A/N

Thanks as always to my lovely readers and reviewers. Your comments and suggestions keep me interested and motivated. There will be a change of pace from now on. I quite like the varied POV format, so you may find that several characters appear in each chapter. Hope you like it. Also, after some heart searching, I have decided to concentrate more on the emotion than the mechanics of the relationships. That doesn't mean that Naomily, or Keffy for that matter will be less...physical. But I think wall to wall smut is leading me into areas that may be less appealing to readers. Having said that, there will be smut in this chapter, it was already planned in to explain something, so apologies (not that you care!) Many thanks to TillyHo, tanner12 and marsupial1974 for the comments. And not to forget the other loyal and amusing reviewers. Nearly at 100 reviews now. I was hoping to get 100 readers, let alone reviews!

This chapter comes with a violence warning. Not nice at the end. If you are a Cook fan, you probably shouldn't read on. OK?

Anyway on with the show. Skins isn't mine, yadda yadda...

Emily

What the fuck I thought I was doing, I don't know. I woke up this morning with a foul taste of stale bourbon in my mouth and a serious headache. Going out in a week night is a no no for me usually anyway, but in my current state of mind it was virtually suicidal. It had been a bad week so far, and by Wednesday I knew I had to do something to break the monotony and my depressed mood. Things with Naomi had reached breaking point and I knew I would have to have 'that' conversation with her imminently. You know, the "We need to talk" conversation.

We definitely needed to talk. Our conversations this past fortnight have been getting shorter and shorter. Even the longing looks were gone. We had got into a routine of almost avoiding each other. When she did look at me, it was with that "what have I done?" look that stabbed me in the heart every time. Truth is, she hasn't done anything, and before anyone jumps to conclusions, neither have I. OK, I went out with Tara last night, but it was a fucking disaster for both of us. I gave in when she texted me on Monday and agreed to go out for a drink. I know, I know... Why do I want to go out with anyone else, I mean, I love Naomi, don't I?

So we ended up in some pseudo theme bar, with American signs on the wall and all the character of an operating theatre. After a couple of far too strong JD's and cola, I let it all out. Poor woman. Here she was thinking I was up for, well I don't know what, but what she actually got was a protracted confession from me about my love for Naomi. I'm surprised she stayed as long as she did. Conversations with an attractive woman about another attractive woman don't usually go down too well. It was Naomi this and Naomi that. By the time I was on my fourth bourbon, I could see her eyes were glazing over. Finally, as I reached for my hanky for the tenth time, she put her hand over mine on the table. I flinched as she did, and saw the flash of disappointment in her pretty eyes.

"Emily" she said kindly "Listen honey. I want you to know something, OK?"

I nodded stupidly, dabbing at my eyes with my other hand.

"I really fancy you" she said, holding my watery gaze with her own.

"But, it's not a goer, is it?" She shook her head sadly at my nodded acceptance of her statement.

"Another time, another place, huh?" she said quietly and again I nodded, My throat was constricted and I didn't really trust myself to answer without bursting into sobs.

Finally I managed to speak without embarrassing myself

"Tara. You're such a lovely person. I mean if I wasn't..." she gripped my hand harder and nodded

"Yeah, I know the drill Emily. It's not you its me, right?"

She took a deep breath and released my hand

"Listen. If you want some free advice, before we go our separate ways, here it is...If you love Naomi as much as you seem to, you need to fight for her. Nothing in this world comes easy, and you certainly seem to pick the difficult ones"

She swallowed hard and continued

"As hard as it must be for you , you need to realise it's twice as complicated for her, OK?"

"Here you are, sitting in a bar with another woman, drink in front of you, with a comfortable home waiting for you when you've had enough"

She grinned at the way my eyes widened when she described herself as another woman. But Jesus, she was right. In any other life, right?

"If things weren't the way I see them now Emily" she said, looking at me straight in the eyes "I would be seducing you tonight" My heart thumped at the mental image that statement produced. "But they aren't, and I won't" she finished

"Whatever it is you two have is precious, right?" I nodded in answer

"Well fucking value it then Emily" she hissed, suddenly not so understanding "and stop pissing about with me"

"You're right, Tara" I said sadly "My life seems to have been turned upside down and inside out these past weeks, and I'm so sorry you've been caught in the crossfire. I never meant to lead you on..."

"I'm a big girl Emily" she said, finally letting go of my hand and sitting back in her chair "But that doesn't mean I'm not disappointed". Her smile was a little sad, and it made me swallow hard again. Tears were again close to the surface and I blinked them away.

