Hey guys :D I've got a new chapter for you guys to read :D It's still in Effy's POV and follows on form the same day as the last chapter

A HUGE thank you to .Blah who gave me the idea for this chapter. It was a lot of help and I really enjoyed writing the chapter, so thanks again :DDDDDDD ( -super happy face)

Thanks for all the reviews for the last chapter, each and every one of them made me smile and I'm glad my months of irregular updates hadn't put some of you off xD

Disclaimer: Don't own skins

I walk into the copy machine, spotting Naomi already standing there using it. She looks up at me and smiles.

"Hey Eff"

I smile at her, making my way over to her. "Hey Naoms"

Naomi looks at me up and down, studying me carefully. She raises an eyebrow, tucking some papers under her arm "Have you been crying? She asks softly.

I widen my eyes, quickly wiping at my face "What, no, why?"

Naomi doesn't look convinced and folds her arms "Really? Your eyes are red and puffy and your cheeks have tear stained tracks on them"

I sigh and grab her by the arm, dragging her behind a wall "I haven't been crying"

Naomi raises an eyebrow "If you're so sure then why did you just drag me behind this wall and whispered?"

I roll my eyes "I don't want my fucking employees to think I've become weak do I?"

"And why would they think that?"

"Because I've been fucking crying!" I exclaim. My eyes widen when I realise what I just said and turn back to the photo copier.

"Effy what made you cry?"

"Nothing, I haven't been crying"

"You just admitted it!" Naomi says exasperated

"No I didn't"

Naomi growls, grabbing onto my bruise, causing me to wince. She stops her actions and look to where she just grabbed. Gingerly, she reaches her hands out close to my arm, watching my reaction closely as she presses the same point. I wince again, taking in a sharp breath.

Naomi gives me a look that tells me to stay still and not to speak. She reaches out and rolls my sleeve up, her eyes widen at the bruise on my arm. Just like Cook, she softly trails her finger round the shape. I shut my eyes, letting a single tear fall as I remember how delicate Cook was with me, how protective he was. Pain shoots through my chest as I realise he'll never be like that with me when he's in love with Naomi. He needs to protect Naomi more than me and he always will.

"Effy, Freddie did this to you, didn't he?" Naomi asks softly.

Slowly, I nod my head a small sob escaping my lips. Fucking hell, I'm crying a lot today. Naomi gently pulls me into a hug, rubbing my back.

"Is this the first time Effy?" I nod against her shoulder "If he ever touches you like that again, come and tell me and I'll call the police for you, okay?"

I nod again, letting more tears flow. Cook and Naomi are made for each other, they both care for their friends deeply. They've both reacted the same way to seeing the bruise, promising to protect me through hidden words.

"I jus' wanna see my fackin' wife!" We break apart and walk to the doorway of the copy room.

My eyes widen as a very drunk Freddie stumbles through the doors, shouting back at Katie.

"Freddie?" I say weakly. Freddie looks round to me, smiling hugely, drunkenly staggering towards me and Naomi, banging into a few desks on his way over. All the employees turn their heads to watch their boss make a fool of himself.

"Effy babe! I came to see you. You jus' left me high and dry at home and so I fought we could finish it off here. It's s'always been a fantasy of mines, and sees as Cook and Emily do it regularly I fought why don't I give it a try?"

"Did" We look to the left and see Emily standing close by, her gaze locked upon Freddie. Her fists are clenched as she walks towards us, putting herself between myself, Naomi and Freddie, her back to us.

"You fucking wat?" Freddie says, glaring at Emily.

"Did. Cook and I did it regularly. We don't anymore" I watch as Emily's nose scrunches up in distaste as Freddie's breathe blows in her face.

"Ooo look at this ladies and gentlemen. Miss Emily Fitch here has stopped being the office whore" Freddie shouts to the employees watching, gesturing to Emily. "Aren't you a good girl? Standing up for your friends"

Emily growls, clenching ehr fists tighter together, Freddie carries on "Finally she's not being selfish!" he claps sarcastically "Isn't that a surprise?"

Emily takes a step forward "Freddie, you're drunk. Go home and sleep it off"

Freddie laughs bitterly "Wow, and she cares for them too? Are we in a parallel universe?"

"I'm warning you Freddie"

"What are you going to do Emily? Hmm? It's not like you're brave enough to do anything, you're such a coward"

Naomi then steps forward, standing slightly in front of Emily. If I wasn't so frightened I would've smirked at how Naomi is trying to hide Emily behind her to stop harm from getting to her.

"Freddie, back off right now okay? Emily is braver than you, at least she doesn't attack the girls she sleeps with"

Freddie's venomous eyes dart to me, they narrow as he jabs a skinny finger in my direction "You told them about today?" he goes to take a step towards me but Naomi pushes him back. He snarls at her "Out of my way bitch" he shoves her hard, causing her to stumble back and fall over.

"YOU FUCKING CUNT!" Emily's fist comes flying out, punching Freddie square in the jaw, making him stumble back. Emily steps back, shaking her hand. I walk towards her, taking her hand in mine and looking it over. It's going to bruise but luckily she hasn't broken anything.

Freddie catches himself, holding onto his jaw "Oh you're dead" he goes to attack Emily, but Cook intercepts, tackling him onto the ground. He punches him a couple of times in the face.

"Call security!" I shout one of the workers.

I turn round and help Naomi up, I brush her down and take her head in my hands. I look over her face, seeing no signs of a concussion.

