Charlie opened her eyes, looking around the room. Registering where she is, she instantly glanced down in her arms expecting to see Joey, but she found her gone. She turned to look beside her and found herself alone.

"Joey…" She whispered in the air of an empty room. Suddenly she remembered that night before. The kiss.

'Shit! She hates me! I probably of definitely scared her away!' Charlie thought as she pulled herself up, back against the bed's headboard. 'Stupid Charlie! Charlie then hit her forehead with the palm of her hand.

"Ouch!" Said the woman standing in the door with tray of foods in her hands, smiling widely at Charlie. "Why are you being violent to yourself?" Joey joked, walking towards the seating Charlie.

"Joey!" Charlie exclaimed happy to see the girl and glad that she seemed to be just normal as if nothing had happened, feeling relieved.

"Yes Charlie!" Joey laughed a little at Charlie's elation to see her as if they've been apart for weeks. "I made breakfast…" She said, placing the tray in front of Charlie.

Charlie looked at the foods on the tray. There it has to plates both containing scrambled eggs and toast breads with two glass of orange juice. She then looked back up to Joey as the girl sat herself beside her. Charlie smiled and starting to feel relax as she is now really sure that Joey isn't upset with her anymore.

If she is, she wouldn't have made you a wonderful breakfast… plus why would she be upset? It was an accident. Wasn't it?' Charlie thought to herself.

"Charlz? Earth on Charlie Buckton…" Joey called out softly, waving her hand in front of a lost looking Charlie, trying to get her attention.

Charlie blinked back, acknowledging the hand moving in front of her face.

"Day dreaming?" Joey asked, now starting to eat her food.

"Nope. Not really, no." Charlie replied and started eating hers too.

"Ok. How's your sleep by the way? Did the swaying of the waves did you good?" Joey asked innocently, although she felt nervous herself.

Joey's well aware that the kiss wasn't a dream. She spent the whole time since she woke up, thinking about it. She so wants to convince herself that it meant nothing, that it was an accident and that it didn't even last long. But Joey always believed that there is a fine line between accident and fate, and that everything happened for a reason although the reason might not be figured out until later on. And Joey can't help but always end up saying 'It was a beautiful accident.'

"It was good. It was deep. It was relaxing." Charlie replied short and sweet, while eating her eggs. "You?"

"Same. All that crying really wore me out." Joey answered chuckling. "But, I am grateful for it." Joey then turned to her side to look at Charlie. "Thank you again, Charlie. You know don't how much you helped me and how much it meant to me." She said sincerely.

"It's no problem. I'm glad to be at help." Charlie smiled and without thinking, she reached for Joey's hand that is resting on her lap.

The moment Charlie's hand came in contact with Joey's, both women felt the electric like feeling crept through their bodies, making them feel more at ease and warm inside, a good warm that comforted not only their thoughts but also the deepest part of their whole being. Both eyes looked at their joined hand, then up to look at each other's eyes. Both saw the peacefulness that their eyes hold for each other. Both hold on to their gaze, enjoying the sense of being lost in the depths of one another's eyes, something that made them frightened before, but now… relaxed them in so many different ways.

"You really have beautiful eyes." Joey whispered unable to stop herself.

Charlie blushes and smiled. Joey smiled back.

"You do, too." Charlie said softly.

Both maintained their eye contact for as long as possible, until they both have to break before any wrong move could happen. Both surprised themselves that they were able to even consider and managed to break whatever connection they just had with their eyes.

"So…" Joey said averting the situation back to normal, if ever there's a normal situation with Charlie and herself, and find something to talk about. When she couldn't fine any, she took a huge bite of her toast.

Charlie looked at the woman beside her, deciding that maybe it's better to talk about last night, than just let it hanging in the air.

"Joey, about last night." Charlie ventured as she looked down at their still touching hand. As much as Charlie wants to keep that topic off, she still can't stop herself. She wants to know what it meant for Joey, also thinking it may her to figure out what it meant to her.

Joey looked at Charlie 'She was thinking about it too.' She thought.

"Yes, Charlie?"

"I… uhm…" Charlie started, failing to find a coherent start, she thought of apologising but brushed it off her head as quickly as it entered, knowing that doesn't want to say sorry at all because she isn't sorry for that. "I hope… I didn't freak you out."

"Freak me out?" Joey asked, more like a reaction of shock to what Charlie just said. "Why would I be freaked out?" Joey then squeezed Charlie's hand lightly as if reassuring her of something. "Charlie, it was an accident… a beautiful accident." Joey said honestly, although she really didn't want to say that out laud, she still felt the need to mention it. She somehow feels like, she wants Charlie to know what it is for her.

