A/N: So, I don't normally like to comment here about political stuff, but I'm going to for once. Now that same sex unions are allowed in the UK (congratulations!), our prime minister is going to allow British same sex couples to marry in British consulates here. Which is great... If you're a Brit, the consulate being british territory, and all. For the rest of us poor Australians, he doesn't see any reason to allow us to be able to do the same. He and his party go against the definition of the word "liberal" (the antonym, not the synonym of which is 'conservative', which is what his party is), and the way things are right now, with several countries being afforded marriage equality (as well as every other week states in the US getting closer, or allowing it), I feel we are literally going to be the last damn country on the planet to allow it. *rant off*

Now, on with the story... Naomi is feeling just a bit uncertain, and her insecurity is showing a little. Read on for more...

On with it, then... (Ooh, look, no Cigarette Warning™...)

Disclaimer: I do not own skins. The prime minister of Australia is a cunt who does not deserve, nor will ever get my respect. All your typos are being to us.

(Naomi POV)

She's wrapped herself around me, as if to protect me from something, though what, I'm not exactly sure. She's quiet, brushing soft, almost undetectable kisses against the deep, dark bruise she left on my neck in her office this morning. Her small puffs of breath against my skin cause me to shiver slightly, and she draws me closer to her as she feels my tall frame shaking, nuzzling nearer.

We had never needed each other like that before. We've teased each other mercilessly, denied one another to the brink, but it's always been respectful... We'd never let our animal passions get the better of ourselves, and just fucked in such a primal way. We hadn't needed to. I knew that Emily needed me, if only to take her mind off the work crap that we now had to deal with, and I wanted to give her what she needed, because the truth of it was, I felt that need to take her mind off it, and I knew that we had to rush headlong into that space where we became weightless and nameless. Because really, there was no other way for us to go.

I believed that I was right, in what I said, that sometimes we have to let our base instinct take over and rule us, it doesn't make sense to the mind, because it's the animalistic part of us that assumes control. And that rarely makes a shred of sense to the logical mind. It's like we take leave of our normal senses, and rationality never comes into it. It's like an all consuming storm, powerful, and chaotic, all feeling and non-thinking.

I think, in a way, that we both felt a little guilty. Don't get me wrong, it was good, it always was between us, but I think the frantic nature of it shocked the both of us, and now we were both afraid...not of each other, but of ourselves. I'd certainly never been that rough before, at least not enough to leave the ten criss-crossed scratch marks that now spanned Emily's back. She had left bruises on my neck before, but always with a slow build up to it, this time it was quicker and much more intense in feeling. She had made me come hard on many an occasion, but never that fast, and if I think about it, it was her frantic, passionate approach that caused it.

Listen to me. I told her not to over think it, and I'm doing exactly that. Christ.

"Naomi?" She said, ever so softly against my skin.

"Hmm?"

"Are you alright?"

I sighed. "I feel like I should be asking you that." I replied. "You asked me... The first time we were in your office together...whether you had crossed a line. D'you remember?"

"Of course I do." Emily said. "Do you think I did today?"

I met her eyes with mine and gently stroked my fingers down her cheek. "I'm wondering if we both crossed a line." I said. "You and I... We are so intense, so passionate with each other... But it's never been that frantic before."

"I know." She said.

"It was good, don't misunderstand me." I said. "We broke a boundary, though... Don't you think?"

"Maybe we did." She whispered. "You regret it?"

I shook my head slowly. "No. We both had a need. But I do regret hurting you." I said, trailing my fingertips over the scratches on her back. She shivered against me and groaned softly.

"Don't. It's tender, but it doesn't hurt." She said. "Besides... Sometimes a little pain is worth it."

I looked at her with a slightly crooked smirk. "Oh, a bit like a spanking, then..."

A slight blush covered her cheeks. "Something like that." She said, biting her bottom lip. "Really... It's not as bad as it seems, and it added to the experience. Don't worry about it. I'll heal."

"Sure?" I asked.

She leaned close and kissed me tenderly. "Yes." She said. "I was more worried about you, actually. I've never been that... Hmm..." She paused for a moment, "I can't find a word that doesn't sound bad..."

"I was going to say brutal." I mused.

"Ugh." Emily replied.

"They're just words, Ems." I said. "And sometimes there are no words for our emotions and actions that feel right."

"You have a point."

