Chapter One Hundred and Twenty Six
Ruby and Hugo both saw everything in slow motion as Brendan jumped into the water to save his younger brother. They both surfaced after a few moments but Xavier was unconscious. Their assailant raced off.
Charlie and Joey stepped off the boat, their arms linked and their smiles genuine after such a lovely day together in the sun. Charlie still marvelled at the effect Joey had on her. At a time that ought to feel like the end of the world, when so many terrible things were happening to her, Joey still made her feel so happy and so very lucky.
"What's going on?" Joey wondered, pointing ahead of her.
With shaking hands, Ruby pulled out her phone to call an ambulance while Brendan struggled over what to do next and Hugo desperately tried to remember CPR. But his mind was too much of a mess and he didn't know what to do.
Aden was walking along the beach in a world of his own. He felt like he spent too much time alone with his thoughts these days. And his thoughts were usually full of Belle. He missed her so much still and he didn't think he would ever get over losing her. She was the love of his life. Everything still reminded him of her and while part of him wished it would all start to hurt less, a bigger part of him was afraid to let her go. Glancing up ahead, he sighed when he saw Liam and Nicole talking. He didn't trust the guy as far as he could throw him. And Nicole and Joey were the two most important people in his life now. He felt the need to protect them. While he might not be able to do anything to save Joey from her current predicament, he was sure he could save Nicole from Liam. The man was poison. He decided to approach.
"What's going on?" Charlie gasped as she and Joey raced up to Xavier, Hugo, Ruby and Brendan.
"He fell in the water," Ruby managed tearfully.
Joey hurried forward and began CPR, shoving helpless Hugo out of the way.
"Has someone called an ambulance?" Charlie asked.
Ruby nodded. She was pale and unsure. What if Xavier died? What if the last thing he remembered was her breaking his heart?
"I thought I told you to leave Nicole alone," Aden demanded, marching up to the pair.
Liam held up defensive hands, sighing and wondering how long it would be until he could walk down the street or have a conversation without being judged.
"We're just talking, Aden," Nicole said gently, touching his hand.
"You shouldn't be talking to a jerk like him," Aden told her.
Liam shoved his hands in his pockets.
"It's a free country," he said. "Nicole and I are going to be friends, okay? And there's fuck all you can do about it."
Without warning, Aden punched him in the face.
Xavier woke up, coughing and confused. He stared in bewilderment at everyone around him. He passed out again just as the ambulance pulled up, ready to take him safely to hospital. Ruby was consumed with fear and guilt. Charlie put a gentle arm around her, offering comfort. Joey moved back and sat on the floor beside Charlie, a little out of breath and anxious. Charlie reached for her hand, whispering well done.
"You're fucking crazy!" Liam snapped, moving back out of Aden's grip and clutching his face.
His nose was bleeding and it hurt. A lot. Nicole looked torn over whether to take care of Liam or deal with Aden. She opted to yell at Aden.
"What the hell are you doing?" she demanded.
"He's going to mistreat you, Nic."
"I was just talking to him!" Nicole insisted. "I'm not dating him!"
Aden rubbed his sore fist but his temper hadn't calmed.
"You can't behave like this, Aden," Nicole said more gently.
He sighed and looked into her eyes.
"I'm just trying to protect you," he said weakly.
"I know," she replied, taking both his hands in hers. "But this isn't the way."
Disgusted at the sentimental moment, Liam stormed away.
At the hospital, Hugo, Ruby, Brendan, Charlie and Joey were all waiting for news of Xavier. They were relieved when a Doctor appeared with a smile on her face. Hugo leapt to his feet, his guilt threatening to overwhelm him.
"What's happened?" he asked. "Is my brother okay?"
"He's fine," the Doctor assured him. "He's concussed but there's no lasting damage."
She turned to Brendan.
"And you, young man," she said. "Saved his life by pulling him out of the water so quickly. You're quite the hero."
Miles was extra specially cheerful as he and Kirsty headed into the Diner together to get some dinner. They sat down at a table. Colleen approached them cheerfully, with her usual level of chit chat and gossip.
"And how are you both today?" she asked.
Miles beamed at her.
"I'm feeling pretty wonderful today, actually," he said.
