AN: Sorry it took so long for this... I want to take a moment to thank each and every one of you all who sent me kind words after the loss of my grandmother. I know I've thanked you before, but every time I get an encouraging PM or review, it makes me wanna hug you all!
Big huge shout out to **mswitsend**, because she's a genuinely awesome girl and she needs to know that!
So with that being said, on with the show!
Disclaimer: I hate Michigan in the wintertime! I'm sure all of you have heard me rant about this before, but it snowed here the other day, and damn it! that shit sucks :(... oh, and I do not own Skins or the characters and all typos and errors are all on me.
Chapter 22: Coming Home
Geoff Fitzgerald watched the scenery pass by through the passenger window, as his husband, Jeff, drove up the long street to his family home.
It was strange to think about it being that, now that he had been away for so long. He knew when he was growing up, that his older brother, Gareth would inherit the house and the land, and that was fine with him.
More than fine, actually.
He was happy with the way things had been. Living with Gareth and Gina after his and Gareth's parents died was easy and he loved Naomi. But he couldn't go on living that way forever, constantly coming home drunk, not around Naomi.
Geoff Campbell did the sensible thing and joined Her Majesty's Army. Which turned out to be the best thing he had ever done, because he met Jeff Fitzgerald, when they both served together in Afghanistan and then ended up serving in Cyprus.
Jeff was a confident man, comfortable in his own skin and very openly gay, although it wasn't discussed around certain company. He was a charismatic guy that drew Geoff in.
Geoff, in turn, had always portrayed himself as a Jack the Lad type bad boy. Knowing that he didn't have any real responsibilities to the family other than getting a good education and marrying the right girl, he spent his youth fooling around and charming his way out of trouble.
When he met Jeff, his life had changed. For the better, as far as he was concerned, as Jeff allowed him to be himself. Geoff realised he was gay, late one night whilst they were on leave in Limassol, and he couldn't help but kiss Jeff.
This didn't go over to well with Jeff, who had been told all about Geoff's past on drunken nights out. He left his stunned friend in an alley behind the crappy tourist bar they had decided to visit that night, with the taste of Geoff still on his lips.
Once Geoff got back to the hotel where the two of them were staying, he searched for Jeff, found him in the room drinking from the minibar, and had a go at him for running off.
Jeff had made it clear that he wasn't someone that could be used whenever it suited Geoff, that he had feelings and that Geoff couldn't exploit them. It was two weeks after that fateful holiday, during which the two men avoided each other, that Geoff sorted out what he was feeling and made the effort to talk to Jeff.
Geoff apologised if it seemed he was callous, but yes, he did have feelings for Jeff and he was more than interested to see what those feelings were. It took a few more weeks to convince Jeff that he was telling the truth, until finally, he agreed to go out with Geoff.
That was back in 1997. Once the couple were on more steady ground, relationship-wise, Geoff brought him home to meet Gareth, Gina and Naomi.
To say he was nervous about that was an understatement, but he needn't have been. Gareth and Gina welcomed Jeff into the family with open arms and Geoff was able to breath properly in his own skin for the first time in his life.
A year later, the couple decided not to re-enlist in the Army. They wanted to settle down and start their lives together, instead of wondering where they would end up next. So they bought a house in Jeff's hometown and started building that life.
Once they moved in, Jeff received a letter from a solicitor. It seemed that before Jeff came out, he had a girlfriend in college. They had broken up when Jeff realised he was gay and joined the military. What Jeff didn't know was that Maria Townsen was pregnant at the time and had given birth to a baby girl after he had left. The letter informed Jeff of Maria's death by overdose and that his daughter was in the care of children's services.
Francesca Townsen Fitzgerald was a carbon copy of Jeff. Geoff saw the resemblance at first glance, red hair, brown eyes and Jeff's face, when he and Jeff arrived at the foster home where she was staying. Even if Jeff hadn't planned on taking the girl, Geoff would have. She looked so lost and lonely and sad...it was enough to break Geoff's heart.
She had only been ten at the time and quiet as a mouse. Jeff could only agree with Geoff, so he signed the paperwork at Children's services and the following week they brought her home.
Since Jeff didn't have a lot of family in the area, the three of them would take trips to Geoff's family home, where they could relax and Franky had someone to play with.
Naomi had fallen in love with Franky as soon as she saw her, and made her feel wanted. It helped that Naomi's friends did the same and made Franky feel like she belonged.
Up until Gareth disappeared that is. It was almost like Naomi had become a different person after that, and no matter what Geoff or Gina said to the girl, she just became more headstrong and rebellious.
She had pulled away from everyone emotionally and Geoff hated to see that. What really tipped everything over the edge, was the last time they had been to the Campbell family home.
