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For the first time since this nightmare had begun, Charlie was feeling more like her old self. She still had some way to go to get her full confidence back, but the simple act of driving was affording her with a sense of freedom she hadn't had until now. It also helped that Joey no longer relied on cuffs and though she still had the gun, at least it was out of sight, making it easier for Charlie to put it from her mind. If only it was as easy to put those behind them out of her mind. No matter how much she tried or how hard Joey tried to annoy and distract her, that fear remained. Perhaps she should view that as a positive, because as long as it was there, she'd keep her guard up, which would be a key element to staying alive.

Should that also apply to her passenger? Sparing a quick glance sideways, Charlie noted that Joey was gazing out the window, apparently lost in her own thoughts. Should she let her guard down around this woman or keep it up? Given what she did and didn't know about Joey Collins, it was a question Charlie wasn't sure she could satisfactorily answer just yet. She needed to know more about her first and when the time felt right, she would get around to asking the necessary questions. Eventually. Unless she came up with more excuses not to.

Oh Charlie, you'd been going so well til then. Oh well, sometimes progress was slow. That brought a smile to her face. Wow, she really was feeling better, if she could now smile at her own idiocy.

"Nick, can I have a word with you?" Nick looked up from his desk to the young woman standing in his office doorway. "It's rather urgent."

"Of course," he said, as Det. Cont. Amelia Graves entered his office and closed the door behind her. If she looked young for her rank, it was because she was young, but only a fool would ever underestimate her. Nick knew that beneath that earnest and youthful expression, was a sharp mind and someone who wasn't afraid to use people's misconception of her to her advantage, which made her dangerous to anyone trying to pull the wool over her eyes. She was also an idealistic straight arrow, to the point where he'd almost say she was incorruptible, if history hadn't already taught him to never assume that about anyone. This one might be different though. She really might be one of the most honest cops he'd ever met and word was, that the rank of Inspector or even Commissioner wasn't beyond her reach and she'd likely be the youngest ever to obtain either of those ranks when that time no doubt came. For her sake, he hoped her current assignment didn't have her picking up any bad habits from her partner. Robert Robertson had the ability to piss off a saint if he put his mind to it and as head of the taskforce going after the Braxtons, Graves was his junior partner and liaison between him and the other departments, for which Nick was thankful. The less he had to deal directly with that annoying prick, the better.

"You said it was urgent," Nick said as Graves took a seat opposite him.

"It is," she replied. "There's something funky with our witness."

"Funky?" Nick murmured, hardly a word he'd expected to hear from her lips.

"Something not quite right."

"I'm aware of what you meant," he said. "What is it exactly that is funky about her?"

"We've been trying to find out more about her, only the deeper we've dug, the more things aren't adding up," she told him. "There are inconsistencies with her past, going back to her foster care days. It appears as if there are gaps in her file from DOCS."

"No surprise there, given their chronic understaffing and funding issues over the years."

"It could be just that, if only it was an isolated case," Graves said. "There are just things about her past and work history that aren't adding up once we started scraping past the surface," she said. "We knew from the initial check that she had history working on the docks and on boats, yet nothing to suggest any connection to the Braxtons."

"Are you saying there is now something to connect her?"

"Not exactly."

"Then what are you saying?"

"That we need to talk to our witness to clear up a few things," said Graves. "We'd like for you to arrange a meeting with her within the hour."

Nick swallowed. The moment he'd been dreading was now upon him and he knew he couldn't delay this any further.

"That might be a little difficult," he said.

"How so?"

"Because your witness is in the wind," Nick finally admitted. "Along with one of my officers."

"Hot! Hot! Hot!" Joey sang out as the hot chip danced across her fingers, before landing in the dirt at her feet.

"I did warn you they'd be hot," Charlie smugly said. Gee, that felt good.

"Yeah, well, there's hot and then there's hot," Joey said as she stuck her slightly singed digit into her mouth.

