It's the Big Brother final... the last one ever... and... Brian won. Okay, I'm disappointed because I wanted Nikki to win but... Brian was my second favourite. So, here, as promised is a bonus update for you. And true to my word, I will follow it with the first chapter of my new story, 'Standing in the Way of Control'. I hope you have enjoyed this story and that you like where it ends up. Thank you all so much for your lovely readership and your reviews. I think you're all awesome and you make me happy each and every day. All my love, IJKS xxx

Chapter Thirty-One

Two weeks later, with Angelo's funeral having been and gone, Charlie was still trying to get her head around what happened. She felt guilty about how she had treated Angelo, despite several people telling her that it wasn't her fault. Ruby had pointed out more than once that people broke up all the time and yet not everyone reacted the way he did. Joey had also pointed out that if he hadn't been so unhinged and manipulative, he would never have been standing on the cliff in the first place. He'd been attention seeking and that was why he fell. Still, Charlie felt sick about it and was struggling to move on. It was now the eve of Charlie, Joey and Ruby moving into their new apartment but Charlie was struggling to get packed. Sighing, Joey studied her girlfriend, feeling like her heart was breaking all over again. She moved across the bedroom and sat on the bed in front of her.

"Hey," Charlie said affectionately, smiling and sitting beside her.

"Charlie, I'm going to ask you something and I want you to reply honestly no matter what," Joey requested.

Charlie nodded and held Joey's hands.

"Of course," she said.

"Are you sure you want us all to move in together tomorrow?"

Charlie looked bewildered.

"Of course I do," she said without hesitation. "I'm really excited for the three of us to be getting a place together."

"You don't look very excited," Joey pointed out.

"I've just been distracted with..."

"Angelo," Joey said sadly.

Charlie gazed at her, worrying that she had done something wrong.

"Joey?" she said meekly.

"Charlie, are you sure I'm what you want?" the younger girl asked. "Really and truly?"

"Joey, I've never wanted anything more than I want you," Charlie told her. "I love you."

Joey gazed into Charlie's beautiful blue eyes, searching them and hoping for answers.

"Have I done something wrong?" Charlie asked.

"No," Joey said quickly. "I just... you've been so down about Angelo and I thought... well, maybe..."

"Joey, I'm sad because he's dead. And I'm guilt ridden. All I can think about are the mistakes I made and how I could have done things differently. That day... the day I got back with him because I found out you were with someone else... when I said I'd move in with him, only to change my mind... I feel like a terrible person," Charlie explained desperately.

"You're not," Joey told her firmly. "Maybe you could have done some things differently but we're all in charge of our own actions, including Angelo."

Charlie nodded but it was clear she was still struggling.

"Joey, have I hurt you?" she asked.

The last thing she wanted to do was wreck what she had with Joey now. The boat manager meant everything to her and to have that second chance was something she was not prepared to lose.

"No," Joey said. "You haven't hurt me. I just..."

She shrugged.

"I don't know. I guess I'm worried that you're regretting choosing me over him."

Charlie's eyes widened. She gripped Joey a little tighter.

"I regret a lot of things but not that," she said. "You've got to believe me. I love you, Joey. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. You mean everything to me. I..."

Joey leant in and kissed her passionately, taking her breath away. They rested their foreheads together and smiled lovingly at each other.

"I'm sorry if I've been letting Angelo cast a shadow on us," Charlie said sincerely. "I didn't mean to. I just feel so guilty."

Joey stroked Charlie's face and kissed her again.

"Don't," she said. "Yes, your relationship ending hurt him but that's no excuse for what he did. He treated you badly at work, he tried to crush you with a desk, he spread poison about you throughout the town, he drove drunk and crashed into a tree and he tried to guilt you into getting back with him. Charlie, you need to let him take responsibility for his own actions."

"He can't now," Charlie said sadly.

"But he should have. If he had, he'd still be here. If you continue to beat yourself up over everything, he'll have won. He'll have got what he wanted even though he's not even here to see it."

Charlie nodded. She apologised again.

"No apologies," Joey said. "Just certainty that you and I want to be together, right? We want to live together, we want to parent Ruby together, we want a future... together. Me and you."

Charlie smiled broadly.

"It sounds like Heaven," she said, pulling her in for yet another kiss.

The following evening, Charlie, Joey and Ruby were all moved into their new place. Most of the place was surrounded in boxes but they had at least moved the couch to where they wanted it and set up the beds. Pushing her pizza box away, their takeaway meal of choice for their first night, Ruby yawned and announced that she was going to bed.

"Bed sounds pretty good to me too," Charlie said mischievously when Ruby was gone.

Joey grinned back, took her hand and led her to their room. As soon as the door was closed, they came together and kissed with tender passion, wrapping their arms tightly around each other. Drawing away, Charlie looked suddenly nervous. Joey eyed her quizzically.

"I um... well, I..." Charlie faltered.

She moved away and dug around in her handbag before plonking herself down on the bed. Joey came to sit beside her when Charlie encouraged her to do so, although the police officer was still faltering over her words.

"What's up, Charlie?" Joey asked.

She tried not to fear that things were going to go wrong at any moment. Charlie dug around in the bag again and then paused with her hand still in it. She looked longingly at Joey and cleared her throat.

"I um... I bought you a gift," she finally said.

"A gift?"

Charlie nodded. She pulled a small box out of the bag and clutched it tightly.

"I... Joey, I love you so much. I hate myself for losing you the first time around and I am so grateful that you gave me this second chance. I want... I want everything to work out this time. I want to prove myself to you and..."

"You've already proved yourself," Joey interrupted gently.

Charlie smiled and kissed her. She turned the box over in her hands.

"This is for you," she said, pressing the box into Joey's hands.

Joey stared at it and then at Charlie for a few moments.

"And... no pressure," Charlie added awkwardly. "It can mean anything you want it to mean. Anything."

Curious, Joey opened the box. Her eyes widened when she saw an exquisite diamond ring sitting neatly on the cushion. Open mouthed, she stared at Charlie who looked sick with nerves.

"You really bought this for me?" Joey asked incredulously.

Charlie nodded.

"It can be an eternity ring, a commitment ring, an engagement ring..."

"An engagement ring?" Joey queried.

Charlie coloured.

"If you want," she said. "But there's no pressure for it to be that. Like I said, it can be whatever you need it to be. I can be whatever you need me to be."

Joey continued to stare. She touched the sparkling diamond and smiled.

"What would you like it to be?" she asked.

"Um..." Charlie struggled.

She licked her lips nervously. Looking into Joey's eyes, she took a deep breath and sank onto the floor on one knee. Taking the ring from the cushion, she offered it up to Joey.

"Will you marry me?" she asked.

Her voice was shaking and her heart was pounding. She watched Joey blush, smile and nod. Charlie grinned.

"Really?"

"Charlie, I would be absolutely honoured to marry you," Joey said honestly.

They beamed at each other and Charlie carefully slipped the ring onto her finger. She straightened up a little and captured Joey's lips in a kiss that signified a love that would last a lifetime.