Naomi had been horrible to Geoff, Jeff and even Franky. No explanation, nothing. That did not sit well with Jeff at all, and he had been harbouring some resentment toward her since then.
Gina had come to visit one day shortly after that incident, to explain what had happened. Jeff scoffed at the thought of the curse, but Gina was adamant about it. Of course they told Franky, because Gina and Geoff felt she had a right to know why her cousin didn't want her around anymore, and she cried.
Franky tried calling Naomi every day. All she got was voicemail. She sent texts. They went unanswered. Franky eventually quite trying.
Geoff lost a little bit of his daughter around the same time that Gina lost hers, but now, as they drove down the drive that led them to his family's home, he thought maybe, just maybe, he would get the chance to have both of them back.
"Da, are we almost there?"
Geoff smiled as he turned to look at Franky, who was just as beautiful now as she was when she was ten, maybe more so. She was grinning at him, playing the old game that they used to play when she was little.
"Shut it, you." He replied playfully, glancing over at his husband. "Is it sad that I'm nervous?" He asked Jeff.
"No."
"Because I really am, I mean...it's been so long, you know?"
"Da, you're babbling." Franky added from the back seat. "Aunt Gina explained everything years ago, didn't she, so we know what to expect."
"That's a very good point, Francesca." Jeff smiled at her in the rearview mirror. "Calm down, love. Gina told us that Naomi was different now, which I find hard to believe...but nevertheless, it's your brother's funeral we're here for, yeah?" He said as he reached over and took Geoff's hand, interlacing their fingers, and gently giving them a squeeze in reassurance.
"Yeah, you're right." Geoff replied, distracted as the house came into view up ahead. "Here we go."
"They're here." Naomi stood in her bedroom window, looking out as the car drove slowly up the drive. "What if I can't do this, Ems?"
Emily came out of the ensuite, clad in only her knickers and bra, drying her hair with a towel, while Naomi kept her eyes glued to the window. "You can, Naoms."
It was said so simply, but Naomi heard the belief in Emily's words, that she instantly settled.
She had been so nervous about this for the past couple of days, that it was making her cranky. Emily had finally had enough of it last night, and practically had to hold her down and force her to talk.
Naomi finally told her about the last time she saw her uncles and cousin, shortly after the curse started. She didn't hold anything back from Emily, telling her all the hateful words she said to them and how she had felt guilty for it, so much so that she never talked about her uncles and cousin at all because it hurt to think about them.
When she was done, Naomi was crying. It didn't take Emily long to dry her tears and kiss her till she felt slightly better.
"I'm not gonna say it will be easy, Naoms...but you know apologising is a step in the right direction." Emily told her, then placed another kiss on Naomi's lips.
"But what if they hate me?"
"They might, because you took the choice away from them, just like Sophia did to you," Emily stated gently, "but if you make the first move to make things right, show them that you're not that girl anymore...who knows? It could make it better, babes."
Emily's support last night and this morning had been amazing. Naomi felt her heart speed up at the mere thought of Emily, and she smiled as she turned to look at the redhead.
Emily felt herself blush when she felt the pulses start to go crazy. It always meant that Naomi was looking at her in a way that would make Emily swoon. "Stop it, Naomi! We don't have time for that right now!" She tried to be stern as possible, but it was hard to do when Naomi was looking at her like that.
"What?" Naomi asked innocently, smirking at Emily.
"You know what! C'mon, we've got to be down there in like five minutes, Naoms!" Emily pleaded as Naomi started to walk toward her.
Naomi's smirked changed into a bright smile as she stopped right in front of her. "I just want a kiss...is that so wrong?" She asked, deliberately being coy.
"It's never just a kiss with you!" Emily stated, laughing.
"I promise, just this once, that it'll be just a kiss." Naomi said, reaching her hands up to cup Emily's face, just before she leant in to capture her lips.
Emily couldn't think straight when Naomi's lips were on hers. 'I guess one kiss won't hurt.' She sighed as Naomi's mouth covered hers.
The car came to a stop and Geoff saw Gina standing there waiting for him, smile on her face and it looked like tears in her eyes.
"Geoff!" She rushed over and wrapped her arms around him. "Oh god, how I've missed you!"
He returned the hug, because he missed her too, and in doing so it felt like he had finally come home. "Missed you too, Ginabear." He replied as he teared up.
"Effy, can you and Katie find Cook and have him take the bags up?"
"Effy? Little Effy Stonem?" Jeff asked in shock before she could turn away. He couldn't believe the beauty that she had turned into.
"Hello, Uncle Jeff." She smiled as he hugged her. Then waited as Uncle Geoff did the same.