"I make them sometimes."

She sighed, deeply. "Did I take advantage of you?"

I looked into her curious brown eyes and kissed her forehead softly. "I don't feel like you did. I talked you into it, remember?"

"Mmm..." She murmured, shifting and sitting astride my hips, one hand either side of my head. "You know I'm not usually that aggressive."

"I know. But sometimes..." I said, closing my eyes and exhaling slowly. "I'm not going to deny that it has it's appeal."

"Dirty bitch." Emily grinned.

"Says the woman who gagged me with my knickers!" I replied.

"At whose request?" She shot back, eyebrow raised.

I laughed. "Ok, you have me there."

Emily studied me with a curious expression. "So... we're ok, then?" She asked.

"Of course, baby." I replied. "It'll take more than a frantic rough fuck on your office sofa to damage what we have."

She leaned down and kissed me slowly. "I hope nothing ever does. I want you with me for a very long time, beautiful."

"I know." I replied.

Emily reached up and ran her fingers through my fringe. "You know what I said this morning?"

"When?"

"Before you left me to fall asleep, wishing you were still here with me..."

"Oh." I replied. "Y-you were serious, weren't you?" I asked, my eyes meeting hers as our fingers entwined.

She nodded. "I was serious, yes." She replied, softly. "You already have a key to my flat, and you spend so much time here as it is... And..." Her voice trailed off.

"What is it?"

"It feels empty around here, when you leave." She said. "It's silly, but I miss you before you even walk out the door."

Oh, Emily.

I pulled her closer to me and wrapped my arms around her. "It's hard for me to leave too, baby." I said, softly. "You know what I said, about my heart being at war every time I have to leave?"

"Yeah..."

"It's the truth. But, Emily..." I said, pausing.

"You're not sure?"

"It's not that..." I said, as Emily rolled off me and snuggled into my side. "I do want to, but... Whenever we are together, we are so involved with one another. Everything else just slips away when we spend time together, no matter what we do. I'm not saying I don't enjoy and treasure that, because I do, you know that."

"So do I, beautiful." She said, kissing my bruise, once more making me shiver.

"I have a big priority, though... Finishing my degree." I sighed. "I have exams coming up as it is, and I need to pass them."

"I know that's important to you, babe. I wouldn't dare get in the way of it."

"Can I think about it for a while?" I asked. "I'm not saying no, I just..."

"You need some time?" She asked.

I nodded. "I am flattered that you asked. I just need to bounce it around in my head for a bit, you know?"

"That's fair." She replied. "I did sort of spring it on you."

"A little, but I know where it comes from. We both feel the same when we part, and don't want to feel that if we can avoid it." I said, kissing her softly. "It's not just you, baby."

"Ok."

We lay quietly a while longer, until I spoke again. "I tell you what... I'm going to go back to mine, and pick up some clothes, and then come back and stay with you tonight." I said. "I think we need a night together that's simple. Time to just be, you know?"

"Oh, you mean nothing kinky or rough?"

I chuckled. "As tempting as that is... But yeah. A quiet night together."

"Actually, that sounds really good." Emily replied.

"I know, right?" I said, kissing her slowly. My eyes met hers, and I slowly stroked my fingers through her fringe. We stared into each other's eyes for a few minutes. "I'm getting to it, I swear."

"What's that?"

"Leaving."

"The sooner you go..."

"The sooner I get back here. You're right." I said, sitting up and redoing my shirt buttons. "See me to the door?" I asked.

"Of course, beautiful."

We made our way to the door, and Emily pulled me close once more and kissed me deeply. "You won't be gone too long?"

"I shouldn't be, but if there's any issues, I'll text you."

"Ok. I love you, beautiful."

"I love you too, baby." I replied, kissing Emily's forehead once more. "I'll see you soon."

I left her flat, hearing the door click shut behind me and feeling the sense of loss sink in by the time I'd reached the end of the little footpath that led to her flat.

When I reached my own flat, it got in the door and found that Effy had company, in the form of one James Cook.

"Naomikins! Good to see you, babe." He grinned.

Effy raised an eyebrow. "Emily un-cuffed you from the bed, then?"

I tried to fight the blush that crept across my nose, but failed. Cook spotted the bruise on my neck and began to laugh.

"Wow, that's one hell of a hickey, Naomikins. What did you do to earn that?"

"None of your business, tosser!" I sneered.

