IF YOU HAD TOLD GEMMA just a few weeks ago that she'd be waking up in Charlotte Richards' bed, she would have laughed in your face. The idea of ever sharing a space with the formidable woman had seemed so foreign and far-away, but in a matter of days, Gemma had fallen under her spell and it appeared she had done the same for Charlotte. The lawyer who hadn't shown any fondness or affection in the time Gemma had known her for, was suddenly soft and romantic and all smiles. And when Gemma did, in fact, wake up in her bed, she didn't feel the slightest bit remorseful or guilty for what had ensued between them the previous night.

"Morning, gorgeous", she breathed out while rubbing her eyes and then looking over to Charlotte whose usually flawless curls had turned into a soft mess, the sight making Gemma grin as she ran her hand across her arm in an attempt to send goosebumps down her skin.

Mustering a smile of her own, Charlotte opened her eyes and met Gemma's gaze, leaving them staring at each other in the morning light with just a hint of amazement and disbelief in the air. "Sleep well?" the Richards questioned, her voice raspy from sleep and the sound of it made Gemma shiver. With a nod, Gemma rolled onto her back, stretching her limbs under the fluffy, warm covers, and Charlotte smiled at the view.

"Your bed is amazing. Guess I oughta sleep over more", Gemma hinted, warmth creeping up to her cheeks as she glanced at Charlotte. She looked radiant in the sunlight, making Gemma's heart race in her chest as she looked at the picture-perfect woman. She couldn't help but feel pretty damn lucky, considering Charlotte had just last night told her that she hadn't really connected with anyone in a long time. It was the first time Gemma had slept with anyone after Jett, too, not really one for casual one-night stands, but with Charlotte it felt like more than that. She hoped she wasn't reading into things too much, and she certainly didn't want to bring it up first thing in the morning, but it quietly festered in the back of her mind as she swung her legs over the edge of the bed and sat up.

"I guess I should head home and get a change of clothes before I head to work", she cleared her throat, supposing that she couldn't very well show up to the office in the dress she had worn last night. Not to mention, she doubted Charlotte wanted to ride to work together and raise suspicions and plant seeds of gossip – the woman took her job very seriously and she was definitely not about to lose trust and confidence because of who she slept with.

Even if that was true, Charlotte was still in no rush to say goodbye. "We could have breakfast together. I make a mean omelet", she offered, propping herself up on one elbow so she could reach Gemma's naked back with her fingertips in a tender caress. With a smile creeping up to her lips, the Moretti looked over her shoulder and, faced with Charlotte's hopeful eyes, she couldn't decline.

"Sure. Breakfast sounds great."

///

THE NEXT FEW DAYS went by with a new case, but Gemma's thoughts were constantly elsewhere. Torn between Charlotte and Rhys Harlan's upcoming trial, her mind was busy and preoccupied with anything but the case, but she tried her best to do her job well, nonetheless. Thankfully, it was a less challenging one – every now and then, she was blessed with a complete idiot of a target who didn't go further than their home or their parents' house, and as was the situation with her current bounty, as well.

Quickly recovering the man and taking him to the police station gave Gemma some much-needed time to think about her budding relationship with Charlotte. Well, she wasn't really sure if it was a relationship at all, and she also wasn't sure if she wanted it to be. The woman was amazing in every way, impressive, ambitious and breathtakingly beautiful but Gemma couldn't tell if either of them were cut out for something more serious. After Jett, she had sort of given up on the idea of dating, never looking for anything, but she was admittedly reconsidering her stance on relationships now that Charlotte was weaseling her way into her heart.

Then again, they had only just slept together, and so far, there was no indication it would happen again. So, she assured herself she was overthinking it and definitely needed to tone it down a little.

Three days after their intense night together, it was time for Rhys Harlan's trial and Gemma was drowning in anxiety as she sat in the back row, watching witnesses come and go from the stand. Only when recess was called, she felt like she could breathe for the time being, and she huffed out all the strained air in her lungs as she relaxed on the hard bench.

