Charlie could feel Joey's breathe on her lips, yet she made no attempt to back away, despite her brain yelling, 'move feet, damn it move,' but she remained frozen to the spot. What the hell was wrong with her? Had she learnt nothing from her encounter with Watson? Apparently not. As Joey's lips drew ever closer, Charlie resigned herself to what was about to happen. That moment though, didn't come.

"Ha, ha, got ya," crowed Joey as she jumped away without their lips having touched. Charlie scowled, more to herself than at Joey's antics, because she was embarrassed at her complete inaction at that moment. Joey had nearly kissed her and all she'd done was stand there like a stunned mullet. If Joey had had a gun, she'd have reacted immediately, but come at her with lips and she goes to water. God, her hormones were well and truly fucking her over lately.

"I was just kidding with the whole practicing thing, Charlie," Joey said. "And in all seriousness, if you don't think you can pull the whole girlfriends cover off, then we'll go with just being friends on a road trip or something," she said while Charlie regathered herself.

Get a grip you stupid dolt, Charlie told herself.

"Joey, do you really believe that us posing as girlfriends would be the best cover story to go with?" Charlie finally managed to get out.

"Yeah, I do," replied Joey.

"In that case," Charlie said, seizing the moment as she pulled Joey toward her. This time, their lips did meet. The kiss was gentle and unhurried and Charlie was trying desperately not to groan against the softness of Joey's lips, but it was bloody difficult. Between Joey's lips and the heat of her body pressed against hers, Charlie's pulse was racing as if she was running the 100m sprint and she could feel her own heat pooling between her legs.

On and on the kiss went, both women completely lost in the moment. Only when a passing car honked it's horn and the men inside it shouted various words of encouragement their way, did their lips finally part. Both women continued to stand there, with their bodies still touching even as their lips no longer did. Charlie stared into Joey's eyes. How had she never noticed how amazing those dark pools were?

"I think that settles it then," Joey said in a croaky voice. She shook herself as she stepped away from Charlie.

"Huh?" was all Charlie could say. She couldn't believe what she'd just done.

"Well, if we can kiss like that, then I think we'll have no trouble convincing others that we're a couple," she said. "Without the need for any further practice." Oh god Joey, what the fuck just happened? She'd never intended for it to go that far, and that it had been Charlie who'd taken it that extra step, had shocked her even more than her own inability to break away. Fuck, fuck, fuck, this was a complication she didn't need, nor wanted.

"Yeah, even I'm convinced now that we can sell us as a couple," Charlie agreed. She ignored the pang of disappointment she felt at the thought of no more practicing, only to then castigate herself for even having those feelings. This was a woman she didn't know, didn't trust and so not having to kiss her again was a good thing. Charlie sighed. She had a feeling she was going to be spending the rest of the day trying to figure out why she'd even kissed her in the first place.

Nick had a headache and it was in the large form of Robert Robertson. He could understand the other man being pissed. He was pissed as well and Nick knew he'd fucked up, but Robertson acting like a jerk wasn't going to get them their witness back.

"I can't believe you have sat on this for days," Robertson continued to rage. "I should have been notified immediately that my witness had done a runner," he said. "Not to mention that there are corrupt cops involved. How the hell did this happen?"

"I've been trying to figure that out," Nick said.

"You're the one who assigned her to the detail."

"Only after a recommendation from Inspector David Joyce," Nick replied. "He's the one who sent her my way."

"You're not suggesting anything untoward on his part, are you?"

"No, but I don't buy it being a simple coincidence that one of Braxton's cops made it onto this particular detail."

"How can you be sure Watson is the bad cop and not Buckton?"

"Because I've known Charlie most of her career."

"Are you close?"

"Professionally, yes, but I'm not in the habit of socialising regularly with other cops outside of work, so their private lives are largely their own," he said.

"Then how can you be so certain Buckton is on the level?" Robertson persisted. "I've looked over Watson's record, it is also exemplary, so you'll forgive me if I'm not as convinced as you on who is the bad guy here if all you have to go on is that you've known Buckton longer than Watson."

