A/N: Hello my beautiful people:) I know this is short, but it's been a while since I've updated this, so I wanted to get something posted. I've been hugely distracted by the US open:) what? I'm watching it for research purposes... yeah...that's it, research...hehehe;)

Okay, who's been watching Finding Carter? I'm telling ya, that show is a total head fuck! And the feels? Off the charts...

any and all typos/grammatical errors/half truths are all mine:)

Disclaimer: I've been charged for data service in Canada! Does that happen to anyone else? Or is that a Michigan thing? Being told I've left the country when in fact I did not leave the country? Oh, and I don't own Skins, because if I did, Kat Prescott would still be Emily Fitch and never come anywhere Crash's lips!

Chapter 11: A Memorial and Complications

Naomi woke with a start. She had a slight throbbing in her head, which wasn't unusual on this day. But what was unusual was that, in the past it had always been an intense throbbing throughout her skull, enough that she would want to rip it right off her body just to get relief.

She knew that it was Sophia's way of reminding her of what day it was. Naomi could usually almost hear the girl laughing in her head, but not today. She waited for the greeting that always seemed to come to her as soon as her eyes opened up, but it was silent this morning.

"Sophia?" Naomi called out quietly and waited for an answer. When nothing happened, she called out again. "Sophia, are you there?"

"Yes."

Naomi heard something in Sophia's voice, something strange, but she couldn't put her finger on it. "What's wrong?"

Sophia sighed. "Wow, Campbell, it almost sounds as if you care." She replied, without the usual sarcasm.

"Well, after four years of hearing "wakey wakey, eggs and bakey!", you kinda get used to it, ya know?" Naomi smirked, not liking how sad Sophia sounded, even though this was the saddest day of the year for the girl. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know. It seems different this year, ya know? It's been five years, and it still hurts as much now as it did then."

"Still not going to the cemetery?" Naomi asked her, knowing the answer. Sophia couldn't bring herself to go, even though every year, Ashley's mum sent an invite to her. She told Naomi once that she couldn't bear to look at Ashley's family, felt she should have done more to help Ashley. Naomi knew it weighed heavily on her shoulders. "Maybe if you came and talked with them it would give you closure, Sophia. I really don't think you're going to get it when I'm gone."

Another sigh sounded through the blondes head. "Maybe not. I don't think that's why I did what I did." Sophia replied. "I was so angry at you. You had everything and you didn't care about any of it. Looks, money, friends... You pissed it all away, and for what? Because you got hurt?"

Naomi hung her head in shame. "You're right."

"What?"

"You're absolutely right, Sophia. I was a spoiled rotten bitch, who took everyone around me for granted, yeah? I used my friends, I used girls and guys, fuck, I even used my mum and Kieran!" Naomi said, sounding small and vulnerable. "But I never meant to do any harm to Ashley. I'd like to be able to say if I had known what she was gonna do, I would have never done anything with her, but I can't. We both know how I was back then."

"Why did you do it?" Sophia asked.

"Because I could." Naomi said as she shrugged, forgetting that Sophia couldn't see her. "I wanted others to feel the way I did, so I made sure they would. It also allowed me to guard myself."

"Hmm."

"What?" Naomi got up, started moving around and waking up. She was pulling a shirt on as Sophia made her comment.

"I can actually understand that. Why didn't you tell me that before?"

Naomi scoffed at the question. "You didn't take the time to ask before! You were all, curse first, talk later!" Sophia actually laughed at that, another shock to Naomi. "Well, you were." She muttered under her breath, hoping that Sophia couldn't hear it, but knew better when the laughter inside her head got louder.

"Thanks." Sophia said, causing Naomi to blink in confusion as she was finishing getting dressed.

"What was that for?"

"Because I haven't laughed on this day in five years, so thank you." Sophia told her.

"So, what about today? The service?" Naomi asked, knowing that Ashley's mum would really love to see the girl.

"How did you explain yourself to her family?" Sophia changed the subject because she didn't want to think of it just now, but also, because she was immensely curious about it.

Naomi thought back to that first year, remembering how hard it had been to leave the house, much less face the dead girl's family, but Effy and Cook had gone with her, practically forcing her to walk through the cemetery.

"Effy told them that we had been friends. When they learned my name, they thought I was her girlfriend. It wasn't until the next year that I told her brother the truth, and while he had been angry at first, he asked me not to say anything to his mum. He told me that it would only open her wound, and he didn't want that." Naomi explained, and then a thought hit her. "How come you didn't know that?"

