Title: Laws of Attraction – Chapter 01
Author: skuzzeh, charliec101, kreia03
Rating: M
Warnings: Swear words.
Disclaimer: We don't own anything...apart from dying love for each other.
Summary: Emily and Katie are the same but different. Close Twins, but hating it, friends but enemies. But one case of divorce implicates their lives in ways they would have never imagined.
A/N: AU fic. It's skuzzeh who came up with the idea. Hope you all like this :)
"Fuck."
The alarm clock goes off, waking Emily Fitch with a start. Covering her head with the duvet, she considers ignoring the alarm clock, and going back for another hour or so. Thinking against it, she sits herself up, reaches across to the blaring alarm clock then slips her feet into the pair of slippers located alongside the bed. She allows herself a brief stretch before leaning across the bed, and shaking the duvet, and straightening up the pillows. She makes her way across to the window, opening the curtains and examining the weather outside.
It's warm with delicious blue skies. "Perfect" She adds with a smile.
Reaching forward and opening the top window, she sighs contently as the slightly cooler air hits her, refreshes her. She leans down and sniffs the purple flowers located on her windowsill, strongly believing everyday should start and end like this.
Creeping along the landing, she makes her way into the bathroom, and shuts it softly so it makes the softest clicking sound against the frame of the wood. She opens the shower door, and climbs in, again taking the utmost precautions in closing it behind her, sighing as the cold water hits and caresses her skin. She turns around, and allows the water to run through her hair, and down her body; soapy water trailing along her back, down her legs and swirling away in to the drain.
Wrapping a pink towel around her body, and a separate purple one for her hair, she makes her way back into the bedroom, selects an outfit from her wardrobe, and sits on the edge of her bed while drying her hair. She slips her outfit on, and makes her way downstairs, avoiding the third step on the stairs, which tends to squeak loudly.
Carefully reaching into the cupboard above her head, she sets two bowls down with two spoons and two tumblers. Into the plastic bowl, she pours a small portion of cocoa pops and pours a glass full of ice cold apple juice, straight from the fridge. Into the other, she adds a slice of wheatbix, and some cranberry juice into the glass.
She reaches into the breadbin, and pulls out a loaf of bread, selecting two slices, buttering them both before slicing the crusts off. She spreads marmite on one slice, and honey on the other before combining them together, cutting them into quarters and placing them into a sandwich bag. For good measure, she places a banana into the pink lunchbox, and adds a carton of juice.
She walks back up the stairs, and makes her way into the smaller room adjacent to her own bedroom. She lightly knocks on the door before making her way into the silent room, silent but there are faint sounds of breathing.
"Chloe…time to wake up." She says softly before leaning over the little girl, just stirring up, and placing a kiss on her forehead. She presses the switch on the bedside light, and the light hit the face of the girl snuggled up warm and cosy under the duvet.
The little girl is as beautiful as her mother. She has chocolate brown hair, and beautiful brown eyes. Her skin was pale, yet perfect; a spitting image of her mother, an adorable button nose, and thin lips that would surely break a lot of hearts one day.
"Wake up, sleepyhead. If you don't I'm gonna tickle you!" She whispers, and gives a slight chuckle, encouraging her daughter to wake up.
"10, 9, 8, 7, 6….TICKLE TIME" Emily dives on top of Chloe, and begins to tickle her, her daughter wiggling around under the covers, desperate to hide from her mother's touch.
"You cheated!" Chloe calls, muffled from under the duvet which was under Emily.
Emily giggles and perches on the edge of the bed, sitting alongside her, stroking her head as she eventually opens her eyes.
"Good morning, gorgeous! Right, wash and dress now." Emily says, standing up and straightening her skirt before leaning down and rubbing noses with her child.
"Morning, mummy."
It's been a habit since Chloe's dad left. She was devastated, cried all of the time and couldn't sleep without her daddy to read her goodnight stories, so Emily invented a way to get Chloe to sleep better.
