Thankyou for your reviews… you know they make me write faster! And give me the motivation. And make me feel good about my work. And give me a big head. Um… yeah, okay… enjoy :P

CHAPTER 43 POTENTIAL

It was about six o'clock when Julie spotted Joey and Charlie sitting at a table in the Diner. They were close, holding hands and giggling over something. Julie suddenly realised how real this whole relationship was and took a deep breath before making her way over to them.

"Hi." Julie stood a comfortable distance away and waited for acknowledgment before she moved any close.

Joey looked up, a smile still playing on her face. "Hey. Come, sit down."

Julie nodded and took a seat with them, looking uncomfortably from Charlie to Joey before casting her eyes down to the menu.

There was a slight uncomfortable silence before Joey spoke up, feeling like she had to be the one to break the silence. "So Mum… Um… where have you been living?"

Julie looked up. "In Melbourne. I've been living with my sister."

"Aunt Paula?"

Julie nodded.

Another silence. Joey was disappointed that there was no initiation from her mother to begin a conversation. She noticed how closed up Julie became and she sighed, wanting more. Wanting there to be comfort between the three of them. If Julie wanted Joey back in her life, then she had to accept Charlie as well.

"Hey." Charlie hit Joey softly on the arm. "Watson caught a guy exposing himself down at the beach this morning."

Joey laughed. "Serious?"

"He was clearly on something. Watson said she had to physically cover the guy's bits up herself. He didn't seem to be worried in the slightest."

"Wow. The bonuses of dating a cop." Joey raised an eyebrow and grinned cheekily. "I get to hear stories like this."

Julie looked up at this statement and then looked away, showing her awkwardness.

Joey sighed. She didn't mean to rub her mum's face in the fact that she was gay. She just wanted her mum to be okay with it. For her to say she accepted them both as a couple and really truly mean it. "Mum. I'm sorry but we're trying to make an effort. And if you're really okay about me and Charlie then you wouldn't be making this night so awkward."

"I just feel out of place." Julie kept her voice down, finding it hard to look at Charlie. Finding it hard to piece it all together and come to terms with it. She felt so fine about it all this morning after her chat with Joey but now seeing them together, and feeling the reality of it all made her feel insecure.

"Why?"

"Look, I should go…" Julie grabbed her bag and got up.

"Mum…"

"Honey." Julie placed her hand on Joey's arm. "I just don't think I'm ready."

When she was gone, Joey put her head in her hands. "I thought this was a good idea."

"It was a good idea!" Charlie squeezed her arm, waiting for her to look at her. "Hey. She just needs time, that's all. We took time, didn't we? And look how good everything is between us now."

Joey sighed. "Yeah. Maybe I was just trying to rush everything. Do you think I've been pushing our relationship onto her a bit too much?"

Charlie shrugged. "Look, she'll get used to the idea. I don't think you were pushing anything."

Joey nodded, toying with the menu in her hands. Her eyes fell over the list of dishes.

"Just think. This gives us an opportunity to have some alone time." Charlie took Joey's hand and gave her a grin. "We haven't had any of that for… mmm… at least a day."

Joey gave a small laugh, her eyes catching Charlie's and their lips locking in a quick kiss. Charlie squeezed her hand. "We should just hang out tonight. Forget about everything and just watched some DVDs or something. Whatever you like."

"I'd love to." Joey smiled and then cast her eyes back to the menu. "But first I want a big greasy hamburger."

Charlie laughed. "My shout."

The two snuggled up on the couch when they arrived home. They had the house to themselves and had decided on a movie to allow some chill out time.

"Why did you become a cop?" Joey snuggled down against Charlie. Her eyes were kept steady on the TV and with one hand entwined with Charlie's and the other stroking her thigh; she pulled the question out of thin air, catching Charlie off guard.

After a moment's pause, Charlie rested her chin against Joey's head. "Why did you want to work on boats?"

Joey didn't hesitate. "Because I love boats. Does that mean you love catching baddies or did the uniform just do it for you?"

"Neither."

Joey waited for her to continue.

"Dad was an inspector so… I dunno. In some small way I just wanted to make him proud. To follow in his footsteps I guess."

"So you didn't want to be a cop at all?"

Charlie slightly smiled. "I've never thought about it. It was just always in my head that I was going to be a cop. I didn't stop to think whether I wanted to do it or not."

Joey pulled away slightly and looked up. "Do you regret it?"

Charlie kept her eyes on the TV. "Sometimes."

Joey placed her head back against Charlie. "I think you should just get into what you love."

"I am." Charlie stroked her chin across Joey's hair and kissed the top of her head. "I got into this relationship, didn't I?"

Joey smiled and slung her arm across Charlie's middle, cuddling down deeper into her. She too was where she wanted to be. She just needed to work on her mum. Maybe Charlie was right. Their relationship had only worked on time so there was no reason why her relationship with her mum would be any different. There was room for definite potential there. They could both be happy again. She knew it.