Chapter 29

"That's her dad. Fucking lying bitch."

Oh fuck.

Rob Fitch and Katie Cook, Fitch, whatever she was calling herself these days. I lost sight of Emily and was met with Rob's harsh piercing gaze. It's pretty fair to say he didn't look best impressed to see me. It was a pity I didn't have one of JJ's wires on me. I'd have been calling for back up. Mayday mayday... Code 12... Officer down and in need of assistance...Still, it was just me standing here facing off with Papa Bear. I could probably deal with Rob if he wanted to get physical, but I didn't want to. Part of me still believing, in my warped chivalrous way, that he was entitled to hit me at least once to defend his daughter's honour. The lobby of his gym mightn't be the best place professionally for him though. And fuck it, see? I'm trying to make sure her family don't get in the shit again. No charges against the psycho twin and I'd do the same for her dad. He of the industrial strength whitened teeth. Fucking hell I had a really good close up of them. They were Richard Hammond dazzling white, and then I remembered the meaty paw he had around my neck.

"Rob, Mr Fitch, you wanna beat the shit out of me, fine but let's go outside or something?" He blinked just the once and threw me a little way towards the door.

"Walk and talk kid, and make it quick."

I looked around me but there was no sign of Emily or Panda. I walked out to the car park, Rob and Rocky Fitch in tow. I looked over at the car park where a week earlier Emily and I had happily ravished each other. Deciding to take the bull by the horns, I stopped and turned around, my abrupt movement making the two Fitches jerk to a halt, although Rob still got a grip of my shirt and neck and cornered me against a wall.

"Talk kid. One reason I shouldn't ignore those hunting dogs and just beat the shit out of you"

I gave him as many reasons as I could, although it only came down to one reason and one reason only. I loved his daughter. I asked him for five minutes before he rearranged my face. He actually listened and the grip he'd taken on my shirt had relaxed a little. Fair play to the man, he was still snarling at me but he let me say my piece. I told him I loved his daughter, had wanted to tell her from the start, but couldn't, poured my fucking heart out to the man. Something, somewhere must have made sense to him. I even told him how he'd freaked the bollocks out of me when he told me he saw love in my eyes and how I'd realised he was right. I could see the connection in his face; I reckoned I'd got to him. Made him understand my dilemma and how much of a shit I felt. The fact that my faulty fucking tear ducts were working overtime again helped.

All the time I was pouring out my spleen at him, needing him to understand how badly I'd fucked up and hadn't wanted to I could see Katie standing just behind her dad, her face and posture screamed 'seething' at me. Cheeky bitch. She wasn't charged with assault because I'd said so. I'd fucking remind her later.

I was finishing my plea for my girlfriend, life, jaw, teeth (take your pick yeah?) "Rob, look, beside Effy and Tony I've only ever had one family, one constant thing in thing in my life and that's the police. I've never known anything else. They all cared for me after my parents were killed." He still kept a loose grip of me, but his eyes had definitely softened and his maniacal grin had stopped. "But that job's fucked up my life mate. I love her ok. I love your daughter. You want to smack me, go ahead, there's nothing you can do to make me hurt any more than I already do. I'd quit my job tomorrow if she asked me too."

"You'd do that for me?"

A quiet, husky voice broke the silence after my speech. The voice came from behind Rob. I looked over his other shoulder to see Emily standing there. Fitches in stereo. Katie Bitch, sorry, Fitch on the right and Ems on the left. Panda was stood next to Em's looking at the scene before her with wide eyes. They were probably wondering what the fuck was going to happen next. To be honest with you, I was wondering that too. I watched Panda rub Emily's arm and say something to her. I prayed to whatever god that was listening that it wasn't "twat her yourself". Still she'd come back. Again. She couldn't let me go. I was starting to realise how well Panda knew her friend. And just how much I really had underestimated Panda. Effy hadn't though. Clever bloody girl. I was so going to have to pay for a holiday for them or something if I ever got Emily to come back to me.

"Please dad, don't hit her"

Get in. She was still defending me. Go Panda. Rob turned around and looked at her.

"You sure Emsy? She hurt you." He tightened his grip once more. It was seriously taking every shred of restraint I possessed not to respond and push him the fuck away, but he was Emily's dad. I kept repeating it over in my head. Emily's dad, do not maim.

"Dad, please." I looked at her. Fucking hell, she was so beautiful. Rob let go of me. Thank fuck for that. Oxygen was starting to become an issue there. I rubbed my throat a little as he stepped away from me. Hatred and anger dimmed to low instead of the blazing setting he'd had it 10 minutes ago. He stepped away a few more steps and I'd just started to relax when a sudden movement startled me. Fucking Katie Fitch. Ah shit, here we go.