She leaned closer again, lowering her voice so we couldn't be overheard

"Go back to Naomi. Show you you love her. Not just with sex. Show her in all the little ways you know will make her happy. It's going to be difficult, picking up the pieces, but if you both want the same thing, it will happen"

She sat up straight again. "Right, well, I'm not going to get laid tonight, so that only leaves one thing" She grinned, although her eyes still had that sadness in them "Lets get monumentally fucked up, OK?"

I raised my glass, smiling back. If I was honest, relief was my main emotion. I'm not a cheater, never have been, and Tara removing temptation from me was the nicest thing anyone had done for me in a while. I liked her, yes, really liked her. But this would be the last time we would be out together, I knew that.

I don't even particularly like bourbon. And after that night, I doubt I will ever be a convert. I don't have a clue how many we drank. I remember karaoke, fending off an over friendly drunk on my way to the toilets at least once, but most of the rest is buried in an alcoholic blur. Probably for the best, I think. Tara poured me into a cab at midnight, and after spending a good 10 minutes trying to get my key into the lobby lock, I finally managed to drag myself upstairs and into my flat. I looked at the bathroom, considering for a second cleaning my teeth. It seemed that the sink was several miles away, so I hiccuped a boozy "Fuck it" to myself and flopped on the bed, fully clothed.

Which was how I found myself this morning. Hung over, hot and sweaty from sleeping in my clothes and with a mouth which tasted like a Saudi Arabian taxi drivers jock strap. I did at least manage to get to the bathroom this time. Just in time to throw up the contents of my stomach in the loo. Nice. Several minutes moaning into the white bowl was enough to solidify my resolve never, ever to drink on a week night again. Luckily it was still early. My bleary eyes registered 10 on the living room clock as I staggered into the kitchen, desperately seeking Paramol. Two tablets, a pint of orange juice and half an hour later I was approaching human existence again. My shift started at 3 today, so I reckoned I had an evens chance to make it alive. It took hard work, twenty minutes in a really hot shower and two more Paramol before I started to piece together my night with Tara. She had been a really good friend to me. Better than I would have been under these circumstances. Listening to a maudlin drunk is wearing at the best of times, but I shuddered when I remembered how, towards the end of that bourbon soaked evening, how I had told her in far too graphic detail how talented Naomi was with her fingers. Jesus Emily, have you no sensitivity at all, I cursed myself. Poor Tara.

Dressing for work was a bit of a trial, but finally I was in my business suit, briefcase in hand and fit to drive to work. Pulling up at the gates and parking my car, I took a deep breath before getting out and locking it. I looked up at the bulky wing block as I crossed the courtyard. Right, this was it. Operation Naomi was back on. I just hoped there was still something to rescue.

Katie

This was turning into a fucking epic night, I thought. Just as Eff's E was starting to lose impact, I felt a hand pull mine to the side and stared into the eyes of some girl, who had been grinding against my arse to the thumping bass for the past ten minutes. Fuck knows what the music was, I didn't care. Four glasses of champagne, a floor full of off their head guys and girls and I was fucking flying.

"It's Katie, right?" she yelled into my face

"What?" I yelled back, the music was insanely loud

"She pointed at me and mouthed my name "Katie?"

"Yeah!" I shouted "I'm Katie Fucking Fitch, and I don't give a fuck!"

She laughed, her eyes looked like mine did, I'm sure. We were both off our heads on MDMA and champagne, and the night held promises for all womankind. We grinned at each other. She pointed to her own chest and shouted "Karen"

"Hi Karen" I said pulling her close so her head was next to mine "I think I might be a teeny bit fucked up"

She turned her head so her mouth was next to my ear

"Fancy something stronger?"

I pulled back so I could look at her properly. For most of our brief acquaintance, I had only felt her hands on my hips and her stomach grinding into my arse. Not the most formal of introductions. She was a bit taller than me, short dark hair and over made up eyes, bit Gothy for me, but I wasn't making very informed decisions by that time. Nice face, white teeth, small tits, skinny arse. Fuck it, who was I kidding. Effy fucking Stonem had changed me, that was obvious. Checking this girl out was proof of that, Karen grinned broadly at my blatant eye fucking and leaned close again.

"I have some ace powder in here" she cupped one of her small boobs in her hand and I felt a rush go through me.

"Nice" I said. "Do I get to hunt for it then?"

She laughed, throwing her head back attractively

"If that's your thing, girl, I could live with that" she said and suddenly I was a bit more sober than I thought I was. Did I really want a frantic toilet fuck with some random tonight?

She must have seen the doubt flash across my eyes because she grabbed my hand and pulled me close to her.