"And none of us meant it to happen, it just did. You bowed your head the same time it tilt mine up, our lips met…" Joey continued with now softer voice as she relived the night before.

Charlie did the same think, remember it doesn't matter that their lips just grazed for only a fraction of seconds, it's still long enough for her to note, how soft Joey's lips are.

"Nothing will change between us. Ok?" Joey finished, reassuring Charlie that what happened that night before wont caused a crack on whatever kind of 'Friendship' they have.

Charlie nods her head and smiled. Glad that everything is now clear. 'Well, not everything, but at least that part is.' She thought. Charlie still didn't know what it means to Joey but the look on Joey's face when she was explaining, kind of answered her. Only Charlie is still oblivious to and aware of it secretly at the same time, if she's being honest.

******

At the shop, Josie and Aden are preparing to open the shop, fixing all the paper works from the day before.

"Josie…"

"Yes?" Josie turned to the blond haired guy, who's now seating himself on the chair across Josie's table.

"I'm thinking, what if we go visit Joey in Summer Bay? I mean… it sounds like a great place." Aden suggested, having to have spent a sleepless night trying to figure out what is going on with his best friend.

He's happy to see Joey genuinely smiling, but he's worried because Joey seemed to be not herself… especially around and towards Charlie. And the fact that Joey gave Charlie a Gardenia out of all the flowers there is, worried him even more.

"Yeah… that's a good idea if not great. Maybe we should, huh? Besides, we're working really hard, we could use some time off work. But… who will look after the shop?"

Aden thought for a minute, then answered.

"No one. We both can't stay there for long. Either one go and the other stay then vice versa. But for now, I'm thinking maybe we can afford to close the shop for 2 days. I mean we're normally close on Sunday, so maybe we can close on Friday and Saturday as well. Then we have 3days off to Summer Bay." Aden suggested and Josie agreed happily.

"Next week!" Josie declared.

"Definitely!" Aden agreed.

******

Charlie and Joey finished doing the dishes, their morning showers and tidying up Lily. Both are now out on the deck, enjoying the sun as they lay there under the sun with only in their bikinis.

"So… what's our agenda for today, Jo?" Charlie asked as she finished putting sunscreen lotion on every exposed part of her body that she can reach.

"I don't know. Maybe, swim, eat… and I don't know about you, but I still want to try my luck in getting a tan." Joey joked, knowing no matter how long she stays under the sun, she will still not get the tan colour that she so wanted to have, like her sister's colour. But she knew all to well, that she'll always stay white; the only thing that she inherited from her Father's genes.

"Ok. Keep trying." Charlie teased. "And since it's obvious that you're not going to put any more lotion on your body… would you mind helping me finish mine? I don't want to over do my colour." Charlie said, knowing how lucky she is to have a natural tan as her skin tone.

Charlie watched Joey, putting her glasses down up to her nose and glanced at her. Joey saw Charlie motioning to her to put sunscreen on her back.

"Please…" Charlie said, moving her hair out of her back.

Joey got up and sat herself behind Charlie, taking the tube off of Charlie's hand. She put some on her hand and spread it across Charlie's back, applying to lotion evenly on Charlie.

Charlie closes her eyes, enjoying Joey's little massage as she applies the sunscreen on her back. She could feel Joey's soft hand, caressing her back and she loves the feeling of her soft touch.

"This is life…" Charlie murmured.

"Yeah it is. But you know, normally I'll charge you." Joey teases, trying to distract her brain from what she's doing. She never put lotion on anyone's body before aside from hers. But she had no idea that it could be that hard.

Joey tried so hard to keep the lotion application as quick as possible. But the moment she touched the brunette girl's back, her hands seemed to glued itself to it. She can't help but keep on running her palms around her back; she can't help herself from caressing the woman's skin more.

"Then why don't you?" Charlie asked with her low and flirtatious tone.

Joey smiled, hearing Charlie's tone of voice. She mused between flirting back or leave it and continue to tease her to get her head out of what she's doing. But she decided to flirt back for some reason. Running both of her hands on Charlie's shoulder, massaging it gently and slowly.

"Because…" Joey said, leaning in forward, her lips half an inch away from Charlie's ear. "I preferred for you to ask for more." She whispered, leaving Charlie's ear with the softest of kiss.

Charlie shivered at what Joey did. She unconsciously closed her eyes, with a smile on her lips. She opened her eyes after a while, when she realised that Joey's hands age gone from her back. She looked around and searched for the brown-eyed-girl, but she couldn't see her anywhere on the deck.

'Where is she? What just happened?

******

Ruby was waken up by the ringing of her mobile phone. She cursed herself for not putting it on silent before she went to sleep, as she reached the top of her bedside table, where her mobile is located.

