...But Your Enemies Closer

"So you don't talk to you parents at all? No siblings that you have a relationship either? Just, that's it?" Rebecca finally managed to get out.

"Pretty much." Emily nodded, "I suppose you wouldn't know anything about how terrible my home life was since you were so distracted on matching my school life up to the same standard back then."

Rebecca flushed red like she always did when their past was brought up. It felt like she was never going to be able to outrun the person she once was, especially not when it came to diverging personal information with Emily. She just couldn't catch a break it seemed.

Unlike the previous forays into these memories though, Emily reached over to take Rebecca's hand and set her with a comforting smile. "That wasn't meant to come across in a mean way. I was just stating facts Becca."

"Still hate hearing it." Rebecca grumbled under her breath, refusing to meet Emily's eyes.

"I know. I'm sorry." Emily replied and the tone she conveyed said that she authentically meant it too. "What I meant was, while school life was complete shit, home life was no better."

Rebecca could tell that this wasn't a pleasant thing for Emily to think about and she didn't want the girl to suffer through bad memories for her sake. "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. I'll understand." The brunette whispered.

"No, it's okay. I always want to be completely honest with you. I think you've earned that much." Emily told the brunette with a firm nod of her head -- which seemed like an action more for herself than for Rebecca's sake. "I grew up as an only child and my parents never even wanted me in all reality. They weren't the easiest people to live with since my mom was an alcoholic and my dad was very...neglectful. I'm sure that some would argue that it created some sort of abandonment issues in me, but I just think that it taught me that no one really cared much."

"Sounds more like the stem of your trust issues than abandonment ones." Rebecca muttered under her breath. She thought it was something that just went through her head but by the look Emily had thrown her, she realized that it had slipped out of her mouth. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say that out loud."

"You're right though." Emily sighed. "I've never cared much about people leaving me, because I never let anyone get close enough, but I do have a problem trusting. Even when it comes to the simplest tasks, I would rather just do things myself that way I know it will get done the way it's supposed to."

"That's not necessarily a bad thing." Rebecca said softly, cautiously. "But I guess it would be a little easier on everyone if you were able to delegate with a little more faith. Or, I don't know, feel like you could let a little bit of the pressure off that you keep on yourself."

Emily considered Rebecca for a long moment. She searched her face for a sign, something that she could assure herself that the brunette was lying or being insincere, but she couldn't find anything. Rebecca truly cared, and that was a hard feeling for Emily to cope with.

"I know you're right. It's hard though." The blonde muttered.

"I know the feeling. Trust me." Rebecca said. "I haven't talked to my parents or either of my siblings for, oh, four or five years now. We had a bit of fallout after my accident. They wanted me to suck it up and drive on after it happened but it wasn't an easy thing for me to do, especially with how depressed I got after it all, you know? They were more concerned about me creating a new image for myself than my emotional and mental well-being and that was when I finally just cut ties. It was still hard though. Like, if my family didn't have my back at my worst, who could? But I was wrong about that."

"How so?"

"Well I met my friends. The ones I told you about, Rawly and Celia and Evie. They really showed me how much I was worth even when I felt like the biggest, most useless piece of shit that ever walked the planet. If it wasn't for those three, well I don't think I would be what I am today." Rebecca rubbed the back of her neck with her free hand, the other still intertwined with Emily's, "I guess what I'm trying to say by all this is that I...well I want to be that for you. I want to be the person that shows you that it's all right to have a fucked up past because it doesn't have to reflect your future. Ironic right?"

"Quite." Emily uttered a tiny laugh, and then looked on at the brunette with such admiration in her eyes that she felt her chest literally well up from the gesture. "But, it's very sweet too."

"Well, I have my moments every now and again." Rebecca glanced at Emily with a little grin, "You have the tendency to bring it out in me more than anyone though."

The intense connection that Emily felt towards Rebecca all of a sudden was impossible to ignore. She was being pulled in as if Rebecca was a riptide. Like they two of them were magnets that were made to attract and not repel for once.

Simply put, like they belonged together.

