A/N Im not even going to try and figure out when I lat updated this story but it's definitely been ages! I have no idea if anyone is still following it or even cares but heres the second to last chapter, and I half of the last chapter finished so it shouldn't be a super long wait. I just wanted to finally give this a proper ending, so if anyone is still out there I hope you enjoy and drop me a line if you feel so inclined! Also wrote this quite quickly and wanted to get it up so any mistakes are all mine!
Chapter 22
Naomi took a deep breath as her hand hovered over the doorbell. She couldn't believe she was actually doing this, if it wasn't official before it clearly was now, she would literally do anything for Emily. Swallowing her apprehensions back she quickly pressed the button and awaited the frosty greeting that would surely be awaiting her once the door opened. Just then the door creaked open slowly and much to her surprise the less intimidating features of Rob Fitch greeted her as opposed to the harsher ones of his wife as Naomi was dreading.
"Naomi," Rob said, not able to hide the surprise in his voice," Is everything okay?"
Naomi gulped back her fears and decided it was now or never, she needed to do this for Emily. She didn't want her girlfriend to have to choose between her family and her, it wasn't fair and Naomi knew no matter what decision the red head made she would still be losing out in the long run.
"Everything is fine," Naomi began, noticing the slightly worried expression that had taken over Mr. Fitch's face," Well if I'm being honest it everything really isn't fine. Emily would never admit it but she misses you and Mrs. Fitch, you know how she is, so stubborn. And I'm assuming that she didn't just get that trait from no where, and I just can't wait for the three of you to stop digging your heels in the sand not wanting to budge. You should have a relationship with your daughter, there's no reason why you shouldn't, I know I definitely don't want to be the reason that Emily is alienated from her family, its not fair to any of you. So I was hoping we could come to some sort of truce or understanding at least for Emily's sake."
By the time Naomi was finished she was out of breath, she looked at Mr. Fitch slightly embarrassed at her outburst. She hadn't meant to ramble on but once she started she found that she couldn't stop till she got everything out that she wanted to say.
"Why don't you come inside Naomi," Rob gave her a half smile, opening the door further.
"Okay," Naomi agreed, hesitantly making her way inside the house, hoping that this wasn't some sort of trap like the last time she had a conversation with one of Emily's parents.
"Jenna," Rob shouted up the stairs," I think you should come down here."
Not a minute later the figure of Emily's mother appeared at the top of the stairs, the smile dropping off her face instantly when she saw her daughters girlfriend, if that's what she really was, standing in the doorway.
"What is she doing here," Jenna growled, her voice more menacing than Naomi could ever remember it being," Come back for Katie or James now? Won't be satisfied till you've taken all my children away from me will you!"
Naomi tensed, she wasn't going to take this, here she was once again trying to mend things and this woman still couldn't find it in her to at least be civil.
"Look," Naomi said as strongly as she could muster," I'm not going to sit around here doing this with you any longer, I don't want to fight with you any more. I haven't stolen ANYTHING from you. I haven't corrupted or taken Emily away, all I've done is fall in love with her, and really can you blame me? She's amazing and kind and all kinds of other wonderful things that would take me all night to list off. I want Emily to have a relationship with her family; I don't see why there can't be room for all of us in her life? Because the truth is I haven't taken her away from you Mrs. Fitch, you've driven her away and I think you know it. But it's easier to blame everything on me isn't it?"
Naomi steeled herself for whatever retort Emily's mother shot back at her, but much to her surprise Jenna's face had softened, unshed tears were brimming in her eyes. Great Naomi thought, now I've really fucked it up.
"How is she?" Jenna said, her voice so soft that Naomi wasn't even sure it was coming from the same person that had only yelled at her in the past.
Rob smiled at her reassuringly as Naomi balked at Jenna's reaction to her outburst. Finally some progress Naomi thought.
"She's doing good, still top of her class in all her subjects and she seems happy," Naomi began," But as much as it kills me to say it she's not completely happy, I can't be everything for her Jenna. As much as I love her I can't replace the space that you and Mr. Fitch are meant to hold her in her life. She's never going to be completely happy if we can't work this out, so I'm begging you, please can we find some sort of middle ground here. I don't want Emily to go through the next big moments of her life without being able to share them with her family, lord knows I know how hard it is with only one parent, not alone not having either of them there for you."
"Why don't we discuss this in dining room?" Rob suggested," Tea?"
"That would be lovely," Naomi replied, looking hopefully at Mrs. Fitch.
"I suppose we do have to figure this out eventually," Jenna agreed, making her way down the stairs and following her husband into the sitting room.
