I'm kind of sad to say that there is only one more chapter to go after this one. I've absolutely loved writing this fic (So much so that I continued even though it was only meant to be about 10 chapters long). The continuation is partly due to all of your wonderfully encouraging reviews. I greatly appreciate them. They really helped with the progression of the story.
I have a quick question: Should I continue writing CJ fics or quit while I'm sort of ahead? It's been really great writing them and I've totally fallen in love with the ship! I have an idea for a new fic but...What do you guys think?
Anyway I hope you all enjoy the chapter...I tried to make it as happy as I possibly could for you :)
Chapter 40
Joey walked through the door of Leah's house whistling happily to herself as a familiar feeling of home settled upon her. She walked slowly through the door to the living room and noticed Charlie sitting on the couch, reading over paperwork on the table in front of her.
"Hey" Charlie looked up as she sensed Joey's presence "You're back" she stood up from the couch and took a step towards the younger girl.
"Yep" Joey moved quickly towards her and caught her lips in a passionate kiss, literally lifting her off the ground in the embrace. They fell back onto the couch without breaking the kiss "I certainly am back"
"Wow" Charlie's hands moved automatically to Joey's waist to steady her as she straddled her lap "It seems like you missed me if that kiss is anything to go by"
"I did" Joey confirmed the statement with another long kiss which left them both breathless. When she pulled back she grinned at her girlfriend "a hell of a lot"
"So are those for me?" Charlie smiled as she gestured towards the roses in Joey's hand "Or are you just planning on decorating the house?"
"These?" Joey moved off Charlie and sat on the couch next to her "Yeah...These are for you" she handed Charlie the flowers "As are these" she pulled a box of chocolates from behind her back and handed them too to the older girl.
Charlie smiled adoringly and inhaled the fresh smell of the red roses before she looked up at Joey "As much as I appreciate the incredibly sweet gesture especially since you bought my favourite chocolates...You know you don't have to keep apologising, don't you?"
Joey shrugged nervously "I was actually kind of trying to make a statement with those flowers" she motioned towards the roses in Charlie's hand.
"What kind of statement?" Charlie questioned curiously.
"Well there are 12 roses" Joey looked up meeting Charlie's gaze "I'm going to love you until the last one dies..."
Charlie looked between Joey and the roses in slight confusion "Uh Joey? You do know that one of these roses is fake, don't you?"
"I know" Joey smiled brightly at her "That's because I'm going to love you forever! Just like the rose my love for you will never die!"
"Oh..." Charlie felt tears form rapidly in her eyes "That's..." she flung her arms around Joey and kissed her deeply allowing them both to fall backwards on the couch "Really sweet"
Joey smiled softly and reached up to wipe Charlie's tears away "Well I wasn't really aiming to make you cry but..."
"Sorry" Charlie apologised quietly "Happy tears though...I promise. It was really sweet of you to go to the trouble of getting the flowers"
"Good" Joey smiled happily "Because I think the florist thought I was a bit nuts when I asked her for 11 real roses and 1 fake"
Charlie laughed and leaned down to kiss the younger girl again "Thank you"
"Anything for you" Joey beamed before her expression turned slightly more serious "I was just...trying to show you that I never intend to leave you again"
"I know" Charlie said softly "I trust you"
"I just couldn't stand to see you being treated like some kind of criminal" Joey explain truthfully "And I know what would have happened if Brett..."
"Joey!" Charlie stopped Joey with a finger to her lips "I know why you did what you did. You don't have to keep explaining it to me"
"Okay..." Joey responded quietly "Y'know you have kind of committed a crime"
"Yeah?" Charlie asked in confusion "How's that?"
"You've certainly stolen my heart" Joey grinned cheekily.
Charlie gazed at her for a moment before she burst into giggles "That was kind of cheesy Jo" she leaned down and kissed the younger girl when she pouted "But just out of curiosity...Do you want it back?"
"I would definitely prefer that you kept it" Joey smiled as she shifted slightly under Charlie's weight.
"What is it?" Charlie asked in concern as she noticed Joey squirming slightly beneath her "Am I hurting you?" she moved to get up but Joey pulled her back down quickly.
"No" Joey smiled warmly "You're fine...It's comfortable"
"Are you sure?" Charlie double checked "Because I can move if you're uncomfortable..."
"No way are you moving!" Joey grinned as her hands settled on Charlie's waist "This position happens to be very comfortable. Plus I have an unbelievably hot girl on top of me...What else could I possibly want?"
"Our bedroom?" Charlie smiled seductively as she leaned down so she was pressed completely against Joey and their lips were mere inches apart.
"Who needs a bedroom?" Joey asked as she pulled Charlie close and kissed her passionately. Charlie responded quickly as she threaded her fingers through Joey's hair and returned the kiss just as enthusiastically.
"Joey..." she panted when they finally pulled back for air. She released a soft gasp as Joey's lips moved down her jaw towards her neck.
"Hmmn?" Joey hummed as she moved her hands slowly under Charlie's shirt and caressed the soft skin she found there.
