Chapter Nine - Suspicion and Confusion

Normally, Emiliana would get up at sunrise, but due to her unusual sleeping arrangements, she was awake most of the night, only nodding off properly at about five a.m. The last thing she expected to find when she awoke at eight-thirty was Kat's arm around her waist.

She turned to face her, only to find that she still appeared to be in a deep sleep, completely unaware of what was happening in that moment, a slight frown on her face as she dreamed.

It was only in the last twenty-four hours that Emiliana had been able to come to terms with the fact that she actually liked her rival. Not that they were rivals anymore, it seemed. This time, Kat had actually approached her for help, and in seeing how serious she was about the case, Emiliana had decided to help her in any way she could. Emiliana's mind began to wander, thinking about everything that had happened in the last two days, all the times they held hands, Kat wrapping her arm around her and thanking her, full of genuine emotion…

Emiliana closed her eyes. Kat was her friend now, the only friend she had been able to make since she moved to London from Monteriggioni, since the terrible accident and the funeral… She shook her head slightly, trying to force the memories out of her mind. It had been four years now, four years of solitude. Only her mother cared enough to stay in contact, though she never came to visit Emiliana, as there were too many bad memories and people who would recognise her.

And if she really was stuck in this time, she would probably never see her again either.

Emiliana's thoughts were redirected as she felt Kat stir beside her, muttering. She moved closer to Emiliana, tightening her grip on her waist and resting her head on her shoulder.

Part of Emiliana wanted to move away, but a bigger part did not. She wasn't really sure why but, though she resented that she was stuck in this situation, the fact that Kat was there with her made her feel a little better. She smiled a little as she watched Kat sleep, feeling her breath on her neck, the rise and fall of her chest as she breathed deeply. She looked very peaceful now, her frown was gone and she seemed more at ease. Emiliana couldn't help but think that she looked sweet… She gently wrapped her arms around Kat, returning the hug. Kat smiled, snuggling into her a little before settling into the embrace.

Emiliana felt something stir inside her as she realised her heart was hammering in her chest. It had been a long time since she had felt quite like this…

"I must be imagining things…" she thought. "This can't be right…"

Her eyes widened. "But… Katrielle… she's a… a girl…"

She felt Kat's nose brush against her neck.

"I don't like… not like that…"

She looked at Kat.

"Do I…?"

She suddenly became very aware of her position, Kat's arm on her waist, Kat's breath on her neck, her own arms wrapped around Kat…

Her thoughts wandered back to mere moments earlier, her unwillingness to move away from Kat. If this had happened with anyone else, she would have squirmed out from under them and ran out the door. She suddenly felt confused and anxious, and this anxiety only grew when she felt Kat stir again and saw her eyes start to open.

Emiliana closed her eyes, pretending to be asleep. Although she was still unsure of what she was feeling in that moment, she wanted to know what Kat was thinking. Emiliana tried to hone in on her other senses, attempting to gather data on Kat. Being a profiler, it was her way.

She felt Kat's grip loosen as she moved a little away from Emiliana. Nothing happened for a few moments as the two just lay there, until Emiliana heard Kat sigh heavily and get out of bed. Only when she heard the door close did she open her eyes again. She sighed again.

"Why do I feel like this?"

X

Kat descended the stairs slowly, reveling in what had just happened. She had woken up in the arms of her rival, someone who, mere days earlier, she believed hated her. She knew that Emiliana was awake; she had felt her grip tightening around her - that was what had woken her up in the first place.

Kat had always thought Emiliana was pretty, especially after their trip aboard the Thametanic, but she never thought Emiliana would ever feel the same way about her. But now that she thought about it, every time she ever saw Emiliana outside working hours, she was alone. She never saw Emiliana with any friends, let alone with anyone who resembled a boyfriend. Maybe she liked women, as Kat did, so maybe Kat did stand a chance with Emiliana…

All she knew was that if Emiliana did like her, the only way she would find out is if they talked about it. But she was scared. What if she was wrong, what if, by approaching her, she accidentally caused a rift between them? Emiliana was the only one who kept her going in this time, and Kat knew that she had no hope of finding her father without Emiliana's help…

She sighed again as she went in the kitchen. She opened the door of the bread bin to grab a slice when she suddenly heard rustling.

Kat frowned slightly, peeking around the kitchen table slowly. A large, muscular man was sitting on the kitchen floor beside the ajar fridge door, surreptitiously eating a large leg of lamb. He seemed oblivious to Kat's staring as he munched quietly, clearly trying not to get caught. Kat smirked, and cleared her throat quietly, making the man jump.

"Are you Inspector Grosky?" Kat asked curiously as he tried to hide the leg of lamb behind his back.

Grosky sighed in relief. "Phew, I thought you were Emmy for a second there! And that's Detective Chief Inspector Grosky to you!" He ripped off another large chunk of meat with his teeth.

