Believe (In Love After Life)

[callyha]

Danni, Deano, Sarah, Carina, Lucii, JosieTash and Charis. Thank you for the lovely comments. I'm loving how you are trying to figure things out wonder which one of you will piece it together first....

Chapter Twenty-One

“Did you put it back where you got it from?” Jack asked as Martha barely got in the door

“Morning to you too” Martha replied under her breath “And yes I did. No one saw me”

“Good” Jack replied, monotonously

“Jack, I am sorry for what I did. I just, I don’t get why everyone seems to be bending over backwards for Charlie when it comes to Ruby and her dad and the whole pregnancy. You, Leah, Tony, Rachel and all them seem to not even bat an eye lid at the situation”

“They can probably see a mother and daughter, not a thirty year old with a sixteen year old”

“Okay, I get that. But, how do you explain why everyone at the station is careful in avoiding the whole topic”

“We’ve pieced what happened to Charlie when she was young together; everything pointed to it” Jack replied, knowing that Martha would go on to ask him to continue

“Pointed to what?” Martha asked as she sat opposite Jack

Sighing heavily as he wiped his forehead, Jack looked to Martha “Charlie’s body language and whole character would always change when it came to talking about Ruby’s dad. She would freeze almost, stop moving; she looked scared, frightened. The last time we saw those types of reactions was after Sasha Fields’ case”

“Wasn’t Sasha raped?” Martha said, Jack bowed his head and nodded. Martha gasped and brought her hand to her mouth as a sickening feeling went to her stomach “Oh my god. And I haven’t helped. Charlie was raped and I’m going around calling her a tramp! How can I have been so horrible? No one deserves that” Martha cried, appalled by her behavior toward Charlie in the last few weeks “I have to make it up to her, say something to her”

“No” Jack quickly said as Martha rose to her feet “You can’t let Charlie know that you know” Jack grabbed Martha’s arms to stop her from leaving “I wasn’t supposed to tell you. Georgie and I both swore that we wouldn’t tell anyone as it’s not our place to say”

“How am I supposed to make it up to Charlie then?” Martha asked as she lowered herself back into her seat

“Be there for her like Leah is. Morag says Charlie needs friends round her now; Ruby doesn’t know what she can do to help”

“I’ll be there. And I’m going to help in any way that I can”

*

“I guess it’s because they’ve been so cool about everything so far, that, I don’t know, I guess I just want my life back. But, I feel really bad for wanting that when I know

that you are still like this”

“A mess you mean” Charlie said with a slight laugh to mask the tears that she wanted to cry

“You’re not a mess mum” Ruby replied as she placed her hand on Charlie’s arm, smiling as her mother’s eyes met her own

“Rubes, I am a mess. I ran out on a date with Angelo and he ends up leaving the bay” Charlie said sadly

“Okay, firstly; you managed the whole date before running out, and he did come into the house, so he obviously wants to be there for you. And secondly; he had something to do in the city” Ruby replied “And he did say you could call him”

“I don’t know if I can Rubes” Charlie replied “You’d better get to school” Charlie said to Ruby after looking at the clock on the kitchen wall

“Are you coming with me?” Ruby asked as she grabbed her bag from the floor

“No, not today, sorry Rubes” Charlie replied as they headed toward the front door “You have a good day at school ok?” Charlie smiled as she watched Ruby walk out of the house

“I will and I’ll call you at lunch” Ruby replied

“You don’t have to” Charlie shouted as Ruby got further from the house. Leah smiled as she walked down the garden path

“I don’t have to what?”

“Sorry, I was talking to Rubes, she’s keeping tabs on me now” Charlie replied “Anyway, how are you?” Charlie asked as she turned back toward the house and walked in, followed by Leah

“I’m good thanks. You?”

“I’m good” Charlie replied half-heartedly

“You should be; you went on a date last night. How did that go?” Leah asked as she followed Charlie into the house

“It was good” Charlie replied

“Good?” Leah repeated

“Good” Charlie confirmed

“Good. That’s all you can say: good” Leah asked

“Okay, it was more than good; it was great, I really got along with him and things seemed to flow”

“So what went wrong?”

“What makes you say something went wrong?”

“Charlie, I have an eleven year old son who was up on his X-box, I heard voices and saw Angelo leave”

“Oh” Charlie replied

“So? What happened?” Leah asked as she watched Charlie walk into the front room and sit herself on the couch

“Everything was going great. He really made me feel like a woman; I know that sounds stupid, but after my last boyfriend, it was nice to be treated like a woman. I found myself opening up to him about so much; about Ruby’s biological father and then suddenly, I just panicked. I was telling him so much about my past and I haven’t even got passed it myself” Charlie began “I left him outside, I never explained things to him. There was just too much to say and I hate thinking about him”

“Angelo?”

“No, not Angelo: Matt, Bill, Robert, Grant. Take your pick” Charlie scoffed “Grant is Ruby’s dad. He’s never had anything to do with her; I made sure she was kept away from him. I hated him, he took so much away” A tear rolled down Charlie’s face “Grant raped me when I was fourteen and that’s how I got pregnant”

“Oh Charlie” Leah sympathetically said as she moved closer to Charlie

“But out of it, I got Ruby. The only good thing to happen to me”

“She’s a beautiful girl” Leah smiled

“Thank you. I think so too. I don’t deserve a daughter like that; look at me, I’m a mess. She hasn’t had a proper life; I can’t even hold a relationship together”

“Ruby looks up to you and she adores you. Why do doubt yourself?”

“Did she tell you about Matt? And what he did to her?”

“No” Leah replied. Charlie’s eyes stung with tears as Leah reached over and placed her hand on top of Charlie’s.

