A/N – This update took longer than I thought it would. I want to thank each and every one of you, the readers, followers and reviewers for sticking with me and for showing your appreciation for the story. I hope you continue to do so despite my less frequent updates.

To Guest reviewer 'Steph' – Your kind words brought color to my cheeks and warmed my heart...

Chapter 12. Attack is the Best Defense

Emily's POV

It was all a blur, really. I had been losing myself in Naomi's blissful touch, only to be ripped from her to face a bearded Aussie screaming something resembling English at me outside her door. I could tell he was upset from his increasingly pronounced Australian accent and there was nothing to do but wait and let him get it out before replying. Seeing as I currently had no excuses or explanations for the situation he had walked in on, the extra time was a much needed help. I was about to lose my job but the severity and brutal reality of the situation had yet to dawn on me. All I wanted, was to spend an eternity getting lost in Naomi's eyes and the way she made me feel but it was an eternity she did not have. As that particular thought sunk in, my brain seemed to awaken from its current dream state and I was able to focus on what Kieran was saying.

"… not only will you lose the respect of your peers but you could lose the privileges to work on clinical trials all together! Honestly Emily, what were you thinking? And what about Jeremy? I thought you were getting married soon? Does he know about this?"

I held up my hands in defense and an attempt at trying to get Kieran to stop for a second and let me answer. He suppressed any further rants and clenched his jaw, awaiting my explanation. Unfortunately, the best explanation I had to offer was one that would most definitely result in all of the consequences Kieran had mentioned and quite possibly additional ones. The worst case scenario, one Kieran hadn't even thought of, would result in us losing our approval for the trial if it was ever made public that one of the medical professionals had been taking advantage of a patient. Even if the two parties involved were consensual adults, there were still issues regarding sexual harassment and ethical codes and regulations. I was happy this hadn't dawned on him since he would most likely have fired me on the spot despite his fondness for me.

I've known for most of my life that I am a terrible liar. Whenever Katie and I had misbehaved, our father would pull me aside and wait for me to break before handing out the punishment. Since Katie was usually responsible for the shenanigans and I always fessed up, she would get a much harder reprimand than me but she had her own way of dealing with me, so I suppose things evened themselves out regardless. Standing there, under Kieran's scrutiny and facing the biggest failure and shameful moment of my life, I was cursing myself for being a slave to honesty and wishing my sister was here to lend a helping hand. 'She's the most beautiful creature I have ever known and I hate you for ripping me away from her', was all that was coursing through my brain and telling Kieran that was obviously out of the question. Fuck!

"Kieran? Emily?", Gina called from behind us. We both turned to face her, "Naomi would like to speak to you both." I suppressed a sigh of relief. At least this gave me more time to think, time I desperately needed. So far, my best course of action was to run for the hills and then come back, scale the wall of the hospital and crawl in through Naomi's window. I swallowed hard and followed Kieran back into the room.

I noticed that Naomi was back in her bed, safely tucked under the covers. She had a determined expression in her eyes but there was a hint of guilt as well. Gina cleared her throat, gave her daughter a stern look and nodded towards Kieran and me. Immediately, her expression transformed into one of extreme insecurity and embarrassment and she even shied away from meeting our eyes. Instead, she fiddled with her hands, currently resting in her lap, as she started to speak.

"I… Emily, I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have done that." My jaw dropped but I collected myself immediately, realizing that she was trying to take the blame. She looked up at Kieran, her eyes literally pleading with him. I couldn't believe what I was hearing and I really didn't think Kieran would believe her either. I had, after all, had my arms around her neck, my hands buried in her hair as he walked in on us.

I noticed Kieran glance at Gina who was nodding, a solemn look on her face as she patted Naomi's leg in support.

"Ms. Campbell, are you telling me that you were the instigator here? That Emily was an unwilling participant? Because it didn't really look like she was doing much to rectify the situation." He eyed her skeptically and sounded like Dad used to when he interrogated me, clearly not believing a word Naomi had said. Thankfully, she was apparently more adept at lying than I was and answered him without blinking.

"What would you have her do?", she asked, slightly annoyed. "Push me away? Reject me?" She looked to me and the expression in her eyes softened, "She wouldn't do that." She turned back to Kieran, the annoyance now replaced with a shameful look. "So I took advantage of the situation."

