Charlie's mind really wasn't on her job. She'd received a call from Joey to say she'd told Angelo their marriage was over and he hadn't taken it well, even accused Aden of being the cause. After hearing the strain in Joey's voice, she'd wanted to rush to her immediately, but Joey had assured her that she was fine.

She glances over at Aden who had been grinning at her ever since she'd given him Joey's warning and the reason why Angelo might come after him.

"Hmm?" Charlie's mutters, not having heard a word Aden had just said.

"I said, are you sure you don't want to duck out and check on Joey because you're really not much use at the moment."

"Sorry."

"Hey, don't apologise, in fact, I should be thanking you for saving Joey from that marriage." He shakes his head. "I always knew there was something else behind that marriage and it shouldn't surprise me that her father had a hand in it. He always saw Angelo as a son, even more after Brett's death and he's an expert at manipulation."

"Even his daughter?"

"Whatever it takes to get what he wants, he'll do it and Angie's folks aren't much better and neither is Angie. I just wish Joey had spoken to me about it before she went through with it."

"You would have tried to talk her out of it."

"Damn right I would have, even if I had to kidnap her until she came to her senses."

"I really don't think Joey was too keen on agreeing to the marriage, until her father got sick and said it would make him happy."

Aden's mind starts to churn over some rather unpleasant ideas. Joey's father was ruthless in business and his family was merely an extension of that business at times, but would he really do that to Joey? Damn right, he would, Aden thought. He decided to call in a few favours just to see how far Joey's father was willing to go.

Angelo looks at the shattered remains of the glass. After his little rampage through the kitchen, there was barely a glass or mug left in one piece. How could his wife do this to him and for that pathetic prick, he fumed. He'd see Aden ruined for this. He takes a calming breath. What he needed to do, was calm down and think straight. He rushes into the spare room, rummaging around for his secret stash.

Charlie looks up from her desk when her cousin drops a folder on her desk. "You shouldn't have come into work Georgie," she says when Georgie groans while sitting down.

"I'm just a bit stiff after so much time on my feet." Her bath and massage earlier had done wonders, but it was going to take her a day or two to get completely over this.

"You don't have to prove yourself all the time Georgie."

"Don't I?" her voice harsher than she intended. She hated this weakness in her though and she was still fuming over the pathetic cripple comment from Angelo.

Charlie sighs, preferring not to say anymore in case it started something. She glances at the folder. "So what is this?"

"Rosetta's phone records, they just came in."

"He's been cleared, so we don't need them anymore."

"Yeah, I know, but he lied to us. There was no call at the time Mrs Henderson heard raised voices coming from his place, when he was supposedly on the phone to his brother, but there was a call that came in just before he rushed out of the station for his so-called late lunch." Charlie sits back, suddenly interested. "The number looked familiar, so I dialled it."

"And?"

"Bianca Scott answered."

"Shit."

"I asked why she was calling Rosetta, she said it was a wrong number, till I pointed out that the call went for over a minute and it wasn't the only time she'd called him. Considering Bianca's penchant for married men, I figured that they were both lying about the call because they were having an affair, so I accused her of that and asked if she met with him that day. She didn't exactly confirm or deny it, so I'm guessing she was there and it was an argument between them that Mrs Henderson overhead."

"That bastard!" Georgie tilts her head at her. "Hey, I know I'm not exactly innocent in this mess, but Joey and I didn't do anything more than kiss and she ended her marriage because she didn't want to cheat on him but knowing Bianca, she and Angelo did a whole lot more than just kissing."

"You know my feelings on infidelity, but I did say I'd support you if she left her husband before anything more happened between you two and she has." She grins at her cousin, "Plus, it was an arranged marriage and the guy is an absolute prick, laying it on real thick about how much he loves her and didn't want to lose her while he's probably been cheating on her for weeks."

"Do I tell Joey that Angelo may be having an affair, I mean, do I have a right to judge him?"

"Absolutely. He's not going to let Joey go without a fight so if he's been dipping his stick elsewhere while making out he's the poor, broken husband, then yeah, you tell Joey about it."

The thought of him cheating on Joey with that woman erased any feeling of guilt Charlie felt about taking his wife away from him.

"So, do we charge him for lying during an official interview," asks Georgie.

"If he lied to cover up an affair, that will probably only get him a slap on the wrist and considering I'm now with his wife, that's one pot I don't want to stir up, especially after we accused him of bashing his wife."

"We were just doing our job and at the time, we had enough to suspect Angelo."