“I told Matt about Grant; he had been asking me for a few months about her dad and why we never saw any money from him. When I told him what happened, he lost it; called me a slut, a tart; and then he turned on Ruby. Said she was the worst thing to ever happen to me; that she had ruined my life and should have been killed when I was still pregnant” More tears fell from Charlie’s flooding eyes as Leah looked on in disbelief “Ruby defended herself and Matt didn’t like it. So he slapped her; sent her flying. I could see spots of blood on the carpet where she was stood” Charlie wiped her face; but more tears streamed down her face “I went to go after her, but Matt grabbed me and forced me to stay with him; I could see the anger in his eyes; something malevolent had possessed him. I knew he always got like that, but it was always at work; never at home. I was so scared, I wanted to run” Charlie placed her hand on her stomach, over the bruises that were still present “He started shouting at me; I remember fearing for my life, I thought he was going to kill me. I struggled in his arms for so long, I got too tired to continue trying to break free, I just wanted to get away from him and see Ruby; she was hurt and I had to be with her” Charlie wrapped her arms around herself as she told Leah her ordeal; the fear she had that day washed over her, Charlie now had been replaced with Charlie then “I tried once more break free and I did. I headed for the stairs but he pushed me, pushed me hard and I hit the banister” Charlie bottom lip quivered as she looked to Leah; desperation filled her water-logged eyes. Leah leaned over and wrapped her arms around Charlie; Leah’s own eyes stung with the formation of tears. Charlie rested her head on Leah’s shoulder and cried hard: Much like she had done sixteen years previous in the arms of her mother. Weeks’ worth of tears fell from Charlie’s eyes; she had had no one to cry on after Matt –Morag was busy with Ross and his health and she was having to stay strong for Ruby – it felt nice to let everything out; after having it bottled up for so long, but part of Charlie wished Leah didn’t see her like this; after all, they had only known each other a week.

*

The lunch bell rang and the sound of students filling the corridors drowned out the lasting trails of the bell. Ruby quickly walked to her locker to grab her phone; she’d

been looking to the clock every five minutes, waiting for the beel to go so she could ring Charlie.

“Who are you ringing?” Nicole asked, hoping it would be a boy

“Mum” Ruby replied as she looked through her phonebook until MUM was highlighted

“How is your mum after the date?” Nicole smiled

“How much time do you have?” Ruby replied as she put her phone back in the bag

“I thought you were ringing your mum?” Nicole asked

“Went through to voicemail” Ruby replied “Leah must still be at the house”

“So? The date; how did it go?” Nicole asked again

“The date went great. Mum said it was perfect” Ruby smiled

“So why do I get the impression that things aren’t like that now?” Nicole asked

“Mum told Angelo about Grant; and got close to telling him about Matt. She’s always been so quiet about that, never telling anyone about Matt and what happened” Ruby replied “She panicked and ran”

“Oh no” Nicole replied “Well, Angelo is really good at listening. He was so great with Kelly. She came to the bay with so many problems and left a whole lot better off.

Angelo was the main part in Kelly’s life here, and he was great”

“Everyone keeps saying that. I’ve heard Irene and Mr. Stewart say that”

“You should’ve seen it; something out of a movie”

“Mum could do with a movie romance”

“Charlie has the right people looking out for her. Leah is like the fairy godmother of the bay”

“And Angelo is the prince at the ball?” Ruby smiled

“If you want to put it that way, yes” Nicole laughed “You coming to the diner?”

“Yea, as long as you’re buying”

“Nope. Its Romeo’s turn. He lost the bet”

“What bet?” Ruby asked

“We had a free period first thing and I challenged him to eat a bag of hula hoops without swallowing until the last crisp was in his mouth”

“That’s easy!” Ruby replied

“I know! But he still lost” Nicole laughed

*

He turned the steering wheel to drive along the road running parallel with the sandy beach. The car in front pulled in to the car park beside the diner. Angelo got out of his car and grabbed the box of menus from the passenger seat. His eyes glared to Angelo as he walked across the grass to reach the door. He waited in his car for a few moments; waiting to see if Angelo would come back to the car. He did. The Angelo re-entered his car and pulled away from his space and left the car park. Angelo drove passed the man, who ducked so he wasn’t seen.

[callyha]

If I have ANY readers left after my loooooooong absent space (Really sorry, but been in pain with my back and was medicated up to the eyeballs) I will be one VERY lucky lady. Again, sorry for the three week (nearly) lack of update, hope this is okay

Carina, Sarah, Danni, Rach, JosieTash and deano Thankyou for reading and leaving comments

Chapter Twenty-Two

Leah walked along the beach, clutching at her chest as her and Charlie’s conversation continued to ring through her mind. A lone tear rolled down her cheek as the wind blew in her face; clearing her hair away from her red face. Her thoughts now all about Charlie and why she had left the city, it made Leah have new admiration for Charlie, seeing Charlie so happy in the bay after what Matt had done to her in the city only a few weeks before. Leah stopped and took one last look to the house she had just left. The front door opened and a figure walked out holding a basket of some sort –Charlie hanging the load of washing out most likely- Leah thought to herself as she watched Charlie for a few seconds more.

Walking into the diner, Leah was met by Irene looking slightly annoyed “You alright Irene?” Leah asked as she placed her apron on and walked over to the sink to wash her hands

“I’d be a lot better if Colleen would work” Irene replied as she pointed to Colleen, who was stood holding a pad and pen, looking out of the door of the diner, seemingly at nothing

“How long has she been like that?” Leah asked

“Long enough” Irene replied, not happy as she headed back into the kitchen. Leah watched for a moment as Irene began to wash the pots up that had built up since Colleen’s ‘space-out’, before she walked over to where Colleen was stood, clutching her cloth closely to her chest as she stared out of the door

“Colleen” Leah softly spoke as she placed her hand on Colleen’s shoulder “Colleen, are you alright?”

