Welcome to the final chapter!

Chapter Seventy-One

"Good luck, okay?" Charlie said.

She had cautiously dropped Joey and Ruby off at school. While she wasn't allowed back on school property again, she was entitled to park down the road to deliver them. Between Charlie and Ruby, the Buckton parents had agreed that for a trial period, Ruby could stay with Charlie and see how it worked out. Both girls were excited and during the holidays, they had driven up to the city for a few days in order to collect the rest of Ruby's stuff. She'd thought it was a little too soon to bring Joey with them on this occasion but she was hoping to make introductions soon. Today was Joey's last exam and the final day of school.

"Thanks," Joey replied.

She kissed Charlie goodbye and promised to catch up with her as soon as she was done. Ruby hugged her sister goodbye and the two of them headed towards the school gates together, one have only just started there and one just about to finish.

An hour later, Joey was knee deep in her final English exam but found that she was quite enjoying it. She had always liked English, and not just because she'd been in love with her teacher. She found it interesting and mentally stimulating and she found herself charging through the questions with pride. Beside her, Angel also seemed to be scribbling away. She dared to look up for a brief moment and shot a worried glance at Aden who seemed to be tearing his hair out. She looked up at the clock. The seconds were charging by too fast. She got her head down and set to work again.

Charlie met up with Shannon at the Diner. Colleen still hadn't quite forgiven her for going off with a student and Hugo had taken several opportunities to publically criticise her. He was very much enjoying the fact that he now looked like a terribly wronged party because his girlfriend had run off with another woman. Angelo had been kind but awkward. But now that Charlie had Joey back, she didn't much care about judgements and recriminations. She was too happy.

"How's the job hunt going?" Shannon asked.

"Slowly," Charlie said. "As soon as I tell them why I left my last job they lose interest."

Shannon sighed in empathy.

"You'll figure something out," she said brightly.

"I don't really care what I do so long as I get another income," Charlie admitted.

Ailsa came over to take their lunch order. Charlie liked the way she didn't judge and always served her with a smile, no matter what. Her husband was much the same.

Joey and her friends met up in the corridor as soon as the exam was finished.

"I can't believe school's over!" Angel said.

"Until I get told I failed everything," Aden complained.

Joey hugged him.

"Come on, Charlie helped you loads over the holidays," she reminded him.

He nodded but still felt unsure. Belle wrapped her arms around him and kissed him, saying that she would be proud of him no matter what.

"So, are we all on for the formal tonight?" Shane asked brightly.

Joey's heart immediately sank and Angel elbowed her boyfriend in the ribs.

"Hey!" he protested.

"You know it's a sore subject," she snapped.

He glanced at Joey and apologised. She wasn't going. Charlie wasn't allowed to set foot in the building and despite Charlie's protests, Joey was adamant that she wouldn't be going without her.

"It's fine," Joey sulked. "You go and have a good time."

Aden suddenly looked very happy. Joey snapped at him that he didn't need to look quite so thrilled that she couldn't make it.

"No," he said. "I've had an idea."

"Miracles do happen!" Shane joked.

Angel elbowed him again and he complained loudly before listening to Aden's plan.

Charlie was stunned when Joey appeared at her door looking stunning and dolled up. She'd thought they were just getting a pizza and a movie with Ruby.

"Bye, sis," Ruby said cheerfully.

"What's going on?" Charlie wondered.

"Ruby is going to stay with Shannon tonight," Joey explained.

"And what are we doing?" Charlie wondered.

"We are going to the formal," Joey declared.

Charlie quickly protested, wondering why Joey didn't seem to understand the rules of being fired from school for having sex with a pupil.

"Just trust me," Joey said, nudging her to her room and rummaging through her wardrobe in order to help her pick and outfit.

Shane, Angel, Chris, Philip, Aden and Belle all looked and felt pretty pleased with themselves. With Donald Fisher chaperoning the formal, the teenagers had the house to themselves. On Aden's suggestion, they had hurried out to buy snack food and Shane had plugged his iPod into the stereo speakers. Angel had a mirror ball in her room and had brought it down, hanging it from the ceiling and the whole place looked pretty special when Joey led Charlie through the door. Charlie gasped in delight.

"This is amazing!" she said.

"Well, we figured we all deserved to go to the formal – including you – so Aden suggested we hosted our own!" Angel grinned.

"You've done an awesome job, guys," Joey complimented.

The night had been entertaining to say the least. They had drunk and eaten, gossiped, laughed and danced.

"So, what are you guys all planning on doing next?" Charlie wondered.

"I've got an apprenticeship with a mechanic," Shane said.

He was very excited about it.

"And I'm going to University," Angel told her. "But I'll still live here. I couldn't live far away from my Shane now, could I?"

They kissed.

"And I got a job in the Diner," Aden said. "I'm not sure how long I want to be there but it suits me for now."

Belle said she was starting work at the local newspaper and Charlie already knew that Joey would be attending college part time while working part time on her father's boat. Like Angel, she had no intention of moving away. She definitely couldn't be without her Charlie.

"What's next for you, Miss Buckton?" Shane asked with his usual smirk.

"I actually got a job today," she said.

"Are you serious?" Joey squeaked.

"I'm going to be an adult education tutor," she said.

Joey hugged her and everyone offered their congratulations. They all knew it had been hard for her to get anywhere in her application processes.

With a slow song playing, everybody coupled up. Joey took Charlie into her arms and held her close.

"Have you had a nice night?" she asked.

"It's been perfect," Charlie said.

She leant in and kissed her.

"You're the best, most exciting thing that ever happened to me, Charlie," Joey said honestly.

"And you've turned my world upside down," Charlie grinned.

Joey smiled back at her.

"I am so glad that I fell in love with you. And I am honoured that you fell in love with me."

"How could I not?" Joey asked sweetly, leaning in for another kiss.

I hope the ended was what you hoped it would be. Thank you so much for reading and reviewing all the love and pitfalls Charlie have been put through in this story. Forbidden was originally written for chuffy-barmed, although I don't think she reads any of these anymore. But I am very grateful to those who do! You all rock.

So, the plan is to just replace this fic with Somebody, Anybody You as it's just so hard to sustain six (seven including Still) at a time. So, in keeping with my alphabetical compulsion, I will update Interwoven tomorrow and then Somebody, Anybody, You. And then when The Waiting Game finishes, I will start posting a new fic called Save Me.

Thanks for reading this story and I do hope you enjoyed it all.

Love, IJKS xxx