"That first year, I wasn't as in control of my abilities as I am now. The harder I tried to tune into you, the more blocked I became. The second year was the same, I was able to remind you of the day, but once you reached the cemetery...poof!...you were gone." Sophia explained. "I was letting my anger cloud my mind. It wasn't until the third year that I was able to be there with you."

"That makes sense." Naomi said distractedly, as she kept remembering those first few years. "How did you overcome that?"

"I let go of the anger and sadness. The fact that you were able to be there, while I wouldn't go, brought on a lot of pain...I just let it go, and suddenly, I was able to tune in more to you."

"Hmm, interesting." Naomi mumbled. "Thank you."

"For what?" Sophia asked, surprise lacing her voice.

"For helping with Emily." Naomi said as she threw on a jacket. "It was unfair of me to ask it of you. Emily's my responsibility, not yours, but I was so scared." She explained quietly.

"It could've turned out so differently, but I didn't do much and I did it for Emily." Naomi was about to say something else, when Sophia spoke again. "You'd better hurry, Naomi. You don't want to be late."

Naomi glanced at her phone, noticing the time. "Shit!"

She hurried out the door and raced down the stairs, passing her mum and Emily, shouting a quick "Good morning!", leaving the red head completely confused.

"Um, was that normal?" Emily asked Gina, as they headed to the library.

Gina looked at her watch, noticing the time, much the same as Naomi had a few minutes earlier. "No, but she running behind."

"Oh, okay." Emily shrugged it off, turning her thoughts to her task today. "So, what I need, is access to more documents." She finished explaining to Gina.

"We have one of the largest private libraries in the country, love." Gina stated, confused. "You really can't find what you need here?"

"Actually, I need access to Sophia Moore's family history." Emily replied, noting the look of shock on the older woman's face, but continued. "That's the name Naomi gave me, so I need to trace her family line, hopefully finding what it is that Naomi's looking for."

"She told you about Sophia?" Gina asked, having not been present when Naomi had told the twins about the curse.

"She told me everything, that night...after...," Emily trailed off, shuddering as the fear of that night rushed through her.

"It's alright, love, you don't have to talk about it. I'm just surprised that she told you, that's all."

"Well, she kind of had no choice." Emily mumbled.

Gina heard her words, intrigued by them. "What do you mean she had no choice?"

"I sorta walked in on her...as she was...," Emily trailed off, unsure of how to tell Gina exactly what had happened.

"Out with it, dear. You walked in on what?"

Emily shuffled from foot to foot, feeling strangely like a schoolgirl all over again. "She was talking to herself and...cleaning her...," she felt herself blushing at the thought of Naomi mostly naked as Gina watched her with a gleam in her eye. "She was cleaning herself and se didn't hear me come in...,"

Realisation finally hit Gina, and she knew what had set her daughter off that night. "Oh." Gina stated, drawing out the word as her mind filled in the gaps of Naomi explanation of what had happened that night. "That explains everything."

"What do you mean?" Emily asked, curiously.

"Naomi's always so...independent, and that borders on being too proud. She was probably shocked at you finding out about her secret and reacted the only way she knows how. Anger." Gina explained, feeling exponentially relieved that Naomi had finally told the twins everything.

"I guess that makes sense." Emily stated distractedly, as she thought back to the words Naomi had said to her. "And then her reaction set off my natural reaction...turning the night into a huge mess."

"Seems that way, love." Gina agreed. "So what did you think about...well, what she told you?"

Emily found Gina hesitance to be a bit out of character, as if the older woman thought she would laugh at the question. But Emily had been thinking a lot about Naomi's story, and while it did sound as if she one taco shy of a combination platter, Emily couldn't see Naomi lying about any of it. "Did she really use that poor girl?"

Gina nodded her head, sadness etching her face. "I've never been more disappointed in my daughter, as I was when she told me what she had done." Gina's look of sadness turned into a thoughtful one. "Naomi went through a rough time, losing her father. It changed her, for the worst, and I tried everything I could do to reign her in, but she got more out of control."

"You can't blame yourself for Naomi's actions, Gina." Emily said softly, feeling a special connection to the older woman. "She was well aware of what she was doing, and from what she's said, she took a certain amount of pleasure from doing the things she did."

Gina teared up a little at Emily's words, knowing she was right, but unable to feel different. "But how does that make you feel? Knowing she has that ability to be cruel?"

Emily blinked in surprise at the questions. "Well, other than that brief glimpse of her temper, she's been nothing but nice to me, but I don't see how any of that concerns me." She stated as they entered the library, and Emily walked behind the desk in the middle of the room. "Why would that concern me?"

