Sorry I didn't come back yesterday. I got carried away with that pesky 3D world again but it's unlikely to interrupt normal services again for a little while! But anyway, we're going to start venturing into the diabetes storyline and I do want to get it right. I've done research but I don't know much about the type of diabetes Ruby has so if anyone has words of wisdom that can steer me a little (like how it will affect her life, things she needs to do/not to), I would be grateful! Other than that, I hope you enjoy the chapter, which includes some long awaited Charlie/Ruby bonding! Love, IJKS

Chapter One Hundred and Fifty Five

The following morning, Ruby overslept. Worried, Charlie headed up to her room to wake her with a cup of tea. The teenager was bleary eyed and confused and explained that she'd had terrible insomnia and hadn't managed to sleep until six that morning.

"You've only had an hour?" Charlie asked, concerned.

Ruby nodded and gratefully accepted her tea. She tried not to get tearful but she felt terrible. Charlie gently reached out to check her temperature, finding it normal.

"Maybe you should take the day off school?" Charlie suggested.

"Are you sure?" Ruby asked.

In a normal circumstance, she would be delighted but she was, quite frankly, too exhausted to celebrate. Charlie leant forward and hugged her, surprised and happy when Ruby clung on. Drawing reluctantly away, Charlie put Ruby's tea to one side and tucked her into bed in much the same way she had when she was younger. Only this time, it was at least in part as the mother she wanted to be, not just as a big sister.

"I'm off work today so if you're still feeling rough when you wake up, just ring me and I'll bring you another tea," Charlie offered.

Ruby smiled and reached up to hug her again.

"I love you, Charlie," the teenager mumbled.

She was already asleep again by the time her guardian shut the door.


At lunch time, Joey headed home. It had been a difficult morning of Aden stropping about and snapping at Geoff who was sickeningly happy but overly worried about Ruby being poorly. Joey wondered if she and Charlie had been that sickening with each other and privately worried that they still were. She supposed it had been different with them though. For starters, their relationship had been a secret at the beginning and also, they hadn't had a whole lot of time to indulge. They loved each other completely but life had thrown so much trauma at them over the months they had been together that they'd had no choice but to cling to each other. Their lives had depended on it.

"Hey, sweetheart," Charlie said from the couch.

Joey immediately snuggled up into her arms and kissed her. Then she laughed.

"What's funny?" her partner wondered.

"I was telling Geoff off all day for being all sappy and romantic and not working quick enough but I think you and I are pretty sappy and romantic too, come to think of it," Joey said.

Charlie chuckled and kissed her again.

"Well, being called a sap isn't something I ever thought would happen so I'm quite enjoying it," she admitted.

Joey smiled, resting her head on Charlie's chest and holding her hand.

"I can't picture you not being all sweet and romantic," she said.

Charlie smiled.

"Well, I guess when you've got someone special to do that with..."

"But even before you and I were a couple," Joey ventured. "You were still the sweetest and most loving person I'd ever met. You're totally different to how you and Watson said you were before."

"You bring out the best in me," Charlie said.

Joey blushed and beamed at her, kissing her a few more times.

"We're definitely sappy," they concluded.


Half an hour later, Joey was unhappily considering heading back to work. It would be very easy to stay at home and indulge in more cuddles and food. She finally hauled herself into a sitting position just as Ruby appeared at the bottom of the stairs.

"Hey, Rubes," Charlie said. "How are you feeling? I thought you were going to ring me?"

"I thought I'd try and get up on my own," Ruby said. "I'm not feeling so bad. A bit more rested."

"Good," Charlie said, getting up and putting her hand to her forehead again to test her temperature.

"I'm going to leave you to it," Joey said. "All those little fishies are calling."

She kissed Charlie, wished Ruby better and left.

"Let me get you some food," Charlie said, taking Ruby's hand and leading her towards the kitchen.

"I'm more thirsty than anything," Ruby said.

Charlie sat her in a chair and poured her a glass of juice. Ruby smiled, knowing that Charlie was relishing being a mother. It made her happy and it made her sad all at the same time. It was nice that they had salvaged things and by letting her parents bring her up, Charlie had given Ruby a good life. But knowing her as she did and loving her as she did, Ruby was aware that her big sister could have been her mother if only she had tried. Or perhaps, if only she had had the right support. It made her sad to think of all the time they had lost.


That evening, Charlie and Joey took Ruby and Geoff out for dinner as a treat. The teenager had perked up by the afternoon and had a really nice time with Charlie. It felt like it had been too long since they had hung out so happily. And she was particularly thrilled that when Charlie had made the suggestion that Geoff also came to dinner with them. It was nice that she was accepting him as her boyfriend and she hoped it would be the first dinner of many.

"So, how was work?" Charlie asked Geoff and Joey when they were settled down at a table in the Diner.

"Oh, well, you know, I have the worst boss ever," Geoff joked.

Joey looked offended. He panicked and began to clumsily apologise and explain that he was joking until he saw her smirk.

"That's not fair!" he protested. "I'm having dinner with the parents here!"

Joey chuckled. Charlie and Ruby smiled at each other. The situation still felt very strange to them but somehow it worked.

"But seriously, work's going well. The trawler's pretty awesome, isn't it, Jo? I mean, I never saw myself doing this kind of work but I really like it."

He smiled broadly. All three women smiled back at him.

"It's working out really well," Joey agreed. "And this really is my dream job so I'm pretty happy."

"What's your dream job, Geoff?" Charlie asked.

"Well, I always wanted to go into ministry," Geoff explained. "But I guess I lost my way a bit with that kind of thing lately."

He looked sad for a moment but then smiled.

"But I really love what I do now," he said. "And you never know where life will take us all in the future."

"Definitely not!" Ruby giggled. "Who would have known my sister would have turned out to be my mother? And a lesbian? And really sappy and romantic with her girlfriend!"

"I'm not a sap!" Charlie lied.

Joey giggled, remembering their earlier conversation.

"Do you have any idea how many times they tell each other they love each other in the space of a day?" Ruby remarked to Geoff. "It's sickening really!"


That night, having dropped Geoff back and arrived home themselves, Charlie and Joey said goodnight to Ruby and headed to their bedroom. Standing in the middle of the room, they wrapped their arms around each other, kissing tenderly in the lamp lit room. Pressing their bodies close together, Charlie nudged Joey back towards the bed.

"Wait," Joey said, extracting herself.

She hurried over to the window, gave it the finger and closed the blinds. She returned with a grin on her face.

"You can never be too careful," she said. "There are perverts out there, don't you know?"

Charlie giggled and pulled Joey back firmly into her arms. They tumbled onto the bed, kissing more and more passionately, ready to prove just how sappy and romantic they could be.


It was just past midnight when Charlie bolted upright in bed, having heard a loud thud from upstairs. She and Joey had just been about to settle down to sleep when they'd been disturbed. Immediately concerned about Ruby, Charlie leapt up and threw her dressing down around her. Joey followed quickly as Charlie charged up the stairs. Ruby's door was ajar. She was face down on the floor, unconscious.