I do not own Skins, or anything pertaining to the show. This fanfic is purely for fun and not for profit!

I got a bit stuck there for a while, but I think I at least have the next few chapters set in my head. The challenge is to get them written down. I do hope you all enjoy. All mistakes are mine.

Oh, and thank you all for the wonderful reviews/alerts/favorites... they really make my day!

A special thanks goes out to Puggles... if you're still reading... I hope this chapter is better. Thank you for the info!

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Naomi had been so lost in her own thoughts that it took a yell from down the way and the horse she was in front of to slightly spook and take a few steps backward into the stall. Her blond head spun quickly in the direction of her voice, her hackles up and ready for another run-in. With her face remaining impassive, she looked right into familiar brown eyes, but the love and passion wasn't evident in these ones… only hate and distaste. She took a deep breath in and put her hands on her hips when her body turned to full face on the older Fitch twin.

"Are you deaf?"

Naomi laughed slightly and shook her head, not even dignifying Katie with a proper response. Crystalline blue eyes watched as the girl walked toward her. The brunette's heels clicked loudly against the hard flooring, echoing in the small space. The only horse she reached out for was the paint stallion she rode in competitions. The blond couldn't help but compare her to the red head that had complete possession of her heart. What made this twin so angry and bitter? She contemplated it as the girl moved closer to her, but she didn't back down, she didn't even let her gaze falter.

"Katie…?" Naomi hears a voice coming from outside the stables and out of view. She instantaneously looks over the Fitch twin's shoulder at the familiar voice. What the… what's she… just… what the fuck?

"Naomi?" The same voice says as she turns around the corner to see the two girls in the walkway. Katie turned around to face the person's voice and Naomi is stunned into silence, her eyes wide. "Hey, Naomi…" she states, somewhat awkwardly.

"Effy," the blond states her name, dripping with confusion. Naomi waits for a reply as to why Effy would be here, at the Fitch Farm, without her. Blue eyes roll slightly, "What are you doing here?" Naomi doesn't miss the look that passes between the two other girls, eyes locking in a silent conversation as to what their answer could be.

"To help me with homework…" Katie states just as Effy is answering, "I forgot my book here."

Naomi couldn't help but laugh. Her eyes look incredulously from one girl to the other, neither looking in her direction. "Right, so… Ef, you're helping Katie with her homework because you forgot your book here?" she summarized with a smirk playing around her lips. It was just the sort of distraction she needed to get her mind off of Emily.

"Yes," they responded in unison and then they looked at each other guiltily.

Naomi, however, didn't catch on to the actual meaning of their meetings until… "wait, Eff, I thought you were seeing… what's that kids name…" she paused for a minute, her eyes tilted up to the ceiling as she thought of the bloke's name, "… JJ?" she asked.

"We're both a bit too crazy for that sort of thing," the thin brunette answered.

"So, the next likely candidate was…" Naomi points to Katie.

The twin's arms were already crossed under her cleavage, pushing them up even more than usual. "What is it with you fucking lezza's? Just because we're hanging out, doesn't mean we're shagging! At least someone's taking care of your friends while you're out trying to fuck my sister!" Naomi looked to Effy, who, in her defense, was doing a great job of keeping her face stoic. However, the blond had known the Stonem girl for quite a long time, and had learned to read clues that most people wouldn't notice. Like the way her azure blues would move quickly over to Katie's body, giving a glance. Naomi knew that that was one of appreciation, because of how swift it was. The blond knew that if Effy was trying to pull, or even just tease, she would let her gaze move over the person's body uninhibited, but that she didn't actually find the person all that attractive. That quick look meant that the stoic girl had something she was hiding.

The last bit, about her friendship with Effy, hit her right in the chest. It was true. She had been neglecting her best friend. The relationship with Effy, though, wasn't like a normal friendship. They could go months without talking and then pick up right where they left off. They relied on each other when in a time of need, or if they were simply bored out of their skulls, or for any other useless reason. Effy didn't look angry at her, so she guessed that Katie was trying to deflect the reason they were there.

"Right, whatever," she said curtly as she turned away from her best friend and the oldest Fitch child.

"Hey…" Naomi heard being yelled at her, which caused her to stop in her tracks. She didn't turn around. She had enough of those two for now and needed to go find her girlfriend, who was probably so far away that she'd never be able to find her on foot. Katie continued, "… you'll never find her. Take one of the horses."

The blond felt her blood run cold. Could she honestly conquer her fear to find her love? Her head shook. There was no way. She recalled Emily calling them 'large dogs' and she chuckled to herself before turning around, her eyes in slits as she looked at the twin. "Why do you care?"

