In hindsight, Janet considered the airport reunion to be worth every awkward second of the wait. And the follow up, the charged journey in the car, was equally rewarding. She willed more red lights to appear, so that she could look over and take in Bianca's profile at greater length. She was quiet, looked out at the bare cement of the grounds around the airport as they opened up into a picturesque paradise teeming with life. It was tempting to reach over, to try and take her hand; what she wanted to do was tether herself to Bianca for the duration of her stay. As it was, green light after green light ushered them on towards their destination, and Janet left her to whatever thoughts she had as she took in the view, catching glances of her where she could.

"It's really beautiful." Bianca said.

"I know. And it's kind of hypnotic, the way it lulls you in. Helps you think. I hope you don't mind but I haven't planned any trips or anything. Not sure how much you want to explore."

Bianca turned her attention from the window and looked over at Janet; the sunglasses, the well rested features, the mild concentration as she followed the contours of the road. There was something about two people in a restricted space, facing forward, that made it easy to be honest.

"I'm not here to see the island Janet." She reached over, caressed the back of Janet's neck, played with the falling strands of her hair.

Bianca recognised the exact moment when she was creating a vivid memory, one that she could use to get her through difficult moments in the future. She was overjoyed in the apartment when the kids bound over to greet her; broad smiles on their faces, shouting 'Na si bula!" at the top of their voices while Janet gently chastised them for the volume. She was pleasantly surprised when Janet introduced her as "my partner" to the young girl who had stayed on with them. But the clearest memory so far, the one that was set like a jewel in precious metal, was something she said during the happy hours they sat on the veranda that evening as they recalibrated. Talked in meandering circles the way you simply can't on a phone. The kids were delighted with their gifts and played in the background.

"So a typical day - I walk the kids to pre school, read on the beach, eat at some point, glance at work, head back to the beach with the kids until dinner. I thought we could do that tomorrow minus the work. Plus the kids are staying with friends so it'll just be us for the day."

"Sounds great. You look well for it. Island life suits you. " Bianca meant it. Here, she was the smiling girl that she was that day long ago - the morning after the night before. Janet didn't respond with a thank you. She leaned over instead. Touched Bianca'a lips and ran her fingers through her hair. Gave her a gentle, languid kiss and kept her hand in hers when she moved back. They were quiet, listened to the soft noises around them; the sway of the trees and the motion of the water. Bianca was indeed mesmerised. She finally understood what Janet was doing here. That it really didn't have much at all to do with her. She was hibernating, transforming, getting ready to take on the world again. She guessed that Janet might need to hear that.

"You did the right thing, coming here. I understand why you did it." Bianca said.

"Thank you for saying that. I think it was right too. Though it was hard to explain why at the time." She thought a bit more about what she wanted to say, finally hit on how she could put it. "Can I tell you something? I feel your presence here all the time. The few months we did have left such an indelible mark...it gave me the strength to come here in the first place."

Bianca smiled warmly, took the words, wrapped them up and kept them for later. She let her head fall against Janet's shoulder. "And the kids? Do you think they're feeling the benefit too?"

"Hard to tell sometimes. They've learned a lot, made good friends. I think they enjoy that things are less frantic than back home...Emma has been a bit clingier recently. They both wake up more during the night. Just need to keep an eye on it."

Bianca observed the concern on her face. Wondered if she would still be coming home as planned. Janet read her mind.

"Anyway. I'll be home before we know it. I've started to make plans about work."

"Anything concrete?"

"Tony's just started at the NCC. I said I'd think about a legal counsel position there. "

Bianca sat up, extricated herself from the arm that Janet had wrapped around her.

"What? Don't think that's a good idea? What don't I know?"

Bianca smiled, "Put it this way, you'll get along with the new Chief Investigator."

"Why, who is it?"

Bianca chuckled. Fiji Janet is not match fit, she has struggled to keep up with her teasing since she got off the flight.

"You're looking at her."

After a low and long laugh, as she considered Tony's conniving ways, she pulled Bianca in for a kiss that was a little more searching. Emma interrupted to explain that she was sleepy. Janet could not believe the time.

"Right you two! It's way past your bed time."