"Hey, thought I'd come in and check in on you", Santiago's familiar voice got Gemma's attention, and twisting around on the bench to find the man taking a seat next to her, she broke into a smile. "I was here to discuss my own case with the prosecutor, anyway", he added, and sighing in relief at the company of her best friend, Gemma lowered her head onto his shoulder and wrapped an arm around his torso.

"I'm glad you're here. It's been a long day so far", she recalled, her natural pessimism dragging her down just a little. She wanted to have faith that Rhys would be found innocent, but she knew that sometimes the legal system let people down – especially people like him who didn't fit the advantageous mold of someone white.

"How's Richards doing?" Santiago wondered, casting a look from Gemma's tired features over to the ever-so-tall lawyer sitting next to Rhys on the left side of the room. Even from the back, she looked gorgeous and when Gemma's eyes followed Santiago's and landed on Charlotte, her heart picked up the pace and she had to clear her throat to get the massive lump out.

"Relentless, as always. She's defending Harlan with all her might, that's for sure", she summarized, a shy smile crawling up to her lips as she gazed at the woman. It was true, she was putting up a proper fight and rightfully questioning all the so-called evidence presented against her client. The most satisfying part, to Gemma, was seeing Charlotte put Malcolm Graham in his place and cast suspicion on his entire conduct. The usually snarky man had been shut up and embarrassed in front of the whole jury, and it had certainly swayed them in favor of Rhys' innocence in an obvious way.

With a smirk, Santiago observed the longing look in Gemma's eyes and gave her a gentle nudge to regain her focus. "What's that all about?" he teased, and caught red-handed, Gemma sat up straight and awkwardly brushed her hair away from her face.

"What? It's—I'm just—", she stuttered, but Santiago wore her down with a knowing look. "Okay, fine. We... uh, well, we kind of... had sex?" she revealed, feigning innocence with a smile, but the quietly-spoken admission effectively yanked Santiago's eyes wide open and his mouth agape.

"Gemma!" he whispered, not even sure what to say. His tone was neutral apart from the sheer surprise, not in any way disappointed but also not exactly pleased, and the difficulty to read his bewildered expression was killing Gemma.

"I know, I know. She invited me to her apartment and we had wine and we got to talking and... it just happened. I mean, no, that sounds like I didn't know what I was doing. I did. It was definitely on purpose. I really wanted it—wanted her", she rambled, running a hand across her face as she thought back to the night she had spent with Charlotte. It wasn't just the physical aspect that continued to play out in her head, it was all the talking that had led up to it, getting to know more about Charlotte and what made her tick. She felt like she understood her better now and couldn't really fault her for doing her job even if it was a completely different version of the woman compared to who she was at home. She really liked what she had witnessed, and she was starting to respect the side of her she reserved for work.

"Okay. Do you want her now? Like... long-term?" Santiago queried, an eyebrow lifted as he reviewed Gemma and the way she fidgeted on her seat, unable to stay still as she thought about it.

It was a damn good question. Her first instinct wasn't to jump into a relationship, but there was just something about Charlotte that left Gemma craving more. Still, she couldn't help but wonder if the Richards was really the type to date – she had shared about the boyfriend in law school who she had almost married, but to Gemma, it sounded like she had grown wary of dating after that, and she couldn't blame her. After Jett, she hadn't really been up for connecting with anyone romantically, either.

Before she could give Santiago any sort of answer, the jury was returning to the courtroom and everyone shuffled with anticipation. Swallowing her hesitation, Gemma gave his arm a squeeze and then turned back to face the judge who banged her gavel and invited everyone to fall into a respectful silence.

"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, have you reached a verdict?" the judge asked solemnly, that damned question that always got Gemma's heart to race. She wasn't going to make a habit of following the trials, as it seemed to only heighten anxiety that she rarely felt, and she certainly didn't like the feeling.

