…2007
Walking into the kitchen, hand in hand, they find Nick getting a beer from the fridge.
"Nick?" Charlie says simply, while her insides were churning, despite the reassuring presence of Joey's hand in hers.
Nick kept his face neutral, as he looked first at their held hands, then at their expressions, which managed somehow to be both hopeful and fearful.
"Your judgement has been shit, you realise that, right?" Nick says, getting straight to the point.
"I happen to think I have great judgement in women," Charlie replies with a grin before getting serious. "Nick, I know I've not shown the best judgement as a police officer, but as a woman, I made a choice and it's one I'm extremely happy with."
"That's just it Charlie, you're supposed to be a cop and think like a cop at all times."
"What, 24-7?" Joey says incredulously.
"Not normally, no, but this is a protection detail, so things are a little different and I need to be sure that yours and Ruby's safety isn't compromised."
"Nick, I'd give my life for them," Charlie tells him.
"Charlie, no!" Joey cries out, scared at the prospect of losing Charlie forever, even if it was to save their lives.
Charlie raises her hand to Joey's face, gently cupping her cheek. "Joey, you and Ruby mean everything to me and I will do whatever is in my power to protect you."
"It's not as simple as that Charlie," Nick interrupts. "The job of protecting someone is a hard enough task to do without adding personal feelings into it and now that you are so personally invested emotionally with both Joey and Ruby, how do you think you are going to react if their lives are in danger?"
"How does anyone know how they'll react in a life and death situation?" she throws back at him. "Even as cops who are trained for situations in which we may be forced to take action to save someone, including risking our own lives to do so, we really have no idea how we'll react until we're faced with such a situation, because training is one thing, but in real life, it's an unknown quantity and one that is different for every person and situation." Nick nods, conceding her the point. Charlie smiles at Joey. "Before it was just a job and I would have protected them with everything I have and that hasn't changed. Their safety is still my priority and I will continue to do my best to ensure that they're never placed in a situation where their safety could be at risk to being with, just like I have from the start of this assignment." Only now, I have even more of an incentive to protect them, she added silently, because they were her future.
Nick was still having doubts, not necessarily where Charlie was concerned, because just like himself, he had to trust that her cop instincts would kick in if Ruby or Joey were ever in danger and she would protect them, but Joey was another matter; while he had little doubt she'd risk her life to save that of her daughter's, now he had to worry how she might react if Charlie risked her own life to save them. Despite his doubts, he supposed he really was just going to have to trust them both, because he didn't think splitting them up would be all that a viable option; for a start, they'd be distracted by their separation and in Joey's case, she probably wouldn't take too kindly to whoever replaced Charlie, which would just add even more stress to his shoulders and the last thing he needed, was any conflict interfering with their ability to do their job properly. Not for the first time, he wished Charlie had found a better time to fall in love or at least someone else to fall for.
Nick sighs. "I don't appreciate the situation you've put me in Charlie, but for the moment, I'm willing to keep this between the three of us." He holds his hand up when Charlie goes to speak. "It's strictly for the moment only Charlie and if I suspect your judgement is impaired in any way, I won't hesitate to have you removed." And despite the hassles and stress that would cause, especially to himself, if he believed it was the only way to protect all involved, then as a last resort, he would do just that. "But let's just hope we never have to find out how any of us would react when faced with a life and death situation."
"I hope that too Nick."
"Well, we've gotten this far without any sign of trouble, but once the trial date is set, we're all going to have to be extra vigilant, because the danger to Joey will increase the closer it comes to her testifying."
Charlie put her arm around Joey when she shivered. "It's ok to be scared Joey, but we're going to get you to that courthouse safe and sound, then once you testify, we can start our new life together."
"That's what's making this whole situation more bearable, knowing that at the end, we can finally be together as a proper couple, instead of having to hide how we feel about each other."
Nick rolls his eyes. If he had had any thoughts that Charlie may have taken advantage of the situation to seduce Joey, he would have shown Charlie the door, but the more he saw them interact together, the more he realised there was definitely more to them as a couple than just a fling and he couldn't blame Charlie for risking so much for love. He actually felt a little jealous at the obvious love they had for each other, because as hard as he tried, he had yet to find a woman who made him look at her like Charlie looked at Joey.
"Charlie, even though there's more than enough evidence and other charges to ensure Pirovic goes to jail, Joey's testimony is still important to guarantee the conviction for murder, so if this blows up in your face before the trial and the murder conviction is compromised as a result, then I don't know anything about any relationship," Nick says. "You may be willing to risk your career for love, but I'm not willing to risk mine, especially as I don't even get the girl, so I'd rather cop an earful for not noticing what was going on under the same roof, than having them find out that I knew and didn't report you like I should have as soon as I found out."
"I promise Nick, I will take full responsibility for everything."
"And if asked, we'll both say that we kept it from you," adds Joey. It wasn't exactly a lie, because they had kept their relationship from him, at least for some time anyway.
"For your sake Charlie, I hope this does stay just between us, because if it doesn't, you'd best be prepared for the consequences to your career."
Charlie nods. "I am."
"I hope you learn from all of this Charlie. While you have shown poor judgement, which I hope you're more careful about in the future, I think some positives can come from this; for a start, an ability to be more understanding and compassionate toward the people we have to deal with in our line of work."
"I think I've learnt quite a lot Nick, not just about what I was lacking as a cop, but also about myself and what is important in life."
"Then I'm glad some good has come from this. Out of curiosity though, what would you have done if my decision had been to report you?"
"Truthfully, I don't know, but I wouldn't have let anyone keep me from Joey."
"Yeah, I figured as much," he mutters.
"Nick, I can never be sorry for falling in love, but I am sorry for getting you caught in the middle."
"Just don't make me regret my silence Charlie and as you would most likely find it impossible to keep your hands to yourself until the trial, I'd still like you to at least try to keep your affections to inside the house and I think it best that you keep your relationship from Ruby. Considering how excited she gets, we don't want her running around and telling everyone that her mummy has a girlfriend and who that girlfriend is, especially as Charlie is supposed to be my wife."
"I nearly forgot about that," says Joey, smirking at her girlfriend before her features get stern. "How could you cheat on a great guy like Nick?" she accuses.
"How could you sleep with your brother's wife?" Charlie fires back with a big grin.
Nick takes a big swig of his beer, wondering how he was going to survive sharing a house with two women in love. "Remember ladies, this is supposed to be between just the three of us," he says as he walked out of the kitchen.
"And Shannon," murmurs Joey, moments before she was in Charlie's arms.
"I heard that." Both women jump apart in fright when Nick sticks his head back into the kitchen. "I would suggest looking up the meaning of the word discrete, but I'd be wasting my time, so instead, just to let you know, it's a Ruby alert."
"God, my heart is racing," Joey says after Nick had gone again.
"I know a better way to make it race," Charlie suggests with a leer.
"My room, tonight, as soon as Ruby is asleep," Joey states firmly.
"It's a date." Charlie presses her lips to Joey's. "We can pick up where we left off last night."
Joey shivered in anticipation just as Ruby burst into the kitchen wanting something to eat.