"Nothing but...Oh God!" Charlie moaned softly as Joey nipped gently at her neck before soothing the slightly stinging area with her tongue.
"I want you..." Joey whispered huskily as she kissed her way up to Charlie's ear "Right now..." she tugged impatiently at Charlie's shirt. Charlie automatically sat up slightly allowing the younger girl to remove it. Joey kissed her way slowly down the older girl's neckline making her way to her breasts still hidden by a bra.
"Jo" Charlie moaned softly as Joey unclasped her bra in one quick movement "We can't...Not here"
"Shhh" Joey shushed her gently as she pushed the bra straps from Charlie's shoulders excruciatingly slowly.
Charlie bit her lip as her bra was finally completely removed. Truth be told it was terrifying but at the same time rather thrilling that somebody could walk in at any minute. Her breath caught in her throat when Joey finally captured a nipple in her mouth.
"Fuck..." she cursed as her back arched slightly towards Joey "Jo if you don't get on with it I think I'm going to fucking explode!"
"Language Missy" Joey grinned as she moved her hands tantalisingly slowly down Charlie's ribs and over her abdomen, coming to rest on the button of her jeans. She dipped her thumbs slightly under the waistband of the jeans but made no other movement.
"Quit teasing" Charlie groaned impatiently.
"Patience is a virtue" Joey giggled into Charlie's chest. She unbuttoned the top button of Charlie's jeans but hesitated at the zip.
"Joey?" Charlie said breathlessly "I need you...right now" she moved forward and captured Joey's lips with her own forcing them both to lie back again on the couch. Joey didn't hesitate as she slid her hand under Charlie's jeans and briefs finally making contact with her destination point. She awkwardly switched their positions so that Charlie was below her.
"Oh God..." Charlie's head slammed back into the couch as Joey inserted two fingers into her and her hips began to move in time with Joey's movements "Joey!"
"You feel so good" Joey breathed heavily into Charlie's ear as she felt the older girl's body begin to tighten around her fingers.
"I...Joey" Charlie began to move faster as she felt herself fast approaching the edge. With a loud cry of pleasure she collapsed back onto the couch breathing heavily.
Joey smiled to herself and wrapped her arms around her slightly shaking girlfriend, holding her impossibly close.
"Wow" Charlie muttered breathlessly "That was...wow"
"Charlie?!" a voice called from the kitchen "I'm home!"
"Oh shit!" Charlie cursed as she sat up slightly "It's Ruby..." she quickly shifted on the couch so that her she was at the back and Joey was in front of her in an attempt to cover herself "Ruby?! Don't come in for a minute"
"Why?" Ruby entered the room with her hand firmly over her eyes "What are you two doing? Are you both decent?"
"No!" Charlie exclaimed stopping Ruby from moving her hand "Joey where's my shirt?"
"I don't know" Joey shrugged "I threw it somewhere"
"Great!" Charlie groaned and stood up using her arms to cover herself. She spotted her shirt behind the couch and walked over to it.
"Can I open my eyes now?" Ruby grinned jokingly.
"NO!" Charlie answered as she pulled her shirt on "Wait...Now you can"
Ruby tentatively removed her hand from her eyes and opened an eye by a fraction of an inch to make sure they were both dressed "Don't you guys have a bedroom?"
"We weren't doing anything!" Charlie protested innocently as she sat back on the couch next to Joey.
"Right" Ruby laughed at the older girl's obvious embarrassment "I don't think that flush you're wearing is just embarrassment. Am I right?"
Charlie blushed brighter if at all possible and she glanced at Joey "This is your fault"
"My fault?!" Joey grinned "No way. This is all your fault. You insisted on getting really close and doing that thing you do!"
"That thing?" Charlie echoed in confusion.
"You know...The look!" Joey persisted "When your eyes turn a really dark shade of blue and you get all seductive"
Charlie grinned "Yeah?"
"Hell yeah" Joey nodded firmly "You know I can't possibly resist you when you look at me like that"
Ruby cringed slightly "Do I need to be hearing this?"
"Oh!" Joey jumped slightly and turned her gaze from Charlie to the teen "Ruby! I forgot you were here!"
"Obviously" Ruby rolled her eyes "You seem to be forgetting about a lot of things lately"
"Um...Right" Joey looked at Charlie questioningly.
"I'm going to my room" Ruby said before she stormed off to her room, slamming the door behind her.
"I think she's mad at me" Joey said quietly her gaze focused on the direction in which Ruby had left.
Charlie shrugged sadly "Doesn't she have a right to be?"
Joey's expression dropped slightly "Of course she does"
"I didn't mean that like it sounded" Charlie wrapped an arm around her girlfriend "All I mean is that I wasn't the only person affected by you leaving Jo..."
"I know that" Joey sighed "I've really messed things up with her"
"Go and talk to her" Charlie suggested nudging Joey gently. She stood up and kissed Joey quickly on head "I'm going to go and get changed. It'll be fine" with that she moved quickly towards her room.
"Charlz?" Joey called out.
"Yeah?" Charlie turned back around to face her girlfriend.
