Fic: Premonitions
Title: Premonitions
Characters: Jenna, Emily/Naomi
Rating: PG
Words: 1862
Summary: A sort of missing scene set before S4. Jenna tries to deal with how Emily's changed since her relationship with Naomi.
Disclaimer: Not my characters
Jenna knows she’s a good mother. She knows she brought her children up the right way. It’s why when Emily started…behaving this way it was all such a shock.
Emily had always been the thoughtful one. Katie was the one that she'd always had more fun with - not that Jenna would ever tell either of them that - but it was Emily who had given her hugs to cheer her up when Rob was being a dickhead again and it was Emily who, as a child of four, didn't understand why things were sad, but she knew that they were sometimes.
It had always been that way. Right up until they both went off to college, and then that girl had taken hold of her. After that it seemed to Jenna like Emily went out of her way to be hurtful and disobedient toward her. She doesn't understand why. It can’t be her, because she wasn't a bad parent - Katie proves that. She's done right by Katie, who’s a good girl, and she's a happy girl. So Jenna's clearly doing something right, she's not a complete failure.
It's all she's ever wanted, for her children to be happy and not make the same mistakes she herself had made in her past. But Emily seems intent on knowing best and she's refusing to listen to sense, because God forbid her mother might actually know what she’s talking about.
But Jenna does know. Of course she knows what it's like to be seventeen and caught up in someone else. Her and Rob were a whirlwind romance. He was this dashing young man who swept her off her feet, showering her in compliments and smiles and flowers and promises. She was young, young and naïve. Young and stupid more like. She had believed him when he said how far they'd go together.
Of course it hadn't happened the way she wanted. And if she'd known back then what she knows now? Then maybe everything in her life would be different. She doesn't wish for that, of course not. She couldn't wish for a life without her beautiful girls and her bright boy. And her and Rob had worked hard to make sure that they could both still have all of those things that he had promised. But it was hard, make no mistake about it, none of this had come easily, and all of it had come with sacrifice.
And Emily still has a chance to not make the mistakes in the first place, she still has a chance not to have to make the sacrifices, but she's too stubborn to realise that her mother might know best. This new Emily never listens to her and it's frustrating, so frustrating, because she's just trying to help. It hurts her, that Emily can't - won't - see that.
And if Jenna's being honest, she misses her. She misses her little girl with the cheeky smile who'd give her a kiss and a cuddle to make her feel better.
---
Emily's due back home any minute, so when the doorbell rings, Jenna just assumes that she's forgotten her keys, again. Emily would forget her head if it wasn’t screwed on these days. It's not Emily though, she can see the tall outline through the glass and she can see the distorted image of blonde hair. Jenna opens the door with a curt, "Naomi."
"Is Emily there please?" It's polite, it always is, but it comes across so cutting that Jenna can't help but frown.
"She's not arrived back yet actually."
"Oh, right.” Naomi looks over her shoulder and grips on to the straps of a hideously oversized bag. “Well I'll, eh, just wait out here then."
Jenna almost agrees, but then she remembers the other night and Rob pleading with her to just try for Emily's sake. For Emily. It's a silly idea, but maybe just humouring her for a while will help her get over this...nonsense sooner. So she stops her hand, which had instinctively made to close the door, and says, "You can come in. While you wait. If you'd like to."
Naomi looks stunned for a second, gaping her mouth in a very unattractive manner and scrunching up her brow (wrinkles, Jenna thinks, but holds her tongue), before pulling herself together. "Um, ok."
Jenna notes with some irritation that Naomi already knows exactly where the living room is and heads there without any directions from her, but she takes a deep breath and reminds herself that she is the one who is being the mature adult in this situation. Besides, it wouldn't do to let the neighbours see some girl littering cigarette butts outside of her house.
---
If Naomi would just put a little effort in perhaps. That jacket, for a start, is just a fragrant disregard of basic fashion rules and it shows a complete lack of common sense. What on earth did this girl's mother teach her? Does she even know that Naomi shows her up in such a way? None of Jenna's children would embarrass her like this, they've been taught far better.
The disturbing thing is that Naomi's not, well she knows that Rob thinks she's an attractive girl, which Jenna doesn't exactly agree with, but she’s not a troll and the basis for something could be there with the right beauty regime.
Naomi clears her throat awkwardly and Jenna realises that sitting in silence until Emily arrives home isn't really conducive to being the bigger person. "So, Naomi. What are your plans for next year?"
Naomi shifts uncomfortably. "I'm not sure really. Travelling, I think."
