Hi everyone. After this, there are only five chapters left of the story so I hope you're all still enjoying it. Thank you, as ever, for reading and reviewing. I really appreciate it. Love, IJKS xxx

Chapter Twenty-Six

Charlie had only just got to sleep when her mobile rang. Groaning and far too comfortable in Joey's warm embrace, she deliberated over whether to answer or not for so long that it rang off. Satisfied, Charlie snuggled up close to Joey and kissed her bare back.

"Did you want to answer that?" Joey mumbled, keeping her eyes shut and enjoying the feel of Charlie's arms around her

Charlie pressed her lips against Joey's shoulder and snuggled a little more firmly against her.

"If it's important, they'll ring back."

Her mobile promptly began to ring again. Charlie growled in frustration.

"Third time's a charm," she decided, refusing to move.

Watson sped through Summer Bay, searching for Angelo's car. They'd had a call to say he was drinking and driving at the same time as they'd been informed that there was some kind of fire on the beach. One team had been sent out to the fire and she and three other colleagues, in two patrol cars, had gone after Angelo. Now all she could hope was to catch him before he hurt himself or someone else. The civilian car in front of them pulled over. Watson glanced out the window and saw Reverend Johnson was in the driver's seat. He nodded towards them, opting to leave them to their chase as they hurried on passed.

Leah and Ruby sat in the lounge, tense and worried. Ruby had tried to call her mother but so far, she hadn't picked up. The teenager felt guilty anyway. Charlie would be enjoying her first date with Joey. But she felt that this was something Charlie would want to know, despite, or perhaps because of everything that had happened with her and Angelo. She dialled again.

Charlie moaned loudly at the intrusive, shrill noise. Rolling over, she struggled to grab her phone from the bedside table. All she wanted to do was curl up with Joey. She didn't want the outside world interrupting. She froze however, when she saw it was Ruby. Sitting up quickly, she answered.

"Rubes, are you okay?" she asked urgently.

Joey sat up too and held her hand.

"I'm fine," Ruby assured her. "It's Angelo."

Angelo continued to tear erratically through the sleepy streets of Summer Bay, very aware that the police were following him. But he was too drunk to care. He was thriving on the rebellion and adrenaline. His vision was cloudy and his head was spinning. He felt sick. He kept drinking. He kept driving.

Having hung up from Ruby and warned her to stay in the house and not get involved in anything, Charlie sank against the pillows wondering what she ought to do. Joey patiently held her hand and told her that if she needed to go and help, then it was alright. Charlie sighed heavily. She gazed into Joey's eyes, wondering what to do for the best. Despite everything, she cared a lot for Angelo and wanted to help him. But looking at Joey's beautiful face, she made a firm decision.

"I'm staying here," she said.

"Are you sure?" Joey asked.

She didn't want Charlie to do or not do something she might regret.

"I'm worried about him," Charlie said honestly. "I don't know what's prompted him to freak out this time but he's probably just after attention. He's probably after my attention and I'm not willing to give it to him. He's my past. You're my future."

She kissed both of Joey's hands.

"I love you so much," she said. "And there's no way I'm leaving your arms tonight."

Blushing in the darkness, Joey smiled and leant forward, capturing Charlie's lips with her own.

Elijah returned to the house and sat in the arm chair with a heavy heart.

"What's happened?" Leah asked.

"I don't know," he said. "The cops caught up so I left them to it. I'll be there to support whoever needs it but it's not my place to chase him down."

Leah wrapped her arms around him and hugged him, relieved that he was safely out of harms way.

Charlie and Joey lost themselves all over again. They'd woken up completely and it hadn't taken long for one thing to lead to another. Kissing Joey deeply, Charlie stroked her body, teasing her. She kissed her way down until she was settled between Joey's legs, more than ready to offer every pleasure she could.

With sirens wailing all around him and alcohol firmly taking over, Angelo began to panic. He'd thought he'd already lost everything but now, amid his own rampage, he knew there was more yet to lose. He was terrified of handing in his freedom. That was something he had only just won back. He had spent the last year fighting to regain his life and now it had all been taken away from him. He thought of Charlie, picturing her face and felt unsure whether he loved or hated her. He thought about the future but could see nothing but suffering and sorrow. He swerved into a tree.