“He’s…He’s back” Colleen replied, struggling to find her words

“Who’s back?” Leah asked puzzled, as she looked out of the door and in the direction Colleen’s stare was

“Remember a few days ago I told young Jack and the officers down at the station about that man who had been lurking around”

“Yes” Leah replied apprehensively “Why”

“He’s back. He left for a while, but now he’s back”

*

Angelo made his way from the beach to the path as he headed for Charlie’s house. He’d looked at his phone and seen a missed call from Charlie, but she hadn’t left a message; Angelo felt slightly saddened by Charlie’s reluctance to leave him a message, but happy in knowing that she had taken in what he had said about ringing him if she needed to talk. As he outstretched his hand to ring the doorbell, Angelo paused and glanced over his shoulder; sensing someone was stood behind him and if not immediately behind him, then further behind. Shaking his head and putting this down to being paranoid, Angelo pressed the doorbell and waited for the door to open, all the time wondering if he was doing the right thing by coming to see Charlie. Angelo smiled as he heard the door been unlocked; his eyes slowly rose up to look at Charlie’s face as she walked into the doorway, smiling as she saw Angelo stood on the path.

“Hey” Angelo said first, placing his hands in his pockets as he waited for Charlie to say something or let him in to her house

“Hey” Charlie replied as she shyly looked to the ground before slowly looking back to Angelo

“I got your call by the way” Angelo said, ending the silence between the two

“Oh you did? Sorry, I was going to talk but then I panicked and hung up” Charlie replied

“Why?” Angelo asked

“I thought after everything I told you before, the last thing you’d want to do was to talk to me again. So I panicked, hung up and hid my phone”

“You hid your phone?” Angelo repeated

“Yea” Charlie replied “That’s stupid isn’t it?”

“Nope” Angelo laughed “Not at all stupid”

“So why are you laughing” Charlie asked as a smile began to form on her lips

“Because it’s funny” Angelo replied

“Funny?”

“Yes, funny” Angelo smiled “So can I come in or..?”

“Actually, can we go for a walk? I’ve been inside since yesterday –well, actually just after you left- and I need some fresh air”

“Yea sure” Angelo replied as he turned to make his way back down the garden path “So, if you didn’t panic when you called me, what would you have said?” Angelo asked as he and Charlie walked along the path, heading for the sandy beach

“I’d erm, I would have thanked you for listening to me” Charlie replied

“You thanked me just before I left” Angelo reminded Charlie, who looked to the ground as she tried to think of a way out “Charlie, there’s something else that happened isn’t there” Charlie looked to Angelo, her eyes glazed over with tears “Oh Charlie” Angelo spoke softly as Charlie fell into his arms “It’s about what Matt did isn’t it?” Angelo guessed. Charlie pulled her head away from Angelo’s chest

“What?”

“Matt. This other thing that happened”

“I haven’t told you anything about Matt” Charlie replied as she wiped her face from residual tears.

“I know enough” Angelo replied as he brushed Charlie’s hair away from her face “I know he hurt you and that he never deserved you as a girlfriend and didn’t deserve Ruby as a step-daughter type”

“He took a lot from me” Charlie swallowed hard as she walked over to a low wall and stepped over it, sitting herself on the other side using the wall as a back rest

“I think I saw him when I was in the city” Angelo said as he lowered himself next to Charlie

“Why do you think that?” Charlie asked as she turned to him quickly

“He came into the shop I was in and asked everyone if we’d seen either of the people in the picture” Angelo replied “It was you and Ruby Charlie” Charlie’s eyes widened

“You didn’t tell him anything did you?” Charlie asked

“No of course not. I don’t know the full story, but I know it has to be something really bad for you to still shake at the mention of his name” Angelo replied as he watched Charlie wrap her shaking arms around her legs “But there was something he said that got me to thinking”

“Oh god, what did he say” Charlie asked

“Something about a baby you were going to have” Angelo replied as he looked to Charlie, who instinctively placed her hand on her stomach “You were pregnant weren’t you” Angelo asked

Charlie wiped the tears from her face and turned to face Angelo, nodding her head sadly as she fought off more tears “I was five months” Charlie began “It was a little girl; every night I’d lay in bed, drawing over my stomach and just feeling her move with my finger. I was so happy: everything was finally perfect for me” Charlie wiped more tears from her face “Then Matt asked me about Ruby’s dad; I told him everything, I told him what Grant did to me and he called me a slut, he didn’t believe me and then when he saw Ruby he accused her of ruining our lives –mainly mine- and he attacked her; verbally and physically, I tried to go after he, but he grabbed me and when I tried to break free from his grasp, he pushed me and I…I” Charlie broke down in tears, she rocked back and forth in the spot she was in, one hand on her stomach as the other remained wrapped around her legs. Angelo looked to Charlie; he saw the life drain from Charlie as she stared at the same spot on the sand.

“Charlie I-“ Angelo began, unable to think of anything to say. He was sorry for what happened to Charlie –and Ruby- but no amount of him being sorry would bring any form of comfort to the bereaved mother. Unable to find the words to comfort Charlie, he thought a simple hug would suffice

“I don’t need to be hugged Angelo” Charlie snapped as she pulled away “I just want all this to end and to get Matt well and truly out of my and Ruby’s life. He killed my baby – I won’t let him slowly kill me or Ruby” Charlie cried

“He’s here Charlie, in the bay. And from what he said in the city, he doesn’t’ see to think he had anything to do with your baby dying”

Charlie looked to Angelo in disbelief: it was as if he hadn’t been listening to Charlie for the entire time they were outside “He pushed me hard. Right into the banister; I bled on the spot, it felt like something was ripping from inside me; I couldn’t do anything to stop what was happening. Matt just left me there; he walked out of the house and left me. My baby died because of him; he took her away from me and now he’s saying he had nothing to do with its death? I think about her every day: what she would have looked like, what her favorite color would have been ; I still have the scan picture, I’d only just seen my baby that morning. I woke up pregnant and fell asleep with nothing to show. She was dead” Charlie whole body shook, a tear rolled down Angelo’s face as he moved closer to Charlie and wrapped himself around her once more.

