Naomi watched as her "girlfriend" (and, if she'd been able to laugh, she'd have laughed bitterly at the term, because they hadn't been that in months) twirled around the girl in their living room. The fucking stranger. Naomi would bet money that Emily didn't even know the girl's name. That wasn't stopping her from rubbing against her, touching her in ways that Naomi longed for Emily to touch her again.
She couldn't stand it. It was all just too fucking much. As if she hadn't broken her own fucking heart, now Emily kept doing it over and over again. Worse still was that she was trying to do it. That wasn't the worst thing of all, though. That was that she fucking deserved it. She deserved it, so she had to sit there and take it. She had to sit there and watch the fucking love of her life kiss a path down stranger girl's neck. She had to watch stranger girl's hands find their way to Emily's arse, giving it a playful little squeeze as they swayed together.
She felt bile rising in her throat as stranger girl's hands slid around to Emily's front and found their way to Emily's tits. It was too fucking much to bear.
"Right, thanks for coming, lovely to meet you, now get the fuck out!" Naomi growled, standing quickly, detaching the stunned (and clearly still high) stranger from Emily and shoving her towards the front door.
"But I thought-" the girl began to stutter.
"Yeah, well, glad there's still some brain cells alive in that little head of yours. Now go on. Don't come again."
Naomi ushered the girl out of their house, and shut the door in her face before she could say anything else.
"Naomi, what the fuck?" Emily demanded, glaring angrily with those big beautiful brown eyes that Naomi loved so much that only ever regarded her with hurt these days.
"What the fuck? The fuck is that you're getting felt up right in fucking front of me!"
"What? Because it's so much better to do it behind my back?" Emily shot back.
Naomi felt the familiar wave of guilt and pain that had been her constant companion for months wash through her growing more acute. "I didn't mean...Emily, I'm sorry. I've said I'm sorry a billion times. I am so, so sorry, and it's breaking me what I did. What else can I do?"
"Go back in time, take it back, make it never have happened!" Emily pleaded, her eyes welling up with tears that only served to break Naomi's heart more. "Never want to sleep with someone else."
Emily's voice broke on her last words, and Naomi winced. "Ems, I never wanted...That wasn't it at all."
"No, I forgot. You were just scared," Emily spat bitterly. "Scared of being trapped. Scared of being in love. Scared of loving me. Well, you know what, Naomi? Fuck you and your fear! You don't have to be scared anymore. I hope you and your fear are very fucking happy together!"
Naomi opened her mouth to retort, but Emily was already heading for the door. She had to stop her, had to get her back, had to do anything. She'd said she'd do anything, so she had to. She couldn't lose her. Not really. She just couldn't. She stood there dumbly, trying to come up with the right words to say to make Emily stay until the door slammed shut.
"Emily!" she called, her heart now racing in panic. She ran to the front door and threw it open, chasing because it was all she could do, it was the only way to show that she wanted Emily, no, needed her. "Emily, wait!"
But her words fell on deaf ears as Emily climbed onto her moped, throwing her helmet and goggles angrily at Naomi's feet, and started it up.
"Emily!" Naomi cried again, her voice rising in alarm. Emily wasn't that stupid. She wasn't that reckless. What was she doing?
"Goodbye, Naomi," Emily shook her head sadly, tears trickling down her cheeks.
Naomi's heart shattered and scattered on the ground around her feet. "Emily-" she croaked out desperately as the love of her life, the girl of her dreams sped away down the road. No. It can't end like this. This can't be it.
She ran, ignoring that she'd left her shoes in the house and her feet were now slapping on the cold, hard pavement, shooting pain up her shins, ignoring that she was clad in only a skirt and a short sleeved T-shirt even though the late November wind had a chill in it that struck through to the bone. She ran with one single goal in mind.
Emily was going too fast. It wasn't right. She wasn't being careful, and Naomi knew that with the tears blurring her vision, she wouldn't be able to see that well.
