Feeling the lips on hers, Joey knows straight away that they didn't belong to Charlie. Opening her eyes, she looks up at Martha leaning over her. "Martha, what are you doing here?"

"I've come to see you, of course."

"Someone might see you."

"It's not as if we have to worry about your husband," Martha says, "Because you don't have one."

"Yeah, sorry about that," Joey says as sincerely as she could pretend.

"You could have told me you were gay Joey."

"I know, it's just become a habit I suppose to keep quiet about things." Joey sighs, staring at the ceiling. "I take it that it's all over town by now?"

"Oh yeah, Colleen's been telling anyone who will listen."

"I can just imagine."

"Can you at least tell me why Joey?"

"I don't hide that I'm gay, I just don't advertise it and I was married, so if people want to assume things about me, that's their problem, not mine."

"We had sex twice Joey and you let me think that you had a husband."

"When I told you that my heart belongs to another, it wasn't a lie."

"Your wife?"

"I've never stopped loving her and I guess I'm just not ready to move on."

"All I was offering Joey, was sex, not a commitment."

Joey looks her in the eye, "We'd already had sex twice Martha and I was starting to get the feeling that you wanted more."

Martha sighs, cursing herself for being so obvious. "And if I did?"

"I told you, I'm not ready to move on and I can't just have sex with someone and not start to feel something over time."

"Would that be so bad Joey, to start to feel?"

"It's too soon." Joey looks away, "I'm sorry Martha."

"I guess I've never loved anyone so much that I wanted to be alone after I had lost them, not even Jack."

"Riley was my life and I'm not willing to let her go just yet by getting involved with someone else," Joey says, hating to use her love for Riley as an excuse to get rid of Martha.

Martha nods her head sadly. "You know, if you hadn't been keeping this from everyone else, I might have been pissed."

"I never meant to hurt you Martha."

"It's my own fault and it's the risk I take when I go after married women, even those like you."

"Look at it this way Martha, at least Georgie won't be sticking your phone up your arse."

Martha grows thoughtful. "Is Georgie seeing anyone?"

Joey chuckles, "Oh god, don't go there Martha, she'd eat you alive."

"Yeah, but I think she could be fun," she says with a big grin. "I suppose I should be going before she catches me here."

"I am sorry Martha," Joey continues to lie easily.

"Oh well, I can't win them all." Martha leans over, kissing her softly. "That was just to say goodbye."

"Bye."

Martha glances back at Joey from the door. "Let me know if you change your mind, you know where to find me." Since learning the truth about Joey, Martha had contacted one of her cops to check into her a bit more and had found that only her sister was listed as family. Wishing she'd known this earlier, she wouldn't have bothered about the blackmail attempt and was grateful now that the photos had been a bust. As for anything else on Joey, there was frustratingly little other than she was a pain in the arse but a respected officer. With her thoughts now drifting to ways to change Joey's mind as she wanders down the corridor, Martha doesn't notice Watson until she feels a hand grip her arm tightly and drag her into the toilets.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Watson demands angrily.

"What do you think Georgie," Martha finally manages to break free of Watson's grip, "Now that I know there's no hubby, I figured that it wouldn't be a problem to come and see my girlfriend."

Watson advances on her, "She is not your girlfriend."

"Not yet," Martha smiles smugly, "But she will be."

Watson grabs her by the front of her top and slams her against the wall, surprising Martha with her anger and strength, "We had a deal Martha, now stay the fuck away from my sister."

"Chill Georgie."

"Stay the fuck away Martha, you won't call her or speak to her in any way, you don't even look at her or think about her, have you got that?" Actually a little afraid of Watson's anger, Martha nods. "Just leave her alone Martha." Watson releases her and steps back. "This is your last warning Martha," Watson warns as she walks away and out the door.

Still leaning against the wall, Martha straightens her top, her hands shaking a little at Watson's rage. "Fuck," she mutters as she realises that she may have to back away from Joey for the moment, unwilling to get Watson too far offside.

