Hey guys, here's the next chapter! Thanks so much for all of the reviews. Oh and don't worry about Summer leaving. She'll be back really soon. I promise. Her leaving is just important for character development and drama. But Rummer is definitely on. Oh and there's a much more obvious moment between them in this chapter so I hope you enjoy. I'm trying to even the fic out between Rummer and Jarlie so you guys don't get bored (Especially Jarlie fans which is basically of you). I don't want it to seem like I'm making the fic into a one couple story so I hope this chapter is okay :) Hope you enjoy!

Chapter 79

Charlie groaned as she was rudely awoken by something bouncing on her bed but refused to open her eyes to acknowledge it.

"Charlie!" Ruby's voice sounded in a loud whisper "Are you awake?"

"No" Charlie muttered sleepily as she pulled the covers over her head "Go 'Way"

"I need to talk to you!" Ruby spoke, her voice still soft as she prodded Charlie in the ribs "It's important...Charlie!"

"I'm sleeping" Charlie mumbled.

"Chaaaarlie!" Ruby whined as she yanked the covers off the older woman causing her to groan in annoyance "I really need to talk to you!"

"Hmmn...What Time is it?" Charlie blinked against the light and squinted over at the alarm clock "Fuck's sake Ruby, its 5:30 am!" she grabbed the pillow and placed it on top of her head "It's not even light yet!"

"I really need to talk to you!" Ruby said pleadingly "Please Charlie?"

Charlie sighed and threw her pillow in the approximate vicinity of her daughter "Fine I'm up" she glanced to her left only to find the space next to her vacant "Where's Joey?"

"I don't know" Ruby shrugged "I think she went for a run or something"

"At 5:30 in the morning?" Charlie asked sceptically as she sat up in the bed and gazed closely at Ruby "Why is everybody awake so early?"

"Not everybody" Ruby corrected with the hint of a smile "Just me and Joey...And well you too now"

Charlie rolled her eyes "Yeah, thanks for that Rubz"

"Sorry" Ruby apologised guiltily "I just...Needed someone to talk to"

"its okay" Charlie reassured her quietly "Don't worry about it" she tilted her head in silent contemplation of her daughter "So what is it you need to talk about?"

"I was kind of wondering..." Ruby faltered slightly and shifted slightly closer to Charlie "Do you remember when you first met Joey?"

"Yeah" Charlie nodded slightly confused at the line of questioning "I do but..."

"You were straight, right?" Ruby asked "Or at least you thought you were at the time? I mean you'd never been attracted to women before?"

"No I hadn't" Charlie shook her head honestly "Not until Joey"

"So how did you deal with it?" Ruby leaned forward slightly "The fact that you had feelings for her?"

"I didn't" Charlie admitted with a small shrug "You were there Rubz. I screwed it up, remember?"

"But you did deal with it eventually" Ruby responded "Even though you had never felt like that before. I mean...How did you deal with the physical stuff?"

"Physical stuff as in...Sex?" Charlie questioned.

"No!" Ruby blushed brightly "Well...Maybe. Yes. But kind of...Physical stuff that comes before thinking about that. Just normal relationship stuff. I mean..." Ruby frowned in exasperation "I don't know how to explain it"

"Um..." Charlie hesitated for a moment sensing that Ruby was struggling to express herself "I guess I just did what felt right. I didn't rush myself and Joey didn't make me think that I had to" when Ruby remained silent she continued tentatively "What is this about Ruby?"

Ruby shrugged dejectedly "The friend I was telling you about. She's confused"

"Uh-huh" Charlie nodded thoughtfully "What is it she's confused about exactly?"

"She thinks she's attracted to this girl" Ruby explained softly "Her best friend to be exact but she's not really sure whether what she is feeling is what she thinks she's feeling. And she's definitely not sure about the physical stuff. She's not even sure if S...The other girl feels the same way"

"I have to admit I'm really confused Rubz" Charlie offered her daughter a small smile "But I would tell her not to rush herself. To do whatever she's comfortable doing but to be sure first"

"What if she's running out of time?" Ruby murmured in a low voice.

"What?" Charlie frowned having not heard Ruby due to the low volume of her voice.

"Uh...Nothing" Ruby said quickly "Nothing at all"

"Right" Charlie nodded though she still looked suspicious "So how are you feeling?"

"I'm okay"

"How are you really feeling?" Charlie countered knowingly.