"Are you okay?" I ask

Naomi nods "Are you?"

I nod then turn back round, pointing to Cook. Naomi quickly steps forward, whispering into Cooks ear. Immediately Cook stops attacking Freddie, he looks up at Naomi all broken before standing up and pulling her into a tight hug.

Security walks in and grabs hold of Freddie, dragging him out. Freddie sends a final glare at me before the doors close in front of him.

Emily walks up to me and places a gentle hand on my arm, with one look into her eyes I break down, my sobs filling the office.

I slam the papers down in front of him, Freddie looks down at the papers than up at me raising an eyebrow.

"What is this?" he asks

I sit down in the chair opposite, keeping my face straight as we glare at each other across the table. I glance round at the officers dotted about. Freddie's being held in a cell for three days whilst he awaits trial deciding whether he goes to Jail or gets away scot free.

"An agreement...well, divorce papers and an agreement" I push a pen towards him "Sign it"

Freddie scoffs "What does this 'agreement' say?"

"It says that once the divorce is final-which it will be as soon as you are thrown in jail for domestic violence- I get full ownership of the company, I get the house, the cars, your money, your clothes, toiletries...basically everything that you own now belongs to me"

Freddie shoves the papers towards me "There's no fucking away I'm signing that"

I smirk at him "Oh you will, because if you don't then you'll lose everything anyway. See, I was going to be kind and let you have your clothes and shit. I have no use for them, but it's not like you're going to be using them anytime soon though"

Freddie abruptly stands up from his chair. Some of the officers starts moving forward, I put my hand up stopping them. They nod slowly but edge a little closer to us.

"You better sit down Freds, don't want to cause a scene now do we?"

Reluctantly, Freddie sits down. His fists clench together "You can't do this"

I smirk at him, leaning forward I rest my elbows upon the table "Oh I can and I will"

"I'll find you when I get out" he snarls

I chuckle darkly "Don't be so sure of that Freddie. My lawyer suggested that I should file a restraining order against you for my own safety. It should be finalised in ooo I don't know, two days?"

Freddie reluctantly signs, pushing the papers towards me. I smile and stuff them in my bag and get up from the table "See you around Freds"

As I'm about to walk off, Freddie speaks up, stopping me in my step "It's because of Cook isn't it"

I don't turn around as I speak "What is?"

"The reasons we argued all the time, why we never saw each other, why even when I was back from business we slept on separate sides of the bed, the lack of sex...it's because you love Cook right? Because you've always loved Cook" At the sound of his broken voice, I turn round and sit back down.

I reach forward and take his hand in mine, squeezing it gently "Yeah, it is" a tear rolls down Freddie's cheek "I did love you Freddie once, but never as much as Cook. I always hoped that if I stayed with you then my love for Cook will go away and the pain I feel every time I see him with another girl will go away. But it never did, he was always there for me. He was always in my life, and he always will be. Even if he's not as my boyfriend or husband" I wipe a tear from my cheek "Even if we never have our own little Cookies screaming and running about in the back garden of our family home, he'll always be there as a friend, no matter how much I dream and wish for more"

Freddie nods "I noticed the way you would look at him sometimes Eff. I knew you loved him, yet I just wished you would love me as much as you loved him. I was jealous, so incredibly jealous that even though I had you, I never had your heart, it belongs to him"

I nod and squeeze Freddie's hand "I'm sorry Freddie" I stand up out of my chair, Freddie stands as well holding his hand out to me. I smile softly and shake it.

"Have a good life Effy"

"You too Freddie" I give him one more smile before turning around and walking out of the jail.

I jump into the car and sigh, throwing my head back in relief. I shut my eyes, wiping at the small tears at the corners of my eyes. A hand encloses around mine, holding it tightly as I hold back the tears.

I open my eyes and turn to my driver, she smiles at me "You're very brave Eff"

I nod and put my seatbelt on "It was so fucking hard to walk in there and be mean to him when he looked so broken"

She nods "I know how that feels. When my lawyer and I went to speak to Ben whilst her was awaiting trial it was so frightening. And not because I thought he might hurt me again-Bens a cunt, not and idiot- but because he looked so broken and alone. This boy who I had known for three years, who I saw as an older brother was sitting in front of me, looking so small and rejected. I wanted to pull him into a hug and tell him it was okay, but I couldn't. I couldn't because I needed to remain stoic the whole way through."

Emily's eyes shut, she rubs at her eyes, her lips trembling. I reach out and place a comforting hand on her shoulder "When-when he pleaded for my forgiveness, I had to just stare back at him venomously, when he asked for me to drop the charges, I had to remain silent and pretend like he never spoke. I just watched as his body deflated, hopelessness running through his body. I know he deserved to go to jail for what he did and that he was a monster...but he was still Ben to me, still the funny boy I met at university, still the kid who stumbled up the stairs just to offer to carry my bag...it was hard to watch him stand in court as his fate was decided."

I pull her into a hug, squeezing her gently. We rarely speak about Ben and everything that happened with Emily. It's a touchy subject and involves a lot of emotions that Emily and I have forgotten to use or that we even had them in the first place.

Emily pulls away from me and place her hands on the steering wheel "So, back to work then?"

I nod and quickly check my makeup "Off to work"

THE END

No I'm totally joking :L There's still quite a bit to go through before I'm even close to the end :)

Thanks so much for reading this chapter, I hope you enjoyed the angst :)

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Cheers

SWMFTK xx