Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Hollyoaks, it all belongs to the people at Channel 4. I'm just borrowing a couple of the characters and having a play around with them. I promise they'll be nice and clean when I hand them back :)

Summary: Sarah/Zoe slash pairing (meaning f/f - so if you don't like that kind of lovin', don't read!) Sarah and Zoe have a connection. But Sarah's a little too freaked out to explore exactly how much of a connection they could have.

Other info: I started writing this years ago, before Lydia became a complete psychopath and everything went completely wrong for Sarah and Zoe. I liked their relationship, and I thought that more could have come of it. So when I found this on my hard drive recently, I thought I'd carry it on. Reviews make my heart do a little happy dance :).

Chapter one

"Oh god," Lydia sighed, dropping back into her seat besides Sarah on the sofa, "I hate that question, don't you?"

"Which one?" Sarah took a sip of her drink and turned to face her new friend, who finished running a hand through her messy blonde hair and grimaced.

"The 'so when did you realise you were gay?' one. Honestly, it's so stupid…" she trailed off as she noticed the look that had replaced the smile that had been on Sarah's face. "What?" she asked, concerned. "You did know I was gay, right?"

"Yeah," Sarah started, "but… I mean, you think… what did you mean?" confusion had made Sarah unable to form a complete sentence and she looked at the girl next to her, willing her to understand what she was trying to say.

"What did I mean when?" Lydia asked, looking bemused.

"When you said 'don't you?' earlier."

"I meant 'don't you hate being asked that question as well.' Jeez Sarah, I know I'm not from round here but I didn't think my accent was that incomprehensible!" Lydia laughed.

"You think I'm gay as well?" Sarah asked, her very core slowly growing icy cold in horror.

Lydia's eyes went wide, and she put down the glass that she'd been holding quickly, looking at Sarah's expression made her want to laugh, but she just managed to hold it in to apologise. "Oh Sarah I'm so sorry – sometimes my gaydar goes a bit squiffy I didn't mean… well, I mean I thought you were, but obviously I'm wrong, I didn't mean to offend you!"

Sarah put her head in her hands and let out a long sigh. Sometimes, you get told things you just don't want to hear.

And sometimes, when you think it can't get any worse…

"Hey," Zoe wandered over from where she'd been chatting to Kris at the bar.

They'd been discussing the conversation that was happening between Sarah and Lydia, and Kris had immediately assessed that Zoe should go over and say hello, even if it was to stop Lydia from getting the wrong idea and coming on to Sarah. He'd said it in his usual jokey way, and Zoe had replied in the same manner by stating "I think it would just be easier to go and pee all round where Sarah's sitting, wouldn't it?" but something about the new girl in town had made Zoe feel uneasy from when she'd first laid eyes on her. And she had a horrible feeling that Kris was more right than she'd ever admit.

Sarah looked up and just about managed to stop herself from groaning. "Hey, Zo," she said neutrally instead. Lydia looked up at the newcomer and smiled a greeting, "hi."

"Hope I'm not interrupting?" Zoe asked, taking a sip from her pint for something to do.

"Actually, Lydia and I were just chatting about the dance show the college is putting on next week." Sarah improvised, rushing to tell Zoe anything other than the truth as quickly as possible.

"Oh," Zoe nodded, as Lydia hid her surprise at Sarah's words and agreed.

"Yeah, it sounds really interesting..."

Zoe smiled. "I'll leave you to it then, but I just wanted to come over and say hi. I'm Zoe, by the way, since Sarah rudely didn't introduce us earlier."

"Oh yeah!" Sarah sat up, and immediately blushed a little. "Sorry guys – Zoe, this is Lydia, new girl in town and musical extraordinaire, and Lydia, this is Zoe. Zoe's… well Zoe's Zoe really," she finished, looking at the blonde with an eyebrow raised, almost in a challenge for her to contradict.

"Oh cheers!" Zoe laughed, and Sarah did too after a moment, whilst Lydia looked between the two of them quickly and then joined in, shaking Zoe's hand when she offered it.

"I'll see you around," Zoe turned and walked back over to the bar, replaying that last comment from Sarah in her head. 'Zoe's… well Zoe's Zoe, really.' – what on earth was that supposed to mean?

Back at the sofa, Lydia watched as Sarah took a nervous gulp of her drink, and sat back, head tilted to one side, waiting for an explanation. When nothing was immediately forthcoming, she glanced back over to where Kris and Zoe were now back in conversation at the bar, and grinned.

"Now that one," she started, nodding at the blonde at the bar, "is definitely gay, right?"

Sarah choked on the mouthful of liquid she'd just taken.

Onwards, to chapter two…