This was mostly done when I posted the last chapter, so onward. And, I do not own Skins.

Naomi

We spilled into the street with the rest of the dancers. The cool air felt refreshing and we both seem to be having a good time. I know I was, and Emily looked like she was. As I was trying to tell her how good the last band was and what I liked about them, she got a distracted look on her face, and then she seemed to stop. Stopped responding to me, stopped moving, stopped breathing. There was some commotion behind me and then Emily broke from her paralysis, looked into my eyes, said "no" and fled in the opposite direction. I had no idea where she was going. I tried to follow but lost sight of her after a few blocks, so I turned around and walked back towards the club.

I turned the corner and found the police had arrived to investigate the events. It was looking like the rest of the bands were canceled so I decided it was time to call it a night. I went another block over to avoid the police and onlookers and then headed back to the hostel. There was no sign of Emily on my walk back, but when I entered our room I found she had some how arrived first. She was on the top bunk curled up in a ball. My feelings changed from concern to anger. "Emily, what is you problem!" It wasn't a yell but it was close. I got no response. I stood on the lower bunk and moved my face up in front of hers. Her eyes were open staring off in the distance. "Emily?" Still nothing. I reached out my hand and placed it on her shoulder, there was a small shutter but she still didn't look at me, just through me.

I didn't know what to do. My first thought was to give her some space. I stepped down from the bed and move towards to door. I was stopped by this small scared voice behind me "Katie. Where is Katie?"

"Who is Katie?"

"I can't find her."

"Emily, who is Katie?" No response.

I started again towards the door, only to hear her start to cry.

"Naomi, help me please I can't find Katie."

In the softest, most soothing voice I could manage, "Emily, who is Katie?"

Through the tears, "Katie is my sister, I think she is in trouble and I can't find her."

Shit. A little voice in my head said "walk a way." But something wouldn't let me do that. The same thing that made me watch over her as she slept the first morning. I climbed up to the top bunk, and laid down behind her, wrapping my arms around and pulling her in tight. The crying slowed but did not stop.

"I'm so sorry Naomi, I got scared and I couldn't find Katie."

"Shh, stop crying, we will work it out."

"I just needed a friend. I wanted YOU as a friend, and now you think I'm nuts, and you hate me."

"I am your friend, and you may be nuts, but who said I hate you? Only I get to decide who I hate and you lady have not made that list. So lets work this out, where did you last see Katie?"

"London."

"Do you know where she is?"

"No."

"Does your dad?"

"No." I could feel her agitation growing with each question.

"What kind of trouble is she in?"

"I can't talk about it tonight. I don't want to talk about it. Please don't make me," the tears coming back.

"OK, OK. We'll work that out another time. Right now I'm your friend, and your safe here with me."

"I hope so."

I held her there for about 20 minutes as she slowly calmed down. She had grabbed my arms like that was the only thing keeping her head above water. Her grip softened as she relaxed.

"Emily, can we turn the lights out?"

"Can't we leave them on, please?" Her grip tightened on my arm. Looks like I was staying right there.

"Sure. But I would like this blanket that is under us, your nice and warm, but my butt is cold."

She again softened her grip and squirmed around until the blanket was free, never totally letting go. I spread the cover over us. Emily turned to face me and buried her head against my chest up under my chin. Within minutes her breathing softened and she was asleep.

I whispered "Goodnight Emily. Your safe here. Happy dreams." I snuggled a little closer and fell asleep wishing the lights were out.

I woke to a disoriented feeling. Something was different. Opening my eyes I found a pair of brown eyes looking back, oh yeah I was in Emily's bed. "Good morning."

"I'm sorry," she replied as she sat up and moved for the ladder.

I grabbed her hand before she could make an exit, "Wait. Come back here for a moment, please?"

Emily paused and then laid back down facing me.

"Look, you don't have to tell me what happened or what's wrong, but I wish you would. What I do need to know is that you are alright. And that we are alright."

She turned her head and looked at the ceiling and I thought she would start to cry again but she held it back. "I can't talk about what is wrong, I will, just not yet. I got scared of something that wasn't real. I'm better, but I'm not sure I'm alright."

"You are still my friend and I hope you still feel the same. I was scared and confused last night when you ran away. Please don't run away again. OK?"

Emily gave me a guilty child look but didn't promise anything. "Thank you for being my friend last night."

"Alright can you clarify a few things for me?" She nods yes. "Katie, your sister?"

"Yes"

"Still a live?"

"I hope so."

"Older or younger?"

"A few minutes older."

"A twin?" A nod yes. "I am guessing here, but other then the ex-girlfriend your only true friend."

Another nod yes, followed by "Not the ex, just Katie, and you." And those brown eyes meet mine.

