along to the song.

Look like nothing's gonna change
Everything still remains the same
I can't do what ten people tell me to do
So I guess I'll remain the same, yes

Sittin' here resting my bones
And this loneliness won't leave me alone
It's two thousand miles I roamed
Just to make this dock my home

Now, I'm just gonna sit at the dock of the bay
Watching the tide roll away
Oooo-wee, sittin' on the dock of the bay
Wastin' time

Joey and Charlie shared contented smiles in the front of the car and Charlie reached out to grasp Joey's hand tightly in her own. Both older girls burst into giggles as Ruby attempted (and failed) to whistle in unison with the whistle at the end of the song.

TBC