"Because of the curse, dear." Gina said, as she took a seat across from Emily. "I know it sounds ludicrous, but you seem to have adjusted rather well to it. To be honest, I'd be hesitant to accept it if I had been told I was the key to breaking a curse."

"What?" Emily felt as if someone had punched her in the ribs again. "Wh...why...I don't understand." She stammered out, afraid to have Gina confirm what she thought she just heard.

"You're part of the curse...," Gina trailed off, seeing the look on Emily's face, and knew that Naomi had held back one very important piece of information. "Please tell me that she told you?" Gina practically begged.

Emily started freaking out, feeling strangely hurt and something else she couldn't quite put her finger on, and then anger rapidly rushed to the surface. "I think she may have omitted that little snippet of info." She snapped, watching Gina winced as if Emily had slapped her. "Will you excuse me, I think I need to be alone." She asked as she stood up, hearing a faint yes from Gina, and she walked out of the library.

Gina watched the quiet storm known as Emily Fitch, as she rushed out of the room and chuckled to herself. 'Oh, Naomi. You are in for a world of hurt, my poor girl.' Gina thought as she slowly made her way downstairs.

Naomi's driver dropped her off at the front of the cemetery, as per her request. The walk to Ashley's grave gave her time to compose herself. She was halfway there, when a voice came out from behind a tall statue of an angel.

"You look as if it's your grave your walking toward."

Naomi jumped, letting out a small squeak. "What the fuck?" She turned to where the voice came from, and came face to face with Sophia.

"Nice to see you too, Naomi." Sophia stated, dryly.

"Wh...I can't...You came?" Naomi stammered, unable to believe her eyes. "Why?"

Sophia scuffed her foot along the gravel, looking a bit sheepish. "I figured you were right and you made me laugh today, so I realised that maybe it wouldn't hurt so bad."

She explained with a shrug suddenly feeling uncomfortable, standing in front of Naomi, who noticed and suggested that they head on up. They didn't talk, because they didn't really know what to say, so they stayed silent, until they reached the graveside service and Louise Daniels saw them. The older woman rushed over, obviously happy to see Sophia, wrapping her up in a hug.

Naomi felt a surge of warmth as she watched the whole exchange, but didn't say anything because the service was starting. Louise had Sophia stand by her family during the memorial, and she tried to get Naomi to join them, but she politely refused.

Naomi was walking slowly back to the front of the cemetery after it was over, when Sophia called out her name.

"Wait up!"

Naomi stopped and turned around to look at her, feeling a sense of sadness. "What?" She asked, the sadness coming through in her voice.

Sophia stopped in front of the blonde. "I just wanted to say thank you again. I think you may have been right about coming today."

Naomi wanted to keep her bitch facade in place, but couldn't be arsed to. "You're welcome."

"Louise has asked me to go to the luncheon...are...are you going?" Sophia felt weak for asking, but pushed that feeling aside, as she watched Naomi shake her head.

"I never go to the luncheons. I don't have any right to be there, do I?" Naomi explained, raising an eyebrow at Sophia. "Besides, I've gotta get back home, I've got work to do."

"Right. Well, thanks again, Naomi." Sophia said again before heading back to where Ashley's family were waiting for her. Before she could get too far, Naomi called out to her.

"I'm glad you came today, Sophia."

"Yeah, me too." Sophia replied, and did something she never thought she ever do in front of the blonde...she smiled a real smile.

Emilys mind was racing a million miles a second. What did Gina mean? How was she a part of Naomi's curse? And why didn't Naomi tell her about that part?

The more she thought about it, the angrier she got.

She had left the house over an hour ago and headed to a spot in the garden that she had found, once she was allowed to get up and start walking around. Well, Gina called it a garden, but it was more or less a hedge maze, with flowers everywhere you turned, trees tucked away into corners, and a huge clearing in the center of the maze, with benches, lounge chairs, tables and a fireplace. But what really drew Emily to the spot was the huge willow tree in the center of the clearing.

She was pacing under the the old tree when Cook found her.

"Alright, Red?" He asked quietly, as he stepped closer to her. He didn't want to startle her.

She turned and glared at him. "What the fuck am I doing here?" She growled out.

Cook took a few moments to understand her anger. Gina had sent him to find her before Naomi got back, but not before telling him that she told Emily that there was more to the curse. "You're here so we can protect you."

