Charlie watched as the black liquid poured into her cup, the calming aroma of freshly ground coffee beans filled the evening air. She stood near the sink her eyes fixed on the caffeine as her mind swam with thoughts. They were about Joey. They almost always were these days. How whenever she was around Charlie's heart would beat a little faster, or the way she made her feel with just one smile. She took a large sip of her hot coffee, instantly regretting the amount as the liquid burned her mouth. Her thoughts drifted to the kiss Joey and her shared, the one she initiated. Charlie wasn't sure why she had kissed the brunette it came as a shock not just to Joey but her also. She shook her head lightly trying to understand her actions, briefly contemplating whether she did it out of pity for the girl…after all Joey had been through a lot that day, her eyes were sad and beheld fear. Maybe this had urged Charlie to give her comfort in the only way she thought would help?...No! She had been through all this before, right after she had kissed Joey. She could still remember how soft Joey's lips were, how when she had kissed her, her whole body lit up with masses of little shivers. And she was quite sure that if she had only been trying to comfort Joey she wouldn't have all these feelings.

Charlie was forced from her thoughts as a quiet knock sounded; she turned around quickly her eyes falling upon Joey. For a moment her breath seemed to disappear as she looked upon the girl, the evening light bathing her and making her features shadowed.

'Hi,'

Joey said lightly. With a small gesture she waved. Charlie tried not to stare, tried to act as though Joey wasn't affecting her as much as she really was. Although this failed when she caught the younger girls' eyes, her heart skipping numerous beats within her chest. How could someone drive her this crazy without doing a thing?

'Hey,'

Replied Charlie. Gathering her thoughts she offered Joey a seat at the table with a slight movement of her hand, her hot coffee being forgotten. She looks over at Joey noticing how timid the girl looks, her demeanor coming across as almost shy. Her first reaction is to say something, wanting the girl who has been studying the floor a little too intensely to look at her.

'How are you?'

She winces as her voice comes out rough, although keeps her eyes on Joey's face. Resisting the urge to run her fingers through the women's soft hair. Joey looks up slowly a smile upon her face. Charlie can't help but feel weak when their eyes meet, her brown orbs crashing with Joey's as she awaits her answer.

'I'm good,'

Her answer is still quiet, and Charlie notes the slight hesitation in Joey's eyes as she takes in a deep breath.

'Charlie, I think we should talk.'

Charlie immediately breaks eye contact with Joey. Her head becoming clouded as she replays the kiss over and over, what if she upsets Joey again by answering? Then again she doesn't even know how she feels at the moment. All her life she has been straight. Never was there so much as a thought or feeling that would say otherwise, and what if she really was gay? How would people react? God! Never mind people, what about Ruby? She couldn't handle it if Ruby didn't support her, would her sister be accepting of her choices? The last thing she would want is Ruby to get hurt. There were so many questions, and Charlie knew she had very few answers for them. For a start she was still confused about her feelings for Joey…about her feelings for women all round! She had never checked another girl out before, had she? She had always been into men, right? So why was she feeling like this? And why did she lavish when being in the company of Joey?

'Talk about what?'

Charlie knows exactly what Joey means, but her mind keeps telling her to prolong the moment where she will inedible have to answer the question. She see's Joey smile watching as the girl places her hand upon her own, Charlie's head immediately starts to spin. Her skin burning from the light touch, as her insides seem to flip. Her eyes staring at their hands. She wants to run, but at the same time all she wants to do is be with Joey. To stare into her eyes and get lost for hours at a time. She feels Joey give her hand a slight squeeze, Charlie finally looking into her eyes.

'Charlie you kissed me,' Joey states a smile gracing her features, 'I want to know what it means.'

Charlie is confused; even she doesn't know what the kiss meant. Why she had the sudden urge to hold Joey in her arms and never let go. It was a mystery and although Charlie was a pretty good cop, even she couldn't figure this one out. Her skin is still burning under the soft touch of Joey and quickly she removes her hand. Standing up just as fast and running her hands through her own hair. Vigorously trying to come up with an answer. She looks over to the still sitting Joey, her heart breaking as her eyes meet the younger girls' seeing hurt and rejection. Pain that she has just caused, something she hadn't intended and had tried so hard to avoid. She quickly sits back down and without thinking she grabs Joey's hand, her body shivering from the touch. Her thumb rubbing circles over the girls' soft skin as she attempts an answer.

'Joey, I…I don't know exactly what, well what I mean to say is that…well ugh, I feel—very confused about everything, and I…'

Charlie stops talking as she quickly realizes that words aren't being formed and only parts of what she means is coming out. She keeps a firm grip on Joey's hand as she looks away her eyes firmly looking at the ground. She feels Joey give her hand another light squeeze, her head becoming clouded from the extended contact.

'It's not that I don't have feelings for you…And it's complicated—I guess what I'm trying to say is, well, what I did was…a mistake.'