"Aw, come on... No dirty details for Cookie's spank bank? Where's the love?"

"Ugh... None for you, obviously, twat."

"Oh, leave her alone, Cook." Effy smirked. "Naoms, I'm just about to make something for dinner, are you in?"

"No... I came to pick up some stuff, and then I'm going back to Emily's."

"Nice one! Up for a night of hot nookie, then?"

"Shut the fuck up, Cook. Make yourself useful and go to the shop and get some cheese... We're almost out and I'm going to make pasta."

"Alright, alright... But you owe me details, Naomikins. Gotta keep little Cookie amused" Cook said, standing up and grabbing his crotch before making his way to the door.

"Like fuck I do, perve." I smirked back, as he left the flat. I sighed. "Thanks, Eff."

"You like you've had a...rough day?"

I laughed. "Something like that. What gave it away, was it the shiner on my throat, or...?"

"Actually, it was more your expression. We didn't get the chance to talk this morning, so... sit down and tell me what's up."

I thought about protesting, but knew it was totally useless. I sat down on the sofa and placed my satchel beside it. "Emily had to fire the accountant yesterday. He'd been stealing money from the company."

"Oh Christ! How much?"

"A little over forty grand." I said.

"Jesus."

"Oh, it gets worse. The accountant previously worked for Bailey Beverages."

"The same company that sued Fitch Holdings?"

"One and the same. Emily thinks McClair bad mouthed the company, which is why business has dropped off a bit."

"McClair...he was the sleazy ad guy from Bailey, right?"

"Yeah."

"Shit." Effy replied. "That's rough. Is Emily ok?"

"She's stressed out over it... especially when we discovered the link between Richard and Bailey. She wonders what she's done to get screwed over."

"Any chance she can get the money back?"

"I hope so. I've got a court order to have the account frozen. What happens next is the question. But, she's not happy about it, obviously. Oh, and one of the detectives we had at the office today to question us was eye-fucking Emily. She was totally obvious about it, too."

"Emily?"

"No, the other detective." I said. "Some six foot cave woman looking type called Mandy. She looked practically ready to toss Emily over her shoulder and take her back to her cave for a quick dirty shag."

"Jealous, Naoms?" Effy smirked.

"I... I was, a bit. Until Emily erm...set me straight." I said, blushing.

"Oh?" Effy said. "Oh... That's where the uhm..." She indicated on her neck with her fingers. "...bruise came from, right?"

"I'm not going to go into the private details, but yes."

"She does love you, Naoms. I've never seen her be so attached to someone. You needn't worry."

"I know." I sighed. "It just rattled me, that's all. Enough to... Christ."

"Enough to what?"

"Enough to break my own rules. We...shagged in her office."

"Despite your no sex rule?" Effy asked, eyebrow raised in surprise. "Naomi...that was your condition for working with her."

"I know! I just couldn't help it. She needed the stress relief, and I needed... God, I don't know. I needed to know that she wanted me! Me, and not some passing copper. God, I'm a fucking idiot for even thinking that. I know it, and so does Emily. She thinks I doubted her, and told me in very...very blunt terms that I shouldn't." I blurted.

"You liked it, though."

"God, yes!" I sighed. "Oh, fuck it, why can't I shut up?!" I laughed, running my fingers through my hair. "She asked me to move in with her, Eff."

Effy's eyes went wide. "Well, fuck me with a purple strap-on."

"EFFY!" I exclaimed.

She raised her hands in surrender. "Alright, sorry!" She said. "What did you say?"

"That I needed time to think." I said. "I don't know, Eff. I want to, but... It's good the way it is with us, right now. I'm not sure I can dive in completely. At least not while I'm still studying. I'd never get anything done."

"And she is ok with that? You needing time."

"Yeah. She knows I have concerns."

"I'm surprised she asked." Effy said.

"So am I."

The front door opened, and Cook walked through it, shutting it behind him. I rolled my eyes. "That's my cue. And you best keep schtum." I said to Effy, getting up and taking the satchel into my room with me. I packed some clothes for the next day at work, and then slung the satchel over my shoulder, going back through the sitting room.

"Right, I'm off out again." I said. "See you later."

"Not tonight though, I bet...eh, babe?" Cook smirked, as he sat on the sofa drinking a beer.

"Nope. And I'm not your babe." I sneered. "Bye, Eff."

