Wow! Thank you all so much for your positive response to this. There is nothing quite like hearing that little ping letting me know you guys have reviewed, favorited, alerted, a fic of mine.

I sound like a broken record at this point, but I am sorry it has taken so long to update. It has been one hell of a summer (in the best sort of way (minus my writing productivity)).

My other fics – I'm working on it. Learning Curve (gasp) most likely tomorrow. Chivalry is Dead, I'm hoping before the end of the week.

Special thanks to: StayWithMeForTheKids, Anonymous, WhenAnxietyKicksIn, sxe fiend, lalalalee, Isthisagaything, skinsfan15, Steph81, ifsomebody'sgotsoul, Anonymous, frostythesnowgirl3, Crevette, Anonymous, Anonymous, Anonymous, Anonymous, Jazy Girl, FrenchKiwi1994, and mUfF MuNcHeR. You're all lovely, thanks for all your kind words.

(lalalalee – I see what you did there haha)

(frosty – feel free to fangirl away haha :) )

As always, thank you for reading.

I don't own Skins or anything of its nature.

Chapter II

..

..

"Don't I get a real hug?"

Naomi looked up from the knot she was inspecting in the wooden floor. She had been standing awkwardly to the side a bit as Grace and Emily hugged. The other staff were dispersing and greeting one another as the meeting ended.

Now Emily was staring at her with those eyes.

"Course," a lopsided smile slid across Naomi's face as she held her arms out and Emily stepped into them. Her smile grew as the redhead wrapped her arms around Naomi's neck, causing her to hunch over a bit, not that she minded. She squeezed the girl in her arms around the waist a bit tighter.

Emily was short but in hugs she always went for the top with her arms. Naomi, as always, would oblige and hunch down a bit. She found it endearing, the little spitfire that was Emily had the mentality of a giant, like a little dog in a fight. Not that she called her little; she'd learned the hard way how Emily felt about that. Well, okay to be honest she called her that sometimes, but where was the fun in life if you couldn't poke a bear with a stick every now and again?

"Hi," Emily breathed into Naomi's neck.

"Hi," Naomi returned giving the girl one last squeeze before disengaging herself.

"Do you need help with your stuff?" she asked once they had parted.

"That would be great, thanks."

They walked out of the mess hall, through the center of camp, and down toward the dock where Naomi assumed the two girls had left their belongings, not knowing what cabin they were in for the summer.

The Unit Leaders were currently off in their three o'clock meeting to determine which counselors were to live where for the summer. Camp was broken up into three different units based on age. The younger and new staff whispered their hopes and worries to each other about what age they would get as Naomi walked unconcerned. She had been in the same cabin in the same unit for the past four summers. She didn't expect things to change. Camp was a place of tradition and Cabin 12 was hers.

"So how was James's graduation?" Naomi asked.

"Ugh," Emily rolled her eyes, "too hot and too long."

Naomi laughed, "I can't believe he's going to be in high school."

"Tell me about it."

"The Perv coming back this summer?" Naomi asked.

"Of course," Emily stated. "It's a Fitch Family tradition," she added in a mocking tone.

"Blondie!" A familiar yet unexpected voice bellowed causing Naomi to look up.

Cook stood at the dock, dropping the pink trunk he had just picked up.

"Oi!" Katie called from the bench she was perched on. "Careful with that!"

"Katie does realize if she keeps having Cook do favors for her he is going to keep assuming he's got a chance of shagging her, right?"

Emily's mouth twitched into a smile before her face crinkled in disgust. "Can we not talk about my sister fucking?" she asked before continuing, "but yes, she def realizes that, she also likes the attention, not that she'll admit it."

Naomi laughed just as Cook reached her, scooping her up in a bear hug and twirling her around.

"Refrain from picking up campers," Naomi attempted to say as the air was squeezed from her lungs.

"How's my favorite alien?" he smiled as he placed her back on the ground.

Naomi rolled her eyes as a smile formed on her face. The two had grown up together at their respective camps, the boys' camp being on the other side of the island. Her very first summer, her very first social the two had been partnered up much to her dismay at the time.

Like her, he had gone through the program and become staff at the boys' camp up until last summer when he took over as boat manager for the main land marina the camp used. She was sad to not have him at camp socials but it was the perfect gig for him. Boat manager at the marina was a hell of a lot more lucrative than being a camp counselor. It also lasted a bit more than 9 weeks a year.

"What're you doing here?" she asked as he put her down and the air began to refill her lungs.

"My job," he sassed, "ladies needed a ride over, saw to it my best man got the job done."

"And you're your best man?" Naomi raised an eyebrow skeptically.

"Course I am," he grinned, "besides it was a good excuse to come and see you. Don't know why I bothered though, skipped through my landing without waiting to give the Cookie Monster a hug."

"Oi! I asked Jimbo for you. You were on a boat run and mine was leaving you tit," she hit him in the arm in an affectionate sort of way. "I couldn't well let my ride leave could I?"

"Boat driver," he said pointing to himself.

