I am uncertain about this story because I don't know whether there are many Skins fans on this site :/ But I decided to update it anyway just to see how it goes. If this gets more reads or whatever then I'll decide whether or not I'll continue publishing on this site.

Just to make things a little clear, the events of this story takes place after Season 7. But there's a few changes. Naomi is still alive, but, she is still suffering from cancer & hasn't undergone any treatment yet. Effy didn't go to prison, she still works at the same place but didn't go through any of the scam stuff like the did in the show. It'll be explained a little better during the story. And again, if you haven't watched Skins UK then this will probably be hard to follow. And if you didn't watch season 7 yet then this may contain spoilers.

Cook's POV

I blinked a few times and even went as far as biting down on my own lip, hard, just to make sure this all wasn't some sort of dream. After a few passing moments and a slight awkward silence I finally accepted the reality. Effy Stonem was here, this was no dream. I studied her features for the first time in three years, the familiarity in her crystal blue eyes and that wry smile I knew all too well. She lets out a long and exaggerated sigh, and I knew why. Suddenly I felt lame, but most of all awkward.

"Have you gone mute or something?" She asks me crossing her arms over her chest. "The Cook I know would have pounced on me by now."

"I wouldn't do... I haven't gone mute. I'm n-not." I answered in a small voice that sounded a lot more awkward than I felt. Shit, this is the first time I have seen Effy in three years and I can barely even say Hello to her. Effy's lips twitch slightly and I can see the amusement in her eyes, I could tell she was trying to hold back the laughter. "I'm just surprised to see you like this so out of the blue."

"Likewise," She answers casually as she begins to talk a few small steps towards me. "I couldn't believe it was you when I saw you in there, I only knew for sure when I followed you out here. Thought it was some f.ucked up dream."

I felt relieved to know that she experienced the same thing as me, I too thought that seeing Effy was some f.ucked up dream. Now that I knew for certain she was definitely real I felt... well words couldn't exactly describe how I felt in this moment. It was definitely surreal.

"Well Eff, it's great to see ya... didn't change much did you?" My eyes linger over the length for her slender body for a second before I bring them back up to her face again. Judging by the look she had on her face, she noticed me looking at her. I shove my hands into my jacket pocket and I clench them, I don't think I ever felt as anxious as I did right now.

She smiles at me, there is no humour or wickedness in this one. She walks towards me once again until we are at least arm's length apart. The scent of her perfume and vodka filled the space between us and in that moment I felt my heart pound against my chest. I ignored the longing urge to reach out and touch her, it would be too weird even if I tried.

This time it was her turn to eye me up, she wasn't to discreet about it either, and I didn't mind. When her eyes come back to meet mine I am about to speak until she pulls me in abruptly, she is hugging me. Really hugging me. My breath comes to a halt when her small arms warp tightly around my waist and rests her head against my chest. My arms hung by my sides, unsure of what to do. After having no contact with Effy for three years it's almost hard to believe that our bodies are pressed so closely together after exchanging only a few words with one another. Did she think I was being strange? Did she think I was being prude compered to how I was three years ago? In truth I was nervous and Effy was doing this to me. I can't think of a time where I ever felt like this around a girl. Finally I force movement in my arms and I run my fingers down her back for a few seconds, I swore I felt her body tremble.

She inhales deeply as if she were taking in my scent. "It's good to see you too Cook. I really don't actually know what to say right now... is this weird for you? I'm sorry." She breaks away and looks to the ground and all of a sudden I got that empty feeling again.

"No," I answer straight away. "I'm f.ucking Cook. When do I ever feel uncomfortable?" Right now, but I think I'll keep that one to myself.

She tried to supress her giggling, but ended up bursting into loud laughter. I have never seen her laugh this way before. It was so rare back in the happier times. To see it now was a beautiful sight. "Yeah you probably haven't changed much Cook. How the hell have you been?"

I hesitated before I answered. What could I possibly tell her? That I'm a fugitive? That I was practically the reason why Emma died? That I fucked up in every sense possible? That I live with the grief of losing Freddy and killing John Foster every day? How could anyone go about saying all that?

"Are you okay?" She asks me, her voice full of genuine concern.

"Yeah," I shrugged. "I'm fine, I've been fine. Things haven't exactly been easy these past three years but I make do. Things have been fucked up in all honesty, but times are sort of better now."

"Your f.ucking Cook, I have no doubt you can handle whatever comes in your way."

I grinned. "What about you, how have you been?"

