Hello my lovelies! I figure a chapter on the big Christmas day (or the day before, if you haven't yet reached it... like myself, for example), would be a great gift to you all for your support and dedication during my long gaps between chapters.

I do hope you enjoy it. All mistakes are mine, and the characters are not. I wouldn't mind getting any of the fab four Gen 2 ladies as a gift, so if you are in possession of one of them... send them my way!

Let me know what you think!

xxxxx

She was glad for Naomi's mum, for the way she accepted her, accepted them. Emily wished above all else that she could get that kind of receiving reaction from her own mother. Too much to ask, she supposed. None-the-less, Emily spent most of her days at the Campbell residence, and tried to pick days and times that her mother wouldn't be at the house to go visit her equine friends, Thunder especially. Most of the time it went by without a hitch, other times she wasn't so lucky in her attempt to avoid the great Mother Fitch Bitch. She didn't have much of a choice though, with another competition looming on the horizon.

Emily couldn't concentrate. Her time spent with Thunder was not beautiful, intricate dance that it usually was. It was choppy and awkward, and the younger twin couldn't ever remember performing, even in practice, so poorly. She had started and restarted their routine at least a dozen times, and then she just did individual moves. Even doing them all as single tricks wasn't working.

She had planned for another hour at least of work, but her frustration was mounting. Her gaze went over to the blond who was lounging near the corner of the arena with her nose in a magazine about foreign cruises. Every once in a while Naomi would look up and watch, but Emily had specifically asked her not to watch so she didn't feel the pressure of someone watching her., so the glances were brief.

"FUCK!" the twin exclaimed, hopping from her steed's tall back. She promptly began stomping around the arena, and of course, Thunder trailed behind her with his head down. "Why can't I get it right?" Emily said to herself.

Naomi looked up from a nice 5 day Caribbean Cruise after hearing her lover's frustration become verbal. Blue eyes followed the redhead around the arena a few times before getting to her feet. She set the magazine down and crawled through the rails of the fence, standing stationary just inside. She hesitated for far too long but ended up ambling out toward her love. "Ems?" she inquired softly as she reached out to grab onto Emily's hand.

Emily was so far in her own mind, trying to figure out what it was that was distracting her, that she didn't even hear Naomi come toward her. When she felt her hand being taken, she pulled her own away by instinct. It took a second or two to realize that it was Naomi who had tried and she turned around to fall into her arms. "It's not ... Naomi... I'm doing horrible!"

"Babe," Naomi began carefully, "you just have to relax. What's on your mind? Why are you all worked up?"

Emily just held on to the blond as tears started to well up in her eyes. "Naoms, I'm not even close to being ready. I don't know what's wrong, I just..." her sentence died on her lips and she tried to let herself melt into the body of the blond goddess around her.

"Emily, you know exactly what it is that's distracting you," Naomi said gently into the red mane of hair. "It's this thing with your mum, isn't it?"

The redhead could do little but nod her head in agreement. She couldn't get the recent events and conversation regarding her mother out of her mind. It was like a blanket of doom surrounding her in its evil clutches. She held onto the blond tighter. "Every time I come here, it's all I can think about," Emily stated sadly. As if a light bulb went off in her mind, Emily pulled away from the comforting embrace and reached into the pocket of her trousers to pull out her mobile.

Naomi looked at her lover quizzically, having not a clue in the world as to what Emily was up to.

Emily started flipping through her contact list and once she found the person she wanted, she dialled up the number.

"Hello?" came the distinctly male voice on the other end of the line.

"Hey JJ, how are you?"

JJ's response took a moment, as if he was contemplating something, "I'm okay, what's wrong?"

"Why do you think there's something wrong?" Emily inquired.

"Well, due to the inflection in your voice, Emily. I've known you long enough to be able to tell what's wrong. Plus, I haven't heard from you in a while, so there's a good chance that you're in need of my help with something."

Emily couldn't help but laugh slightly at her oldest friend. "Well, yeah, there is a favour I wanted to ask you, actually." There was silence on the other end of the line. "JJ?"

"Oh, sorry Emily, I was waiting for you to tell me about the favour."