Janet was never going to last. At some point during the discussions the previous evening (midnight, maybe 1am) they silently agreed that the talking was a valuable use of their time, that everything else would happen tonight when the kids were away. The decision seemed sensible, and Janet was pleased with her ability to delay gratification. The beach had been perfect; the odd kiss, the odd touch, pretending they could concentrate on other things; books for Janet, music for Bianca. It was a rarified pleasure for them both simply to exist in the same space, lie side by side. Bianca spent most of the time with her eyes closed, making it easier for Janet to drink her in. She smiled and grew restless at how appealing she looked in colourful beach wear. She would have liked to have gone over and peeled off the sarong, stripped off the other small garments covering her body. When Bianca's eyes suddenly opened and she caught Janet out, her wide smile hinted at approval, that she welcomed the attention (because she was having similar thoughts about the goddess right beside her, just preferred to imagine with her eyes closed). Even though they shared a brief episode a couple of months previously to tide them over, they would have both claimed not to have touched each other properly in over a year. The slow burn on the beach, the collection of bright images from the day, was just the start of proceedings. There was still the promise of vibrant talk and visual suggestion to accompany dinner, to stoke the fire. It was a good plan, one that would deliver the kind of evening they both craved, but it was predicated on the idea that they can spend time alone together in the apartment. And that's where Janet is undone.

"We need some music Janet, and a beer. Getting ready is half the fun."

Bianca took great pleasure in squeezing every ounce of joy from their moments alone. Had opted to shower first, leaving Janet in a towel, feeling vulnerable now that she was fully clothed. Janet kissed her softly and then moved to her neck, admiring her outfit. Bianca was wearing the kind of full length summer dress that woman who don't normally wear dresses enjoy on a holiday. When their rarer self had a chance to come out and play. Janet enjoyed watching her float around in it, pulled herself away and tried to focus her mind on Bianca's requests.

"Never mind, I'll sort myself out. You do the same. Get changed." She left Janet standing in the bedroom. Paired her phone to the speaker, grabbed a beer from the fridge, danced around a bit to her going out playlist; mostly funk and soul with some vintage disco that had made the cut.

When Janet finally emerged from the room in her own dress she watched as Bianca leaned into the mirror, her hips moving in time to music from a bygone era. If they were home and seeing each other regularly, it would have been fine. She'd have been able to commit to the bulk of the evening taking place in public; think about her meal choice, listen to the specials, eat another prawn salad, wait around and pay the bill. But they are not at home. She has absolutely no desire or need to build anymore tension. The fire doesn't need stoked. She could not even contemplate the dull pleasantries of a meal when faced with this person before her. Every hour of waiting had led to this week, this day, these moments; which she knew would soon be over and gone. Her urges were piling up, clamouring for attention, making themselves uncomfortably present in her body. Janet kept her eyes on her waist as it swayed in perfect rhythm to the music. She is drawn in by the performance, completely entranced, utterly fixated. She adds the way she moves to the growing list of things that she loves about her. A quick look at her face tells Janet this isn't deliberate; she is in her own world and having fun, as is her way. When she sensed Janet close she is surprised. But she doesn't stop dancing, takes a swig of her beer, grins shyly. Janet made a decision, quickly formed a plan.

"How hungry are you?" She asked.

"What?" Janet is now behind her, they could both see themselves in the mirror.

"How hungry...are you?" She whispered in her ear. Bianca understood right away. Gave up. Gave in.

"Not much actually. It was kind of a sprawling lunch."

"Because there's a place that does good pizza until ten. If you wanted to wait until you have a real appetite."

"You not hungry either?"

"In some ways I'm not..though in some ways I'm starving." Bianca watched as Janet drew back her hair to kiss her neck, watched as her hand moved around her waist. They didn't say much more for a while.

The beach was deserted. They sat perched at the edge, moonlight falling across the black water, pizza at their feet as they listened to waves lap against the shore.

"It's so good to have you here." Janet said as she took a bite of her second slice.

"It's good to be here. I was beginning to think it might never happen."

"Don't. It was driving me crazy. I really didn't think it would be so hard."

"Ha. You really know how to make a girl feel loved Janet."

"You know what I mean..." She turned sombre, tried to show that she was serious about what she said next. "I'll make it up to you. We have so much to look forward to. You don't regret it? Us? Trying to keep going. "

Bianca smiled in wonder that she could even ask such a thing.

"As my grandma used to say, never pick the easy path, pick the one that will teach you the most."

"Wise woman. Is it her in the photo? In your apartment?"

"Yeah. We were close. She died a couple of years ago." She paused, decided to go on. "I lived with her on and off when I was a teenager. She was my respite. My mum can be...a very domineering person, and my dad just does what he's told. When he does stick up for himself or what he believes in all hell breaks loose. John left as soon as he could."

"Was it ever violent?"

