I'm right on the edge, someone stop me

Is anyone out there watching?

Don't let me fall to heartbreak

I'm here in need, come rescue me

Overboard Ft Livvi Franc – Marie Digby

She digs her fingers tightly into Katie's shoulders, hides her face in Katie's neck and tries to keep anymore tears from falling.

"Freddie!" She looks around wildly. There's too much light, too much noise, too many colours, too many people. Too much. Too fucking much. Her heart is stuttering painfully, her vision blurry. "Freddie!" She registers the tall, lanky brunette's body in front of her, and his large hands around her shoulders. She needs something to cling to, and when Katie transfers her to Freddie, she clings to his shirt.

Tries to believe him when he says it's okay. Doesn't. She recognizes Cook in the crowd; doesn't want either of them there.

She tries to say so, to cry out for Katie, but the words get caught in her throat and she chokes on a sob instead. Her unspoken plea is granted when Katie's arm wraps around her shoulders and her and Freddie lead her away from the crowd, from the noise, from the pain.

Except they don't take her away from the pain. It's still there, in her chest, under her skin, in her fucking bones and she can't escape it. It's all she is. Just pain. Just one big fucked up mass of pain, all nerve-endings that fucking explode when so much as brushed.

She doesn't know where she's being taken, just focuses on Katie's arm around her shoulder and keeps her own tightly about Katie's waist. It's quiet here. It's nice. The quiet is nice. It's peaceful. She likes peaceful.

He seems like a nice enough old man, not that she cares. She stares at the floor. Tries to keep it together.

"Which one of you lovely girls is Elizabeth?"

"I'm Katie," Katie answers for the both of them and squeezes her shoulder slightly.

"Lovely. Sit down, Freds."

"No, no, Grandad, I've got to stay with her, alright?"

"It's fine. Sit down." She doesn't want Freddie to stay with her. She wants Katie. She doesn't know why she wants Katie, but she does. Doesn't know why Katie is even doing this for her, but she is. Freddie can fuck off. Freddie makes her weak. Freddie lets the demons in, lets them catch her, devour her, kill her. Katie doesn't. Katie fends them off. Katie lets her be strong. Katie is strong. Freddie is weak. She traces the patterns woven into the carpet and lets Katie pull her closer as her body begins to tremble again. She doesn't acknowledge Freddie's grandfather's suggestion that Katie take her for a cup of tea, but lets Katie turn her around and lead her anyway.

"Come on, Eff." Her eyes water. She tightens her grip on Katie again. "Everything's alright."

The door click shuts. It echos in her head. It's not alright. Nothing is alright. Everything is fucked up. Katie's lying. Lying to make her feel better. Nothing is alright. Katie's guiding her, holding tightly, a hand gripping her upper arm now as well, keeping her steady. Her knees are weak. She leans against Katie and half stumbles into the kitchen. The counter serves as a good enough support as Katie wanders around and searches through the cabinets for the tea. That's when she spots it; glinting brightly. Sharp. Lethal. She grabs it and darts, knocking over a pot as she does so. It clangs loudly to the ground, alerting Katie, and she jumps and cries out at the sound.

"Effy! EFFY!" She runs.

She ends up in the toilet. It works, there's a lock. She latches it, stumbles into the sink. Clutches the knife tightly in her hand until her knuckles turn white and strain against her skin. There's too much noise. Katie is banging on the door, calling her name. She slumps against the cabinets behind her and covers her face. She almost cuts herself with the knife, almost. Remembers at the last second that she's holding it and lets it fall to the floor. She rocks back and forth.

"Effy! Open the fucking door! Please! EFFY!"

"NO!" Her breathing is ragged, burns her throat. She wants it to stop, wants all of this to stop. Needs it to stop. Needs the voices to stop, the pain to stop. Her fingers curl around the hilt of the knife again and it burns her skin. It hurts, it fucking hurts. Too deep, some miraculously logical part of her brain screams. She ignores it, slashes the other wrist. There's blood. She can feel it slicking her fingers and palms and the floor beneath her. Breathing is hard. Her vision is graying.

The last thing she sees is Katie's worried eyes and panicked expression as Freddie cradles her limp body against his chest, screaming for help, as everything goes black and fades into nothing.