"Hello…" Said the teenage girl, her voice is still deep from sleep.

"Ruby, I thought you said you'll text me when Charlie arrives?" Angelo on the other line, sounding annoyed, thinking that Ruby forgot to let him know.

"For Christ sake Angelo! You really have to wake me for that?!" Ruby started, upset and yelling.

"Well, how am I supposed to know you're not awake yet?! It's already 9.00am!" Angelo replied angry.

"Fucking son of a bitch! It's Saturday! Of coarse I'll sleep in, because I have a chance, Idiot! And another thing, yes I did told you I'll message you when Charlie's here and I didn't, obviously because she is NOT yet here! You moron!" Ruby yelled angrily on her phone and hit the button to end the call straight after. She really didn't want to say those things to Angelo, but she just got woken up in a very bad timing and was talked to a very not nice tone of voice.

Angelo was left speechless after Ruby's rant on the phone. He's upset and wants to call back but decided not to, realising it won't do him any good.

"Once Charlie and I are married, she is totally out of the picture!" Angelo said to himself.

******

Joey slowly pulled her hands off of Charlie's shoulder after gathering all her will power to do so. She then quietly and quickly walked her way inside and to the kitchen.

Inside, she took a bottle of cold water, thinking it may calm her down and it may slow down the palpitation she's having after the flirting that she did with Charlie and the massaging of her sexy back. Realising that the water didn't work, she then walked towards the mini bar and took a shot of whisky, chocking immediately after as she really isn't used to drinking hard liquor.

"What is happening to me? Seriously!"

Joey asked herself, finally giving in to her thoughts of thinking an rationalising things. She'd successfully avoided asking herself questions and thinking through her actions for nearly 2 days, thinking it wouldn't get any worse… but, recent events always proved her wrong. She cursed herself for deciding to flirt back, let alone went as far as kissing Charlie's ear.

'I've never flirted with a woman before, let alone an engaged to be married woman! Charlie is a very good friend. Why did I let things get this far?! And… why the hell can't I stop it!'

******

Charlie got up and walk around the deck, realising it's really stupid to be looking for Joey there, knowing the deck isn't that big for her not to find her if ever she's there, Charlie decided to go in and look inside.

Charlie went in and found Joey leaning on the bar, with a bottle of water in front of her and an empty shot glass.

"You ok, Jo?" Charlie asked concerned ash she approached the deep in thought woman.

Joey turned as she heard Charlie's familiar voice, forcing her brain to get out of her own confusing, mind bugging thoughts.

"Yeah, what's up?" Joey asked blankly.

"Nothing, it's just that… well you just disappeared, that's all." Charlie replied, avoided mentioning the part before Joey disappeared.

"Ah yeah, uhm… I just thought, it would be nice to have something to drink. So, I'm here." Joey lied and felt bad about it. She'd been lying too much this past few days and she doesn't like it one bit.

"Oh yeah? What drink do you have in mind?" Charlie buying Joey's little excuse.

"I'm thinking of making an apple martini?" Joey suggests.

"Sounds great! So, do you want company or shall I leave you to it?"

"Uhm… it won't take long, so why don't you just get yourself comfy outside and I'll bring our drinks once it's done." Joey said with a wink, to not let Charlie feel rejected.

She honestly wants Charlie's company, but she thought it'll be better to clear her head first, before anything unexpected and out of her control happened again.

Charlie agreed, feeling the same as Joey, although oblivious to it. She thought 'it wont hurt if I steady myself first, before anything like what happened earlier, happens again.'

******

Both Charlie and Joey spent their afternoon swimming, eating and napping. There's even a point where both of them dozed off while lying under the sun. They talked about work and life with what they're doing and never dared to mention anything about what transpired earlier nor about relationships.

Both knew that if anything, both of them did a lot more than what happened, like they cuddle and even shared an accidental kiss. But the difference and the one thing that made what happened earlier, mind bugging is that the flirting that happened, they knew about it, they had a choice of doing it and they chose to go along with it. The previous things that happened between them before are either accidents of just happened naturally, where they didn't have a control over. But the flirting that happened earlier on the deck, Charlie initiated and she's aware of it. Joey on the other hand as well had a choice to leave it, but instead she decided to play along and even went as far as to kiss Charlie in a not so innocent way in the ear; which, although both of them are oblivious to, both of them shivered with the lips-skin interaction, accompanied by soft massaged that Joey's hands provided.

******

Later in the evening after having dinner, clearing the table and cleaning the dirty dishes, both decided to seat again out on the deck, where they spent most of the day.

"So… what time do you want to be home tomorrow?" Joey asked, lying back flat on the bench.