"Chloe, I love you." Emily says as she turns and walks out of the door.
"God mum. You say it everyday! I get the hint!" She says with an adorable chuckle before crinkling her nose up, the exact same way Emily does. "I love you too, mummy"
**
"You have a good day! And Auntie Katie will be here to pick you up at 3. Okay?"
Emily says as she pulls up her red Ford Focus alongside the playground, concealed by the school gates, before pressing the 'door unlock' button on her door panel.
"Did you make my sandwiches, mummy?" Chloe asks before unclipping her seatbelt.
"Marmite and Honey! Your favourite!" Emily says excitedly, trying to encourage her daughter who normally loves the strange concoction.
"I wanted Chocolate Spread today, mummy." She says with a pout, and leaning down to pick up her school bag, which looks almost half her size.
"Aw, I'm sorry. Tomorrow, baby. I promise. Okay, you okay to see yourself in? Mummy's going to be late for work." Emily leans over and places a kiss on her daughter's head, watching her to make sure she gets into the playground safely, and has met up with her friends before pulling away from the school.
**
Eventually being caught briefly in the morning traffic, she manages to make it to work precisely on time, after grabbing a newspaper and a cup of coffee from the shop on the corner.
"Morning, Emily." The secretary calls, seeing her arrival through the rotating doors.
"Good morning Pandora." Emily calls back as she walks into her office and sets down the newspaper and the coffee on her desk. Her desk is spotless, all paperwork organised and filed away into the correct cabinets, all organised alphabetically, and colour coordinated depending on the type of case.
"What have I got today?" She asks sternly regarding today's schedule.
"A divorce case, pretty high profile. In fact, she's already here. She went to get something from her car, been here for ages." Pandora reaches onto her desk and fingers a folder, holding it, aiming it towards Emily.
"Alright, send her in when she's back." Emily demands before taking the folder from Pandora's hands.
Walking back in, she closes the door behind her, and sighs before slipping on her glasses and climbing onto her chair. Picking up the folder Pandora had just given her, she takes a selection of papers out, and begins to read the notes on her client.
Before the words even register in her mind, a timid knock on the door ensues and she has called for the knocker to enter. Emily stands to her feet, and walks slowly towards the door taking in the appearance of her new clientele.
"Emily Fitch, right? I've heard so much about you." The client says stretching out a hand with a gorgeous teeth baring smile.
She was platinum blonde, fairly tall, wearing skinny jeans, and a leather jacket covering a very tight shirt, her powerful eyes being framed by a thick layer of eyeliner.
Emily looks down at the outstretched hand, and walks away back to the other side of the desk, sitting herself back onto her chair which was at least half the size of Emily's petite body.
"Naomi. Naomi Campbell…" The blonde offers.
"…Sure…" Emily says not caring one bit about her name. "Please…sit." She says gesturing to the chair opposite her.
"Okay, sure." She utters, taking the seat. "I'm sorry I'm here so early. I have things to do in the afternoon so…"
Emily cuts her off bluntly with a clearing of her throat. "Right. What's your deal? What do you need my help with?" Naomi looks taken aback with her bluntness, and a slight blush of embarrassment passes her features.
"Oh…erm…I want to get a divorce..." She says, her cheeks getting redder.
"Right..." Emily sighs loudly.
"You're so rude." Naomi says, understandably getting agitated by Emily's attitude.
"Perhaps, but you don't get where you want by being polite, and it certainly doesn't help with becoming a lawyer. Lawyers aren't supposed to be nice, and if they are, they'll never win a case. I'm guessing that's why you've came to see me? Because you've heard I'm the best, and you've heard right. Let's get to business." Emily sighs and makes brief eye contact with the blonde girl, who flinches at every word spoken by the redhead. "Right, tell me more about you and your husband."
"Husband?" Naomi laughs a little; makes Emily uneasy. "You've not read my notes have you? I'm a lesbian." Naomi chuckles, and looks into the brown eyes facing her.