Ruby sighed and smiled weakly "Terrible. I don't think I'm ready for this at all. Even though I've had time to think about it...It doesn't seem real that she's leaving today"

"Come here" Charlie patted the vacant space next to her. When Ruby moved to her side she wrapped an arm around the teenager's shoulders "You'll be fine Rubz. It's not like you're never going to se...Um talk to her again"

"But you admit that I might never see her again?" Ruby asked in defeat "I know that she might never come back. I get that but...I just can't imagine her not being around all of the time"

"You're really close to her" Charlie marvelled softly for the hundredth time in the last month or so.

"Yeah" Ruby whispered sadly as she laid her head on Charlie's shoulder "I am"

"You'll be okay" Charlie said again "We'll work something out. I promise"

"I wish she didn't have to go" Ruby confessed softly "I don't know what I'm going to do when she leaves. I know it sounds kind of pathetic but that's just how I feel"

"You can still call her" Charlie said optimistically "You can write to her, IM her..."

"It's not really the same as her being physically here though" Ruby said miserably "And I don't want to upset her even more by telling her how I'm really feeling about her leaving. Not that she doesn't know or feel the same way but...I don't know. I hate it"

Charlie nodded understandingly but otherwise remained silent.

"I'm going to go" Ruby said as she pulled away from Charlie "I'll leave you to go back to sleep. Sorry for waking you up"

"its fine" Charlie smiled comfortingly "I'm here whenever you need me. I'm getting up in a minute anyway. I'm awake now"

Ruby nodded and turned to the door.

"Ruby?"

"Yeah?" Ruby responded as she turned back around.

"You should talk to Summer" Charlie suggested gently.

"About what?" Ruby asked in alarm, her thoughts instantly diverting to their first conversation.

"The fact that she's leaving" Charlie answered somewhat confused at her daughter's panicked reaction.

"Oh, right...I will" Ruby laughed nervously before she turned and walked out of the room.

"Weird" Charlie muttered thoughtfully.

---

"Hey!" Joey grinned when Charlie walked into the kitchen "What are you doing up so early"

"Ruby woke me up" Charlie answered as she walked over to Joey and kissed her lightly "She needed to talk. What were you doing up so early this morning?"

"I went for a run" Joey smiled softly "I just needed to think"

"Anything I should be worried about?" Charlie asked curiously.

"Not really" Joey shook her head and leaned back against the counter "I'm just really worried about Ruby to be honest"

"Me too" Charlie nodded in agreement "But maybe we're overreacting?"

"Summer leaving is going to majorly affect her" Joey said worriedly "I don't know how it's going to but...I'm worried"

"Ruby's strong" Charlie said unsurely "She'll get through it"

"I hope so" Joey sighed "Doesn't stop us from worrying though, right?"

"Absolutely" Charlie grinned touched by how much Joey cared about Ruby "You know I love you, right?" she leaned forward and kissed her wife slowly.

"I know" Joey laughed "I love you too but...I really need a shower"

"Great idea" Charlie smiled as she began to kiss her way down Joey's jaw to her neck "Did I tell you I'm trying to think of ways to save water?"

"No" Joey responded slightly breathless as Charlie moved backwards pulling her gently with her "I don't think you did"

"Well I am" Charlie slipped a hand under Joey's shirt and kissed her firmly "Starting with the rule that we must save water whenever possible for instance..." she nipped gently at Joey's neck with her teeth causing her to release a soft gasp "Not using too much water in the shower"

"I like the way you think" Joey grinned and kissed Charlie passionately as they continued to walk backwards, out of the kitchen and towards the shower.

---

Summer blinked rapidly against the light that filtered in through the window, her eyes instantly falling on Ruby who was already awake "Hey" she coughed slightly to clear the husky sound of her voice.

"Hey" Ruby smiled weakly.

"What are you doing up already?" Summer grinned as she sat up "It's not like you to drag yourself out of bed before 11 unless you absolutely have to"

"Hey!" Ruby protested "Are you suggesting I'm lazy?"

"Yes" Summer laughed.

"Whatever" Ruby pouted playfully "Maybe if your snoring hadn't kept me awake..."

"I do not snore!" Summer protested.

"Right" Ruby shook her head.

"So why are you up so early?" Summer asked curiously.

Ruby shrugged "I couldn't sleep"

"Oh" Summer responded monosyllabically and a short silence settled between them.

"You have bed head" Ruby grinned as she ruffled Summer's hair "Cute"

"Shut up" Summer laughed and nudged Ruby playfully "I do not!" nevertheless she lifted her hands and ran them through her untidy dark hair.

"Yeah, right" Ruby rolled her eyes and flopped down on the bed next to Summer "So...Are you ready for this?" she turned her head to look at the other girl closely, her breath catching in her throat when she realised how close they actually were.

"Not at all" Summer whispered honestly "Are you?"

"No" Ruby sighed.