"You do look like you've got an extra spring in your step," the waitress commented.
Miles continued to smile. Kirsty cringed.
Ruby left Xavier's hospital room and approached Charlie and Joey. The three of them said goodbye to Hugo and Brendan, who headed on in to see their brother.
"Are you okay?" Charlie asked, escorting her daughter and girlfriend back out of the hospital.
Ruby surprised everyone by bursting into tears. Charlie and Joey carefully took her to the car and sat down with her.
"What's up, Rubes?" Charlie asked. "Xavier's going to be okay. They said not to worry."
"It's not that," Ruby told her.
She then proceeded to tell them about the break up. And now, worse than that, it was a waste of time. Xavier didn't remember her dumping him so now she either had to be heartless and dump him again after such a scary accident or she had to stay with him when really, in her heart of hearts, she knew she wanted to be with Geoff.
Aden sat home alone, sipping beer and staring at the television without really watching it. Thoughts of Belle and Nicole invaded his brain. And Liam Murphy was intermingled with all of them. He hated him. He was surprised by just how true that was. Sighing heavily, he leant back against the couch cushions and rubbed his temples, wondering when he might be able to lift himself out of always feeling so sad.
Charlie and Joey had opted to stop off at the Diner to treat Ruby to dinner after such a horrible day.
"Will you just tell us what's so exciting?" Leah asked Miles and Kirsty across the room, as Charlie, Joey and Ruby sat down.
Colleen was hovering behind her employee, also eager to know what was happening.
"Okay, okay!" Miles finally said, unable to contain his excitement any longer. "We're pregnant!"
Kirsty looked mortified but nobody noticed as almost the whole Diner charged over to offer their congratulations.
That night, tucked up in bed together, Charlie and Joey kissed.
"I'm really happy for Miles and Kirsty," Joey said.
Charlie nodded.
"He seems so excited about it," she said. "Although..."
"Although?"
Charlie sighed and snuggled up a little closer.
"Kirsty didn't look quite as ready to tell the world as he did," she said.
Joey nodded. She'd noticed it too. Charlie leant in and kissed her again. Despite Xavier's accident, it had been a good day. It had been nice to forget about the world and specifically, the murder investigation.
"Do you...?" Charlie began.
Joey raised her eyebrows.
"Do I what?" she asked.
"Do you want kids?"
"Well, technically, I already have a teenage step-daughter," Joey smirked.
Charlie laughed, kissing her yet again. She ran her hands through Joey's hair, breathing in her scent.
"Do you?" she asked again.
Joey shrugged and admitted she hadn't really thought about it.
"I mean... it's not like something like that can happen without a lot of planning on my part," she said.
Charlie nodded. Joey shifted so that she was leaning over her. She reached beneath the sheets and ran her fingertips up and down Charlie's tummy.
"Do you want children?" Joey asked curiously.
"Well... I guess I always hoped I'd get the chance to do it right one day," she admitted. "But then, I never thought I'd ever be able to commit to someone long enough to even talk about it."
"Would you... would you be comfortable having kids in a lesbian relationship?" Joey asked.
It certainly hadn't been the easiest thing in the world for Charlie to accept her sexuality when she first realised she was falling in love with Joey. She watched Charlie think about it very seriously and then smiled when she smiled.
"I'd love to have babies with you one day," Charlie said honestly.
Joey smiled again, capturing Charlie's lips with her own. Charlie moaned and pulled Joey tighter into her embrace.
"I wish we could conceive by just... you know," the younger girl breathed, nuzzling into Charlie's neck.
Charlie smiled and nodded.
"Me too," she said. "Although, I guess we have to get off the hook for murder first."
Joey sighed and rested her body directly on top of Charlie's. She stroked her face and kissed her lips.
"Maybe if we keep practicing, something more fruitful could come of lesbian sex than just orgasms," she teased.
Charlie laughed.
"As long as the orgasms don't disappear!" she said.
"I would be absolutely horrified if that happened!" Joey admitted.
She leant in and kissed her again.
"In fact," she said. "I'm in the mood for us both to have lots of them right now."
Charlie flipped her over quickly so that Joey was on her back and they were both entangled in the sheets.
"Well, then let's see what we can do!" she grinned.