I smile at her, "Thank you, and thank you for trusting me. The next part is a little more difficult so I need you to keep trusting me. OK?" She nods yes. "I stink and I want a shower. And since the shower stalls are a little small, will you be OK here until I get back?"

"Yes."

I lean over and gave her a hug. As we separated "Your right you do need a shower."

"You ain't all roses either girl."

We had both made the trip down the hall to the shower without incident, but Emily still did not look like she was back to her happy place.

"Hey you want to hangout here and I will go get us some coffee and muffins?"

"Sure your not just trying to ditch me, and meet up with some guy from one of the bands?"

"Not a chance. 'Guys before coffee, no way.' Blueberry or Cranberry?"

"Cranberry." She smiles at me, "Thank you Naomi."

"You got it. Call me if you need something. Anything." I smiled and headed out the door.

As soon as I was a block from the hostel I had my phone out and the call placed. It rang five times and I was about to give up when there was a voice at the other end "How is my world traveler?"

"Hi mom." My greeting was not nearly as cheerful as hers.

"What's wrong Naomi?"

"You remember telling me I could talk to you about anything? Well, I need to talk."

"Are you in trouble?"

"No, but a friend might be, and I don't know how to help."

"So what is wrong."

"The short story, we met on the plane and have been hanging out together since. All was good until last night when she had some sort of paranoid panic attack."

"She?"

"Yes mom. Focus, I am on the clock here. I am running an errand that should take about 30 minutes."

"Alright, say calm. What else can you tell me? Do you know that is wrong?"

"No, she wont talk about it. She is my age, a twin and I get the feeling this is the first time away from her sister, who she thinks is in trouble, but she wont tell me anything."

"Well as a mother I should tell you to cut your losses, and protect yourself, BUT the fact that you are even talking to me about this means that is not an option. So my suggestion is be her friend, support her and listen to what your heart tells you. And be careful, she may not feel as strong or the same way you do."

"Well about that... she is gay. Wait, you've been talking to Cook again, haven't you. Why does everyone want me to say I'm gay?"

There was a pause at the other end. When she spoke I could hear the smile. "Yes I have, he cares about you. One more piece of advice be true and honest to the both of you."

"Stop grinning like that, people will think your off balanced. Thanks for the talk."

"What's her name dear?"

"Emily."

"Take care of Emily, and yourself. Love you."

"I will. Love you. Bye."

I got the coffees, muffins and still made it back in less then 30 minutes. Mom had told me everything I already knew I think I just needed someone to say my decision to stay last night had been the right one.

I entered the room and found Emily sitting in the middle of my bed reading the arts paper I had picked up. Her face lit up when I walked in.

"Hot coffee and warm muffin. But you are going to have to move over here," gesturing to the table, "no crumbs in my bed."

"Your no fun."

"Warned you, 'No Fun Naomi'." I'm not sure if it was my lame joke or remembering that hug the first night that caused ether of us to smile, but we both did.

Emily brought the paper with her to the table and showed me a writeup on a photography exhibit at the public library downtown. "They are featuring landscapes by regional photographers and artists, unless you had something else you wanted to do."

"Nothing on my list today. Sounds like fun, when would you like to go?"

"When ever. Maybe after the lunch time rush."

"OK." I picked up one of the news papers I had, went over and laid down on the bed to read it. Emily sat at the table and just looked at me. I couldn't figure out what she was thinking or even what kind of mood she was in. After about 60 seconds of being stared at I took a chance. Standing I took the pillow of her bed and dropped it next to mine. "If you through with your muffin there is room over here," patting the bed next to me. Emily sat down on the edge of the bed and stretched out next to me. I shared the paper with her and we spent the next couple of hours trading articles and opinions on world events.

The closer we got to the library the more the traffic and activity picked up and the more relaxed Emily became. When we had stepped out of the hostel she was looking over her shoulder and in to every dark corner. Now most of that was gone and only the occasional sideways glances remained. She wasn't looking for someone, she was trying not to be found, or caught.

"Wow, what a cool building." I had been expecting a square brick building not the angular glass structure in front on me. She looked at me like I had lost my mind as I lead her around the outside of the building twice trying to take it all in. We entered the building and found her photo exhibit.

The images were all very nice, but I was just not as into them as Emily was. I could look into her face and see when one of the photographs truly moved her. We stood looking at a sunset image of a small tree covered island. Emily whispered something that I couldn't make out.

"What was that?"

"Nothing, it was silly."

"Come on what was it?"

"I want to capture, no create beauty like that."

"That's not silly. That's part of what a gap should be, a chance to find what moves you."

"What about you? Have you found something that moves you?"