"Charlie's worked on other details that have involved major crimes and there has never been a problem," Nick said. "This was Watson's first, which is remarkable for someone of her young age."

"That didn't make you suspicious?"

"No," he replied. "Why should it? I'd lost one officer for personal reasons and his replacement was recommended from higher up, so I had no reason to mistrust her."

"I'll be speaking to Joyce," said Robertson. "I find it hard to believe he's involved, but even if he didn't know about Watson, then someone had to be in his ear for him to have sent her your way." He stared at Nick. "I'm still not happy that you didn't report this the moment you found out."

"I was trying to contain the situation," he told him. "If word got out about corrupt cops and another lost Braxton witness, our time would be wasted explaining it to our superiors and dealing with the media, not to mention, alerting Watson and anyone else that may be after them," Nick explained. "It may not have been the smartest move, but I did what I thought was right."

"Where is Watson now?"

"As far as I know, she's still following Charlie and your witness," he said. "I just have no idea where that is."

"When was the last time she called in?"

"Yesterday," he said. "She didn't give me much."

"And she has no idea that you haven't bought into her story?"

"None."

"That's something at least and could play in our favour," he said. "Now, is there any reason as to why Buckton hasn't contacted you?"

"I only have Watson's version of events as to what happened in that Motel room, but I can imagine it left Charlie with some trust issues where the uniform is concerned."

"So how do we draw her and my witness in?"

"I sent someone after them, but just in case he's not in time, I've been leaving messages in the paper for Charlie," he explained. "It's a way we've used in the past to pass on information without risking direct contact and I'm hoping that Charlie bites." This was the first time Nick resented the extra precautions they took in Protective Services, because the ban on mobiles, computers and cars with GPS was now playing against them.

"This person you sent after them, you trust him?" Robertson asked him.

"He's family, so yes, I trust him."

"Family?"

"My wife's little brother."

"I want to see his file."

"There's not much in it," Nick said. "Angelo has been deep undercover with the Drugs Squad for years, so his history has been 'need to know' only."

"Am I to understand that you personally removed an undercover cop from his assigned duties without clearing it with his handler?"

"I was desperate," Nick said. "Besides, the people he's undercover with are tied up in this."

"Who?"

"The Pirovics."

"Jesus fucking christ," he muttered.

"Look, Angelo has a cover story in place for anyone who questions him about what he's up to."

"You're playing a dangerous game here," Robertson said. "The Pirovics are unpredictable and it's only their alliance with the Braxtons that has allowed them to evade justice for as long as they have."

"I know," Nick said.

Robertson got to his feet. "I don't like this one bit, but for the moment, going public probably isn't the best course of action," he said. "However, from this moment on, I want my own people on this."

"I'll pass on everything I know to date."

"See that you do," he said. "And Nick, I'm not taking any heat for this, so if this blows up, it will be on you and you alone."

"I understand."

"Good, then get my witness back."

Charlie stared at the page before her. She'd purposely been ignoring the personal sections of the newspapers for this very reason. The message Nick had left for her had appealed to their past and gotten her hopes up, only to be quickly dashed when reality, along with her insecurities and mistrust kicked back in. She really wished she could jettison that mistrust altogether, but after what had happened with Watson in that Motel room, it was going to take a lot more than a message in the personals to do it.

"Fuck," she muttered as she realised just how screwed up this situation was. If she couldn't find a way to trust someone within the Force in the first place, then how could she ever rid herself of this intense feeling of mistrust? It was like a bad joke and it was killing her. She had to do something and as dangerous as this proposed rendezvous could prove to be, at least she'd finally have an idea of where exactly Nick stood. Of course, the drawback could be disastrous, with either her death or capture. Charlie sighed. If she did take the risk, she knew she couldn't do this alone, but could she actually trust Joey to have her back, assuming she could even convince Joey to come with her, when Joey had made it abundantly clear that she wanted nothing to do with the police. Once again, it came down to a matter of trust.

"Fuck."

Charlie reread the message. Against her better judgement, she knew what she had to do.

"I have to take this chance," she decided, then murmured more quietly, "Please don't let this be a trap."