"Yeah, I know, but I've gone and complicated everything and now it looks like I might have had a personal interest in proving his guilt."

"However anyone wants to spin this, we did our job by the book and if Angelo tries to cause problems, he's the one who is going to come across as having a personal grudge."

"It's going to be unpleasant around here when he finds out about me though."

"It hasn't exactly been a picnic for me with him being here, so personally, having you in the firing line is a good thing for me," she says cheekily.

"Glad I can take the heat off you," Charlie says with a wry smile.

"Look, he's hardly endeared himself to the other officers here and after what he did to me over those reports, the guys here will have your back if he tries to take his personal problems out on you or any of us."

"Thanks Georgie."

"You bastard, you stole my wife." Charlie froze. Even from behind the closed door, she could hear the rage in Angelo's voice. "Shit." She jumps to her feet and rushes out the door toward the commotion, finding Aden lying on the floor rubbing his jaw and Hogan and Georgie struggling to hold onto a ranting Angelo.

"You fucking prick, going after my wife like that, I'll ruin you," Angelo rages, completely blind to his surroundings.

"Do you want him charged?" Georgie asks Aden as he gets to his feet.

As much as he disliked the guy, he wasn't sure he wanted to ruin the guy's career, until Angelo decided for him by spewing his hatred at him and Georgie. "Yeah, charge the bastard," Aden says once Angelo had stopped his rant to catch his breath.

"I'll get you for this you prick."

"Angelo, stop it," Joey's voice catching them all by surprise. Charlie wavers, unsure whether she should go to Joey's side or not. She decides to stay where she was as Joey approaches them.

Angelo finally ceases his struggles against the two officers, though they didn't let him go. "He's taken you from me, Joey."

"I was never really yours Angelo and this has nothing to do with Aden."

"Stop lying Joey, you are always protecting him and I know there's something going on."

"I've told you time and again that Aden is my best friend and there has never been anything of a sexual attraction between us."

"There is someone else though, isn't there?"

At Joey's glance, Charlie goes to her side and takes her hand. Joey smiles at her and faces her soon-to-be-ex. "Yes there is someone else."

Angelo stares at their joined hands in shock. "No fucking way, you have not left me for some cunt." Joey grimaces at his language. "How could you betray me like this Joey, after I have loved you so much."

"Is that why you've been banging Bianca Scott?" Georgie pipes in.

Angelo goes pale. "I don't know a Bianca Scott."

"Funny, you've spoken to her a few times on the phone and I'm betting you've done more than just talk."

He was so furious about being interviewed that he had just assumed they'd call his brother and ask him to confirm his lie, it didn't even occur to him they'd actually check his phone records.

"Is that true Angelo?" Joey asks him. She had felt so bad for hurting him, yet after the things he'd said and acting like he was the wronged party in all of this while having his own affair, her guilt was leaving her.

"So what if it is true, you've been fucking some slut of your own," he spits out.

"Charlie and I haven't slept together while this ring has been on my finger," she says, sliding her wedding ring off and setting it on the desk.

"Yeah right, like I believe that."

"Believe what you like, but my conscience is clear," or mostly clear, she added silently.

"If you think I'm going to stand by and watch you walk away from me with that bitch, you're wrong.

We're married Joey and that's not going to change, because I'm not giving you a divorce."

"Our marriage is over Angelo and whether you make the divorce easy or not, I will divorce you and I'm sure the courts will take into account that it was an arranged marriage and also, your infidelity."

"My infidelity!"

"While I can swear in all honesty in open court that I haven't had sex with another woman while we were living together as husband and wife, you can't say the same."

"We're still married Joey, so if you're going to go and fuck her brains out now, that's still cheating."

Joey shakes her head. "I've already started divorce proceedings," her words catching Charlie by complete surprise. "This is now a formal separation and as I intend to move out, we're no longer living as husband and wife, so I can do whatever the fuck I want."

Charlie grins, absolutely loving the way Joey was standing up to him. It probably wasn't the smartest thing to do though, because when Angelo caught her smiling, he shoved against the officers holding him, sending Georgie flying backwards and launched himself at Charlie. Aden just managed to intercept him and tackle him to the ground before he reached her.

"Stop squirming you dumb prick," Aden mutters, sitting on Angelo's back. With Hogan's help, Angelo was cuffed and helped to his feet and led away by Hogan to the cells where he would be formally charged with assaulting Aden.

"Oh fuck," Georgie rubs her hip. "Martha's going to kill me for getting hurt again."