The foreman of the jury stood up and everyone held their breath, or maybe it just felt like they did, but Gemma for one was on the edge of her seat, quite literally. "We find the defendant... not guilty", he finally declared, and in an instant, Gemma's stomach did a backflip of relief and joy. The emotions surged in her chest and she released a loud sigh while hanging her head down, indescribably happy for Rhys. Despite the verdict, though, she knew his troubles were far from over, and as much was obvious from the loud protests that erupted throughout the courtroom. The judge had to order silence, banging her gavel once more, but it didn't stop the angered people from trying to get their hands on Harlan as he was being escorted out of the room. Charlotte was right by his side with an arm wrung around his shoulders, and even though she was hurrying to get Rhys out of there, she didn't miss the opportunity to meet Gemma's gaze and direct a smile her way.

Butterflies swarmed in Gemma's gut and a smile bloomed on her own face as she watched Charlotte walk away. Santiago noticed immediately and opened his mouth to say something about it, but he didn't get the chance when none other than Malcolm Graham walked up to the two of them, shooting a particularly mean glare at Gemma who stood up at the sight of him.

"Hope you're happy. A criminal is walking out of here scot-free", he spat, venom in every word as he stood up to Gemma, who folded her arms over her chest and gave him an unimpressed look.

"I wouldn't say having his name ruined is getting out of anything scot-free", she retorted, "besides, he got a fair trial. Clearly, the evidence you found wasn't convincing enough, so you only have yourself to blame." She took great satisfaction in watching the annoyance on Malcolm's face deepen, as she was usually the one who lost their arguments, but for once, he was defeated. Gemma couldn't very well take credit for that, considering it was Charlotte who had done her job so impeccably, but since she wasn't there to rub it in Malcolm's face, the Moretti was more than happy to do it for her.

"Bitch", Malcolm scoffed before turning on his heel and walking away, and chuckling at the pathetic attempt to get under her skin, Gemma watched him go. She was just happy she didn't have to deal with him on a daily basis and their encounters were random, because truly, there was only so much of him that she could take.

Funnily enough, she had felt that way about Charlotte once, too. Now, she couldn't get enough of her. With that in mind, she headed out of the courthouse and decided on a whim to get dinner for her and the Richards with the hope of getting some alone time with her after a long day. After stopping at a diner Charlotte had admitted to eating at more often than she should have, Gemma made her way the woman's office, her palms sweaty and her lip swollen from the incessant chewing she abused it with. She wasn't sure if they were at a place that warranted surprising the other with dinner, but she had never been the type to cower or hide, so instead of letting her nerves talk her out of her plan, she drove over to Richards & Wheeler.

No one stopped her to exchange pleasantries once she was inside the building, and she supposed she was grateful that she was able to enter Charlotte's office without anyone questioning her place in there. Maybe she was a little paranoid about being caught doing something no one had ever forbidden her from doing, but she was very aware that it wasn't a given that people would accept queerness. In the past, she had simply cut off anyone who ridiculed her or judged her for being bisexual, but she really didn't want to have to quit her job, so she was happy to keep things lowkey for the time being.

With a knock on Charlotte's door, Gemma entered the office, her heart leaping in her chest when she saw the woman look up from her paperwork and break into a smile. "Hey, is this a bad time? I figured... you must be hungry after a long day in court so I got us some food from that diner you like. Unless you already ate", she hesitated, feeling a little silly for showing up unannounced, but Charlotte was quick to shoot down her worries with an inviting wave of her hand. Pursing her lips in a brief smile of her own, Gemma closed the glass door behind her and walked over to the desk, where Charlotte quickly got up from her seat and met her halfway.