"Emily!" she cried, knowing that Emily wouldn't be able to hear her with the distance between them now. Her eyes widened as she watched Emily try to turn a corner too fast. She froze in place as her heart stopped.
Emily, little, fragile Emily...her Emily, flew off the moped as it went down, scraping across the street. Naomi watched in horror as Emily's body bounced limply and rolled, until, in one terrifying moment, Emily's head connected with the curb, before finally coming to rest.
"Emily!" Naomi shrieked, propelling herself into action once more. She raced towards her, hoping against hope that Emily would simply sit up and dust herself off. "Emily! Oh, God, Emily!" Naomi fell to the ground beside Emily's limp body. She could see the blood pooling around her head, soaking her already vibrantly red hair. She wanted desperately to clutch Emily's body to her, but what if she didn't more damage that way. "Emily," she clenched her girlfriend's hand.
"I've called for an ambulance," somebody informed her, but she didn't look. She couldn't look. She couldn't tear her eyes away from Emily.
"You'll be okay, Ems. You hear that?" she spoke desperately, looking for any response. "Ambulance is coming. You'll be fine. Ems, you have to be fine, okay?" She was aware that she was on the verge of hysterics, but she didn't give a damn. Emily had to be okay. If there was a God, any god up there, then Emily had to be okay. She couldn't lose her. She just couldn't.
.
.
"This is your fault!" Jenna pounced, stabbing an accusing finger straight into Naomi's chest, practically bowling her over.
Naomi shrank back from the sudden assault.
"Mum!" Katie stepped between them, and Naomi's eyes widened. Katie was hardly someone she'd have expected to come to her defence.
"No! This is that bitch's fault! If Emily had been home, safe, with her family, where she belongs, then this never would have happened," Jenna glared, and Naomi knew that if looks could kill she'd be dead right now.
"Have you seen Emily ride a bicycle?" Katie retorted.
Naomi could see that she was shaking, and Naomi couldn't blame her. She was shaking too. They didn't need this. They needed to be with Emily. Naomi felt tears burn down her cheeks. Emily. Emily who was in surgery right now. Fragile, beautiful little Emily who had arrived at the hospital with signs of internal bleeding.
"Love, she has a point. Remember when Emily was thirteen and had that fall?"
Jenna turned and slapped her husband hard on the chest. "Shut up!" She turned back to Naomi, advancing menacingly, though Katie stood firmly between them. "You are not allowed near my daughter, do you hear? You are not welcome here! Go home!"
"I can't," Naomi croaked. "I can't leave her. It's Emily," she cried desperately, tears streaming down her cheeks at the thought of leaving the building without her girlfriend.
"Mum, she has every right to be here! She's practically Emily's family. She's who Emily's been living with, right? Emily would want her here," Katie argued, and Naomi had never been so thankful for her presence.
Jenna opened her mouth to splutter yet another protest, but Rob put a firm hand on her shoulder. "She's right. Naomi stays," his tone was firm, voice clear and strong. His words were definite.
Jenna's protest apparently died in her throat. She threw another deadly glare in Naomi's direction then stormed off to a seat on the opposite side of the waiting room and sat down in a huff.
"Thank you," Naomi murmured, voice barely above a whisper.
Rob nodded curtly towards her then followed his wife, leaving Naomi standing there with Katie.
When Katie turned, Naomi was surprised to find a glare that rivalled her mother's on Katie's face. "What the fuck did you do?" Katie growled accusingly.
Naomi slunk down in the seat behind her. "We were fighting again. I didn't think...She just left, Katie. Oh, God! I'm so sorry. Ems, I'm so sorry," Naomi pleaded with her absent girlfriend.
"Fucking pull yourself together," Katie growled, plopping into the seat beside her, and giving her arm a little shake.
"Katie, I'm sorry. She was just so mad, and she threw the helmet and the goggles at me and she left, and she was going too fast and she was crying and she went to turn-" Naomi shuddered as the memory flashed into her mind.
Katie scowled. "Stupid, Emily!" She shook her head sadly. "You should've stopped her."
