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Disclaimer: I don't own Skins...if I did season 3 cast would be in it forever and ever.

The party was already in full swing when Emily arrived. She wasn't really in the mood for alcohol and drugs, not when it was the night before her talk with Naomi. She rang her the night before to check how she was going after the incident with James and they'd quickly arranged a meeting for Sunday afternoon.

-

The exams were over by Friday and Emily happily sent off her application for university. Her life was beginning to find some stability. Her parents wanted the family to have one more holiday together before the girls went off to college and after a few disgruntled comments from Katie, they had agreed to go along. Emily thought the idea sounded like a good one. Life in Bristol had changed since Naomi and she needed to get away, to have a break from everything and everyone and that summer was as good a time as any to do so.

-

After doing the rounds, greeting everyone she knew, Emily got a drink from the kitchen. She wasn't in the mood for alcohol and nobody needed to know that her vodka and coke didn't have vodka. She didn't feel much like dancing either, so she sat down on a sofa beside a couple who were playing tonsil tennis. Katie finally appeared from the stairs with Vikram at her heel, both looking very flushed. Emily smiled and watched as Katie asked Vik to get her a drink, before she came over, trying to persuade Emily to join in the fun.

"I'm happy here," she tried to tell her, but Katie was already tipsy and wasn't willing to take no for an answer.

-

Emily let herself be pulled into the middle of the lounge where people were dancing, she let herself sway along to the music, Katie's hands attached to her own, forcing her to move them. There was something sad about the moment that Emily tried to put her finger on, it wasn't that this would be the last time that they would spend together because they had four weeks holiday. But this was their last party as college students. Soon enough every single person in the room would be elsewhere; some would be at university, some would retake the year at Roundview and some would probably still be there dancing to their own beat. Katie would be at Bath Spa University studying a combined honours degree in History and Sociology. She was proud of her sister for choosing a path in life and sticking to it. But she was scared that living apart would change things between them. Even if Emily couldn't get a place at a university this year, she knew Bath wasn't too far away, but it still wasn't the bed across from her.

-

The party was getting louder and Emily was beginning to wish she'd been drinking alcohol. She didn't realise how annoying it was to listen to music that was so loud that all you could hear was the bass. But alcohol or drugs usually blocked out the downside and made her enjoy herself. She was contemplating going home early when Katie walked through the room, her hands in her hair and Vikram following. Emily rolled her eyes and walked after them to see what was going on.

"No, Vik, I can't tell her to leave, she's my sister,"

He appeared just as annoyed at Katie was, "But she's weird, don't you find it odd that she's gay?"

"She's my sister," Katie repeated.

"So? That doesn't mean you can't think it's not normal, I mean it's just so wrong. It's just odd, don't you think?"

-

Emily took a deep breath, wishing she hadn't chosen to enter their conversation. Vikram's opinion didn't matter much to her, but the fact that Katie had a boyfriend so closed minded frustrated her to no end.

"Yes, okay, it's odd, it's not normal. Can you just let her stay?"

Her ears were ringing from the volume of the music, Katie's words trying to process in her mind. She didn't know what to say, she didn't know what to do. Then Katie turned around and saw her standing there.

"Emily," she whispered, barely audible above the music. "I didn't mean, I just…"

She finally found her voice, "I understand what you mean, you've never liked it."

"That's not true," Katie shouted, then turned to Vikram who looked just as confused as Emily felt.

"Yes, it is Katie, it's always been two steps forward one step back, why should it be any different with this? You have a problem with me."

-

Katie looked speechless, her mouth was open, but no words were coming out. Emily thought things had changed and that Katie was accepting her for who she was, but hearing first hand that things weren't any different left her with a stale taste in her mouth. She didn't want to stand there and have Katie try to defend herself, so she walked away, back into the main party and right into Naomi.

"I'm sorry," Emily gasped, before realising who she'd bumped into. Naomi just smiled. Then Katie came up behind them.

"What are you doing here? Can't you get it into that thick head of yours? Nobody cares."

-

It was all too much to handle all at once. She watched Katie and Naomi's verbal argument, shaking her head, just wanting to knock their heads together. Instead she walked out of the house, away from the noise, away from everything she didn't want to deal with.

"Emily, wait!" Katie followed her outside and Emily sighed heavily.

"Can't you get it into your thick head?" Emily asked, not really sure what it was.

To make matters worse, Naomi wasn't far behind, appearing behind Katie in a matter of seconds.

"Don't just walk away from me Katie, just say what you've got to say," Naomi snapped, stepping so close to Katie that Emily wondered if she was going to hit her.

"Stop it, both of you just stop, NOW!" Emily screamed as loud as she could. She stepped in between her sister and Naomi and pushed them apart. "Naomi, don't do this. Don't bring Katie into this anymore than she's tried to be, I want to sort things out properly, but not now."

"Fine," Naomi rolled her eyes, "I'll see you tomorrow."

-

Naomi disappeared back into the party, leaving Katie and Emily alone. They were stood a meter apart, staring each other down. Emily turned around, deciding to leave Katie and the party.

"Wait, Ems, please," she mumbled, standing in front of her. "Can we talk about this?"

"What's there to say? You think I'm not normal and a little bit odd."

Katie sighed, "No, I don't, you're gay and it's normal, I know that."

"If you know that then why did you tell that tit that you agree with him?"

There was a long silence. Katie looked to the floor while Emily watched her, waiting patiently for an answer. She just wanted to leave, to forget she'd ever come, but she stayed anyway.

"He's very strong willed and he won't accept it when I try to disagree," Katie whispered, "I tried to when he first said it, but then I just gave up because he won't listen."

Emily scoffed.

Katie nodded, "I know, I know I can get like that too sometimes,"

Emily scoffed again.

"All the time," she altered, "Maybe I understand a bit more now. I'm sorry for saying it, I know I shouldn't have and I'm sorry for how I've been."

-

Emily let her lips curl into a smile and reached forwards to hug her sister. She had her flaws, she made mistakes like any human and most of the time she drove Emily insane. But without her, it really wouldn't be the same.

AN: Thanks for reading this chapter, it is the penultimate one, the next is the last chapter. Before I can begin part three...lol.