She dreams of a gray cloud swirling and she's trapped in it. No matter where she looks it's the same. Faces occasionally swim before her eyes. She can hear voices, but they don't sound like they're in the dream. Not all of them, at any rate. She sees Tony and Freddie and her mother all standing in the mist, staring at her. She tries to talk, but no words come out. She sees herself, a decade younger, lips messily sewn shut, familiar eyes bright. The dream doesn't last long and then she's in Gobbler's End, in their campsite. Everyone is sleeping, she knows. But Katie's not there. Not with Freddie like she should be. She hears crying.

She swallows hard, and wanders into the woods. Follows the noise, her hands out in front of her in the dark. The moon is full; bright, but she still can't see well. The crying is closer now, sounds like it's almost next to her. She looks around, then down at the dirt and leaves covering her feet. There's a form in the darkness.

"Katie?" She almost doesn't recognize her own voice, feels like it's been ages since she's last heard it.

"Wake up, Eff. Wake up. You can't just fucking leave like this, you cunt."

"What? Katie, I'm awake. I'm up." She tries to move towards the form, Katie, but can't move her feet. She blinks, just once, and then Katie is in front of her, dark eyes dead and blood coating the left side of her face.

"You've killed me."

She shoots up, eyes wide, and panics. Her breathing is ragged, gaze darting around the room. She moves her hands to cover her face and feels the tubes attached to her wrist. There are hands on her shoulders, and then her palms, pulling her fingers away. She fights.

"Effy, it's okay!" She meets Katie's eyes, the brunette's voice taking away all desire to resist the fingers around hers and she lets Katie pull her hands away from her face and set them gently in her lap. "Here." Katie offers her a plastic cup, half filled with water. She drinks it greedily and Katie fills it up again and leaves it sitting on the tray beside the bed when she refuses it. Katie's eyes are red, but there's no blood on her face. She reaches up, touches Katie's scar, watches her flinch and pull away.

"It was only a dream, Effy," Katie says. She opens her mouth and tries to speak. All that comes out is a hoarse croak. Katie hands her the water again and watches as she slowly drinks it. When the soreness in her throat dissipates slightly she tries again.

"Why're you here, Katie?" Her voice is rough, barely there. It hurts to talk. Katie doesn't answer, just shrugs and offers her more water.

"Your guess is as good as mine, babes," Katie finally says, voice thick. Katie's hand is still over hers, resting in her lap. She eyes the tubes attached to her arm and then stares into the cup of water she's holding. She's not thirsty. Katie takes it from her and puts it back on the tray again. "Your mum is waiting. She wanted to come in when you woke up." Katie gets up, makes to leave, but stops when her wrist is grabbed.

"I don't want to see her," she says firmly, looking Katie over as the brunette slowly sits back down. The fake eyelashes are gone, but the make-up is still there, mascara streaked. The costume is gone as well, replaced by typical Katie wear.

"She's your mum, Effy."

"No." Katie sighs. She looks away, closes her eyes again. Everything is heavier when she's sober. Colder. Clearer. She hates is. Loathes it. The alcohol, the drugs, they make her feel like she's floating. Light as a fucking feather. She's too weighed down.

"Effy?" She looks over. Katie's holding her hand again. No words follow. She scowls weakly.

"What, Katie?"

"Why?" She's quiet for a while, staring into Katie's eyes.

"To make the pain stop." She hates the pity-filled look Katie has fixed on her. She doesn't need pity. Not from Katie, not from Freddie, certainly not from her mother, who picked a great time to pull her shit together and start giving a fuck.

"What fucked you up so much, Eff?" Katie asks softly.

"Life," she replies. Her eyes burn. She rubs at them, lets them slide shut.

There's no dreams this time. Just darkness.

Her mother has taken Katie's place when she wakes up again. She frowns.

"Where's Katie?" she croaks. She doesn't know why she cares.

"Gone home, love. You've been asleep all day." She doesn't respond. The bandages around her wrists are fresh, the tubes gone. She notices a small origami crane on her tray, picks it up with trembling fingers. Anthea watches. She begins to unfold the crane, starting with the head, like she's unfolding herself. "The doctor agreed to release you at the end of the week. I think therapy would be good for you. For a little while, at least." She looks at Anthea for one long second and continues unfolding the crane. She recognizes Freddie's writing. "He's a good lad, that Freddie," Anthea continues. Carefully, she smooths the paper out of the tray, traces the words with her fingers, stares at them. Repeats them in her head. Love. She tried love. This is where it got her.

She folds it back up, exactly the way she'd unfolded it until there's a somewhat sloppy crane resting in the palm of her hand. Her fingers twitch. She wants to crush it, sets it on the tray instead.