As soon as the words leave her mouth Charlie regrets everyone, she hadn't meant for them to come out the way they had. Her eyes shut tightly as she silently curses herself. Did she really think that kissing Joey was a mistake? She thought of it as a spur-of-the-moment thing, not a mistake. When you make mistakes you usually regret them, and deep down Charlie didn't regret Kissing Joey. She didn't regret the feeling she felt when their lips came together, nor how she wanted more of Joey and suddenly felt herself become addicted to her. And as much as she wanted to tell Joey this her mouth refused to work, and words became nothing within her throat leaving her to gape like a goldfish out of water.

Joey removes her hand slowly from Charlie's grasp, standing from the table. Charlie can see her thinking profusely about what was said, she wants to explain what she really meant. Although at this point all she can do is watch her mistake unfold in front of her, like she is watching from an outsiders point of view. Joey sighs lightly turning to leave, her wrist being grabbed hesitantly by Charlie.

'Joey, please.'

Charlie says not wanting the younger girl to leave, she stands up mimicking Joey's earlier actions her eyes almost pleading. She can't let Joey leave, not like this. She doesn't want to cause her pain and wants so much for things to be right. She understands that to Joey it is easier to express her feelings, to say everything she feels. But to Charlie it's not. Everything has happened so fast, one day she is perfectly fine and the next she is head over heels for Joey, with all these different feelings swimming within her. It's confusing and exciting all at the same time.

'Charlie, you kissed me, not the other way around.'

Joey states quickly, removing her hand from Charlie's grip.

'I have strong feelings for you Charlie, and I think you have the same for me.'

Charlie takes a step back her mind thinking, Joey was right. She did have strong feelings for her, very strong feelings. She had them since that day on the boat, when she watched amused while Joey danced, when she joined in and felt a surged of happiness and when they came close to kissing. She can still remember the electricity between them when their hands entwined. How all she wanted to do was kiss Joey and hold her close, but also how her mind took control and told her to run.

'Joey, it's not that simple.'

Charlie said taking another step back. Whether to protect herself from opening up or to give herself some space from Joey she didn't know.

'Yeah, and it's also not as complicated as you make it. Look I understand if you need time, I'm sorry for coming over.'

Joey gives Charlie a small smile before leaving the kitchen, the evening sky looking a fraction darker as she disappears into the shadows. Charlie wishing she had stopped her, wishing she had the chance to hold her. With a long sigh she sits back down, her head resting in her hands. As her mind replays Joey's words 'it's also not as complicated as you make it.' Was she really making things more complicated? I mean she knows she can be a little bit dramatic at the best of times, e.g.: when Ruby was merely in preschool and her father had asked of her to look after her for the weekend, admittedly she understands that now if she were asked a question like that, she would reframe from yelling, and throwing the odd object whilst trying to explain that she needed her space. Her excuse being she was young and extremely naïve…but what was her excuse for this?

----

Joey's feet fell harder and harder upon the soft sand, her breath hitching slightly as she quickened her pace. The cool fresh breeze lapping through her hair and ruffling her clothes. She listened intently to the waves as she ran, they were soothing. Her face was stained with few tears, although by now her need to cry had ended and she felt tired, her mind was focused on one person. Charlie. She knew Charlie was confused and although she wanted so badly to be patient and understanding, it was difficult. Since meeting the cop she had felt safe, Charlie had a way of making her feel normal again. To help her focus on something other than Robbo and what he did to her. When she was with Charlie she didn't think about it, but when she was alone she found herself battling old demons. She wanted to be able to stay with Charlie forever; she kept her sane, something she feared she would lose after her attack.

Stopping to catch her breath and clear her head Joey gently sat down, her hand scooping up the sand and watching the grains fall quickly through her fingers. She smiled pleasantly at the sound of the waves they always had a way of soothing her. She looked out watching them crash onto the sand then be pulled back out to sea. She wished Charlie was here, with her in this moment. Keeping her safe from the nightmares that constantly found their way into her dreams, and which haunted her throughout the day.

Shutting her eyes she listened to the soft howling of the wind, her mind slowing as she became heavy with sleep. She could hear the rustling of trees, as their leaves danced together and soon her mind drifted partially into a slumber. Although she still kept in mind she was on the beach, and she was not to fall asleep.

----

The hot liquid from the shower gently burned Charlie's skin. She welcomed the warm comfort of the water as she ran her hands through her wet hair. Sighing loudly as the refreshing drops hit her face, running easily down her body then splashing to the ground, being immersed with other drops. This was just what she needed, the tension in her shoulders slowly relaxing allowing a small smile to become apparent.

'What am I doing?'