"Cook, uh? You still hang out with that little tosser?" Geoff grinned at Effy.
"You know we can't get rid of our Cookiemonster. What ever would we do without him?" She responded with a grin of her own.
"The possibilities are endless!" Franky added with a grin, as stepped over to the brunette. "It's so great to see you, Effy."
"Oh my god, Franky?" Effy grabbed the redhead in a hug, with an unusual smile on her face, as Katie watched on a mixture of fascination and a twinge of jealousy. "How have you been?" Effy asked as she pulled herself away, coming to stand next to Katie.
"The last couple of years have been good, Effs. Really good." Franky told her.
As everyone stood by the car, Cook came bounding out of the house. "Alright? You need a hand wiv the luggage?"
"Yes, Cook, if you'd be so kind?" Gina said, then looked back to Geoff and Jeff. "I hope you don't mind, but I've put you all up in the north wing. We've got a few hours until the service this afternoon, so you can all rest before we have to be ready."
"That's perfect, Gina." Geoff told her.
"Yes, thank you for letting us stay." Jeff added, feeling the need to put his two pence in. "Are you sure this is alright with Naomi?"
"I wouldn't worry about Nai, Jeff." Cook replied as he came around the side of the car holding three bags. "She's been a bit distracted as of late."
Katie and Effy smirked at each other, as Jeff, Geoff and Franky just looked confused.
"She's changed, Jeff. I promise you." Gina told him. "Let's get you guys inside and settled, yeah?"
Gina led them all into the house, Cook heading upstairs, while Effy, Katie and Franky went into the lounge, followed by Gina, Jeff and Geoff.
"So, Effy," Geoff caught the brunette's attention with a smile, "who's this lovely young lady that's been hovering by you since we arrived?"
Katie's eyes snapped over to the man, and after catching his eye, she blushed.
"This Katie Fitch." Effy said, smiling at the older twin. "She and her sister live here with us for the time being."
Effy's words drew three pairs of eyes to Katie.
"Why?" Jeff asked, shocked again and a bit outraged.
Gina and Effy heard the disbelief in his voice, and to be fair, he did have a right to question it.
"Because they're under my protection, Uncle."
Alicia Moore sat at the head of the table, looking around at her sisters and cousins.
At one point in time this spot belonged to Millicent O'Dowd, Alicia's mother, but after Alicia's father decided that he couldn't handle being married to a modern day witch and left Millicent alone with their four young daughters, she had started to slowly descend into the Black Arts. By the time Alicia and her sisters were old enough, the dark power that Millicent had control of was scary, so Alicia and the rest of the coven, which included cousins and aunts as well as her sisters, forced Millicent out.
It was something that Millicent never got over.
Which was the reason Alicia had convened them all today.
"Alicia, dear...what's this all about?" Mildred O'Dowd, Millicent's youngest and only sister left alive, asked in her lilting Irish accent causing everyone else around the table to murmur quietly.
"I know this is short notice, but we have a problem." Alicia said. "You all remember Sophia's friend, Ashley?"
Everyone replied that yes, they did remember the young girl.
"Poor thing." Aunt Millie tutted. "So much hope in that young lass."
"Alicia, what does does a dead girl have to do with why we're here?" Alicia's baby sister, Tara, asked.
"Well, Tara...it seems as if Sophia was a bit rash when Ashley died."
Aunt Millie narrowed her gaze at her niece. "When you say a bit rash...what exactly do you mean?"
Alicia knew that what she was about to tell them would not go over well. It was one of the reasons why she told Sophia not to attend the meeting today. She wanted to explain everything, and calm them down if need be, first.
"As all of you know, the family business is funded by a grant from Campbell Corporation, without that funding, we never would have been able to branch out from our kitchens." Alicia explained, earning agreement from them all.
"Yes, as I remember, Gina Campbell was interested in the herbal medicines that we manufacture. She still buys the healing salve that Aunt Millie makes. " Another of Alicia's sisters, Alice, pointed out. "Wasn't it Sophia that led us to Campbell in the first place?"
"Yes." Alicia stated simply, knowing that they would be getting to the heart of the matter now. "Seems Sophia had a plan, and that included the Campbell family."
"You need to explain better, Alicia." Aunt Millie demanded.
"Sophia singled out the Campbell Corporation because of Naomi Campbell," Alicia told everyone, "who had dated Ashley briefly before she took her own life. Sophia was angry and wanted revenge, thinking that Naomi pushed Ashley over the edge."
"What did Sophia do?" Alice asked, already wary of the answer. She knew how impulsive Sophia had been as a teenager.