Katie shrugged with one shoulder, looking over to Effy for assistance, but receiving none. "Look, she loves you. I know that. I… I just don't want to lose her. She's… she's all I've got."

Crystal blue pools looked over to her best friend, who looked as if she was about to interrupt, but she held her tongue. "I can't ride," Naomi said in a deflated voice.

"Yeah, you can," Effy piped up.

"No, Eff, you don't understand. I'm terrified of being up there." Her hands were rubbing against each other, feeling the nervousness flooding her system just at the thought of it.

Katie took a few steps forward and her hand reached up, giving a soft slap to the blond's cheek. "Look, you dozy cow, fucking take Sir Paint, yeah? Just tell him to find Emily and hold on." Naomi didn't even have time to say anything before the twin had turned around and was marching toward the paint stallion. "I'll saddle him up," she stated as an afterthought, going into the tack room to get everything she needed.

Naomi looked hopelessly at her best friend. Her body moved forward until she was holding on to the thin form for dear life. Effy wrapped her arms around her friend, holding on tightly and then moving a hand up and down her back. "I can't do this, Ef," Naomi whispered into the wavy brown tresses.

Effy pulled her away, letting their blue gaze settle together for a minute, holding her friend by the shoulders, "Naomi, of all the things you've done… all the dangerous shit you've gotten into, you're going to cower at the feet of an animal… a well trained animal at that? Don't be a pansy bitch," she said with a chuckle.

Damn her for making sense. Emily had made her soft, she had forgotten about all the trouble she use to get into. All the dangerous things. Riding wasn't even close to being as dangerous as some of the events she had gone to or taken part in. "Thanks Ef," she said with conviction.

She turned to see that Katie was just finishing with the cinch (not that she knew what it was called, mind you). The twin led the stallion, who wasn't nearly as tall as Thunder was, thank fuck, over to the mounting block. "So, get on and I'll let you in the pasture. Hold on to the horn with one hand, get your feet in the stirrups, and hold the reins with your other hand."

Naomi grumbled as she walked up the two-step mounting block. She glanced over to Katie who was standing in front of Sir Paint, then to Effy who was on the other side of the steed walking toward the twin. Terrified. She was terrified. I can do this. I can do this. For Emily. I can do this for Emily. She chanted in her head as she put one foot in the stirrup and then lunged up and over with her other leg. Her hands were gripping the saddle horn so hard that they were starting to turn white.

"Hey… Blondie…" Effy said with a smirk on her lips, "don't fall off."

"Fuck you, Ef," she said, her body already starting to relax slightly from the playful banter with her best friend. It distracted her enough to settle down in the saddle.

Katie walked around to both sides to lower the stirrups, since they were set for her much shorter legs. Wordlessly, the twin grabbed her horse's bridle and led him to the pasture, opening it and leading the stallion inside, closing it behind her. "Now, if you want to stop, pull back on the reins and say 'whoa…' yeah?"

"I'm not a complete blithering idiot, Katie. I do know the basics," the blond stated curtly as she looked down from her perch atop the black and white equine.

Effy watched from outside the gate, "Get 'er tiger," she called out.

Naomi turned around to shake her head at her friend before looking down to the older twin. Sincerity now evident in her eyes, and her voice softened, "Thank you," she said simply.

Katie waved it off, "Now, get my sister, and stop being a massive cunt in the process."

Naomi laughed and leaned down slightly to pat the stallion's neck, "Ready boy?" She tried to remember everything Emily had told her. Then again, she had been rather distracted on their last ride.

'Relax', Emily's voice began to instruct in her head, and 'pretend your bottom half is connected with him and keep your waist loose'. She sat there, still, trying to will herself to squeeze into his sides to make him go.

"If you don't go, I'll make him go," Katie threatened.

Naomi nodded her head, petrified blue eyes looking ahead. She imagined that she was with Emily, riding behind her. She could feel the muscles around her middle loosening, and then she clicked her tongue (she had seen both Katie and Emily do the same thing when they were riding) and tightened her legs around the stallion's sides. Sir Paint started to walk. Even this slow pace was scary. One hand was firmly grasping the saddle horn and the other was holding the reins as she leaned forward, "Sir Paint, boy, can you bring me to Emily?"

She watched in fascination as his ears turned back toward her as she spoke, as if he was truly listening to her. Naomi listened and felt as he took in a couple deep breaths, letting them go with what she could only call a sigh. She felt as if she was never going to find the red head, but two steps later, the steed turned to the left. He quickened his pace, though it wasn't into a trot, more like a very quick walk, as if he knew the rider atop him didn't have the skills to be able to hold on if he went any faster.

"Christ," Naomi said under her breath. Her heart was pounding both in excitement and nervousness, but she simply had to keep going. She had to find her love and make things right.

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