A/N : I hope you enjoy! As ever thank you to everyone who reads and comments, it's greatly appreciated!
Disclaimer - I don't own Skins...
The next day everyone is sitting around the table eating a quiet lunch together , Naomi catches Emily's eye and smiles at her, the redhead smiles back shyly, though most of her meal has been eaten with her head in her plate, barely looking up at anyone or anything. Before Naomi could think to much about it, she's brought away from thoughts by Claire tapping on her glass with a knife, and than standing up gaining everyone's attention in the room.
" I have an announcement to make, we were going to wait to tell all of you, but the spirit of this weekend is such that we can't think of a better time to share our good news. " Claire looks right at Naomi as she says, " Emily and I are getting married!"
Everyone oohs, ahhhs and applauds expect Naomi, who is stunned. Emily looks at Claire, perplexed. Cook puts his hand on Naomi's arm to comfort her.
" Wonderful!" Rob shouts, excitedly. " Two of the greatest British families!
" Oh this is just brilliant!" Jenna claps.
" Bitch, why didn't you tell me!" Katie yells out happily.
Naomi is too busy processing everything to notice how upset Emily looks, and how the redhead has her eyes right on the blonde pleading. When Naomi refuse to meet Emily's eyes, the redhead turns to Claire.
" Claire.. We need to talk about this." She says through gritted teeth.
" Well, I'm thrilled! This is amazing news!" Rob adds, Emily looks over at him, then looks over at her mother and sister, she notices how happy they all seems to be, how proud.
Emily shoot Naomi another look that isn't returned so she gets up and exits outside with tears welling her eyes.
Outside the dining hall a minute later, Cook and Naomi meet to have a quick chat while everyone is fussing over Claire, congratulating her.
" Look babes, I'm sorry, yeah? You win some, you lose some. I'll get my shit and we'll get out of here, okay?" Cook says, trying to be comforting but also really wanting to leave this place behind and never look back.
Naomi takes a deep breath thinking things over.
" I can't do that." She says, softly.
" What the hell are you talking about, Nai?"
" I think I'm in love with her." Naomi says, looking at Cook.
" Naoms this is mad, it's fucking crazy!" Cook says, trying to get through to his friend.
" You know what? I'm just going to find her and tell her the truth." Naomi decides, leaving a frustrated Cook behind.
Naomi bolts outside. Cook looks out the window, he see Naomi rushing after Emily. He shakes his head and exits into the kitchen.
Cook see Katie running towards hims, he puts on a smile and hugs her back as she wraps her arm around his neck.
" Hey!" She greets
" Hey." He says, flatly. " Listen Katie, you know that I think you're an amazing person." He decides him and Naomi will be leaving soon so he might as well rip the bandaid and end this crazy thing." I feel like I have to be upfront with you, I really don't see this relationship going further then this weekend."
" What why? I thought you liked me?" Katie says, confused.
" And I do, and I know you will obviously have strong feelings for me because I was your first and all." Cook begins, Katie scoffs.
" Oh I wasn't a virgin." She laughs out, Cook looks at her confused.
" What?" He asks
" I wasn't a virgin." She repeats, " Far from it! I just thought that's what guys wanted to hear." She shrugs.
Cook looks completely taken aback.
" Come on.." Katie starts walking away," Me, a virgin? HA" She laughs, leaving the room, she can't believe he would believe her in the first place, I mean come on.
" Wow." Cook whispers in to the now empty room.
Moments later as Cook is still processing all of this, Father O'Neil walks in.
" Well, hello there son." Father greets smiling friendly at the young man.
" Hello Father." Cook says sulkily
" Are you okay? You look troubled." Father notices. He walks to the cabinet gesturing for Cook to take a sit, he joins him moments later with a bottle of brandy and two cups.
" Ah, you know... " Cook says shaking his head at the current situation.
" Katie is quite the handful, isn't she?" Father asks, patting Cook on the back in understanding.
" Understatement of the fucking year. " Cook scoffs than reliezes who he's talking to." Sorry." Father O' Neil just laughs.
" That's quite alright my boy." he responds, smiling kindly at the younger man.
That when Cook feels he can share his feeling with this man, afterall he was a man of god. And seeing as his best mate in the whole world seems to not give him the time of day, he doesn't see the harm in opening up a bit.
" C' mon, son. What's on your mind?" The Father asks.