"Not in some crummy bog" she said "I know a place. This is a boat, right, with like, cabins and stuff?"

I nodded. Stupid, stupid me.

We were making our stumbling, giggling way across the lower deck, trying to avoid the drunken dancers around us and also making a valiant attempt to appear semi sober, when I caught Effy's eye. She was standing with White and one of his cronies, making a far better fist of appearing sober than I was. She stared at me as we crossed the floor, about ten feet from her. I saw her eyes widen as she must have recognised what sort of mission I was about to go on. A sharp shake of her head and a mouthed "No" was clear enough. I could blame the champagne, I could blame the residual buzz from the MDMA, I could blame her, for fuck sake. She had spent enough time lowering my already pitiful inhibitions. Either way I flipped her a clumsy finger, shrugged theatrically and carried on. The girl with me was holding my arm in a proprietary way, one that I would have instantly resented if I had been anywhere near sober. But I wasn't and I can't pretend that her small tit pressed against my arm wasn't sending signals to my libido that I enjoyed. Fucks sake, my lezzer sister would have been virtually drooling by now, I thought.

We passed through a set of heavy wood double doors, past the disinterested glance of a couple of goons and into a thickly carpeted passageway. Suddenly it was cooler, quieter and very different to the frantic mosh pit we had just left. A small part of my superheated brain whispered "Go back Katie" but I guess my sisters congenital stupidity when it comes to women was a part of my DNA too. I allowed her to lead me into what was obviously a luxury suite cabin. Once we were inside, she locked the door behind us

"We don't need an audience, do we Katiekins?" she grinned at me. That part of my brain which remained sensible, small that it was, whispered again

"How the fuck does she know my nickname?"

But when she dipped into her bra and bought out a small bag of white powder, I pushed the thought back into its place in sensible Katie's brain. Stupid Katie was in complete charge tonight.

She walked over to the dressing table by the bed and lifted the mirror at the back off, laying it on the top. The bag was opened and she carefully laid two thick lines across the glass,

""It's Cookie's special recipe" she whispered. "One line and the world turns into a fucking kaleidoscope...

How could I refuse that imagery? The girl, Karen, wasn't it, pulled out a £50 from her pocket and rolled it expertly. I was impressed, a fifty for fucks sake? She leaned forward and snorted one whole line in a single breath. Her head shot backwards as she stood up and I saw her chest rise rapidly as she took a deep and shuddering breath. Jesus. It Iooked like quality stuff. I took the note from her and followed suit. The rush was immediate and gob smacking. It smelt like whizz, all pissy and chemical bitter, but it felt like a shot of pure Charlie. My head just went boom. Like the 4th of July and Chinese New year all in one. My hands tingled, my breath caught in my throat and my nose felt like I had shot pure adrenalin up it. Holy Christ on a bike, it was strong. We clung together like shipwrecked sailors for a few seconds, allowing the teeth chattering rush to pass. Within seconds I was flying. Like literally flying. My head was now full of warm rushing sensation. My teeth clenched hard, just like a whizz buzz and suddenly my mouth was as dry as a bone. And my knickers were feeling rather unnecessary all of a sudden.

"Drink?" I croaked, seeing all the sensations I was experiencing go through Karen's face too. We stared at each other, stunned at the massive hit.

I saw her reach for a cabinet next to the bed, and followed her in a daze, my feet seeming to be unconnected to my brain. She brought out a bottle of Crystal, chilled from its time in the cooler compartment. Of course, I thought, only the best champers for Johnny Whites home bar. We sat on the edge of the king size bed, struggling to open the bottle. Finally it popped loudly and she put the open end in her mouth, white fizz spilling out onto her lap as the bubbles filled her mouth.

It seemed the funniest thing in the world to me, and I got the giggles. Soon we were both holding each other up, laughing at the expressions on our faces. We drunk from the bottle, the icy liquid going down my throat like water to a dying man. Jesus, it tasted fucking good. Every sense was suddenly into overdrive

Half way down the bottle she abruptly stopped laughing and put the bottle on the floor, looking at me with eyes that held drugged pupils