"No, not at all. Just your standard bickering and years of simmering resentment. I constantly had an eye on the temperature in the room. It was harder on my own." Bianca tucked a lock of hair behind her ears, kept her head down. "I still see them a lot. They're easier to manage now, in small doses. But I miss John all the time."

Janet took her hand and gently squeezed.

"So what has it taught you so far? Choosing us and not the other path?"

"That I shouldn't...put limits on my own happiness. To trust what I want. You know the thing I love about that photo, she was ill at the time, but she always knew how to appreciate what she had, never fixated on what was lacking. Every time I look at her smile - I think that if I'm not finding joy in my life, I'm not doing it right. There's not enough time for anything else...Does that make sense?"

"Perfect sense." It was difficult to see Bianca so sad, it was so unusual. "You have her smile you know. You carry her with you."

Bianca looked over, took in how beautiful Janet was in the moonlight. "I love you."

"I love you too."

Bianca wore the dress again when the four of them ate out at the restaurant the next evening. Partly because she knew Janet enjoyed it, but also because she bought it especially for the trip and couldn't stand the thought of going home having worn it for a total of twenty minutes. She was amazed at what Janet classed as a 'mediocre' establishment. Most of the tables were outside, and the plush cream chairs nestling the candle lit tables looked out over another picture perfect scene. The dark outline of the trees framed the line where sea met sky.

"So guys what do yo recommend?" Bianca turned to Liam, who was sitting next to her.

"Unicorn fish is nice."

"Really?" She laughed at how sophisticated he sounded, matching her question with such a confident response. "I bow to your superior judgement."

"Prawns are good too if you're not feeling adventurous." Janet smiled as she drank her wine, eyes twinkling as she remembered their failure to appear the previous evening.

After they ordered, they settled in and talked more about home. About the prospect of working together again at the NCC.

"What's the NCC?" Emma asked.

"It stands for the National Crime Commission. It's a place where police officers and lawyers work together to catch really bad criminals. Uncle Tony is going to work there. So is Bianca. And when we go home so will I."

Emma looked from her mum to Bianca and back again. Nobody registered the unease on her face, because a couple that Janet worked with interrupted them.

"Janet, what a lovely surprise. How is your week off going? Your presence is missed in the office I must say."

"Hi Elizabeth. Good to see you. Yeah it's been a great week so far. Nice to switch off. This is my partner, Bianca."

They talked more about work. Elizabeth's husband leaned over before they left to say something to Janet.

"Totoka Vuvale" He said.

"Vinaka" she replied, looking over at Bianca as she said it.

A few moments after they left Liam asked what the man had said. She started to speak but her voice cracked and she had to start again.

"He said, we are a beautiful family." After she said it, Janet and Bianca exchanged a knowing glance. Smiled at each other and experienced such intense feelings that they had to look away.

That night, before they fall asleep, they briefly draw up the agreement in a few words; that after the kids are settled at school, once they are established at the NCC, they'll sit down and figure it all out. They'll talk about how things are going to work now they are starting to grow. Now that the world was starting to see them for what they were; a beautiful family.

Their last day on the beach arrives all too soon. They are sated, able to face the next few months apart on the strength of the memories they have made. They watch the kids run up and down the beach all afternoon.

Janet thinks about how lucky she is to have her, how much she'll miss her, how much she is looking forward to getting back to work with Bianca by her side. She looks over repeatedly, taking in her image as often as she can while she is here. After a time, her thoughts turn to the work itself. To the role she will play at the NCC. Tony has promised her free reign with the reference. When Janet is given an inch, she takes at the very least a mile. She has built up an appetite for her real work, for the thrill of the chase. She cannot wait to expend all of her skills, her full range of power; bring someone, somewhere to task. She's going to show everyone that she still has it, that she always did, she just needed time out to regenerate. When she is home, she thinks, it will be time to thrive. She doesn't recognise that she has been thriving all along, and that is her first mistake.

Bianca, for the first time in their relationship, forms expectations about how things will be on Janet's return, and that is hers. She thinks about how it will be with the kids, about how Janet will need support as she adjusts. She will be there for the pick ups, the drop offs, the bed time routine. Whatever she needs, whenever she needs it. She will always, always be there. She doesn't give much thought to work. She is happy that Janet has chosen the NCC, is looking forward to the challenge of her own role, but the biggest task she wants to get right is fulfilling the responsibilities in her personal life.

The scene is idyllic. Bianca thinks about how happy she is. To have got the girl, to be allowed to love like this, to have their future laid out before them to enjoy. The sun sets, casts a golden hue across the water. She thinks they are enjoying perfect happiness. But what they've really created, is the perfect storm.