"Oh lovely, nice to get away from Bristol I'm sure. You know, away from everything keeping you back here. Going on your own are you?"
"Uh no, actually. It was Emily's idea, so we're going together." Naomi raises an eyebrow, "She didn't say?"
And no, of course she didn't say, because this new Emily swans around without a care in the world, and why would she notify her mother she was just going to nip around the world for a year instead of furthering her education. Jenna feels her frustration at all this silliness rise again, but makes sure to keep her smile fixed in place. "Oh, of course she did, but you know Emily, so many plans,” she replies through gritted teeth. “So many opportunities for such a bright girl. She's got all the universities banging down her door you know."
"Yeah," Naomi replies quietly, staring intently at the ground. “I’m sure she does.” She looks quite pensive, and a little embarrassed, perhaps.
Good, Jenna thinks, Naomi should know how much she's holding Emily back from her real life. "Tea?" Jenna asks, as cheerily as she can manage under the trying circumstances.
---
It's been another twenty minutes of unpleasant small talk and Emily's still not returned. This isn't like her. It’s not like the Emily that Jenna knows. But this Emily is taking every opportunity to rebel against her.
That ridiculous moped for a start, which was surely Naomi’s idea in the first place because Emily is far too sensible for all of that. Or rather, Emily was too sensible for all of that, but now she's intent on doing herself damage, and now she's late and anything could have happened to her out there, and Jenna wouldn’t know. She’s fretting now, picking at her cuticles distractedly. It’s a horrible habit, and one that she chastises the children for on a regular basis, but she’s worried and isn’t paying attention to her nails.
Naomi’s taken to looking out of the window, but something must snap because she huffs and gets her phone out her pocket to make a call. It’s hardly the time for socialising, not when Emily could be out there, needing their help. But Naomi doesn’t get connected to whoever it is and hangs up with a frown.
"Rang to voicemail," she says.
The “Oh,” comes from Jenna’s mouth before she can stop it. Emily, she was phoning Emily. And Emily didn’t answer. It shouldn’t really make her more nervous, it doesn’t prove anything, but her stomach twists violently all the same.
---
It’s been a further ten minutes. Nothing. Jenna’s not spoken a word since Naomi hung up the phone, and Naomi’s stayed silent as well. The tension is ramped up with ever tick of that bloody stupid grandfather clock that Rob had insisted added character to the room. She’ll give him character when she next sees him. She’ll wring his neck with character if that’s what he wants.
The door slamming closed jolts them out of their wordless concern, and Emily comes into the living room not a minute later, looking windswept but intact, and still wearing that god-awful helmet that messes her hair so.
Jenna gets to her feet immediately. "Jesus, Emily! Where the hell have you been young lady? Must you take off on these, these flights of fancy? I've been sitting here, worried sick about you."
"Yeah Ems, couldn't you have just text?” Naomi chimes in. Jenna’s neck whips round to stare at her, and she tries not to let her legs give way in surprise. "You know, just to say you were still alive?"
She's obviously not the only one in shock, as Emily looks between them both with raised eyebrows. Jenna focuses all her energy on turning back to Emily and staying angry.
"Sorry," Emily mumbles eventually, looking at her feet, when both Jenna and Naomi have held their glares. "Just forgot my phone and lost track of time."
Naomi regards her for a second. "Are you ok? Have you - have you been crying?"
And, now that she mentions it, Jenna can see the slight puffiness under Emily's eyes. If Naomi has done something else to upset Emily and caused all of this, then Jenna will be putting her foot down and calling an end to this, this charade immediately.
Emily looks confused at first, but her face clears as realisation hits. "Oh, no, I only got a bit of dirt in my eye, that's all. It's fine."
That just goes to show it. That moped is no good for her; Emily's going to do herself more serious damage if this keeps up any longer. "That’s it. You're banned from taking that thing, that death trap out for the rest of this week, do you hear me Emily?" She waits for the subsequent argument, the one that Emily has been picking at for even the slightest of things for the last few months. But it doesn't come.
Instead Emily nods and kisses Jenna's cheek. "Thanks mum," she whispers and then tilts her head at Naomi. "Coming?"
Jenna doesn't say anything as they walk out of the door together, only purses her lips together tightly. Something still doesn't sit right about Naomi, something isn't quite - it just feels wrong. Call it mother’s intuition, Jenna doesn’t know, but what she does know is that Naomi's no good for Emily.
Still, there's one thing that she can't deny any longer. As taken as Emily still is with Naomi, it looks like Naomi might care about her daughter too.
