"God, another hour and we'll be home," Charlie murmurs against Joey's shoulder as she leans against her back while Joey drove the boat.

"I did suggest that we keep going, but no, you wanted to be all responsible and go home to our families and jobs," she says in a teasing voice.

"Believe me Joey, if not for our families and jobs, I'd happily spend the rest of my life on this boat with you. This is by far the best holiday I've ever had," she kisses Joey's shoulder, before resting her chin there. "We had time with our girls as a family." She smirks, "And then we had a week of love making."

"That's not all we did. We did talk."

"When we had the energy."

Joey grins, turning her head, "Are you complaining?"

"Definitely not." She brushes her lips over Joey's.

"It's too bad you called ahead and told them when to expect us."

"Believe me, I'm regretting it now."

"We could be late."

"Can you imagine Graves if we did that? She'd know exactly why we were late."

"I'm sure she and Dex were doing the same on their trip."

"Still, they'll be waiting for us and as much as I've loved being with just you, I have really missed everyone."

"Same here, especially the girls. I feel a bit guilty about leaving Harley again after all our time apart."

"She understands why she had to stay in the city and she was the one who wanted to spend more time with her grandparents than with us." She holds Joey tighter, "Harley is a happy, well-adjusted girl who adores you and you have nothing to feel guilty about. Joey, you've done a wonderful job as a single mother after the loss you both suffered."

Joey smiles at her, "Thanks. You've done a pretty good job on your own with Ruby."

"Not really, Ruby just came that way," she jokes.

"That I can actually believe."

Joey barely had time to tie the boat to the dock, before her daughter had her arms around her.

"I missed you mummy."

"I missed you too." She hugs and kisses her. "I hope you weren't too much trouble for your grandparents."

"Oh please, Xavier was far more trouble than I was."

Joey chuckles, not at all surprised if that was true.

"Mum, guess what?" She says excitedly, jumping up and down, "Nana and granddad are moving here."

Joey raises her eyebrows at Charlie who was peering over Ruby's head in surprise.

"Ruby, do you know what Harley is talking about?" asks Joey.

"I think Gina actually wanted to tell you the news herself," she says with a smile at Harley.

"Oops, I forgot," Harley says guiltily.

"It's ok honey, I'm sure your nan won't mind you telling us." Giving Ruby a hug while Harley hugs Charlie, Joey wonders what was going on. She looks up as Gina approaches. "So you did have a reason for wanting everyone gone."

"I'll admit it was much easier to get things done without you lot about, but I offered to look after the girls because Georgie and Hugo deserved a break."

"Just what have you been up to?"

Gina grins, "John and I have brought the caravan park and house."

"You've what!"

"Now Joey, I know you sometimes have difficulty in understanding me."Joey rolls her eyes at the familiar words, "But I'm sure you heard me clearly."

"Um, why don't I take the girls home," Charlie offers. "Let you two talk things over."

"Charlie, you don't need to do that, you're family now," Gina says with a smile. "There's some refreshments at my place, we can talk about it all there."

"Where are the others?" asks Joey.

"They're running late."

Charlie and Joey look at each. "Ok, maybe we could have been late," Charlie whispers as they follow Gina.

A short time later, Joey sits back in the chair, shaking her head. "You brought this place because it was charming?" she asks in disbelief. "You do know that a woman was attacked in this house."

"I'm aware of that and the room in which it happened will be kept as a storage room only." Gina looks over at Charlie who was sitting a little uncomfortably by Joey's side. "I hope it's not going to be too difficult for you to be here Charlie."

"I admit that it's a little unnerving being back here." Charlie glances around her, "But I spent a lot of happy times here with May and the others and I think I'd like to remember this place that way." She smiles a little shyly, "And I think if anyone can make this house into a happy place again, it will be you."

Gina smiles back at her, "I'll certainly try my best."

"Gina, what about your job?" asks Joey.

"I'm not retiring completely. They're still short of teachers here, so I'm going to fill in until they find a replacement." She smiles at her, "Joey, my kids have always been the most important people to me and I want to get to know my new family."

