"I didn't hear Joey come home last night, did everything go ok with Charlie?" Graves asks as she walks into the kitchen the next morning.

Watson shakes her head. "Charlie slammed the door in her face."

"Ouch," Graves says, really feeling for her friend.

"Joey went around there this morning hoping she'll talk to her this time."

"Georgie, it couldn't have been easy for Charlie to find out that way," Graves says reasonably.

"I get that, but she's supposed to love my sister, you think she could at least give Joey a chance to explain." She pushes her bowl away angrily. "Charlie and Joey weren't even together at the time so why should it even matter who Joey slept with."

"Because it's Martha and we have no idea what she actually said to Charlie."

"If Charlie gave Joey a chance, she'd know the truth," she says angrily. "Jesus Graves, Charlie knows what Martha is like and after the way Joey has bent over backwards to accommodate her need for secrecy, the least she can do is listen to Joey."

"You're not going to say anything to Charlie, are you?"

"That depends on Charlie," she says stubbornly.

"Stay out of it Georgie, neither of them will appreciate you interfering."

"I am not going to sit back and let her hurt my sister because she has a problem with Martha."

"Georgie, give them a chance to sort it out for themselves."

Watson sighs. "Fine, but I'm not going to sit back and say nothing if Charlie continues to ignore her."

"If they can't sort it out, I'll help you bang their heads together."

Ruby opens the door, her expression less than welcoming when she sees Joey standing there. "Mum's not here."

Joey's shoulders drop in disappointment. "She didn't leave for work already, did she?"

"She's gone for a run." Ruby glares angrily at her, "I thought you were different."

"Ruby."

"I don't want to hear it," she shuts the door.

"Great," Joey mutters to the closed door.

Struggling for breath after an especially strenuous run, Charlie curses when she sees the figure heading her way. Despite her lack of breath, she puts her headphones back on and runs off, brushing past Joey without even acknowledging her. Joey watches her, trying to ignore the growing distance she was feeling from her. With a heavy heart, Joey trudges back home.

"I don't fucking believe this," Charlie mutters when she finds Angelo leaning against her car after her run.

He smiles his most charming smile as he holds a dozen roses out for her. "To say I'm sorry."

"For what?" she snaps at him.

His smile falters slightly. "For everything."

"Including climbing a tree to spy on me?"

"That was a misunderstanding. Charlie, I hate this distance between us, can't we at least be friends?" He appeals to her.

Charlie shakes her head, "Angelo, you've behaved appallingly since we broke up, you refuse to listen to me when I tell you we're finished and you've been trying to tell me who I can and can't be friends with."

"If this is just about that dyke, I'm willing to admit that maybe I was wrong about her."

"Really?" Charlie says in complete surprise.

"I still hate that she's investigating me, but I was wrong to try to tell you to stay away from her. Charlie, I really thought she was after you, but I know that she's not, because she's been banging Martha pretty much from the moment she got to town."

"Who told you that?"

"I ran into Martha earlier." He tries to hide his grin when he sees the effect his words were having on her. "I can't say that I approve of two women together, but I have to admit that they'd look pretty hot together."

"I have to go," the pain in her heart growing at the reminder of Joey's betrayal.

"Can't you join me for breakfast?"

"I've already eaten and I need to get ready for work."

"How about lunch? Just as friends Charlie."

"That wouldn't be a good idea, Angelo."

"Why not?"

She reaches for the handle of her car door, forcing Angelo to move. "Angelo, we can never be just friends because you can't even accept that our relationship is finished."

"You're right, I can't accept it because you and I are meant to be."

Charlie shakes her head. "We're not Angelo and we never will be."

Angelo's eyes narrow. "Fuck, there's another man, isn't there. Who is the fucking bastard?" he demands angrily.

Charlie looks him in the eye and tells him with all honesty, that there isn't another man. Believing her, Angelo breathes a sigh of relief. "I knew you'd never cheat on me."

"Angelo, for fucks sake, we're not together anymore," Charlie explodes, "So I wouldn't be fucking cheating on you if I fucked every man in town." She jumps into her car, nearly running over Angelo's foot when she backs up.

"I'm the only one for you Charlie and you'd better not find anyone else or he's a dead man," he whispers, crushing the roses in his anger.

"Georgie gone to work?" Joey asks.

"She just left. I take it things didn't go well."

Joey slumps onto the couch beside Graves. "I now have mother and daughter against me."

"Things will work out."

"How? I can't even get her to talk to me."

"She loves you Joey."

"Right now, I'm pretty sure she hates me."

"Of course she doesn't."

Joey sighs in frustration. "I should have told her Graves, before Martha ever had a chance to. God only knows what spin Martha put on it."

"You know why you couldn't tell her."

"Of course I fucking do," Joey fumes. Taking a deep breath, she apologises for taking it out on her. "I don't want to lose her but I still can't tell her the truth."

"Once Charlie's calmed down, I'm sure you can find a way to explain it to her without revealing too much. Joey, she knows what Martha is like and she also knows that you love her, she's just hurting too much to think clearly at the moment."

"There's one way to find out what Martha said to her."

"Joey, the best thing you can do is to stay away from Martha." Joey scowls at her. "Joey, the damage has already been done and you don't want Martha getting suspicious if both you and Charlie overreact too much, because you're just supposed to be friends, nothing more. And how would it look to Charlie if she found out you went and saw Martha?" Graves says, glad Watson had thought of that last little incentive to keep Joey away from Martha.

"Fuck," she mutters. "If I so much as look at Martha at the moment, Charlie will probably get the wrong idea."

"Exactly. Joey, you don't need to be at the station today, so why don't you give Charlie a bit of space and stay away, at least for today?"

She sighs heavily, before nodding. "So where's Dex?"

"He's got exams in a few days so he's gone somewhere quiet to study."

"Without you?"

Graves grins, "He claims that I'm a distraction."

"Can't think why," Joey says sarcastically.

"That's what I said." Graves pats her leg before standing. "You and Charlie are meant to be Joey, you have to believe that. I'm going to go to the station, give you a bit of time alone." She looks back at her from the door.

"I'll stay away from Martha," Joey promises.

Graves nods, satisfied. "I'll see you later."

Charlie jumps when a bunch of files are dumped unceremoniously onto her desk. "These are the files you asked for."

"Georgie, can we talk?"

"I'm not the one you should be talking to." Watson turns on her heels and leaves the office.

Already struggling with her emotions, Charlie sighs unhappily, realising now that if she ended things with Joey, she'd most likely lose her friendship with Georgie as well. Charlie puts her head in her hands, fighting back her tears, "What a mess."