Hey guys, first of all...I suck I know. I suck at updating and the writing for the last few chapters hasn't been very good but thanks to everybody who has stuck with me and is still reviewing for this fic! I really appreciate it and I promise I'm going to attempt to sort my writing out and focus more on CJ!
Chapter 76
"This hurts" Charlie whined uncomfortably as she once again shifted position in the bed "Ow...This really hurts! Why did I let Rachel take the drugs away, again?"
"You said you didn't need them anymore" Joey looked slightly amused at Charlie's annoyance despite her growing concern "Because you want to get out of the hospital as quickly as possible"
"I want them back" Charlie pouted.
"I can go and get Rachel if you want?" Ruby offered from her other side, fully aware of the answer she would receive.
"No" Charlie shook her head instantly "If she knows I'm still in pain she'll never let me out of this place"
"You were shot" Joey stated obviously "It's obvious that you're still going to be in pain"
"I know" Charlie sighed in frustration "But I just want to go home...I've been stuck in this place for over two days. I hate hospitals..."
"Are you sure it's a good idea to go home even if you're not feeling up to it?" Joey asked as she tentatively sat on the bed next to Charlie and took her hand "You could hurt yourself"
"They'll give me pain pills" Charlie shrugged with a small smile "That will keep the pain away, won't it? Anyway you know once I get home you won't let me move"
"I guess you're right" Joey chuckled softly at her own concern "But I don't think that Rachel's going to agree after..."
"After what?" Charlie frowned as Joey's expression darkened and she shared a glance with Ruby.
"Um...Nothing" Joey muttered, not wanting to relive the memory that had plagued her for the last few days "It's nothing"
"It's something" Charlie said as she narrowed her eyes at Joey and Ruby "You've both suddenly gone really quiet"
"I was being quiet anyway" Ruby offered in hopes of changing the subject.
"So what is it?" Charlie asked seemingly ignoring Ruby's statement, her eyes still glued on Joey "What happened that would stop Rachel discharging me? Is it about the complications she was talking about yesterday?"
Joey shifted uncomfortably before she looked up at Charlie, the pain of the crystal clear memory obvious in her eyes "You um...Your heart stopped beating"
"Oh" Charlie muttered, her expression slightly shocked but unfazed otherwise "But they brought me back, obviously. They started it again. So...Why would that affect Rachel's decision to let me out?"
"I don't think you get it..." Joey swallowed heavily "You died Charlie. They...they were just about to call the time"
Charlie flinched slightly at the statement her shock increasing "That's...Wow. So...Why...I mean how did I...?"
"Rachel wouldn't stop" Joey answered as she squeezed Charlie's hand gently "The other doctors were trying to get her to call it and she was about to but then...She kept going"
"Wait!" Charlie gasped looking horrified at her sudden realisation "You and Ruby weren't there for that, were you? I mean you didn't actually see me almost die, right?" when Joey remained silent she continued "Joey?!"
"Yes" Joey answered haltingly "We were there"
"Oh God..." Charlie murmured her gaze shifting to Ruby who had been silent through the whole conversation and was currently averting her eyes "You saw that? Are you..." she looked back at Joey lost for words "I mean..."
"We're fine" Ruby spoke up though her voice betrayed her true feelings "She brought you back so there's no reason to dwell on what happened..."
"Right" Charlie looked at Joey questioningly but the younger girl merely shrugged at her.
"Do you want some coffee or something?" Joey asked quietly as she stood up from the chair and released Charlie's hand "I think I'll go and get some..."
"Sure" Charlie sighed, feeling the obvious loss of Joey's warmth "But you'll come right back won't you?"
"I'll be back soon" Joey smiled before she leaned down and kissed Charlie softly. When she pulled back she softened her voice to a whisper "Try and talk to her" she kissed Charlie one more time before she stepped back "Do you want anything while I'm away Rubz?"
"No" Ruby shook her head "I'm fine thanks Jo"
Joey nodded and began to back away. She offered Charlie a small smile before she turned and left.
"Am I imagining things..." Charlie started her gaze slightly concerned "Or is Joey being kind of...Weird with me?"
"Joey's being weird with everyone" Ruby answered as she looked up at Charlie "Even me. It's not just you"
"You're not okay, are you?" Charlie asked bluntly "And neither is Joey"
"Of course we're not okay" Ruby answered "You died Charlie! How...How are we supposed to be okay? You have no idea how terrified I was even before you went into cardiac arrest..."
"You were thinking about Dad" Charlie murmured quietly. She glanced around the walls of the hospital room "It freaks me out just to be here after what happened. I can't even imagine..."
"I was thinking about him" Ruby nodded, slightly tearful "But I was mainly thinking about you. About what could happen...What I would do if it did happen!"
"Ruby..." Charlie shifted slightly in the bed "Come here"
Ruby shook her head resolutely and continued "What would we do if we lost you Charlie? Did you even think about that before you decided to run off and play executioner with Grant?!"
Charlie flinched at the wording and opened her mouth to speak but Ruby beat her to it.
"What you did was stupid and irresponsible a-and Reckless!" Ruby said loudly "You shouldn't have done it. You shouldn't have gone after him!"
"I know it was stupid" Charlie admitted "But..."
"You were going to kill him!" Ruby exclaimed disbelievingly "You...I didn't think you would ever be able to do something like that to anyone!" she shook her head self deprecatingly "Maybe I'm naive or something and I imagined that you couldn't do anything wrong because for a long time you've been my main source of support or..."
