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Chapter 55
Charlie hummed quietly to herself as she padded into her bedroom and pulled off her shirt as she kicked the door closed behind her. She glanced over to where Joey was sitting on the bed and smiled softly "Hey"
"Hey" Joey replied in a slightly husky voice. She cleared her throat slightly in an attempt to sound normal as she watched Charlie pull on another shirt. She pouted subconsciously as the other girls skin was covered up.
"What?" Charlie smirked when she turned around and noticed Joey's look. She ran a hand through her hair in a quick attempt to tame it.
"Nothing" Joey smiled dreamily as she leaned her head on her hand, her gaze still focused on her wife "It's just..."
"Just what?" Charlie questioned as she took a slight step forward. She grinned when Joey held her hand out and immediately took it allowing herself to be pulled onto the bed next to the younger girl.
"Nothing" Joey repeated as she leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to Charlie's lips "You're just..." she smiled softly and brushed a strand of hair from Charlie's cheek "So beautiful" her smile widened when Charlie blushed and looked away bashfully "I'm serious. And it amazes me that you don't know how beautiful you are. You just make me want to..."
"Want to what?" Charlie finally looked up and grinned mischievously when Joey trailed off.
"You know what" Joey smiled lovingly.
"I know but...I want you to tell me exactly what you want to do" Charlie said in a soft voice as she leaned forward slightly.
"Why don't I just show you?" Joey said before she leaned forward and captured Charlie's lips in a heated kiss. Her fingers tangled into soft dark hair as she guided the older girl gently down onto the bed.
"I have to say I like your idea better" Charlie panted when they pulled away for air. She gasped as Joey began to trail small kisses from her jaw to her neck.
"You want to know?" Joey asked against Charlie's rapidly warming skin.
"What?" Charlie asked breathlessly her confusion evident in her voice.
"What I'm going to do to you" Joey laughed at Charlie's lack of concentration before she dropped a kiss on her pulse point, no doubt firmly enough to cause a slight mark.
"Hmmn" Charlie hummed in agreement as she arched to meet Joey's tender touch.
"I'm going to...Worship you" Joey said as she trailed her kisses lower "I'm going to...Ravish you" she sat up slightly pulling Charlie gently with her. Understanding Joey's intentions Charlie pulled off her shirt and tossed it across the room. A moment later they fell back onto the bed and Charlie found herself once again helpless under Joey's attention.
"We need to be quick" Charlie's eyes slid shut as Joey's hands strayed to the button of her jeans "They're going to be here soo..." she was cut off as Joey kissed her passionately.
---
"Charlie?!" Cameron called hesitantly as she entered the house using the key she had been given "Joey?" she glanced at Summer in a shared look of confusion and moved further into the house.
"We're here!" Charlie exclaimed as she rushed down the stairs looking rather dishelved.
"Did we interrupt something?" Cameron grinned knowingly as she watched Charlie fastening the buttons of her shirt "Because we can go if you need..."
"No!" Charlie said in a slightly higher voice than usual "You didn't interrupt...And it's absolutely fine since...We weren't doing anything"
"Yeah right" Summer smirked "And my sister's straight"
Cameron turned and narrowed her eyes at her younger sister "Why do you always bring my sexuality into your arguments?"
Summer shrugged and glanced at Charlie her smirk still in place.
"What?" Charlie shifted uncomfortably under the teen's stare "We really weren't doing anything"
"You have an um..." Summer waved in the general direction of her neck and laughed when Charlie's hand immediately shot to the area to cover the faint red mark.
"Shut up" Charlie mumbled though she couldn't help but smile "You're such a smart Aleck"
"I know!" Summer grinned. She paused for a moment and looked around "Is Ruby here? I haven't seen her for a couple of days"
"Um...No. I don't think she is" Charlie bit her lip slightly worried "She must have gone out...even though I told her not to because of the Grant thing. Damn it..."
"What's wrong?" Joey asked as she walked down the stairs to stand at Charlie's side. She glanced at Cameron and Summer and smiled warmly "Hey guys"
"Hey" Summer and Cameron replied in unison.