"Gina, we're adults and we only live a couple of hours away."

"You're still my kids and I want to see my grandkids more than just on the holidays and the odd weekend. Plus, these are Georgie and Penelope's first pregnancies and I want to be there for them, especially Penelope. Her parents aren't going to be any support to her."

Joey shakes her head, smiling wryly. "You do love your strays."

"I never regretted a day after taking you in." She grins, "Despite your attempts to make life difficult for everyone."

"You don't say," Charlie smirks. "Joey making life difficult for everyone."

"I have managed to smooth over some of the more rougher edges, but she wouldn't be Joey if she wasn't a little difficult."

"Me difficult," mutters Joey. "Wait until you're around Graves long enough and you'll find out what high maintenance is."

"At least Penelope respects her elders." Her lips twitch, "Or she did before she started spending so much time with the Watson girls."

Joey grins. "Hey, don't blame me, I learnt from Georgie."

Gina shakes her head fondly at her. "Are you really sure you want to take her on Charlie?"

Charlie takes Joey's hand. "More than anything."

"You've got a good one there Joey," she says, causing Charlie to blush.

"Yeah, I have," Joey says, brushing her lips over Charlie's. "Is this really what you want to do Gina?"

"Joey, it's done and this isn't just a spur of the moment decision. John and I had been discussing for some time about making a change and when you and Hugo both decided to stay here and John heard about the sale of this place," she shrugs, "It just seemed too much of an opportunity to ignore."

"What about Xavier, I can't see him staying in the city on his own."

"Ah yes, Xavier," she sighs. "He's quit uni."

"He's what!"

"Chucked it all in."

"Did he say why?"

"Xavier was never as academically inclined like the rest of you and he was struggling."

"He's not stupid though, he's just lazy."

"He only went to uni because Dex and his friends did but he was falling behind and with Dex already graduating, Xav just felt he was wasting his time by staying."

"So what's he going to do, bum around the beach?"

"I think that was his intention, until John and I told him that if he expected to live with us, then he needed to pull his weight and help with the running of the caravan park or get a job."

"I bet that went down well."

"We gave him the holidays to think things through." She shrugs, "He chose work."

"Xav's got a job?"

"John's set up an apprenticeship for him on the boats."

"Boats, as in more than one? Just what the hell have you all been up to since we've been gone."

Gina chuckles. "You know what John is like, he never does things by halves. He's bought out a charter company and also the boat that Hugo was using for his undercover role."

"That was police property." She shakes her head. "And I just bet that John got it at a bargain price."

"It was seized in a drug bust and would have been put up for auction if Hugo hadn't needed it, so John didn't feel too bad about getting them to sell it for well below the value."

"God, that guy could get the pope to sell the Vatican," muses Joey.

"He is a smooth talker," Gina says with fondness. "Anyway, he's going to do up the boats and charter Hugo's boat out for fishing and the other two boats will be for cruises. Xav will be an apprentice mechanic and deck hand and he'll also be learning about the business so he can take over from John one day."

"And Xav agreed?"

"He's always been good when it comes to tinkering with things and he's going to be paid to do something he really enjoys doing."

"Wow, Xav is growing up."

Gina grimaces. "At least in some areas."

"Nicole?" Joey takes a guess, remembering the way they'd been all over each other on the day of the move.

"Roman's not very happy about his 16 year old daughter dating someone who's nearly 20."

"Xavier is dating Nicole and he's still alive?" Charlie says in surprise.

"For the moment," Gina murmurs.

Joey smiles wryly, "I still can't believe you're doing this."

"Except for Shandi, all of our family is here now and I really don't want to miss my grandkids growing up."

"Well, I'm glad you're staying."

"So am I," Charlie says. "When do you intend to move all your belongings from the city here?"

"Not for a few days yet but we brought the bare essentials with us, so I'm sure we can survive."

"Knock, knock," Watson sticks her head in the door. "We found the note at home saying to come here, does someone want to tell us why?"