*

Nicole, Ruby, April, Dex, Romeo and Xavier made their way to the diner. All smiling as Romeo took his wallet from his pocket.

“Dude, I can’t believe you lost to a girl” Xavier laughed as he placed his hand on Romeo’s shoulder

”Yea man, that’s really bad” Dex added as he made his way to the counter and looked to the board, making his choice of food

“Erm; I’m only paying for Nicole and Rubes” Romeo said as he pulled Dex back using his rucksack

“No fair” Dex replied as he sorted his rucksack out “What have you got too loose for me to get a meal out of you?”

“Not your coolness” Xavier smiled as he grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge

“Ha ha ha, I forgot how to laugh” Dex sulked as he slumped in a chair just behind the group

“Hey Rubes; you with us?” April asked as she looked to Ruby –who was looking over at the other side of the diner “Ruby?” April said again as she placed her hand gently

on Ruby’s shoulder “You okay?”

“Erm, yea. Sorry guys, I gotta go” Ruby said before she made her way out of the diner, keeping her face hidden from the man she had stared at for the last few minutes. April, Dex, Nicole and Xavier watched on as Ruby ran, all unsure why Ruby had ran.

“Something we said?” Xavier asked

“No, she’s been staring at that man over there” Nicole replied as she pointed to the man without been too obvious

“What’s he done at her?” Dex asked as he looked to the man

“I think he’s done enough” Nicole replied as she realized who the man was “I’ll go after her”

“I’m coming with you” April said as she went after Nicole.

“Where’d they go?” Romeo asked as he turned to find Xavier and Dex stood watching the door

“Something better must have caught their eye” Dex replied as he went back to his seat.

“Nah, Ruby has been weird for a while now. I’m gonna go see whats up” Xavier replied, shaling his head at Dex’s comment as he made his way to the door

“I guess it’s just us two” Dex smiled as he rubbed his hands together –hoping for a free meal-

“Just you Dex, I’m off too” Romeo replied as he followed Xavier out of the diner. Dex sighed heavily before walking to the counter to be met by Colleen, who had finally moved away from watching the man

“What can I get you young Dex” Colleen smiled as Dex placed ten dollars on the counter

“Whatever that get me please” Dex smiled

*

Ruby ran along the path as she headed back toward her house; she knew she should have called Charlie, but she never did. Panicking, Ruby tried to make herself run faster, but Romeo, Xavier and Nicole managed to catch her just as she was about to turn one of the last corners to get to her house.

“You really can’t run fast can you?” Xavier said, trying to make Ruby smile

“Shut up” Nicole said, hitting Xavier on the arm

“I can’t believe he’s here” Ruby said as she paced where she was stood

“Who’s here?” Romeo asked

“Matt. The guy who ruined everything” Ruby replied, staring at the ground as she continued to pace “What’s he doing here? How does he know where we are? What if he sees mum? Oh god, mum. I have to see her”

“Ruby….Ruby” Nicole said, trying to calm Ruby down from her frenzy “I’m pretty sure Angelo is with Charlie, I heard Leah say something about passing him on her way to work” Nicole said as she gently rubbed Ruby’s shoulders, hoping the motion would help ease Ruby “I don’t think he’d try anything stupid”

“He slapped me across the face with mum right in the room. He pushed mum into the banister, I lost my little sister that night, and mum lost her baby. He doesn’t care who he hurts, just as long as he isn’t the one who is hurting” Ruby said as a tear rolled down her face. Nicole took a step forward and wrapped her arms around Ruby; Xavier, Romeo and April stood with their mouths open in shock: This had been the first time they heard Ruby pour her heart out.

“Oh my god. Ruby” Xavier said sympathetically “I’m so sorry; for both of you”

“Thanks. I just wish he’d go; for mum’s sake and for granddads sake. He’s been doing really well lately and if he sees Matt – I don’t know what would happen. You should have seen the devastation in his face when he came to the hospital that night. He and mum just cried in each other’s arms; that baby meant so much to all of us, it was a step forward –or at least we thought it was- just goes to show how things change” Ruby sobbed

“What happened to you being an optimist?” April asked as she smiled softly to Ruby

“I believe in mum finding love after everything –love after life- you might as well say. But as long as Matt is here, I don’t think mum stands a chance”

*

Tony walked into the surf club holding a few fliers for his new fitness program. He glanced around to see who was in the surf club before walking to the counter where Marilyn and Alf were stood.

“G’day” Tony smiled as he sat on the stool “Can I get an OJ please”

“Ooh, someone seems happy” Marilyn smiled as she began to sort Tony’s order out

“Tomorrow is Rachel’s hen night and I get the house to myself. So Alf, few beers and a Barbie at my place” Tony winked

“Righto mate” Alf replied

“I can’t wait for that. I have so many games to play; one of which I’m hoping will bring Martha and Charlie to a new understanding” Marilyn smiled as she handed Tony’s juice to him

“I don’t think you have to worry about that” Tony said before sipping some of his juice

“Why not?” Marilyn asked

“Jack had a word with Martha about Charlie and the way Martha was treating her; seems to have worked” Tony replied

“Don’t get me wrong, as much as I love Martha, she can be a little judgmental” Marilyn replied

“Yea, she can. But whatever he said to her, its done the trick. Martha was in the middle of baking a chocolate cake for Charlie when I left”

“Does Charlie even like chocolate cake?” Marilyn asked

“If it’s chocolate and it goes anywhere near Charlie, it will be gone” Ross smiled as he walked over to the counter with Morag beside him “Charlie and Ruby adore their chocolate”

“Hi Ross” Marilyn smiled “Is there anything I can get you?”