"But why would you force yourself on someone, ultimately jeopardizing your place here and hers?" A vein on Kieran's forehead was the only tell-tale sign that he was angry but he was keeping it under control, his voice calm and overbearing. Arguing with a patient was clearly not something he was interested in but unfortunately, it made him come off as condescending and I could literally feel the hostility now emanating from Naomi. Clearly, that didn't sit well with her.

"I felt like fucking kissing someone, okay?" The words were angry and loud, spoken through a clenched jaw. "One last time before I'm too weak or too doped up to feel it." She locked her eyes with his, challenging him and I suddenly understood why she had chosen to become a lawyer. The scrutinizing look she gave him was terrifying and powerful and I knew I would have cracked within a second under her gaze.

Kieran didn't though but I could sense his façade was starting to falter as the throbbing vein on his forehead disappeared. All that was left was the highly skeptical look he had given her earlier. "But of all people, why Emily?", he asked and turned to me. I honestly tried to speak and even opened my mouth but nothing escaped me. I wondered if my voice failing me for the second time today was due to last night's bender or because I was trying to think of a lie. Either way, I wasn't much help to Naomi and Kieran turned to look at her again.

Effy's POV

We heard angry voices as we neared Naomi's room, Cook and I automatically speeding up and actually taking a few running steps to close the distance as fast as possible. I quickly took in the scene playing out in front of us when we reached her room. Kieran was angry, Emily looked scared shitless and Naomi was practically beaming with a mixture of contempt and defiance. A woman with sandy hair was standing by Naomi's bed, a hand gently resting on her leg, her mother presumably.

Kieran hadn't noticed our arrival and looked back and forth between Emily and Naomi like an angry father trying to get one of them to break in order to figure out who was to blame for whatever was going on. It didn't require much to deduce what he was upset about and when he spoke, I was most definitely certain of what had happened. Like I said, I have great intuition.

"Well?", Kieran asked angrily and gave Emily a hostile look that was nothing like the pleasant, laid-back Aussie I had met a few times in the past.

Naomi was the one to speak and thank the stars for that, because I knew Emily was the worst liar on the planet. "I don't know, how many reasons can you think of for kissing someone?", she said in a sarcastic and spiteful tone, her eyes beaming with challenge. Kieran opened his mouth to reply but I beat him to it.

"Oh come on, Kieran! You can't really blame her, can you?" I said and gave Kieran a sly smile when he turned to face me, a small shock present on his face. I suppose being caught by civilians arguing with a patient and an employee and wasn't the most professional thing he had ever done. I took a step forward, placing myself in between Kieran and Cook, who had tensed up since entering the room. "Look at her", I said and nodded at Emily, "Don't tell me you've never noticed how beautiful your protégé is?"

Kieran's enraged expression shifted and he looked incredibly uncomfortable all of a sudden. It seemed he was indeed not immune to Emily's allure and to my surprise, Naomi's presumed mother shot him a disapproving look. Naomi instantly caught onto my train of thought and quickly chimed in to make sure we broke him. "Is that it? Are you angry because I chose to take advantage of a young woman you find attractive yourself?", she asked with what I assumed was feigned abhorrence. "Or is your anger directed at her for not rejecting me?"

Kieran looked aghast at the insane accusations, his face suddenly sporting a reddish color and he was at a loss for words. Clearly, he was abhorred at being called out as an intolerant, insensitive bigot and Naomi used his unfocused state to catch my eye and give me a thankful smile. I winked in reply and felt Cook place his hand at the small of my back as if to say 'good job'. It was strange and unexpected but tingles appeared and lingered where Cook's hand had touched my back even seconds after he had removed it.

"Everyone, stop!" Emily's words brought me back to reality and I focused on her as she turned to face Kieran. I recognized the look on her face and rolled my eyes in a mix irritation and frustration. Emily and her fucking honesty. She was clearly feeling horrible about turning the situation into a verbal attack on Kieran's moral character instead of her own. She was going to blow the lid off the magnificent lie Naomi and I had conjured up without knowing each other, and ending her career in medicine in the process. "Kieran, Naomi and I have been spending some time together because – "

"They realized they knew each other back in Bristol", I blurted out and walked towards Naomi. "In fact, we all did." I could tell she was once again completely in line with my train of thought and I wasn't the least bit surprised when she reached up to give me a slight embrace as I reached her bedside, greeting me like the old friend I was trying to convince Kieran I was.

"I'm ashamed to admit it", Naomi started shyly and looked embarrassed and directly at Emily, "but I really fancied you back then, Emily, and seeing you now made all of the old feelings return." She switched her gaze back to Kieran and shrugged. "I just had to go for it, you know?" She started fidgeting with her hands again and turned her eyes down, seemingly embarrassed and shy.