"I tried," Naomi replied.
"Next time fucking try harder," Katie threw back at her.
Naomi nodded, closing her eyes and praying that there would get to be a next time.
.
.
Naomi stared through the window of the sterile hospital room, unable to return her eyes to the terrifying vision behind her. The beeps from the horrible machines that Emily was hooked up to filled her ears. Emily looked so broken lying there, hooked up to various machines measuring blood pressure, oxygen levels, heart rate. Fluids and pain meds were flowing straight into Emily's veins courtesy of the I.V. that hung not far from where Naomi stood. Emily's right arm was in a cast and her left was badly bruised. Her face, however, was just Emily, pure, innocent, beautiful Emily, and that was what made the rest of the scene so unbearable. Emily looked so peaceful, like she'd simply wake up any second.
Naomi knew she wouldn't, though. "Medically induced coma," the doctor had said. "Give her brain some time to heal." They'd take her out of it in two days, but even then there was no guarantee that she'd wake up immediately. There'd been lots of intracranial pressure, the doctor had explained when she and Katie had backed away from him in horror.
"How's she doing?" a deep, soft voice asked, shaking Naomi out of her anxious thoughts.
Naomi turned, letting her eyes linger over Emily's face before turning to face Emily's father, a tear escaping as she blinked and trickling down her cheek. "Same," she croaked out.
Rob nodded then took a seat beside his daughter's bed, and surveyed her quietly. Naomi felt like an intruder, watching this man, who clearly cared so much about his daughter, blink back tears of concern, but she couldn't bring herself to leave.
Naomi took a seat on the opposite side of the bed and reached out to grab Emily's small hand in her own. It was so cold, it made Naomi shiver. It was almost as if she was- But no. She could never. She wasn't allowed. Naomi squeezed the hand tightly, hoping that somewhere deep inside she could feel it, hating that this was what it took for her to be able to touch Emily freely. She kissed Emily's hand, letting her lips linger, memorizing the way the smooth skin felt her lips.
"She's a good girl, you know," Rob's voice broke the silence, coming out stronger than Naomi would have been able to manage.
When she looked up she found Rob watching her, staring at where her hand was connected to Emily's. "She's the best," Naomi offered up genuinely.
Rob nodded slightly. "I remember when she and Katie were born. She was smaller, you know. Looked frailer. I was so worried for her. I got her working out at an early age. Had to build up that muscle, you know? But you know what? When she and Katie were six, a boy came up and said something nasty to my little Katie. Made her cry. They'd never tell me what the boy said. But little, quiet Emily marched straight up to him, popped him square in the nose."
Naomi let out a small laugh at the image of a teensy Emily punching a boy for Katie.
"She's got a hell of a right hook," Rob continued, and Naomi caught a wistful smile on his face. There was a kindness in his eyes that she'd seen in Emily's numerous times before she'd fucked everything up. "What I'm trying to say, Naomi, is that she's a fighter. She'll be okay. She's stronger than she looks. She's a Fitch."
Naomi nodded, clinging to his words.
"She'll fight for you, too," Rob said several minutes later, when another silence had settled between them.
Naomi closed her eyes, fighting back the new wave of tears suddenly stinging her eyes. She shook her head sadly. "I fucked up too badly."
Rob reached across his daughter and placed a warm hand on Naomi's, where it sat still covering Emily's. "She's more like her mum than she knows."
A small bark of laughter escaped her lips.
Rob smiled and pulled back. "I know she hasn't been the nicest to you, but she means well."
Naomi raised a sceptical eyebrow.
"I cheated on her once, you know. With her sister."
Naomi's eyes widened in surprise. That was not something she'd anticipated.
"It took a while. A lot of hard work. On both of our parts, but we made it work. We fought for each other," Rob continued. "I think you'll fight for my daughter."
Naomi nodded. "She's my everything. I love her."
Rob smiled broadly. "Good."