"You're very pretty, you know Katiekins" she said, slurring the words slightly

Again I wondered briefly how she knew that nickname, but before I could form the words in my mouth, she lunged forwards and, cupping my head in both her cool hands, kissed me hungrily on the mouth. It wasn't an Effy kiss, even in my fucked up state, I registered that, but it was nice. I've spent my life enduring beery, stubbly and usually far to aggressive snogging from men. I was kind of getting used to softer mouths now, and Karen was pretty, fragrant and, well, available, I guess. I leaned into her and returned her kiss..We settled into a sort of clumsy routine. She kissed me, I kissed her back, She dipped her tongue into my mouth, I teased it with mine. She reached down and unbuttoned my dress, I pulled her top over her head. You get the picture. Effy fucking Stonem bore some responsibility for this 180 degree shift in my sexuality, but don't get me wrong. I might have given Emily some severe shit over the years for her gayness, but I wasn't immune. No sir. I'd just pressed it down so far in my psyche that I had almost forgotten that it was actually me who first got it on with another girl, not my lezza sister Emily. School trip, sharing a cabin with a French girl who was totally blasé about who she shagged. Result, two nights of very pleasant mutual satisfaction. Then I put it out of my mind, came back to Bristol and pretended it had never happened. Classic Katie Fitch.

Anyway, the point is I was enjoying this make out session, and as my clothes fell onto the bed and Karen's fingers explored me, I wasn't exactly resisting hard. Far from it actually. When the last of her clothes hit the deck and we finally collapsed onto the soft bed, I was the one kissing down her body towards what I'm sure would be my merit badge in the Cunnilingus Club.

Then the door clicked. I heard it, but, having seen Karen lock it, it never occurred to me to look up. I kissed her nipples and then latched on to one hungrily, sucking it deep into my mouth. She groaned and held my head against her tight. Her other hand slipped round my body and held my shoulders too. There was suddenly movement behind me and I tried to lift my head to see what was happening. But she held me close to her naked skin, her legs joined her hands in circling me and suddenly it wasn't enjoyable any more. I struggled, but she shushed me impatiently.

"What's the matter Katie?" she said in a voice very far from the one I had heard up to now "you like to share, don't you?"

Although the MDMA concoction was still super heating my brain, mixed with the deadening effect of the champagne, I was suddenly aware that this wasn't a simple shag any more. I raised my head enough to see her eyes looking down on me. Then she looked over my shoulder. A coarse voice came from behind and above me.

"Such a pretty little arse, dinky tits. Shame to waste it"

Fucking Cook, I thought, fear racing through me.. I struggled harder against Karen's encircling limbs, but in my drugged and pissed state I wasn't getting anywhere. I felt the bed behind me dip and rough hands pulled my thighs open.

"Relax Katiekins" he said "Once I get 9" inside you, you'll be in fucking heaven babe"

I felt him start to push inside me and looked up desperately at Karen.

"Please Karen...don't let him..I don't want...Please?" I gasped as he pushed his over large cock right up inside me roughly. She just looked at me with glassy eyes. No help there, I realised. I stifled a sob as he began to hammer away at me. Part of me was screaming, but part of me knew that I could do nothing but fucking endure it. I lowered my head and zoned out.

It didn't end there of course. They used me for ages, him and Karen. I was frozen in the end, the drugs finally numbing me to what was happening. Eventually I was pushed, trembling and exhausted out of the cabin door with my shoes and clothes in my hand, I don't know what time it was. The party was over, lots of Eastern European girls in white shirts cleaning up. The main room was a mess, bottles and half empty glasses everywhere. No one paid me much attention as I left, with my dress over my arm and bruises already starting to come up on my legs and arms. My hair was a sticky mess. Yeah, class act that Cook. Coming all over my face was his big finale. I had the awful taste of him in my mouth and I was raw and aching between my legs. I don't know how many times he went at me, but it was a lot. I saw him give Karen another bag of white powder before she left, so at least one of us came out in profit I guess. Fucking bitch.

I tried to flag down three cabs before one eventually stopped. I must have looked a state, so I can't really blame them. The guy dropped me off outside Effy's flat sometime before dawn. It was freezing, but I don't remember feeling cold, just numb.

She had given me a set of keys earlier in the week, so I let myself in the communal door, shutting it behind me and starting gradually to come apart. By the time I got to her floor, the sobs had begun and when I finally locked the door behind me I was in full flow. The flat was dark and silent. I put on the lounge light and walked into the bathroom. Effy's bedroom door was closed, and I really didn't want to walk in on her shagging some random, so I slipped off my shoes and padded past.