Charlie said, talking to herself. She knew she could only ask the questions. Not answer them. She desperately wished that things would become clearer; she knew how she felt around Joey. She loved every minute. So why was she always pulling away? Again! Another question that would go unanswered! With a small huff Charlie turned the shower off, watching momentarily as the warm comfort ceased. She reached over to grab a towel wrapping herself tightly as she stepped from the shower. Shaking her head in a vain attempt to get Joey from her mind, her hand moving to wipe the steam from the mirror as she stares at herself.

'What are you doing?'

She says, merely repeating her last statement. Only now she was talking to the person in the mirror. She laughs awkwardly at her actions watching the mirror fog back up, before she looks down. What was she going to do?

----

Charlie had gotten up early; well to be honest she really hadn't slept. Her mind was constantly thinking about everything that was going on. In order to regain her wits and control of her head she decided on some hot coffee, walking into the Diner then quickly over to a busy Colleen who was talking none stop to herself. At first Colleen went about business as though she wasn't there serving two very hungry customers, until her eye caught Charlie.

'Oh, hello there Charlie, what can I do for you?'

She said with her usual smile. Charlie went to answer only to be cut off.

'Let me guess, a strong coffee to go?'

This time it was Charlie's turn to smile, nodding strongly. Guess she was easy to predict.

'So what brings you in this early? Not that kind young gentleman Hugo?'

Colleen grinned her out stretched arm pointing towards the man. Charlie hadn't noticed him up until now; she gave him a faint smile as he looked apologetic for Colleen's loud question. She was glad when he went back to reading the news papers and sipping his coffee, she didn't want to really speak to anyone today. Not that Hugo isn't sweet, and sensitive all around a great guy. Someone she could have seen herself falling for, had it not been for her mixed feelings for Joey. She just needed her coffee, and then she would be ready to face whatever the day threw at her.

'…I'm telling you, you won't find a nicer guy. If I were only a bit younger…'

Charlie quickly snapped from her thoughts as she caught a bit of Colleen's rambling.

'Back in my day men were jumping at the chance to impress you…'

Colleen placed Charlie's coffee on the counter, accepting the money she was handed then moving on to serve more waiting customers. Charlie smiled at the older woman before taking a long sip of her coffee, savoring the burn it left when she swallowed. She was just about to leave when she saw Joey walk in, her face showing a small wave of doubt before being replaced with a smile. That same smile that made Charlie's heart speed up. Without really thinking Charlie walks over to Joey, signaling for them to go outside. Joey smiles again complying with the gesture as she leads the way.

They walk in comfortable silence for a bit as they reach the beach, Charlie stops suddenly watching as Joey turns back. She wants to tell her everything; how she feels about her how important she is to her. She thinks back to when they kissed, it felt right, natural. Why has she been so stupid? Making things complicated, when they weren't?

'Joey, I need to talk to you.'

Her voice comes out quiet but Joey still hears her, giving her a smile accompanied with small nod as to let her know she's listening. Charlie breaths hard, stepping closer to Joey. Her hands grasping the younger girls' tightly.

'I care about you. A lot! And yesterday when you left I was lost, and I kept thinking about what I have been feeling. I have been over-complicating things, I guess it's my down fall or something…I don't know. But I care so much about you…I-I…can't lose you.'

Charlie was rambling, and she was very much aware of it. Lowering her head quickly as she stopped talking. Her speech had sounded so much better in her mind. She felt Joey squeeze her hand causing her to look into her eyes, she smiled softly at Charlie. Again Charlie's heart sped up, her mind becoming clear as she reached to cup Joey's face, a similar smile gracing her lips as she pulls the younger girl closer their lips colliding, igniting a fire between the two. It was magical, Charlie's body was racing like never before, her hunger for Joey becoming more as she explored her mouth. She could feel Joey's hands move hesitantly to her lower back, as though she wasn't sure if this was real. Charlie desperate to let her know she wasn't going anywhere ran her fingers through Joey's hair; it was soft like she had imagined it would be. Her other hand was placed firmly on her back keeping their body's close. Charlie barely holds in a soft moan as she feels Joey's hands explore her body now even more confidant. She doesn't want this moment to end; her whole body is pulsating with energy. She is shocked and more than a little disappointed when Joey moves away, staring into Charlie's eyes.

'Are you sure about this Charlie? I mean you're not going to get cold feet again are you?'

Joey's voice is light but Charlie could see the hesitance, the fear of getting rejected again. She smiles softly tucking a strand of hair behind Joey's ear gently. She gets a small grin in reply to her actions. Moving closer and embracing Joey in a hug, her arms wrapping protectively around the younger girl as she sighs happily. Moments later Joey breaks the hug a huge smile plastered over her face, Charlie gives her a puzzled look.

'Race you home.'

Joey says taking off down the beach. Charlie's soon to take chase as her heart flips wildly, her mind and body buzzing from the kiss. Why hadn't she done that earlier? It was so much better then thinking into things. And the look on Joey's face had melted her heart; she knew that this was right. It felt like such a natural response.