"She went to Mother." Gasps and noises of anger irrupted around the table. Alicia knew that this would happen, was prepared for it even. "Mother gave her an unbreakable curse."
"Which curse?" Aunt Millie asked her.
Alicia took a deep breath before answering. "The Fairy Tale curse."
"Dark magic." Aunt Millie stated, thinking about the curse. "So what's the problem? It's a basic curse, even in the dark arts." Everyone around the table agreed with Aunt Millie.
"Well, that's the issue...Mother bastardised the curse."
"I don't understand, Alicia?" Tara sat there with a confused looked on her face. "It's a basic spell...the girl needs to find someone to fall in love with her."
"Yes, if the curse had been normal." Alicia stressed. "But it wasn't. Sophia didn't understand the consequences of Mother's curse...she didn't know enough at the time to realise that the crazy old bint was giving her an unachievable goal!"
"What's the end goal, Alicia?" Aunt Millie asked, afraid of the answer.
"Naomi has to find a Child of Gemini and get them to fall in love with her to break the curse."
"Sweet blessed mother! She couldn't even be original?" Aunt Millie snapped out.
"I get the feeling you've seen something like this before?" Tara asked with a smirk. "What is a Child of Gemini?"
"It's nothing, that's what it is!" Aunt Millie was getting very agitated now. "My darling sister has always had a twisted sense of humour, and it's turned into a sick bitterness that has eaten her from the inside out!"
"But I don't understand...what is a Child of Gemini?" Tara asked again.
Aunt Millie looked around the table, at her nieces and her daughters. "I am!"
The sound of Naomi's voice floated throughout the room, and every head turned to see her standing in the doorway with Emily.
"Naomi!" Franky jumped up and ran over to her cousin, but stopped just short of reaching her.
Naomi knew why. She could see the apprehension in Franky's eyes and she couldn't blame the girl one bit. "Hello, Franky. Is it...," Naomi's voice broke a little, "is it alright if I hug you?"
Franky cocked her head, thinking about the last time she saw Naomi, the awful words that came from her. And for a split second, she thought about turning away and not giving into the urge to be close to her cousin again, but that urge gave way to how much Franky missed Naomi.
Naomi staggered back as Franky wrapped her arms around her and held on tight. As soon as she heard sniffles coming from Franky, Naomi mirrored the embrace and spoke quietly to her. "I'm so sorry, Franky. Can you forgive me?" She pleaded with tears of her own, while almost everyone in the room watched, fascinated.
"Yes. I forgive you."
Emily couldn't help the tears that she knew were making tracks down her face. Naomi told her all about her uncles and Franky the night before, and about why she was so nervous about seeing them again. And she knew that Naomi would have to face them and apologise, even if those apologies were thrown back in her face.
Once the two girls pulled away from each other, Naomi stepped back to stand next to Emily. "Ems, I'd like you to meet my cousin, Franky. Franky, this is Emily." She made the introductions with a goofy smile, but Naomi didn't care.
After Emily and Franky exchanged hellos, they moved further into the room, taking a seat next to Effy and Katie.
"So let me get this straight." Jeff said, trying to process every thing he knew and what he had learnt since Gina spoke with Geoff a couple weeks ago. "You banned us, your family, from stepping foot in this house in the last four plus years, yet two perfect strangers are not only allowed to be here, but live here as well?"
"Katie, how about we go and help Cook?" Effy whispered, wanting to get the older twin out of the line of fire, knowing that someone was about to go ballistic.
"Yeah...sounds good." Katie replied, following Effy out of the room.
"Jeff, please-,"
"No, Geoff! It's a perfectly good point! And I think, after the last time we were here, that we deserve an explanation, don't you?" Jeff was a second away from exploding as he turned his gaze back to Naomi. "Don't you?" He asked her.
"I understand that you're upset," Naomi said shakily, "and I can only apologise for how I behaved the last time you were here-,"
"You called us disgusting freaks!" Jeff roared in anger. "You acted like a vile little girl throwing a tantrum!"
Naomi cringed as her uncle yelled at her, but she took it, because it was no less than she deserved.
"Jeff!" Geoff tried to get his attention, but it was no use.
"You treated my daughter like she had a disease! How do you think that made her feel? Did you know that she cried for months? Months, Naomi!
"Dad, please?" Franky tried to fade into the sofa, as Emily and Naomi both looked over at her.
"No, Franky, she deserves to hear about the pain she's caused!" Jeff yelled, as he started pacing back and forth. "You treated everyone around you like shit for years, when all we wanted to do was be there for you after you father was gone! You know, after a while, I was glad Gareth wasn't around to see what a spoilt little bitch you turned into!"
