Hey guys! Thanks again for all of your great reviews. I really, really appreciate them! Sorry about the late update but I tried to write this last night (When I wasn't exactly sober) and fell asleep half way through...Sorry!

Drowningnotwaving: Wow! I can't believe you got the TSCC reference...Go you! I am indeed a Summer Glau/Terminator TSCC fan! Love that show and S.G is a cutie lol :D

Hope you're all still following this story and enjoy this chapter!

Chapter 51

"Charlie?!" Ruby yelled as she bound down the stairs and headed towards the living room "Have you seen my..."

"Shhh!" Charlie and Joey shushed Ruby in unison as she entered the room. The teen looked confused for a moment before her gaze was drawn towards the TV screen and understanding settled on her features "Are you watching this again?"

"Re-runs" Joey answered distractedly without looking away from the screen.

"During the day?!" Ruby asked incredulously as she plopped down next to Joey on the couch "You're turning into an old married couple"

"We are an old married couple" Joey said "Not so much with the old but...Shh!"

Ruby huffed in indignation as she glanced at the bubbly blonde woman on the screen "Whatever. You only watch this because you think the blonde...What's her name?" after a brief pause for thought she continued "Arizona is cute"

"She's yummy" Charlie spoke up earning herself a surprised glance from her daughter.

"Uh-huh" Joey nodded in agreement "Totally adorable"

"You guys are incredibly gay" Ruby stated.

"Gay?" Joey gasped in mock surprise as she turned to look at Ruby "Really? How did you figure that out? I thought we were hiding it pretty well with the wedding and all..."

"Whatever" Ruby rolled her eyes in amusement "I get it...I just didn't think Charlie was that gay"

"That gay?" Charlie asked in confusion "I can only be a certain degree of 'Gay'?"

"No. I didn't mean..." Ruby backtracked quickly "All I meant was that you've never said that you're attracted to a girl before...apart from Joey obviously. It's kind of unusual to see you make googly eyes at some woman on the TV"

Charlie shrugged "I don't know...I don't really want to get into a discussion about my sexuality but...C'mon! She's cute...I'd say Callie is definitely lucky to have her"

"Should I be worried?" Joey questioned in amusement as she turned to Charlie with a soft smile.

"Definitely not" Charlie blushed slightly "You're kind of stuck with me" she pulled Joey close and placed a soft kiss on her lips. For a brief moment the world faded away as Joey's hands rested on her hips and she deepened the kiss.

"Hey" Ruby said as she stood up from the couch "Joey? Charlie? I'm still here you know" noticing that the older girls were incredibly close to falling backwards on the couch she closed her eyes and raised her voice slightly "HEY!"

"What?!" Joey jumped slightly as she pulled away from the kiss "What happened?"

"I'm trying to say something and you two are busy making out like teenagers" Ruby pouted though her tone remained amused "Can you keep your hands off each other for two minutes please?"

"Um...No?" Charlie attempted as she flopped back onto the couch so she was in a lying position. She grinned at Joey and tilted her head in a 'Come Hither' motion. Joey swallowed audibly.

"Really" Ruby sighed "It's useless to try to talk to either of you"

"Sorry Rubz" Charlie's expression turned slightly more serious as she turned her gaze towards Ruby "What is it? Is something wrong?"

"Not wrong" Ruby responded "I was just wondering why you two have been sitting around the house all day"

"Do we need an excuse?" Charlie frowned and her gaze shifted to Joey who suddenly looked incredibly guilty "Anyway it wasn't my idea to stay in the house all day"

"Yeah..." Joey nodded her gaze focused on Ruby in an effort to avoid Charlie's suspicious look "That was my idea. I'm not...feeling too well. Yeah...I'm sick"

Charlie smiled at Joey's inability to lie but couldn't help the concern that flooded through her as she wondered why her wife was lying in the first place.

"We should head out for lunch" Ruby suggested brightly "I have nothing to do today and there's no school so..."

"I shouldn't go outside since I'm...sick" Joey stated nervously. She emphasised her claim with a soft cough "But you two can go ahead without me. I'll be fine here"

"You didn't say anything about being sick before" Charlie stated incredulously. She sat up and placed her hand on Joey's forehead "And you don't have a temperature"

"It could be a bug that's going round" Joey suggested quietly "Seriously you two can go. I'll stay here"

"We can't go without you!" Ruby protested "That'll just be no fun"

Joey couldn't help the smile that tugged at her lips at Ruby's statement.