A comfortable silence descended on the room once again, and Naomi clung to Emily's hand the whole while.
After a while Rob stood and shot her a smile. "Be back in a bit."
Naomi nodded, unsure of what she'd done to deserve Rob being so understanding with her, but thankful for it nonetheless.
.
.
She wasn't sure when exactly she fell asleep, but she must have, because the next thing she knew, somebody was shaking her by the shoulder. She blinked her eyes open as the distinct, sickening smell of hospital oozed in, and she remembered where she was. Emily's hand was still firmly in hers and her face had fallen against the scratchy hospital blanket.
"Get up, you dozy cow!" Katie muttered.
Naomi sat up and blinked groggily.
"I'm sorry, but all non-family members really have to leave," the nurse was saying in the doorway where James stood barring the way.
"I told you, she's my sister. She has to stay," Katie snarled at the nurse.
Naomi's brows furrowed at Katie's words. What on earth did she mean? Of course Emily was her sister. Surely anyone could tell that. Were they really trying to get Katie to leave?
The nurse gave them a sceptical look.
"She's fucking family, all right?" Katie growled.
"I really must insist-"
"Right, Naomi? Tell her you're my sister," Katie elbowed her hard in the side. "This 'nurse' doesn't believe me and James."
"She looks nothing like-"
"So go on, tell her," Katie cut the woman off again.
Naomi's eyes bulged. Katie was calling her her sister? Had she fallen asleep and not woken up until Hell had frozen over?
"She's um-"
The nurse rolled her eyes and was about to open her mouth again, when Rob appeared in the doorway next to her.
"Dad, will you tell this lady that Naomi's not leaving?" Katie turned to her father.
"Sir, I was explaining to your daughter that only family can stay, and-"
"That's right. She's family," Rob replied unflinchingly.
The nurse looked like she was about to protest again, but instead she simply sighed heavily, shrugged, and walked away.
"Thank you," Naomi said, voice hoarse.
Rob nodded at her, and put a soothing hand on James, moving him aside. "Why don't you girls go and get a drink or something. I'm sure a nice cuppa would do you both good. Jenna and I'd like some time-"
Naomi watched as his eyes drifted towards his youngest daughter. She nodded and stood slowly, regretting the position she'd slept in by the painful crick in her neck and staleness of her joints.
She gave Emily's hand a final squeeze before letting go, feeling reluctant to leave her side. Nothing bad will happen. She'll be okay.
She watched Katie lean over Emily's body and place a tender kiss on her forehead. When Katie pulled away, Naomi caught the dampness on her cheeks.
Naomi followed Katie quietly out of the room and down the hall, letting her lead the way to the coffee shop near the main entrance to the hospital. They didn't speak until they'd ordered and took a seat in the nearby hallway with their drinks.
"Thanks. For helping me stay, I mean," Naomi offered tentatively.
"Yeah, well, whatever. I figured you'd fucking throw a fit if they tried to kick you out, and I didn't want you getting all of us banned in the process, yeah?" Katie grumbled.
Naomi managed a small smile. "Always the self-less one, right, Katie?"
"Fuck you!" Katie growled, before blowing on her tea and taking a sip. "You fucked up good and proper, you know that?"
Naomi's face grew sombre and she nodded. "I know," she replied quietly, all traces of her previous mocking vanished.
"You fucking broke her heart," Katie continued, though her tone was less accusing.
"I never wanted that."
"So why'd you do it then?" Katie demanded turning to look squarely at her.
The numerous excuses that Naomi had attempted to make in her head over and over in the previous months came instantly to mind, but she discarded them, and, instead, opted for truth. "I don't know."
"Oh, well that's fucking good, then. Fuck up the one person who actually cares for you, and why? You don't even fucking know."
Naomi closed her eyes and took a deep shaky breath.
An awkward silence settled between them.
"I thought you loved her. Like you actually made me believe in true love and all that bollocks," Katie finally said.
