Disclaimer: I don't own skins and I have no rights to Skins.

Set: By the river in Bristol, seven years after sixth form. Naomi is waiting for the reunion to begin.

Naomi's POV:

Her outgrown brown hair smacked her in the face, making her eyes water. She hated the high winds of England. Would Emily recognise her like this? Sitting on the edge of the river overlooking the cranes; seagulls flocking ahead with delicious smelling café's all around and…it brought back memories. When her hair was still blond and she was looking into the future, not back from it. She sighed. Her clothes appeared washed out and tattered. Dark circles hung underneath her eyes and she pressed her lips into thin lines while in deep thought, a tic she had never been able to get rid of. A man stared, a baby cried and a boy jumped into the cool, English waters. Wait – wait, it was Naomi's child crying.

"Emmett, shhhh," Naomi soothed wearily, reaching out a finger to tickle his chin. His pink face screwed up in pain - the pain of not being in his mother's arms, a child's fear that knew of nothing else.

It's beautiful in Bristol, really.

Graffiti, seemingly fresh still from the time she walked these streets, jumped out at her like familiar puppets. Colours melded together as musical artists played lullabies, sending people's worries to sleep.

JJ. It would be good to see how his life had gotten on. He surely would have a good job, maybe not a girlfriend or wife but…Freddie perhaps would still be a skater. Katie, it would be interesting to see her. Had she grown up? Was she still an insecure bitch? Effy…now that would be interesting. Who knew which way that unstable girl could have tipped? Thomas and Pandora. The sweet, innocent couple. Was Thomas living back in Africa? What had happened to Pandora…Why had Naomi not stayed in touch with any of these people? She knew why. Why did JJ have to organise this reunion? Naomi wasn't sure if she could face them all again.

Closing her eyes, she forced herself not to think of the red, beautiful hair and the particular smile only Emily could do. She had thrown it all away – she couldn't claim it back. Now she had only one person in the world to think of, her annoying but incredibly precious boy. Letting a sly smile slip towards Emmet, she sucked in her pride and the deliciousness of having something to live for. He had cried for nearly the whole of the three hour journey to Bristol, driving Naomi absolutely crazy, but she adored him. He was the only thing she had in this world – she did not want to lose him, ever.

It was weird, Naomi concluded. It was strange, being back in a place she swore she was glad to see the back of. She wanted to remember what it was like being here, but she had changed too much to explore beyond going through the motions. Her feelings had gotten lost somewhere in her home city. Instead, her thoughts moved elsewhere…

Her A level grades; the biggest disappointment of her life. She could have done better, if it wasn't for that shit sixth form. Her mother marrying her teacher who had once broken the law by kissing her. University. Making friends with the wrong person, two months later that same person dying of cancer. Curling up under the sheets with Sam. Being in his arms, belonging somewhere. The cold patch the next morning indicating he had not slept there at all. And the love never felt good enough, never matched up. The dots weren't always connected. The pregnancy test. The cliché she thought she'd never be a part of. Her – a young, single mother. Sam leaving. Her independence really being put to the test. Dropping out of university. Not living the life she felt she'd always live.

Shaking her head slightly, she almost fell off the wall she was sitting on and right onto her son's pram.

"Jesus, got to get my head together," she constantly talked to herself, her only friend.

"A pretty little head as well," the man who had been staring at her finally had the balls to speak.

"I'm not interested" Naomi's brash, sarcastic voice snarled at him. He didn't falter but moved closer, smiling with missing teeth.

"You're obviously not from around 'ere. No one can refuse me. Want me to…show you where the fun is?"

"If you think it's in your pants, you're very much mistaken," she refrained from swearing in front of her child. Much to Naomi's surprise, the man walked away.

Why did a part of her not want him to walk away? That was…sick. No, it wasn't, what she really wanted was for him to transform into someone she could love; someone who would love her back. Someone who she didn't always hurt or who couldn't leave her. She'd had someone like that, once. But Naomi always cocked her relationships up, thinking she was better off alone, hoping for some company.

The sun was beginning to set. The evening was getting cold. Where were they? Her son couldn't be kept out in the cold, so if her old "friends" didn't turn up soon Naomi would have to retreat back to the two star hotel. She'd rather stay out here all night than sleep in that disgusting bed, but now Naomi had a baby to think of.

And then she saw Emily, just standing a few metres away, looking out at the river too with a content expression. Naomi didn't understand why she felt like crying. Why her throat closed up and she couldn't speak – or move.

Her hair was still a deep red. She had been dyeing it that colour all these years? But it was long and pulled into a straight ponytail. How old Emily looked now, how her face had grown; how…there was only one word for it, beautiful she looked.

Emily spun slowly on the spot, as if she sensed a pair of eyes staring at her.

"Naomi," she stated simply with a friendly grin. Only the clipping noise of her high heels against the ground sounded as she approached Naomi. "It's been too long."

Naomi nodded curtly.

"It has. How have you been?" their conversation was stilted and slightly awkward, but it wasn't Emily's fault this time. Emily was the strong, confident one, wearing clean but smart black and white clothing with little makeup. Naomi let her eyes drink in the new image of her.

"I've been great, just came back from Australia actually. Your hair, it's brown?" she frowned, as if people never changed. As if they stayed the same forever.

"You can't dye your hair when you're pregnant. Well, you shouldn't" it was a blunt way to let Emily know what had happened in her life, but at that moment she didn't care.

"Oh right," Emily wasn't really listening. "So what have you been-" Emily had just noticed Emmett. Instead of gushing over the baby, she remained still and emotionless for a few seconds. "Oh, this is…this is…"

"Mine?" Naomi quipped, blinking at her in a Naomi-ish way. "His name is Emmett."

Emily nodded while smiling again, but it was not the smile Naomi knew. It was as if their foundations had been torn apart and they had to start their friendship all over again.

"Oh, he's gorgeous," the familiar beauty spot was still on Emily's face.

There was a few seconds pause.

"Who's the fath-"

"So, have you been in touch with anyone else?" Naomi asked, folding her arms and looking away.

"Yeah actually." Naomi looked back at her. "Obviously Katie." On Emily's face flashed a flicker of…remorse? "JJ. We're good friends, we've kept in touch. I know how Freddie and Effy are, they're still together by the way." She shot a sly look at Naomi, as if to insinuate something. "The only people I haven't heard from are Pandora and Thomas."

"Cook?" Naomi probed daringly. They both fell silent. Would Emily pretend not to hear her?

"No."

They avoided each other's eyes for a while after that, instead focusing on gazing out at the darkening river. Naomi shivered in her black, thin cardigan as Emmett began to cry. She picked him up, cradling him in her arms, glad of a distraction.

"Well, we should probably go and buy dinner or something-" Naomi began, only to be interrupted abruptly.

"JJ!" Emily's exclamation showed she was ecstatic. She ran away, hair swinging side from side and threw her arms around a tall lean figure.

He had changed more than Naomi thought was possible. His once curly hair was neat, well kept and short, his face was less baby-like with a more prominant jaw-line and when he smiled at Emily his teeth were perfectly straight. He couldn't have braces forever, Naomi figured. An unnoticed feeling panged deep inside her. Emily and JJ had remained friends, probably built a close relationship over the years while Naomi was kept in the dark about all her former acquaintances. And now, Naomi just wasn't important.

"Where's Hannah?" Emily asked, still smiling at JJ.

"She didn't want to come. She trusts me here," his voice still sounded posh and stiff, but he was obviously more socially adept than before, even making a joke. Emily laughed but Naomi didn't quite get it.

"Hannah's his wife," Emily explained.