So this is the first chapter. Thanks very much for the reviews so far. Enjoy...

The blonde sat nervously in the restaurant waiting for her 'other half' to arrive. She had spent the last 24 hours rehearsing the speech that she was going to deliver to her devoted girlfriend. Naomi cracked open the bottle of wine that had found its way to her table, and immediately broke her promise to herself that she wouldn't drink at least until she told Lisa how she felt.

"Fuck it, dutch courage," she muttered to herself as the she poured the red liquid into her rather large wine glass. Naomi started to sip from her glass slowly, peering over the edge of it to observe the people all around her, the majority of which were loved up couples. Not that you would expect anything less with it being a Valentines night. Rose petals where scattered on pretty much every table with candles providing the restaurant with their main source of lighting.

'Bet the owner loves this, a chance for him to save on fucking electricity bills,' Naomi thought bitterly. She fixated her eyes on the door, where she kept them for the next five minutes until she saw the unmistakeable jet, black hair of her girlfriend. The waiter pointed over towards Naomi, who stood up to greet Lisa with a peck on her cheek.

"Pour one for me hun?" Naomi immediately poured a glass of Red and passed it across the table.

"I've ordered for us already so the starter should be here anytime soon."

Lisa smiled at her girlfriends effort, knowing that Naomi hated these corporate holidays, stating that they're just a way for card companies to rip people off and for restaurants to just exploit people.

"Thanks hun, I know you hate stuff like this but it is just for one night."

Naomi nodded whilst taking large gulps of her wine. Both women engaged in small talk whilst they waited for their starter. Mainly about how both their days were with Lisa complaining again about how her boss wont take her ideas seriously and how her car broke down again, hence why she was late for their date. Naomi's eyes glazed over as Lisa continued with her rambling, but she was brought out of her daze when fingers were clicked in front of her face, a habit that Naomi was started to find irritating.

"What?" she snapped.

"I said how's Effy? Has she sorted that business out with James and his new lady friend yet?"

"She's fine. Well as fine as can be expected being an ex wife of James Cook. He does take liberties sometimes but I think they are slowly coming to some sort of understanding."

Lisa took Naomi's hand, mistaking her abruptness for worry over Effy's situation.

"Its not your problem hun, don't let their problems drag you down." Naomi snatched her hand away from Lisa's firm grasp.

"Listen, hun. Effy's problem is my problem, got that?" Naomi folded her napkin onto her lap indicating the end of their conversation. She didn't look up knowing that she would just see the hurt residing in Lisa's eyes and no doubt she would pout, another habit that Naomi was starting to find irritating.

Naomi decided to break the silence after several long minutes. "I'm sorry okay, its just a sensitive issue at the moment," she braved a look at Lisa but instead of seeing the expected hurt she just saw anger blazing in her eyes. "Lets just get on with the evening okay, no Effy, no Cook, just us." She reached over the table to grab her girlfriend's hand in an attempt to pacify her, and apart from her flinching slightly the minute Naomi touched her hand, the plan seemed to work.

Conversation had diminished slightly after Naomi's outburst, so both were relieved when their starter arrived and they could both occupy themselves with their soup.

"You know I don't like tomato soup. Oh and Naomi and this wine is just awful."

Naomi took several breaths in an attempt to compose herself before reacting to Lisa's put downs.

"Stop being pissy Lisa and eat your fucking soup."

"Right what's wrong with you? Ever since I mentioned Effy you've been a right stroppy cow. Are you in love with her Naomi? Is that it?"

Naomi slammed her spoon down on the table. She couldn't believe she was in this situation again. Nearly every one of her relationships had ended because they mistook her love for Effy as a best friend, for true love, which couldn't be further from the truth.

"For fucks sake Lisa, she's like my fucking sister."

"You tell yourself that Naomi."

"I think we should break up." Naomi had planned to be more tactful and sensitive with her speech but fuck tactful. She knew deep down that Lisa had hated Effy the moment she laid eyes on her so it made what she was saying much easier.

"WHAT? What the fuck Naomi, one disagreement and you run."

Naomi shook her head. "Its not just that, I've been thinking it for a while now, I'm sorry I just threw this at you but..."

"Wait just a minute, you had this fucking planned. You heartless fucking bitch."

Before Naomi could argue her case, Lisa stood next to her now ex-girlfriend and emptied her full bowl of soup onto Naomi's head, leaving it to trickle down her face.

"What the fuck.."