"Ruby's gone out somewhere" Charlie answered in concern "And we don't know where"
"But you told her not to" Joey frowned as she glanced at the front door "Ruby knows that Grant's out there somewhere. She wouldn't just ignore you"
"Well that's what I thought too" Charlie said her mind racing with worry "What if he broke in somehow? What If he's taken her?!"
"I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation for this" Joey responded quietly as she reached up and rubbed soothing circles on her wife's back.
"Maybe I should go and look for her" Summer offered as she took a step backwards toward the door, worry clear on her expression.
"NO!" Charlie's exclamation stopped Summer in her tracks "No...It's not safe for any of you to be alone right now"
"But Ruby..." at just that moment the front door opened with a soft click and the girl in question walked through it.
"What?" Ruby questioned in a weak voice as she closed the door behind her. A matter of seconds later she found herself wrapped in her mother's tight embrace.
"Don't you ever do that to me again Ruby Buckton" Charlie stated in firm relief as she clung tightly to her daughter.
"Right...Got it" Ruby said in a somewhat choked voice "Um...Mum?"
"Yeah?" Charlie asked without releasing her hold.
"I can't...Breath" Ruby responded though she made no move to actually withdraw from the embrace.
"Oh...Sorry" Charlie pulled away and smiled sheepishly "I was...Worried" after a brief pause her expression darkened slightly and she narrowed her eyes at the teenager "Where were you?! I told you not to go out on your own Ruby!"
Ruby shrugged and moved over to the stairs where she slumped down with an audible thump onto the bottom step.
"Rubz?" Joey questioned in concern as she sat next the pale girl "Are you okay?"
"I've been feeling sick" Ruby said as looked at Charlie "That's why I went out. I needed some air"
"You should have said something" Charlie sighed and knelt down in front of Ruby. She lifted her hand and placed it on Ruby's forehead "You don't have a temperature"
"It's probably fine" Ruby said quietly "It's just because I haven't been eating very well for the past few days"
"You haven't been eating?!" Joey asked her eyes widening in concern "Why not?"
"I don't know" Ruby answered softly "I've just been feeling nauseous so I couldn't"
"Well you need to eat something" Charlie said firmly "Or you're just going to get sicker"
"Fine" Ruby nodded slowly as her eyes slid tiredly shut "I'll eat something...I'll head to the diner in a minute"
"I don't want you going by yourself" Charlie said instantly as she pushed a strand of hair from Ruby's pale cheek "It's way too dangerous out there"
"You don't have to come with me" Ruby replied as she opened her eyes "You said this morning that you have things to do today...Didn't you?"
"Yeah but your health and safety comes first" Charlie said as she glanced at Joey who nodded in agreement.
"I don't want to stop you from doing whatever you're doing" Ruby subconsciously leaned into Joey's side and blinked fuzzily.
"Well you need to eat" Charlie looked over her shoulder at Cameron and Summer "Cam? Would you mind taking Ruby to the diner? I'll be there in about an hour"
"Of course I don't mind!" Cameron replied brightly "Summer's been moping around the house for the past couple of da..."
"Cameron!" Summer interrupted, a bright blush colouring her features as she elbowed her sister lightly in her ribs.
"Ow!" Cameron yelped as she rubbed her side painfully "What was that for?!"
"That wasn't how it sounded" Summer glanced at Ruby and shifted uncomfortably "My sister likes to uh...over exaggerate"
"Um...Right" Ruby nodded and glanced at Charlie "I don't need a baby-sitter though Charlie"
"I didn't say that you do" Charlie frowned and took Ruby's hand in her own "Look Rubz...I just need to know that you're safe okay? Grant...He's out there somewhere and I know what he's capable of" she moved her gaze momentarily to Cameron and they shared a look of mutual understanding "I don't know what I'd do if anything like that happened to you Rubz. You have to understand where I'm coming from here"
"I'm sorry" Ruby whispered guiltily as she leaned shakily forward and hugged Charlie lightly "I understand...I'm sorry I'm being so irritable at the minute"
"its okay" Charlie pulled back and looked at her shaky daughter "Are you okay Rubz? Maybe I should go with you..."
"I'm fine" Ruby smiled weakly as she stood up on unsteady legs. She hugged Joey and Charlie quickly before she moved over to Summer and Cameron "Anyway you'll be there in about an hour right?"