"Is Tony coming home?" Anthea looks like she'd forgotten she had another child. Typical.

"I'll ring him," her mother reassures, nodding her head as if she needs to remind herself. "You've not eaten yet. Let's get you some supper, yeah?" She agrees, slowly. "Oh. Here." Anthea holds out her mobile. She takes it, switches it on. Anthea is talking to a nurse about food. There's two missed calls, a voice message and a text from Cook, which is surprising and unwanted. She deletes them. Freddie's sent several texts, which she ignores. There's a voicemail from both Naomi and Emily, saying that they'll swing by to see her either in hospital or at home when they get the chance. Panda explains that her mother won't let her visit. Thomas and JJ sent nothing, nor did Katie.

She feels disappointed and isn't quite sure why.

The food is disgusting, but under Anthea's watchful eye she eats most of it until she starts to feel nauseous. Freddie texts again. She tells him to fuck off. A knock of the door frame makes both her and Anthea jump. She doesn't know how to react to seeing Katie in the doorway.

"Hi," Katie says awkwardly, eyes darting between her and Anthea.

"Hello, dear," her mother replies, sounding a tad shocked. Katie is looking at her again.

"How are you feeling?" Katie asks her. She shrugs in reply. "Sorry I left. Had to clean up and tell Mum. Took a bit of persuasion to get her to let me come back." She finds Katie's lisp extremely attractive. She doesn't know why. But, she doesn't even know who she is anymore.

She examines Katie closely. Her clothes are fresh, face scrubbed clean, no make-up. There's a bag in her hands too large to be a purse. Katie notices her gaze on the bag.

"Oh," Katie says, hoists the bag and offers a smile. "I brought a couple magazines. And one of Emily's books that her and Naomi said you might like. And a hoodie. You were shivering a lot, so... yeah." She feels like she should smile and say thank you, but she can't. Anthea does for her.

"I'll leave you two be, then," her mother says, vacating the chair, which Katie takes, and hesitantly kissing her forehead. Anthea tucks her hair behind her ear and it's such a motherly gesture that she's not sure how to respond. An uneasy smile fixes itself up on her lips. Anthea's eyes brighten, then tear up slightly. She had no clue her smile could affect someone that much. "I'll be back later, love," Anthea continues, hand against her cheek. Then it's just her and Katie and a silence that should be more awkward than it is.

She ends up wearing the hoodie, which smells like Katie's perfume, while the brunette sits with a hand on her arm, reading Wuthering Heights and tripping over a word every now and then. She feels content, something she doesn't remember ever really feeling, save when she was little. They stay like that for a while, a long while. She doesn't follow the story closely, pays more attention to Katie's voice, turns her head and watches the brunette's lips as she speaks. She can't explain it, any of it: why she ran to Katie during the parade, why she was disappointed when she woke up to her mother instead of Katie, and for that matter, why Katie is sitting here, reading her a book she probably doesn't care for. She doesn't like not being able to explain things.

"Mum wants to put me in therapy," she says abruptly. Katie stops reading and looks up, examines her and nods once.

"Yeah?"

"I don't talk."

"Maybe you should try it." Katie starts to read again, but she interrupts.

"Why are you doing this, Katie?" The brunette is quiet for a minute.

"You were there for me when everything started to fall apart and you didn't have to be," Katie says softly. "I'm returning the favour, I guess." She takes Katie's hand, squeezes once. She doesn't need to voice her thanks; Katie already knows.

Katie visits her every day until she is discharged. She's never been grateful for anyone's company before, other than Tony's.

Therapy is a nightmare. Effy is still sober, Anthea having cleared the house out and her not bothering to try and get anything. Her therapist is a balding old man with shaky hands and stutter. His office smells like peppermint. She hates peppermint.

"Elizabeth, please answer the question." Effy, reclined on the cliché settee with her hands linked on her stomach, stares at the ceiling. She doesn't know this man and he knows nothing about her, so it's impossible for him to help her at all. "Why all the drugs?" Effy sighs and fixes cold eyes on the man.

"Because they make me feel good," she spits out.

"This isn't going to work if you don't cooperate." Effy gets her jacket and leaves.

Tony is at the kitchen table when she gets home.

"Aren't you supposed to be somewhere?" he asks, casually buttering toast. He hands it to her.

"It's shit, Tony. I don't know why she thought this would work."