Emily began to lean in, licking her lips as she did. She couldn't tell at all what Rebecca was thinking of by the struck expression that graced her beautiful face, but that was all right. Emily was content to do the thinking for both of them right now.

With her eyes trained on the brunette's lips, she inched forward, getting so close to completely erasing the distance between them. Just a little bit further and the blonde would taste the sweet heaven of Rebecca's kiss once more. The soft press of her lips was something that she had missed like a bad drug and she couldn't wait to get her fix again.

So close, just a little further.

***

Emily stirred with a groan as the light her eyes. She turned over, pulling the blankets over her head as she did and muttered curses at the brightness of the sun. A small chuckle to her right pulled her messy blonde head back from the blankets just as quick however.

Rebecca lay on her side and gazed at Emily fondly. She had an elbow on the bed, supporting her weight as she propped up her chin in order to look over the little blonde better. The brunette's eyes twinkled with merriment even as her small giggles tapered off at Emily's confused face.

"Morning." Rebecca said softly.

"Good," Emily choked out before she stopped and cleared her throat from the thick phlegm that was making normal speech an incapability at the current moment. "Good morning."

Rebecca cocked her head and considered the blonde. "You look surprised to see me. Did you expect me to run off before you woke?"

"No! Of course not, I'm just...a bit disoriented still I guess." Emily offered a little chuckle of her own in spite of herself.

"Hmm." Rebecca hummed and ran a lazy finger up and down Emily's bare arm lying next to her.

The blonde looked at Rebecca as though she were seeing her for the first time in the new morning light. The rising sun cast beautiful golden shadows over her toned body and a halo over her long, disheveled brunette locks. Emily moved the bangs out of her lover's face and smiled.

"You have no idea how many times I've thought about waking up next to you like this." Emily whispered. "I've always wondered if you looked just as beautiful first thing in the morning as you do every other moment of the day."

"I guess you'll have to keep wondering." Rebecca said and suddenly her hand was gone from the blonde's skin.

Emily brow's furrowed, "What do you mean?"

"You tell me." Rebecca answered, her voice sounding very far away now, "It's your dream."

Emily sat up with a start and looked around her. The sun was still shining into her windows with all of its bright, annoying energy and her sheets were still a tangled mess. The only thing missing was Rebecca.

"Fuck me." Emily muttered and flopped back on the bed.

It all came flooding back to Emily then. The almost kiss that was abruptly broken off when Rebecca had pulled away at the last moment and distanced herself from the blonde. It was so infuriating.

She was so close to getting exactly what she wanted and then Rebecca simply stood up and muttered some lame apology before running out of the house. It was somewhat understandable at first, the brunette didn't want to be burned by the spark between them any more than Emily did, but now it was just annoying. It also left Emily with the thoughts that she had misjudged Rebecca. Perhaps the girl had just gotten over her attraction and moved on?

That didn't make any sense though. If she had no interest in Emily, then she would just lay down the truth in a simple and direct manner. That was how Rebecca did things. She didn't scurry away like a scorned puppy with its tail between its legs.

Something was going on in that pretty little head and Emily was going to get to the bottom of it sooner rather than later. The frustration she was feeling -- especially between her thighs -- wouldn't hold out much longer otherwise. Now if only she had a plan...

Emily's thoughts were instantly torn apart by the sound of her phone vibrating on the bedside table. The blonde looked at it and sighed, having a bad feeling that she was going to be asked to come in and deal with something for her current project -- and for once, she didn't want to go into work to burn off her frustration. Maybe if she just ignored it, they would leave her be.

There was no way that Emily could do that in good consciousness though. With a sigh, she turned and fumbled for the phone blindly. She would look at the message but she wasn't going to expend too much energy to do so.

What Emily saw in that message had her scrambling to sit up in bed however.

It wasn't from the office at all, but Rebecca. Emily honestly wasn't expecting to hear back from the brunette so soon after their foray into awkwardville last night. She wasn't about to complain though. No sir.

Becca: Got any plans tonight Emmy?

Emily bit her lip as she stared at the five simple words. She almost did nothing on her weekends, well until recently were she spent every possible free moment with Rebecca. The brunette knew that though. Unless this was a trap of some kind. How was she supposed to answer in a nonchalant way so she didn't seem too desperate to know Rebecca's play?