“I’ll have an Orange juice please” Ross replied “Morag, what would you like?”

“I’ll have an orange too please” Morag answered before turning her attention to Alf “Alfred”

“G’day Morag” Alf replied as he looked to Morag “What’s up”

“I was wondering if you could arrange a little trip out on the water for Ross and the girls. Just those three, I think it’d be nice for Ross to spend some time with his daughter and granddaughter”

“Yea love, leave it with me and I’ll see what I can do” Alf replied

*

The bush moved.

The leaves crunched.

Breathing got heavier.

He watched as the group walked along the beach.

He watched as the man comforted the woman.

He watched. Waiting for the right moment.

[callyha]

Thank you SO much Deano, Carina, JosieTash, Lucii, Danni & soph1303(I'm a Charlie fan too, so any fic with her I read too lol, welcome by the way ) for the lovely comments there are only 2 chapter left after this (Finishes at chapter 25)

Chapter Twenty-Three

For what had seemed hours, Charlie found herself still in Angelo’s embrace. She felt safe, secure. A slight smile appeared on her face; not only because she was finding herself falling for Angelo, but because she felt as though she had finally come to terms with the loss of her baby. She had no one to talk to about the baby when she first lost her, Ruby was still shaken up over Matt attacking her, Ross had had ‘an episode’ so he and Morag had to return to the home where Ross was cared for. Angelo gave

her the ear she needed to talk to, and the shoulder she so desperately needed to cry on.

“Charlie” Angelo whispered as he pulled away slightly “Maybe I should get you home” Angelo added

“I like it here” Charlie replied as she looked out to the water as it broke on the sand “I never had any of this in the city. Maybe if I did I could have coped better than I have done”

“Charlie, if you had the water and no one to talk to, you still wouldn’t have coped” Angelo replied, causing Charlie to look oddly at him “I don’t mean it like that, I mean, a miscarriage is hard to get over –it’s the loss of a child, but to lose the baby through violence, that’s gonna be even harder”

“Amber”

“What?”

“That’s what I was going to call her” Charlie smiled “Amber. I had these pictures in my head; I had her with blonde hair, just like Rubes when she was born, and having these deep blue eyes that just drew you in. I’d only just seen her on the screen that day, I heard her strong heartbeat, I felt her move inside me the whole way home, and when I was told I’d had a miscarriage, I felt like, my heart had been ripped out too. Ruby was devastated when she found out; I couldn’t even comfort my own daughter”

Charlie remembered, on the verge of more tears

“Amber would have been perfect” Angelo smiled

“In a way I guess I should be grateful”

“Grateful?”

“Matt as a dad? He didn’t have the time for my daughter, what would he have done with his own?” Charlie replied “Angelo….Thanks”

“For what?” Angelo asked

“I’ve told you so much, and you’ve been so great” Charlie began as she looked to her hands, shying away from Angelo “You’ve helped me so much, and it has meant so much to me. But Matt-”

“Erm, mum” Ruby said as she walked slowly over to where Charlie and Angelo were sitting. Ruby smiled inside as she saw Angelo comforting Charlie, Ruby knew Charlie had opened up to him; just by Charlie’s body language and the fact that her face was slightly blotchy and red from all the tears “Matt is at the diner”.

Charlie’s heart sank “Are you sure?” Ruby nodded “He hasn’t hurt you has he?” Charlie asked as she rose to her feet and pulled Ruby close to her for a cuddle

“I’m fine mum, a little shaken up, but I’m more worried about you”

“He can’t do anything else to physically hurt me anymore. If he did something to you that would kill me” Charlie replied as she kissed Ruby’s forehead “Come on, we’ll go home and call dad and Morag” Charlie continued as she turned to face her house. Angelo had risen to his feet and stood himself next to April, Nicole, Romeo and Xavier

“Thank-you” Charlie smiled as she looked to Angelo and then the teens

“No problem” Angelo replied as he and the teens watched Charlie and Ruby walk to their house. Angelo then turned to the teens, who looked just as worried as Angelo did

“Did you guys get a look at this Matt?”

“Yea” Nicole replied “He has this look about him”

“What look?” Angelo asked

“Shifty almost, like he’s planning to do something” Nicole replied

“I don’t know what else he can do to Charlie and Ruby” Angelo replied as he looked to the house, wanting so much to enter and just protect Charlie and Ruby from Matt

“Well, if Matt is saying he doesn’t blame himself for what happened, maybe he wants to reason with Charlie” Romeo suggested

“Okay, how do you guys know what’s happened?” Angelo asked, confused to why as he himself had only just found out

“Ruby told us. I guess it was easier for Ruby to open up than it was for Charlie” Nicole replied

“Where’d you say this guy was?” Angelo asked

*

Matt walked to the counter and placed some money on the counter. Leah took the money and looked to Matt “Was everything okay for you?”

“Yea, everything was perfect” Matt replied with a grin

“Good, I’m glad” Leah replied

“You own this place?” Matt asked

“Part-own” Leah replied

“A businesswoman, I like that. Powerful women who aren’t afraid to show it”

“I guess” Leah replied

“I’m assuming you live around here too” Matt asked

“Yes I do”

“And I’m also assuming you know where some of the locals live too”

“Is there someone you want?”

