Charlie smiled as she watched the scene play out before her. It was still so unexpected. There sitting on her lounge room floor, was Shandi, Georgie and Jay and they were laughing over the antics of Rusty, Jay's formally known as Flamin' Mongrel stuffed dog. Jay had proven to be the perfect icebreaker to the awkwardness between the two sisters and from the moment he'd learnt that Shandi was a new aunty, he'd quickly seconded her into their play, while telling her all about himself. He may only be a couple of years old, but by god could that kid yap. He must get that from his other aunt, Belle.

She heard soft steps behind her, moments before familiar arms circled her waist. Charlie automatically leant back and relaxed against her girlfriend.

"Am I seeing this or imagining it all," Joey whispered into her ear.

"You're not imagining it."

"How did this come about?"

"I'm still not sure of all the details or why the sudden change of heart from Georgie, but apparently Georgie stopped by to see Shandi and invited her for tea and then offered to cook it."

"They seem to be getting along ok."

"Yeah, they are."

"It's nice."

"Is Ruby eating in tonight?" Georgie asked her cousin as she chopped the onions, while Charlie was making sure to keep to the other side of the room where the onions wouldn't affect her. They had a tendency to make her cry which annoyed the hell out of her and with a house full of people, therefore plenty of potential witnesses who would see such crying, there was no way she was even getting close.

"At first Ruby said no, she wouldn't be in," said Charlie. "Then she found out you were the one doing the cooking and no became a yes. I guess for some reason she prefers your cooking over mine or Joey's."

Watson grinned. "Always thought that girl had good taste."

"Not sure why she keeps complaining though," Charlie said. "Between the three of us, we do ok cooking wise and we all have dishes we can do well."

"And some absolute disasters," added Georgie. "And by disasters, I mean inedible, which is why I've had to do most of the cooking since I've been here, just so I could actually eat something."

"She's exaggerating of course," Charlie helpfully explained to Shandi, who was watching from where she was seated at the kitchen table with Jay on her lap. "Before tonight, Georgie's only done one meal and that was a breakfast."

"Yet I got nothing but great compliments for it," Georgie pointed out. "Hence Ruby's enthusiasm for eating in tonight."

"I'd hardly call it enthusiasm," muttered Charlie.

"Yet Ruby changed from a no to a yes when she learnt who the cook for tonight was," Georgie smugly said. "I'd say that shows some form of enthusiasm for my cooking."

Charlie rolled her eyes. "Blah, blah, blah," she sang out.

"She does this all the time, because she can't accept that I got all the culinary skills of the family," Georgie said to Shandi.

Shandi was having a ball watching the byplay between the two cousins. Their relationship had always been so volatile, yet there was obvious affection between them when they weren't being pigheaded and she was enjoying this more lighter hearted interaction currently on display. It also gave her a chance to learn more about her sister. When they'd dated, Charlie hadn't really spoken all that much about Georgie because they hadn't been all that close at the time and though she had wanted to know more about her sister, Shandi had held her tongue. It had been hard enough lying to Charlie about her actual relationship to Georgie, without trying to wheedle information out of her and not have Charlie get suspicious about it. Now watching the cousins, she was so pleased to see how much things were changing. Charlie and Georgie were so much closer than they'd ever been and now her sister was also extending the hand of friendship to her.

Shandi had continued to keep an eye on her sister. She had never really had much of an opportunity before to see her sister in action, even if it was just cooking and she could now see just how noticeable her limp was. Shandi supposed that being on her feet all day didn't help, yet Georgie never let it slow her down. She was zipping from the cupboards to the counter and back and forth without too much impediment. The more she came to know her sister, the more Shandi came to admire the way she'd faced so much adversity and continued to not only get through it all, but become stronger for it. When Watson walked past her with a tray in hand, her nose followed. "Wow, tea is smelling great," she said.

"It's just a couple of gourmet pizzas," replied Watson.

"Well they smell great," she said. "Look, I'm feeling like a bit of a spare wheel here, so can I help or something?" asked Shandi.

Charlie held her breath. When it came to help, her cousin could be somewhat unpredictable and volatile in how she could react, especially if she took the offer of help as a sign the person was doubting her abilities or saw her limp as some kind of weakness.