"Or am I here to "break" the curse?" She threw air quotes around the word. "Where's Naomi? I want the truth!" She stormed over to him, standing toe to toe, getting right in his face. "Did Naomi set all of this up?" She voiced the one thought running strong through her head.

Cook didn't say anything, he was too shocked to. Emily had never been nothing but quiet and nice, so seeing this bundle of fury was really throwing him for a loop.

"COOK!" She shouted at him. "Did Naomi have Mandy attack me?" He was about to answer, but didn't get the chance.

"I did not have Mandy attack you." Naomi's voice came from behind Emily, causing the red head to turn quickly. Gina had let her know about the slip to the red head as soon as she got back from the cemetery. "I would never do that, Emily."

"Why would I believe you? You've done nothing but lie to me since I've been here!" Emily was seething, just the thought that Naomi had used her was enough to make her want to run.

"I haven't lied, I've omitted some truths, there's a difference." Naomi stated calmly, nodding to Cook, silently telling him he could leave. He gave her a small smile before walking away. She waited until he was gone before continuing.

"So what are these truths? What aren't you telling me, Naomi?"

Naomi sat down on one of the benches, her heart hammering in her chest.

"Everything I've told you is the truth, but I have kept one piece of the story from you, because let's face it, it's a bit fucked up, don't you think? I mean, I didn't even believe it at first, did I? Not until I woke up like this! Not until I started hearing Sophia's voice in my head, or saw every wound she put on me, with enough blood pouring out of me to fuel a whole army of vampires for a year!" She paused then, to take a breath and collect her thoughts. "To be honest-,"

"Well, there's a first!" Emily snapped at her, crossing her arms over her chest.

"To be honest," Naomi started again, looking at Emily and saw her rolling her eyes, "I've never believed in that part of the curse, the whole Children of Gemini angle is really too far out there."

"What's the curse, Naomi? What part do I play in it, and I want the absolute truth, yeah?"

Naomi watched as Emily paced back and forth in front of her. 'She's even more beautiful when she's angry.' She thought to herself in wonder as she prepared to be completely honest and open with someone other than her family.

"Effy thinks you're a Child of Gemini." Naomi blurted out and watched as Emily's eyes widened. She quickly continued, "You and Katie were born on the twenty-first of June."

Emily had stopped pacing at Naomi's outburst and was now looking at her, as if she were looking at a stranger. "And that makes me a Child of Gemini how, exactly?"

Naomi rolled her head back and sighed. "You're a twin, born under the Gemini sign, on the summer solstice. If such a thing as Child of Gemini existed, even you have to agree that that's a pretty compelling case, no?"

Emily sat down and thought about what Naomi had just said. Yes, it would be a pretty good argument for Naomi's case, but she still didn't understand everything. "So...say you're right," Emily started, noticed Naomi's eye roll and corrected herself, "say Effy's right, and I am some...what? Superhero?" She glanced at the blonde, seeing the corners of her mouth twitch. "I don't get how I'm supposed to break your curse?"

Naomi didn't answer right away, because she knew she had to explain it just right or else Emily was gonna freak out. 'Fuck! Where's Effy when I need her?' She thought, as Emily waited. "Not a superhero, a Child of Gemini." Naomi said quietly, and basked in the sound of Emily's laughter. "I've told you how I used to be, yeah?"

"Yes."

"Well, multiply that by a hundred and you'll get a clearer picture of the girl I used to be. I was awful, Ems. I used my looks as a weapon and the fact that I had money meant I could do whatever I wanted and no one would do anything about it." Naomi sounded so defeated. It was enough to make Emily heart ache for her. "Sophia cursed me on two levels, one being Ashley's scars. I had to feel the pain she felt, and live with the consequences of my actions. The second part, the one that I find harder to believe is, I have to find someone who'll love me for me, not because I'm beautiful, but someone who can look past all of this," she waved her hand on front of her face to emphasis her point, "and see the person I am on the inside."

"And you guys think it's me? You think I'm that person?" Emily had conflicted feelings about what Naomi just told her. How was she supposed to handle this? On one hand, she wanted to run so far away and never look back, but on the other hand, she did like Naomi, more than a little, but love? How the hell was she supposed to know what that was? She was only nineteen, for Christ's sake! "I don't know, Naomi. That sounds a bit-,"

"Out there? Far fetched? Ridiculous?" Naomi stated, cutting her off. "Tell me about it. I know it's ridiculous, believe me I know."

"And you didn't set this up with Mandy to scare me into accepting your offer?"

