Walking up the footpath toward Charlie's, Joey stops dead, staring in disbelief at the couple in the window. She squeezes her fists tight against the bags of food in her arms, watching as Charlie and Angelo kiss. For a moment, Joey thinks about rushing in, believing he was hassling her, until she sees the smile on Charlie's face as Angelo slides the ring back on to her finger. Her heart shatters even more when Angelo picks her up and spins her around, their lips firmly pressed together.
"Joey, what's wrong," Watson asks frantically when she finds Joey sitting on the edge of her bed, staring at the remnants of a meal smashed against the wall.
"It was all a lie." Watson is unnerved by the lack of emotion in her voice. "She was all over him."
"Joey, what the hell are you on about?"
Joey looks at her, her eyes expressionless. "Charlie was throwing herself at Rosetta."
"What!" Watson rocks back in disbelief. "There is no way Joey, it was more likely him being all over her and her pushing him away."
She shakes her head vehemently. "She let him put the ring back on and she certainly looked enthusiastic when she was ramming her tongue down his throat."
"I just don't believe it."
"She never loved me Georgie." She wipes a stray tear away. "How could I have been so stupid, you warned me, but I didn't want to listen."
Watson pulls her sister into her arms. "I don't know what's going on Joey, but I really thought she loved you."
"Well she doesn't. I never thought I'd love anyone after Riley died, but Charlie reached into my heart, woke feelings I thought I'd never have again." Watson holds her tighter, her anger at Charlie growing. "I can't believe I lost the woman I love to the man who raped my wife."
"Sometimes I wish you had never told me that because every time I see him, I want to kill him for what he did to Riley."
"I am so glad now that I kept it all a secret. Can you imagine Charlie blabbing to lover boy that he's the father of my daughter?"
"Are you sure there is no way he can find out about Harley?"
"He never knew her name other than it was Riley and that was only a nickname."
"You've never said how Riley found out that Angelo was the father when it could easily have been the other man that was with him that night."
"When she became a cop, she investigated it on the side and found out that there were at least two other rapes with the same MO. Two men would grab them while they were walking alone, drug them, spend the night raping them and then leave them lying somewhere with a bunch of photos that made it look like they were enjoying every depraved act they did with them." Joey shudders at the memory of the description Riley had given her. "The heads of their attackers were cut out so there was no way to identify them."
"Bastards," Watson mutters.
"Riley spoke to the other victims and managed to get one to admit that she knew who her attackers were, but she refused to come forward because she was terrified they'd kill her. Anyway, the other man's name was Gerald Stone and he was serving 5 years for raping his son's babysitter. Riley got a friend to run the DNA from his case against Harley's."
"It wasn't a match, which meant Angelo was the father," Watson finishes for her. "Riley risked a lot investigating it on her own and running the DNA."
"She just needed to know." Joey shrugs, "She had destroyed the photos as soon as she saw them and by the time she had the courage to report her rape, she found out she was pregnant." She sighs, "she couldn't prove that it wasn't consensual and she didn't want to risk one of the men coming forward to take her child, so she said nothing."
Watson sighs, hating Angelo even more. "Are you sure you weren't mistaken about what you saw earlier?"
"I wish I was. I really loved her Georgie."
"I know you did."
Watson continues to hold her, gently rocking her.
Angelo leans back in the car seat, feeling very satisfied and pleased that Charlie had finally come to her senses and come running back to him, just like he always knew she would.
"Angelo, Angelo," Indi says impatiently.
"Look Indi, Charlie and I are back on so for the moment, we're finished."
"Why?" Unzipping his fly and reaching in. "I don't care if you're engaged."
"Oh fuck," Angelo groans, forgetting all about Charlie as Indi's mouth moves over him.
Having left Joey sleeping, Watson pulls up outside Charlie's house, banging furiously on the door.
Wiping the sleep from her eyes, Charlie stares in confusion at Watson. "Georgie, it's two in the morning."
"So sorry to interrupt your fuck fest with Angelo," she pushes past her. "How could you Charlie?"
"Georgie, what are you talking about?"
Watson grabs Charlie's arm, yanking it up so they could both see the ring on her finger. "This!"
Charlie goes deathly pale. "Oh god, she knows."
"Yes she fucking well knows. She saw you Charlie, she came around to apologise and she saw you all over that prick."
"I didn't mean for her to find out like that," she says, struggling to speak.
"It doesn't matter how she found out, I want to know why you did it."
Charlie hugs herself. "Angelo and I have been talking and I found my old feelings returning."
"You were cheating on Joey?" Watson asks angrily.
"We were just talking."