Again, Emily chuckled, "I was wondering if your parents would allow me to board Thunder at your stables. I'll get a job to pay for it, I just... I can't keep coming here, it..."

JJ interrupted, "You know that's always fine, Emily. I had offered that to you before, but you had politely declined, if I remember correctly." He paused for less than a moment, "No need to pay, either. I'm sure we can work something out, maybe help me muck out the stalls or something for payment. Hey... don't you have a competition coming up?"

"Oh, okay, and yeah, I do."

"You ready for it?"

Emily took in a deep breath, looking to Naomi who was close enough to hear the entire conversation. Naomi simply shrugged her shoulders. "I dunno, Jay, I'm a bit fucked right now."

"About your mum?"

"How did you..." Emily began, trying to put the pieces together, but there wasn't anyone who would have informed Jonah of the recent events between herself and her mother.

"Katie told me," he said, effectively cutting her off.

"Katie?" both Emily and Naomi said at the same time.

"Is that Naomi?"

"Yeah, JJ, it's me," Naomi answered into the mouthpiece of Emily's mobile.

"Hello Naomi, good to hear from you."

Emily had been lost in her head, confused about how Katie even knew (or that she cared) about what happened. She was glad for the little interlude provided by JJ and Naomi so she could wrap her mind around everything. "When did you hear from Katie?"

JJ hesitated. Perhaps that bit of information was something he was meant to keep to himself. He figured he already let the rabbit out of the hat, so he replied to her question. "This morning."

"What did she say?" Emily pressed on.

"Nothing specific, Emily, just that you and your mum had a row and if I could watch out for you and make sure that... and I quote... fucking lezza bitch... end quote, doesn't hurt you. I wasn't so worried about Naomi, to be honest, but whatever it is that happened between Jenna and you must have been pretty huge for your twin to come to my door."

Naomi couldn't help but laugh when JJ quoted Katie, even trying to mimic her lisp as he did so. Emily joined in a few seconds later. "Thanks Jay... so... when can I bring Thunder over?"

"I fixed him a stall this morning. I... I figured that after Katie dropped by that you may need a place to stay, or at least a place for Thunder to stay," JJ answered matter-of-factly.

"We'll be over in ten then."

"See you then."

Emily ended the call and looked up to Naomi, who had a perplexed look on her face. "Why am I confused about why Katie is involved?"

The younger twin had to smile. As much as she didn't get on with her sister all the time, she did look out for her. This is definitely one of those instances. Katie might not agree with her, and she might usually side with their mum, but she was also the one who would stand up for Emily when Jenna was out of line. Emily was glad for that. "She cares," Emily answered plainly.

"About...?" Naomi asked, obviously not following the meaning behind the redhead's words.

"Me."

The blond looked down at Emily, her face the picture of confusion.

Instead of waiting for Naomi to formulate a question, Emily decided to answer, "Katie loves me, and always has. I know she has a funny way of showing it. She's like an overprotective lioness, kind of, except I'm not one of her cubs. She means well, she really does, she just doesn't know how to calm things down. I think that's why she likes barrel racing, it is adrenaline fuelled and in your face. She's good at it too. She can go over the top a bit though."

"A bit?" Naomi said with a laugh.

Emily laughed as well, "Okay, maybe a bit more than a bit." She reached forward to grasp Naomi's hand in hers and reached back to scratch Thunder's muzzle. "We need to get going. I don't suppose you want to ride over there, do you? It's not too far from here."

"Yeah, I remember where his place is. You don't forget a place where a horse lies down for you to get on its back," chortles Naomi.

Emily felt lighter from the laugher she had had in the past few minutes. It felt nice. All of her anxiety wasn't gone, but at least it had taken a back seat for the moment. "So... ride, or walk?"

Naomi's blood ran cold again. She really should be over her fear by now, especially after taking Sir Paint out all on her own to go find Emily. "S... sure," she found herself replying.

"Sure to which Naoms?" Emily asked with a bright smile across her lips.

"Ride?" she answered it in the form of a question, not being too sure of her reply.

"Okay." Emily quickly brought Naomi by the hand to the arena gate, and opened it, holding it so Thunder to exit as well. The redhead wasted no time in mounting the black stallion.

