Chapter One Hundred and Five

Charlie pulled up outside Irene's house and cut the engine. She was trembling slightly and the car had been full of awkward silence since they'd all got in.

"Thanks for the lift home," Ruby said, un-strapping herself and moving to get out of the car.

"I'll walk you in," Charlie said.

She glanced at Joey who was mute and motionless as she leant against the window, her face turned away from her loved ones. Ruby nodded and she and Charlie climbed out of the car together. At the door, Ruby apologised for having doubted her.

"As long as you know the truth now," Charlie said.

"I do. I just wish we hadn't needed to go to such extremes to..."

She trailed off and sighed. Charlie nodded.

"Ruby, you have to keep all of this a secret, okay?" she said.

"But he raped you, Charlie," Ruby protested. "He needs to go to jail."

"If anyone finds out what happened today, I'll be the one going to jail," Charlie said. "Please, please don't tell anyone."

Ruby reluctantly agreed. She hugged Charlie goodbye for the first time in a long time and headed into the house. Charlie took a deep breath and returned to the car. Hesitantly, she reached out for Joey's hand but was met with no response. Swallowing uncertainly, Charlie started the engine again and headed home.


An hour later, Joey was seated on the couch and Charlie was hovering over her, trying to incite some kind of response over what she'd like for dinner. Joey seemed so lost and so numb. She hadn't said a word since they'd left the little hut.

"Joey..." Charlie said gently, sitting down beside her and putting her hand on Joey's arm.

Joey drew away quickly and curled up a little more on the sofa. Charlie bit her lip as she fought tears.

"If you hate me, can you at least tell me that?" Charlie asked desperately.

Joey finally turned to look at her.

"I don't hate you," she said. "I just..."

She trailed off and sighed.

"What?" Charlie urged.

"I feel like I don't even know who you are anymore," Joey admitted.

"I'm me!" Charlie said desperately. "I'm Charlie. I'm your girlfriend."

"I walked in on you torturing someone, Charlie," Joey said sadly. "I didn't even know you were capable of something like that. Even with someone like him."

"I was desperate," Charlie said. "I just needed... Ruby had to know... I..."

She clasped her hands in her lap and turned away, bowing her head.

"I've been in his position, Charlie," Joey said quietly.

The policewoman immediately turned back to her.

"I've been abducted and bullied and tortured. I've been tied up and made to believe that I was going to die."

"I never would have killed him," Charlie said quickly.

"You looked capable of it," Joey said.

Charlie looked ashamed.

"I wouldn't have," she said quietly. "I just needed him to confess."

"I know," Joey said. "I know why you did it. I know your motivation. I know what you've been through."

She looked at Charlie very seriously.

"I very much know what you've been through," she said. "I just didn't realise that you were capable of hurting somebody, even a monster like Grant."

She sighed.

"Ever since what happened, I've been so afraid of violence. I won't even watch horror movies now. They frighten me."

Charlie read in between the lines.

"I frightened you," she realised.

Joey nodded and curled up a little tighter and silence fell between them.


Ruby jumped into the shower as soon as she got home. She was eager to wash the day off her. It felt like she couldn't catch her breath or clear her mind of everything she had seen and heard tonight. Grant had unwittingly confirmed the horrific truth about her conception. Her heart broke for what her precious Charlie had been through, what she must have been going through all this time. Joey had seemed broken by events today too. She hoped that nothing would go wrong between them now.


"So, what does this mean?" Charlie asked nervously. "Don't you want to be with me anymore?"

Joey eyes widened. She made to reach out to her but hesitated and let her hands fall in her lap.

"No," she said. "Of course I want to be with you. I love you. I just... Maybe we need some space."

"Space?" Charlie asked.

Joey nodded.

"I need to disassociate you from the person I saw today," she said. "And I'm not sure I can."

"I don't understand..."

"You scared me," Joey said. "To think that you're capable of something like that... Charlie, you looked like you were enjoying hurting him."

Charlie swallowed.

"You were," Joey realised.

She curled up a little tighter.

"Only because it was him," Charlie insisted. "Not because I'm violent. You know I'm not."

Joey continued to look uncertain.

"What if you had the chance to get revenge on Robbo?" Charlie asked.

"I am!" Joey said. "I'm taking him to court. I'm getting justice. I thought that was what you were doing too."

"Claire and Claudia pulled out on me," Charlie said. "I guess... I guess I was trying to get rid of him. Force him out of our lives. And I needed Ruby to know the truth."

Joey nodded.

"I do understand all of that," she said. "I just..."

"Look at me differently now," Charlie said sadly.

"You shocked me."

"I disappointed you."

Joey swallowed, unsure of how to answer. Charlie burst into tears.

"I was just trying to protect my family, Joey," she said, pleading.

"I know," Joey said. "I do know."

"Then why do you hate me for it?"

She sank onto her knees in front of Joey, desperate to reach out to her. Joey watched her cry and accepted her hands.

"I just need some time to get my head around everything," Joey said gently. "I'm not leaving you."

Charlie didn't look so sure. Joey reached out and hugged her, although she still felt uncomfortable with physical contact.

"I'm going to see if I can crash at Aden's for the night," she said.

Charlie looked horrified.

"I thought you said you weren't leaving me!" Charlie exclaimed.

"I'm not."

"You are!" Charlie accused.

"I just need some space," Joey said. "I need to get my head around it all."

She stood up and stepped out of Charlie's grasp. Heartbroken, Charlie watched her gather together a toothbrush and a few clothes. She stuffed them into a bag and headed for the door.

"Joey, please don't leave me," Charlie begged.

"I'll be back tomorrow," Joey said.

She didn't know if she was doing the right thing or not. But she needed to process everything and having Charlie hanging around her and trying to make things right wasn't going to help that. Feeling extremely selfish, she kissed her cheek and left.