Taking the bag of food from Gemma's hands, Charlotte quickly placed it on the desk and stepped into her personal space, a grin spreading across her lips as she smoothly wrapped her arms around her hips. Surprised by the gesture, Gemma glanced down at where Charlotte was pulling her closer, but she didn't get a word out, only had the time to look up at the woman when she was caught in a kiss. A bewildered noise rose from Gemma's throat and got suffocated by Charlotte's lips, but she didn't pull away. Instead, she let the initial shock fade away and closed her eyes before deepening the kiss, one of her hands coming to gently grip Charlotte's chin while she tilted her head to avoid their noses colliding.

The rest of the world ceased to exist and Gemma didn't know anything except the taste of Charlotte's lipstick and the warmth of her inviting mouth and the tight hold she had on her waist. All her doubts and hesitations about the woman melted away with the intensity of the kiss, and she didn't need any answers, only more of Charlotte.

Eventually, they pulled away for air, and as Gemma stood in a daze, Charlotte gently pushed her against the desk and trailed the back of her hand down the Moretti's neck. It was a dream come true – literally, mimicking the dream Gemma had had – and she couldn't help but let out a shaky breath of adoration as she watched the taller woman tower over her with her wandering hands making Gemma's heart race.

"I guess winning a trial is a different kind of high", she swallowed, wiping her mouth only to find traces of Charlotte's lipstick on the back of her hand. The sight made her smile, though, and as she looked back up at the woman, they simply basked in the moment of intimacy for a second. Charlotte's hand travelled up and down Gemma's thigh, and she couldn't help but be a little surprised that the woman was being so forward and still wanted her so badly, but it did boost her ego quite a bit.

"Thank you for dinner", Charlotte whispered, leaning in to give Gemma one more kiss, a little gentler this time. It was sweet and short and enough for both of them to feel giddy, like a pair of schoolgirls sneaking kisses wherever they could.

Their moment was interrupted by the sound of Gemma's phone ringing in her back pocket, and groaning at the loss of Charlotte's lips on hers, she reluctantly dug the device out and glanced at the screen. Beck's name got her on alert, painfully aware that they weren't really the kind of sisters to chit-chat anymore, which she felt regretful about, but it must have meant there was a very good reason she was calling now. Licking her lips, Gemma swallowed and gave Charlotte an apologetic look before stepping aside and answering the phone, warily greeting her sister.

"Hey, what's up? Is everything okay?" she spoke quietly, not wanting to draw too much attention from Charlotte who, despite Gemma's attempts, was looking at her curiously.

"Gemma, Gemma, can you please... can you please come pick me up? I'm-I'm at Santa Monica Pier", Beck's voice crackled through the speaker, and even through the poor quality, Gemma could hear the shakiness and fear in her words. "I really need you right now", she added, and with her grip on the phone tightening, the older Moretti was invaded with an utter sense of worry and panic. She knew Beck was more than capable of handling herself, so for her to ask for Gemma's help... it must have been serious.

"I'm leaving right now. I'll be there soon, okay? Just... hang on", Gemma promised, waiting for Beck to reply anything to confirm she had heard her, and once she had done just that, she hung up the phone. With anxiety gnawing at her stomach, she turned to Charlotte who was looking at her expectantly and digging out the containers of food from the bag, and it pained Gemma immensely to have to disappoint her by leaving. "I gotta go, Charlotte. My sister's in some kind of trouble and she needs me. Maybe... maybe I can still join you for dinner when it's all sorted out", she contemplated, wanting so badly to stay in that little bubble of desire and attention with the Richards. But she knew it wasn't priority number one right now.

"Don't you worry, miss Moretti. We can always have dinner some other time", Charlotte assured, reaching for Gemma's hand to give it a brief caress. The thought of her wanting to spend more time with Gemma in the future got her heart to flutter, but the giddiness had to step aside for the growing terror storming within her, and so, she reluctantly withdrew her hand from Charlotte. Still, before she left, she gave her a smile and a nod to promise she would hold her to the offer.

