They were above the clouds; Janet rifled through statements and sports magazines (which aid her understanding of the culture, if not the rules of the game), Bianca had her headphones on to escape the sighs and exasperated note taking. She looked out of the window, appreciating the getaway they have devised thanks to quick thinking, "Wayne, I need you on surveillance. I'll go." Her acting skills let her down when surrounded by colleagues, and she is sure from the look on her face that Bonnie has performed a quick analysis and figured it out. Not that she really cares. It doesn't bother her that people might guess she is the one going home with the superstar in the room.

That Janet is a superstar is an irrefutable fact. She had forgotten, amidst the tunnel vision of their fledgling relationship and the fun of Fiji, who Janet was at work. The last eight months of her time away had been much easier. Honest dialogue and idle chats became the norm. The only thing that troubled her was that Emma had been strange during two short trips home. When she tried to fix it with attention, the situation only got worse. It hurt, and Janet tried to reassure her it would change in time. Emma was like that. There was an ebb and flow to her moods in a way there never was with Liam. They would keep an eye on it.

Janet's first few days at the NCC were a treat. She felt like a kid on Christmas morning heading into work. Janet seemed to have upped her game when it came to her own personal branding. Her style moved from polished to positively glamorous. Bianca responded by moving hers from smart to polished; glamorous for her was a step too far. And her preference would always lie with sensible shoes. Janet's new vision for herself was enough to make Bianca a little shy all over again, to ensure that part of her was back to watching, even though for most of their days they were side by side. Tantalisingly close as Janet ripped witness after witness to shreds. They made time for quiet moments of talk; Janet boldly citing some arcane rule as they discussed how they would justify their time away in Melbourne. It immobilised her, just how alluring she could be in these moments; wicked grin, striking red top, hand on her hip - she looked like she could pounce without warning. It reduced Bianca to a fangirl who clung to every illicitly spoken word. It wasn't a feeling she disliked, in fact as she turned away and heard Janet say it was 'her pleasure' to explain away their plan, she smiled at how much delicious it all was. But really, there was a lot more parity in their roles than it would appear. A lot of the decisions that Tony and Janet made had to be run past her. You would never know it from the way that Janet held forth from the pictures of the dead on the notice boards, rallied the troops with talk of why they were all here.

It's only outside of work that she feels like her equal. By her side on the flight, Bianca was lost to the music, appreciating the ethereal quality of listening from this perspective. Knowing you are a tiny speck to someone below. Suddenly Janet's note pad was thrust in front of her face. She admired the cursive style of her writing. How it had a forward lilt, possessed a regal formality and determination. She read the message.

Sorry to interrupt your reverie but sports magazines are a new low. Need a distraction.-

Bianca found the way she had written 'distraction' attractive. She took the pad and responded with her own penmanship. It was simple, clear, strong. Took up less space than Janet's.

You could distract yourself with thoughts of tonight. -

Janet smiled. Responded.

The room has a free standing bath...Could fit two. -

Bianca grinned at the fierce underlining of two. Composed her retort.

We owe it to the tax payer to test that theory. -

Janet's laugh could be heard through her headphones, caused the person in front of them to turn around. She placed her hand on Bianca's thigh, let her head rest against her shoulder for the remainder of the flight.

If someone had told her that day on the court steps that she would one day find herself sharing a bath with Janet, not only would she have failed to believe them, she would have been terrified. Some day dreams never live up to expectation, weighed down as they are by the gap between fantasy and reality. This was not one of them. This was every bit as good as she knew it would be. She wanted to stay there indefinitely, take up residence. Was delighted when Janet finally stopped talking about the case.

"Work's over now." She said, as she sat up to pull her close.

"I've heard that before." Bianca said.

But even when she switched off form work, her mind was somewhere else, turned to the trouble brewing with the kids.

"Em does like you, you know."

She's not so sure that's true anymore. The only thing she is certain of, is how painful it is. She can't hide the frustration or the sadness, can only nod when Janet promised to talk to her.

"She'll get used to you. I have." Janet smiled; touched her face, her lips, kissed her.

"Only just." She mumbled. Then after a few more passionate kisses Bianca ensured she was back to the present. Told her to stop over thinking. Said it was better when she switched off, when she relaxed. And she can tell from her responses that she does; Janet really, really tries to let go.

It didn't take long for the reference at the NCC to grip Janet emotionally. Things become worse when Janet bears witness to Clay Nelson's suicide. When she asked Tony if she should even be working, his response was; 'when in doubt work, is the King motto Bianca.' She had a lot of time for Tony, and she knew that when it came to Janet he understood her better than anyone. Knew that she could ask him how best to support her in a way she can't ask Janet.