Once Rob had made the tea an awkward silence fell over the table, Naomi was just about to break it when Jenna finally spoke up.
"This wasn't what I wanted you know," Jenna broke the silence," I never wanted to destroy our relationship with our daughter; I was just worried about her. I just wanted Emily to have the best life she could, I didn't want everything to be harder for her like its inevitably going to be if she's…gay."
Naomi struggled for something to say but there was nothing she could come up with. Certain things would probably be more difficult for Emily and her than if they were a heterosexual couple but those things didn't matter to her, she would do anything to be with Emily, if only she could make Jenna see that.
"She is though," Rob said softly," We can't deny it anymore Jen, its who she is and we need to accept it even if it is difficult for us, it's clearly not a phase."
"I know," Jenna said, sounding slightly relieved to stop the constant denial," And I'm going to come to terms with it, I know that I have to if I want Emily back. Its been so hard without her these last weeks, I just don't know how to fix things with her."
"All she wants is to be with Naomi and have our support," Rob pointed out," I think we can manage that no?"
"But what about everything she's put Emily through in the past year," Jenna replied, challenging Naomi to give some sort of explanation for her previous actions.
"I know that you don't completely trust me, and from what you've seen of mine and Emily's relationship I don't blame you," Naomi began hesitantly," I was confused in the beginning, I wasn't sure like Emily was, in fact I'm still not completely sure if I like girls or just one girl in particular. But the one thing I'm completely sure of Mrs. Fitch is that I'm completely ass backwards in love with you're daughter. I made a decision a long time ago to stop running from my feelings for her and I can't promise that I'll never hurt her again but I can't promise that I'll never do so intentionally. That's why I'm here, this rift between us is hurting her and I can't stand to see it anymore. So please, all I'm asking for is a chance, just a chance to show you that there is nothing more important to me in the world than Emily."
Jenna eyed her curiously for a minute, trying to figure out if there was any chance that Naomi could be trying to pull the wool over her eyes, but deep down she knew that wasn't the case. The girl had now tried twice to call a truce between them and had quite literally thrown herself in to the lions den today with no idea how her and Rob would react to her presence. That alone was proof enough that Naomi really did care for her daughter.
"You really do love her don't you?" Jenna sighed
"I do, more than anything," Naomi nodded.
Rob grabbed his wife's hand and squeezed it reassuringly.
"Then I think we can work something out," Jenna said somewhat reluctantly," Its clear you aren't going anywhere so we really do need to make the best of a bad situation for Emily's sake at least."
It wasn't complete acceptance but Naomi would take it, she was delusional, she knew her and Jenna would never be best friends. They didn't need to be, they just needed to be able to tolerate each other at least for Emily. Though Naomi did hope that over time she would be able to prove to Jenna that she really was what was best for the red head.
"I can work with that," Naomi agreed," How about we try dinner this week, somewhere on neutral ground so there's less pressure?"
"That sounds nice," Rob agreed," Should we give Emily a call then?"
Naomi hesitated; she wasn't sure the reaction Emily would have to this little détente, she figured it would be best if she had a little time to warm Emily up to the idea before they just threw it on her.
"Erm…she doesn't really know that I'm here actually," Naomi admitted," She's still being stubborn about the whole situation, why don't you let me talk to her and I'll get her to call you?" Naomi added hopefully.
"Sure," Jenna agreed, knowing that Emily could be quite stubborn when she wanted to be, and that railroading her probably wasn't the best idea, just look what happened last time she tried.
"Okay, well thanks for the tea and for hearing me out, she'll be in touch soon I promise," Naomi said as she stood from the table.
Rob showed her out and after a quick wave and the door shutting behind her Naomi was finally able to take a long deep relaxing breath. While that had gone much better than she had anticipated it hadn't changed the fact that she was shitting herself the entire time, no matter how brave of a face she put on there was no denying that Jenna Fitch still intimidated the shit out of her.
"Honey I'm home," Naomi bellowed with a smile on her face as she entered Emily and Cooks apartment.
After she got no response she went to take her phone out of her pocket and dial Emily's number assuming that her girlfriend wasn't home. That was until a blur of red came into her vision and her girlfriend literally threw herself into Naomi's arms, nearly knocking the blonde over.
"Missed me?" Naomi asked jokingly before Emily's lips covered her own and she lost all concept of rational thought.
"You have no idea," Emily said as they parted," I walked in on Cook and Katie making out earlier, thank god I didn't show up ten minutes later because judging by the upright position "little Cook" was in I think I would have seen much more of a show."