"Dad!" Franky cried out, as Gina and Geoff both gasped "Jeff!", while Naomi sat there, silently crying, making no move to say anything.
The one thing nobody counted on was Emily Fitch.
"How dare you!" Emily spoke quietly, but the hardness in her voice was unmistakable, and a little bit scary. "Don't you understand what she's been through all these years?"
"What she's been through?" Jeff questioned, incredulously before starting to laugh.
"Yes! What she's been through! Did it ever cross your mind that she had lost her father? How do think that affects someone? Not only did she lose him, she thought he left her! To make a new life somewhere else!" Emily was on a roll now, Naomi could feel the pulses kick up a notch in intensity.
"Ems, please calm down." Naomi placed a hand on her arm, trying her best to settle things, but Emily shook it off.
"No, Naomi, he had his chance to speak." Emily said heatedly, keeping her eyes on the older man. "Did you ever ask yourself why she didn't want you here? Why she didn't want you to see her like this? So she behaved badly, so what? Most teenagers do! Don't you think the guilt she felt over what happened is enough?"
"Well how do I know she feels guilty? I've never heard that from her." Jeff countered, trying to hold on to his dignity as Emily ripped him to shreds. "And it still doesn't explain why she wouldn't allow us here in the last five years!"
"I didn't want either of you or Franky to see what I had become." Naomi spoke quietly. "It wasn't easy, Uncle. Do you know how much I wished for Uncle Geoff to be here? The look in both of your eyes when you saw me, bleeding like that...it was awful."
"Naomi...," Geoff whispered, feeling ashamed.
"But that wasn't the only reason, was it, Naomi?" Emily prodded her, knowing that there was another reason.
"No."
"Then why? Why keep us away?" Jeff asked, almost pleading with Naomi for the answer.
"Stop, Jeff!" Geoff was finished watching his husband interrogate her. "Enough!"
"It's alright, Uncle Geoff...," Naomi told him.
"No, it's not alright." Geoff argued. "Gina, I'm sorry about this."
Gina, who had remain mostly silent, shook her head, waving away her brother-in-law's apology. "I admit, this could have been done without yelling at my daughter," she narrowed her gaze at Jeff, "but, Emily's right...Naomi does have something to say."
"Go on, Naoms, tell them." Emily encouraged her gently.
"It was the curse, you see. I was afraid...," Naomi swallowed thickly, wiping away the tears that continued to fall, "everyone was affected by the curse, except for you guys."
"I don't understand." Jeff said.
"It wasn't just me that suffered because of the curse. Mum, Kieran...Effy and Cook! They were cursed too. She said everyone who allowed me to turn into a monster would feel the effects of the curse. At first I was angry when I saw that none of you were affected by it, but then...,"
"What?" Jeff and Geoff asked at the same time, both of them leaning forward in their seats.
"I was afraid. I was afraid that if you were here, then the curse would hurt you guys as well! Don't you see? I thought the longer you stayed here, you would be cursed as well, and I didn't want that for you. For any of you! I'm so sorry that I was horrible, but I thought I was protecting you!" She finished, sobbing out the rest.
Geoff jumped up and rushed over to his niece, wrapping his arms around her. "Shush, my little Naomi." He whispered to her, doing his best to sooth her.
"I'm so, so sorry, Uncle Geoff." Naomi cried into his chest, as Emily and Franky sat next to them in silence.
"It's alright, poppet...I forgive you, my love." Geoff told her, as she clung to him, feeling like she did when she was little. "I forgive you."
Jeff felt like an ass, as his anger over the way he and his family had been treated by Naomi so long ago finally disappeared.
Gina felt that now was a good time to give Naomi and her uncles some privacy, so she caught Emily's attention and nodded toward the door.
"Franky, how about we go for a walk, yeah?" Emily asked the girl, with a smile.
"Oh, yeah...sure." Franky stood up and followed Gina and Emily out of the room. "Will she be alright?" She asked Emily.
Emily's smile brightened as she glanced over at the girl. "She'll be fine...Naomi has the need to make things as right as possible before...well, you know, the end of the curse."
Franky felt sad all of a sudden as she was reminded about that last little piece of info.
"Don't worry, Franky. She'll come find you later." Gina told her. "Let's go into the kitchen, because I've made your favourite cake."
Gina gathered everyone in the large kitchen, where they all had cake and Franky told the twins embarrassing stories about Naomi, Effy and Cook, while Naomi did her best to apologise to her uncles in the lounge.
"So what you're telling me, is that Naomi shoved you in the wardrobe and told you to find Narnia?" Emily asked through her laughter, as she and Katie sat listening to Franky and Effy tell stories of their childhood.
