You Are My Rock

[Traceve]

Story Title: You Are My Rock

Type of story: short/long fic (undecided)

Main Characters:Charlie, Leah, Martha, Roman, VJ and Ruby.

BTTB rating: T

Genre: Drama (cuz it’s set in Summer Bay)

Does story include spoilers: Yeppers.

Any warnings: Not yet.

Summary: Jack’s dead and Angelo has been charged with his murder. Charlie’s left to pick up the pieces. This is set 6 weeks after Angelo’s arrest.

It was suggested by Alisa (sorry, I can’t remember your username lol) that I write a Charlie fic cuz Charlie’s cool and we think the fanfic section could do with a dose of Charlie.

Chapter 1

Charlie tossed the positive pregnancy test in the bin and ran her hands through her hair. How did she let this go unnoticed for six weeks? She knew she’d had been focused on Jack’s murder case and making sure he was going to be put away for a long time. She’d been helping Martha get through things as well as spending time with Leah and Ruby. But, how did she let a pregnancy go unnoticed for six weeks? Charlie had put her nausea in the mornings down to work related stress. The thought of being pregnant hadn’t even crossed her mind until she realized she was a week late for her period and she was never late for that.

Charlie sighed and stood up, what was she meant to do now? Terminate it? Keep it? Abort it? Charlie turned on the tap and splashed her face with water, she couldn’t think about it right now.

A quick tap on the door distracted Charlie from her thoughts.

“Just a minute,” Charlie called out. She wiped her face on her towel, straightened her collar and opened the door.

“You’ve been in here for over a half hour, some of us have to get ready for that thing they call school,” Ruby laughed as she made her way into the bathroom. Charlie snuck past Ruby and headed out into the kitchen.

As Ruby placed her makeup bag on the sink and unzipped it, her eyeliner pencil fell out and rolled onto the floor. Ruby lent down and reached out to pick it up, as she did this she saw the pregnancy test lying in the bin. Ruby reached in and picked it up.

“Aren’t you sleeping well still?” Leah asked Charlie as she handed her a fresh cup of coffee.

Charlie shook her head,” I guess I’m still trying to deal with everything that’s happened.”

Ruby burst into the room and grabbed Charlie’s hand, dragging her up, out of the chair and into the living room.

“What was all that about?”

“This!” Ruby pulled the pregnancy test out from behind her back and shoved it in Charlie’s face.

Charlie took it from Ruby’s hand and stuffed it in her pocket,” Would you mind telling me why you were going through the bin?” Charlie hissed.

“I wasn’t! I dropped something and noticed it… Charlie, it reads positive!”

“I know,” Charlie looked away.

“It’s Angelo’s isn’t it?”

Charlie looked back at Ruby,” well I haven’t slept with anyone since him, so yes, I guess it’s his.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I don’t know, I only just found out.”

Leah walked into the living room and realized straight away that Ruby and Charlie were having a serious conversation because she could sense it in the awkward silence.

“I’m sorry to interrupt, Ruby if you’re ready I’ll give you a lift to school,” Leah said softly. Ruby nodded, she picked up her school bag and followed Leah out of the room.

Charlie cursed.

Two hours later Charlie was seated at her desk and browsing the internet on her computer instead of completing a police report. She couldn’t focus on her work today and checking her friends face book status’s was so tempting that she couldn’t resist. She typed in her email address and password and waited for the page to load.

“What are you doing? I thought we weren’t allowed to surf the Web at work?”

Charlie turned around, it was Constable Watson again, Charlie’s recent shadow.

“I just need a break from the paperwork,” Charlie explained.

“Would you like a cup of coffee?” Watson asked.

Charlie shook her head,” No, I’ll be right.”

“I’ve been here for a while now,” Watson sat down opposite Charlie,” But I can’t help but feel that you don’t like me.”

“What?” Charlie looked up and at Watson.

“I’m always the one to start the conversation, I’ve never heard a thank you for anything I’ve done. I just wish people around her would appreciate me more.”

Charlie slightly raised one of her eyebrows, “Why has it taken you so long to speak up?”

Watson shrugged, “Everyone was busy with Angelo’s case and grieving Jack’s death, it was never the right time.”

Charlie knew Watson was right, she hadn’t been very welcoming to the new member of the team. Charlie had taken her for granted and ignored her often. She knew she had to apologize, even though she hated doing that, it was the right thing to do.

“You’re right, I’m sorry for my behavior.”