Naomi turned to Katie, her expression earnest. "I do love her. Katie, I love her so much it hurts. If I could- God, if there was anything I could do to fucking take it back, to have had it never happened, don't you think I would have done it? My heart breaks every single day because I know I broke hers. I don't even know how she's managed to be in the same house as me this long. I can't even stand me and I am me!"
"Well, at least we finally agree on something, then," Katie commented dryly.
Naomi rolled her eyes.
Katie was silent for a long while, simply sipping her tea, and when she finally spoke again, her voice was soft. "If you fuck up again- If you hurt her again, I will have your head on a fucking platter, do you understand me?"
"I don't think she'll give me the chance," Naomi replied sadly.
It was Katie's turn to roll her eyes. "Of course she will. And I'll fucking help you, stupid sod."
Naomi's eyes widened when she realised exactly what Katie was offering. "Oh."
"What, no thank you? Christ! Didn't your mum teach you any manners?"
Naomi shot Katie a half-hearted glare. Of course Katie would spoil the moment. Nonetheless, in that moment she was incredibly thankful to her. "Thank you," she said in an overly exaggerated way.
"That's better."
They finished their tea in a comfortable silence, Naomi feeling almost hopeful for the first time in a long while. Now all she needed was Emily to get better. Emily had to get better.
As they stood to head back, Katie caught Naomi's hand in her own. "She'll be okay, right?" Katie asked, looking up at Naomi with so much vulnerability that Naomi's heart almost broke because of it.
She'd never seen Katie look so much like Emily. Setting aside her own concern about the very same question she nodded. Naomi squeezed Katie's hand comfortingly. "She'll be fine. She has to be. She said she'd never really leave you, right? She's Emily. She'll be okay."
Katie took a deep breath and pulled her hand away. When her eyes met Naomi's again, she'd composed herself. "Yeah. Right. Of course."
Naomi smiled at her the best that she could. She and Katie had reached an understanding. They had a common ground now: Emily.
.
.
With a buffer consisting of Rob and Katie, Naomi managed to stay at Emily's side almost non-stop, despite having to suffer the odd scathing glare from Jenna. Emily's first night in the hospital, she and Katie stayed, propped awkwardly in chairs, sleeping on and off, while Jenna and Rob took James home and came up with other arrangements for him so that he wouldn't miss school or have to spend too much time at the hospital. After that, Rob attempted to have the girls take their bedside vigil in shifts, but both stood stubbornly by Emily's side. In the end he settled for bringing them a change of clothes, and sending them for a proper meal in the restaurant.
When the moment came for them to take Emily off of the medication keeping her in a coma, Naomi felt anxiety clenching tightly at her heart. What if it didn't work? What if Emily still didn't wake up? What if she did but she still wanted nothing to do with her?
Apparently Katie was sharing some of her anxiety, because Naomi felt her hand slip into her own and squeeze tight.
Naomi's heart felt like it was beating slower with each passing second as they brought Emily out. When the doctor stepped back, having decided Emily was breathing normally and removed the ventilator, and Emily's eyes still didn't flutter open in that beautiful way that Naomi knew they could, Naomi felt her heart stop.
"Remember, it won't happen immediately. It will take a while for the sedatives to wear off," the doctor reminded them. "I'll be back to check on her in a little bit. You probably have time to go have a drink, maybe a meal even."
Despite the doctor's words, nobody made a move to leave.
Katie surged forward, dragging Naomi with her, and began to stroke her sister's hair.
Naomi stood anxiously beside her, shifting her weight impatiently, as she rested a tentative hand on Emily's, earning her another glare from Jenna.
"We should check on James again before Emsy wakes up," Rob finally announced.
"Rob, I am not going to-"
"Emily's in good hands. Katie will call us if anything changes, won't you love?" Rob cut his wife off.
Katie nodded, not taking her eyes off her sister's face.
"We'll be back soon," Rob managed a smile before ushering his protesting wife out of the room.
Katie looked round and grabbed a chair, pulling it up to Emily's bedside and resumed stroking her hair.