"Hey!" Charlie exclaimed in mock offence "I can be fun. But..." she turned to Joey "She's right"

"I don't want to spread my disease or whatever" Joey attempted feebly "I should stay in the house"

"Please Joey?" Ruby pleaded puppy dog look firmly in place "It'll be fun and you'll forget about being sick in no time at all...Please?" she looked to Charlie for help.

"But..." Joey began to protest before she was cut off by Charlie closing the small gap between them and wrapping an arm around her waist. She sighed fully aware of what was going to happen "Charlie..."

"Please Joey?" Charlie stuck her bottom lip out.

"No" Joey shook her head reluctantly "I really shouldn't" when she noticed Charlie's sad look intensify she sighed heavily "Fine. I'll come with you"

"Great" Ruby grinned happily "I'm going to get ready. I'll be back in a minute"

"So..." Charlie said when Ruby left the room "You're not really sick are you?"

"What?!" Joey looked up sharply "How did you..."

"You're a terrible liar" Charlie informed her with a soft smile "Seriously though Joey...Is there something wrong? Something I should know about?"

"No" Joey shifted her gaze to her lap "There's nothing wrong"

"Is it about whatever's going wrong between us?" Charlie asked hesitantly "Because I really don't understand...I thought things were getting better"

"Nothing's going wrong between us!" Joey stated adamantly "There's nothing wrong with me Charlie. I just didn't feel like going out and I didn't want to hurt Ruby's feelings by saying that"

"Okay" Charlie sighed softly "You promise?"

"I...I promise" Joey replied hesitantly.

"Good" Charlie whispered before she leaned forward and kissed Joey lightly "Because I'd hate for anything to come between us"

Joey found herself unable to answer verbally and merely nodded.

---

"Is something wrong Joey?" Ruby frowned as she glanced at Joey across the table. The older girl was glancing anxiously around the room while holding tightly to Charlie's hand.

"Wrong?!" Joey asked her voice an octave higher than usual "Of course not. Nothing's wrong. Nope. I'm perfectly fine...Finer than fine actually"

"Riiight" Ruby rolled her eyes "If you say so"

"Jo?" Charlie whispered.

"Charlie?" Joey swallowed heavily and turned to look into familiar blue eyes.

"Are you okay?" Charlie questioned in concern as she moved her hand to rest lightly on Joey's thigh "You look kind of panicked over there"

"I'm fine" Joey took a deep breath and offered Charlie a small smile "I'm sorry. I'm just kind of jumpy today"

"Why?" Charlie frowned "Has something happened to make you this worried? You can tell me you know"

"I know" Joey said as she grasped Charlie's hand lightly "But I'll be okay. Honestly. Maybe I'm just over-caffeinated and it's making me jumpy"

"Maybe" Charlie whispered unsurely.

Ruby watched them curiously as she sipped at her drink "You two are being really weird"

"We're always weird" Charlie responded with a reassuring smile "Don't worry about it Rubz"

"Yeah" Joey shook her head and forced herself to focus "You should really know that by now"

"Hmmn..." Ruby nodded though she still looked thoughtfully concerned.

"So I'm back at work next week..." Charlie exclaimed suddenly.

"What?" Joey turned and looked at her in shock "Next week? Why didn't you tell me that?"

"I only found out about it today" Charlie said apologetically "Apparently there's a new case I have to work on...It sounds serious. Sorry Jo"

"It's fine" Joey sighed but offered a weak smile "It just means I'll have to make the most of your free time"

"Yeah?" Charlie grinned.

"Defini..." Joey trailed off slightly and her eyes widened in alarm "Oh Crap"

"What?" Charlie frowned in concern and glanced around "What's wrong?!" she looked at Joey and frowned when she noticed the younger girl had dropped to the floor under the table "Joey..."

"Charlie!" Joey reached up and tugged lightly on Charlie's hand "Come here...I need to talk to you"

"You need to talk to me under the table?" Charlie smiled quizzically.

"I hope you two aren't thinking about doing what I think you are" Ruby warned teasingly.

"Hey Charlie" a voice sounded suddenly causing Charlie to look up. She smiled warmly when she noticed Cameron and Summer across the diner.

"Hey" she offered them a small wave and gently tugged Joey back to her feet much to the other girl's protest.