“Thanks, that‘s all I ask,” Watson smiled. Charlie watched as Watson got up, walked out of the room and shut the door behind her.

Charlie logged out of her face book account and closed down the browser. Watson was right, again, she better finish the paperwork first.

[defying_gravity]

i love it! i can't wait for the next chapter!...just what this board needs...a bit of charlie!

[Inactive User]

wow i love it too. Can't wait for next chapter. Wanting to read more soon

[Symphony]

I really like it!

And, it makes a change from all the usual fics

Can't wait to read more :]

[Traceve]

Thanks guys. Glad you all are liking it so far!

Chapter Two

Ruby hadn’t been able to concentrate in her English class, her eyes were glued to the blackboard but none of it was sinking in. She was worried about her sister and she had good reason to be. Charlie was knocked up with the father in gaol for murder. Ruby and Charlie had always been tight so when Charlie was worrying about something, so was Ruby. It had been two days since she found out about Charlie’s pregnancy and it was all that had been on her mind. She couldn’t talk to Charlie about it because Charlie refused to acknowledge it and had been keeping her distance from her.

“Psst, Ruby, what’s up? You’re zoned out?” Annie whispered. Ruby looked over at Annie and unlike her, Annie had written down all the notes from the board.

“I’ve just got a lot on my mind is all, I’ll be fine,” Ruby whispered back.

“Is there a problem girls?” Miles asked them, “Is there some new gossip that’s more interesting than my class?”

Matthew laughed.

“Sorry,” both girls apologized. Miles nodded and continued on writing notes on the board.

Ruby glanced up at the clock and groaned, the lesson wouldn’t finish for another twenty minutes. She slouched down in her seat and tried to concentrate on what Miles was talking about.

Charlie shut the fridge and placed the vegemite and margarine on the counter, she was home for lunch and for some unknown reason had a craving for a vegemite sandwich. She spread some margarine on the two slices of bread and placed the knife back down on the counter, she didn’t really feel like it now.

“What are you doing home?” Leah asked as she walked in the room.

“Home for lunch,” Charlie simply said,” But I’m not really that hungry now.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“Talk about what?” Charlie asked as she put the vegemite and margarine back in the fridge.

“About what’s on your mind, Ruby came and talked to me last night. She’s really worried’” Leah was cut off mid sentence by Charlie.

“Ruby told you didn’t she? I knew she wouldn’t be able to keep it to herself. Yeah, I’m pregnant and yeah the father’s in gaol.”

Leah’s mouth fell open.

“Oh, so she didn’t tell you then?” Charlie felt like an idiot for jumping to that conclusion.

“She told me she was worried about you and that was it. She never told me that you were…”

“Pregnant? Up the duff? Knocked up? Have a bun in the oven?” Charlie queried, she paused and then continued to speak, “I’m sorry, that was really rude, I’m just tired.”

“It’s fine, do you know what you’re going to do?”

Charlie shook her head, “No, I never wanted kids. I mean, I do like kids, but they’re just not for me and now…” Charlie trailed off lost in her own thoughts, she couldn’t raise a kid, but on the other hand she couldn’t abort it because that went against her beliefs.

“Charlie?” Leah asked worried that Charlie was staring into space.

Ruby trailed behind Annie, Melody and Jai as they walked along the footpath towards the Diner. She was still worried about her sister and her sister’s situation. Charlie was supposed to text her during her lunch break and let her know how she is, but Charlie didn’t. Maybe she had been in a car accident or maybe Angelo had escaped from Gaol and shot Charlie in a frenzy for revenge or…

A voice interrupted her from her thoughts.

“Ruby are you coming?” Jai asked loudly.

“No, I… I have to go, I’ll catch up with you all later,” Ruby said in a rush, she turned around and ran as fast as she could home. Her backpack kept on hitting her in the back hard because of all the heavy textbooks she had in it. She ran right past Colleen and almost knocked her over. Ruby heard Colleen yell out something about being rude but she wasn’t paying any attention to her. She had to get home and make sure Charlie was alive and breathing.

[Inactive User]

Great chapter. Ruby is such a sweetie caring for her sister. Update soon

[Laura]

Great fic. Its really good. I can't wait to see what Charlie is going to do about it. Can't wait for more

[~Zoe~]

This is a good fiction

[defying_gravity]

awesome...cant wait for the next update!

[suzannelgnz]

This is actually really good Shan Keep up the good work.