"Are you forgetting that he put Dex in the hospital?"
"There's no proof he did that."
"You stupid, gullible bitch."
Charlie flinches at the anger in her voice. "Georgie, I still love him."
"So now you're marrying him?"
"Yes."
"And what of my sister, is she just nothing, something to be tossed aside because you suddenly decide you can't go without Angelo's cock?"
Charlie looks away, speaking softly. "I can't be gay Georgie, I can't stand the thought that people will be looking at me, judging me."
Watson glares at her in disgust. "You weak, pathetic bitch, I always knew you were gutless."
"Georgie."
"Shut the fuck up Charlie," she yells at her. "I'm not interested in anything you have to say. You have broken my sister's heart and I will never forgive you for that. Our friendship is over."
"I'm sorry," she says weakly.
"You don't speak to my sister ever again, not even at work. You deal with me or Graves but you stay the fuck away from my sister or I swear to god I'll mess up that pretty little face of yours. Do we understand each other?"
Charlie looks at her as if seeing her for the first time. "Yes."
"I hope you're happy being alone Charlie, because after what you've done, I doubt even Ruby could stand being around you." She storms from the house, slamming the door so hard the wall rattles. Charlie curls up on the couch, the pillow clutched tightly to her chest, glad that Ruby wasn't home tonight. "God, how the hell am I going to make Ruby understand?" she asks herself.
Dying for a strong coffee, Watson settles on a strong tea, suddenly wishing she wasn't pregnant and could guzzle down the necessary caffeine she needed. "Fuck."
"Wrong side of the bed," a smug voice comes from behind her.
"Fuck off Angelo."
Angelo swaggers into the tearoom. "Aren't you going to congratulate me Watson?"
"For what?"
"Getting back with Charlie." He smirks at her, "I bet you didn't expect that, did you?"
"I would have thought you'd have more serious things on your mind, such as you being investigated for murder and assault."
"I'm an innocent man, even Charlie knows that."
Leaning towards him, Watson whispers, "I know a lot of things about you Angelo, and soon, everyone will know what sort of man you are."
"What's the matter Watson, pissed that your pervert sister couldn't convince Charlie that her lies about me were true?"
"Seen O'Malley lately?" She asks, noting with satisfaction his nervous twitch.
He shrugs, "He's at his folks place."
"Right."
Angelo walks up to her, leaning against her. "Charlie's with me now and she doesn't need that dyke tainting her reputation, so tell your sister to stay away from my fiancée or she's going to...owwwwwwwww," Angelo cries out in pain as she squeezes his balls.
"Don't you ever threaten my sister you piece of shit and screw Charlie's brains out as much as you can, because my sister will put you in jail." Giving one final, vicious twist, Watson leaves Angelo clutching his balls, sauntering out of the room with a sense of satisfaction.
"Gawd almighty woman, would you give it a rest," Irene says in exasperation at Colleen's endless rant about Joey.
"I'm just saying, I was shocked when that woman stayed all night at Sgt Buckton's and I'm just glad that it was obviously all innocent."
"What are you on about?"
"Well, Sgt Buckton would hardly be with a lesbian in that way, especially now that she and Const. Risotto are back together."
Irene winces when she hears the sound of plates smashing on the floor in the kitchen. "I better go help Leah clean that up." Irene pauses when she sees the look of horror on Ruby's face, knowing she must have heard everything. "Ruby."
Ruby turns and bolts from the diner.
Walking to try to clear her head before work, Charlie's heart catches in her throat when she notices the solitary figure standing at the end of the pier. Hoping to walk by without being seen, her hopes are dashed when she hears Joey's angry shout. Steeling herself, she turns to face her, taking an involuntary step backwards at the rage on her face.
"Did you ever love me?" she demands, her eyes flashing with anger.
"Yes."
"But you love him more, right?"
"I'm sorry I hurt you."
"No you're not and if you think this will distract me from putting that fucker in jail, think again."
"It's not that. You don't understand Joey."
"He will destroy you Charlie, like he has everything else he's touched. You're weak and you're pathetic and you deserve everything he does to you." Joey turns her back on her, pausing for a moment. "Enjoy what little time you have with your precious Angelo, because I promise you, he will go to jail and then you will have nothing."
Charlie stares out over the water as the rain comes, mingling with her tears.
"What the hell is going on Georgie?" Graves asks as soon as Watson had walked in the door at lunchtime. "Joey's not answering her phone and Dex and I heard you stomping around in the middle of the night."
Dex and Graves listen in disbelief as Watson explains what had happened.
"No way, I don't believe it."
