AN: Hello beautiful readers, I hope you're still with me. I apologize in advance for having taken so long to write this one, but I had a massive writer's block, so it was pretty hard to get down to work. However I was finally able to finish it today, so here it is. I hope you'll like it.
I also want to say that I hope you all had a good christmas and new year's eve. If you didn't, well I hope the rest of the year will be better for you and that some of the great fanfiction we have in this community will help you get through the tough times :)
Without further delays, enjoy your reading!
P.S. Thanks to all of you who reviewed, viewed, followed and favourited, it's very much appreciated ;)
CHAPTER 16
EMILY'S POV
Naomi called Nathan to ask him where they went to meet Cook, and he said they were at his house. After she was ready, we got there in no time.
Big house, nice front garden and well decorated. I must say I am impressed; I didn't take Cook as a wealthy and posh kind of guy. She grabs my hand and leads me to the front door, taking a key out of her pocket and opening it.
"You have a key to his house?" I ask surprised.
"Yeah, he gave me a spare one in case of an emergency." She says holding the door and motioning for me to get in.
"Cook! You there?" She shouts closing the door behind her.
"Yeah, in here!" He shouts back, from the end of the hall I assume.
She follows his voice and I follow her as she goes through a glass door.
Uau, he even has a garden at the back and it is huge. I see Cassie and Nathan seating on some lawn chairs next to Cook. They look happy at seeing Naomi and I.
"Naomi, Emily!" Cook greets us with his trademark grin, "Welcome to my house little red. Come seat with us." He points to an empty chair near him, while Naomi takes the other one.
I sit on the surprisingly comfortable seat, "Thank you Cook." And say a bit shy, leaning back.
"So Cookie, how are you?" Naomi asks with worry evident in her voice.
"I'm great blondie. Never been better!" He says smiling and grabbing a beer but his eyes reflect something other than happiness.
A silence falls between all of us, but only briefly as Cassie speaks, "Cook… We know about the War." He turns his head at her, looking straight into her eyes, "We know you've been called." He doesn't even react at my cousin's words. He just stares at her in silence for a few seconds, and then looks down at the beer between his hands.
"Yeah…" Cook says in a low voice, playing with the label on his bottle.
Nathan touches his friend's shoulder, "Mate, don't worry. It's gonna be ok." He says giving him a small smile.
Cook turns his head to look at him, "Is it though?" He asks with cold eyes, "Do you really think any of this has a chance of turning out ok?!" He says raising his voice and getting up.
"What world do you fucking live in? This is not some child's play, this is War! Men fighting men for survival!"
Cassie gets up and stands in front of him, "Cook, I'm sure that's not what he meant." She rests her hands on his shoulders, "We're just worried about you. This is hard on us too."
His expression softens as he puts his arms around her, holding her close, "It's fucking unfair Cass. I'm afraid of being left out there alone to die." Cook says trying to hold back his tears.
"We're here for you." Cassie says holding him stronger, "We will be with you until the end. You're not gonna get rid of us soon." She says smiling and he gives her a small chuckle.
A rush of guilt comes through me, seeing Cook like this while my cousin tries to comfort him, it isn't fair. He doesn't deserve any of this.
Tears are starting to form in my eyes and I feel Naomi's hand reaching for mine. I look at her and my chest tightens, she is so sad. Her bright blue eyes are shining, but for all the wrong reasons. I want to hold and kiss her, do everything I can to make the pain go away.
We all stay like this for a while, Nathan looking desperately at his friends, Cassie holding Cook while he cries and Naomi and I holding each other's hands. It was almost as if we moved from our positions; every single one of us would break into pieces.
Eventually Cook's tears were no longer running, and Nathan's desperate expression changed into a peaceful one as he fell asleep along with Naomi and Cassie.
Cook and I were the only ones awake by now, and I feel the need to say something.
"Cook?" I ask him a bit afraid, waiting for him to look at me. He does after a few seconds and I gulp before speaking, "I'm sorry for all of this. I tried to… I tried to change my father's mind, but he wouldn't listen. I'm so sorry…"
He flashed me a small but kind smile, "Ah it's ok Emily, it's not your fault. Parents do shitty things all the time, it's not our job to fix it."