Ugh, this is exactly why I never got mixed up into dating! So many mind games. So much to figure out and no answers to be found anywhere.

Me: Nothing pressing.

Emily hoped that came across as cool and relaxed. She had no idea why it was so hard to surround herself with that aura now. She was the picture of cool and relaxed at work, why did Rebecca make it so fucking hard?

Becca: Cool. Do you want to come out with the gang and me tonight? Grab some drinks and maybe do a little dancing ;)

There was a veritable explosion inside Emily's head at the mere sight of that text. Meeting Rebecca's friends? That was the equivalent of meeting her parents. And dancing? God when was the last time she danced... And was that a winky face? What the fuck was the purpose of the winky face!

Relax. You got this. It's all good. Maybe you don't need a plan. Becca seems to have all your bases covered for you!

That was a completely new problem in itself. Rebecca wasn't the one that was supposed to come up with the plan -- Emily was. She had to control this situation. She had to steer it in the right direction.

The conversation from last night came crashing into her hard at this tired thought process. Maybe she didn't have to control it at all. Rebecca wanted nothing more than to give her a safe place to let go. Perhaps this was just her way of giving Emily the opportunity she needed to do just that.

Emily chewed on her bottom lip and stared at the phone. She read through the last text again and weighed her options. Then with a deep sigh, she typed out a reply.

Me: That sounds great. What time?

Rebecca's response was almost instantaneous.

Becca: Pick you up at 7?

For some reason, Emily couldn't stop herself from smiling. The more she thought about it, the more she wanted to give up this façade of control she had. She really was so exhausted from holding the entire world on her shoulders. Rebecca could take it for a night if she wanted.

Me: Can't wait.

***

Rebecca paced the Stanton's living room with phone in hand. She kept glancing at it as she waited for each of Emily's responses, which were taking much too long in her opinion. As soon as one would come in, she would stop and type out a response before resuming her back and forth once more. Rebecca's friends watched this all with great interest.

"You're going to replace the hole that you wear down in my carpet right?" Celia asked when the pacing had begun again.

"Hmm?" Rebecca hummed without looking up from her phone and then muttered out a distracted, "Oh. Yeah. Sure."

Rawly nudged his wife with his elbow. "I don't think she's going to."

"No." Celia answered with pursed lips.

Evie couldn't take the spectacle anymore. "Jesus Christ! Would you sit the fuck down?"

Rebecca's head snapped up to her friends for the first time in twenty minutes. She stopped moving completely and looked between their faces. From Evie's annoyed scowl to Celia's patient face to Rawly's amused one.

The brunette's phone chimed again and her attention was quickly diverted once more. All three of them sighed in unison -- Evie's ending in a frustrated little groan. They waited for the pacing to start once Rebecca had finished tapping out a reply on her phone, but it didn't.

Instead, she turned on the trio and set them with a very serious face -- a far cry from the confused expression she had worn just moment before. "I need you to listen and listen good -- Evie I'm mostly talking to you here."

"What did I do?" Evie cried indignantly.

"Nothing. Yet." Rebecca replied with narrowed eyes set specifically on her redheaded friend, before she looked at them as a group once more. "I invited Emily to come out with us tonight."

"Ah. That's why you were deadest in ruining my floor." Celia concluded.

"Yes." Rebecca said without even realizing that Celia's words were meant to be a joke, "Anyways, I need you all to promise me that you'll be on your best behavior. I don't care what I've told you before or any assumptions you may have come to previously. You must -- and I cannot stress this enough -- be nice and accommodating to her."

"Do I really need to hear this rigmarole?" Rawly asked with a raised brow, "I'm as nice as they come."

Rebecca nodded. "Good point. You may be excused from this meeting."

"Hey!" Celia and Evie exclaimed simultaneously as Rawly stood from the couch to retreat into the kitchen.

"You're sure to give her the mommy treatment, that's just your thing." Rebecca said addressing Celia specifically and then swung her finger to point at Evie, "And you, are just a bitch when it comes to new people -- especially when you have any kind of prior judgment about them. I can't have you pulling that shit with Emmy tonight."

