Chapter-Twenty-Five

Charlie was up and out early the following morning. She kissed Joey goodbye and smiled at her sleepy little grumble as she rolled over, still engaged in dreams. She arrived early to work. Angelo arrived not so long after her.

"So, what's on the agenda today, Senior Constable?" he asked cheerfully, leaning against the reception desk.

"We're patrolling," Charlie told him with the hint of a sigh.

Patrolling with Angelo was somewhere between irritating and entertaining. She was certain that he would ask several questions about Joey. He hadn't had a proper opportunity since they'd come out.

"Great!" he said enthusiastically. "I have a tonne of questions to ask you."

***

When Joey finally climbed out of bed, she started on the dishes right away, feeling bad that Leah would have had to make breakfast for herself and VJ in the mess she, Ruby and Charlie had left behind. She smiled to herself, remembering Ross shaking her hand the previous night. It had been a simple gesture but it had meant the world. And he'd even spoken to her directly on several occasions. It definitely felt like an improvement and she had hope that things could move on from there.

"Hey, Joey," Ruby said brightly, entering the room.

"Oh, hey," Joey greeted. "What are you up to today?"

Ruby gestured to her school uniform with a grimace. Joey chuckled.

"Have fun!"

"Yeah, right," Ruby said. "How about you?"

"I've got the day off," Joey said happily. "I'm taking Charlie to lunch and then I'm heading for a nice, long, exhausting workout."

"Well, I'm sure you'll have more fun than me!"

Joey smiled. She always had fun when Charlie was around. It felt like they completed each other.

"Hey, Joey," Ruby said before she left the house, "I just wanted to say that I'm really glad you're part of the family."

Joey stopped washing dishes and turned to face her lover's little sister.

"Thank you, Ruby," she said, beaming.

"I think you're really cool," Ruby continued. "And in all my life, I've never seen Charlie so happy."

Joey smiled wider.

"That really means a lot to me," she said sincerely. "I've never been so happy either. She's pretty much the centre of my universe."

Ruby smiled.

"Well, I'd better head out. I just wanted you to know."

She waved and skipped out of the door. Joey continued smiling and returned to the dishes.

***

Angelo arrived back in the car with two hot coffees. Charlie accepted hers gratefully, opening the top and blowing to cool it down.

"So, tell all!" Angelo ordered.

"About what?" Charlie asked, although she already knew the answer.

"You and Joey!" Angelo said, exasperated.

Charlie grinned and shook her head.

"You are not getting any naughty details," she told him firmly.

He frowned.

"Please? Just one thing!"

Charlie shook her head again.

"No way."

"Okay, nothing naughty," he said. "When did you get together?"

"A few weeks ago, but we had a thing a couple of times before," Charlie admitted.

"A thing?"

"A one night stand three years ago and a weekend together eighteen months back."

She felt confused as to why she was revealing such information. She sipped her coffee, although it was still a little too hot.

"Dirty nights, huh?" Angelo said, nodding.

Charlie could hardly deny it. While she wouldn't particularly describe them as dirty, that had been thrilling, passionate, spontaneous and somewhat naughty. They had been amazing. They still were. Joey was the most incredible lover she had ever had. She seemed to know her body so well, tune into her thoughts and what she desired. And she adored her, making her feel like the most special woman on earth.

"So, is it still hot and kinky now that you're all coupled up?" Angelo asked.

"You'll never know," Charlie assured him.

"I think you're very mean not to give me details," he told her.

The radio sprung to life, calling them to a mugging not so far away. Charlie immediately started the engine, driving forward.

"Definitely mean," Angelo continued.

"Okay, Joey is the hottest, most beautiful and passionate woman in the world, inside and outside the bedroom," she said.

They pulled up quickly, spotting a woman sitting miserably on the edge of the road. She looked shaken and it was easy to assume she was their victim. Both officers bolted out of the car.

"Hi," Charlie said gently.

The tearful young woman, who Charlie would assume to be around twenty-three, looked up at them. Charlie crouched down.

"Are you the person who called the police?" Charlie asked kindly.

The girl nodded.

"Well, I'm Senior Constable Buckton and this is my colleague, Constable Rossetta. We're here to help."

"Some guy stole my bag," the girl said. "I've only just arrived in town. He took everything I have, except my phone."

"Well, we can cancel your cards and hopefully track him down and get your belongings back to you," Charlie told her.