Emily was about to blow our cover once again but stopped abruptly when she saw the look on Kieran's face. He had bought our story, which honestly was brilliantly conducted, and had adopted a sympathetic expression. Damn it, why didn't I think of that to begin with! Kieran's face no longer looked flushed and both his anger and abhorrence at our accusations had vanished. All that was left was his extremely empathetic eyes and I instantly felt an unprecedented sense of guilt wash over me. This man was one of the kindest, most honest, good-natured human beings I had ever met and we had collectively painted a picture that made him out to be a homophobi, perving bigot. I swallowed hard and had to look away. I found some comfort in Cook, who was regarding me with an understanding and thankful look in his eyes.

With a quick glance in Emily's direction, Kieran walked to Naomi's bed and took her hand. "Of course, Ms. Campbell, I understand." He smiled warmly at her, making sure to show Naomi's mother that he was indeed not the homophobe that Naomi and I had effectively pointed him out to be. "But regardless of your history, Emily is involved in your trial and acting on your impulses like that could have jeopardized our entire practice."

"I understand", Naomi replied with a somber look on her face. "I apologize, I didn't mean to imply that you were a bigot, Kieran. I lost my temper." I nodded in agreement, figuring it was best to resolve the entire situation before it developed into having to walk on eggshells around Emily's boss. I also wasn't sure I could live with myself if I allowed that kind man to think he was anything other than the fantastic person he truly was.

"I'm sorry too", I injected and meant it with all my heart. The next part however, was less honest, "I get a little protective when it comes to two of my favorite girls." I put my arm around Naomi again and gave 'my friend' a little squeeze. Emily had a curious look on her face, as did James but surprisingly, they both displayed the wisdom to keep their mouths shut. Kieran smiled warmly at me and to my great relief, I sensed no insincerity.

He turned to face Emily, "I'm sorry, Emily. I jumped to the wrong conclusion and was quick to take it out on you." To my surprise, Emily simply nodded and smiled shyly. I was sure she was going to try and destroy our beautiful lie again but apparently, the thought of not losing her job or the chance of spending more time with Naomi, this time under the excuse of being old friends, was a little too appealing for even Emily to come clean.

"I should have known better than to assume that you were happily kissing another woman." Emily's cheeks started to redden a little but Kieran didn't seem to notice as he continued to smile warmly at her. "See you bright and early tomorrow?", he asked and excitement flared in his eyes, much like Emily when she tried discussing her work with us mere mortals. She nodded and Kieran looked around the room, smiling and giving everyone a slight nod before leaving. Naomi's mother hesitated for a moment before following, practically running after Kieran and closing the door behind her.

We all let out a sigh of relief and I heard Naomi chuckle next to me. I turned to see her cover her bubbling laughter with both hands and behind me, Cook and James were trying less hard to hide theirs. What had taken place in the last ten minutes was neither funny nor pleasant and I for one felt guilty for turning it into an attack on Kieran. But anything was better than allowing Emily to lose her job over something as silly as her, albeit inappropriate, affection for a patient. The fact that Naomi found it amusing was surprising since I thought I had seen honest guilt and shame at the situation in her eyes earlier. I suppressed a frown as I turned to look at the others.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry…". Naomi shook both hands, as if trying to suppress the urge to keep laughing. "There's nothing funny about this, I know and I certainly didn't enjoy it." She cleared her throat and adopted a somber look, shaking her head slightly, "I don't know why I couldn't stop myself from laughing, I really do feel bad for attacking him like that."

Emily, who clearly hadn't found the situation amusing at all, walked to Naomi's bedside to stand across from me. I anxiously studied my friend's face, scared that she would lose her temper and go off on both of us for the way we had treated Kieran. Where Katie was prone to temper tantrums, Emily hardly ever showed signs of actually being capable of experiencing anger, making the possibility of it happening now nothing short of positively horrifying. Emily's face however, bore no traces of lingering anger or resentment. All I could see was an unparalleled look of pure adoration confirming once again what Naomi not only represented but what she really meant to Emily and my heart bled for them once again.

Thanks for reading!

They got away with it this time but we'll see how long that lasts. I will be adding more science in the following chapters since Naomi's treatments will start soon…

I have no idea how long it will take to update but I will do my best, resorting to using pen and paper in order to write while lying on the beach! Sound off in a review if you feel like adding some fuel to my fire :)