Charlie blew on her chips, then placed one in her mouth. "Oh, yum," she enthused as she chewed. "Just the right temperature to salivate over."

Joey glared at her. Yep, it definitely felt good to return the favour to Joey after all her annoying antics lately.

"So, where do we go from here?" Charlie asked, before more chips disappeared.

"We keep down this road for the next couple of hours, then we'll need to take a left."

"Are we still going around in circles?"

"Not anymore," said Joey. "It's still more of a scenic route than absolutely necessary, but I really want to make sure we shake any tail before we get anywhere near where we're going."

"What is this place like?"

"It's small, nice, friendly and it should be easy enough to hide out there." At least she hoped things hadn't changed too much since the one time she'd been there years ago.

"If it's a small town, then won't strangers stick out even more?"

"Nah, there's tourists going to and fro all the time, so two more shouldn't attract attention," she said. Once again, she hoped that was the case. "We can stop and buy some bikinis and towels on the way, so we'll look more touristy when we get there."

"I'm more of a one piece girl, myself," said Charlie.

Joey let her eyes run from Charlie's feet, to her face. "Seems a damn shame to cover up that much," she smirkingly said and Charlie flushed at her blatant suggestiveness. "Me, I'm not afraid to flaunt a bit of skin, as long as I'm comfortable doing it."

"I'm comfortable in a one piece," Charlie lied again. She hadn't worn a one piece since High School and much preferred a bikini, but there was no way she was going to give Joey the satisfaction of seeing her in a skimpy bikini. There was just something about the way Joey looked at her at certain times, that was a little unnerving.

"Your choice," said Joey.

"Yes, it is my choice," said Charlie. "Oh and by the way, I choose not to be your girlfriend when we get there."

"Why not?" she replied. "Posing as a couple is the perfect cover for us."

"It might be fine for quick stops and overnighters, but for anything longer than that, we'd actually have to make some effort to act like a proper couple or people might start getting suspicious." She had no idea how long they'd be in this town, though she was hoping it wouldn't be for long at all, but since nothing about this whole situation had been smooth sailing, it wouldn't hurt to plan for the worst, in that she'd be stuck with Joey for much longer than she'd wanted. God, how quickly things had changed. When it was a simple case of witness protection, she'd been prepared to take whatever time was required, whether it was months, even years, yet now that it was just the two of them, all she could think about was ending it as soon as she could. Preferable by coming up with a working solution to their predicament, which unfortunately, was still eluding her.

"We could totally act as a proper couple," Joey defiantly stated. "We're both gay, so it's not like I'd have to train you in how to be around a woman you are supposedly dating."

"Train?" Charlie scoffed. "Like a poodle?"

"I'm thinking more of a Lab."

"I hope you're not implying I am anything like a Labrador."

"Of course not," said Joey. "Labs are cute, affectionate and useful when trained properly, which is hardly you."

Charlie's eyes narrowed. Rather than bite as she usually did at Joey's teasing, she felt her mouth twitching at the corners.

"Though, you do have that dopey Lab look going for you," Joey couldn't resist adding and Charlie gave up and laughed.

"You really are a smartarse," she said.

"It's an art form."

"An annoying one."

"So some say," Joey cheekily said. "Seriously though, posing as a couple is probably the safest way to go."

"Why not as sisters or just friends going on a road trip?"

"As sisters, we'd need to know far too many details about each other for it to work and we just don't have the time to come up with a convincing enough back story or the time to learn it, whereas as new girlfriends, it'd be understandable if there are still parts of our lives the other doesn't really know yet," Joey reasoned. "I honestly just think there'd be less questions asked of a couple travelling together."

"It does make sense, I suppose," Charlie conceded. "But we'd never pass as a convincing couple."

"Sure we would," Joey said and moved closer to her. "With a little practice."

"What the hell are you doing!" Charlie squeaked in panic when Joey's lips were mere centimetres from hers.

"Practicing being affectionate with my girlfriend."