I don't say anything at that, just nod and lean back in my chair, noticing that Cook is looking up at the sky with a faraway look on his face.
I do the same and smile at seeing the shade of dark blue with tiny dots of light spread across it, right above our heads.
"It's beautiful isn't it?" Cook asks breaking the silence.
"Yeah… Breath taking."
He sighs, "You know, my grandfather was an astronomer."
"Really?"
"Yeah. He used to say each star had its own person inside."
"What do you mean?" I ask furrowing my eyebrows.
He smiles at the sky, "He said that the majority of them contained a soul inside. Someone who had passed away."
"So every star up represents a person who died?" I ask again.
"Pretty much. But, not all of them." He answers, "Some of them are empty, waiting for someone to fill their space."
"How can you tell them apart?"
He looks at me and smirks, "You don't little red. Not until you get there."
"I see. Where is your grandfather now?"
Cook points with his head to the sky, "You're looking at him. The last thing he said to me was that unlike him, I would be capable of great achievements. I just had to believe in myself."
"He sounds like a good person. You must miss him very much."
"He was, much kinder and supportive than any other human being, no matter how shitty of a person you were. This earth was never fit for him, he always belonged to the sky."
"I'm sorry to hear that."
"Don't be. Now he is where he has always wanted to. Right beside his loved ones and having his most wanted freedom."
"Do you really think he's one of those stars?"
"I like to believe he is." He says turning at me, "Then again he was also a bit of a loony so who knows? Maybe I'll get to find out soon if that's the truth." And smiles.
I stay silent for a few seconds, "I hope it takes a long time for you to get there."
He looks at me shrugging his shoulders, "Why?"
"Because I will miss you. It would break all of our hearts to see you leaving."
"Thanks Emily. That's very sweet of you." Cook says in a soft voice.
I went to say something but Naomi's voice stops me, "Hm… It's freezing out here." She says with a sleepy voice, "I can't believe I fell asleep."
Cook and I can't help but laugh at her whiny voice and she looks at us with raised eyebrows, "Instead of laughing you could always bring me a blanket. It won't be so funny when I'm dying of hypothermia."
"Ahah alright blondie, I'll get you a blanket but you should come inside."
Naomi and I get up, "Should I wake them up?" I ask pointing to Cassie and Nathan.
"Nan… Leave them be. They usually aren't bothered by the cold." Naomi says putting her arm around my waist and leading me inside.
"Oh that's just you then?" I ask and cup her face with my hands, "Jesus, you are cold!" I retreat my hands immediately.
"That's Naomi. She really can't endure cold temperatures very well." Cook says putting a fluffy blanket around her, "There, all better." He says patting her on the head.
I can't help but laugh at how he treats her like a little sister, it's rather cute.
"What are you laughing at?" She asks me playfully pouting.
"It's funny the way you are with each other. Like brother and sister."
They share a smirk between them, "Yeah that's me and blondie for you. She's my sister from another mother." Naomi nods in agreement.
"Well ladies, feel free to use the house however you want it."
"Aren't we bothering? I mean it's late, we should go back to yours." I ask Naomi.
"No, no! Stay, make yourselves at home. There's plenty of room for all of us. You can sleep upstairs if you'd like."
"Yeah Ems, don't worry. This is practically my house by now." Naomi says.
"Exactly!" Cook says grinning at us.
"Ok, fine by me then." I smile at them.
"Let's go upstairs then, that way you can warm me up." Naomi says raising her eyebrows and smirking at me.
"Naoms!" I say giving her a nervous look and glancing at Cook.
She looks at him and then at me, "Ah, don't worry! Cook knows me well, it's no news to him that I like you."
"Yep. No news at all. Also it's kinda written all over your face, so… Easy peasy!"
Naomi punches him playfully on the shoulder, "Yeah we get the picture. C'mon Em."
She puts her arm around my waist again and we turn to leave but Cook stops us.
"Wait, before you go and do your "business", I wanted to apologize about how I behaved the other day at the pub."
"It's ok Cookie, no stress. We get it." Naomi smiles at him.
"Right, anyway, I just wanted you to know that. I was upset, I took it out on you two and I'm sorry for that."
I step closer to him and give him a peck on the cheek, leaving him smiling like a little child.