The bathroom light was way too bright, and the sight of myself, bruised, make up smeared across my face, hair sticky with Cooks final gesture was the last straw. I just lost it. I cried like a baby for the first time for years. I hugged myself with both arms and just stared at my reflection. The only word I could drag from my aching throat was the same one over and over "Bastard, bastard, bastard"

I don't know how long I stood there, looking stupidly at my battered face and body, but the first I knew I wasn't alone was when she spoke

"Oh, Katie" she said in a voice which didn't give any sign of surprise, just sadness

" I did warn you, sweetheart"

I turned and looked at her, tears still streaming down my mascara smeared cheeks

"He.. he..." I couldn't get the words to form in my mouth

"I know" she said "It's what he does. He's an animal"

"Please... Effy?" I said, pleading for I don't know what

"Come here" she said simply. I ran at her and gripped her body with my arms as if I would never let go. She just patted my back with one hand, stroking my matted hair with the other.

"Now you know how dangerous he really is babes" she whispered. I remember thinking that she must love me just a little. How else could she stand holding me like this, the stink of Cook's attack still on me and in me?

She ran a bubble bath for me while I stood shivering on the mat, not wanting to be anywhere but close to her. When it was full, and I had dropped my clothes onto the bathroom floor she took off her tee shirt and stepped in with me. She shampooed my hair and soaped me all over. Nothing remotely sexual about it .When I was clean, she helped me out, handed me a loaded toothbrush and watched me clean my mouth frantically until my gums bled. Then she dried me with one of the huge white fluffy towels she seemed to have an endless supply of. Finally, she wrapped me in her own dressing gown and led me into her bedroom. The bedroom where she had seduced and awakened me not very many days ago. She turned off the overhead light and when I was on my side, facing the window, my thumb in my mouth like I was five years old again, she spooned in behind me, wordlessly comforting me until my hopeless sobs subsided.

I could feel her stroking my hair gently as I drifted towards a troubled sleep. She only spoke once. Never one to waste words, my Effy

"It will never be OK baby. But it will get easier" she whispered "But I will send that bastard straight to hell, that's a promise"

For the first time since we left the flat and this awful night was ending, I did permit myself a small, sad smile

"And I love you Effy Stonem" I thought, just before sleep claimed me for good.

.

.

.

.

Katie – five days later

"Come on babe, you know you love it"

I looked up at Jimmy Poole and grimaced at him.

"No, Jimmy, I don't feel like it" I said, not even believing myself

"Fucking hell Katie" he grumbled pushing at the back of me head "Just suck it for a little while...please?"

"Yeah right" I said "That's right up there with I won't come in your mouth for the worlds biggest lie"

He grinned that cheeky bad boy grin at me and I sighed in defeat. We had been here several times before, in the tree house in his back garden, ladder pulled up so we wouldn't be disturbed. Me with my top off and him with his 501's unbuttoned and his stiff cock in my hand. Good old Katie, she always delivers, right? I sighed again.

"Just fucking warn me this time OK. I haven't got any mints today" I said before I lowered my head. My tongue stretched out to touch him. I knew he wouldn't warn me, and he knew I knew, but I felt I had to say it.

Just before I touched his flesh with my mouth, I heard him speak again

"Thats a girl Katie, nice and wide for the Cookie Monster" His voice was suddenly coarse and ugly. I looked back up and instead of Jimmy Poole's face there instead was the bloated and sweaty face of Cook, my nemesis.

"Come on Katie" he grinned unpleasantly "Cookie needs the love, yeah?"

Panic rose in my chest and I flailed at him uselessly, feeling his hand pushing my mouth towards his improbable erection. I moaned out loud

"No Cook, please not again"

His throaty chuckle mocked me from above.."Suck it you fucking dyke"

"Effy" I said, desperate for this to end "Effy, help me"

Suddenly the sensation of being held faded and my eyes flickered between dark and light. I struggled again, feeling arms around me, but instead of hairy powerful arms, these were soft and feminine.

"Katie, wake up, its just a dream babes"

I swallowed a sob, my eyes opening to see Effy leaning over me, holding my wrists as I struggled

"Just a dream hun. It's OK, I've got you"

She pulled me towards her fiercely and hugged me tight as I cried. This was the same dream I have been having every night since... it happened. And every time she has been there to dry my tears and comfort me.

After I calmed down, Effy cupped my face in both hands and made me look into her eyes.

"You will be OK Katie, I promise. I will always be with you through this"

She held my eyes with her own, and I nodded, sniffing back tears.

She hugged me again, and I felt safe again, if only for a little while.

As she hugged me I heard her mutter under her breath "But you won't be, Cookie you fat fuck, I promise that"

A/N

OK guys, troubled times for both the beautiful Fitch twins. Operation Naomi will hopefully heal the wounds she has borne so bravely for her Emily, and I know Effy will honour both her promises to Katie. Or at least I hope so...Isn't Cook the absolute bastard?

Review please? You know how warm and helpless that makes me!