"Job," she retorted point all around them.

"Yeah, yeah," he relented with a smile. "So when's Mum visiting?"

"Not sure," Naomi shrugged, "Kieran's been griping to go back to Ireland for a bit so that might cut into her usual American pilgrimage."

"What!" Cook exclaimed, "I'm going to have to have a talk with this Kieran dude. He can't cut into my mum time."

Naomi laughed. Of course Cook wasn't actually her brother, but for all intensive purposes, he was.

Gina had taken to Cook faster than a duck to water. All it had taken was two references to some "Cook" person in the same letter home from her anti-social daughter. Even though she lived across the world Cook talked to his "mum" more than his real mom. It wasn't that impressive considering he never talked to his actual mother, unless it was about his younger brother. Gina of coursed loved it, often joking she got the best deal in the world only having to give birth once but still getting two kids out of the deal.

Cook was a local boy. In the winter he would work up in the mountains as a snowboarding instructor. When the snow melted, he came back down to the lake to help prep the marina for the next summer. It was a modest life, but a pretty great one at that. The one perk to him not being at camp, Naomi always had a place to stay and a car to borrow for time off. Which was huge for a foreign staff.

Emily watched their interaction. She didn't know Cook as well, being a few years younger than him and the blonde currently to her right.

"Are you going to be useful and move my shit or what?" Katie said looking up from her cellphone still sat on her bench.

"Yeah, yeah," Cook admonished the girl before shooting Naomi a wink. "Whatever you wish, princess."

Naomi shook her head with a laugh as she watched Cook return to Katie's abandoned pink luggage.

"Shall we?" Naomi asked turning back to the redhead who had become quiet. They were just going to throw it in the nearest cabin in case it rained before the cabin assignments were posted.

"Yeah, def," Emily said walking toward her beat up old trunk. It was plastered in bumper stickers and had FITCH in bold across the top. It had been her dad's. "Thanks again for the help."

"Anytime," Naomi smiled lifting her half. In this moment Naomi appreciated how unlike Katie, Emily packed light.

..

..

Naomi wiped the sweat from her brow. She had spent the remainder of her afternoon helping Effy carry out and clean all of the windsurfing equipment.

"How is that so tiring? And dirty?" Naomi asked walking back towards the water. "We were in the lake half the time."

Effy just shot her a trademark smirk.

"Oh shut up," Naomi rolled her eyes wanting nothing more than to fall backwards into the cool lake, clothes be damned.

"You haven't asked me yet," Effy observed as they carried the last board over to its rack further inland from the beach.

Naomi shrugged as she lifted the board overhead, "Should I?"

"Most people would have by now."

"It's also not most people's fifteenth summer."

"True."

"You never answered my question."

"You never really asked it."

Naomi rolled her eyes. Her and Effy had been friends for a long time now. Effy was a year older and the two had met when Naomi was a camper in cabin 8. Most people remembered their summers by the cabin they were in. Cabin 8 was her first summer in Unit C, the oldest age unit. It was her seventh summer going to camp and had been her first time staying all summer; it was a good summer.

So she knew her well. Effy talking this much meant she was stalling, and that Naomi probably wouldn't be too enthused about her costaff for the summer.

"Who is my costaff?" Naomi asked with another roll of her eyes.

"Go look for yourself," Effy checked her watch, "the list should have been posted bout a half hour ago."

"Gee thanks."

"I'm kidding," Effy said as Naomi turned. "You're with Katie. Though the list is posted."

Naomi nodded her head. She had had a feeling.

Effy raised an eyebrow, "Not quite the response I was expecting."

Naomi shrugged, "It makes sense. We're opposite so we'll be a good balance for the campers. Crazy and sane."

Effy let out a laugh. Her and Katie were friends, though Naomi picked up a weird tension between the two that seemed to go unnoticed by everyone else. Then again Effy was one of her best friends, if someone should notice it was Naomi.

"Honestly, I'm surprised no one has come down here looking for you yet to discuss."

"Maybe they are all stuck mucking about one of their activities as well?"

"This is a girls camp," Effy deadpanned, "no one is too busy for gossip."

Naomi laughed at that.

"Surprised they don't have a "Gossip" activity campers can sign up for. I'm sure it would fill up quickly," Effy added.

"They do," Naomi quipped, "It's called free time."

This time Effy laughed.

"And my new costaff would be the head of it."

Effy rolled her eyes, "Alright, alright we're done. Go." She waved her off.

..

..

"This was a good idea," Emily said as she pulled the blanket Naomi held out around her shoulders. Naomi had her eyes closed. There were few pleasures in life she was sure she would never grow tired of, Emily's voice was one of them.

It had been a day or two of meetings, and unpacking, and manual labor with the odd spattering of catching up and sleep in between. Finally they had found some time to hangout.

"I know," Naomi said cheekily earning an eye roll and playful shove from Emily. Naomi smiled wider.