"Thank you. Apology accepted." I say and turn to Naomi again, leaving to the bedroom upstairs.
"Have a good night my brother from another mother." Naomi shouts from the stairs, making us both laugh.
"Ahm… Which room is it Naoms? He has like one hundred of them here!" I say once we got up the stairs.
"Ahah, yeah I know it can be confusing at the first time here, but eventually you'll get used to it." She looks at me, "Follow me Madame, it's right ahead and then we turn to the left."
We stop in front of a door that reads "Blondie's". I snort at that, "Do you really have your own room all to yourself?"
Naomi gives me a huge grin, "You bet I do. Cookie's always taken good care of his people, I'm one of the privileged ones." She says and opens the door to let me in.
I'm once again amazed by the decoration of his house, while mine has a more antique style, his is super modern and I'm beginning to like it very much. For instance, this room has a couch with a flat screen TV in front and a DVD player under it. Next to it there's a stereo with huge speakers and a collection of movies, I think? And don't even get me started on the bed. A large couple's bed that could fit at least three or four people, tops.
"I guess you like it then?" Naomi asks me chuckling at my open mouth.
"Naoms, this IS amazing!" I walk around the room a bit more, checking out other details and furniture, "Uau… I'd never thought…"
"That an Outsider could have a house as magnificent as yours?"
"What? No…" I look at her blank expression, "I meant I'd never thought Cook could have such good taste."
Her face breaks into a cute smile, "I was just messing with you." She says pulling me closer to her. I stumble a bit, not expecting her sudden pull on me but she holds me by my waist.
I bet my face is now as red as the wine my father praises so much almost every meal, but I rather not think of my father right at this moment.
"You're looking a little flushed, are you ok?" Naomi asks me checking my forehead with her hand, "Hm, it seems good. I guess it's just because of me then." She grins at me cockily.
I punch her lightly on the arm, "Ah ah, very funny." She holds her arm in fake hurting, "Auch! I don't wanna lose my arm just yet Miss Emily."
I can't help but give a chuckle at her playful attitude and she stares at me with a smile I can't quite describe, "What? Is there something on my face?"
She takes a loose strand of my hair and tucks it behind my ear, "Do you know how amazingly addictive your laugh is?"
I scoff at her feeling embarrassed, Yeah, right…" I say looking away.
"You don't believe me?" Naomi says following my gaze trying to make me look at her again. I do, eventually, "Emily Woolf Fitch, you better believe me." She says in a mocking stern voice, earning a laugh from me.
"See! Right there, that laugh, you don't even know how beautiful you sound."
I look straight into her eyes, "I guess that makes two of us then." And now it's her time to blush.
"Ah, is that a blush I see Naomi Nightingale Campbell?" I ask mimicking her use of my full name.
"That was a low blow Em." She says holding me closer and turning me around, making us both fall into her bed. She takes the advantage of being on top to tickle me. I try to stop her but she won't quit.
"Ah, ok ok! I surrender!" I say between giggles and she eventually stops.
I'm left panting under her while she has me strained by the wrists, trying to catch her breath as well. Her blue eyes are now a shade darker and I feel stuck, almost like they're holding me captive in their orbs.
"Naoms…" I gulp hard at her stare, not sure what to do. Not sure what I want to do.
She seems to suddenly awake from some deep thoughts, as if she had just been lost in space and retreats her hold on my wrists, "Yeah, sorry. I was just…"
"It's ok." I smile at her and caress her cheek with my hand and she smiles back, moving away from on top of me and laying on her back next to me. I turn my head to look at her and kiss her long nose as she closes her eyes.
"Hm… I'm tired." She says turning on her side and moving closer to me, resting her head on the crook of my neck.
"Really? You just woke up from sleeping in Cook's back garden." I state.
"Yeah… I know, but this week has been really tiresome." She sighs making my whole body shiver at feeling her hot breathing on my skin.
"Are you cold?" Naomi asks sensing my shivering, pulling her head up to look at me.
"No, no. But I agree with you, it has been a rather tiring week."
"We should get some sleep then, ok?" She asks me, getting up to move to another side of the bed while I take the other.
"Oh wait, silly me." She says rolling her eyes, "You can take your clothes off and put on something more comfortable. I always have some spare clothes in there." Naomi says pointing to a drawer in front of the bed.