"Well, she might be soft but I'm not." She'd started to raise her hand, everything in that weird kind of slow motion stuff. You know, like when your biscuit is about to drop into your coffee after you've dunked it and you can't stop it? I watched her fist go back and was deciding if I should let her hit me when things speeded up again and a dark blur grabbed her. Shit! Emily? I looked to my left... nope, there was Em's with Papa Fitch and Panda holding her. Looks of horror etched on their faces.

Oh bollocking hell. That left one very scary conclusion. I looked at the cat fight going on on the floor.

Yup. Effy.

She'd said she'd wanted a rumble with her. Jesus. They were ripping each other to pieces. I'm talking serious claws out, screeching, meowing, hissing, knock down catfight. I looked at Emily and shrugged in a "what do you want me to do?" motion. Those big brown eyes of hers just looked at me horrified, begging and pleading me to sort it out. Rob Fitch and Panda were paralysed with the happenings. Jesus. I thought about leaving them to it. Hesitated for a moment. Effy looked like she was beating the shit out of Katie to be honest. "Don't you fucking dare lay a finger on her you twat" was screeched out and hey, you know if I was going to be all noble and not hit her... ah, fuck it. Nah, couldn't do it.

I slipped into my copper persona and tried grabbing the nearest one of them to break it up. Now, I'm not too sure if you've ever tried breaking up a cat fight or anything, but it's not like any of those cop shows you see on the TV. Katie was giving back as good as she got and had just managed to turn the tables and get Effy pinned down.

I tried grabbing her off Eff, using all the skills I had. Honest. But like I said, they don't really do what you want when they're trying to scratch each other's eyeballs out. I tried to be professional, but in trying to hang onto the hellcat, she squirmed trying desperately to beat my superior strength and hang onto her fighting partner. As she squirmed and I pulled her away, I ended up with my hands on her tits. Ah, fucking hell. That's gross. I winced as her high pitched tone screeched in my ears.

"Get your lezzer hands off me you lying twat". Still it gave me a chance to drag her off Eff and push her away. I looked at Effy as she sprung up, intent on carrying the fight on.

"Effy. NO." I raised my voice and grabbed my mates arm as she made to lunge at her arch nemesis. I was tired of all of it. I looked at Katie. Rob had finally woken up and had hold of her as Emily was giving her a bollocking too by the look of her finger waving under her nose. It went quiet. Emily looked at me and spoke quietly.

"Look as much as I appreciate everyone interfering and fighting, can you all leave us alone?" She never took her eyes off me; I could hear my heart beat whooshing in my ears. Flight or fright time I guess as the adrenaline was flying through me. My knees were shaking, but I was fucked if I was going to run. I heard rather than saw everyone leave us alone. I felt Effy's gentle touch on my arm and a whispered 'good luck' as she walked past me.

We stood there looking at each other. Our audience finally gone. Emily made the first move, walking to within touching distance. I didn't move. Just stood there, waiting for her to tell me to get to fuck after my best mate had tried to savagely beat the shit out of her twin.

The silence went on and on as she studied me. Those normally expressive brown eyes closed down as they gazed at me. I couldn't help it. I've told you before, I'll tell you again. I hate silences. No good at them.

"I'm sorry about all that." I waved an arm in the direction the others had left in. "I didn't want this to happen. I just needed to see you Emily." I was about to continue and apologise yet again when she closed the distance between us with scary speed. I felt a light pressure on my lips as I realised she was kissing me. A chaste kiss, just lips touching and not moving, but that's a kiss none the less. Jesus. Then as quickly as I realised what that feather like touch was on my lips they were gone and she was out of my touching distance again. I blinked at the speed of it all. Eloquent in my response.

"Well... duhhh. Err... Yeah. Cool." She smiled at me. A little sad, but I dunno. Was there some hope there or what?

"Sorry, Naoms. Couldn't help myself." She reached out and ran her hand down my arm, finishing by gently holding my hand. I kept still. This was all about her. All of it. I reckoned if I moved I'd scare her away. So I did my impression of a statue. She sighed. "I'm sick of being angry, so I've decided I'm not going to be." I bit my lip as she continued. "That kiss proves what you and I both know. I still care. I'm just upset Naoms." She let go of my hand. My body craving her touch immediately. Fuck, how the hell had I managed all these years without her?

"And you're a persistant bugger. I WILL be in touch. I promise you. Let me sort my head out. Please" She made to walk away and stopped. I watched as she took a deep breath in. Almost as if she was having an argument with herself before turning and rapidly approaching me. She took my face between her hands and brought our lips together for one more taste. She was as helpless as me wasn't she?

"Yeah, I'll be in touch promise. Text me what you're doing. I loved it." She turned to walk away and I smiled as I saw four heads bob back behind the wall.

I smiled to myself. Utterly fucking elated. Pandora Moon, you were my fucking hero.