Charlie chuckles. "You really should have stayed in bed today." She helps her cousin to her feet. "Are you ok?"

"I hit my hip on the desk on the way down and it stings like a bitch."

Joey walks over to Aden, gently touching his jaw. "I'm sorry this happened to you."

"Watching you kick him to the curb makes up for this," he rubs his jaw, thinking that Angelo had a surprisingly vicious right hook.

"You should go to the hospital, get it checked out and get a record of the damage for the charges against Angelo," suggests Charlie. She glances at her cousin. "And take Georgie with you."

For once, Georgie was in too much pain to put up a fight. Before leaving, Aden hugs Joey. "Are you happy?" he whispers.

"Very."

"Then a sore jaw was definitely worth it. We'll talk later."

With the commotion over, Charlie dares a glance around the room. It seemed that every officer in the station was standing there, watching them, but to her surprise, she saw no condemnation on their faces. Maybe if Angelo had made a better impression on them and hadn't completely lost it like he had, it would be different, but it seemed her friends and colleagues here weren't going to judge her and for that, she was grateful, especially as she knew there would be those out in the wider community who wouldn't be so understanding.

"Is there somewhere we can talk?" Joey asks softly.

"We can use Aden's office."

As soon as the door was closed, Charlie wraps her arms around Joey.

"I'm sorry it came out like this Charlie."

"Hey, we're in this together and after the way he reacted, I'm glad I was there with you."

"I've never seen him so out of control."

"He just needs time to accept it."

"I don't think it's going to be that easy."

"Maybe not but there's nothing he can do to come between us, is there?"

Joey shakes her head. "With you is where I want to be and I'm not going to let anyone come between us, not even my father."

"You spoke to him?"

"Yeah. He said he was extremely disappointed in me and that I'd broken his heart."

"You have to do what makes you happy Joey."

"That's what I told him but he didn't seem to care how hard this has been for me or that I wasn't happy."

"I'm sure when he's had time to think about it, he'll understand why you ended your marriage, especially when he finds out about Bianca."

"You don't know my father," Joey says. She also didn't know how much time he had left, she just hoped he found a way to forgive her before it was too late.

"Hey," Charlie cups her chin. "I know you're worried about your father, but as hard as it is, you can't let his illness dictate what you do."

"I know you're right just as I know there are times when my father manipulates me, but he's my dad and I hate when he's disappointed in me."

"You've done nothing wrong here Joey."

Joey gazes into her eyes, the love and concern for her there, helping to dispel her worries. "I love you."

Charlie smiles and kisses her tenderly. "I love you too, more than I thought was possible." She caresses Joey's cheek. "Have you really started divorce proceedings?"

Joey nods. "Martha put me in contact with her aunt and it's going to take some time for the papers to be drawn up, but the process has started." She sighs, "I thought this was a way to show Angelo I was serious about ending our marriage but now, I'm more determined than ever to divorce him and I don't care if Angelo paints me as some cheating whore."

"He's been carrying on with Bianca, he doesn't really have a leg to stand on."

"You'd be surprised what a lot of money and expensive lawyers can do."

"Morag's called Battleship for a reason, she can handle it."

"That's what Martha said."

"Then trust that this will be over soon," she says. "Where are you going to stay?"

"Martha said I could stay a bit longer with them, but they have a young son in the house and I don't want them to get caught up in this, especially if Angelo makes this messy, so I've booked into the Sands."

"You know, you could stay with me," Charlie offers. "I have a spare room," she adds quickly, scared she was moving too fast.

"And how much time do you think I'd spend in the spare room?" Joey teases.

"Not a lot, if I could help it," she teases back.

"As tempting as the offer is, I don't think it's a good idea, just yet."

"Just yet?"

"I want to share my life with you Charlie, I'm just not ready to move in with you."

"Then I can wait." She grins wryly, "After all, I've waited since that night for this moment, what's a little more time."

"Well," Joey smirks at her. "We don't have to wait any longer for that particular part of our relationship."

Charlie felt a flood of longing between her legs. "Oh god, you're a tease."

"Stop by my hotel room after work and I'll make," she cups Charlie through her pants. "It up to you."

"Oh fuck," she groans.

"Not just yet," Joey whispers in her ear, taking her hand away. She was surprised by her own actions, but now that she had ended her marriage, she was desperate to make up for lost time.

"If you don't leave right now, I'm going to have you right here," Charlie warns.

Grinning, Joey presses her lips to Charlie's, kissing her in a way that left them both gasping for breath when she finally stepped back. "Don't be late."