"Oh yeah, Naomi was very...inventive," Franky's eyes twinkled as she remembered, "in coming up with new ways to torture me."
They all laughed, unaware of the person who had entered the room quietly.
"It wasn't torture, Franky, I was toughening you up." Naomi's voice filled the room, as she came to sit next to Emily. "You were such a skittish thing back then."
"Well, I had just come from a foster home," Franky said with a smile, having already put her past behind her, "I had a right to be skittish."
Franky couldn't help but notice the way that Emily had scooted impossibly closer to Naomi or the way Naomi took Emily's hand in hers, lacing their fingers together. She smiled at the picture the two girls made.
Emily leant in close to Naomi and whispered in her ear. "Are you alright?"
Naomi looked into Emily's eyes and smiled. "Almost." She replied followed by a quick peck on Emily's lips. "Hey, Effy?"
Effy looked up from her conversation with Katie and Franky, to see what Naomi wanted. "Yeah?"
"Don't you and Katie have a date to get ready for?"
Emily watched as both Katie and Effy blushed, while Naomi smirked at her friend. She knew all about Katie and Effy's date last night, because Katie had tracked her down to awkwardly ask for advice.
"Well, it's not so m-much a date really...just...drinks after the service this afternoon. Right, Katie?" Effy stuttered, which brought a chuckle to Naomi's lips. "Fuck off, Campbell." She snapped out, seeing the mirth in Naomi's eyes.
"You two are dating?" Franky asked looking between Katie and Effy, watching with interest as Effy's face turned even redder.
Katie didn't know how to respond with out feeling stupid, so she just ducked her head and willed her heart to calm down.
"Naomi, don't tease them." Emily chastised her girlfriend, smiling fondly at her sister and Effy.
"Sorry." Naomi said. "Actually, I was wondering if I could steal Franky away for a bit?"
Noises of agreement filled the room, and Effy stood up. "C'mon, guys, let's leave these two alone." She said to Katie and Emily.
Naomi looked panicked. "Actually, Ems? Could you stay?" She quietly asked.
Emily melted at the request. "Are you sure, Naoms? I figured this would be something you'd want to do on your own?"
"Please?" Naomi pleaded sincerely, remembering how much she had wished Emily had stayed with her whilst she was talking to her uncles.
"Okay, I'll stay."
Effy and Katie left, leaving Naomi, Emily and Franky alone.
"So...," Franky smiled at her cousin, "did you make up with my dads?"
Naomi, who had been using the silence and Emily's comforting touch to calm down, smiled at Franky. "I did." She said, falling silent again.
"So all is right again?" Franky knew that she was going to have to be patient with her cousin, drawing her out from behind her wall of protection.
"No. All is not right." Naomi stated firmly, causing Franky to blink in surprise. "Franky, I know you said you've forgiven me, but...," Naomi swallowed hard, tightening her grip on Emily's hand, "you need to know...I want to...explain everything to you."
"Nai, Aunt Gina already told us about the curse, it's oka-,"
"It's not okay, Franky. Nothing about me was okay! For the longest time I thought I was right about how I acted, about who I turned out to be, that I lost sight of who I was and what meant the most to me!" Naomi could feel the emotions choking her, so she stopped and took a deep breath. "Did mum tell you about the girl I killed?"
Franky's eyes widened at Naomi's question, and Emily, who had stayed silent so far, spoke up. "You didn't kill anyone, Naoms!"
"What are you saying, Naomi?" Franky asked over Emily.
"I see mum didn't tell you everything." Naomi replied, before turning to Emily. "And I know I didn't actually kill her, but it feels like I did."
The room fell silent, which seemed to stretch out, while Naomi gathered the courage to tell her cousin everything.
Once Naomi started talking, Franky was glued to the edge of her seat. She never would have believed the things Naomi was telling her, not in a million years, but she knew Naomi had never lied to her, so why would she start now?
"Whoa." Franky breathed out the breath she didn't realise she'd been holding in once Naomi was done. "You were a total bitch!"
Emily flinched, ready to defend if need be, but Naomi merely laughed at the statement.
"Yes, Franks, I was a total bitch." Naomi agreed, with a smile.
"So what's changed?" Franky asked.
"What?"
"Well, even I can see you're different and it's been a while since we've seen each other, so I'm just wondering...," Franky looked back and forth between Naomi and Emily, "why the change now?"
Naomi gave it some thought, knowing that she was going to sound cheesy, but unable to help it. "I fell in love." She replied, glancing over at Emily.
Franky's eyes widened as Emily stiffened. Naomi knew that it unsettled the younger twin still to hear it, but she wanted to make sure that Emily believed her.