Characters: Jenna, Emily/Naomi
Rating: PG
Words: 1862
Summary: A sort of missing scene set before S4. Jenna tries to deal with how Emily's changed since her relationship with Naomi.
Disclaimer: Not my characters
Jenna knows she’s a good mother. She knows she brought her children up the right way. It’s why when Emily started…behaving this way it was all such a shock.
Emily had always been the thoughtful one. Katie was the one that she'd always had more fun with - not that Jenna would ever tell either of them that - but it was Emily who had given her hugs to cheer her up when Rob was being a dickhead again and it was Emily who, as a child of four, didn't understand why things were sad, but she knew that they were sometimes.
It had always been that way. Right up until they both went off to college, and then that girl had taken hold of her. After that it seemed to Jenna like Emily went out of her way to be hurtful and disobedient toward her. She doesn't understand why. It can’t be her, because she wasn't a bad parent - Katie proves that. She's done right by Katie, who’s a good girl, and she's a happy girl. So Jenna's clearly doing something right, she's not a complete failure.
It's all she's ever wanted, for her children to be happy and not make the same mistakes she herself had made in her past. But Emily seems intent on knowing best and she's refusing to listen to sense, because God forbid her mother might actually know what she’s talking about.
But Jenna does know. Of course she knows what it's like to be seventeen and caught up in someone else. Her and Rob were a whirlwind romance. He was this dashing young man who swept her off her feet, showering her in compliments and smiles and flowers and promises. She was young, young and naïve. Young and stupid more like. She had believed him when he said how far they'd go together.
Of course it hadn't happened the way she wanted. And if she'd known back then what she knows now? Then maybe everything in her life would be different. She doesn't wish for that, of course not. She couldn't wish for a life without her beautiful girls and her bright boy. And her and Rob had worked hard to make sure that they could both still have all of those things that he had promised. But it was hard, make no mistake about it, none of this had come easily, and all of it had come with sacrifice.
And Emily still has a chance to not make the mistakes in the first place, she still has a chance not to have to make the sacrifices, but she's too stubborn to realise that her mother might know best. This new Emily never listens to her and it's frustrating, so frustrating, because she's just trying to help. It hurts her, that Emily can't - won't - see that.
And if Jenna's being honest, she misses her. She misses her little girl with the cheeky smile who'd give her a kiss and a cuddle to make her feel better.
---
Emily's due back home any minute, so when the doorbell rings, Jenna just assumes that she's forgotten her keys, again. Emily would forget her head if it wasn’t screwed on these days. It's not Emily though, she can see the tall outline through the glass and she can see the distorted image of blonde hair. Jenna opens the door with a curt, "Naomi."
"Is Emily there please?" It's polite, it always is, but it comes across so cutting that Jenna can't help but frown.
"She's not arrived back yet actually."
"Oh, right.” Naomi looks over her shoulder and grips on to the straps of a hideously oversized bag. “Well I'll, eh, just wait out here then."
Jenna almost agrees, but then she remembers the other night and Rob pleading with her to just try for Emily's sake. For Emily. It's a silly idea, but maybe just humouring her for a while will help her get over this...nonsense sooner. So she stops her hand, which had instinctively made to close the door, and says, "You can come in. While you wait. If you'd like to."
Naomi looks stunned for a second, gaping her mouth in a very unattractive manner and scrunching up her brow (wrinkles, Jenna thinks, but holds her tongue), before pulling herself together. "Um, ok."
Jenna notes with some irritation that Naomi already knows exactly where the living room is and heads there without any directions from her, but she takes a deep breath and reminds herself that she is the one who is being the mature adult in this situation. Besides, it wouldn't do to let the neighbours see some girl littering cigarette butts outside of her house.
---
If Naomi would just put a little effort in perhaps. That jacket, for a start, is just a fragrant disregard of basic fashion rules and it shows a complete lack of common sense. What on earth did this girl's mother teach her? Does she even know that Naomi shows her up in such a way? None of Jenna's children would embarrass her like this, they've been taught far better.
The disturbing thing is that Naomi's not, well she knows that Rob thinks she's an attractive girl, which Jenna doesn't exactly agree with, but she’s not a troll and the basis for something could be there with the right beauty regime.
Naomi clears her throat awkwardly and Jenna realises that sitting in silence until Emily arrives home isn't really conducive to being the bigger person. "So, Naomi. What are your plans for next year?"
Naomi shifts uncomfortably. "I'm not sure really. Travelling, I think."