"It had pictures of my girlfriend in it," the girl said sadly. "That's all I have left of her."

Charlie visualised Joey and considered the idea of only having photographs of her. She instantly empathised with the victim.

"What's your name?" Charlie asked.

"Jennifer Tudor," the girl told her.

"Okay, Jennifer, how about we give you a lift back to the station so that you can give us all the details? And we'll do our best to catch the guy who did this to you, alright?"

Jennifer nodded and let Charlie guide her to her feet and into the back of the car. Angelo followed silently.

***

Joey headed to the police station to collect Charlie for lunch. She stopped smiling as soon as she saw her partner talking to a woman at the reception desk. Her blood turned cold at the familiar form of the girl who had harassed her and chased her out of town in panic. She stood stock still, her lip quivering as she struggled with what to say. Charlie looked up and waved.

"I'll be right with you," she said.

Skip turned around and gazed at Joey, her eyes lighting up.

"Charlie, what the hell are you doing?" Joey managed.

Charlie looked bewildered, catching the way Joey glared at her mugging victim. She jolted back to life when she saw Joey turn and flee. She glanced awkwardly at Jennifer, turned to Angelo and told him to finish the statement. She hurried after Joey, catching up with her as she ran along the road. She touched Joey's arm. Joey spun around, her eyes burning into Charlie's.

"How could you even talk to her?" she bellowed.

Charlie still looked confused.

"She was a mugging victim," she explained. "What's the problem. Who…?"

Suddenly everything clicked into place.

"Joey, I'm sorry," Charlie said. "I didn't know. I didn't realise."

Joey felt guilty. Of course Charlie hadn't known. Skip would have given her real name, not the nickname she'd gone by since she was a child. Obviously Charlie wouldn't have twigged. She'd never seen her. Joey hadn't even described her. How could she have known?

"Of course you didn't," Joey said, meaning it.

Charlie reached out for her hands.

"I have to go," Joey said.

"Yeah, let's get lunch," Charlie said, nodding.

"No, I mean, I have to go. I can't stay in this town while she's here, Charlie."

"Joey, you can't run away. Go back in there, make a statement and we'll get a restraining order. We can sort this out. You don't have to leave."

Joey looked torn.

"Please don't leave me," Charlie begged. "Especially not for her."

Joey chewed her lip, glancing around fretfully.

"I can't let her ruin my life again."

"Exactly. Running away isn't going to help, Joey."

"I don't know what to do," Joey admitted.

Charlie pulled her close and kissed the top of her head.

"You don't have to be scared," she promised. "I'm here to protect you. I won't let her hurt you, I swear."

***

Joey curled up in Charlie arms early that night, clinging to her as tightly she could. She'd decided not to make a statement and take out an order against her. She'd opted to let it go and hope that Skip wouldn't start again. If she approached her, Joey planned on telling her firmly one last time that she wanted nothing to do with her. And if Skip didn't accept that, she'd take it from there. She wasn't ready to be aggressive about her fear and need to get rid of her stalker. Charlie hadn't been thrilled but she'd agreed to follow Joey's lead and taken herself off the mugging case, handing it over permanently to Angelo.

"You think I'm doing the wrong thing, don't you?" Joey said.

"I just know how afraid you are," Charlie said. "Wouldn't you feel better knowing she had to stay away from you?"

"I don't think a piece of paper would make a difference."

Charlie sighed, hugging her closer.

"Hey, let's go away for a few days," she suggested. "I'll have to give work some notice but in a couple of days, we could take off, spend some time together. Maybe if she doesn't see you around town for a few days she'll get bored and leave."

Joey nodded. Neither of them believed Skip would give up so easily but some time away sounded wonderful. Charlie smiled and placed a kiss on Joey's cheek. Joey encouraged their lips to meet and relaxed at Charlie's touch when her fingers began to stroke her face and shoulders. She enjoyed the now familiar sensation of Charlie's hand slipping down and under her t-shirt, cupping her breast and tracing patterns over it, making her whole body feel alive and alert. They kissed harder as Charlie explored the surface of Joey's body. She gently eased Joey onto her back, kissing her one more time.

"Is this okay?" she asked carefully. "I know you're stressed out."

"I can't think of a better way to calm down," Joey replied, kissing her again and wrapping her legs round Charlie's hips.

"I'll kiss all your cares away," she promised, doing just that.