Gemma had been to Santa Monica Pier enough times to know her way there with ease, and she did so with a heavy foot on the gas pedal. She was blessed with minimal traffic and soon enough, she was pulling up at the parking lot attached to the attraction and she was stomping out of the car with her concern mixing in with anger. Even if her and Beck weren't as close as they used to be, she loved her dearly, and anyone who messed with her was immediately on Gemma's list of enemies.

She was faced with difficulty getting onto the beach because of the plethora of cameras and props being hauled from one side to another, and it quickly became obvious to her that she was walking into the shoot of Beck's latest project. She didn't know what to expect, but needless to say, when she spotted her sister standing on the sidelines donning an angry red eye and a busted lip, she was fuming. Weaving past the extras and cameramen, she stormed over to Beck and quickly cupped the blonde's cheeks in her hands to scrutinize the damage done to her face.

"Beck, what the Hell happened? Who's responsible for this?" she seethed, although the fury in her didn't extend to her hold on her sister. She was gentle and behind the rage in her eyes, there was something soft and caring. Nonetheless, she wasn't going to go quietly – whoever had hurt Beck would have to reap the consequences in the form of a particularly furious Moretti.

"The director. Wells Mack. I-I tried so many times to get the scene right but he didn't like it, so he...", Beck hiccupped through sobs, her hands trembling as she gestured at the cut on her lip and the irritated mark on the corner of her eye, suggesting he had smacked her around more than just once.

Letting go of Beck's face and dropping her hands onto her shoulders, Gemma lowered her face to her level to meet her eye with a solemn gaze. "You did nothing wrong. He's an asshole. I'll take care of it, don't worry", she swore before glancing over her shoulder and scanning the beach for anyone resembling a director. Once she spotted a pompous-looking man with a megaphone barking orders at another woman, she drew in a sharp breath and turned back to Beck. "Is that him?" she questioned, and Beck's affirming nod was all the motivation she needed to confront him.

Softly, she told Beck to stay put before trekking through the mushy sand to Wells, her sneakers sinking into the ground in a way that slowed her down but it did nothing to lessen the anger in her. Once she reached the man, she didn't hesitate to plant herself right in front of him, earning a shocked look from him, surprise and displeasure all over his face as he took in the sight of her huffing and puffing face.

"Cut! Lady, what do you think you're doing? You're interrupting a very important-", he began, but Gemma interjected with a poke on his chest.

"Who do you think you are, beating up your actresses? You're one sick son of a bitch, you know that?" she raved, standing menacingly over him as he sat in his little director's chair, but her intimidation tactics didn't seem to work on the man.

"You must be Beck's sister. Listen, maybe she should have listened to me and none of this would have happened. It really isn't that big of a deal", he lifted an amused eyebrow at Gemma, "now run along."

Exhaling with anger, Gemma stepped closer to him instead of doing what he demanded. "Or what, you're gonna beat me up, too? Fuck you. This isn't over", she challenged him before turning on her heel and leaving him in the dust. It was times like these she hated being only a bounty hunter, giving her no legal permission to make arrests, but she was certainly going to contact the police.

She stomped back over to Beck and wound a protective arm around her shoulders to safely escort her to her Toyota, wishing there was more she could do to stop her sister from crying. She wasn't always the best at emotional support, instead her strength was in solving problems and helping in a more practical manner, and that was exactly what she intended to do this time around, as well.

Lucky for her, she knew a damn good lawyer to help her out.

///

Author's note

Eeeek, lots of GemmaxCharlotte content this chapter!! There's going to be plenty of that coming up, too, but as you can tell, there's going to be a secondary plotline involving Gemma's sister and I'm really excited to share it. It's going to be sad, unfortunately, I just can't help but write a lot of angst in every story I do.

Also, there's a lot happening so I made the decision that Rhys, her bounty, was going to be found not guilty, but I'm very aware that the justice system is highly unfair to people of color. That's why I tried to include mentions of how difficult life might be for him regardless, but for now, his portion in the story is wrapped up!

Thanks for being here!