"You know, rumour has it that I'm gay," Joey whispers against Charlie's lips.

"You don't say," Charlie says between kisses.

"Yeah, people might get the wrong idea about you being in here alone with me behind a closed door."

"I'll just say that I'm interviewing you about the attack to tie up loose ends," Charlie says, too caught up in Joey's lips to give it too much thought.

"Nice interview technique."

"I happen to like it," her lips finding Joey's again.

Making out with her girlfriend. It still sounded a little weird to Charlie but it felt so right to be lying here next to Joey and she now wondered how she could have risked throwing it all away, especially as she was fast becoming addicted to Joey's lips, her touch, everything about her. Losing herself in their kisses, loving the softness of Joey's lips, Charlie feels herself growing more excited, her hand moving from Joey's hip to her front.

"Ow, ow," Joey cries out, clutching her wound.

"Shit, sorry," Charlie sits up and snatches her hand away. "I'm so sorry Joey, I forgot."

Still wincing slightly, Joey manages a smile, "It's ok, I forgot for a moment there myself."

"Do you need a doctor or something?"

Joey rolls onto her back, shaking her head. "I'll be right in a minute."

"I really am sorry," she says, brushing the hair from Joey's eyes.

"Charlie, it's ok," she squeezes Charlie's hand, "We both just got lost in the moment." Lying on her side again, keeping her hands to herself, Charlie suddenly starts to giggle. "What?" Joey asks in confusion.

"We're finally together and we can't actually be together."

Joey grins, "And you find that funny?"

"No," Charlie buries her face in the pillow by Joey's head. "It's as frustrating as hell," she moans.

Joey chuckles, "It's nice to be wanted."

"You have no idea how much I want you right now," comes her muffled reply.

"Even if I was up to it and we went for it right here and now," Joey says, "Chances are, a doctor, a nurse or anyone would end up with an eyeful like Leah."

"Oh god, don't remind me." With her face flushed with embarrassment and arousal, Charlie jumps off the bed and walks to the other side of the room. "I really shouldn't be so close to you right now."

"Charlie, I'm sure it's safe for you to be a little closer than that."

With a sheepish smile, Charlie moves to the chair beside her bed. "Sorry. Are you sure you're ok?"

"Yes Charlie, I'm fine, what about you, you seem kind of rattled."

"I've just never felt like this before and it's making me a little crazy."

"Hey, I'm not complaining," Joey assures her, secretly pleased at the effect she seemed to have on her. "I'm just sorry I nearly blew it all."

"Look, I understand about you keeping things to yourself and I'm going to hold you to your promise to tell me eventually."

"I will tell you everything Charlie, you have my word," Joey assures her again.

"Then let's move past this."

Joey nods in agreement. "There is something we need to talk about though, I mean, you know now that I'm single, but you still have a fiancé."

"Joey, when Angelo gets back into town, I'm going to end it with him."

"Just be careful when you do Charlie, he's not going to like it."

"Neither will my father, especially when he finds out why."

"I've dealt with people like your father before Charlie, we can deal with him if we have to."

"We," Charlie muses. "I like the sound of that."

"So do I." Joey holds her hand out. Smiling, Charlie takes it. "No regrets?"

"Plenty, but not where you're concerned." Charlie brings Joey's hand to her lips, "I want to be with you Joey."

"Even though that sometimes I'm a secretive, grumpy bitch?"

Charlie frowns, "What do you mean, sometimes?"

"Hey," Joey says in mock protest. "I'll have you know that I've actually mellowed over the years."

Charlie snorts, "If this is a mellower you, then I'm glad we've only met recently." Charlie stares at Joey's hand in her own, "Joey, this is kind of going to sound hypocritical considering the way I reacted to you keeping things from me, but when I end it with Angelo, I don't want to stir up trouble by revealing our relationship too early."

"So you want us to pretend that we're not in a relationship?" Joey says, her lips twitching.

Charlie smiles wryly, "Like I said, it's hypocritical, but this is all so new to me and I'd like to get to know you better without everyone putting in their two cents worth and judging us."

"You're worried about how people will react to us?"

"Not just that." Charlie smiles, "I'm still getting used to the idea of being with a woman and people just aren't going to understand why I ended it with Angelo. He's well-liked and ever since we got engaged people have been telling me how lucky I am to be marrying such a great guy." Joey rolls her eyes at that. "And I don't want them blaming you for my failed engagement."

"Aren't I to blame?"

"Maybe a little, but only because you made me realise I was making a mistake with Angelo. It was never going to work with him, I just wasn't willing to admit it."

"Well, you know my feelings about that guy and I could care less about what people think about me, but I also understand how difficult this is going to be for you and I don't want to add to that so if you want to keep this quiet for the moment, then we will."

"Thank you Joey." She shakes her head, "I guess now that I've thought about it, I understand even more why you like to keep things to yourself."

"I get why you want to keep this quiet Charlie, but if Leah picked up on that there was something between us, won't other people?"

"Leah knows me a lot better than most and I really doubt that anyone would ever suspect me of being romantically involved with you."

"So as long as I don't stick my tongue down your throat in public, we should be right."

Charlie burst out laughing, finding herself relaxing again. "Oh god, if you did that in front of Colleen, you'd probably kill her."

"Charlie, if you want me to be on my best behaviour, don't give me any encouragement like that," Joey says, trying not to imagine what kissing Charlie in public would be like.

"It'll only be until things die down after I end things with Angelo."

"Charlie, aren't you forgetting the reason why I'm here?"

"No." Charlie sighs, "I know you're still investigating Angelo."

"Can I ask, has your opinion changed of him?"

Charlie takes a moment to ponder that. "I know he's not the same guy I fell in love with, but I'm still not willing to believe that he's capable of murdering Trevor."

