A/N: This one is short, but the last one was long so…anyway please feel free to leave reviews letting me know what you think. It really does spur me on to write more. Don't worry this story isn't over yet. Thanks so much to those who have left reviews already. I really appreciate it.
Southport was always an escape for them. For Sian it meant a respite from her dad or the Webster's and for Sophie it meant a place where they were safe. As teens they knew that they'd be able to just be themselves and no one would care. Not so true of Weatherfield. In Southport they could walk the pier hand and hand and it went mostly unmentioned. Sure on occasion they would get a catcall or some douche bag that would point and snigger. But ultimately they were safe to be themselves here.
They had decided the night before that they'd hit the beach the next morning. Some sea air would do Sophie good. So would Sian in a bikini. Truly the girl kept herself fit. It was decided upon before Sian left Sophie's bed. Despite Sophie's protest that it was silly, Sian had insisted upon returning to her own bed. She just didn't want to be caught by her mum. Being caught by Sally was traumatic enough, Sophie guessed. Sian insisted that after tonight Sophie would be able to share her California King bed. It was no big deal to Sian but then again she didn't have to sleep in Sophie's single bed aye? Sophie tried not to let this bother her.
So they got up separately that morning. Sian's mum had been true to her word and she was already gone. Off to Barbados with Luke, the newest bloke. Sophie knew that it winded Sian up, but this morning she was pretty resigned to it as she looked at the short precise note.
"Well that's that" Sian sighed.
Sophie pecked the side of her head affectionately.
"Come on babe, you know she loves you. Otherwise she wouldn't have been so protective last night" Sophie assured her.
"Yeah well I just want to focus on something else" Sian grinned.
"Such as?" Sophie bit her bottom lip.
"Oh some gorgeous girl who ravaged my body last night" Sian dropped casually as she sipped her tea.
"Well then, I say we talk more about that" Sophie said as she popped a piece of fruit in her mouth.
They went to visit all their old haunts. Slow walks meant long talks. And because it was summer time they were able to stay out all day.
Lying out on the beach was a perfect opportunity to see Sian's body in a bikini. Although it didn't hide certain marks that Sophie had left. Sian mocked her for that.
"Just like a dog aren't you?" Sian laughed.
"Did you just call me a dog?" Sophie laughed back with mock offense.
"Marking your territory. I'll never be able to explain these away" Sian whined.
"Well just don't let anyone see you naked until they are gone. Problem solved" Sophie wiped her hands together as if wiping away the issue.
Sian shrugged indifferently and then changed the subject.
They stayed out until the tide came in and the wind started whipping into their faces. Then they buttoned up their jeans and tops went back on.
"Fish and chips?" Sophie asked.
"You know it" Sian grinned and took her hand.
Wrapped in newspaper, they shared it together. Sitting on a bench they watched the tide make the sand dissapear. Sophie remembered why she felt nostalgic about Southport at all. No matter how bad things got at home, no matter how much everyone got on her back, sitting here she was able to remember the one thing that made her the happiest person on the earth. And then the bad things would go away and she could focus on the one reason that she wanted to be alive.
Sian had always made her feel stronger. Braver. Beautiful even.
And she didn't want to give that up.
By the time they reached home Sian was knackered.
She literally fell face first into the couch the moment that they hit Sian's living room. Sophie sat back for a moment and laughed. She could get used to this. It was everything that she had been missing.
She sank to her knees in front of the girl.
"Sian, Come on" she pleaded. She stroked her hair and moved some blonde tresses out of her face. "You need to get up," Sophie said softly. Sian groaned and shifted toward her. All Sophie could see was those eyes. She never could resist them. It was incredible that even after all this time; her eyes could still stop her from breathing.
However Sophie knew that she would want the get rid of the beach sand. And soon. The after effects were bad enough.
"Don't you want a shower?" Sophie asked and she nodded.
Sophie hauled her up and led her to the bathroom. Sian stripped herself down as Sophie leaned over to turn the shower on.
Sophie couldn't help but jump when she felt a finger graze her skin.
"Aren't you going to join me?" Sophie heard as she straightened up turning towards her.
"I can't" Sophie demurred.
"You can" Sian teased again as she reached her hands underneath Sophie's waistband. Sophie struggled to breathe looking directly into Sian's eyes. All she saw there was desire and want.
"I thought you were tired" Sophie said trying to control her voice from trembling. She wasn't too far from falling over a cliff. And they both knew it.
"So did I" Sian said as she grabbed Sophie's ass.
"You need to stop doing that," Sophie said as they awoke the next morning.
"As if" Sian laughed. It was that incredibly beautiful full-bodied laugh that Sophie delighted in.
"Today can we just sit and watch movies and not leave the couch?" Sophie asked desperately.
"Fine, I guess, but I might surprise you" Sian teased.
"We'll see" Sophie grinned.
She knew that it meant an entire day of just the two of them. Which suited Sophie just fine. She nuzzled into Sian's chest. This was paradise. It was home. She couldn't see how it could ever get better.
Sian drove her to the train station.
They spent most of the ride in silence. It was bleak to think that their three days were already over.
Sophie had no idea when they'd be in this position again. She couldn't help herself.
They were standing on the platform. Sophie turned toward the older girl who was the love of her life. She took her hands.
"Look I know that we have gone over this, but I have to say this. I don't want to be with anyone else. Ever. Only you. And I don't want you to be with anyone else either. It makes my heart ache to hear that you are with anyone else. It hurts inside. Like a clamp on my heart" Sophie felt as if she'd never said anything more important in her life.
The train to Manchester came into the station with an announcement of steam.
"I know that you don't trust me, but you're where I want to be all the time. And I'll work everyday to show you that I don't ever want to hurt you like I did. Ever Again. And I know that long distance is hard, but I'd try my hardest to make it work, because you're worth it, please say that you feel it too" Sophie said with urgency. Nothing had ever been more important to her in her whole life.
"Get on the train Sophie" Sian said as a hardness came over her face. Sophie had seen it on her face before. It wasn't a good sign.
"Don't do this" Sophie cried grasping onto Sian's hands for dear life.
Sian released her hands from Sophie's forcibly.
"Get on the train Sophie" she said a second time. She was a little less harsh in tone, but still not budging from her solid wall of anger. She turned around and began to walk away. She didn't look back.
"Last Call!" Sophie heard from somewhere on the platform. She grabbed her carry on bag and got on the train.
When she found her seat, Sophie pulled her hoodie over her head trying to cover her face as much as she could. Then she curled up in her seat bringing her knees up to her chin and facing the blur outside the window.