"Oh my fucking god," Charlie leans against the door after Joey had left, her body on fire.

Time had seemed to drag on forever at work once Joey had left, but the moment the clock clicked over to 5.30, Charlie was signing out and on her way to the Sands. Now that she was at the door to Joey's room, she was suddenly nervous. Taking a deep breath, she knocks.

She grins when Joey opens the door in her robe. Joey smiles at her and takes her hand, pulling her into the room and closing the door behind her. Charlie's grin grows wider when Joey lets her robe fall to the floor and stands naked before her. "We've wasted too much time already," Joey says in explanation.

"Then let's not waste any more." In record time, her uniform was in a heap on the floor and Charlie was as naked as Joey, their lips hungrily seeking each others, their breasts crushed together. Joey backs Charlie up against the wall, her hands roaming at will and Charlie was powerless to stop her, not that she wanted to; she had waited so long for this very moment.

Without warning Joey's mouth was on her breast, her nipple engulfed in Joey's warm mouth. She moaned aloud, her body alight with pleasure. She thrust her chest out, offering more of herself to Joey, gasping at the feel of teeth brushing over her hardened nipple, almost falling to her knees when one finger, then another, entered her.

"So wet and ready for me," Joey gasped in amazement, before her mouth found Charlie's other nipple.

"Oh god," Charlie moaned, bucking against the invading fingers, trying to take her deeper. She could feel her climax approaching fast. "Please, don't stop," she begged, feeling empty when Joey's fingers suddenly left her.

"I'm just starting, baby," she murmurs, kissing Charlie's belly as she dropped to her knees before her. Charlie's legs opened wider for her. Joey breathed in deeply; Charlie's scent was intoxicating, just as she remembered her and, she swiped her tongue through the wetness, sending a shiver of pleasure through Charlie, she tasted wonderful.

"Fuck," Charlie gasps as Joey's talented tongue drew gasp after gasp from her. She braced her hands against the wall for support when Joey's fingers plunged back inside her.

Joey found her clit with her tongue as she drove her fingers relentlessly into her.

"Oh fuck yeah," Charlie panted, her hands now on Joey's head, holding her against her as she bucked and begged for more.

Joey added a third finger when she felt Charlie tighten around her fingers, sucking her clit into her mouth, feeling it spasm against her tongue.

Charlie didn't care if she was too loud, she screamed out her pleasure, completely surrendering herself to Joey and the pleasure she was causing, her body holding Joey's fingers deep inside her as her body shook and she nearly collapsed from the force of her orgasm.

Joey kept sucking and thrusting, bringing Charlie to another screaming climax. When she felt the inner walls around her fingers relax again, Joey gently eased her fingers from her lover.

Charlie's legs finally gave way and she slumped to her knees and into Joey's arms, their lips once again finding each other's. She groaned at the taste of herself on Joey's mouth, their tongues duelling as their passion ignited again.

Joey gasped when Charlie suddenly plunged two fingers deep inside her. She leant back, giving Charlie access to her breasts as she thrust her hips against her. "Oh yeah," she moaned, Charlie's mouth closing over her nipples. She was already incredibly aroused after watching Charlie in the throes of her climax, so it didn't take her long to feel her own climax approaching. "I'm nearly there," she pants, thrusting harder against Charlie. Feeling Joey tighten around her fingers, she pressed her thumb against Joey's clit, flicking it side to side. "Fuck!" Joey cries out, bucking wildly at the height of her climax. Removing her fingers, Charlie gently pushed Joey back a little more until she was lying on the floor. Lifting Joey's legs over her shoulders, she buried her head between Joey's legs, thrusting her tongue as deep as she could go.

"Charlie!" Joey screamed her name loud and long as her body was immediately reaching for new heights.

Charlie replaced her tongue with her fingers while her mouth found Joey's clit, sucking hard.

Joey ground herself against Charlie, the only person that she had so willingly surrendered every part of herself to. When Charlie's teeth grazed her clit, her thighs gripped Charlie's head tightly as her body bowed and shook in a shattering orgasm. Her legs slid listlessly from Charlie's shoulders as Charlie moved over her and grinned down at her. "I was right, I do like hearing you screaming for me."

Joey laughs. "You are the only person that makes my body sing like that and I don't know how I ever walked away from you the last time."

"Well this time, I'm never letting you go." They kissed tenderly for a few minutes, before Charlie got to her feet and helped Joey to hers. Holding her hand, she led Joey over to the large bed.