"You're looking at the new Palmer house," Joey says with a grin.

"You're kidding." She and Hugo step inside, "Jesus, we were only away for a few days." Watson walks over to Gina, giving her a hug. "You really are a glutton for punishment."

Gina chuckles. "Well someone has to keep an eye on you lot."

"It's awfully quiet here, so where are the girls?"

"John and Xavier have taken them to get some food for a barbie tonight." Gina looks at her son. "You haven't said anything yet."

"With you lot about, I never get much of a chance," he jokes, wrapping his mum up in a big hug. "I'm glad you're here mum."

A couple of hours later, Dex and Graves turn up at the house.

"My, my, aren't we a bit late."

"Don't start Joey," Graves grumbles, flopping onto the couch and clutching a cushion to her.

"Morning sickness?" Watson guesses.

Graves nods. "It started two days ago and for the first time since I was a kid, I got car sick." She curls up on the couch. "We had to keep pulling the car over because morning sickness became afternoon sickness and then I just felt bloody sick all the time."

"You should be home," Watson says softly.

"She was worried we'd miss out on something," Dex says as he sits next to his wife, stroking her brow gently.

"It'll pass once my body realises we're not still in the car."

"John's just fired up the barbie, so it will still be some time before the food is ready, so why don't you go upstairs and lie down," Gina suggests.

Graves shakes her head. "I'll just stay here."

"We'll give you some peace and quiet."

"Thanks Gina."

"Welcome to the mad house," Gina muses from Joey and Charlie's side as Hugo chases after Xavier with a high powered water rifle, ably followed by his trusted lieutenants, Ruby and Harley.

"If Hugo squirts Georgie, he'll be the one running," Joey warns.

"Too late." Charlie winces at the look on her friend's face.

Wiping the water from her face, Watson glares at her husband, reaching behind her back and drawing out her own water pistol. "Now," she shouts.

Hugo has only a moment to regret his actions before Ruby, Harley and Xavier join his wife in aiming their weapons at him and opening fire.

"One day Hugo will learn that everyone will always obey Georgie over him." Joey smirks at the drenching Hugo was getting.

Charlie leans back in Joey's arms. "You want to join in, don't you?"

"Oh yeah."

"So do I."

Gina watches on in amusement as Charlie and Joey grab a couple of loaded water bombs and join the fray.

"It's good to see them all having fun," John says as he joins his wife. "I think Charlie is going to fit in well."

Gina agrees.

"Ah Gina," John says worriedly, "I think now would be a good time to check in on Penelope."

"I think you may be right," she says as the fun and games come to a stop and the mob turns toward them.

"You had to let them out to play," John mutters moments before the drenching begins.

"I can't believe we water bombed your folks," Charlie says as she gets under the bed covers.

"It was fun though."

"Damn right it was and I'm glad Graves was able to join in." She rolls onto her side, propping herself up on her elbow. "Who knew she had such great aim with a water bomb." Joey glares at her. "Come on Joey, it was only fair that she got you back for that one you gave her."

"I suppose."

"Are all the family barbies going to be like that?"

"No, sometimes we behave like civilised human beings. It's rare, but it does happen."

Charlie chuckles. "It feels wonderful to be a part of a family."

"The fact you haven't gone running to the hills means you're well and truly one of us."

"I really like the sound of that."

Joey smiles at her, "You want to try something new?"

"Like what?" Charlie asks with a frown.

"We just lie here and sleep."

"You do look a little worn out."

"Too much time spent in bed and not enough exercise in the past week."

"I think we had more than enough exercise, you just can't keep up with our girls."

"I lasted longer than you."

"I was talking to Georgie and Gina about her wedding."

"A likely excuse."

Charlie grins, leaning down, capturing her lips. Kissing Joey long and slowly, she finally draws away and rests her head on her shoulder. "I love you."

"l love you too Charlie."

NEXT CHAPTER: We catch up with Charlie and Joey a few months down the track.