Franky smiled at Naomi, not saying anything for a long time, but then she sat back in her seat and prepared to be just as honest with Naomi as she was with her.
"Most people would say I forgave you to easily." She broke the silence that had surrounded them all. "My dads...my friends...and if it had been anyone else, they would have been right.
I'm not gonna lie to you, Nai...what dad said was true, I did spend months crying. I cried about the words you said to me, but I knew they were just words, so I wrote to you every day for months to tell you that I forgave you for saying them, but those letters got sent back to me, unopened." Franky said, as tears filled her eyes.
"I know, Franky and I'm sorry for that."
"Just so you know, Nai, I forgave you for sending them back." Franky said, as she continued to look at Naomi. "You see, you were the first person to accept me for me. My dads kinda had too, but you? You didn't have to, but you did...didn't you realise how much I needed you back then?" She asked the questions while the tears ran down her face, causing Naomi to add another layer of guilt on the pile.
Emily watched as Naomi let go of her hand and stood up, walking over to sit next to the redhead, wrapping her arms around her.
"It hurt, Naomi...it hurt so bad that said those things to me and didn't want me around."
"I know it did," Naomi replied, "and I'm so sorry. Back then I thought I was doing the only thing that would keep you safe, don't you see? I didn't want you guys to end up like Effy and Cook. I didn't want you to have to help pick up the pieces of my mess."
Franky held on to the blonde for a little bit, but then pulled away to look up at Naomi. "But I would have! That's what family's do, they stick together and help each other."
"I know that now." Naomi told her with a smile.
"The thing is, after everything you said and did," Franky smiled back at her, wiping her tears away, "I've already forgiven you for that, a long time ago. For everything, you see? Because we're family, Nai, and that's what families do."
"I've missed you so much, Franky." Naomi cried as she gripped the girl tighter.
"And I've missed you too."
Emily sat and watched, unaware of the tears that she was shedding, as Naomi and Franky connected again after so many years apart. She wondered how hard it was for the redhead to hold all that in, all those years of not knowing what was going on, how it must have eaten away at her.
The three of them sat and talked until it was time for the service, and then Naomi had to go and greet family and friends with her mum, leaving Franky and Emily alone to go and get ready.
"Are you alright?" Emily asked Franky, as the walked up stairs. "That was pretty emotional."
"Yeah, but it was good, right?" Franky smiled. "I honestly never thought I'd ever see her again, Emily. And I was prepared for that, ya know?" She shrugged as if to brush off the cheesiness of the statement.
"She's not the same person, ya know...," Emily felt the need to clarify that.
Franky laughed at that. "Even I can see that, Emily. Naomi used to have an edge to her, even though she was one of the kindest people I'd ever known, but that edge is gone. It makes me wonder where it went."
"She's changed in the few months I've known her." Emily thought back to the first time she met Naomi and smiled, unaware that she was being studied by Franky.
"You're in love with her." Franky stated simply, smiling as Emily blushed deeply.
"No offence, but I don't think that mine and Naomi's relationship is any of your business." Emily stated stiffly. "Don't get me wrong, you seem like a nice person, but-,"
Franky laughed. "Calm down. I didn't mean anything by it, it was merely an observation," Franky explained, "one it looks like you're having trouble with."
Emily didn't reply, she didn't know what to say, so she decided that silence was the best option.
"I just have one question, though." Franky waited until she received an acknowledgement from the younger twin. "Have you told her how you feel? Because it's obvious that she's in love with you and it's not really fair for you to hold that back from her."
Franky turned and went to her room to get ready, leaving Emily alone to think about what she said, as she went into her own room, feeling unsettled.
Naomi awoke early the next morning. It was still a bit dark out, but that was okay. She looked to her right and smiled as she saw Emily, asleep next to her.
Her beautiful, sweet and protective Emily, who had come to her after everyone else went to bed. Who had made love to her and made her see stars. Emily, who made her believe in love, after all this time.
Naomi wanted to do something very special for her and Katie's birthday, something that neither one of them would ever forget, something other than the ball, but what?
She laid there thinking up ideas silently, when it suddenly hit her. She knew exactly what to do. Of course, she would have to talk to her mum about it, but it was seriously perfect.
"You're thinking way too hard, way too early!" Emily's voice broke the silence that had surrounded them.
"Christ, Ems! You know every time you do that, it knocks another day off my life!"
"Naoms!" Emily warned her, rolling over so that she could look at Naomi. "Why are you awake this early?" She asked, looking over at the clock and noticing it was only half past six.
"I don't know." Naomi answered, frowning up at the ceiling. "I just am."
Emily snuggled in closer to Naomi, laying her arm across her torso and her head on the blonde's shoulder. "You should try and get some more sleep, babes. You've got another big day ahead of you."