"It's up to you Captain." Charlie said, also lying back flat on the bench, the top of her head, against Joey's. "But honestly, I prefer not to go home." Charlie joked and let out a soft laugh, not quite sure if what she said was a really a joke or not.

"Well, you're the one that has commitments."

"I know… I wish I don't." Charlie said thoughtfully. "I wish I can have a job like yours."

"I thought you love you job?" Joey asked, still looking up and gazing at the starry night sky.

"I do. I do… but sometimes, I just wonder… what if my dad showed me he's proud of me and gave me time when I was younger… would I still want to be a cop?" Charlie explained.

"What do you mean, Charlz?" Joey asked quietly.

"I mean, it's no secret to you and me, that I did become a cop because I so wanted my Dad's appreciation and up to now I still want him to be proud of me, for him to notice me. So sometimes I wonder, what if…"

"I get what you mean." Joey butted it, "just think about it this way, let say you just did that to make your old man notice you. If you don't really love what you're doing, you wouldn't be good at it… no I mean you wouldn't be great it. Right? I mean… for me, you'll only be good at things, if you love what you're doing." Joey explained.

Charlie thought of what Joey said for a minute and realised that Joey's right. With or without her father's attention, she still can't imagine herself doing another job other than being a police officer.

"I guess you're right. Thanx."

"No problem, Senior! Beside… you're not a flower person, remember? I would probably end up sacking you if ever." Joey teased and chuckled.

"Hei!" Charlie protested but laughed along anyway. "I'm actually getting hook, you know. Speaking of which… when can I know the meaning of Gardenia?" Charlie asked as she sat herself up and blocked Joey's vision of the sky with her head and her eyes looking down at Joey.

"I'm not telling you!" Joey said, smiling and moving her head sideways as Charlie's head is on her line of vision, blocking her view. But Charlie being playful moved her head as well, continuing on blocking Joey's view.

"Charlie!!!" Joey complained.

"What?" Charlie asked sounding innocent, but grinning from ear to ear.

"You're blocking my view!"

"That's the point, Genius!" Charlie replied, copying Joey's line.

"Ahhh!" Joey smiled, "That is my line! Make your own!" Joey teased, seating herself up as well, seeing Charlie wouldn't stop blocking her.

"Joey…" Charlie called out, now in a serious tone.

"uhm?" Joey turned to look at Charlie, whose eyes are focused on the sea.

"Why won't you tell me what it means?" Charlie asked, turning her head to look at Joey in the eyes.

Joey was surprise and her body tensed up immediately, not knowing what to say of how to escape the question. Normally she would just make a joke out of it somehow, but Charlie's question is serious this time and worst part, Joey doesn't know how to explain why, without her ending up revealing the meaning. Joey looked in Charlie's pool blue eyes, breathing heavily, she said…

"It's not the right time yet. When it is, I'll let you know." Joey said softly and sincerely.

"Why does it have to have a right time?" Charlie asked, still locked in Joey's eyes.

"Because…" Joey paused, "I need to figure out first, why I gave you Gardenia, out of all the flowers there is to give." Joey answered honestly, seeing there really is no point lying.

Charlie looked at her, puzzled and more intrigued about what Joey just said. She wants to probe more but remembered what Joey mentioned about the 'right time'. And as much as she wants to know, Charlie thought, she still wouldn't want to force Joey before she's ready. Although at the very back of Charlie's head, she wondered if the other meaning of Gardenia would be anything like the Ambrosia's.

"Charlie…" Joey called softly, still looking at Charlie who turned blank for a moment.

"Sorry. Uhm… ok. But promise me you'll tell me." Charlie smiled, covering up the embarrassment she's starting to feel as she seemed to always get lost with her own thoughts nowadays.

"I promise!" Joey said sincerely. "Now… can I bribe you for a Jacuzzi bath?" Joey asked with a big grin on her lips and an eyebrow up.

Charlie's smile grew big. "You DEFINITELY can!" Charlie exclaimed, standing up quickly pulling Joey up with her.

"WOAH!!! Someone's excited!" Joey teased but followed Charlie anyway.

Both walked their way down to the bedroom laughing, unaware yet again that their hands are clasp together.

Kgirl- thank you for your suggestion. I will be more careful from now on. Although I can not promise.

For everyone who reads my story – sorry for all the type errors and everything…

I'll try to minimise it as much as I can. But like I said, I only get to type things when I'm at work so technically I just type away everything and post it straight away, before it gets busy. Sorry if I couldn't find time to double check it. Please let me know if it bothers you and I'll try to fix it before posting, although I can not promise I can't post as often as I do (which actually isn't regularly as well… lolz) because I need to read it over to check for errors.

And again thank you for the comments and reviews!!! Cheers!