October had turned into November, and the weather in San Diego was so different from Virginia that she didn't even feel the holiday's approaching. Shortly after her return to the office Devon had cornered her with tears in her eyes and thanked her. Charlie had assured her all she had done was deliver the dogs, and Devon didn't force the issue but she claimed that Josh and Kellan were talking again.

Devon had tried to bring Kellan up several different times referring to his teaching but Charlie always changed the subject. A few weeks later Kellan came to visit with Devon and Josh. Charlie hadn't known what to do with the information. Her first instinct had been to go to him, but Devon had told her that she still hadn't let Kellan and Josh know that they worked together and she wanted to give it a little more time. She was unsure how they would react once they learned about it, and she didn't want to be the one to drive another wedge between Josh and Kellan with her meddling.

Devon had taken the chance to throw a few dinner parties while Kellan was visiting and Charlie and Devon had agreed that she probably shouldn't attend them for the time being, not until they came clean about the two of them working together.

Kayla, however, had been invited to the dinner parties and always came in gushing about Kellan the Monday afterwards. To hear her tell it they were an item, dating regularly, and a proposal was expected at any moment. When Charlie had first learned of it she had had to excuse herself and go to the restroom where she had been sick. He had obviously had no problems in moving on from their brief relationship, especially since he still thought she was on the other side of the country.

After that Charlie had learned her lesson and had only been cornered by Kayla once. Charlie had wanted to scream as she talked about how handsome and wonderful he was. He was a Navy SEAL and so brave. He was perfect in every way wink, wink. Charlie had wanted to inform her that there was no way Kellan Hilliard was perfect. He was far from it. She had left the room while Kayla was in mid-sentence, much to her, and some of the other women in the office who were always captivated by her stories, surprise.

A few weeks later, Charlie had just finished having lunch with Julie and, due to traffic, was late getting back to the office. When she walked in there was a cluster of women surrounding Kayla's desk and her heart sank.

"You missed him Charlotte." Shelia who worked the front desk gushed.

"Who?" Charlie asked, attempting to keep moving forward but she reached out and caught her arm.

"Kellan Hilliard, Kayla's boyfriend. He was so handsome. Tall dark and sexy."

"Dangerous looking," One girl provided.

Kellan, dangerous looking? Hardly.

"Kayla was just telling us about how close he is to proposing." Shelia grasped her harder and pulled her into the mix not giving her a chance to escape. When Kayla saw her standing there she realized she had fresh meat. One thing Kayla loved was rubbing Charlie's nose in anything that made her look better than Charlie.

"We had a long discussion last night and he was talking about leaving the SEALs and teaching or something crazy like that. I told him that I didn't think it was a good idea to leave the Teams. He looks so sexy in the uniform, you know."

"So, you would rather have the man you love put his life on the line instead of teaching because he looks good in a uniform? Charlie asked, her voice as calm as she could make it even though she wanted to shake Kayla.

Kayla continued as if she hadn't heard her. "And he has these two dogs that just have to go. They're stinky and make the oddest noises, especially at night, if you know what I mean."

Feeling sick, Charlie pulled her arm from Shelia's grasp and turned away walking right into Devon. Charlie shot her an an angry look then stormed off towards her office with Devon hot on her heels.

Devon closed the door behind them watching her closely.

"Kellan was here, in this office?" She spun to look at Devon accusingly.

"They decided to surprise me for lunch and before I knew what had happened Kayla had invited herself."

Charlie waved away the Kayla information. "Is he really leaving the Navy?"

"Yes. He has accepted a teaching position."

Charlie felt herself breathe better than she had in a long time.

"Kayla had absolutely no say in Kellan's remaining in the Navy." Devon assured her.

Charlie gave a sad smile. "No I don't think anyone would. What about Josh, is he leaving the Navy."

"He has taken a job locally, with a security firm." Devon inhaled deeply as if she too could breath deeply for the first time in a long time.

"They're safe," Charlie said nodding.

"Safer than they were." Devon nodded.

"Charlie, I think it's time I let them know you work here. I can't keep it secret indefinitely."

"No."

"Why not Charlie? It'll come out eventually."

"I cannot resist him and I won't survive another goodbye."

"Why does there have to be another goodbye?"

Charlie shook her head as she sat down. Kellan made it clear from the beginning that their time was limited. When she went to see him in Virginia she had hope that he would want something more, but all he had wanted to know was if she was staying, which was asked in such a way that made it perfectly clear that he didn't want her to. And if all of that wasn't enough, he had told her that he was going to take another teaching position which meant he wouldn't be stationed in San Diego.

"Your friend James wanted me to speak to his class. Fill me in on that." Charlie changed the subject no longer wishing to discuss it.

Devon looked as if she wanted to say more but she sighed and then told Charlie about James's class. He was teaching a class about violent trauma and wanted someone to speak to the class about how rape could affect the victim.

Charlie had shared her story with only a few people who really needed to hear it in order to know that they were not the only ones. The only time she had ever mentioned it to Devon was that evening they had all been out together.

"I only said that I might know someone not that I did. If you don't want to discuss it then I'm sure that he would understand."

Charlie was still silent as debated it.

"Let me set up a lunch between you two. Maybe if he can explain exactly what he wants it will help you decide," Devon suggested.

It was agreed. Then Hank came to find Devon, wanting to talk to her about the awards banquet in December.

Lunch the following week went well and she agreed to talk to the class with the understanding that she would start the talk from a purely clinical point of view and gauge the class before deciding if she wanted to take it to a personal level.

James Maxwell was a charming man. He was average height, with sandy brown hair, and warm brown eyes. They had such a successful lunch that they had decided to have dinner the following night and dinner was a success as well, but when it came time for a good night kiss Charlie did her best to feel something but she couldn't.

Her roommate Sabrina had suggested that maybe it would just take practice.

Sabrina believed that she had never had a relationship after the rape since she too had been man shy. Charlie didn't correct her or tell her that when it was the right man and the right time, the past didn't matter only the moment did.  That there could be so much need in a moment of desire that the past never entered into the equation.

Kissing Kellan had always taken her breath away, left her shaken and wanting more. He was like a fine wine and one sip was never enough and never would be, and once you had the best the other stuff tasted like vinegar. Charlie couldn't help but laugh at her analogy. James probably would not like being referred to as vinegar.

They went on a few more dates but the connection was never strong, and when the time came for her to talk to his class they had established a firm friendship but nothing more.

Devon asked if she could accompany her to the class and Charlie had agreed. Devon had never asked any questions about the rape but Charlie had sensed she had always wanted to know more.