She is pleased when Janet opens up to her about their life after the death of Ash. But she is worried too, that Janet is conflating the twin's loss with that of Clay Nelson's son. She is embroiling herself with the victims of the investigation, which they both know is still in its infancy. It will be emotionally exhausting if she continues to do so. There is still a long way to go, far too long for Janet to lose herself to the needs of other people.

Family life was something they tentatively experimented with, but didn't explicitly discuss. She was still keen to give Janet some space with the kids. They were not long back, and they saw each other so often, it made sense to sometimes stay and sometime not. She loved being there for the after school clubs and sporting events. Beamed with pride even more than Janet did when Zoe Di Costa, of all people, complimented Emma's talents. Later that evening, after Janet managed to pull her attention away from the disturbing video linked to their case, Emma presented a drawing to them. She was hopeful that she was somehow part of it, somehow showing up in their heads as part of the fabric of their life. When Emma confirmed that it was Uncle Tony in the picture and not her, she was shattered by how pathetic it felt to so desire the approval of a child. Janet doesn't seem to be concerned about the potential problems it poses. Doesn't seem at all interested in facing up to them, or how it makes her feel. The priority was always work. They were both committed professionals, invested in careers they loved. She could deal with a longer wait for 'the talk' as long as she knew it was coming. The teething problems were put firmly in their place at night, where they were still getting so much out of the time they had together, making up for the long months they were apart.

Bianca almost never disliked someone on sight. It is a remarkable feature for someone who works in law enforcement; to still like and trust the majority of humanity. But there was something that made her uneasy about the chairman of Pax rental cars. He sucked the life out of the room, made her feel a little colder. When Janet arrived for the interview she assumed she shared the feeling. The atmosphere changed again, became even more choked. Janet appeared to lose the ability to speak. She is shocked to discover that the man who had made her skin crawl was in fact Janet's father. She has never once mentioned him, and Janet protests too much that she 'isn't interested'. Bianca knew all too well from her own family circumstances that he may well have been out of the picture for twenty years, but that is no correlation to how often he has been in Janet's head.

She observed Janet's response with concern as she argued with Tony. He had pointed out, rightly, that she was making problematic leaps in the investigation, was using the case to channel her feelings about Graham. Janet spat fire and fury in Tony's direction, and he bravely fired it back. It dawned on Bianca for the first time that Janet used work to salve her own emotional need, delivered justice for victims to soothe the pains she felt herself. It wasn't a situation exclusive to the Royal Commission - this is how she lives. This is what she lives for. Bianca could see her future in Tony. Knew that when she was comfortable enough Janet would throw such anger her way too. That's what she did to people who made her feel safe - she let it all out, let them have it. She understood too that the man she met today had played a critical part in that. When the shouts reached their crescendo she couldn't believe the cruelty in Janet's proclamation.

"I don't need two fathers in my life!"

It is so hurtful, so unfair, that she feels dreadful for Janet when she sees the instant regret in her face. When everyone else leaves she tries using humour to calm her down, give her a change of tone. But it doesn't help. Janet's attention has shifted. She can see it literally happening before her, one late night at the office as she stared, fixated on the mug shot of her father. She is wistful when she talks about him.

"I thought I knew him...Maybe I didn't."

When Bianca responds that maybe she should take her home and pour her a glass of wine, Janet is quick to reply that she obviously knows her very well. But she doesn't. The man who holds her gaze is a case in point. Bianca wants to know more, doesn't want to push too hard when she is yet again in an emotionally vulnerable state, so makes light of it to at least make the point.

"I'm making progress - I hope - wouldn't say I have the full picture yet." Janet can't see the love in her eyes when she says it.

"I'm not that complicated."

"You're not simple."

That there's a plea in her own flirting alerts Bianca to what she already knows; Janet is drifting away from her, and they weren't that tightly bound in the first place. She trusts this phase will pass. Is encouraged when Janet asks if she'll come to lunch to visit her mum. Notes her discomfort when she says her sister will be there too.

"The thing is, my mum is a bit, you know. Into airy fairy mindfulness and chanting. She comes out with the odd word of wisdom but most of its trite. And my sister. She's...Just really awful at getting to the point of a story. She's nice but her idea of fun is reorganising her kitchen." The car journey to her mother's house is perhaps the most she has heard Janet speak in a condensed time frame. As the car turned into the drive way Bianca checked that the kids still had their headphones on.

"It's a hard life Janet, let people get their kicks where they can." It is a playful warning, that she will form her own judgements. If she is going to have long term relationships with these rounded human beings then she will treat them as such. Janet paid no attention.