I heard Effy's reply as I closed the door behind me, and started my walk back to Emily's flat. She was right, I knew that Emily did love me deeply, and that I needn't worry about the detective. Thinking back about the conversation we'd had after they had left made me realise that I was being insecure and stupid about it. I felt the same for her as she did for me, and by now, I knew I should trust in that fact. Not once, in the whole time we had been together, had she ever looked at another woman. It was only ever me. It wasn't that she'd never had the chance to, but even on the few occasions we had been out somewhere, her focus had always, always been on me. Not as her property, but as someone equal that she adored, above all others.

I realised more, as I walked, that she was right, in fact, we both were, about us being bonded to each other. It grew past a dominant/submissive thing, which was already so deep a connection in itself, and just grew into something that became so magnetic to the both of us. The truth of it was, we belonged to each other, and we both knew it, deep down inside. We still gave each other just enough space to make it work, but when it came down to it, we could never be apart for too long, not even from very early on. Put simply, we burned for each other, and while it frequently consumed us in our passions, the longing we shared for each other burned so much worse when we were apart.

By the time I got back to her flat, I felt lost again, but with that sense of childlike anticipation I had whenever I stepped through her front door. "Ems?" I called, into the empty sitting room, as I took my jacket off and hung it up.

"In here." She called back from the bedroom. I dropped my satchel by the door, and walked through the flat. I entered the bedroom to find my favourite thing sitting on the bed, wrapped in a black towel.

A naked, wet Emily Fitch.

"It's a good thing I hate white towels..." She husked, looking up at me with a crooked smirk. "Someone might think I was attacked by a wolf."

I raised my eyebrow. "So, if I'm the wolf, what does that make you, little red riding hood?"

She threw her head back and laughed loudly. "Something like that, I suppose." I laughed with her. "Why Naomi... What big blue eyes you have..."

I grinned. "All the better to see you with..." I said, as I unbuttoned my shirt, and slid it off my shoulders, tossing it aside.

Emily giggled as I stepped closer. "Oh, are you going to striptease for me, baby?"

"Hardly... We lack a sleazy orchestra to play The Stripper." I smirked, as I removed my bra and likewise tossed it over my shoulder.

"You're worth much more, anyway..." She replied, reaching behind me and unzipping my skirt, pulling it off my hips until it pooled around my ankles. I reached for her towel and slowly pulled it from around her body, catching the sight of her biting her bottom lip as her eyebrow furrowed. She groaned in slight discomfort as the soft material grazed over the scratches that I momentarily forgot about on her back.

"Shit! I'm so-"

"Don't..." She said, shaking her head. "Remember what I said, beautiful."

"Right." I nodded, as I rested my palm on her cheek. "Only... Turn over, and lie down?"

She raised her eyebrow and did as I asked, lying down on her stomach, and looking back at me curiously. I quickly joined her, lying next to her, halfway up her body, and gently trailing my fingers along the scratch marks. She didn't flinch, but I watched as her eyes closed, and I could tell that she was thinking of how they came to be there, as her body shivered slightly. I leaned down and gently kissed the length of each one of them, one by one, to a murmur of contentment from Emily. Once I was finished, I stretched out beside her and slid my arm across her shoulders.

Her eyes opened and she looked into mine. "Only the one who inflicts the pain, can take it away..." She said, softly.

"You know I never intended to hurt you." I replied.

"Yes, I know. It was heat of the moment, though. Neither of us could help ourselves." She said, tracing her fingertip over my bruised neck. I leaned closer and kissed her, and she immediately curled into my arms and let me hold her close.

I sighed, deeply. "Should we be worried...that we can't control ourselves?"

"I'm not worried. Are you?"

"I don't know." I replied. "I don't want to be."

Emily smiled up at me. "Then don't be, my blue eyed wolf. We are passionate, and we love each other. That's what matters."

I nodded. "You're right."

"I like to think I am." She smirked.

"Smartarse." I laughed.

"Naturally."

"So... What does Emily want to do?"

"Hmm... Can we just lie here, for a bit?"

I softly kissed her shoulder. "Yeah... We can."

A/N#2: The line "only the one who inflicts the pain, can take it away" I pinched from "Erotica" by Madonna. If you have never listened to it, you have the internet at your fingertips, and there is nothing stopping you!

More soonish...

Until next time...

~GN~ xo