Naomi looked up to Emily from the ground. Why did it feel like she was about to get up on a building that was twenty-two stories high? She swallowed the knot in her throat and took a deep breath. The blond lifted her foot to put it in the stirrup and grasped Emily's outstretched hand and the back of the saddle so she could swing up onto it.

"One, two, three..." Emily said as she began to pull Naomi up behind her.

Once Naomi settled herself, scooting up as far forward as possible, she wrapped her arms securely around Emily's waist. Her head tilted forward and she buried her face in the crimson locks, taking deep breaths of the fruity scented mane to help keep her from having some kind of attack.

"Ready?"

"Mmhmm," Naomi hummed.

With a click of Emily's tongue and a light squeeze into Thunder's sides, the two girls were on their way. Naomi tried her best to stay relaxed, which was much easier with her lover sat right in front of her. Emily put one hand over the blonde's arm and let her thumb softly rub over the back of her hand.

Emily hadn't been kidding when she said it would only take minutes to get there, and JJ was waiting out front of the house with a warm smile and a waive. "Hey girls, I'll open up the gate so you can bring Thunder to the stables."

The two did as they were told and walked into the familiar back yard belonging to the Jones'. Jonah helped Naomi from the saddle and did the same for Emily. They quickly got Thunder all settled in and then went inside for tea.

"Thanks JJ," Naomi said, her eyes glued to her mug.

Emily took this time to explain everything to JJ, the photo's, the way her mother had acted, and even relayed the conversation they'd had. JJ looked reflective, his eyes closing as he took a quick sip of his tea. "What did you say the woman's name was that your mum had been... I mean she had... when she was younger..."

Emily put him out of his misery by interrupting his stammers, "Anthea."

His eyes snapped up to her warm, yet tired brown orbs. "A... Anthea?"

Naomi noticed the sound in JJ's voice and looked up, however Emily didn't seem to hear it. "What is it JJ?" the blond softly asked, trying not to get the boy worked up.

"It's just that... when Effy and I were talking. Well, I suppose I mostly did the talking, but when I went to her house I had seen a family photo, but she told me that her mum died shortly after she was born. Well, and the name isn't all that common, and not only that the maths works as well, seeing as Effy is slightly older than you, Emily, with her birthday being..."

"JJ... you're getting locked on. Calm down, yeah?" Emily said calmly, reaching out one hand to grasp the one that began shaking as he started to go on and on about the information overloaded in his head.

He looked up, his eyes looking almost frightened as they connected with the gentle brown ones. "But Emily..."

"No," she said, her voice firm yet soft at the same time. "I... I don't see how any of this would matter, you know?"

"Emily... I... I guess it really doesn't matter, does it?" JJ said whilst shaking his head.

"No, JJ. It doesn't." Emily's mouth was upturned in a small smile, even if she was faking it for Jonah's benefit. Without another word, the redhead got up from the table and got a glass from the cupboard and quickly moved to the refrigerator where she pulled out some mango juice. After pouring it full up, she handed it to JJ who immediately started to drink from it. He finished the first cup and Emily refilled it. Naomi watched on in awe.

"Well, we should probably get going, you alright, JJ? Emily asked.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll be fine," he said as he got to his feet to show the two girls out.

"I'll see you soon," Emily said with a waive as they walked out the door.

Once they were halfway back to the Fitch Family Farm, Emily couldn't hold her thoughts back any longer, "Naoms, do you think that Effy's mum is the same Anthea as the one in the pictures with my mum?"

Naomi thought for a minute before issuing her reply, "I think there's only one way to find out."

"How?"

"I think it's time that we pay Effy a visit," she said with a smile and a squeeze of their conjoined hands. "I know she's got some old albums that were her mum's."

"Do you think it really could be, though?" Emily asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I don't know, Ems, but I intend to find out."

xxxxx

Ah, so we still don't know if Effy's mum is the same Anthea that Jenna had a fling with way back when. Perhaps it will be revealed in the next chapter, seeing as Naomily are heading in that direction.

All I want for Christmas are reviews... so, take a minute to press that 'Review' button and tell me what you think!

Happy Holidays and a Merry New Year!