After a moment of hesitation, Watson replied. "You could set the table and maybe get the wine out."

Charlie breathed a sigh of relief at her cousin not being offended by the offer. There really did seem to be a visible change coming over Georgie, thought Charlie. Every now and then, she still expected that familiar explosion to burst from her cousin, yet despite all the stress she'd been under recently, Georgie seemed rather, well, at peace wasn't quite right, yet there was something more settled about her. Hopefully, her letting Shandi in was just the start her cousin needed to finally shed the shackles of her past.

"Mama, I wanna help too," said Jay and Shandi grinned at him. This evening, she'd also been able to see just how alike her nephew and sister were. They might not share blood, yet Jay had many of her characteristics, including a certain familiar stubborn stance. He really was an adorable little boy and a very loving one. He was obviously well loved in return, by both his mums. She could see that Georgie really was a woman who loved deeply and was loyal to family and friends and now that she'd introduced Jay to her as family, it gave Shandi hope about her own future relationship with her sister.

"Mmm, nice," murmured Charlie, admiring Joey's bra and panty clad body.

"Rather than stand there drooling, how about you close the door," Joey suggested to her gawking girlfriend.

"I like the view from the door."

"I'm sure Jay will too if he strolls by."

"Jay is too busy getting to know his aunty Shandi to even notice us."

"He does seem rather fascinated by her."

"That's because she's new and shiny," said Charlie. "He was just like that with you as well, when you met," she said. "He also had that same look of adoration on his face when he discovered what a wonderful person you were."

"He is a rather discerning little boy."

"That he is."

"Charlie, I didn't say anything before in front of Georgie, but our two friendly Detectives came by the Club today," said Joey as she searched through the clothes drawer. "They asked Aden a few questions, then took Alf behind closed doors. He wasn't in a very good mood by the time they left."

"They're certainly getting around," Charlie said. "They even had words to John and Gina today."

Joey held up the t-shirt, then tossed it aside, deciding on something a bit more dressy since they had a guest over for dinner. Charlie groaned with disappointment when the body she was admiring was covered up. Joey walked over to her girlfriend, a little sway to her hips as she stopped in front of her with a knowing smile. "You can look again later," she told her.

"I'll do more than look," murmured Charlie.

"If you can get over your performance anxiety," smirked Joey.

"Oh, did you have to remind me of that," she whined.

"Couldn't help myself." Joey put her arms around her and let her hands slip under Charlie's top.

"Jesus Joey," she whined again. "You didn't keep your promise."

"What promise was that?"

"That your hands would be warm when we were home."

"No, I didn't say they would be warm exactly," she said. "What I said was, that they'd be much warmer and they are."

"Not from where I'm standing."

Joey started to rub her hands along Charlie's back. "Still too cold?" she asked.

"Warming up," murmured Charlie and it wasn't just her back that her girlfriend's roaming and teasing hands under her shirt were warming up. Other parts of her were starting to get that familiar flush they usually got when Joey's hands worked their magic. She was just about to pull Joey closer when her sister's voice bellowed out.

"Hey guys, dinner is ready," yelled Ruby from the kitchen.

"Guess we'll just have to finish warming up later," Joey told her as she moved away from Charlie.

"Think I'm already warm," muttered Charlie.

"Aunty Chuck, can I have another piece?" Jay asked with his plate already out for more.

"Just a small piece for him, Charlie," said Watson as Charlie cut the end off the pizza slice, before placing it on his plate.

"Thank you Aunty Chuck."

Amused by the names she'd been hearing from Jay all night, Shandi turned to her young nephew. "Do I get a special aunty name as well, Jay," she asked. She covered her smile with her hand as he thought about it. He just had the cutest look of concentration on his face that she'd ever seen.

"I could think of a few names for you," said Watson and Charlie was pleased to see the humour in her cousin's eyes as she said that.

"I'm sure you could," Shandi drolly said back to her. "But I think the name should be able to be spoken in front of small children."

"Ruby's probably heard worse," said Watson with a completely straight face.

"Hey," the young girl said in protest. "I'm not a small child."

"You are small," Charlie joined in.