Naomi went around to the other side of the bed and took the seat there, taking a hold of Emily's hand more comfortably now that Jenna was gone. She brought it to her lips and kissed it tenderly. "Wake up, Ems. We need you," she whispered.
"We miss you, you lazy cow. You've been asleep for over two days. You can't still be tired," Katie added, her voice desperate despite the attempted levity of her words.
Despite their pleas, Emily didn't stir.
.
.
They didn't move for what felt like hours, both occasionally saying something to Emily despite her lack of response.
Naomi was starting to lose hope. The doctors had said that Emily might have more damage than they'd feared. She might not wake up even without the sedatives.
A small twitch in Emily's hand made Naomi's heart leap.
"Ems?" Naomi said tentatively, afraid of becoming too hopeful too soon.
Katie's eyes shot to her, then back to her sister.
"Emily?" Katie echoed.
Naomi breathed a sigh of relief as Emily's eyes fluttered open.
"Emily!" Katie threw herself down on her sister, hugging her as best she could.
"Ow," Emily's voice croaked hoarsely.
"Sorry," Katie pulled back immediately. "How do you feel?"
Emily's eyes surveyed the room, her brows furrowed in confusion. "What happened?" she asked, ignoring her sister's question.
"You apparently decided that helmets were for non-lezzas only. You crashed that stupid moped. They had to put you into a fucking coma," Katie informed her.
Naomi stayed put, frozen in place. She wanted desperately to kiss Emily, but wasn't sure that Emily would want that. She didn't want to upset her. The doctor had said that her brain would still be fragile.
"I like the moped," Emily replied.
"That's a shame. It's all busted up now," Katie said.
Emily frowned. "I was mad. It wasn't about being a lesbian."
"Well next time you get mad, can you still remember that safety matters? You had me worried sick," Katie murmured that last bit so softly that Naomi had to strain her ears to hear.
"Emsy shum," Emily murmured.
It was Naomi's turn to furrow her brows. Had the crash affected her speech? Why was she talking nonsense?
"You should be. I love you," Katie replied as if Emily had made perfect sense. Katie shot her a glance. "Twin-speak. Don't have a coronary."
Naomi nodded, relaxing her apparently far too readable expression.
Emily's eyes swept the room again, curiously, as if to see who Katie was talking to. When her eyes settled on Naomi, her eyes widened.
"What's- Why're-"
"So I need to go phone Mum and Dad," Katie announced, pulling reluctantly away from Emily. "Don't say anything stupid," she hissed at Naomi on her way out the door.
"I was so worried," Naomi murmured when Katie had exited the room and Emily was simply staring at her with a frown.
"I'm mad at you," Emily replied.
Naomi closed her eyes tightly and took a deep breath. She nodded. "I know. I'm sorry."
Emily's eyes turned to where Naomi's hand was still clasping hers. Naomi pulled away, afraid that Emily didn't want to touch her.
"Sorry," Naomi mumbled again.
Emily's brows furrowed. "Am I okay?"
Naomi shrugged. "I hope so. God, I really hope so."
Emily's eyes drifted up from her hand to where her arm lay in a cast. "What else is broken? It feels like everything."
Naomi flinched at the words. She'd hoped that Emily wouldn't be in too much pain. "A few ribs, and you twisted your knee pretty badly. Mostly you're just bruised and scraped up."
Emily nodded. "How long was I in the coma?"
"Two days," Naomi replied.
"Did you-" Emily shook her head. "Nevermind."
"Right, Mum and Dad will be back in five minutes, so Naomi, I reckon you'd better bugger off because my dad said my mum's in a right mood, and Emsy the doctor's going to be in to check on you in just a minute. All right?"
Emily nodded again.
Naomi stood, reluctant to leave, but knowing that the Fitches needed their family moment. "I won't go far," she said to Katie.
Katie nodded. "I'll let you know as soon as I think it's safe for you to come back."