"You forgot something" Joey grinned as she held up Charlie's bra.
"Thanks Babe" Charlie moved over to her and kissed her quickly "What would I do without you?"
---
Ruby groaned to herself as a soft knock sounded at her door "Come in"
"Hey" Joey said as she entered the room and closed the door behind her "I was wondering if I could talk to you"
"You already are" Ruby responded her eyes never leaving her notepad, which she was doodling in.
"What are you doing?" Joey asked softly as she took a slow step forward.
"Homework" Ruby lied.
"Ruby, are you mad at me?" Joey asked slowly "If you are I need to know so we can sort I out..."
"Yeah" Ruby nodded though she still didn't look at the older girl "Now that you mentioned it I am pretty mad at you!" she tightened her grip on the pen in her hand.
"Why?"
"Why?!" Ruby asked incredulously "Are you seriously asking me that question? Isn't it obvious why I'm so mad at you?"
"Um...No?" Joey shrugged helplessly.
Ruby scoffed and threw her pen across the room angrily causing Joey to jump slightly "Damn it!" she looked up at Joey "Do you have any idea what it was like here when you were away?!"
Joey shook her head numbly.
"Yeah I suppose you wouldn't!" Ruby stated accusingly "You have no idea what you did Joey. I know that you know Charlie was a mess but...you don't have any idea how much!"
"Ruby, I..."
"Do you have any idea what it was like to have to watch her like that and not be able to do anything about it?" Ruby asked angrily "To worry about taking your eyes off her in case she did anything stupid? In case she hurt herself or worse?!"
Joey shook her head numbly feeling tears building.
"I do!" Ruby said tearfully "I had to watch her like that Joey. I had to witness her heart breaking! And you know the worst part?" she didn't wait for a response and continued quickly "I had to try to convince her that it would be okay. I had to defend your actions when I had no idea what was going on. I had to tell her over and over again that you still loved her and that she hadn't done anything wrong. You have no idea how hard it was without you!"
"I'm sorry" Joey responded sincerely "I know I have no excuses for hurting you both but...I was only trying to protect you and Charlie Rubz. You know I would do anything for you two" she moved closer and sat down on the edge of the bed, watching Ruby intently.
Ruby leaned forward and placed her head in her hands allowing her tears to flow freely "You promised that you wouldn't hurt her again. You told me that you wouldn't leave us!"
"Ruby, I'm sorry..." Joey longed to reach out to the girl she considered family but managed to stop herself "But I swear I'll never intentionally let anything pull me away again. Not even Brett"
"Really?" Ruby looked up at her through teary eyes "Do you really mean that this time Joey?"
Joey nodded and opened her arms to the teen who moved quickly into them.
"I missed you, you know" Joey said softly to the younger girl "I missed your constant teasing. It was boring without you"
"I missed you too" Ruby responded quietly.
"I promise I won't leave you or Charlie again" Joey said sincerely "I'll never do anything to hurt either of you"
---
"Charlie?" Joey bound into the bedroom she shared with Charlie later on that night "I have something for you!"
"That's a coincidence" Charlie smiled seductively and pulled Joey down onto the bed "Because I have something for you too."
Joey laughed and pressed a soft kiss to Charlie's lips "You go first!"
"Okay..." Charlie moved so that she was kneeling on front of Joey on the bed "I figured that since you're back and you still want to be with me. Maybe you would want this back?" she opened her hand to reveal Joey's ring. After a moment of silence she continued nervously "If you still want to marry me that is...There's no pressure"
"Of course I still want to marry you!" Joey kissed Charlie firmly.
"Good" Charlie smiled softly "You had me worried for a moment" she slipped the ring gently onto Joey's finger and beamed happily at her.
"So I was thinking..." Joey started slightly nervously "About you and us...I love you Charlie" she grasped Charlie's hand in her own and stood up pulling the older girl with her "I've never loved anybody like I love you. I never even imagine that somebody like you would love me..." she shushed the other girl when she moved to interrupt just as Joey had predicted she would "But you do. You do love me. I know that. You've taught me so much through our relationship Charlie...you taught me about love. True love. You showed me how it felt to be part of a real family who loves me for who I am. You save me in more than one way when I was at the lowest point in my life and you've made me so happy. Happier than I ever thought I could deserve to be..." Joey dropped down onto on knee in front of Charlie and smiled up at her "I know you already beat me to it but..." the younger girl pulled a small box out of her pocket "When I was young my Mum gave me this. She told me to hold onto it until I found somebody who deserved it. Somebody who I love more than anything. I love you more than anything Charlie. So will you...Marry me?"
"Of course I will!" Charlie pulled Joey gently to her feet and kissed her tearfully "I love you so much Joey..."
"I love you too" Joey smiled just as tearfully as she slid the ring onto Charlie's finger before kissing it softly "It looks perfect on you" she wrapped her arms around Charlie's neck and kissed her tenderly "I promise, I'll never hurt you like that again"
"I know" Charlie tightened her hold on the other girl and returned the kiss passionately. She spun them around slightly and moved Joey gently backwards so they fell back onto the bed.
TBC