Joey nods a little. "Fair enough."

"Joey, can you tell me about Riley?" Charlie asks suddenly.

Joey looks at her in surprise. "Are you sure you want to hear about her?"

"She was an important part of your life and Harley's mum, I'd like to know about her."

Joey gets more comfortable as she wonders what she should tell Charlie. "I was waiting for Georgie at the station where she was at the time and she came in dragging this hooker she'd just arrested for soliciting." Charlie's eyes open wide in astonishment. Noticing the look, Joey chuckles, "Riley was a cop Charlie and she was undercover as a hooker when Georgie arrested her as a way to bring her in. Anyway, I'd just turned 18 and was thinking of joining the academy and Riley was a couple of years older with a two year old daughter. I was interested in her straight away but I was just Georgie's kid sister so Riley kind of just dismissed me." Joey pauses as the memories come back. "It took a lot of pestering on my part to get her to go out with me, but I think in the end, it was the fact that Harley took an instant shine to me that convinced her to give me a go."

"Somehow that doesn't surprise me. It didn't take Harley long to get everyone wrapped around her little finger, especially when she turns those big brown eyes on you."

Joey grins, "Yeah, she worked out pretty quickly how to get what she wants."

Charlie smiles, "She's very lucky to have you."

"No, I'm lucky to have her. She's the one who helped me keep it together when Riley died."

"How did she die?" Charlie asks gently.

"It was a Sunday afternoon and I was getting Harley ready to take her to the park while Riley was waiting in the car. As we were walking out the door, there was this loud noise," Joey stops. Realising how hard this was for Joey, Charlie squeezes her hand in support. "It was a gunshot...I left Harley inside and closed the door...there was a hooded figure running away from our car." Joey closes her eyes. "I walked over to the car, there was blood everywhere."

"He had killed Riley?" Charlie asks, her heart breaking at the pain in Joey's voice.

"Point-blank to the side of her head, she never stood a chance."

"Did you get the guy?"

"It wasn't a guy, it was a woman. She was the wife of a guy Riley had arrested. He got killed in jail and she blamed Riley."

"I am so sorry Joey."

"I don't know what was worse," Joey says wiping away her tears, "Seeing Riley like that or walking back inside and telling our daughter that we weren't going to the park and that her mum was gone."

Charlie climbs back up on to the bed beside her, gently taking her in her arms. "I'm sorry, I thought I had dealt with this."

"It's ok to still be upset Joey, I can only imagine what you must have gone through."

Noticing the way Joey was staring at her hand where her ring had been, Charlie takes it in hers. "It's been 14 months now and I never thought I'd be able to move on," she looks up at Charlie, "Until now."

Charlie wipes a stray tear from Joey's cheek, "She will always be an important part of your life Joey," Charlie says, no longer feeling any jealousy towards Riley.

"I know. Harley looks so much like her."

"You know Joey, you may not be Harley's biological mum, but she sure is like you."

Joey grins at the compliment. "That's what everyone says."

"Well she is." Charlie looks at Joey carefully. "Are you getting tired?"

"No," Joey says, a big yawn betraying her. "God, I hate being weak."

"You're not weak Joey, just injured." Charlie moves off the bed again. "I'd better be going anyway."

"I'm glad we talked Charlie."

"I am too." Not really wanting to leave her, Charlie kisses Joey goodbye, smiling against her lips when she sees that Joey was already asleep. "I love you Joey," she whispers to the sleeping woman before reluctantly leaving.

Ruby grins when her mother practically floats into the house. "I take it that things went well?" Charlie frowns at her. "Graves mentioned something about you going to see Joey."

"Yes, things went well."

"Then you and Joey are definitely together?"

With a slightly dreamy expression, Charlie informs her daughter that yes, Joey was now officially her girlfriend. Wincing at Ruby's squeal of delight, Charlie tells her that they're keeping their relationship quiet for the moment.

"I don't care mum, I'm just glad you're giving it a chance."

"I had to Ruby, I love her and while she's still got her secrets, I'm trusting her to tell me when the time is right."

"So is she moving in with us?"

"Fair go Ruby, we've only just gotten together!"

Ruby rolls her eyes at her mother's reaction. "I meant, while Graves and Georgina are still here."

"Oh." Feeling embarrassed, Charlie shrugs. "I'm not sure. I know that Georgina is intending to move back to her place once the carpets replaced, I just don't know when that will be."

"Just so you know, if you want to have sleepovers with Joey, I'm fine with it."

Charlie shakes her head in exasperation, "Ruby, can you at least give me and Joey time to get used to the idea of being together without you suggesting sleepovers."

"It's not as if you haven't already slept together."

"Ruby, I am not talking about this with you."

"Fine," Ruby mumbles.

Chuckling, Charlie asks where the others were. "Georgina's taken Harley for a walk and Dex and Graves went to the movies." Ruby smirks, "I doubt they'll see much of it."

"Ruby," Charlie gently scolds her daughter.

"Can you blame me mum, they've barely left the room since they came here."

"They've been a part for a while now and Graves suffered a traumatic experience, it's only natural for them to spend all this time together."

Ruby snorts. "I'd love to know where they get their energy from," she murmurs. Wondering the same thing, Charlie chooses not to say anything.

"With everyone out, that means the bathroom is free so I'm going to shower."

"Mum," Ruby calls out just before her mother leaves the room. "I really am happy for you."

"Thanks Ruby."

Later that night, her dreams filled with Joey, Charlie feels her mind drifting toward consciousness. Sensing something was wrong, she wakes to see a shadow moving over her. Screaming, she strikes out with her fist, connecting with something solid. "Ah fuck," a man's voice screams out in pain.

Recognising the voice, Charlie turns the lamp on and glares at him. "Angelo!"

Yep, he's baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack :(