CHAPTER SIXTY FOUR.

"Do you have to work on Monday?" Naomi asked as Emily brought over two beers to the couch, Naomi's foot resting on the coffee table.

"Yeah, we've got to move pretty quickly on the gym," Emily replied, snuggling into Naomi's side.

"Do you think you'll find a place just for you, Ems?" Naomi pondered the idea of visiting Emily with Katie there and didn't really like that idea.

"I haven't really thought of it," Emily admitted. She did like the idea of a place that was all hers, though.

"Mum's going away soon, you could always stay here," Naomi suggested. As soon as she said it, she wanted to take it back. She had only a few hours ago told Emily she was moving too fast, and now she was inviting her to move in?

"I don't think that's a good idea," Emily said, though she loved the idea.

"Why not?" Now that Emily was refusing, Naomi found herself wanting her to say yes.

"Because we're not there, not ready for that. You told me so earlier."

"I'm not asking you to marry me, just kinda hang out here while you're looking for a place. You can even stay in mum's room if you don't want to stay with me," Naomi was formulating a plan now, and she wasn't going to give up easily. The idea of seeing Emily every morning, to come home to her, well it felt fucking right.

"Hang out?" Emily moved away from Naomi, not sure what to make of that suggestion.

"Together," Naomi added, smiling.

"I really want my own space," Emily decided to be honest, knowing it might make Naomi upset, but she needed to stand up for herself.

"Alright," Naomi felt the fight leave her as Emily quietly admitted her preference. She felt a little down, the idea gathering steam in her head. She kinda liked it, but now it wasn't going to happen.

"I've upset you," Emily stated, looking over at a forlorn blonde.

"No, not really. You're right, Emily. I guess I was just experiencing the euphoria of having you back in my life," Naomi shrugged, putting her near-full beer on the table and getting up. "I'm going outside for a smoke."

Emily watched as Naomi left, knowing she was trying to escape to think about what had just transpired, yet she wasn't sure what to say. It felt like a wonderfully romantic notion to live here together, but she knew that she wasn't going to cope with being with someone so quickly after living with her mother and brother until taking this job. She needed time to be Emily Fitch, just Emily Fitch. But how did she say that to Naomi without causing the blonde to retreat into her fucking armour again?

"Will you just fucking come inside?" Emily had let Naomi have twenty minutes outside in the cold, watching as the blonde stubbornly ignored her own shivers while she lit up another cigarette, but time was up.

Naomi came in, but was silent, her eyes firmly planted on the carpet. Emily came over and hugged her, hugged her fucking firmly until Naomi wrapped her own arms around the redhead.

"Fucking tit," Emily teased as she kissed Naomi, feeling the blonde's tension drain as she responded.

"Yeah," Naomi agreed, smiling as she ran her hand down Emily's face in apology.

"So can we sit back on the couch?" Emily was amazed at how easy it was to just get back to simply being together. There was no need to talk everything out; there was no big fight or fucking misunderstandings. They sorted things out just by accepting each other. In this very moment over others, Emily felt as if they were really a partnership.

"I love you," Emily said as she found that comfortable place in the crook of Naomi's arm that she simply adored sinking into.

Naomi pulled her tightly to her body, just letting the silence comfortably wrap around them. This felt like fucking forever, or at the very least now and tomorrow. Tomorrow was always going to be that extra day to catch up to, and as long as they never stopped trying to reach for it, Naomi was confident they could be something she'd protect.

"What are you thinking about?" Emily felt Naomi's smile.

"Us. Heat. Love. This. Being us." Naomi's jumbled reply came, causing both to laugh. Yep, this was perfection, she knew this was right. Love had come, and finally Naomi had let herself exist in it without surrendering her own identity.

"You're one fucking soppy bitch," Emily laughed, pulling Naomi into a sweet kiss with promises for tomorrow. Tomorrow ... they could fight off all evils if they did it together.

"I love you," Naomi moaned, pulling Emily up. They would make new promises to each other tonight, and cement their dual journey on the path they feared had been lost to them. They would take it as they were now: holding hands, side by fucking side. It was time for the world to step back and let them burn brightly.

THE END.

A/N: I must send out a very big "THANK YOU" to everyone who has jumped on this journey with me. It means more than I can say.