AN: Two chapters in one day? Yall have someone special to thank for that and she knows exactly who she is.

Enjoy (;

Emily had no idea how Nolan had managed to get the school to throw a 'ball' for her but the whole school was buzzing about it and much to Emily's dismay she became the center of attention. People would come up to her everyday and treat her as though she was some sort of God, offering to carry her books and giving her their food. That last one kind of creeped her out. She was just thankful that she had managed to keep all of her limbs unbroken. Her ribs felt like hell, her nose was broken and she had a weird scar on her right wrist but otherwise she was alright. There was a huge scare with internal bleeding but everything seemed to work out. The doctors told her it was a miracle that she had escaped from death's clutches with minimal suffering.

Victoria and Emily's relationship just went downhill. Victoria had moved Emily back to her original seat next to Nolan, something Emily wasn't so sure she should be sad about that, and their lessons were off. Emily assumed they were off, she wasn't brave enough to actually answer Victoria.

Nolan was pushing Emily to confront Victoria at her party before giving up hope that Victoria didn't return her feelings. Emily was still unsure though, she didn't want to worsen her relationship with Victoria. She was still her teacher and Emily really did not want to transfer out of one of the only classes that she and Nolan shared.

"Didn't you just give me a lecture about how if a relationship ever bloomed it would cause pain and suffering and be illegal?" Emily asked Nolan as they sat under a tree, to get away from the crowds, to eat lunch.

"Well," Nolan began "don't you at least deserve to know how she feels about you."

Emily didn't have an answer to his question. If Victoria did return her feelings then it would just be a big complicated mess and if she didn't return her feelings then she would be utterly heartbroken and devastated. The state of not knowing though was killing her. Victoria said she didn't feel anything but then why act like she did. Emily just could not win.

The bell rang as Emily limped her way to math class and who would be walking down the hallway but Victoria. Ever since the accident the clothes Victoria wore just seemed to get shorter and tighter. Today however was different. Victoria wasn't wearing a dress, instead a simple, and tight, white shirt with a belted grey pencil skirt covered her.

Emily felt flushed, for some reason this attire was hotter to her then any of the dresses that she had ever worn. She was certain she was staring with her mouth agape. Her fantasies took over, she wondered what it would be like to push the older woman up against one of the lockers and claim Victoria as her's.

"Careful Miss Clarke, you don't want to ruin a certain article of clothing now," Victoria said before walking passed her.

Emily couldn't close her mouth, she was in shock. Did Victoria just say what she thought she said, was she flirting with her. These thoughts consumed her until it was finally time for English and by the time that Nolan rounded the corner to pick her up from math her legs were trembling and she could hardly walk.

"Do you want to go home?" Nolan asked.

Emily shook her head, she'd make it through English.

It was hard but she made it through forty insufferable minutes of Victoria asking every single student but her questions and that one time she bent over to pick up a piece of chalk. Emily was thankful that she could just look over at Nolan and calm her urges. She could not hide the smirk when they got back a test that they had done and she'd received full marks.

Home wasn't even a solace for her any longer. The police had shown up everyday and asked her questions about the accident., her answer always remained the same however. She could not remember anything from the accident, no license plate or driver behind the wheel. She just saw a black SUV and that was it. They soon gave up and told her to call them if she remembered anything.

If it wasn't the police then it was her father, and as much as she hated to admit it she could feel him breaking down her walls as fast as she could put them up. It worried her, she didn't want to let him in just to get hurt again. She didn't think she could handle losing him a second time.

That night when he called her down for dinner it looked like he wanted to talk about something serious, and Emily was already on high alert. He handed her a plate of mac and cheese with cut up hotdogs and sat with her at the table. The conversation was just about random mundane things which caused Emily to let her guard down and she even laughed at joke her dad made, and she could see the surprise in her eyes when she did.

"Emily could you join me on the couch please?" he asked.

Emily, feeling generous, joined him on the couch though she could feel her walls going up. This had to be the serious thing he wanted to talk about and she was already nervous about what he was going to say.

"Nolan told me you were terrified of storms. I was curious if it was because of the night your mother ... passed."

Emily could feel her eyes start to water as her mind replayed the memory over and over again until she felt like she could not breathe. She felt like she was the one hanging, she felt like there should be blood on her hands. If only she didn't fight with her mother like she always did then maybe she'd still be here and maybe Emily could feel loved again.

"Do you miss her?" David asked, his eyes glistening with tears.

"Every single day she's my first though," Emily barely choked out before collapsing into her dad's chest and sobbing into his shirt. It felt so good to finally get it out, to get out every emotion she had been holding inside in for the past few years but it felt best to be letting them out with her dad.

"I miss her too Emmie, every day. You remind me of her, I think that's why I worked all those long hours because it brought me too much pain. I'm so sorry Emily, I should have been there for you when you needed me most. I'm so sorry and I hope one day I can repay you."

Emily just sobbed harder into his chest until it felt like she was gasping for air but she calmed down some when David wrapped his arms around her and she felt safe.

Emily and Nolan were currently lounging around in her bedroom as they prepared for the party happening tonight, Emily had begged to let the dress code be casual but the school was adamant about people wearing dresses and suits. Nolan had told Emily that he was going to get her dress that would be so breath taking that everyone would want her, including the one she wanted most.

