Star Crossed Lovers

The night is still young.

Wincing, Emily propped herself up against the bed frame, slamming her hand on the radio making the music abruptly stop.Sensing movement from outside her room she slumped back down, closing her eyes hoping it was again Amy entering.However, this not the case as it was indeed a red faced Carla Connor who pulled up a chair by Emily's bed. "Just me.I just wanted to talk to you individually before everyone else flooded in.""I don't want to talk."Emily said sternly."Please."Carla begged."There's something I have to tell you: about your mum, about Susan...."Her voice trailed off, like she wanted to continue to speak but couldn't find the right words.Just before Carla could once again make an attempt at speaking, Kate blustered through the door.Her face was tear stained; she had been crying for hours contemplating the possible unbearable death of her best friend. She pulled in Rana with her who was clutching Kate by the hand,interlocking her fingers with Kates. Before long, Adam appeared behind her pushing past to embrace his sister.In relief, he hugged his sister tightly leading to Emily groan in pain suffocating in his affection. Apologetic, Adam backed away from his sister to allow Peter and others to get closer to Emily. In turn friends and family each expressed their upmost solace in the fact she was alive and well. However, Emily looked back to them emotionless."I'm fine." She said briefly. In fact she said barely anything in the weeks leading on from her shooting. Not talking to anyone at length, she chose to omit her feelings and her pain to her loved ones and instead told them not to worry themselves. The police were also frequent visitors whilst Emily recovered in hospital; enquiring and checking up on her but she knew that their real intentions were getting her back on the force, to get her back at work as soon as possible because she was indispensable.They didn't see her as she was: Damaged. They saw her as a officer who could solve any case given to her, they would push her to breaking point if needs be. A mere gunshot wound is just a blip, a minor inconvenience in their eyes.

Back on the street, Kate was in her flat frantically fixing the throw which lay half hanging off the couch. "Hey....." Rana began as she approached a agitated Kate.She interlocked her hands into Kates.Pulling Kate close, she span her away from the couch now to touching distance.They were so close they could smell each others perfumes, see the freckles on their cheeks, touch each others lips with their own. At first Kate was hesitant.Her mind was focused on getting things sorted for when Emily got back but Rana was so tempting, she could never resist her however hard she tried to. It was Rana's alluring nature which she always used to her advantage. Rana was able to tempt any man she wanted to they would always succumb but this didn't fulfil Rana except with Kate.They both wanted each others love so much. They teased at first, Rana biting Kate's lip but then Rana led Kate to the bedroom.Kate brushed her hands in Rana's hair and found herself unbuckling Rana's belt.After a while, the couple lay in bed with the duvet over themselves in close proximity of each other.Kate put her arm around Rana's shoulder whilst Rana nestled her head onto Kate's chest.All the confusion, the affair, the kidnapping. Everything. It was all worth it, in that moment Rana's heart was full, she had found the love of her life and it made everything else pail in comparison. However, there were things she still missed .She missed the relationship with her parents.She craved acceptance from them even though it was a concept she could only dream of.When she envisioned the future she saw Kate by her side with a family of their own, a house on the street and parents who loved her for who she was alas for now this was only fantasy unless she did something about it. Kate's eyes became heavy, her head dropped as she fell back to sleep still cuddled up to Rana. As she did so, Rana turned to the bedside table and reached for her phone. She scrolled through her contacts and started to compose a message to her mother.Her hands wavered as she searched for the right sentence, the right words to type.This whole situation was a mess but she couldn't just ignore it any longer. She was going to be with Kate forever.Her parents needed to accept this now she had divorced Zeedan officially and was moving on and starting her new life with her girlfriend. After a long of contemplation, Rana pressed send and sent her mother a brief text message which read: "Mum, its me, Rana.I don't know even where to begin, where to start but perhaps we could start with a coffee?Let's talk about this,I am still your daughter my heart has not changed but perhaps it has actually grown with love.I love you and Dad so much don't abandon me.How about we meet at the Roys?Tomorrow noon 12, I'll be there waiting. XOXO. It was risky but necessary on Rana's part, her parents just needed to accept that this is who she was.With time she hoped they could come to terms with all of this, that they would at least try because of the fact it was their daughter.Family was so important to Rana she just hoped they would come through.

Meanwhile, Emily was ready to be discharged.She held her side in pain as she limped out of the hospital leaning on her brother Adam who ushered her into a cab." You can live with me for a bit you know. I can look after you." He suggested." Adam, you can barely look after yourself never mind a sister who has had a bang on the head and a bullet through the abdomen. Don't worry I've been through a lot worse. I remember I was on assignment, helping out with the CIA and well this was nothing compared to out there...."Adam looked puzzled. Already Emily had said too much so quickly looked down and immediately stopped speaking. Something was different about her, she was so blasé and nonchalant about what she had just been through. Like she had completely shut herself off to the world not letting anything get in.She arrived back at the flat to be greeted by a flustered Kate who was dressed in a bathrobe shortly after being followed by Rana who was coincidently wearing a bathrobe." Sorry to interrupt" she quipped. "No of course you weren't..I just didn't expect you till later on, past 6."Kate chuckled nervously. "You were always a terrible liar Kate. Oh and I got out early. The doctors were glad to see the back of me, I think . More room for another patient now" replied Emily. "Don't worry yourself, go back to whatever you two....were up to. I'm off out. "Kate was dumbfounded as she watched Emily head for the direction of her bedroom in search of a new change of clothes. "Yeah, I'm meeting a work collegue.They are going to catch me up to speed with a case she is working on."Emily hollered from behind her bedroom door before emerging in a jumpsuit and leather jacket."You can't."Rana protested."You need to rest.After your ordeal..."Emily turned to Rana as she opened the clasp on the front door, "The doctors also said I need to make sure I keep moving so I don't get any blood clots, so that's what I'm doing.Don't worry I know the drill, Gunshot wounds, burns, stabbings.Even pepper spray to they eyes.I've had them all.I'll see you both later.Don't wait up."She added with a cheeky grin before leaving but once she was out of their sight, her grin turned to a grimace.Crossing the road she saw a familiar face:Sophie. Talking to a woman older enough to be her mother outside Speed Daal. Emily analysed the situation before shouting"Hey! I'm headed off to town, fancy joining me?"Sophie jolted before the dark haired woman hurried off.Emily crossed over preventing Sophie from leaving."She's a little too old for you.You do know that, right?"Emily teased."She's my mother's lawyer."Sophie quickly reaffirmed."I know, I could tell by the way she stood."Emily began."I always liked older women.There was this teacher I had a major crush on back at Hollywell High.But she was so boring, always worrying about consequences, what would happen if we were caught.Ecetera, ecterea, ect.How old is she anyways?About 47?"Sophie looked down to the floor.Emily saw she was vulnerable and uncharacteristically acted on this."Well, the night is still young even if she's not.I'm off to town.See you around Soph."Emily said, heading for the tram station leaving an ashamed and upset Sophie rooted in place.