"And you know it's a crime because she has a first class degree in psychology. Never did anything with it. Works part time doing admin for a charity and playing house."

Bianca wished she would stop talking. Any psychologist worth their salt could tell these statements said more about Janet than they did about the two women she was about to meet. And so it transpired. Janet's mother and sister greeted her with the infectious enthusiasm, pulled her in for hugs that were just as warm as those offered to the children. They were delighted to meet her and perfectly lovely.

Eleanor is slightly older than Janet. She is shorter, a little heavier, wears her interest in other people like a comfortable jumper. She is homely and practical. From what Bianca can tell anyway, she is completely at ease with herself, her life and who she is.

"So Bianca, tell me all about yourself. Where did you grow up?" Bianca wasn't grinning at the question, she was grinning at the thought of Janet's eyes as they rolled.

"I'm from Canberra originally. I grew up there. Studied psychology at university for a couple of years but left to join the police. Janet tells me that was your specialism too?" And now she grinned because Janet would be mentally grappling with new information about her, discovered off the back of her sister's small talk.

"Yeah I did. I studied at Sydney. Loved it. Though Janet can never quite get her head around why I would want to learn about something for its own sake." She smiled warmly and looked over to her little sister.

"I am actually at this table you know." Janet protested, spiking an olive with her fork.

"I'm just teasing. What made you change your direction Bianca?"

She chewed on her food, thought about it. She hadn't talked about it for years.

"I remember being stuck in a computer lab all day, dealing with statistical data. And I just yearned to get my hands dirty. I stopped attending lectures and hit a rough patch. When my grandma suggested the police it put a spring in my step I guess. My mum wasn't too impressed though."

"You know they do that deliberately because the intake is so high? Put all the maths and stats work in the first two years. Your mum must be alright with it now? Chief Investigator sounds impressive." Eleanor was as determined to find out about what made a person tic as Janet was to close a case. They were similar but spectacularly different. Bianca liked her.

"I wouldn't say that. A cops a cop in her eyes. It can take a lot out of you - trying to impress some people. I stopped caring a long time ago."

There was a period of silence, and Janet is irritated with Bianca's clumsy message. Janet's mother finally broke the quiet with some questions about how the kids were settling into their new school, how their athletics were going. Eleanor told them to cherish these days of ferrying them around, bemoaned the fact her daughters had given up their past times, appeared to be in permanent relationships with their phones. Janet visibly relaxed as the conversation turned to safe ground, a place where they could all agree; the heinous impact of social media. She talked for a long time, taking care to mask the details, about their work.

They were in the garden drinking tea when it happened. The twins were racing around, showing off the warm up exercises they went through at Zone. Emma tripped and fell, and the closest person was Bianca. She instinctively moved towards her cries and drew her in. When she pushed her away, screamed out loud, "I don't want you, I want mum", Bianca had to steady herself and go into the kitchen to hide her embarrassment. As Janet consoled Emma she watched her mother go into the house.

Bianca felt an unusually strong sense of relief when Janet's mother held her. Felt grateful when she repeated that everything would be alright. She was so angry with herself for crying that it made the tears worse. This was not at all the first impression she wanted her to have. She wanted to show her that her daughter had someone dependable, someone who could take care of her. She wanted to reassure her that she had strength enough to take care of them all.

"Hey. Listen. Kids are fickle. It can take weeks, it can take years. But one day they eventually look up, realise they are not the centre of the universe, and they know who has been by their side all along. When that day comes you'll know. You'll see it in her eyes." Her warm voice was soothing, was the balm that she needed.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to get upset." She took a few deep breaths and calmed down.

"Don't be sorry. You're only upset because you care so much. And I know from the way she recovered, after all the horrible business, Janet cares immensely about you too."

Bianca smiled, thanked her. Back in the garden Janet put a hand on her arm, asked if she was ok. She nodded and smiled weakly in response.

Bianca is not surprised that Janet doesn't mention the incident again. She had a lot on her mind and was simply glad to get the visit out of the way. That's how she views them; an inconvenience. But in the silence of the journey home she reflected that Janet's mother and sister expressed more interest in her over a couple of hours than Janet had in a while. That Janet seemed to be pissed off by the fact that her sister is pitch perfect normal, and her mother is emotionally sound. She thought about why that might be. And then she imagined them as a young family, with Graham King at the table, sucking the spontaneity and curiosity from the room. Janet hadn't just lost a father, she'd lost an ally. An ally against the small talk, the messy feelings, the cloying people in the house. And she had never gotten over it.