"Believe it Dex. Joey saw them and when I went around there to confront Charlie, I saw the ring."
"I know that Charlie had doubts about coming out but this makes no sense."
"Dex, she told me that she still loved him."
Dex shakes his head, unwilling to believe it. Graves takes his hand, "I think we need to accept that Charlie's made her choice, however wrong and disgusting it is."
"There's something more going on."
"Give it up Dex," Watson snaps. "Charlie is marrying that prick and that's that."
"So where's Joey?" Graves asks.
"I don't know, she'll turn up when she's ready."
"You're not worried she'll do something?"
"As angry as my sister gets, she won't do anything to compromise the investigation. Me, on the other hand, I could do some damage to both Charlie and Angelo."
"Georgie, calm down and think of the baby."
She sighs, sitting down. "I feel like skipping the rest of the day at work but I don't want to give Angelo the satisfaction."
"Georgie, it's happened, we just need to be there for Joey now and help her put that prick behind bars."
"I'll get you something to eat," Dex offers.
"He doesn't want to believe it, does he?"
Graves glances over her shoulder at her husband moving about in the kitchen. "He hates to see Joey hurt, we all do."
"You're lucky Graves, Dex is a great guy."
"I know how lucky I am. Are you sure we shouldn't go looking for Joey?"
"Give her time to cool off."
Lying on the hood of her car for the past hour, Joey stares at the darkening sky, not caring that she was going to get rained on again.
"Joey, please tell me it's not true."
Joey looks around in surprise. "Shouldn't you be in school?"
"I don't care about that. Please, just tell me that mum isn't back with him?"
Joey slides onto the ground. "I'm sorry Ruby."
She flies into Joey's arms, holding her tightly. "She's ruined everything Joey, our family, everything."
"I'm sorry Ruby," she says again.
"How Joey?"
"I wish I knew Ruby."
"Do you still love my mother?"
"I did but she's made her choice and after what she did, I wouldn't take her back if she came crawling to me on her hands and knees."
"You'd take her back in a second," Ruby says. "I may be a teenager, but it's fairly obvious to me, you're still in love with her."
"No, she hurt me too badly for me to ever trust her again."
"It's not polite to lie to kids."
Closing her eyes, Joey leans back against the car. "It's too late."
"Please fight for her Joey." Joey shakes her head. "Great, so I guess I'm stuck with a man who hates me for a daddy."
"I'm sorry Ruby."
"It's not your fault. I hate her sometimes, that she's so weak." She drops her head. "I wanted us as a family."
"I know you did."
Ruby looks at her appealingly, "Can I move in with you?"
"What!" shocked by the suggestion.
"I'm scared of him Joey." Hating the fear and sadness in Ruby's eyes, Joey hugs her. "Please Joey."
"You can stay in the spare room tonight if your mum is ok with it, but you need to sort this out with her."
"I don't care what she wants."
"Ruby, she's your mum and she does love you."
"I wish you were my mum," Ruby whispers softly to herself.
"Ruby, everything will be fine."
"Not as long as she is with him."
"You're strong enough to handle this."
"No I'm not."
Joey cups her chin, tilting her head up. "Yes you are. Now go and call your mother."
Devastated but understanding why Ruby wanted to stay with Joey, Charlie rushes to the door, irrationally hoping that it was her daughter.
"Dex," Charlie says, surprised to find him on her doorstep.
"No one else wanted to talk to you and I thought my bruises may remind you of the type of man you're marrying."
"Dex," she says tiredly, "I've already had Georgie and Joey have a go at me and I've spent the entire day with Georgie's eyes boring into me."
"Don't say anything Charlie, I just want you to listen."
Charlie listens to Dex, his calm and reasoning voice as effective as if he had shouted. Her heart breaks a little more as Dex tells her all the wonderful things she was throwing away by leaving Joey. When he finishes, Charlie wipes away her tears. "Joey is my friend and you've hurt her, but I don't believe you wanted this Charlie."
"I love Angelo."
"You don't just stop loving someone in a matter of hours, no matter how scared you are at being outed."
"Dex, please go, I have a party at the club to get ready for."
Dex hesitates when the light catches Charlie's cheek. Noticing his look, Charlie tilts her head, blocking his view. "Enjoy your party tonight," he leaves without another word.
Leaning against the closed door, Charlie slides down until she was sitting, drawing her knees tightly to her chest. "I am so sorry Joey," she whispers to the empty house. "I love you so much, but I don't have a choice."
So what does everyone think of the big secret? Angelo is Harley's father.
Next chapter: Charlie and Angelo celebrate getting back together and Martha and Indi drop bombshells.