"Okay, thanks." I say a bit shyly. I'm still not very used to take my clothes off in front of her. Well in front of anyone to be honest, although with her is different. Her opinion matters the most, I don't really want her to see my imperfections.
"All done!" She says making me turn around to see she already has a t-shirt on and some girl boxers. I stand gaping at her looking like that in front of me.
"Like what you see?" She asks seductively and steps closer to me, "You might wanna close your mouth babe." Holding my chin gently to close my mouth, and giving me a small peck on the lips. She is getting too damn irresistible, I want more. I need to have more.
I grab her by the collar of her shirt and kiss her more fiercely, and more hungrily as I feel her kissing me back. My hands are on her neck and hers are on my waist pulling me closer to her, and we end up again on the bed; only this time I'm the one on top but it doesn't last long as she turns me over on my back, having me under her.
"Emily, I really like being with you like this, a lot, trust me when I say it."
"But?" I ask with a hoarse and timid voice.
"But I don't wanna rush this. I don't you to have some crappy sexual experience in my mate's house just because we were horny and in a hurry. I want to treat you like a princess, like the beautiful person you are."
"Naoms…"
She shushes me by putting her fingertip on my lips, "Let me finish, please?"
I nod slowly and she brushes her lips lightly against mine, "I need to show you how special you are to me, and that's not gonna happen tonight in this room ok?"
"I understand…" I try not to show the hint of sadness that rushed through me but it's useless because Naomi can see right through me.
She smiles down at me softly and traces my eyebrow with her thumb, "I don't want to make you sad baby." Naomi whispers kissing me slowly, "I want you to feel special Em, because at this moment you're one of the most precious people I have in my life. So please let me make this right with you."
This time it sounded more like a plead from her and it made me feel like I really matter something greater to her. If that means I'll have to wait, then I'll gladly will. Because not only it has to feel special to me, I also want her to feel special. She deserves it as much as I do.
"Alright Naoms." I smile and kiss her, feeling the usual rush of emotions flowing through me every time we touch. She steps back to look at me, "Great! Now that's settled, I want to take you out on a date."
I look at her amazed, "Oh, really?" I ask uncertain.
"Yes really!" She laughs, "Like I said I want you to feel like a princess. So I will pick you up at your castle and then take you into an unforgettable night." She stops to think, "Well at least I hope it will be."
I pull her to my side and stare at her eyes for a while, in wonder, biting my lip, "Sounds good to me." I say but instantly remember something, "Wait, you can't come by my house."
Naomi expression falls into a frown and I have the need to kiss her chastely on the lips, "You know what I mean babe, it will be dangerous if my father sees you there." I say explaining my reasons.
She sighs deeply, "You're right. Can I wait on the street then?" She asks hopefully.
"Of course you can." Now it's my time to sigh, "I'm sorry it has to be like that. I hate seeing you waiting outside like a stray dog."
"Yeah well, it's for a good cause, so I don't mind being a dog once or twice. I can even bark if you'd like, you know, to sound more convincing."
I burst into a fit of giggles and so does she, holding me closer when the laughter subsides.
After a few minutes she has fallen asleep and I take the opportunity to get up and change into a more comfortable attire. I found a large t-shirt with a pig on a drawer, it's cute and comfy so this shall suffice enough. Also I don't wanna waste any more time looking for clothes to sleep on while I have sleeping beauty waiting for me.
I get back on the bed and pull the bedsheets over us, with Naomi rapidly cuddling me and resting her head on my chest, while her arms surround my waist. I trail my fingers through her gorgeous blonde hair, its silkiness fascinating me. She's addictive, she's so addictive, I can't imagine my life without her. Until now I had considered myself a good person, a happy person with people around me who love me and whom I love back. But since she entered my life, I don't know, I just haven't been feeling like my old-self anymore. I'm happier, and stronger. I started to feel passionate about something, a thing I had never really felt before. I hope this feeling never goes away, because with all that's going on lately, I think it's one of the few things that keeps me going forward.
AN: So there you have it. I don't know when I'll be posting the next chapter, but I will try not to take too long. Thanks for reading and as always your reviews are most welcomed :)