"Right" Joey nodded in response.
---
"Your Mum is going to kill me if I don't get you to eat something" Cameron said with a small smile as she watched Ruby picking aimlessly at her food.
"Sorry Cam" Ruby sighed miserably "I just feel really sick"
"Do you need to see a doctor?" Cameron asked in concern "Because we can go there right now if you want..."
"I'm fine" Ruby looked up and offered a small smile of reassurance "Honestly" she looked down at her food and attempted to force herself to eat despite her stomachs resistance "Sooo...What have you two been doing for the past couple of days?"
"Lying low mostly" Summer shrugged as she sipped at her milkshake "Cameron and Charlie think that's best right now" she glanced at her sister for confirmation.
"Right" Cameron nodded in agreement "At least until we can think of something else to do about him"
"It must be hard for you" Ruby said quietly "I know it is for Charlie..."
"Yeah" Cameron responded sadly as her gaze dropped to the table "It is..."
"Um...So did I tell you that Cameron has a hot date on Friday?!" Summer grinned in an attempt to change the subject as she reached for Cameron's hand under the table and squeezed it reassuringly.
"You do?" Ruby smiled at Cameron "Who's the lucky girl?"
"Remember that cop?" Summer asked as her sister began to blush profusely "Watson I think her name was...?"
"You're going out with Georgie?" Ruby asked in surprise "that's awesome..." she glanced at Summer "So I guess you're staying at my place on Friday?"
"Why's that?" Cameron asked in confusion.
"Well...I'm guessing that she doesn't want to have to listen to..."
"Whoa!" Cameron held up her hands in a sign for Ruby to stop "Slow down Missy...I'll have you know I do not put out on the first date"
"That's not what I heard" a voice from their left caused them to look up. Cameron stood up quickly from the table as he approached.
"Oh My God..." Ruby muttered as she looked at the man closely "Is that...?"
"Grant" Summer confirmed as she grabbed Ruby's hand and stood up, pulling the younger girl with her. Ruby swayed unsteadily for a moment but managed to remain standing.
"What do you want?!" Cameron questioned as she glared at him "You have a restraining order against you"
"You should know by now that they don't stop me" Grant laughed as he glanced at Ruby "So you must be...My daughter?"
"You're not my Father!" Ruby stated angrily as she tightened her grip on Summer's hand.
"Go away" Cameron ordered as she stepped in front of Ruby and Summer trying in vain to hide her fear.
"No" Grant shook his head his gaze focused on Ruby "Come on can't we talk about this? Whatever Charlie's been telling you about me is a lie. She's just trying to hide the fact that she was a slu..."
"Don't talk about her like that you sick bastard!" Ruby growled as she attempted to lunge forward. She was stopped however by her own weakness and Summer holding her back.
"I think you should leave" Cameron said in a calm voice as she stayed protectively in front of Ruby and Summer "You should probably expect a visit from the police"
Grant huffed in annoyance "You'll get what's coming to you" he smirked at Ruby "Tell Charlie I said Hi by the way" with that said he turned and left.
A tense silence filled the diner as Cameron slumped back into her chair visibly shaking.
"We should get out of here" she finally said "Charlie's going to freak" she stood up and paid for their food before she walked out of the diner with Ruby and Summer behind her. She slowed down when she noticed that the teenagers were lagging behind her and turned around.
"I don't feel well" Ruby explained weakly at Cameron's questioned glanced as she clung to Summer for dear life "I really feel like I'm going to fall over in a minute"
Cameron stepped forward and placed her palm on Ruby's forehead "You're warm...We're going to the hospital right now...I'll phone Charlie and Joey on the way"
"What?! No!" Ruby exclaimed in panic "I don't want to worry them..." she stepped away from Summer slightly "See?! I'm totally fi...Whoa!" she shook her head and blinked rapidly in an attempt to clear the fuzziness of her vision "Okay...Maybe I'm not..." she reached unseeingly out for Summer's arm and clutched it tightly.
"Ruby?!" Summer said fearfully "Are you Okay?"
"No...Everything's spinny" Ruby answered her voice slurring slightly "I think I'm..."
"RUBY!" Summer yelled in panic as Ruby slumped unconscious into her arms "RUBY?!"
TBC