Cook looks out the window and sighs deeply.
" I'd like to make a confession." Cook states.
" All right, son. I can hear your confession." Father O'Neil nods.
" It's all confidential, right?" He asks, just to make sure.
" Huh?" Father asks, confused
" I mean, you know... What i'm about to say and all..." Cook explains.
" You haven't been to church in a long time have you? Of course it's all confidential." He smiles at the younger man.
" Well, see, that's just it. I'm not a Catholic." Cook states.
" Pardon me? " Father asks.
" I'm a Jew." Cook clarifies
" Oh, Well, um okay." Father says, not really knowing what to do.
Cook's really feeling comfortable with the priest at this point. He's kicking back, confessing. Figures it won't hurt seeing as it won't go further than the two of them.
" But anyway.. the point is me and Naoms aren't venture capitalists. We're lawyers, And we do this, I mean crashing weddings in order to, uh.." Cook thinks how to put it.
" Meet girls?" Father O'Neil asks curiously.
" Yes, yea. Well, actually more than meet them. We, you know, hope to shag them. And, hey, if the band's good and the spread's decent, that's just bonus points." Cook smiles toothily.
" And did you "meet" anybody from this wedding? " Father O'Neil asks.
" Actually, I slept with Katie. Well, I didn't actually sleep with her. We did it once at the beach at the wedding and then she..." Cook makes a jerk- off motion with his hand. " At the dinner table. But I was not a willing participant, okay? " He adds when the priest gives him a weird look. " Long story."
" And what about your friend? With Emily?" The priest ask. Cook laughs.
" No, no. Get this! She thinks she's in love with her! Isn't that hilarious? See? That's why we've been here so long! Normally we're in and out in a couple hours and-" Father O'Neil cuts him off.
" Okay, okay. I get it." He puts up his hand.
" Phew! This felt great. Thank you! I think you guys might really have something with this confession business." Cook smiles, standing up to walk away. Leaving a troubled priest in his wake.
In the Fitches family living room Claire is sitting on the couch with a bunch of people around her. Her cell phone rings. The caller ID says Gloria, so she excuses herself in the next room to answer it.
" Claire bear!" Gloria greets.
" Gloria."
" Listen, about those siblings you ask me to look into...
Naomi is following Emily down the beach. She's walking at a brisk pace.
" C' mon Emily, wait up. " Naomi shouts, trying to pick up her pace.
Emily continues walking. The blonde continues.
" So... you're marrying her. huh? " She asks.
Emily stops walking and turns around to face Naomi, making the blonde nearly collide with her. She backs up a tiny bit when the petite redhead look like she staying put.
" Is that what you want to know?" Emily asks, looking genuinely upset. " Well, you heard it back at the house."
" Look, you can't marry her." Naomi states firmly, causing Emily to look at the blonde intensely.
" Why not?" She asks weakly. Still looking at Naomi, the blonde could swear she sees a hopeful expression.
" Because I'm falling in love with you." Naomi says softly, never breaking eye contact.
Emily stares at her for a moment or two before her eyes start to water and she has to take a deep breath and look elsewhere to try and calm her beating heart that feels as though it is about to explode. She finds her gaze has shifted to the ocean, which only reminds her of the cause of her rapidly beating heart, those incredibly beautiful blues eyes that she hasn't been able to stop thinking about since she laid eyes on them.
" Why are you doing this to me, Naomi? " She asks so quietly the blonde was surprised she even heard it at all.
" Because I think maybe you feel the same way?" Naomi asks hopeful although she already pretty much knew already. The redhead sighs.
" Maybe. " Emily smiles shyly.
" Maybe! That's all I needed to know." Naomi grins goofly. Emily giggles.
" But this is crazy! " Emily shouts playfully.
" What, why? " Naomi laughs.
" Because I don't know anything about you!" Emily says. " You do investments in London and you have a crazy brother-"
" Well actually I need to talk to you about that. It's not a big deal but maybe we should sit for a second." Naomi gestures.
Just as Naomi is about take seat a gunshot comes from the direction of the house.
" Oh my god! " Emily screams
" Run! Nai! Run! " Cooks screams running for his life out of the house.
" What the fuck?! Naomi yells.
They look back and see Cook being chased by Secretary Fitch, Jenna, James, Claire and Grandma Mary who's holding a large shotgun firing willy-nilly at Cook.