Naomi breathed a sigh of relief that their tentative truce seemed in pact despite the fact that Emily was now conscious. "Thanks. Emily-" Naomi turned to her girlfriend, wanting to say something, give any indication that she loved her and was sorry, but words failed her. "Tell the doctor about the pain. Make him adjust your meds," she instructed instead.
Emily's big brown eyes met hers, and for a split second, Naomi saw something resembling the love that had been directed at her all last year and all summer. "I will," Emily finally voiced.
Naomi left the room, pausing to calm her heart rate just outside the door. Emily hadn't kicked her out. That was something right? It had to be something.
.
.
"She barely left your side," Katie's voice carried out through the open door. "Only when Dad or I made her. And she didn't leave the hospital once."
Naomi lingered just out of sight. She'd seen Jenna and Rob leave the room a few minutes before, but she hadn't yet ventured back in the room. What if her time away had reminded Emily that she should hate her? She couldn't bear to see the hurt in Emily's eyes again.
Whatever Emily's response was, was muffled as some nurses rolled a cart full of medical equipment by.
"-clean slate. She loves you. I've never seen anyone who loves anyone so much, Ems. I don't know what drove her to- Well, you know, but I don't think she'd do it again if I paid her a million pounds. She broke her heart, too."
"Why're you standing up for her? You don't even like her," Emily's hoarse voice replied.
Katie let out a small laugh. "No. I don't, but I understand her a bit, all right? She's...We both love you. I just think that you two have a real chance of being happy together."
"Excuse me, miss," a nurse commented to Naomi, as she squeezed past with a clipboard.
A moment later, Katie appeared in the doorway. "Eavesdropping, Campbell?"
Naomi glanced guiltily at her feet, and Katie sighed. "Come on, then." Katie took her by the hand and dragged her into the room.
Naomi stood there awkwardly as Emily turned an unreadable gaze in her direction.
Katie stood beside her expectantly before rolling her eyes. "For fuck's sake," she muttered under her breath. "Right, so I'm going to- Oh fuck it, I'll be back. Just sort it, yeah?" With that, Katie turned and marched out of the room, shutting the door behind her.
"How's the pain level?" Naomi finally ventured, indicating the I.V. still dripping into Emily's arm.
"Better. The doctor gave me something. Did some test, too. Asked me a bunch of questions. Apparently all my neurons are firing accurately and that's a good sign."
Naomi breathed out heavily. That was one concern off her mind at least. "Good."
"I'm still gay much to my mum's disappointment, though," she added with a small smile.
Naomi managed a smile in return. That was an even better sign. Emily had a bit of a sense of humour. That meant she'd definitely be all right, right?
Emily nodded. "Shit thing is I have to stay here a while longer though."
"Oh," Naomi muttered stupidly. Her brain couldn't think of anything right to say.
Emily's nose wrinkled. "I hate hospitals. They smell funny."
"It's the disinfectant," Naomi replied automatically.
"Yeah, and the sick people," Emily added.
The awkward silence returned.
"I don't bite," Emily finally murmured. "You don't have to stand all the way over there. Unless you're planning on running away."
"No!" Naomi assured her a little too eagerly, taking a step forward. "I just wasn't sure if you wanted- I wasn't sure."
Emily nodded, pursing her lips together. "Well, come sit."
Naomi did so, sitting tentatively on the edge of the chair. "I was so worried."
"Apparently there's a lot of that going around," Emily replied.
"You looked so- I mean, you were so- There was a moment I thought you might have been-"
"I'm not," Emily cut off Naomi's efforts to complete a sentence.
Naomi nodded. The silence stretched between them once more.
"So there seems to be a consensus in my family- Or, well, between Katie and my dad, at least, that you're in love with me and I should give you another chance," Emily said softly, her voice showing the strain of not having used it in days.
"Emily, I am, and I know I don't deserve-"
Emily held up a hand to silence Naomi. "Now, I honestly wouldn't have expected it from Katie. The sheer fact that she hasn't killed you in the last two days, which apparently you've spent most of together, says a lot. But she spoke up for you, too. And that- It makes me think."