Emily had rolled her eyes then but looking at the dress now she believed it. It went down to floor in length, the dress was strapless and from the top to half way down her thighs and the very bottom was cream and lacy and the remainder was sheer, showing off her legs. When Emily put it on she felt like the most beautiful girl in the world and she was certain that if this party was not being held in her honor then she would have been sent home for showing too much skin.

Nolan helped her arrange her hair into an elegant updo secured with sparkling silver pins and let a few pieces of hair fall to soften to look.

Nolan himself was matching her with a cream jacket but had gone with rainbow coloured pants to stay true to himself. Personally Emily thought he looked ridiculous but as long as he was happy.

Her father insisted on taking a million pictures and Emily couldn't help but smile gleefully, this was the most normal she had felt in a long time.

The first hour of the party was the most fun Emily had had in forever. She danced with Nolan, Jack and Amanda until all their feet hurt and Emily eventually went to get them drinks. That was until she saw Victoria however. She had a feeling that Victoria would be chaperoning but she wasn't sure.

Victoria was in the corner of the room looking miserable and lonely. Her hair softly framed her face, and a black dress clung to her curves, she was so simply dressed but it didn't stop Emily's mouth from watering. She wondered if she should go over there and talk with her, it probably wouldn't result in anything but pain but as Nolan said didn't Emily deserve to know the truth.

Emily made her way over to Victoria, praying she didn't trip and fall. She had expected Victoria to look up and say some snarky remark but her head remained bowed and her arms crossed over each other as though she was trying to hold herself together.

"Victoria," Emily said softly, though it was more like a question.

Victoria glanced up at her, her eyes red and puffy, "You look stunning."

Emily knew she should thank you but she could tear her gaze away from the woman in front of her and how vulnerable she looked. It shocked Emily to her very core, she had never seen Victoria be really anything but strong and intimidating sure there were times where she seemed human but she thought that just happened infrequently.

"Are you okay," Emily asked, hoping Victoria could see the concern in her eyes.

"I'm fine," Victoria said but her voice sounded otherwise.

"Is there somewhere we can talk?" Emily asked.

Victoria nodded before grasping Emily's arms and pulling her up the stairs.

When they emerged they were on the roof, which as it seemed had also been done up for the party, greenery had been strewn about and there was even a bench and candles. Emily had to admit it looked pretty.

Once Emily made it through the doorway Victoria locked the door with a key and then slipped it in her purse so that they wouldn't be disturbed. They had things to talk about, things that nobody could know.

Emily sat down on the bench and patiently waited for Victoria to come sit next to her, trying her hardest not to let her nerves show. Victoria sat next to her and she twisted her body so she could face Victoria. She reached out and grabbed Victoria's hand, surprised when she didn't pull away.

"You can talk to me Victoria."

Victoria glanced at her sadly, " My husband has decided that we should start trying for children."

"Oh.". A little pit of jealously burned in Emily's stomach, if Victoria did feel the same then she didn't want to break up a family, that kid would blame her for the rest of his/her life.

"Emily I don't, I can't have another child. I couldn't go through that again without all those memories coming back."

Emily was about to ask her what she meant but Victoria continued.

"When I was 15 my mother kicked me out of the house because she saw her boyfriend sneaking into my room one night. I had hoped that would be the end of my nightmare but I placed my trust in the wrong people and the next thing I knew there was man pushing me into the concrete determined to have his fun with me and nine months later I gave birth to a baby boy."

"Oh Victoria," Emily said, a tear rolling down her cheek as Victoria finished her story. She wanted to vomit and she wanted to cry, she could not believe how strong the woman next to her was.

"I thought it was all behind me but, I suppose I just buried it like I bury all my demons."

Emily couldn't keep it in any longer, she had wanted to give a big speech but she just had to get it out now.

"Victoria, I am deeply in love with you. No matter what you say you'll never change that okay, and I know you may think I'm just some silly child who doesn't know what that word means and maybe I am but what I know Victoria is that you are the most amazing woman I've ever met and you've literally changed my life. I love you, I love you Victoria."

"Even after what I just told you?" Victoria asked, tears running down her face.

"Victoria, I love you no matter what."

It was slow, their heads imperceptibly moving towards each other till Victoria could smell the mint on Emily's breath, hear her ragged breathing, seeing her soft and swollen lips trembling till they met Victoria's. Then it was fire and passion and as Emily moaned into Victoria's mouth it caused her to forget all of her problems, it didn't help that Emily's hands were entangled in Victoria's hair pulling her closer to herself.

Emily was the first to break away, her face flushed and her breathing heavy.

"That was something."

"Indeed it was," Victoria said, unable to keep a grin off of her face.

Emily could hear the songs change from fast to slow and not only did it change to slow it changed to her favourite song, In My Veins.

She got to her feet and held out her arms for Victoria to join her before wrapping her arms around the older woman's body and resting her head in the crook of her neck as they began to sway slowly. Just like that Emily thought that she had finally found the missing puzzle piece to her heart

AN: And so the two of them lived happily together for the rest of their lives ... NOT. Things might start being slow and fluffy for awhile but then things will start to heat up.

Mwah!

-Abbie