Naomi cringed outwardly, while it was fun for a while bugging Katie about her budding relationship with Cook it had lost its charm once the other two had officially gotten together and were now firmly in the honeymoon portion of their relationship. Thankfully Naomi had yet to walk in on anything more than PG rated and she really hoped she never had too.
"Poor baby," Naomi cooed cupping Emily's face and bringing their lips together again, feeling completely elated when she felt Emily smiling against her mouth.
"I'll survive," Emily said," I just might need you to come upstairs and give me a better visual to wipe that last one out of my head."
And there was nothing Naomi wanted to do more, ever since her and Emily had been physical again there was little else she wanted to do when they were together, especially when Emily was playing with the hairs on the back of her neck and kinking her eyebrow suggestively the way she was at that moment. But Naomi knew she couldn't put off having a conversation with Emily about her visit to the Fitch household. The last thing she wanted was for her to put it off and then have Emily feel like she went behind her back or something of that nature.
"Mmm, you have no idea how badly I want to take you upstairs and have my way with you, but I have something I need to talk to you about first," Naomi said, keeping a smile on her face in hopes that it would let Emily know that it wasn't the bad kind of "talk".
"Ookay," Emily sounded out slowly, looking for any indication on Naomi's face at what direction this conversation was about to turn.
She had no idea what Naomi would want to talk about, in her opinion things had never been better in their relationship, they were finally open about everything and things had been pretty much perfect.
"Its nothing bad Ems," Naomi said knowingly," I promise."
"Okay good," Emily replied, somewhat relieved despite herself," Lets sit down then?"
Naomi nodded and followed Emily into the living room, taking a seat on the couch next to her and keeping a hold of her hand as they sat.
"So I went somewhere this afternoon," Naomi started
Emily nodded at her, encouraging the blonde to continue with her story.
"I went to your house," Naomi continued," Now before you say anything I'm sorry if it seems like I went behind your back or something, but I knew you were still hesitant about the whole thing and I just wanted to make sure that things would be different before I tried to throw you back into that whole situation again. But things are different Em," Naomi squeezed Emily's hand," You're mum and me, its all going to be fine okay? So whenever you're ready they want to go out to dinner with us to work on your relationship, they really miss you Em."
Emily was speechless, she wondered for a minute if this was some sort of dream? Her mother and Naomi in the same room having a civil conversation about her and deciding to attempt to put everything behind them, sounded like a dream to her. But she was clearly awake and Naomi was staring at her hesitantly as if she was afraid she had done something wrong.
"So let me get this straight, you went to Fitch manor, the place you have been completely terrified of since we've been together to talk to my parents, who last time they saw you pretty much referred to you as the spawn of Satan who deserved to be attacked like you were?" Emily asked in slight disbelief.
"Um ya," Naomi nodded," I know you said that you weren't ready to talk to them yet but I just wanted to make sure that whenever you are ready that things will be better for you, please don't be mad…"
Naomi wasn't able to get the rest of her sentence out before she suddenly had a lap full of Emily who had brought their mouths together aggressively. Emily rooted her hands through Naomi's hair and kissed her as deeply as she could, trying for the time being to convey without words how much everything Naomi had done meant to her. She sighed into her girlfriend's mouth when she felt Naomi's hands finally grip her back and pull her impossibly closer, the shock of Emily's reaction finally wearing off apparently. When oxygen became a necessity Emily pulled back, keeping herself in Naomi's lap and buried her face in her neck.
"Thank you," she whispered over and over again before pulling back to look into the blue eyes she adored so much," I can't believe you did that for me."
"Of course," Naomi breathed a sigh of relief that Emily was happy with the news," I'd do anything for you, you know that."
Emily didn't think it was possible to love Naomi any more, but in that moment she definitely somehow fell even deeper for the blonde.
"I know you would, but seriously that must have been awful for you," Emily reasoned," I hope she wasn't too terrible."
"Nah," Naomi shrugged it off," You know that Fitches can only be immune to my charms for so long, just look at Katiekins! Besides all she really wanted to know was that I wasn't out to keep you away from her, and that I wouldn't hurt you anymore, but that's what all parents want from their kids boyfriend of girlfriend yeah?"
"We are talking about the same Jenna Fitch right?" Emily laughed slightly in disbelief of the picture Naomi was painting of her mother," Tall, dark hair, green eyes, homophobic to the core?"
Naomi rubbed her hands up and down Emily's arms as a comforting gesture, she knew it was going to take some time for Emily to be fully convinced at her mother's motives, but Naomi was fairly certain that Jenna was being sincere. She had finally realized that if things didn't change she was going to lose her daughter forever and Naomi couldn't think of a bigger fear for a parent than that.