"I'm not much smaller than Georgie."

"She has a good point there," said Joey.

"I'm not small," argued Watson. "Though I do act like a child at times," she cheekily added.

"I think we're all guilty of doing that," said Shandi.

"Aunty DiDi," Jay piped in, much to the amusement of the others. Except for Shandi.

"Ha, you got your wish DiDi," chuckled Charlie. "You've now received the honour of a Jay name."

"Well I suppose I did ask for it," muttered a less than thrilled Shandi. She guessed she still had quite a bit to learn about kids, in particular, what questions not to ask them.

Hearing raised voices, the cop in Graves couldn't resist and she poked her head outside her hotel door.

"How dare you pretend to be me!" Shannon shouted and Graves smiled. Her girlfriend had bailed Gypsy Nash up right outside her room and while she was shorter than Gypsy, it was quite amusing to see the taller woman take a step back from the fired up writer. Her girlfriend really was a firecracker and a damn sexy one at that.

"It was nothing personal," said Gypsy.

"Well it feels pretty bloody personal to me," snapped Shannon. "And while we're at it, I don't like you being in that room."

"Too bad, because this is a free society and I can stay where I please."

"Why are you even here?"

"I don't have to explain myself to you." Noticing Graves out of the corner of her eye, Gypsy turned to her. "Detective, why don't you get your girlfriend under control?"

"Shannon's her own woman and not someone to get under control."

"I just don't want any trouble," Gypsy said.

"Then fuck off," Shannon stated harshly and Graves was finding it hard not to cheer.

"I'll leave when I damn well please," the other woman said. She turned her back on Shannon and entered her room, before shutting the door firmly in Shannon's face.

"Bitch," Shannon called through the door. "That woman is unbelievable," she muttered as she made her way toward her girlfriend. "She's acting like she's done nothing wrong."

Graves held her arms open and Shannon walked right into them. "I still shudder at the mere thought of that man banging that bitch while thinking she was me," said Shannon. "And I really don't like her being right next door to you."

"Neither do I, but on the plus side, it does give me an opportunity to keep an eye on her."

"Not too close an eye, I hope," she muttered. Shannon looked at her girlfriend. She was so calm and she saw, a little amused by it all. "What's so funny?"

"You all fired up," she replied. "It's also fucking sexy as hell."

"So you like me all fired up then?" asked Shannon with a suggestive smile. Being in her girlfriend's arms had had a wonderful calming effect on her, yet now she wanted something else.

"Ooh yeah, bloody hell I do," murmured Graves and upon recognising that glean in Shannon's eyes, she added, "And I have a feeling that dousing those flames is going to be just as much fun."

"Then why don't we just go and test that out for sure."

"I love the ideas you get."

"That's why I'm the writer," quipped Shannon as she dragged her girlfriend through the door and then pushed her up against it as it slammed shut, pressing her lips and body hard against hers.

"Come on little man, time for bed," Watson gently said to her son when his eyes kept shutting. She half expected a protest, yet he just turned to her sister instead.

"Aunty DiDi, can you read to me?"

Shandi glanced at her sister, who nodded her assent. "I'll be in shortly to tuck you in," Watson told her son.

"They really do seem quite taken with each other," said Joey, echoing Watson's earlier thoughts as they watched Jay lead his aunt out of the lounge room.

"Yeah," murmured Watson. Inviting her sister into her life hadn't been easy, because it wasn't just her life she'd invited Shandi in to. It was also her son's life and now that she'd taken this step, there was no going back. At least not with her sister. John on the other hand, was an entirely different matter. She still wasn't ready where he was concerned and she was unsure if she ever would be.

Joey flipped off the bathroom light. Dinner was over, Shandi was gone and everyone else was in bed and so now it was time to warm those hands up again.

"Oh Charlie," she murmured fondly when she noticed the state her girlfriend was in. Chuckling in good humour, she climbed into bed beside her sleeping girlfriend. For all her earlier talk, it appeared that Charlie was still too uncomfortable to have sex when her cousin and Jay were in the next room and so she had chosen to fall asleep instead. She snuggled in close to her and Charlie murmured briefly.

"I love you my gorgeous, yet prudish love," Joey whispered softly.