"Oh I'm so sorry darling, I don't know what came over me. Allow me to cool you down." Her ex threw the remainder of her wine onto Naomi's face and her crisp white shirt, that she knew was Effy's.

Naomi closed her eyes before she was blinded by the soup and felt around her lap for her napkin. She could hear Lisa's heels clipping the floor and relief washed through her as the sound seemed to be growing more distant with each step she took.

"Are you alright Miss?"

Naomi couldn't believe the absurdity of the question. She was clearly not okay, hot tomato soup pouring down her face and a red wine stain on her best friends top, but she bit her tongue. The young lad was only trying to be helpful.

"Could I have the bill please?"

"Certainly madam."

She made her way to the cash desk once she had received her bill, and ignored the whispers and stares as she walked out of the restaurant that she definitely wouldn't be visiting anytime soon.

When she got into the taxi for her ride home, Naomi just wanted to sit in silence and be left with her own thoughts, but instead found herself making the usual chat with the taxi driver about what time he finished and how he had all of the drunks to look forward to later on in the evening. It may have been day but it was also a Saturday night. The blonde managed to avoid the drivers question about her current attire and wished him a good night as he pulled up to her house.

The lights were still on that meant Effy was still up, no doubt wanting to hear how her night of 'romance' had turned out. Upon walking through the front door, she was greeted with the smell of Effy's famous Spaghetti Bolognese reminding her that she hadn't actually got round to eating.

"What the fuck happened to you?" Effy got up from the sofa and approached Naomi who waved her away before her emotions could get the better of her.

"Oh you know, the usual. We broke up and dearest Lisa didn't take it so well, but I'll be fine."

She let out a dry chuckle, but it didn't fool Effy. She knew Naomi well enough by now to know when she wasn't fine. Ever since she returned from Cyprus all those years ago to find a letter from Emily placed on her door mat, she had been broken and no relationship since had been able to fix her. Naomi gave the relationships her best shot but in the end she would always find some excuse to break up and be alone once again. However, most of the time they weren't excuses. Her girlfriends didn't understand her relationship with Effy, how they could live together and be so affectionate towards each other, when Naomi herself wasn't overly affectionate with her partner at the time. It just took her a while to open up. It had taken Effy over five years before Naomi was truly herself around the brunette.

"Nai, its okay to hurt you know. I know you didn't love her I could tell that much, and her sneaky fucking put downs were mildly irritating. But I know you just want to be loved Naomi."

Naomi started to sob so Effy took it as her cue to take her best friend into her arms and lead her to the sofa where they sat in silence for over ten minutes, Naomi with her head in Effy's lap whilst she idly

stroked strands of Naomi's hair which seemed to relax her.

"What's wrong with me Eff? Its like she took my heart with her when she left. And that fucking letter haunts me every day."

Effy didn't need to ask who 'she' was or which letter she was on about. The 'she' was of course Emily and she knew about the letter, she had seen the envelope peeping out from underneath Naomi's pillow numerous times, including tonight.

"Go and get it."

"What?" Naomi lifted her head up and looked into the blue eyes that very much resembled her own.

"The letter. Its time to put it in the past. Go. Oh and Naomi, have a shower first because you smell of something and it ain't roses." She winked at the blonde who gave a genuine laugh and left to follow Effy's vague orders.

She returned to the living room to find Effy sitting in front of a blazing, hot fire.

"What's this about?"

Her question was met with silence, which was usually expected when you were talking to Effy. They let the silence envelope them, the heat from the fire burning their faces. Once Naomi had taken a seat next to her on the rug, Effy broke the tense silence.

"Burn it."

Naomi whipped her head around not believing what she was hearing.

"What?"

"You have to stop torturing yourself Naomi. Its been seven years since you got that letter. You need to let go of the past. She's not coming back."

Effy had tiptoed around the issue for the past seven years, but the time had come for her to be brutally honest with her friend, for the sake of her sanity. If Naomi had her way she would be torturing herself until her dying day, just by simply keeping that letter.

"Don't make me do this Eff."

"I'm not going to make you do anything. You know me."

"Damn you and your fucking cryptic ways."

She threw the envelope into the waiting fire and the both watched until it slowly turned into ash. Effy held on to Naomi, once again stroking her hair as she sobbed into her shoulder, watching her past literally go up in flames.

"Its time for a new beginning Nai. No looking back."

She could feel the blonde nod against her chest and she just knew that Naomi would make it through.