" He's a Jew!" Grandma Mary shouts.
She fires off another round and misses. Cook screams.
"Grandma!" Emily yells
Secretary Fitch grabs the rifles out of his mother hand trying to calm her down.
"What the fuck did you do!" Naomi turns to Cook looking at him through narrowed eyebrows.
Cook looks at Naomi guiltily.
" I spilled! I'm sorry. The Priest told me it was confidential!" Cook admits, glaring at the shameful looking priest.
Before Naomi could even say anything, Emily cut in.
" He spilled what?" She asks, looking at Naomi intensely.
" Oh fuck! Look, Ems, I need to tell you something quickly." Naomi tried to get out but was interrupted with a hard punch to the stomach that knocked the blonde down hard.
" Claire! What the fuck are you doing!" Emily yells, pushing Claire back roughly. Emily runs to Naomi's side. " Oh my god, are you okay!?" She asks visibly upset.
" Go head Naomi, tell her! " Claire yells, coming back to get another shot in while Naomi is cradling her stomach trying not to puke. She's pretty sure Claire is a jacked up on something with the way she knocked the air out of Naomi's lungs.
" Get the fuck away from her!" Emily screams at Claire putting her body in front of Naomi's to block any further swings.
" I can't believe you're defending her!" Claire says outraged, watching Emily carefully trying to sooth the blonde. " They're not who they say they are, Emily! Those aren't even their real names!" Claire informs.
" What? " Emily asks looking at Claire like she has two heads.
" Everything they've told you is a lie." Claire continues
" I don't understand what you're saying." Emily says quietly not able to take this all in.
Naomi was finally able to sit up since the wind was knocked out of her.
" Emily, they crash wedding's so they can shag girls!" Claire explains. " Everything they've ever told us is a complete fabrication."
Emily at this point is deep in thought, then she starts shaking her head.
" No, no. That's not true." Emily voice quivers despite her words.
Naomi moves to stand up, Claire notices and charges for her again. Emily is quick on her heels to protect the blonde.
" DON'T TOUCH HER!" Emily screams shoving Claire back again. Claire throws her hands up.
Emily takes a deep breath to compose herself, so many emotions are going on inside her head right now she doesn't quite know what to do. She notices than that Naomi has been awfully quiet while all this was happening. She quickly turns to a now standing Naomi whose holding her stomach.
" Is all that true?" She asks angrily looking into the bluest eyes she's ever seen, praying it's all been a big misunderstand.
" It's not entirely-" Naomi tries to say, but was cut off by Emily shaking her head.
"NO! It's a yes or no question." Emily demands, even though her voice is shaking as she tries to hold back her emotions.
" I know." Naomi starts softly. " But it's complicated."
" Yes or No." She says, firmly. She already knows by now but she needs to hear it from the blonde. Want her to say it. When moments pass with nothing being said she asks again this time in an almost a whisper. " Yes or no."
Naomi looks down and then back up at Emily, whose eyes never left hers.
" Yes." She sighs, watches as Emily almost stumbles. As if she herself received a punch in the stomach at the blondes words. The redhead takes a long deep breath trying to compose herself even though it's plain to see she is about two seconds away from sobbing. Her broken expression and the tear welling up in her eyes proof enough how much that one word affected her. Naomi's own heart broke at the sight.
" You really had me going, kid. " Rob breaks the painful silence. " I really thought you were something special." He says shaking his head at the blonde. " There's a ferry leaving in 20 minutes, I suggest you be on it." He shakes his head one last time before turning to walk back inside his house, followed by Katie, James, Jenna, and Grandma Mary.
" She made a fool out of you, Emily." Claire says to a devastated numb Emily. Still trying so hard to process all of this. Emily shakes her head, wiping away a tear that has slipped. " Come on, lets go." Claire says walking away not before shooting a look of pure disgust at Naomi.
Emily stays rooted to the spot looking at Naomi intensely as if she wants the blonde to say something... anything. But the blonde stays silence, there's nothing she can say to defend her actions.
" Sweetheart...!" Claire calls from a distance when she realize Emily hasn't made to follow her.
Emily stares a moment longer before Naomi sees from her peripheral vision the redhead shake her head and walk away. Too coward to even look her in the eyes. If she had she would have seen the pleading in them. But she did hear the sniffling as she walked away. She's made a lot of women cry in her day, but being the cause of Emily's tears nearly killed her.