With her anger under control, Watson walks into her sister's room. "Don't worry about Martha, she won't be bothering you again." Joey looks at her sister carefully, wondering why she was so confident about that. Noticing her sister's look, Watson grins, "It's ok, I left her alive, she's just in no doubt now that pursuing you would be a very bad idea."

"I hope you're right."

"You're looking better."

Joey grimaces a little as she tries to get comfortable. "It still hurts if I move too quickly, but the doc says I may be out of here in a couple of days."

"That's great. I've been thinking about where we're going to stay when you get out of here."

"Why, you don't think Charlie and I will have worked things out by then?"

"I have no idea about that Joey, but that's not the reason. There's just not enough room for all of us at Charlie's so I'm going to have our place cleaned and the carpet replaced. Hopefully it will be done by the time you get out of here."

"I don't have a problem going back, but Graves might."

"She and Dex have barely left Charlie's spare room since she left the hospital, but I'll speak to her," she grins, "If I ever see her."

Joey chuckles, "God those two are hopeless."

"No, they're just very much in love and you weren't much better the first year you were married."

"It wasn't just the first year," Joey smiles at the memories.

"Riley certainly was one to capture your attention."

"Yeah she was and Harley's going to be just like her."

Watson grins a little maliciously at her, "I'm looking forward to the day when she brings her first boyfriend home to meet mummy."

Joey glares at her, crossing her arms, "My daughter is never dating."

Watson chuckles, "Joey, Harley may look like Riley, but she has a lot of your attitude in her so you're going to have a hell of a time with her once she stops seeing boys as the enemy."

Joey grimaces at the thought. "It's already starting," she complains. "Leah says that Harley and VJ are getting along like a house on fire."

"Ah, young love," she teases.

Joey rubs her brow, "God, how the hell am I going to handle a teenage girl, especially if she takes after me?"

"Fair's fair Joey," Watson pats her arm, earning a frosty glare. "It's only right that you go through what you put me and your foster family through during your teenage years."

"Me!" Joey cries out in outrage. "I got detentions for arguing with teachers, you were the one who got busted having sex in the back seat of a car." Joey sniggers, "Three times."

Watson blushes at the reminder. "I mean, geez Georgie, most people would learn after the first time, if not then, by the second time, but a third time." She shakes her head in mock disapproval.

"Can we not talk about this anymore?"

"You're the big sister Georgie, you're supposed to set the example."

"I'll remind you of that when you try to ground Harley for doing something you had done at the same age."

"Ok, enough of this talk. My daughter's only 10, I've got a little bit of time to work out a plan of attack in dealing with the whole dating thing."

"Ruby's turned out all right, maybe you should get some tips from Charlie."

"That's if she ever talks to me."

"In all fairness, Charlie hasn't really had much time to think about anything."

"This Liam guy?"

"Yeah, it seems like Summer Bay wasn't his only hunting ground."

"We searched for any similar M.O. but we never found any."

"Not in Australia, no. Liam lived overseas for a few years before he came to Summer Bay, so Charlie's been backtracking the places he's been; so far, she's traced a similar M.O. to five countries. DNA was found at the earlier rapes but with each one, it looked like he learnt and became more careful, leaving less evidence behind each time."

"No wonder we never found anything, by the time he got here, he had perfected it."

"And when his wife died, he took to cutting off their breasts." Watson shudders as she tells Joey that the missing breasts had been found in his freezer mixed in with the chicken breasts.

"I think I'm off chicken for the moment," Joey says, feeling a little ill.

"You were right about him studying his victims. He had taken dozens of photos of each victim, including Graves, but none of May."

"But there were ones of Sally, right?" Joey asks as she remembers what Charlie had said about May not being his intended victim.

"Yep. DNA ties him to the last two attacks so it looks like the rapist's reign of terror is officially over."

"Now all we have to do is get Rosetta and Martha."

"We will Joey, especially now that you have the added incentive."

"Sorry?"