"I'm not perfect" Charlie said honestly "I just...My emotions got the better of me and I lost it for a while. And when I came to my sense...it was already too late and he shot me. I'm sorry Ruby..."
"You have no idea how much you scared me" Ruby muttered "And Joey...You have no idea what's going on with Joey"
"Come here" Charlie patted the space next to her and waited for Ruby to move sit on the bed before she wrapped an arm around her shoulders "I'm sorry"
"I know you are" Ruby sighed as she shifted more into Charlie's embrace being careful not to hurt her "But you should really be telling Joey that...She's really messed up"
"Messed up?" Charlie frowned in concern "What do you mean by that?"
"She's...Different" Ruby said quietly "I don't know what's wrong with her but I know what happened really scared her. You need to talk to her"
"I will" Charlie promised her voice still concerned "I'll talk to her" they fell into a short silence for a moment before she spoke up again "So why are you being so quiet today anyway?"
"I don't really feel like talking" Ruby said quietly.
"There's something wrong" Charlie noted "Something you're not telling me"
"You don't need to worry about it" Ruby replied sadly "It's just...Summer's leaving in three days time. She's going back to England with Cameron"
"Oh" Charlie pulled her daughter closer and wrapped her arms fully around her "and you're feeling...?"
"I don't know" Ruby shrugged miserably "I don't know what I'm feeling or...What I'm supposed to be feeling. The problem is that I feel way too much"
"You've lost me" Charlie chuckled.
"That's what Joey said when I tried to explain it to her" Ruby said honestly "I just...I really don't want her to go. But there's nothing either of us can do about it"
"You two are really close" Charlie commented softly.
Ruby nodded and laughed lightly "You know...In the beginning I didn't even think I would like her much but now she's...She means a lot to me"
Charlie detected the sad tone of her daughter's voice and offered her a small squeeze of reassurance before they fell into silence.
"I don't think she's coming back" Ruby whispered suddenly "How do I deal with that? With knowing that I might never see her again?"
"I don't know Rubz" Charlie answered just as softly "I really don't know" after a moment she pulled away and smiled reassuringly at the younger girl "I have an idea...Why don't you invite Summer over tonight and we can all just sit around and mope together?"
" Summer practically lives with us" Ruby reminded her "And you're still assuming that you're going to get out"
"I will get out" Charlie said surely.
"You won't get out" Rachel corrected as she walked through the door to the room with Joey right behind her "There is no way you're getting out of this hospital today with that bullet wound"
"But I'm fine!" Charlie protested "It's doesn't even hurt much anymore"
"You're a terrible liar" Rachel shook her head in amusement "And I'm still not signing those release forms"
"I can discharge myself!" Charlie smiled triumphantly "Can't I?"
"I don't think you're well enough to go home yet" Rachel sighed "That's my professionally opinion but if you really want to leave...I can't stop you"
"Good" Charlie said as she moved to get up "Can I go now?"
"No!" Rachel exclaimed as she raised a hand "You can't get up yet. I have to get forms and I need to check you out first. You're not leaving unless I'm convinced you can make it without collapsing"
"Ugh!" Charlie groaned as she slumped back onto the bed next to Ruby "I hate hospitals..."
"Drink your coffee" Joey smiled as she handed Charlie her coffee "It'll make you feel better"
"Thanks Jo" Charlie returned the smile as she took the offered cup of coffee "Where have you been anyway?"
"I figured you needed some time to talk" Joey said thoughtfully.
"You're the best" Charlie gently tugged Joey closer and kissed her lightly "What did I do to deserve you?"
"Must have been something good" Joey laughed as she sat on the edge of the bed.
"Oh!" Charlie exclaimed "Tonight is girl's night...We're going to sit around, eat unhealthy food and watch ridiculously depressing movies"
"Um...Okay" Joey looked slightly confused but nodded anyway "So I'll get the notebook, P.S I love you, A walk to remember...Any requests?"
"Homeward bound" Ruby responded.
"Seriously?" Joey couldn't help but laugh at Ruby's answer "You want to watch a movie about talking Cats and Dogs?"
"It makes her cry" Charlie chuckled as she nudged her daughter playfully.
"Shut up" Ruby mumbled as a blush covered her cheeks "It's a sad movie!"
"Homeward bound has been added to the list" Joey confirmed. When she noticed Ruby open her mouth to speak again she continued "So has your ice cream"
"You know me too well" Ruby grinned.
"So...Movies, Ice cream and cherry twizzlers" Joey nodded with a quick smile at Charlie "I think we're all set for this pity party"
"Cherry Twizzlers?" Ruby asked curiously.
"When I've had a bad day or I can't sleep I resort to Cherry Twizzlers" Charlie grinned, though her cheeks tinted pink.
"She has a secret stash" Joey chuckled "In case of emergencies"
"That's kind of sad" Ruby informed her mother, with a grin.
"Shut up" Charlie pouted "It's not my fault I have a weird addiction"
"Beyond Weird" Ruby and Joey corrected in unison. They glanced at each other in surprise before they broke into laughter.
"Yeah, Yeah laugh at me all you want" Charlie complained lightly, inwardly relieved that the tension had temporarily lifted "I can't wait to get out of this place..."
TBC