It was mid June, summer was starting to come on full swing, how the temperature was able to drop so low at night Naomi wasn't sure, but it was cold. Like jumper and a hot cuppa cold. Not that Naomi was about to complain if it resulted in her and Emily huddled together under a blanket.

"I bet the stars are lovely right now," Emily said whimsically looking up at the half hidden sky. They were sat on a bench in between the water and the lodge, a massive pine tree's branches hiding away most of the night sky.

"Mmm," Naomi agreed inspecting the dark pine overhead. She could just make out a few bright stars in the gaps of needles. It made her think to their unit overnight the previous summer. They had gotten no sleep that night, the sun rising before they closed their eyes. Naomi had regretted none of it feeling like a zombie the next day.

"Do you want to go up to the ball field?" Emily asked, pulling Naomi out of her reverie.

"Are we allowed?" The lame words left Naomi's lips before she could stop them. Once camp officially started there were a finite amount of places they were supposed to be at night. So in case of emergency they could be found. She couldn't recall the rules during prep week.

"Who cares," Emily shrugged. It was moment's like this Naomi was reminded why she had started referring to Emily as 'Trouble' in the first place.

That nervous feeling was bubbling in her chest at the thought of breaking a rule. She mused how similar a feeling it was to the feeling she got around Emily. It was only fitting one was usually accompanied by the other.

"I duno…" Naomi started, "I mean, I'd really like to, but I'm not sure we should."

"If you don't want to, we can stay here," Emily said, "I just thought it'd be nice."

"Yeah, it would be…" There was a hesitation in Naomi's voice.

"This is nice too though," Emily said as she tugged a bit on the blanket so they sat closer.

A faint smile pulled at the corner of Naomi's lips. She wanted to say yes, but that nagging voice in the back of her head coupled with that nervousness rising in her chest prevented her from doing so. The two were silent for a moment.

"So how's living with Katie?"

Naomi let out a heavy sigh. "Does she always snore so loud?"

Emily chuckled, "Word of advice. Always try to fall asleep first. Near impossible, but it's your best bet. You should hear her when she's sick."

"I can't possibly imagine it get any louder," Naomi said forlornly, "bad enough as it is, she already sounds like a truck driver."

"Try 19 years of it. Then come talk to me."

"Ugh," Naomi sighed again. "So how about you? You got the unit you wanted."

"I did," Emily beamed, "as fun as Unit B was last summer, I really wanted Unit A."

"Who's your co-staff?"

Emily let out a sigh, "Sketch."

"Huh."

"Yeah."

"I mean, could be worse, you could be stuck with Katie," Naomi jested elbowing Emily in the side lightly.

"You can't have sisters in the same cabin."

"I know, I was just trying to make you feel better about your living situation by reminding you of mine."

Emily laughed, "I still don't feel bad for you."

Naomi stuck out her tongue at the redhead, earning another laugh from the girl.

"I don't know why I'm even complaining," Emily said, "Sketch is a nice girl."

"She is," Naomi agreed. There was a pause.

"She's just so weird," Emily blurted out what she had obviously been trying to keep in.

Naomi laughed. Calling Sketch weird was an understatement.

"You've got the unit you wanted," Naomi reminded her.

"I've got the unit I wanted," Emily repeated as if it were her new mantra. Naomi knew as soon as the campers arrived Emily would be excited again and not care who her costaff was. She hoped the same for herself.

"For the record I still think you're all mad for wanting the wee ones," Naomi added. "No thank you."

Emily laughed, "We're the mad ones? You voluntarily have middle school girls. You're crazy you know that?"

"You can't be sarcastic with the younger campers, they don't get it. Where's the fun in that?"

"Of course, sarcasm."

"It's about 75% of my communication skills, course it's important. I can't tell a seven year old the reason she has to make her bed is to build character. She'd ask where the nails and hammer were."

"Terrible," Emily shook her head with a laugh.

"You liked it," Naomi smirked, bumping her shoulder into Emily's.

"There you guys are!"

Naomi turned to see Grace approach. "I've been looking for you guys," she sat down on the other side of Emily. "Are we cuddling?" she asked, bringing the blanket around herself as well.

Naomi stared out at the placid water that shone like glass in the night as Grace and Emily talked. Spending time with Emily had turned into a catch up session amongst friends.

Naomi loved Grace, but in this moment she disliked her a bit, as well as herself. If she had just ignored that ridiculous little voice in the back of her head, she would be alone with Emily. The longer the three friends sat there on the bench, the more Naomi regretted turning down Emily's offer. She doubted Grace would have thought to look for them out on the pitch. Where they would probably be lying under a blanket the two of them, gazing at all the stars she was sure were hiding beyond the trees.

"No, we broke up."

At those words Naomi's attention retuned to her friends conversation like a new station coming in clear.

"Really?" Grace asked, "but I thought you still got along?"

"Oh we do," Emily elaborated, "but I went to school out in the city. New York to California doesn't work. It's too far. Wasn't fair to either of us."

So they had finally broken up? A smirk crept across Naomi's face.

She sighed. Yeah, she definitely should have broken the rules.