"I know I should, but I can't." Naomi pouted like a child, making Emily giggle.
"Okay, whatdya wanna do?" Emily asked sitting up quickly, causing the sheet that was covering her to slip off, distracting Naomi with her naked breasts. Emily waited a few minutes, as she watched in amusement as Naomi stared at her chest. "You know my eyes are up here, right?"
"Uh? What?" Naomi blinked furiously, trying her best to get out of her "Emily's showing her breasts" daze and back into reality.
"Babes?"
Naomi was lost in the beauty that was Emily, and not just because she had an unbelievably sexy body, but because she genuinely a good person who cared about the people around her.
"Naomi?"
Even if she didn't actually love Naomi, Emily cared deeply for her, and that was almost as great a feeling.
"Naoms!" Emily's voice cut through Naomi's thoughts.
"What?" Naomi asked, uncertain about why Emily was smirking at her.
"Welcome back." Emily stated as she got out of bed and slipped on the robe that was laying on the floor.
Naomi looked at her in confusion, the lines on her forehead showing. "Did I slip into my head?" She asked, sheepishly.
"I don't think slip would be the term I'd use...more like cannonballed." Emily responded with a laugh.
Naomi could feel her face beat up. "It's your fault."
Emily's laugh deepened, as she sat back down next to Naomi. "How is you spacing out my fault?"
Naomi could help but laugh with her, as she wiggled around to lay her head in Emily's lap. "I don't know, it just is."
Emily bent down to place a kiss on Naomi's forehead, then started running her fingers through her blonde hair. "Okay...it's my fault." She replied fondly.
"Thank you."
"So what do you wanna do today?" Emily asked again, knowing she'd get an answer this time.
"You know what we use to do as kids? When my uncles would come to visit, we'd take Franky camping." Naomi randomly blurted out.
"Yeah?" Emily asked, as she continued to stroke her hand through Naomi's hair when an idea struck. "How about we go?"
Naomi looked up at her, surprised. "What? Camping?"
"Yeah, why not?" Emily shrugged. "We can invite Freddie, JJ and Panda, plus James. I think it'll be nice to get away after the last few weeks and relax, don't you think?"
Naomi gave it some serious thought, feeling warm and fuzzy, just like every other time Emily did or said something thoughtful. "Yeah, sure...why not?" She smiled up at Emily.
"Okay, but how about we try and get a little bit more sleep, yeah?" Emily smirked at her.
Naomi nodded and they both cuddled under the sheet, with Naomi wrapping her arms tight around Emily, as if she was trying to merge their bodies together. It take long before sleep called to them both, and they drifted back into the dreams that they were having before they woke up.
Little did either one know, but their dreams were almost the same. Both of them dreamt of a life together after September.
"That'll be five hundred quid."
"What? That's just fucking ridiculous!"
"Sorry, love, but that's the price." Came the gruff, nonchalant reply. "If ya don't like it, get to fuck!"
Mandy knew she didn't have a choice, as she dug through her bag, pulling out cash. She counted out the amount and handed it over to the disgusting man sitting in front of her. "Everything's in there, right?" She pointed the bag that was sitting on top of the desk.
"Everything ya asked for. It's top quality shit, as well." He told her as he took her money. "Just outta curiosity...what's a sweet thing like you planning ta do wiv all that?"
Mandy grabbed the handle of the bag, hefting off the desk before sending him a withering glare. "I think it's best if you don't ask questions, don't you?"
Johnny White sat up straight in his chair, unaccustomed to the feeling of being put in his place. He was one of the biggest crime bosses in London, even politicians cowered before him, but the look of pure evil this girl was sending him sent shivers down his spine.
"Yer right, of course...absolute discretion and no questions asked." He told her. "Have a pleasant day, love."
Mandy smirked at the man, as she turned and walked away, carrying the bag holding a shiny new Sig Arms P290 9mm with enough ammunition to take care of her little problem, along with the CRKT Hammond F9 tactical knife along with a few other odds and ends.
She drove away from the dilapidated warehouse in the worst part of London, feeling that things were finally going her way. Now all she had to do was just figure out a way to get into the Campbell residence, do what she needed to do and go back to her life the way it used to be.
A/N: And there we go...Another chapter down. Is it just me or is Mandy one beer shy of a fucking six pack?
I will do my best to not let this go so long until the next update...
Alright, now I do have to apologize to everyone who has updated their stories for not reading and reviewing...I was working on all three of my stories, because I wanted to post them all for you this weekend, so I've been extremely busy, but I will read and I will review!
Okay...let me know what you all think...
Marci :-)