"Oh lovely, nice to get away from Bristol I'm sure. You know, away from everything keeping you back here. Going on your own are you?"
"Uh no, actually. It was Emily's idea, so we're going together." Naomi raises an eyebrow, "She didn't say?"
And no, of course she didn't say, because this new Emily swans around without a care in the world, and why would she notify her mother she was just going to nip around the world for a year instead of furthering her education. Jenna feels her frustration at all this silliness rise again, but makes sure to keep her smile fixed in place. "Oh, of course she did, but you know Emily, so many plans,” she replies through gritted teeth. “So many opportunities for such a bright girl. She's got all the universities banging down her door you know."
"Yeah," Naomi replies quietly, staring intently at the ground. “I’m sure she does.” She looks quite pensive, and a little embarrassed, perhaps.
Good, Jenna thinks, Naomi should know how much she's holding Emily back from her real life. "Tea?" Jenna asks, as cheerily as she can manage under the trying circumstances.
---
It's been another twenty minutes of unpleasant small talk and Emily's still not returned. This isn't like her. It’s not like the Emily that Jenna knows. But this Emily is taking every opportunity to rebel against her.
That ridiculous moped for a start, which was surely Naomi’s idea in the first place because Emily is far too sensible for all of that. Or rather, Emily was too sensible for all of that, but now she's intent on doing herself damage, and now she's late and anything could have happened to her out there, and Jenna wouldn’t know. She’s fretting now, picking at her cuticles distractedly. It’s a horrible habit, and one that she chastises the children for on a regular basis, but she’s worried and isn’t paying attention to her nails.
Naomi’s taken to looking out of the window, but something must snap because she huffs and gets her phone out her pocket to make a call. It’s hardly the time for socialising, not when Emily could be out there, needing their help. But Naomi doesn’t get connected to whoever it is and hangs up with a frown.
"Rang to voicemail," she says.
The “Oh,” comes from Jenna’s mouth before she can stop it. Emily, she was phoning Emily. And Emily didn’t answer. It shouldn’t really make her more nervous, it doesn’t prove anything, but her stomach twists violently all the same.
---
It’s been a further ten minutes. Nothing. Jenna’s not spoken a word since Naomi hung up the phone, and Naomi’s stayed silent as well. The tension is ramped up with ever tick of that bloody stupid grandfather clock that Rob had insisted added character to the room. She’ll give him character when she next sees him. She’ll wring his neck with character if that’s what he wants.
The door slamming closed jolts them out of their wordless concern, and Emily comes into the living room not a minute later, looking windswept but intact, and still wearing that god-awful helmet that messes her hair so.
Jenna gets to her feet immediately. "Jesus, Emily! Where the hell have you been young lady? Must you take off on these, these flights of fancy? I've been sitting here, worried sick about you."
"Yeah Ems, couldn't you have just text?” Naomi chimes in. Jenna’s neck whips round to stare at her, and she tries not to let her legs give way in surprise. "You know, just to say you were still alive?"
She's obviously not the only one in shock, as Emily looks between them both with raised eyebrows. Jenna focuses all her energy on turning back to Emily and staying angry.
"Sorry," Emily mumbles eventually, looking at her feet, when both Jenna and Naomi have held their glares. "Just forgot my phone and lost track of time."
Naomi regards her for a second. "Are you ok? Have you - have you been crying?"
And, now that she mentions it, Jenna can see the slight puffiness under Emily's eyes. If Naomi has done something else to upset Emily and caused all of this, then Jenna will be putting her foot down and calling an end to this, this charade immediately.
Emily looks confused at first, but her face clears as realisation hits. "Oh, no, I only got a bit of dirt in my eye, that's all. It's fine."
That just goes to show it. That moped is no good for her; Emily's going to do herself more serious damage if this keeps up any longer. "That’s it. You're banned from taking that thing, that death trap out for the rest of this week, do you hear me Emily?" She waits for the subsequent argument, the one that Emily has been picking at for even the slightest of things for the last few months. But it doesn't come.
Instead Emily nods and kisses Jenna's cheek. "Thanks mum," she whispers and then tilts her head at Naomi. "Coming?"
Jenna doesn't say anything as they walk out of the door together, only purses her lips together tightly. Something still doesn't sit right about Naomi, something isn't quite - it just feels wrong. Call it mother’s intuition, Jenna doesn’t know, but what she does know is that Naomi's no good for Emily.
Still, there's one thing that she can't deny any longer. As taken as Emily still is with Naomi, it looks like Naomi might care about her daughter too.