"She got a taste of life without you Em," Naomi explained," Heaven knows I know how it feels and its not a fun place to be in. Now I'm not saying its going to be all sunshine and ponies and the four of us riding off into the sunset or something," Naomi stopped as Emily giggled slightly at the visual," but we're going to try okay, for you, because I don't want you to have to choose between the two of us and have you regret it somewhere down the line."
"Fuck you are so amazing," Emily sighed," I love you so much Naomi, and I have no clue what I did in a past life to deserve you."
"You must have been a saint or something," Naomi joked, winking at her now beaming girlfriend, Naomi knew if she could do anything for the rest of her life it would be to make sure that look stayed on Emily's face as long as she could possibly keep it there.
"Come here," Emily pulled Naomi in again by the collar of her shirt and kissed her, pulling back quickly to whisper in her ear," Lets go upstairs, remember that thing we did the other night that you liked so much?"
"Hmmm," Naomi murmured in agreement as Emily placed kisses just behind her ear, she couldn't help but shift slightly at the sensation of Emily's lips on her neck and the hips grinding slightly in her lap, that paired with the visual Emily had just put in her head was enough to cause Naomi to over heat.
"Well I'm going to do that to you," Emily whispered," Allllll night."
The way she dragged out the last statement had left Naomi in such a far way state that when Emily lifted herself out of Naomi's lap she had to physically pull her girlfriend up off the couch and towards her bedroom, breaking Naomi from her lusty thoughts briefly before she was thrown down on the bed and completely taken over by Emily.
The next morning Emily woke up with Naomi wrapped completely around her, dead to the world. Not that Emily could blame her, Emily had lost count of how many times she had made Naomi fall apart around her the previous night, and she hadn't particularly wanted to stop when she did, only gave in when Naomi weakly pushed her away and said that she couldn't take anymore. Emily reluctantly agreed after promising to continue her big thank you next night, Naomi was asleep literally seconds after she had curled tightly around Emily's body and hadn't moved an inch the entire night.
Trying not to disturb Naomi Emily slowly inched her way out of her arms and smiled uncontrollably when Naomi frowned slightly in her sleep and pulled Emily's pillow into the same embrace Emily had just vacated. Naomi really was the most adorable thing on the planet whether she wanted to admit it or not and that fact alone was making it difficult for Emily to leave the bed but she knew that she wanted to get this phone conversation over with sooner than later.
Emily picked up her cell phone off the side table and dialed the number that she had memorized by heart, two rings went through before she heard the familiar voice of her mother on the other end.
"Hello," Jenna's voice rang through the phone.
"Hi mum, "Emily said timidly, despite Naomi's assurances that things were going to be different she still had her doubts about the reaction she was going to illicit from her mother after basically running away from home.
"Emily? Its so good to hear from you, Naomi said you would call but I didn't think it would be so soon," Jenna said sounding genuinely pleased.
"I had some spare time and figured why not, no point delaying the inevitable," Emily explained, still not completely ready to let go of everything that had happened between them in the past year.
"I'm so sorry Emily, I've wanted to call, ive picked up the phone so many times but I just figured that you wouldn't want to speak to me," Jenna tried.
"I don't want to talk about it right now, I just wanted you to know that Naomi told me about the talk you guys had and say how much I appreciate you finally starting to make an effort," Emily said," I was thinking we could do dinner sometime this week and maybe talk everything else through face to face?"
"That sounds lovely," Jenna agreed," I'll let your father know."
"Naomi will be joining us," Emily made sure to point out before her mother was able to make any wrong assumptions.
"Of course dear, it was her idea after all," Jenna agreed," And I meant it when I said I was going to make more of an effort to get to know Naomi, if you see something in her there must be some redeeming quality there somewhere."
Well it wasn't the grand change of attitude Emily was secretly hoping her mother would have towards her girlfriend but she knew that was unrealistic in any case.
"How does Wednesday at 7:00 sound?" Emily asked," I'll text you the address."
"Sounds perfect," Jenna replied," We'll see you then, and Emily it really was nice to speak to you again, I can't tell you how much I've missed just hearing your voice."
"I know, me too mum," Emily agreed," I'll see you soon."
And with that Emily hung up the phone, she looked back over at her slumbering girlfriend and wondered to herself what the hell Naomi had said to her mother to cause such a drastic change in her demeanor. Now all she could do was wait and hope that it wasn't an act being put on by her mother but a genuine change. She slowly rooted herself back into Naomi's embrace nestling her face into Naomi's neck and once again breathed in the silence. She couldn't help thinking that even if everything didn't work out with her parents there was worse places she could end up than in Naomi's arms.