Evie held her hands up and shook her head, "Hold up, I'm gonna ignore the bitch comment for one second. Did you just call her Emmy?"

Rebecca flushed bright red at the slip up before raising her chin to Evie, "Yes. Is there a problem with me having a nickname for Emily?"

"Only one as vomit inducing as Emmy." Evie scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"I think it's cute." Celia said.

"Not the point!" Rebecca growled and glared at the two women, "Are you going to make this promise or not? I don't have to introduce her to this carnival of chaos you know."

"Then why are you going through all the trouble?" Evie asked with her head cocked in curiosity. Rebecca knew she was just being difficult now.

Celia put a hand on Evie's shoulders as though she was reasoning with a small child, "Because our opinion is so important to Rebecca of course. She wants us to like her little friend," Celia turned her gaze to Rebecca, "Don't you dear?"

"I fucking give up." Rebecca muttered and threw her hands up before walking off.

"Oh come on! Don't be like that Bec." Evie called after her.

Celia followed up with a sarcastic, "If you keep throwing a tantrum I'll send you to bed without dinner Rebecca!"

Rebecca ignored their protests and headed for the door. She was sure they wouldn't be completely unbearable tonight, but was it so hard to give their word? Couldn't they see it was important to her?

Rawly put a hand on Rebecca's before she could turn the handle and stomp out. "I'll make sure that they're on their best behavior." He assured her.

With a content sigh, Rebecca nodded. "You're the only one I like you know."

"I know." Rawly grinned and released the brunette so she could escape from the madness currently residing in his living room.

***

Just as Rebecca had promised, she showed up at seven sharp to pick up Emily. There was a definite air about Rebecca that the blonde noticed right away. She was doing her best to be courteous and even chivalrous in comparison to her normal attitude. Rebecca was never without etiquette, but tonight she was opening and closing doors for Emily and doing everything in her power to take the lead in the whole situation.

Emily had expected to meet these infamous friends of Rebecca's as soon as they got to the car, but was surprised to see when it was just the two of them. "Where are the others?"

"They're gonna meet us at Harvey's." Rebecca looked a little nervous as she answered Emily.

"Something wrong?"

"Well, um, I thought this might be a good time to debrief you before we all met up. I guess you could call this a warning." Rebecca said stiffly.

"Why would I need a warning? You've told me about them before. I'm sure nothing's changed." Emily said with a shrug. "Celia's overprotective of you. Evie is known to have a temper. Rawly's a big teddy bear."

"Yeah, and while that's all good and well in theory I don't think you understand the extent of their, err... colorful personalities."

Emily chuckled at how anxious Rebecca was acting. The blonde was right in assuming that this little outing would be the equivalent of meeting Rebecca's parents -- and crazy little sister if half of what she'd heard about Evie was true. There was obviously a lot riding on this whole experience for the brunette, but oddly enough, Emily wasn't shaken by the fact.

"I'm sure everything will be fine." Emily assured Rebecca with a soothing stroke to the brunette's arm.

"I'm just afraid that they're going to give you shit. Because of our, you know, history." Rebecca explained in no more than a mumble.

"Well, how much do they know?"

Rebecca looked over at the blonde from under her eyelashes and bit her lip. Never a good sign. Of all the tells that Rebecca had, the lip biting happened right before bad news was delivered. The cute under the lashes thing was just to soften the blow.

"Probably more than they should." Rebecca admitted finally.

Emily nodded, trying not to let this slip under her skin. By that simple answer, she guessed that meant that they knew about their ancient history but also about their more recent history as well. That is, the not so professional history that happened while Rebecca was under her employment.

"Okay." Emily whispered, more to herself than anything else and then repeated the word a little louder, "Okay."

"I'm sorry."

"No." Emily shook her head, "No, it's perfectly okay."

Rebecca quirked a brow up. "As you just said. Twice. Well, three times now."

Emily smiled, "Really Becca, I'm sure everything will go just fine. If they need to dish out a few blows to see my sincerity about you then let them. I've got pretty thick skin as you damn well know."