"Therapy isn't for everyone, I suppose." Effy sits down and lights a cigarette. "What about that girl who was in your room every day at the hospital? What's her name... Natalie?"

"Katie."

"Right, Katie. Why don't you try talking to her instead?"

"Because talking isn't something I do."

"Well, maybe you should start. I got my shit together, you can, too." She flips him off and finishes her toast.

"Fine. I'll... try. No guarantees." Tony smiles at her, his own toast in hand.

"Nothing in life is guaranteed, Eff," he replies, reaching across the table for Effy's lighter. "You know that." She finishes her cigarette in silence, calls Katie and arranges to meet at the park. Effy doesn't bother searching for vodka. She knows she won't find any, but she steals some of Tony's spliff and leaves a note for Anthea, since she doubts her brother will be around by the time their mother gets home.

"So, you're really stopping then?" is the first thing out of Katie's mouth when she notices the lack of hard drugs and alcohol on Effy's person. Effy pauses. Is she? She offers Katie the spliff and sits on the bench next to her. She's tried before to stop drinking, to stop with the drugs, but something always fucked her up and she'd be right back into the same habits again. But something is different this time, she can't quite put her finger on it. It must be because college is almost over. Effy has aspirations, of course she does. No one knows about them, none of their business, honestly, but she has them.

"Eff?" Katie prompts and Effy realizes that she's been quiet for some time.

"Yeah. Mostly," she answers simply and finds it's not a lie to appease Katie. It's time to grow up. Drugs don't fix things, just delay the inevitable. Katie nods and passes her the spliff.

"Good."

Things don't go smoothly; of course they don't, she didn't expect them to. With Tony gone back to university, she's more or less alone whenever she's not out with Katie or Naomi. She's turned the house inside out looking for something, anything, but there is absolutely nothing, not even wine. Somehow Anthea managed to find all her hiding places, both in her bedroom and in Tony's. She sure her brother had a hand in that and knows he means well, that they both do, but in her current state she curses the stupid wanker.

So she rocks back and forth in bed, only a dress-shirt and knickers on with her arms wrapped tightly around her knees, body shaking violently, sweat soaking her skin. Her breathing is rapid and shaky, heart stuttering wildly against her ribcage. It's quiet, thankfully. No one is there to see her being anyone other than Effy fucking Stonem. She grinds her teeth, pulls at her hair, bites her nails. She ignores her mobile as it begins to vibrate against her nightstand, then pick it up and violently throws it across the room when it doesn't stop. It continues to vibrate against the carpet, sound muted.

Five minutes later, could be fifteen or thirty, or an hour for all she knows, someone is pounding furiously on the front door. She doesn't speak, doesn't move, just stays in bed. She hears muffled curses, growing clearer and clearer.

"Fucks sake, Effy, I know you're here, pick the fuck up when I-" Her bedroom door opens and Katie immediately shuts up. The brunette's arms are around her in a second, fingers brushing her damp hair from her face. "It's okay, Eff." She fights against Katie's hold, feels her eyes tearing up. The scabs on her wrists hurt, itch. She goes to scratch at them, but Katie stops her. Her head feels like it's splitting int two. Katie tries to hold her again. She claws at the brunette. No one is allowed to see her this broken. Not her mother. Not even Tony. Certainly not Katie. She fights, but Katie doesn't relent, keeps trying. Eventually, she breaks, clings to Katie like she did during the parade and tucks her face into Katie's neck. Her nostrils flare, taking in the familiar scent of the brunette's perfume. She bunches the back of Katie's shirt up in her fists.

"It's okay, Eff," Katie coos into her ear, stroking her hair. "It's okay. Trust me." She almost does.

She doesn't know why Katie's embrace soothes her, but it does.

Katie leads her slowly to the bathroom once her shudders have grown less violent. She stands with her arms wrapped around her torso while Katie fills the tub with lukewarm water, constantly checking the temperature, and then helps her undress. She wonders why Katie stares. She sits in the warm water and lets Katie comb out all the snags in her hair for her.

"Scrub up, then," the brunette says when she's done, sitting on the toilet and procuring a nail file from nowhere. She looks at Katie, who's eyes are now averted, and does as she's told. She can't reach her back, tells Katie. The brunette doesn't complain, just kneels by the side of the tub and takes the sponge. She scratches at her wrists. "Stop that," Katie says firmly. She does and traces shapes in the water with her finger instead. She can't help closing her eyes and concentrating on the feel of Katie's hands on her back. "Do you feel better?" She nods. "Let's get you something for dinner, come on." Katie helps her stand, ignoring that water is soaking through her top. Katie smiles softly at her, she finds herself smiling back.

