I can't believe we've reached four hundred chapters in this story! Thank you so much to everyone who has committed to reading this far. I hope you continue to enjoy it. Love, IJKS xxx

Chapter Four Hundred

Charlie was relieved to wake up late and snuggled up with Joey. It was just how a Sunday morning should be, although they felt rather guilty about missing church.

"Would you like breakfast in bed?" Joey asked when she also came to.

"I should be pampering you," Charlie pointed out, rolling over and taking her girlfriend into her arms. "You've been working really hard."

"Yeah but I need to make up for that," Joey reminded her. "I'm meant to be apologising."

"You apologised yesterday," Charlie said, kissing the tip of her nose. "It's all forgiven now."

Joey grinned and admitted that she was exhausted. Charlie kissed her again and slipped out of bed to get started on their food.


Across the Bay, Tony woke up rather less happily. After finding Rachel's plane ticket, he had walked out and ended up spending the night on his sister's couch. But this morning, he felt no happier about anything that had happened.


After breakfast, Charlie and Joey had ventured out to spend some time with Ruby who was utterly determined to keep a smile on her face. She knew how worried Charlie was and she was desperate to shake herself out of her own misery.

"So, what are you guys going to do today?" Ruby asked, as the three of them lounged on the sofas. "Or don't I want to know?"

Her parents blushed.

"We're just going to hang out here, I think," Joey said. "Eat some junk food, maybe watch some DVD's or something. Would you like to join us?"

"Oh, I don't want to intrude," Ruby said.

"You wouldn't be," Joey and Charlie assured her in unison.

"Are you sure?"

She was secretly rather desperate to spend time with people she felt completely safe with.

"Hey, I've been unforgivably absent from you as well," Joey said. "Let me make it right."

Ruby grinned.

"We have missed you," she admitted.

"Well, I'm going to spend so much time with you that you're going to get sick of me," Joey joked.

Charlie put an arm around her and kissed her temple.

"Impossible," she said.

Ruby smiled, hoping that one day she would find a love like theirs.


Marilyn drew Nicole into a hug, the moment she found Nicole crying on the couch.

"Oh, Nicole," she said sadly. "I wish there was something I could do."

Nicole couldn't speak. She just continued to weep.


The evening rolled around and Charlie, Joey and Ruby had had a wonderful time. They'd chatted lots, including going in depth regarding the Liam situation and Ruby's tendency to drink sometimes. She opened up to them as far as she felt able and promised that she was going to turn the situation around. They had promised that as long as she was open with them, they would do whatever it took to help her through it.

"Well, we should probably head to bed too," Joey decided when Ruby had gone off to her room.

"Oh, I'm not tired," Charlie said.

"Nor am I."

Catching Joey's wicked grin, Charlie immediately flicked the television off. Holding hands, they hurried off to their room and closed the door. Their bodies meeting quickly, both women tumbled back onto the mattress.

Joey eagerly kissed Charlie's mouth and neck, fumbling with her clothes. She made short work of them, eager to please Charlie, who had been politely uncomplaining about their lack of sex life for the last few weeks.

Charlie leant back on the bed, closing her eyes as she enjoyed Joey's every touch. It had been a while and yet somehow, it felt like no time had passed. She relished Joey's every kiss and caress and the way she knew her body so well.

She moaned happily as Joey teased her breasts with her fingertips and tongue.

"I have really missed you!" she exclaimed, thrills shooting through her.

Joey sucked hard on her alert nipples, hoping that she would succeed in making Charlie happy. She left her hands to play while she kissed the rest of the way down.

Charlie groaned again as Joey's hands left her breasts and whipped off her underwear quickly. Joey sank between her legs, getting straight to the point. Enjoying how wet she already was, she immediately toyed with her aching clitoris.

"Joey!" Charlie screamed as Joey's firm strokes brought her closer and closer to climax.


In the room next door, Ruby groaned. Still, she couldn't be too irritated. It had been quite some time since she had heard her parents screaming through the walls. She supposed she had to be happy for them really. And hope that they didn't go on too long.


Charlie lay, gasping for breath. Her heart was pounding and she was perspiring gently. Joey grinned, lying beside her and teasing her with just one finger, stroking it all over her body. She stroked her nipples and between her legs again and all the places in between.

"I really missed you," Charlie managed, still breathing rather heavily.

Joey leant closer and kissed her softly on the lips.

"I've missed you too," she said sincerely. "I love you, Charlie. More than anything."

"More than the restaurant?" Charlie grinned.

Joey kissed her again.

"More than anything," she assured her.

They kissed again and again. Before Joey knew what was happening, Charlie had flipped her onto her back.

"I have been waiting weeks for this," Charlie murmured, eager to give Joey the same kind of pleasure.

Joey giggled happily and surrendered herself to her girlfriend.


Next time… Joey and Charlie meet their new neighbour, Leah comes up with a plan to help Rachel communicate with Tony and Dex remains smitten with Marilyn…