"You'll be okay" Summer smiled weakly as she squeezed Ruby's hand gently.

---

"So, I guess this is it" Ruby said quietly as she glanced between the car in front of them and Summer "You're all packed, ready to go..."

"Yeah" Summer sighed disdainfully "I guess I am" she glanced over at Joey, Charlie and Cameron who were talking between themselves in an attempt to give them as much privacy as possible. Her gaze flickered back to Ruby who was avoiding looking at her "This is kind of...Awkward. And Surreal"

"Yeah" Ruby chuckled sadly "I guess it is" she looked back at Summer sincerely "I wish you didn't have to go"

"Me too" Summer whispered.

"We could take off in the car" Ruby suggested jokingly "We could masquerade as Thelma and Louise"

"I'd rather not drive off a cliff" Summer laughed "But you know I'd go anywhere with you" She watched in concern as Ruby swallowed heavily and turned her gaze the sky "Hey..."

"I'm sorry" Ruby said tearfully, her voice cracking with emotion "I was really trying not to cry but I...I just..."

"Hey" Summer stepped forward and placed her hands on Ruby's cheeks gently forcing their eyes to meet "its okay" she pulled the younger girl into a hug as her own tears welled up "It's okay"

"I don't want you to go" Ruby confessed in a whisper as she held tightly to her best friend "I really don't want you to go"

"You'll be okay" Summer said as she pulled back to look tearfully into Ruby's eyes "And I promise I'll call you everyday"

Ruby nodded and attempted to dash her tears away "This doesn't seem real"

"I know" Summer agreed as she glanced between the car and Ruby "I can't believe I'm actually leaving..." she bit her lip obviously trying to hold her emotions back for Ruby's sake.

"You know I care about you a lot, don't you?" Ruby took a slight step forward.

"Of course I do" Summer said sincerely "I care about you a lot too"

"And I'm going to miss you like crazy" Ruby confided honestly.

Summer simply nodded and squeezed Ruby's hand gently "Ditto"

Ruby smiled softly though her stomach was fluttering with nerves "Sum?"

"Yeah?"

"Will you do me a favour?" Ruby requested vulnerably.

"Anything" Summer responded sincerely.

"Close your eyes"

Summer looked slightly confused at the request but willingly shut her eyes.

Ruby glanced over at Charlie, Joey and Cameron to see they all had their backs turned. She turned back to Summer and took a deep breath before she leaned forward tentatively. She hesitated halfway and Summer seemed to sense her close vicinity as her lips twitched upwards. Before she could alarm herself into backing out Ruby raised a hand to Summer's cheek and closed the tiny amount of space between them until their lips met softly. She lingered innocently for a couple of moments before pulling back breathless despite the relative chasteness of the kiss.

Summer released a soft gasp of surprise as soon as their lips parted and she blinked her eyes open to look at Ruby in confusion "Um..."

"I just..." Ruby shifted nervously on the spot "I kind of wanted to show you..."

"I understand" Summer smiled softly and gave Ruby's hand another reassuring squeeze. They gazed closely at each other for a moment as if searching for answers before Summer looked away "I should probably be going"

"Oh...Right, yeah" Ruby once again bit her lip to hold back approaching tears "I guess this is...Goodbye than?"

"No" Summer shook her head and pulled Ruby into her arms "This is 'See you later'"

"Right" Ruby smiled weakly as they pulled away "I guess I'll see you later than"

"Definitely" Summer said optimistically. She leaned forward and kissed Ruby's cheek softly "You won't even realise I'm gone. I promise"

"I doubt that" Ruby shrugged.

"So...I'm going" Summer said again though she had yet to release Ruby's hand "Now..." she forced herself to Slowly release Ruby's hand and stepped back. Cameron, noticing the movement walked over to the car after saying goodbye to Joey and Charlie.

"I'll see you later" Ruby whispered sadly.

"Yeah..." Summer nodded "I'll call you" she offered Ruby a soft smile before she reluctantly got into the car and put her seatbelt on. She waved weakly as they pulled away from the curb and started down the street. It wasn't until Ruby was fully out of sight that she allowed her tears to fall unhindered. She quickly switched the CD player on and turned away from Cameron so her tears remained hidden.

---

"Hey" Charlie whispered as she wrapped her arms around her daughter from behind "Are you okay?"

"No" Ruby shook her head between soft sobs "Not really"

"You'll be okay" Joey said as she moved to Ruby's side and grasped her hand "We're right here if you need us"

"She's gone" Ruby whispered in realisation "She's really gone" she turned around in Charlie's embrace and sobbed into her shoulder.

"It's okay" Charlie tightened her hold and shared a concerned look with Joey.

TBC