Effy watches Katie's back as the brunette scrambles eggs for them, examines how Katie's muscles shift beneath her skin. A desire to stand up and place her hands against Katie's flesh and feel her muscles move almost overwhelms her, but Effy pushes it away and keeps herself seated.

"Milk or mango juice?" Katie asks, rummaging through the refrigerator.

"Mango. I didn't know you could cook," Effy comments as Katie pours them both glasses of juice. The brunette gives her a sarcastic look.

"Yeah, well, eggs aren't really that hard to make, but Emily and I would have starved to death years ago if we didn't learn to make our own meals." Effy inclines her head slightly in response and Katie serves up the eggs. Effy is still shaking, but she eats slowly, watching Katie silently. The brunette fidgets under her gaze but doesn't object.

"You've changed," Effy remarks after a while, finishing her mango juice and pushing her food scraps around on her plate. Katie is biting her lip. She clears both their dishes then braces herself against the sink. "I stopped talking for a whole year once, just because I could," Effy offers, remembering Tony's advice. The words feel strange on her tongue. It'll take some time to get used to, this talking thing.

"I can't have kids," is Katie's blunt response. Effy offers her a cigarette from the pack on the table. Katie takes it and ends up coughing again. Effy rolls her eyes and places her fingertips against Katie's chest. She almost yanks them away when they begin to burn. Touching someone has never sparked like that before.

"Inhale, now inhale again from here, remember?" Effy explains shakily. Katie nods.

"Yeah, I remember," she says. Effy has to remind herself to pull her hand away. She stands and grabs the milk from the fridge, refilling her glass. Katie shakes her head when Effy offers her some.

"Why'd you stop talking?" Katie asks, passing her the cigarette.

"To make a point," Effy responds and shrugs. They share the cigarette in silence. It's not much, but it's a start.

It gets easier after t hat. But things never stay simple and her and Katie aren't exactly cut out to be friends, and definitely not anything more. She cocks it all up, like she always does.

They're at Effy's sitting and watching some old black and white film she's found sitting in the back of a cabinet under the telly. They're sharing a cigarette, shoulder to shoulder on the sofa, even though there was plenty of room for them both.

"I wish I could have love like that," Katie remarks about halfway through the movie, motioning to the couple on the screen.

"Love like that doesn't exist," Effy retorts dryly, reaching across the brunette for Katie's half full wine glass. Katie slaps her hand and glares at her. Effy glares back, her gaze challenging, but back down after a few seconds, slouching against the cushions behind her with her arms crossed over her chest.

"Yeah, well, I still want a love like that. For someone to kiss me just to kiss me, not because they're trying to get into my knickers." She doesn't know what compels her to kiss Katie, because there's no alcohol or drugs fueling her actions. Katie doesn't react. Effy expects to be shoved and slapped, but it doesn't happen. Katie is still until Effy finally detaches their lips. The brunette's face is shocked, her eyes curious. Effy shrugs in response to Katie's unspoken "why?" and has to dig her nails into her palms to keep from touching her lips. She's not sure why herself.

When the movie finally finishes and Katie's headed back home, she still doesn't have any answers, just more questions and a strange fluttering in the pit of her stomach.

Katie sends one text a day to check up on her, but doesn't phone and doesn't come 'round for a long time.

She calls Naomi, and the blonde agrees to meet Effy for lunch.

Naomi looks like utter shit, although she seemed to have at least attempted to clean herself up, but her hair is messy and there's no make-up to hide the bags under her eyes.

"Alright, Eff?" Naomi asks when they meet up outside the pub. Effy inclines her head and waits for the blonde to finish her cigarette before they head inside. "Sorry I haven't been 'round," she continues as they seat themselves.

"Things not going well at Mrs. and Mrs. Campbell's?" Effy asks. Her voice comes out sounding dull. Naomi examines her.

"Not really Mrs. and Mrs. Campbell's anymore now that she's back living with her family." And Effy knows more than Naomi is letting on, and Naomi knows she does, so they sit in silence until Naomi speaks again. "You're looking rather well, considering everything." Effy nods. "Emily mentioned that you and Katie have been seeing a lot of each other lately the last time she rang." Effy nods again, but feels her chest tighten painfully. Naomi pokes at the basket of fish and chips in front of her and Effy sips at her rum and coke. She reaches across and steals a chip. "Eff?"