"Don't play the innocent look with me Joey. You can't tell me that the idea of sticking Angelo in jail has become even more appealing now that you want Charlie for yourself." Joey shrugs, before grinning. "Just don't let that distract you Joey."

"I won't Georgie. I plan on being around for my daughter for a long time so that means cutting back on taking risks."

"Just cutting back?"

"I'm a cop Georgie and no matter how hard I try, I will always react in a certain way to situations so all I can do is try to avoid getting into those situations in the first place but that's not going to be easy."

"I suppose you're right. I'd better let you get some rest." After her sister had given her a hug goodbye, Joey lies back on the bed, her mind wondering as she starts to realise the changes she would have to make should she and Charlie work things out; changes to her career, where she would live and the fact that Charlie would be a step-mother to Harley and she to a teenage girl. "Stop thinking Joey, she's not even talking to you at the moment," Joey reminds herself, finding the possible changes strangely appealing, especially if it meant she'd be spending it with Charlie.

The following day, Leah stops by Charlie's. "I've just been to see Joey," she says as she walks past Charlie, "Which is more than I can say for you."

"Leah, I've been busy."

"That's no excuse Charlie. Joey nearly died and you haven't even been in to see her."

"I have been to see her."

Leah glares at her, "You saw her when she was asleep."

Charlie sighs at Leah's stubborn stance, knowing she was in for it, she asks Leah if she wants a coffee.

"You must be happy now that Roman is back." Setting the coffee in front of Leah, Charlie takes the seat opposite her.

"Of course I am, but we're not talking about me, we're talking about you. You can't keep avoiding her Charlie."

Charlie stares into her coffee, "I want to see her, it's just that I'm still trying to get my head around everything."

"Charlie, does learning that Joey is gay and is a widow change your feelings for her in anyway?"

"No."

"Then what's the problem?"

"I know I could have come straight out and asked her about her marriage and I know I'm being a coward, but it hurts, it hurts that she let me think she was married, even after we got together."

"Charlie, I don't know Joey that well, but I suspected that Joey was keeping something from you about her marriage and I'm sure if you had been thinking clearly, you'd probably have realised that too." Leah grins at her, "Obviously you had other things on your mind."

Charlie chuckles softly. "I've been going over my conversations with both Joey and Georgina and you're right, I should have seen something was up. When she talked of going home, it was always just to see her daughter and neither of them actually said anything about a husband."

"I know what she's going through Charlie. When Vinnie died, I felt guilty every time I went on a date and the first time I made love after his death, I felt like I was betraying him. Hell, it took me two years before I could even take his ring off."

"I know that Leah, but you never lied."

"Sure I did. When I still wore his ring, there were times when I pretended that I was still married to knock back guys who asked me out and other times, I pretended that I had never been married because I didn't want to answer any questions they may have."

Charlie smiles wryly. "The first couple of guys I dated after Ruby was born, I pretended that she was my little sister and not my daughter," she admits.

"Joey doesn't strike me as the most open person." Charlie snorts at Leah's words. "And Georgina didn't give me any details, but she mentioned that their childhood, especially Joey's wasn't that good."

"No, it wasn't. I don't know the details myself," Charlie stops. "Shit. She wasn't even able to open up to her own sister about it all until recently."

"Then you need to consider that if you intend to have a relationship with Joey, you may need to accept that Joey's the type of person who keeps things to herself and that you may have to wait for her to come to you."

"I'm feeling a little stupid at the moment."

"You're not stupid Charlie and I'm sure Joey will understand why you needed time to think things over but you need to stop avoiding her and talk to her."

"I know that, it's just that the entire time I've had feelings for her, I've felt this guilt because I thought it was wrong to be having those thoughts for a married woman."

"And then you find out she wasn't married."

Charlie sighs, "No, she's still married in a way."

"Is that what's worrying you, that she won't love you as much as she loved Riley?"

"Is it wrong to feel that way?"

