I was asked in a review about how this story works so I thought I would fill in some details. I basically read the recaps of the episodes and use them as base points for chapters. But I rewrite it in terms of putting Charlie and Joey into the story and I change lots of bits, like Angelo is getting more of his just desserts in this than he did on the actual show and it's Joey setting up a restaurant, not him. And then things like Watson's current storyline are completely made up. Monica has never existed on the show. I just really like Watson and wanted to give her more of a story and I am convinced she is a lesbian! So, I hope that all makes sense. And as ever, I hope you enjoy the chapter. Love, IJKS xxx

Chapter Three Hundred and Seventy One

"Alf?" Charlie said when he picked up and said 'hello'. "It's Charlie."

"Is everything okay, love?" Alf asked.

"Not really," Charlie admitted. "Is there any chance you could come to the station? It's Colleen."


Nicole had arranged to meet Penn on the beach. Scanning for a place to sit on the sand, she spotted Xavier looking intently out at the horizon.

"You okay?" she asked, approaching him.

He shrugged and continued looking out to sea. She sat down beside him.

"Xave?" she nudged.

"Mum's moving John into the house," he told her. "I could kill Romeo for helping to get them back together."

"Well, it's not really his fault," Nicole replied, feeling protective of her friend.

"He should have just left things alone!" Xavier insisted.

"Wait, have you two not made up yet from that fight you had?" Nicole asked incredulously.

She'd assumed because they'd all hung out that time at Ruby's to welcome Indi and Dex back, everything was okay again but Xavier shook his head.

"Well then, shame on you," Nicole said.

He looked shocked.

"Do you have any idea what that poor guy has been through with his mother?"

"No…"

"Well, maybe you should be a friend and support him," Nicole suggested in a gentler tone. "Right now, he needs his friends. His family have completely let him down."


Alf arrived at the police station as quickly as possible, where Charlie met him.

"We've got her in an interview room in order to charge her," she explained, wincing a little at the unpleasantness of the situation.

"Charge her with what?" Alf wondered, doing everything he could to remember that no matter what had happened, Charlie's hands were tied by the rules and it wasn't her fault.

"Why don't you go in?" Charlie suggested. "It's not technically the way things are done but I can get away with giving you a few minutes."


"Hey, Joey!" Nicole greeted brightly.

Penn had texted to say he would be late so she had wandered over to the bait shop where Joey and Angelo were closing up for the day.

"Hey," Joey replied warmly.

"See you later," Angelo said in an attempt at being pleasant.

"Bye!" Joey called.

Nicole was intrigued by them waving to each other.

"Don't you hate him?" the teenager asked incredulously.

Joey shrugged.

"We have an understanding," she explained. "So, what are you so excited about?"

"I just gave advice like you do!" Nicole said proudly.

Joey chuckled.

"Who to?"

"I've encouraged Xavier to get over himself and make friends with Romeo," Nicole explained.

"Good!" Joey grinned. "He's really missed him."

Nicole beamed at her, pleased to know she had done the right thing.


At the police station, Charlie had the unhappy task of charging Colleen with theft, although she was relieved to not have to keep her in custody.

"How am I ever going to face the Bay again?" Colleen asked worriedly. "I don't understand what's happened!"

"It'll be okay, Colleen," Alf assured her. "You've obviously been set up."

He looked at Charlie who hoped that it was true.

"Have you upset anyone recently?" she asked.

"I don't think so," Colleen replied, still sounding lost. "I mean, I always complain when any of those River Boys venture over to the Bay but apart from that, I thought everyone was my friend."

"Have any River Boys been hanging around lately?" Charlie wondered.

The last thing she wanted was to have more dealings with them than she had to but if it would help Colleen, she knew she had to try.

"That one with the tattoo on his neck was in the Diner with some of his friends the other day," Colleen ventured.

Unfortunately, lots of the River Boys had tattoos on their necks, and anywhere else they could think to put them.

"You don't remember a name?"

"I think he was one of the Braxtons," Colleen replied. "But I'm not sure."