“I’m looking for my girlfriend and her daughter. I’m pretty sure they’ve moved here and they didn’t even give me chance to pack my things and join them here. I’d love to

go surprise them by turning up on their doorstep”

“I can’t tell you where people live if I don’t know their name” Leah replied

“Oh right, yes, sorry. A name or two would be helpful” Matt replied “Charlie and Ruby Buckton”

“I’ve never heard of a Charlie or a Ruby in the bay, sorry” Leah replied after a sicken feeling washed over her

“Nah, now you see, I thought people in a small town were supposed to be honest”

“Excuse me?” Leah asked as she placed her hands on her hips

“To get more people in; word of mouth and all that. Now if I got back to the city and say that the part-owner of a place called ‘the diner’ isn’t honest, do you really think people will want to eat here? They’ll come all the way from the city for a vacation, time out from their meaningless jobs and probably come here, to Summer Bay, and they maybe then want some food. But because I’ve told them about a dishonest businesswoman, do you think they’ll eat here?”

“Look, I don’t care if you go to the city and get hit by a bus, I have never heard of a Charlie and Ruby Buckton”

“What’s going on here?” Irene asked as she placed some plates on the counter

“This gentleman has asked me if I know where a Charlie and Ruby Buckton live, but I’ve told him I haven’t heard of a Charlie and Ruby Buckton and he doesn’t believe

me” Leah replied, staring to Irene so Irene could grasp to not say anything

“You’ve been told, so I think you should leave now” Irene replied as she pointed to the door

“Okay, I’m going” Matt replied as he backed away slowly.

“Do you want to tell me what that was?” Irene asked as she and Leah entered the kitchen

Leah sighed; she was aware that this was something Charlie should say, but due to the fact that Leah had blatantly been rude to a customer, Leah felt she had no other

way of explaining her way out of it “That guy, he’s called Matt. Matt was Charlie’s boyfriend”

“Why didn’t you tell him you know her?” Irene asked

“He caused Charlie to miscarry at five months. He attacked Ruby and Charlie doesn’t want anything to do with him, she’s physically frightened of him” Leah replied

“Oh my gawd” Irene gasped as she brought her hands to face “The poor love”

“So, I don’t care what anyone says to me about what I said to him, I’d rather keep him away from Charlie and Ruby; they’re finally happy” Leah looked over to Colleen, who was smiling as Matt walked away from her “Colleen! What did you tell him?”

“He’s a very nice young man. I’m afraid I was wrong to get the police to investigate him. He was wondering where Charlie and Ruby were, says he asked you Leah but you

told him you had never heard of them before. I wonder why you told him that, all he wants is to get back with Senior Constable Buckton and who am I to stand in the way

of love”

“Colleen! I told you one day that trap of yours would get you into trouble” Irene said as Leah rushed to the kitchen phone

“What? Have I done something wrong?” Colleen asked as she waddled into the kitchen

“You’ve sent an abusive ex-boyfriend back to the victims” Irene replied

“That nice fellow?”

“There’s nothing nice about him” Irene said through gritted teeth “He caused Charlie and Ruby a lot of pain and grief, they came here to escape all that”

“I’ve always said running away from your problems isn’t a good idea, things have a nasty way of coming back and biting you in the backside”

“Things would have been fine if you’d have just kept your mouth shut” Irene replied

“There’s no answer” Leah panicked “What’s he going to do?”

“Don’t worry love, maybe call her mobile or Angelo, he might get to the house before Matt” Irene suggested as she pointed to the phone to urge Leah to make the call

*

Charlie had locked all the doors and windows, shut the lights off and unplugged the phone line. She wasn’t taking any chances: last time Matt was near, he did damage and Charlie was unable to protect her daughter; this time she wasn’t going to fail her, Ruby would be safe.

“Mum” Ruby said for the umpteenth time “He doesn’t know where we live, we should be fine”

“Should be Rubes; that’s not good enough. God, why is this happening again? If he comes anywhere near you-”

“Mum he won’t; I’m not scared of him anymore he can’t do anything to me” Ruby said as she placed her hands on Charlie’s arms to stop her panicking

“You might not be scared of him Rubes but I am. Not just for myself but because I’m your mum, I wasn’t able to get to you after he hit you, and that’s plagued me for so long”

“Mum, all that’s behind us. We came here for a fresh start and that’s what we are going to have. We’ve already started. You have friends already; Angelo seems to be getting closer to you”

“I don’t want Angelo involved in this –he doesn’t deserve to be brought into this mess.” Charlie replied “I just want him to go Rubes; I was beginning to get my life back, I was happy” Charlie said as she looked up from where her hands rested on her stomach “I just want him to go”

“He will mum, and we can be even happier than we are now” Ruby smiled as she rubbed Charlie’s arms in comfort. Her phone ringing in her pocket paused her connection with Charlie “Leah hey. What’s up?” Ruby’s face dropped

“What?” Charlie asked, impatiently

“Are you sure? Okay, erm-“ Ruby looked horrified when there was a knock at the door. Charlie’s stomach turned, her heart sank as she figured who was on the other side of the door.

Matt.

[callyha]

Thank you Chester-Sam, Carina, Danni, Deano, spoh1303 and JosieTash and hugs to you

WARNING Fire arm in chapter

Chapter Twenty Four

Angelo brayed on the door with his fist clenched; hoping someone inside would hear him and open the locked door. Nicole, April, Leah, Dex, Romeo, Xavier and Indi stood behind him, worrying about Charlie and Ruby’s safety.

With no answer at the door, Angelo turned to face everyone with a disheartened look on his face “what do I do?”

“Get in there” Romeo said as he moved forward and began to hit the door with his own clenched fist. Leah and Nicole edged closer to the windows, peering through to see if they could see any sign of Matt or Charlie and Ruby. The curtains were closed; Leah and Nicole shared the same worried look as they faced each other. Now they were more determined to enter the house –at any cost.