"No, I don't think so. Charlie, Vinnie was my first love and he's the father of my son and I will always love him, but that hasn't stopped me from loving Roman too and I couldn't be happier." Leah studies Charlie for a bit. "Is that the only thing you're scared of?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Well, now that you know there's no husband standing in the way, she's free to commit but you're not."

Charlie looks down to her finger which was ringless. "I am free Leah," she holds her hand up to show her. "Without even realising it, I've been leaving Angelo's ring off."

"You still haven't faced him yet."

"I know I don't have a good record of standing up to him, but that's changed lately."

"Because of Joey?"

"The way she stood up to Morag and my father, I've never seen anyone do that." Charlie smiles, "And she believes in me. Even when we were barely civil to each other, when I had doubts that I was failing with the rape investigation, she listened to my theories and she kept telling me that I was doing all I could be doing."

"You were Charlie."

"I know, but hearing it from her made me believe it." Charlie shrugs, "The only time my father ever praised me was when I said yes to Angelo." Charlie pushes her untouched coffee aside, "I just wish he was here so I could get this over with."

"When's he due back?"

"I'm not sure but I hope it's soon. I need to do this in person, I owe him that much."

"Charlie, whatever happens, don't give up on Joey, because I think the two of you could be so good for each other."

"After sitting across from her that first day in the interview room, if someone had told me that a short time later I'd be in love with her, I'd have had them committed. Leah, she makes me feel special and when we made love, it wasn't just about her," her body flushing as it remembers that day, "My pleasure was as important to her as her own."

"Then what the fuck are you doing here talking to me then?"

Charlie grins, "I have no idea." Jumping up from the table, Charlie grabs her keys, yelling out for Leah to close the door after her. "Good luck Charlie, you deserve to be happy."

"Was that Charlie I heard?" Graves asks as she staggers out of her room, much to Leah's amusement.

"Yeah, she's going to see Joey."

"About time." Graves yawns as she sits, picking up Charlie's discarded coffee and taking a long sip.

"I take it your feeling better?"

"Definitely," she says with a huge grin.

"Where's Dex?"

"Sleeping." Graves sniggers, "I think I've warn him out."

Leah chuckles, "It can't be easy to be away from him for so long."

"I hate it but the times we do get together certainly makes up for some of it."

"I've been meaning to ask, um." Leah pauses, feeling embarrassed. "Graves, um, was I just imagining that Dex had makeup on when I saw him yesterday?"

"No, he has an internet blog he started in High School and one of the characters is a teenage girl." She shrugs, "It doesn't matter where he is, if it's time for Sheila to appear on the blog, she'll be there."

"Oh, I thought," she shakes her head, "Never mind."

"I know Dex is a little out there, but he's a great guy."

"You two just seem so different."

"We are but that's what we love about each other."

"He does have a certain charm about him."

"Yeah he does." Graves stands up, "He's going home in a few days, so if you'll excuse me, I'm going to make the most of having him here."

Leah shakes her head at their youthful exuberance, feeling a little sorry for poor old Dex, even though he probably enjoyed every second on it.

Having no idea what she was actually going to say to Joey when she walks into her room, Charlie takes one look at those brown eyes staring back at her with uncertainty and she's rushing to her side, her lips on hers. Their kiss, long and slow, eventually ends when Charlie pulls away.

"Wow," Joey says, feeling confused and breathless. "That wasn't the greeting I was expecting."

Charlie smiles shyly, "It wasn't planned." Dragging the chair over, Charlie sits down and takes Joey's hand in hers. "I just saw you there and nothing else mattered for the moment."

"I've missed you," Joey says softly.

Charlie looks at her guiltily, "I'm sorry I haven't been here earlier."

"I know you've had a lot to deal with."

"I still shouldn't have left it this long."

"It's ok Charlie, I know it can't have been easy finding out like that."

"Was this what you were going to tell me that night before Georgina interrupted?"

"Yeah. I hated keeping it from you, but I was here to do a job and I don't really discuss my private life. Charlie, we hardly got off to the best start."

"No shit," Charlie says with a grin.