"Oh my God...Joey!" Cameron gasped as her gaze settled on Joey who was looking around shiftily.

"Cam...Hey" Joey smiled lightly at the other girl.

"Wait...You two know each other?" Charlie frowned in confusion "How?"

"Um...Complicated" Joey answered guiltily "We probably shouldn't get into it right now. It's not really important"

"Not important?" Cameron echoed, a hurt look adorning her features "Thanks Jo!"

"No, I didn't mean it like that..." Joey began to say before she glanced at Charlie and trailed off.

"Erm...Rubz?" Charlie glanced at her daughter "Why don't you go for a walk with Summer? Show her around for a bit..."

"Sure" Ruby sighed but did as she was told.

"Wow this is awkward" Joey muttered as she looked between Charlie and Cameron "Um...Charlie? We just need a minute..." she pressed a light kiss to Charlie's lips before moving forward and pulling Cameron gently out of the diner, leaving a stunned Charlie behind. As soon as they were out of the diner Joey relaxed slightly and Cameron threw her arms around her in a huge hug.

"God, I missed you so much Jo..."

Despite her hesitance Joey returned the hug tightly for a brief moment "I missed you too Cam" she pulled back slightly and looked into her eyes "but what are you doing here?"

"Does it matter?" Cameron asked quietly "The point is that I'm back isn't it?" she lowered her hand and grasped Joey's gently.

"We...We can't do this" Joey pulled away from the touch quickly "I'm married Cam...We can't do this"

"Oh my God..." Cameron's eyes widened in understanding "You're Charlie's Joey?! You're married to Charlie?"

"Yeah" Joey nodded in confirmation "I am married to her. And I love her. Which is why I won't do this with you"

"But..."

"No!" Joey exclaimed as tears formed rapidly in her eyes "I won't let you mess up what I have with Charlie Cameron"

"You don't understand!" Cameron protested "I don't want to mess..."

"I can't be around you" Joey interrupted as she took a step back "I just can't right now"

"I'm sorry" Cameron attempted feebly "I shouldn't have stayed away for so long...But I really need your help Joey. I'm in serious trouble..."

"I don't care Cam!" Joey yelled "Just leave me alone okay? And don't say anything about us to Charlie..."

"But..."

"Goodbye Cam!" Joey yelled before she walked into the diner, leaving Cameron standing tearfully outside.

---

"So who is she?" Charlie asked for the fifth time as she entered the house with Joey.

"She's just an old friend" Joey lied "She took off a while ago and I haven't seen her for years. I was just surprised to see her back here that's all"

"You seemed pretty upset when you walked back into the diner though" Charlie said in concern "Is there something wrong Joey? If you tell me I might be able to help"

"Its fine" Joey assured her as she pulled the older girl close and kissed her gently "Don't worry about that okay? I'm taking care of it..."

"See?!" Charlie exclaimed, worry appearing once again in her eyes "I knew there was something wrong!"

"Charlie..." Joey took Charlie's hand and gently pulled her to sit on the couch "There' no problem okay? Not with us at least..."

"So the problem's between you and Cameron?" Charlie guessed in confusion "I don't understand this Jo"

"Cameron's an old friend" Joey explained "When she took off there was a lot of unfinished business between us. She wants to talk about it. I don't. So I'm going to stay away from her"

"Um...Right" Charlie nodded "And you're not going to tell me what this 'unfinished business' is? Or why you're staying away from her?"

"No" Joey managed a light smile through her guilt at the lie "Because it's not important"

"Okay" Charlie smiled apologetically "I'm sorry...You know that I can't help but worry about you"

"And I love you for that" Joey responded before she leaned close and placed a lingering kiss on Charlie's lips "I love you" before Charlie had a chance to return the heartfelt sentiment Joey had pulled her into a slightly more passionate kiss, allowing her hands to thread through silky dark hair. Charlie moaned softly and returned the kiss instantly as she pulled Joey closer. When they pulled away they were both slightly breathless.

"I do..." Joey said as she gazed sincerely into Charlie's blue eyes "I love you more than I've ever loved anyone else. Nobody else has even come close to the way I feel about you. You're all I need"

"I love you too" Charlie smiled slightly stunned by Joey's heartfelt statement "I love you so much" with that said she pulled Joey back down into another passionate kiss though inside her concern was still rising about what Joey was hiding from her.

TBC