Naomi felt a tentative quiver of hope piercing her heart. "Oh."
Emily looked down. "Katie said you held my hand all the time. Said she'd never seen anybody look so worried."
"You should've seen her," Naomi interjected.
Emily laughed for a moment before coughing and clutching her side. "Ow. Remind me not to laugh," she muttered.
"Sorry," Naomi replied automatically.
"You've been saying that a lot. And I don't know that I forgive you, but I'm tired of being mad. I just don't have the energy for it right now."
Naomi's heart skipped a beat at Emily's words. She nodded. "The doctor said you might-"
"Naomi, I don't want to hear about doctors right now."
"Okay," she agreed softly. Naomi reached out and hesitantly took Emily's hand in hers.
Emily's eyes focused on where they were touching, and appeared to think for a minute. "Naomi?"
Naomi looked anxiously at Emily's face. "Yeah?"
"Would you lie with me? For a bit," Emily's voice cracked.
Naomi felt her heart soar, but she kept her reaction small, almost afraid that if she reacted too much she'd scare Emily off. "Yeah. I'd like that."
Emily scooted over slowly, wincing at the pain, until there was enough room on the bed for Naomi to slide onto it.
Naomi lay down as carefully as she could, impossibly trying not to touch Emily on the teensy bed, lest she hurt her somehow. "Is this okay?" she asked when she'd precariously balanced herself on one edge of the bed.
Emily rolled her eyes and shot Naomi a look that reminded her of the cheeky looks she'd used to get. It made her heart skip a beat. Emily reached over and pulled her closer, until she was genuinely lying on the bed beside her.
"Yeah, this is...nice."
Naomi breathed in deeply searching for the hints of Emily still lingering beneath the sterile hospital atmosphere. She smiled when remnants of Emily's shampoo infiltrated her nostrils. She wrapped an arm carefully around Emily, who sat forward a little to accommodate the arrangement, before tucking her head onto Naomi's shoulder, just by her neck.
Naomi felt a tear trickle down her cheek, but for once it was a tear of pure joy. She'd never thought she'd be able to hold Emily like this again. Naomi tenderly kissed the top of Emily's head. "I love you so much," she breathed into bright red hair.
Emily tilted her head back so that Naomi found herself looking down into familiar beautiful brown eyes. Emily's eyes searched her own for a minute before she pushed herself forward a little and pressed her lips to Naomi's. The gesture was chaste, and yet so loving, that it took Naomi's breath away. It was so much more than she could have hoped for.
"We're not fixed," Emily warned as she settled back onto Naomi's shoulder. "We're going to have to work at this."
"I know," Naomi assured her. She'd never stop working at this. She just couldn't ever hurt Emily again. She couldn't stand it if she did.
Emily nodded against her shoulder. "I love you, too, Naoms."
Naomi couldn't restrain the smile that spread across her face as her heart soared.
"Finally!" Katie sighed, re-entering the room in a way that made it ridiculously obvious that she'd been listening just outside.
"Fuck you," Naomi shot back playfully.
"Yeah, whatever. Just maybe lay off the kissing for a bit? We'll have a hard time explaining why you kiss your 'sister' on the lips, yeah? Don't want all my effort to go to waste and have you kicked out."
"Sister?" Emily asked drowsily.
"Well I had to tell them something to let Naomi stay here," Katie grumbled resuming her previous seat beside Emily. "Also, both of you please keep your hands where I can see them, and remember that I'm in the room."
Naomi rolled her eyes. As if she was really apt to try anything right there and then when Emily was still so fragile and they had no privacy.
Emily, on the other hand, was smiling. "You two are finally friends."
"I wouldn't go that far," Naomi quickly shook her head just as Katie said, "I don't know about that," but Emily just continued to smile.
"It's about fucking time."
Naomi and Katie looked at each other, and Naomi knew that they were both thinking the same thing. It was about fucking time, for so many things that had just come to pass.
.
The End