“Something’s wrong” Nicole said as she walked across the grass and back to Romeo and Angelo “The curtains are closed and they’re never closed during the day”

“If he lays one finger on Charlie I’ll….” Angelo began, but was overcome with a choking cry that he had to stop and look away from the group. Leah walked over to Angelo and placed her arm comfortingly around him, turning into a hug.

A noise at the door caused everyone to take a small step back; hoping it was Charlie or Ruby come to tell them off for braying on the door for the past half an hour. Hope filled their bodies as the chains clinked and the lock inside rattled. The door was slowly opened; everyone’s eyes slowly went up the door, looking to see who had answered: It was Charlie, tears streaming down her face; her body shaking with fear, her eyes showing how terrified she was.

“R..Ruby and I…We’re fine….Y..You can go” Charlie stuttered, trying her best to lie to the group outside her house.

“No Charlie, you’re not. Is he in there?” Leah replied as she took a step forward

“Is who?” Charlie asked, trying her best to mask her physical desire to run, her emotional desire to breakdown and seek comforting refuge in the arms of Angelo or even Leah

“He is isn’t he?” Angelo replied. Charlie’s bottom lip quivered as she tried to compose herself

“No” She whispered as she looked to the ground “Just go” Charlie said after taking a deep breath. She looked once more at Angelo, pleading with her eyes as hers met his “Please” Angelo turned to face the gate –as though he were about to leave- Charlie nodded her head and stood back and to the side.

The door closed.

Charlie stood on the spot. Shaking as she felt the barrel of the gun sticking in her back. “Matt please” Charlie cried

“Shut up” Matt replied with an evil tone “Why have you got them involved? It’s nothing to do with them”

“They’re my friends” Charlie replied through tears

“Friends? You think you deserve friends after what you did to me? You left me broken hearted. I lost my child; I never grieved for her!” Matt replied as he got in Charlie’s face. Charlie closed her eyes and pulled back as she tried to distance herself from her living nightmare.

“You made me loose her! If you didn’t push me, I would never have lost her! It’s your fault! Everything is your fault!” Charlie shouted, founding courage from somewhere

“You’re blaming me?” Matt asked

“I didn’t fall into that banister” Charlie snarled “You slapped Ruby across the face, she was bleeding and I went to help her. You’ve always hated that I’ve put Ruby before you”

“Ruby means nothing to me!” Matt shouted

“But she means the world to me! She’s my baby girl, I’m supposed to protect her. You’re the only monster I’ve not been able to protect her from. And look what happened; I had to move, uproot my daughter and I lost my baby girl. All your fault”

“I never started any of this” Matt said, once again getting right in Charlie’s face; trying to intimidate her “Ruby has been the thorn in my side for a long time now. You and

I, we’re perfect together. Everyone said it”

“Those who didn’t know us. Fake, that’s what it was. A fake!”

“All I ever did was love you!” Matt said as he looked to the ground where Charlie was now; scrunched up in a small ball like shape as she tried to protect herself

“Matt, Please. Just leave. Let me have some chance at a little life. This way Ruby is out of your life; you never have to bother with her again” Charlie said as she looked up to Matt

“But I won’t have you” Matt replied

“If you want me, I come with Ruby; but you loath Ruby so you can’t have me. Five years is a long time Matt; long enough to try and get along with the daughter of the woman you supposedly love” Charlie replied, rising slowly to her feet and all the while, smiling at the fact that she had her friends at the other side of the door, maybe that is what was giving her the confidence to stand up to Matt, or maybe it was because Ruby ad been right all along: Charlie is stronger than she looks, and able to tackle anything that comes her way. “Please, let Ruby go” Charlie said as she slowly walked closed to Matt, constantly glancing back and forth from the stare of his eyes to the gun that he held in his hand.

*

Ruby wriggled in the chair she was tied to. She wasn’t scared for her own life; she was scared for the lives of her mother and those who were outside. Ruby heard the voices approach the house some time before, and grabbed the attention of Charlie –who was also tied to a chair- and they both continued to listen to the constant braying on the door and the chats they were having. In the brief conversations they had heard, they realized that not only had they found a place to live; but they had found friends who would be there for them not matter what and that they were finally at a place where they could be happy.

Ruby could finally pull her arm out from under the rope. She then began to undo her other arm before she did her legs and took the rag from her mouth. She went to the window and glanced out, seeing Angelo, Leah, Romeo, Dex, Xavier, Nicole, April and Indi still out there and looking helplessly to the house. Ruby didn’t want to shout, incase Matt came hurtling upstairs and saw what she was doing. So she grabbed a deodorant bottle from the table and threw it out of the window. Dex was in the line of fire.

“I didn’t ask for ‘sure for women’, I asked for the new linx” Dex said as he picked up the bottle that had hit him on the back of the head “Who threw it?” Dex asked as he looked around

“Like we have deodorant in our bags” Indi pointed to the lack of bags the girls had

“Ah” Dex replied “Hey look, its Rubes” Dex pointed to the window where Ruby was stood.

[callyha]

Thank you EVERYONE for commenting/reading. Its so nice to read your lovely comments I hope I've rounded this off nicely for you!

Chapter twenty-five (last chapter)

Charlie closed her eyes for a moment; hoping that when she reopened them everything would be okay again, that Matt was nowhere to be seen, and Ruby was safe in her arms.

Matt was still there. Simultaneously looking at the door and the windows; waiting almost for either a smash from the windows or wood breaking from the door. He was worried. On the lawn outside was a group of Charlie and Ruby’s friends. Matt never realised the impression Charlie had had on the locals of Summer Bay. He was out numbered, and he knew there was no chance of him getting away from the house without trouble. Running his hands through his hair in a state of panic, Matt looked to

Charlie, who was trying to hide her fear.

