Hey Guys, sorry this has taken so long to upload... Life kind of got in the way a bit - you know how it is :) Thanks for the reviews! They are very much appreciated! Please keep letting me know what you think of this, and any ideas you have as to where this could go in the future... Thanks for continuing to read this, hope it is worth it! Enjoy, Skater/Skatie X

This chapter is for funkyshaz57 :D

Chapter 10

"I'm going to be covered in bruises by tomorrow, you do realise that don't you…?" Charlie asked, trying to keep her face as serious as possible.

"What?! Why?!" Joey asked, genuinely concerned.

"Because I'm going to have to keep pinching myself, just to make sure I haven't completely dreamt all of this."

"Oh. Ha. Ha. You had me worried then. So, do you feel like you are dreaming this right now?" Joey asked, with a cheeky look in her eye.

"Yes, and to be honest I don't know if I will ever stop feeling like it." Charlie answered truthfully.

"Hmm… well… maybe I can think of a less painful way to prove that this isn't a dream." Joey whispered, finding a sudden confidence within herself. Slowly, she raised her hand to Charlie's face, slowly moving a piece of hair away from her face, and used her other hand that was on the small of Charlie's back to pull Charlie in close to her. Looking into Charlie's piercing blue eyes Joey knew that she hadn't made a mistake in coming back. Gingerly, she placed her lips upon Charlie's, not knowing how Charlie would react to her kissing her right on Charlie's front door step, even if it was nearly pitch black - before Joey had left she hadn't been able to even hold Charlie's hand in public. Charlie's heart raced with the feeling of Joeys lips pressed against hers, a feeling she had severely missed. Her heart raced not with fear or confusion over her sexuality like it had once done, but instead with pure love. The kissed gently and slowly, both taking time to memorise every inch of each other. They gradually pulled away reluctantly, knowing that if they didn't stop now they never would.

"Wow," Charlie finally managed to say, "I've missed you so much Joey Collins."

"I've missed you too, Senior Constable Charlie Buckton."

*****

Charlie was in a world of her own as she lent back against the front door she had just shut, and a huge smile was plastered upon her face.

"Is that you Charlie?" Ruby called from her room, bringing Charlie out of her daze and back to reality.

"Yes Ruby, it's me." Charlie answered, barely able to think straight.

"Heya Charls," Ruby said upon entering the living room. She stared at Charlie, something was distinctly different about her; for one she was actually smiling. "Where have you been all day Charlie? I thought you weren't at work today because you did the night shift last night?…And what am I missing Charlie? What's going on? What's with the goofy grin?" Ruby asked, confused.

"Umm…" Charlie took a deep breath before going on to tell Ruby everything that had happened. For once Ruby was utterly speechless.

"Oh. My. God." Ruby finally mumbled.

"Yeah I know, I can't quite believe it myself Ruby."

"So what does this mean? Are you guys back together?" Ruby asked.

"I don't really know, I think we are just going to take it slow and see where it goes, but Joey has agreed to give me a chance to prove myself, and she did most definitely initiate the last kiss so I guess that can only be a good sign." Charlie said, trying to comprehend it herself.

"Wow. I'm so happy for you Charlie." Ruby said as she leaned over to where Charlie was sitting on the couch and hugged her sister tight. "It's so nice to see you smiling again Charlie, I've missed it."

"Me too honey, I'm sorry for being such a cow recently." Charlie said, feeling guilty at the realisation of how hard she had been to live with the last few months.

"It's okay. Honestly Charlie…so…" Ruby said raising her one eyebrow, "What do you have planned for the these three dates then?" She asked, winking cheekily. Charlie's mind went into overdrive with what she had in mind for the three nights for Joey. While Joey was away she had thought so many times of what they could be doing as a couple if things hadn't gone so wrong, and now she the opportunity to do all those things and to show Joey how much she loved her.

"Actually Ruby there might be something you can help me with…"

*****

Sitting at her desk, attempting to file paperwork, Charlie received a text from Ruby which read,

'All done sis, hope she likes it : ) x'

Charlie quickly replied, 'Me too, thanks Ruby, you're a star x'

Charlie sincerely hoped that Joey liked what Charlie had asked Ruby to do for her - Charlie didn't want the next three days to be anything less than perfect for Joey.

*****

"Hey, Aden?" Joey called.

"Yeah?" He responded.

"You got any more milk? The carton in the fridge is empty."

"Damn! I knew there was something we needed in!"

"It's okay, I'll pop out and get some. Is there anything else you need?" Joey asked, wanting to be as helpful as possible, hoping to repay Aden in anyway possible for letting her stay.

"Umm…I don't think so." Aden replied, looking into the fridge.

Joey grabbed her purse out of her bag, and opened the front door. On the door step was a huge bouquet of flowers, with a card placed carefully with Joey's name written on it delicately. She wouldn't have believed they were for her if her name hadn't been written on the card in black and white right in front of her. The bouquet was gorgeous, full of roses, lilies and gerbera's. It was the most beautiful selection of flowers Joey had ever seen, she bent down to pick them up and immediately recognised the handwriting on the card. Carefully she opened the envelope, taking care not to tear it, and pulled out the card inside. On the front of the card was a picturesque beach with a bright blue sky, calm sea and a heart drawn in the sand using pebbles. Inside the card, Joey found more of Charlie's handwriting…

"Joey,

Last night I went to sleep with the biggest smile on my face and I woke up this morning the same way - all because of you. As I am writing this now, my heart is beating full of love for you, I have goose bumps just at the thought of your touch and yes, I am smiling like an idiot. I want tonight to be the start of a new life. A new life for me, for the both of us. A new era. So if it's okay with you, I'd like to take you out tonight, if yes, I'll pick you up from Aden's at six - text me to let me know.

All my love, Charlie. X"

Joey was taken aback. In all her life, no one had ever given her flowers, let only such beautiful ones, yet there they were in front of her, with loving words from Charlie to go alongside them. She didn't have to think about what she was going to text back, and she didn't waste a second in doing so.

*****

Watson knocked on the door of Charlie's office.

"Come in." Charlie said, roused from her daydream of the night she had planned for Joey.

"Hi, Boss," Watson said after opening the door, "I'm heading out to get some coffee, do you want anything brought back?"

"Umm, yeah I'll have a coffee please Watson" Charlie replied.

"Okay sure," Watson noticed the unusual smile on Charlie's face and the huge pile of paperwork piled up high on her desk, usually Charlie wasn't in the greatest of moods when faced with paperwork but today her whole face was lit up, a sight that Watson hadn't seen in a very long time, and she couldn't help but wonder what it was that had such an affect on Charlie. Watson decided not to ask any questions, and left to get their coffee's.

On her desk, Charlie's phone vibrated with a new message from Joey.

'Of course it's okay, I can't think of anything I want to do more than spend time with you. The flowers were beautiful, no one has ever done such a sweet thing like that for me. I'll see you at six, is there anything I need to take? J X'