"She hasn't come around in a while," Effy admits slowly.

"Why's that?" Effy's thankful that Naomi has enough sense not to ask Effy what she's done.

"I... kissed her," Effy continues with some difficulty. Naomi chokes on her food and spends the next minute violently coughing.

"You what?" she forces out, wiping tears off her cheeks and taking a large gulp of her water.

"We were watching some old film. She said she wanted someone to kiss her just for the sake of kissing, so I did."

"What did she do?"

"Nothing."

"Interesting." Effy grunts. "Never pinned you as the spontaneous romantic type, Eff." Effy rolls her eyes and glares at the blonde. She considers Naomi the closest thing to a friend she's got, but she really despises this whole talking thing the blonde requires her to do sometimes.

"I'm not."

"Of course you aren't. Whatever you say, Effy." Effy continues to glare at her. "Have you tried to phone her?" She doesn't answer. "Well then."

Effy follows Naomi's advice and rings Katie when she goes home. After the third ring the call connects and Effy lets out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding when she hears Katie's "hello." She can tell the casual tone of Katie's voice is forced.

"I want you to come over."

"Yeah, so?" Katie snaps.

"Come over."

"Look, I've like, got shit to do, okay? I haven't go time for this."

"I don't care. Come over." Effy doesn't want to deal with this; she gets what she wants.

"Fuck off, Effy," is the bitchy reply, reminiscent of old Katie, and the line goes dead.

Fifteen minutes later Effy is smoking on the front steps when Katie gets off a bus at the stop on the end of Effy's street.

"Where's your fucking coat?" Katie scolds once she's reached Effy's house. "You're going to catch cold, you daft cow and god help you if you think I'm going to take care of your sorry arse if that happens." Effy barely has time to flick her cigarette butt away before Katie grabs the front of her top and all but drags her inside the house.

"Hello, Katie," Effy says in response and pushes Katie's hand off of her shirt.

"You've got me here, what do you want?" the brunette demands, crossing her arms over her chest. Effy shrugs which makes Katie roll her eyes and sigh loudly. "Don't be a cunt."

"I'm not." Katie huffs again and shifts her weight to one foot. "Look, I'm not going to kiss you again." Katie's eyes widen in shock. Effy smirks.

"Okay," the brunette says. Effy notices the way her shoulders relax just the slightest bit. She closes the distance between them and abruptly pulls Katie into an embrace. Katie awkwardly hugs back. They've done this before but it's still odd, and Effy knows that Katie realizes this is Effy's way of thanking her for coming over.

Katie follows Effy upstairs and makes herself comfortable on the bed while Effy searches through a bookshelf, pulling out the copy of Wuthering Heights Katie had left with her in the hospital. When she'd tried giving the book back to Emily, the redhead had told her to keep it, which surprised Effy, since her and Emily weren't on the best of terms. She holds it out to Katie, who gives her a slightly confused look.

"What?"

"You never finished it," Effy explains as Katie accepts the book, and crawls onto the bed, stretching out on her stomach and using her arms as a pillow.

"I thought you'd finish it on your own," Katie comments, opening to the page that Effy had marked. She doesn't answer and Katie scans the page quickly before beginning to read.

Effy isn't sure how it happens, but she ends up with her head against Katie's thigh and the brunette's fingers threading through her hair.

"It's late," Katie says eventually through a loud yawn. Effy doesn't feel tired. She shifts slightly and lays a hand over Katie's knee. "I need to go home," the brunette continues when Effy doesn't respond and starts to get off the bed, dislodging Effy's head in the process. Effy props herself up on her elbow and utters one word she's never said to anyone before, not even Tony, without thinking.

"Stay." Katie's head whips around so fast Effy hears her neck crack.

"What?"

"Stay," Effy repeats softly.

"I-" Katie begins, clutching her purse tightly. "I have-I've got to, I-... okay. I need something to sleep in, then." Effy climbs gracefully off the bed and opens her dresser, holding out the first oversized shirt her fingers touch for Katie to take and then another for himself. They change with their backs to each other.

"I didn't mind," Katie says when they're settled on opposite sides of the bed. "The kiss." Effy reaches over beneath the sheets and rests her hand over the brunette's. "I'm not gay," Katie continues.

"Neither am I," is Effy's response. Katie flips her hand over and threads her fingers through Effy's and squeezes gently.