"Like what?" I thought I knew where this was going but she surprised me.

"This building. You looked at it the same way I looked at this photo. Come on, you looked at my art lets go explore your art." We stopped and had a late lunch at the cafe and then wandered through the building.

Neither of us were that interested in the happenings in the common room. If either of us were to admit it I think we were both tired from all the tension bottled up in Emily. We got ready for bed and with a little disappointment I watched the red head pick up her pillow from my bed and climb into the upper bunk.

"Lights out tonight?" I asked hopefully.

"Sure, sorry about last night."

"No worries."

I turned out the lights and crawled in to bed, pulling the covers up to my chin. Two things struck me almost at the same time. First, how much room I had to spread out. And second, how lonely it was. I thought back to the plane when Emily had put her hand on my knee, and how much I missed the connection when it was removed. I had that same feeling again. In her bed last night and reading the paper today in my bed there was a connection, a closeness, now she was 5 feet away but it felt like a millions miles between us. "You OK up there?" Right Naomi, what do you think she will say, 'no come up here with me'? Get real.

"Yeah, you OK down there?"

"Yeah." The voice in my head that kept telling me I hadn't found the right guy was quiet. Instead I heard Cook's voice saying 'You should just kiss a girl and see if that works any better for you.'

The quiet in the room was only broken by the occasional car on the street below. It seemed to last for hours, but I knew it was no more then a minute later, "Naomi?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you for helping me through last night."

"I didn't do that much."

"Yes you did. You cared, and you were there when no one else was." She paused and I could hear her talk a breath. "And I am sorry for the teasing and flirting."

"Why?"

"You told me where you stood. I didn't need to push."

"Did I complain?"

"No, but that could have just been you being polite."

"You have only known me for a few days, but do I seem like someone who would just put up with something that offended them?"

"No."

"I would have said something if it was a problem."

There has another long pause before she continued, "Can I ask a question, and you'll be honest?"

"Of course."

"Did you just like the teasing, or were the flirts on target?"

"To be totally honest, I don't know. I have been asking myself the same question."

"Would you have wanted me to stay down there tonight?"

"More then you could imagine. Did you want to?"

"Yes."

"Then why didn't you?"

"Because you don't know if it was teasing or flirting. And if either of us guesses wrong I could loose a friend and I can't, won't risk that."

It was my turn to pause. How could I respond, there were no words. It was weak but the best I could come up with, "Thank You Emily for being my friend. Pleasant dreams."

"Happy dreams Naomi."

Emily

I could tell Naomi was still a little unsure what was up with me. I still wouldn't talk about what had set me off, but I was trying to get back to where we were before the night at the club. I wanted to show her I was past the panic attack, and show myself I would not be ruled by Katie's dumb choices. This was my life and I would not let Katie bugger it up. We took the bus to Seattle Center with the idea of walking around the Space Needle, just playing tourist. As we walked across the grounds we could hear music across the park.

"Come on lets go see who's playing."

"Emily are you sure?"

"Look Naomi, I ruined yesterday for you. Lets go prove to both of us that I am not a total basket case."

"I never said you were a total basket case. And you didn't ruin yesterday."

"Yeah sure, you traveled all this way to babysit an escaped mental patient. Come on."

"OK."

The banners on the stage were for a free lunch time concert series, and we got to the back of the crowd just as the band finished the song. With out pause they started into their next piece. This one was much slower and had an almost most mournful, slow melodic tone to it. But the singer voice cut through with a clarity that captured everyone in his spell. As the chorus started for the second time,

Ohhh,
Our lines will blur,
But you've got a face like no other.
I'll keep it where I see things right.

I felt Naomi's hand reach out and take mine.

Ohhh,
A darkness comes,
But you got a way like no other one.
I'll keep it where my black keeps light.

Her grip tightens and I feel her shoulder lean in to mine as we swayed in time to the music.

The chorus starts for a final time,

Ohhh,
Our lines will blur,

and Naomi turned and stepped in front of me, her blue eyes were misty and I see her mouth the next lines of the song.

But you've got a face like no other.
I'll keep it where I see things right.

She leans forward and our lips meet as she pulls me tight. And for a moment there was nothing else in the universe, but Naomi, and I and that kiss.

Ohhh,
A darkness comes,
But you got a way like no other one.
I'll keep it where my black keeps light.

Thank you very much for the reading and for the reviews.

The band is Blind Pilot and the song is The Colored Night. I have a challenge, put the song on loud enough you can feel his voice (you'll understand the first time you play it), hold your significant other's hand and try to make it to the end of the song with out getting misty eyed.

Please net me know what you think about the story, the song, the weather, or whatever.