Joey smiles wryly, "mostly because of my attitude, but I want you to understand that it wasn't done to deliberately mislead you." Joey shrugs, regretting it as she winces. "Ow."

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah, just gotta remember, no sudden movements." With the pain easing a little, Joey continues. "I don't really talk about these things Charlie and I never expected to get involved with anyone while I was here." Joey sighs, "I've never been ashamed of being gay, but at the same time, I don't shout out at the top of my lungs that I am. Most of the people who I worked with were fine with it." Joey grins, "They were more put off by my attitude than the fact that I was gay. As for my marriage, it's just easier to play the married woman, to keep people at a distance and," Joey looks down at the ring on her finger, "In a way I'm still married. I promised Riley on our wedding day that as long as I wore the ring, my heart belonged to her." Fearing that Joey can't move on, Charlie can feel her heart breaking. Twirling the ring a couple of times, Joey slides it off, relieved that she had only felt a little guilt as she did it. Holding it in her hand, she gazes at it.

"Are you sure Joey?" Charlie asks, a renewed hope in her heart.

"I will always love her Charlie," she closes her hand over the ring, "but it's time to move on."

Charlie puts her hand over Joey's clasped one. "Why don't you keep it for Harley?"

"I'm already dreading her first boyfriend and you're talking about her getting married," Joey jokes.

"Believe me, I know the feeling. Ruby's at that age now when I'm dreading coming home and finding her with a boy." Incredibly touched by Joey's actions, Charlie gets serious again. "I am pissed off that you made me question Angelo's honesty when all the time you've been less than honest, but I guess I have to take some of the blame. I could have asked."

"I probably would have told you if you had asked."

Charlie shakes her head, a wry smile on her face. "We really need to work on our communication."

Joey grins, "I'm not the world's best communicator."

"Obviously."

"I know that I should have said something to you before we made love, but by then I had been keeping it from you for so long and I guess I was scared of losing you."

"Joey, are there other things that you're keeping from me?"

Joey looks down, "Yes."

"Joey, if there's no honesty, there's really not much point in going ahead, is there," Charlie says with a sense of great disappointment.

"Charlie, please look at me." Wincing again as she sits up, Joey takes both of Charlie's hands in her own. "There are things that I'm keeping from you, but I can't tell you what they are so I'm asking you to just trust me for the moment."

"Why can't you tell me?"

"Please Charlie, it's not that I don't want to tell you, it's that I can't, not yet."

Seeing the honesty in her eyes, Charlie wants to agree but is still wary. "Can you promise me here and now that you will tell me what you are keeping from me?"

"I promise you Charlie, when the time is right, I will tell you everything."

Charlie closes her eyes, weighing up her options; walk away now and lose Joey or take a chance and trust that Joey will confide in her. Realising there was only one option, she nods as she opens her eyes.

"Thank you Charlie."

"I reserve the right to be thoroughly pissed off with you if you don't tell me."

"I keep my promises Charlie and even though you may not like what I have to tell you, I promise you that you will know everything." Joey sighs, "Charlie, I don't like keeping things from you, but there are times when I may need to, either because of work or because I'm just not ready to talk about things."

Charlie chuckles, "You do make life interesting Joey."

"I can make it a whole lot more interesting right now."

"Oh."

"Yeah. Why don't you close the door?" She suggests with a cheeky grin.

"You're hardly in any condition to do much Joey," Charlie says, her heart starting to race at the look of hunger in Joey's eyes.

"I think I can handle making out with my girlfriend on the bed."

"Girlfriend?" Charlie says, pleased at the reference.

"Well, that's what you are, aren't you?" Joey asks a little uncertainly.

"Yes." Rushing over and closing the door, Charlie rushes back to the bed as Joey makes room for her. Charlie lies on her side, her head next to Joey's on the pillow. Being careful of Joey's wound, Charlie moves closer, her hand resting gently on Joey's hip as their lips find one another again.

Next Chapter, Joey and Charlie talk some more