"A lesbian?" Emily repeats, searching into the azure eyes for some clarification.
"You know the type…butch, short haired, dungaree wearing, sports players…usually wearing an 'I heart fanny' t-shirt." Naomi laughs, trying to ease some of the increasing amount of tension.
"Funny." Emily scowls "Right. Tell me all about your WIFE then."
**
"Time for your vows. Would you like to go first?"
The vicar nods at the brunette standing alongside Naomi. She's dressed in a short fluorescent pink mini skirt, a red checked shirt with a leather jacket over the top. Odd knee length socks, and a bright pair of yellow converse.
She slurs a bit, sways, and loses her footing before Naomi's drunk, yet surprisingly sturdy hands latched onto her waist keep her upright. They probably shouldn't be allowed to marry in such a drunk state, but the vicar doesn't complain.
"Okay, I'm fine…I'm good." She says, mainly trying to convince herself more than anyone else. She beams at herself once Naomi removes her hand from her waist, proud of herself for managing to hold herself up.
She turns to face Naomi, and begins her vows.
"Marriage…is like…eating a baguette, y'see. It's hard to eat, and it tastes good, and it's definitely worth the torment, but when you've eaten it, you miss it…and sometimes you get jaw ache. But…believe me, Nay, you're so worth the jaw ache." She adds a wink, and turns back to the vicar, who is now outraged, his jaw on the floor.
"And yours?" he utters once he manages to compose himself, nodding to Naomi.
She's in ripped jeans and a 'John Lennon was my bitch' t-shirt. She is wearing orange high heels, and yellow leg warmers over the jeans. Fashion faux pas. I think so.
"You're amazing, proper…sexy, and…perfect, and shit. And…god, I swore… Shit! Sorry. I'm blaspheming aren't I? Now I'm swearing, Christ."
She looks around to the vicar, who in turn looks like he'd rather be anywhere but there.
"I mean, I just…really want to be your life, and your…wife so we can make…sweet sweet…music together."
"Beautiful" The vicar adds mockingly, before continuing his service.
"Any of the witnesses here today, have any reason to not allow these two to marry?"
The vicar looks behind the happy couple to the congregation sitting behind them, all two of them, who aren't actually paying any attention to the service but to each other, primarily to each other's lips.
Both shake their head. "No reason" The male mutters, before going back to kiss his girlfriend.
The vicar sighs. "Let's just put the rings on, and get out of here, yes?" He adds, a little bit annoyed.
"Yes!" The brunette calls, in fact, screams at the vicar, who in turn jumps a little.
She reaches into her bra and pulls out two circles made out of string. One pink and one orange.
"This? This is your wedding ring?" The vicar asks, gob smacked.
"Yes, there are no rules that you can't use string! I checked on wikipedia!" She screams again.
Naomi just stands laughing to herself.
"Okay, whatever. Just use to goddamn rings, and get out of here."
"You just blasphemed!" Naomi calls at the vicar, who then turns a distinct shade of red.
"I…No…I…Oh, shut up."
"Naomi, do you take this girl to be your loving and doting wife?"
"Hell yeah. I can't wait to take her…as my wife." She winks, and eyes up the brunette.
"Effy, do you take this girl to be your lawfully wedded wife?"
"YES"
**
"I mean, it wasn't the most romantic wedding. I can barely remember it, but I remember a lot more than Effy does. She passed out on the way out of the altar…but….we loved each other, and we were good together, but we're…not so good now."
"And she's agreed to the divorce?" Emily asks, scribbling notes down on the paper in front of her.
"Yeah, she's going to sign all of the papers, eventually." Naomi confirms with a nod, then bites her lip, which Emily eagerly notices.
"Not keen?"
"Not at all." Naomi sighs loudly, throwing her head backwards. "So, you think you can help me."
"Yeah, I can do anything."