Naomi scoffed at Emily's question. "Mandy is a pig from hell, Emily. I had nothing to do with what happened to you." She stated, crossing her arms in front of her. "I was going to offer you the job well before that cretin attacked you, I was just too afraid to approach you about it. The whole Mandy situation just gave me the push I needed to do it."

Emily reflected on what Naomi told her. "So...I'm supposed to fall in love with you, hey?" Emily asked and got the pleasure of seeing Naomi blush, which was kind of odd because it had never happened before, and it made Emily's stomach flutter.

"I told you, I don't believe in that part of it, Emily." She replied, keeping her head down, and Emily chuckled.

It felt good to laugh and let go of the anger that had gripped her earlier, Emily thought. "So what happens if you don't break the curse?" She asked, curious.

Naomi didn't answer, but she stood up and started to pace in front of the red head, causing Emily's curiosity to heighten.

"Naoms?"

"You have to understand Sophia, Emily. She was really brokenhearted when Ashley died." Naomi stated, nervously. "She...was angry and...broken...and I didn't care about anyone...not my mum or Effy and Cook...I protected myself from getting hurt. Sophia saw past the front that I showed everyone else and she... was angry."

"What happens, Naomi? If you don't break the curse, what happens to you all?" Emily pushed for an answer, looking past Naomi's adorable rambling and hearing the fear underneath. She stood up and walked over to the blonde, placing a hand on her arm and waited until she looked at her. "What happens?" Emily really wasn't prepared for Naomi's answer when she gave it.

"Once the last wound heals completely, my family moves on, but I...," Naomi still had a hard time saying it. But she knew she was going to because Emily stood there patiently waiting for the answer, "I don't."

Emily looked at her in disbelief. "That really clears it up, Naoms! What the fuck does that mean?" she asked, practically pleading, with a frustrated whine. "Jesus! This is like pulling teeth!"

"I die!" Naomi said loudly.

Emily staggered back as if Naomi had hit her, her mind suddenly blank. "Oh." She replied quietly. "Talk about pressure."

Naomi rushed over to the red head, sitting next to her. "No Emily, there's no pressure at all." She told the other girl, vehemently. "Look, I'm not gonna lie here, something about you interests me, alright? I can't put my finger on what it is, it's just there, but I'm not gonna do anything about it."

"What? How can you say that? If the roles were reversed, I'd be doing everything in my power to make you fall in love with me!" Emily stated with force, and then felt her face heat up when she saw Naomi's eyes widen in surprise. "I mean...well, yeah...um...," she trailed off before she made a bigger fool of herself.

Naomi chuckled softly. "I don't believe in love, Ems. That's why I don't believe that anyone can break the curse." She explained, cutting Emily off before she could say anything. "I only have a few months left, Ems, and I wanna spend it with my family and friends, and do as much good as I can before I go. I have this incredible urge to try and right as many wrongs as I can, ya know?"

"You sound resigned to your fate, Naomi." Emily said sadly, feeling her heart ache. She had only known the blonde for a couple of months, but the thought of a world without Naomi made her want to cry.

"I am. I've had almost five years to accept it." Naomi replied. "That's the truth. You now know more than most people and that's a major feat, Ems. How 'bout we go back in? It's pretty cold out here."

"You go ahead, yeah? I need some time, to think." Emily asked, watching as a strange look passed through Naomi's eyes quickly, then disappeared.

"Sure, take your time." Naomi stood up and started toward the entrance of the maze, but turned around. "I really hope this doesn't change the way you think of me, Ems. It's just that I don't make friends easy, not that I really make friends at all, but...I care about you, so...," Naomi told her, then shrugged and silently left Emily speechless on the bench.

"Are you sure it's her?" Cook asked the person on the other end of the line, and then he went silent. "Yeah, keep following her, but don't do anything just yet. Thanks, mate." He said before hanging up.

He was in his office at the house, thankful that they all had their own space, because he didn't wanna be the one to let Emily know that Mandy was making her way back to Bristol.

Cook was studying the map that he had started using to keep track of where she had been, and he wished he knew what the girl was thinking, what her plans were. Mandy made him nervous, because she was a wildcard. The attack against Emily was unforeseen and made him realise that Mandy was unpredictable, and that scared him more than a little.

"Fuck!" He murmured, as he followed Mandy's zig-zagging trail, when something caught his eye.

Something huge and significant.

He jumped up from his chair, left his office and made his way to Kieran's office, startling the older man when he burst in.

"I know what Mandy's doing!"

A/N: so...um, yeah...Sorry?

I love you all;)

Marci:-)