"I told you to stop clearing out the fridge every time you come into my house, Detective Chief Inspector Grosky," Emmy said crossly from the doorway making him jump again and choke. She smiled at Kat. "Did you sleep alright?"

Kat nodded. "I don't think Emiliana did, though."

Emmy grimaced and nodded. "I know, she's in more pain than she's letting on. Is she asleep now?"

"No," they heard her say from the top of the stairs.

"Go back to bed," Emmy called.

"No," she called before she shut the bathroom door on them.

"There's really no point arguing with her," Kat said as Emmy frowned. "She's stubborn, like you."

Emmy laughed. "Fair enough." She lowered her voice. "You'd better get dressed and have some breakfast. You'll need your energy if we're going to find your dad."

"I thought we were meeting Raymond at twelve?" Kat asked her.

'We are," Emmy replied. "But yesterday I noticed something odd. Raymond didn't really seem like… himself. We got to know each other pretty well on the Bostonius, and I'm sure he'd be more… well… upset if Descole disappeared without a trace or any explanation as to where he went."

Kat smiled. "That is exactly what Emiliana said last night."

Emmy raised an eyebrow. "So we have more than our stubborn disposition in common then?"

Kat laughed as Emiliana descended the stairs precariously.

"Are you alright? You look pale," Emmy asked her, looking concerned.

"Just a little pain," Emiliana replied, grimacing.

"Go back to my room, I'll change your dressing and you can take some more painkillers," Emmy said, approaching her gently and offering her arm.

Kat watched as Emiliana took Emmy's arm, an adoring smile on her face as the two ascended the stairs.

"I didn't know Emmy had a twin sister," Grosky remarked from behind Kat as the bedroom door snapped shut.

Kat smiled. "She doesn't."

"Oh? So she's just an Emmy look-a-like then?"

"Something like that."

X

"Take off the nightie and lie down, Emiliana."

Emmy watched her carefully as she obliged, carefully pulling the nightdress off over her head and gingerly lying face-down onto the bed. "How bad is the pain now?"

"Moderately painful," Emiliana replied. "A sharp pain."

"Okay. This will hurt a little." Emmy peeled off the blood soaked bandage as Emiliana let out a short gasp. She then examined the wound carefully.

"It is quite deep, though he missed the veins, thank goodness, and it's stopped bleeding. It still needs to scab over properly though, so I'll have to redress it now." She took some ointment out of the first-aid box she had grabbed from the bathroom an applied it carefully to the wound. "Kat tells me that you don't trust Raymond." She watched as Emiliana said nothing. "Do you know him? In the future, I mean?"

"I'm not sure if I'm allowed to tell you that," Emiliana said carefully.

"Well, that's up to you, isn't it?" Emmy said coyly. "Whatever happens happens, it's not like it affects you directly. After all, it is Kat's father who went missing. You parents have nothing to do with this."

Emiliana fell silent again, and this made Emmy suspicious. She redressed the wound carefully, trying not to hurt Emiliana.

"Do you know something about the professor's disappearance?"

"No," Emiliana said quickly, and this made Emmy even more suspicious.

"Are you working for Targent? Because I know they're after me-"

"No, I would never do that!" Emiliana sighed agitatedly and squeezed her eyes shut.

Emmy grabbed her roughly by the shoulders, forcing her to turn around on the bed and face her.

"What do you know about Targent?"

"Everything." Emiliana opened her eyes again, trying to regain her composure.

"Who told you about them?"

"You did."

Emmy stared at her for a moment.

"I know that Leon Bronev is Professor Layton's father. I know that you betrayed him in the Azran Sanctuary. And I know that by being here, you are in terrible danger."

They stared at each other again as Emmy loosened her grip on Emiliana.

"You should leave London."

"I intend to," Emmy said.

"Soon. And not just London. Leave this country. Leave the memories behind you and start again. Don't live the rest of your life in fear. Be happy."

Emmy stared at her. Her expression changed from suspicion to confusion. "Who are you really?" she asked.

"I can't tell you," Emiliana sighed.

"Why?"

"Because it may affect your decisions, in the future. And that could affect everything."

Emmy continued to stare at her as she sat up in the bed beside her. "Do I know your father now?" she asked.

Emiliana frowned. "I'm really not sure, to be honest." She frowned deeply. "Please, Emmy, no more questions, I beg you. I know once you start-"

"-I don't stop," Emmy finished.

Emiliana nodded. "Please, just trust me. I am on your side, not theirs. So save your interrogations for them, okay?"

Emmy smiled, to Emiliana's relief.

"One more question - don't worry," she smiled. "Were you named after me?"

Emiliana smiled widely and nodded. But her smile faded and her heart sank as she saw the expression on Emmy's face. She had seen that knowing look on her mother's face before.

She knew.