Disclaimer: Skins doesn't belong to me, anyone fancy kidnapping JB and Bryan Elsley so that I can? ;-)

Author Note: Thank you everyone for the reviews! Sorry it's been a couple of days since an update, I've been feeling a little unmotivated. Here's the next chapter, please enjoy and don't forget to review!

It Ends Tonight; Ten

A smile was all Emily could see when she woke up. The soft curve of Naomi's lips, her eyes still closed. Emily watched her sleeping, tried to imagine what could happen when she finally woke up. For now they were in limbo, in a space between sleeping together and everything that could come next. She considered every other time they'd had sex when they weren't actually together. The first time Naomi had been scared, she'd fled, even after Emily begged her to be brave. Then the week before the Love Ball; the memory still haunted Emily because it was the moment she thought things could change, that split second when Naomi moved from wanting to run further away to kissing her right there in the college corridor. And then they officially got together, proclaimed their love and lived for several amazing weeks as girlfriends. Until Naomi left. After her return she knew it was a case of them never having gained closure on their relationship. Emily hadn't had chance to move on and though Naomi had, the fact they ended up back in each other's arms made Emily wonder just how far she'd moved.

'Morning,' Naomi whispered, clearing her throat.

The tiny morning voice of Naomi forced Emily to look at her, to take her attention away from her face as a whole and stare into her pupils. Two piercing blue eyes that always had the ability to melt her heart and make her want to tell Naomi everything she loved about her.

'Hi.'

Neither of them spoke, they just lay there staring at each other until Emily found the courage to reach out a hand to Naomi's face. She wanted to be sure it was real, to wrap her fingers around her cheek and dig the tips gently into her skin. She loved her. She'd tried to ignore the feelings, to act like friendship was enough. It was enough, until that moment when everything changed again.

'I didn't go travelling Naomi,' she whispered, Naomi's existence the key to everything locked up inside of her. She pulled her hand back, reclaiming it as she completed her revelation. 'I haven't even left Bristol.'

Naomi didn't talk, she just continued to stare until Emily finally looked away. She didn't want to feel ashamed but she did. She stared down at Naomi's naked breasts, focused upon the love bite now festering on the side of her mound of flesh. She longed to touch it, to press her fingers against the bruise she had created. A hand lifted her head, forcing her gaze back up to Naomi's face.

'That doesn't matter to me Emily.'

A huge weight that she hadn't realised had been on her shoulder seemed to disappear. She let her lips curl at the edges, suspected that the extra pair of hands, Naomi's hands, were helping her carry the load.

'I hope you're not expecting me to share too though,' Naomi mumbled. 'I'm not, I'm not ready.'

She shook her head, reached her hand out to Naomi's face again and ran her fingers along Naomi's neck until they stopped on her bare breast.

'It's not just anything, is it?' Emily sighed, edging closer to Naomi until she could almost reach out and kiss her without moving. Instead she stayed where she was, her eyes trained on Naomi's, frequently lowering to the lips she'd been staring at for a while.

'The past, none of it matters, you know!?' Naomi finally spoke, clearing her throat and chewing on her lower lip. 'The most important thing is now.'

'I agree,' Emily said, tucking her fingers into Naomi's hair and around her cheek. 'But you will talk to me, eventually?'

'Yes, eventually.'

Two pairs of lips joined in passion, in desire until their hands were retracing the steps across each other's backs, shoulders and hips. Emily responded to her touch, relaying her emotions through the soft kisses she placed along Naomi's collarbone. She pulled her towards her, lifted her by the touch of her hand until they were panting beside each other once more.

'We can't do this Emily,' Naomi sighed, pulling out of Emily's embrace and moving across the room. Everything Emily had hoped was about to happen quickly torn away until she was left speechless, tears hovering on the surface.

She barely managed to speak. 'Why?'

'I don't want to hurt you again,' Naomi tried, staring back at her with as much desire as Emily knew her own face portrayed. Only laced with Naomi's desire was guilt, fear and everything Emily thought had vanished since her return.

Reaching out a hand to Naomi's arm, Emily gasped when Naomi pulled it away. 'Don't do this again Naomi. I can't handle this again.'

'I'm not,' she promised. 'Until I'm ready to be honest with you, I don't want to hurt you.'

'But this is hurting me Naomi.'

'I'm sorry.'

The words lingered there, no expectations surrounding them, just fear and assumptions that everything wasn't going to be as perfect as it had been just moments earlier. Emily swallowed tears in an attempt to rid the feelings that ate her up inside. She didn't know what to say, or how to say it, so she just sat there silently hoping that something would happen.

'Naomi,' a voice called, the front door opened and the tension was broken by the arrival of Gina. She entered the lounge, her eyebrows raised at the scene in front of her. 'Sorry I didn't get home last night, I tried to call but didn't get any answer. Glad you weren't alone.'

Naomi slipped a t-shirt over her head and wrapped her arms around her chest as she stood up and walked towards the door. 'I'm going to have a shower.'

Once Naomi had gone Gina perched on the edge of the sofa, her worried expression giving Emily no rest. 'This is cosy.'

Words escaped her again, she didn't know how to explain what had happened let alone what hadn't. Instead she opted for the easiest option. 'It was just the power cut.'

'It's not just the power cut,' Gina noted. 'It's never just anything with you two.'

The reminder caused the tears to escape from Emily's eyes, her face breaking up with all of the feelings she couldn't make sense of. She felt ready to burst, Naomi's ability to unlock her innermost thoughts tore her apart. She didn't want to say them to just anybody, she wanted to say them to Naomi. She stared up at the only other person who could support her and within seconds her body was being enveloped into a hug.

'I miss my mum,' she finally cried out, realising something she hadn't even expected was there, hiding behind everything else. She pushed her face against Gina's shoulder not caring that her tears were making a mess of her shirt. She needed the comforting touch of a mother, even if she wasn't the one she longed to be held by. At least it was one who wanted to hold her.

'I know,' Gina mumbled, rubbing her back and muttering comforting messages. She clung to the sides of her jacket, gripping on for life as she let out all of the pain and anguish she thought she'd disguised.

'I don't have a girlfriend,' she cried, her secrets tumbling out.

'I know.'

'I didn't go travelling either.'

'I know.'

'I'm sorry.'

'It doesn't matter.'

It didn't matter. Nothing ever mattered to Gina. Emily continued to cling to her, wished that she could have the same close relationship with Jenna. It didn't surprise her that Gina knew the truth, she hadn't expected it, yet when it came it felt like she'd always known.

'But I lied to you, I lied.'

Gina cupped her face, wiping her tears from her cheeks with her thumbs and staring into her brown orbs. 'Your happiness, your safety, that's the main thing, okay?'

'I need to go,' Emily pulled away and stood up quickly, wiping her tearstained eyes and stepping into her skirt. She straightened her t-shirt out around the edge of it. She hovered in the doorway, wondering why Gina never fought her desire to do things. She brushed the thoughts aside, whispered a thank you and left the house.