"Well, I'll look into it," Charlie promised. "I'll do everything I can to get to the bottom of this, Colleen."

Still shaken, Colleen thanked her and allowed Alf to take her home. Although she hadn't actually wanted anyone to come to the station, now her brother had, she was relieved.


Ruby was heading home to rehearse some music before the recording session she and Liam had booked for the weekend. She so desperately wanted to impress him and do well.

"Oh, sorry!" she exclaimed when she walked straight into someone.

It was April.

"Sorry," Ruby said again.

"Don't worry," April replied. "I know you don't like me but I'm sure you didn't do it on purpose."

She smiled. Ruby looked bewildered.

"I don't dislike you," she said.

"Really?"

Ruby was surprised to realise how vulnerable the teenager sounded.

"No," she said. "I mean, I know you're with Xavier now and that might be weird but… it's okay with me. I'm happy he's found someone nice."

"Oh, I'm not with Xavier," April corrected. "We're just friends for the most part."

Ruby couldn't help but smirk.

"Are you sure he knows that?" she asked. "Because he's looking pretty smitten with you."


"Thanks, guys," Joey said.

She turned and headed back out of her soon to be restaurant and headed back down the stairs to wait for Charlie outside the Surf Club. She was looking forward to telling her how the meeting had gone and about the rapid progress the builders were making with the building. Smiling when she spotted Charlie, she climbed eagerly into the passenger side of the car. They kissed.

"What's wrong?" Joey wondered when she saw that Charlie didn't look very happy.

"I had to arrest Colleen Smart for theft," Charlie revealed.


Xavier could stand it no longer. He'd avoided going home straight after school and headed back when he thought the moving process of John bringing his stuff to the house might be over. It wasn't. There were still lots of boxes and John and Gina were too busy looking sappily at each other to get much done. Bitterly, Xavier stormed back out of the house and hit the beach again.


Charlie and Joey sat opposite each other in the Diner, eating dinner. Joey had decided that her girlfriend needed looking after.

"It's not your fault, Charlie," she insisted.

"But in what world would Colleen ever be a thief?" Charlie asked. "Why haven't I been able to prove otherwise?"

"I don't know," Joey admitted. "But it only happened today. Give yourself some time to solve the mystery."

Charlie shook her head and sighed in defeat.

"I know she's a busybody and I know she's annoying but she looked so vulnerable today," she said. "My heart was breaking for her."

Joey reached out and squeezed her hand.

"You'll figure it out," she assured her. "You always do."

Charlie nodded and forced a smile.

"Anyway, how did your meeting go?" she asked, feeling bad for stealing the attention.

She smiled when her girlfriend got excited and told her all about it in detail.


Across the Bay, Colleen was hiding out in her caravan in tears. She had no understanding of what had happened or how or why. Was she losing her mind? Why didn't she remember taking those items? And if she didn't do it, how did they get there? Nothing made sense and she never wanted to show her face in the community ever again.


Charlie and Joey decided to walk off their meal and cheeky dessert along the beach. Holding hands in the moonlight, Charlie felt a little better. They both turned and looked up at the windows that would soon show them their restaurant.

"It's really happening, isn't it?" Joey said.

"You bet it is," Charlie replied.

She hugged and then kissed her before they turned back to walk across the sand. There, they spotted Xavier and April sitting peacefully in each other's arms.

"Do you think it's treacherous to be happy that Xavier's met someone he likes so much?" Charlie wondered.

Obviously her loyalty was to her daughter but if she didn't want to be with Xavier then it was nice that he had found someone else to love. And April seemed like a nice girl.

"I don't think so," Joey said. "It's nice to wish good things on anybody."

She smiled. Charlie stopped walking and took her into her arms. She kissed her tenderly, grateful that no matter how good or bad the day was, they always had each other to come home to.


Next time… The Walkers are concerned about Penn's warning about Nicole, Elijah and VJ have a misunderstanding and Watson struggles with the idea of losing Monica (but I promise Charlie and Joey are still the main characters!)…