“Why did you call them?” Matt asked as walked close to Charlie

“How am I supposed to have called any one? You broke my mobile and you’ve cut the phone cable” Charlie retorted

“So why are they out there then?” Matt asked, his voice laced with evil

“Maybe you were sloppy. Maybe they followed you here” Charlie replied, clenching her fists to stop her hands from shaking

“You told someone about me” Matt said

“Why would I tell anyone about you? " Charlie asked, sicken by him thinking he still had a hold over her

"To play the poor little victim card all over again. You did it over your boyfriend that got you pregnant by saying he raped you and now you're doing the same thing with me -well, its not gonna work" Matt smirked "I have ways of getting you to come back to the city with me"

"You're an idiot if you think I'm going anywhere with you" Charlie replied, trying to fight the tears she wanted to cry: she didn't want to be affected by what he said, but it

was still a very sensitive subject for her, and after everything, Matt still didn't believe her when she said she was raped

"I have a gun, I have your precious Ruby tied to a chair in the bedroom. All I have to do is point the gun at that pretty little face of hers"

"You touch one hair on her head and I swear-"

"Don't swear Charlie, it doesn't suit you" Matt smirked "Besides, you and I both know you couldn't do anything to stop me" Matt added as he glanced over his shoulder, looking to see the reaction on Charlie's face. she never moved, not even to blink her eyes. Matt ascended the stairs to the room where he had bound Ruby

"I said no!" Charlie screamed as she raced toward the stairs. She jumped on Matt's back as Ruby ran out of the room she was in and down the stairs. Charlie glanced up and saw her daughter stood there, watching in horror as Matt was trying to pull Charlie off his back

"Mum!" Ruby screamed

"You!" Matt gasped. Backing into the wall as hard as he could, Charlie fell to the floor with a sickening thud

"Mum!" Ruby shouted again as she saw her mother lying lifeless on the ground. She looked up quickly to see Matt coming toward her, looking to the door with fear in her eyes, she wondered if she could make it without been caught. She ran. Hoping that her outstretch hand would touch the door knob. It did. She heard a thud. Looking behind her she saw Matt face down on the ground with Charlie's hands on his ankles

"Run!" Charlie shouted as she scrambled to her feet to join her daughter at the door. Ruby turned back to the door and opened it. Smiling briefly for a momnet as she felt the cool wind on her face as she stepped out. Leah rushed to her side and dragged her away from the door, which promptly slammed shut behind her.

"Mum!" Ruby screamed as she ran back toward the door, banging her fists hard on the door as she cried helplessly

"Ruby move away" Xaiver said as he pulled her away

"No! Mums in there with that psyhco, I have to get her out" Ruby struggled in Xaiver's arms

"Nothing will happen to her, I promise" Angelo replied as he stood close to the door, thinking of how he would get into the house. He looked at all the windows on the front of the house, hoping that one would be opened slightly for him to pull open fully. All were shut. Angelo took a few steps backward, heading back to the group were.

A gunshot was heard.

Hearts sank as the thought the worst.

Leah struggled to contain Ruby in her arms; she wanted to break free and get in the house to find her mother.

Panic filled Angelo: had he just lost the woman he loved??

Seven Months Later

They got cars big as bars, they got rivers of gold, but the wind goes right through you, it’s no place for the old, when you first took my hand on the cold Christmas Eve, you promised me Broadway was waiting for me

“You were handsome” Charlie smiled

“You were pretty” Angelo replied with an equally big smile

“Really guys, get a room” Ruby smiled as she put the last few pots way in the cupboard

"We have one thanks" Angelo replied as he paused from kissing Charlie for a moment

"Do you want to use it then?" Ruby said back, trying not to show that them kissing didn't overly bother her

"So. Are your mates coming around anytime soon or?" Charlie asked Ruby as she moved closer to her; the walk through the kitchen a little hard to do

"Yea, they're coming. And so is Hannah" Ruby replied

"Hannah?" Charlie repeated

"Yea" Ruby looked to Charlie "After we left the city, she and I had a long chat and I realised that she was actually on my side; Stacey and Toby had forced her to keep quiet about everything. hannah listened to me when I was telling her about you and Amber, she was great. And I thought that she should come to our new home and see how we've moved passed everything that happened in the city"

"You really told her about Amber?" Charlie smiled as she mentioned Amber's name

"Yea" Ruby replied "You're not made are you?"

"No. Why would I be mad? Amber was your little sister Ruby; you have a right to talk about her"

"I know I do, it's just-"

"I was so broken after what happened and you didn't want to make it harder on me"

Ruby nodded "Yea. anyway-" Ruby moved away from the topic "So your leg is completely healed then"

"Yea. Sid was happy with the way its healed" Charlie smiled as she hugged her daughter. Seven months ago -just before the shot was heard- Charlie had struggled to get away from matt's firm grasp. She kicked him, hit him, anything to get him off of her; matt by this point had had enough and grabbed the gun. charlie struggled with him some more before eventually lowering the gun away from her chest. Matt inadvertenly pulled the trigger; shooting Charlie in the leg at close range -and himself at the same time-. Both were hit in the main artery in the leg; Matt died of hemorraging -much to the delight of Ross, Morag and especially Ruby.

"People are arriving guys" Angelo said as he walked back into the kitchen to find Chalrie and Ruby still stood in each other's arms. Pulling apart, Charlie took Ruby's hand and they walked into the living room which was slowly beginning to buzz with the sound of music and chat. Smiles appeared on both their faces as they had finally got the life they wanted: friends who cared about them; partners who loved them; and a life to be happy in.

Charlie had finally realised that Ruby was right: to Believe In Love After Life

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