She pulls a packet of cigarettes from her handbag and offers me one, I take one from the box before she lights it up for me. She lights one of her own and in hales the smokes, eyes fluttering closed. She seemed deep in thought. "I suppose I could say the same as you. Times have been hard but I cope. I'm in a good job, sort of. I'm a receptionist in a London Hedge fund with an arsehole for a boss and I'm sharing with Naomi who isn't exactly in a good way right now. Sometimes I want to bash my head against the wall and scream for something different, but can't exactly complain can I? There's other people living worse off than me."

"Eh? That's good though. At least you have a job." I blew out some smoke. "You're living with Naomikins? F.uck I miss that smart bitch. Bet she misses me too."

"Unfortunately she's too busy having loud sex with Emily every night to spare anyone else a thought," She smiles. "She hasn't changed much either. She's still Naomi."

"Your still Effy." I stomped out my cigarette.

Not the mad one." She blinks. I make full eye contact with her and I just can't shake the feeling within. "Not the one that went off the rails."

"You're still my Effy... I can see that." I said so quickly that I wasn't even aware of it until I saw the shocked expression on Effy's face. Shit, why did I have to say that? It wouldn't surprise me if she decided to make a run for it right now, but she didn't.

"Yep, you're still the same Cook who doesn't hold back in saying what's on his mind. I like that." Her voice was calm with a hint of humour in it also.

"I'm sure there's other things you still like about me also, Princess. It's been way to long."

She grins and doesn't seem phased at all by me calling her Princess, which was yet another mistake by me. "Indeed it has. I've always wondered what it would be like if we met again."

"Was it how you expected it to be? Or did you expect some epic open arm reunion like in the movies?" I asked her jokingly. In truth I have thought about what it would be like seeing Effy again for a very long time. The thoughts were always brushed aside because I knew I probably had no chance of ever seeing her again. After I killed John foster I left straight away with no intentions of saying goodbye to anybody. The last time I seen Effy was in Freddys shed. However that day we barley exchanged any words, which killed me.

Effy shrugs and awkwardly looks down to her feet. She pulls a loose strand of hair behind her ear and I feel paranoid that I have offended her. Those feelings however fade once I catch a glimpse of that Effy smile.

"I wasn't expecting an epic reunion as you say... I don't know what I was expecting really. Just seeing you is enough... I did miss you Cook, especially after Freddy I.... I... well it was hard and you just left. It was like you just vanished into thin air."

Her words struck me like a punch in the face. My heart sank as all the humour and kindness in her eyes is now replaced with sadness. "Sorry... I really shouldn't have brought that up."

"Why did you leave Cook?"

This time I was hit harder than before. I was utterly speechless. This was exactly the kind of question I was dreading, and I wasn't sure if I was fully ready to answer it. Looking into her eyes, I knew she deserved the truth. But words failed me. Memories of what happened in John Fosters house three years ago haunts me to this day, and it won't leave me alone. It wasn't something I have verbally spoken about, ever. Even back when Emma pestered me for the truth about my past before she died, I still wouldn't tell her. It was just one of those things that I am unable to dwell upon for obvious reasons. But being here with Effy now, in some smelly alleyway next to a nightclub, I still felt that familiar closeness with her as it was before. I don't think that connection between us ever left, and something told me she felt that too. How could I possibly lie to her or even avoid the question? And even more importantly, how would she take it?

The tension is broken by the sudden sound of a text message from Effy's handbag. So much for timing. I didn't notice that she had tears in her eyes until she reaches to pull her phone from her bag. I felt awful and wanted nothing more than to pull her in for another embrace. But it became clear to me that perhaps now wasn't the best of times to speak about Freddy or John Foster out in public in case things became messy.

"Fuck." Effy mutters before she quickly moves her fingers over the touchscreen on her phone, a frown forms between her eyebrows.

"Everything alright?" I asked in a flat voice.

"Uh, yeah it's fine. I have to go actually. I was supposed to be back with food and booze for Naomi a half an hour ago." She declared with a sympathetic smile as she clutches her phone. My heart sank. But what right do I have to convince her to stay with me?

"Well it was good seeing you and I hope we can-"

"Give me your hand."

"What?"

"Just give me your hand." She laughs suggestively as she strode towards me whilst she buried her hand in her bag, searching for something I presumed. It was a pen that she pulled out. She stood in front of me and pressed her lips together, waiting. Hesitantly I held my hand out and pondered what exactly she planned on doing with the pen. My pulses raced as her finger tips brush against the palm of my hand triggering electricity to flow throughout the whole of my body. Judging by the unsteady movement and the lingering of her hands, she felt that too. Neither of us acknowledged it further. I flinched at the sudden roughness of the pen against my skin, but my eyes never left Effy. I knew that it was probably wrong to want her again, but I couldn't help myself. Even when I was with other girls over the past three years my mind always came back to Effy in the end. It was like a never ending cycle.

"My phone number." She tells me breaking away any skin to skin contact we had before. She takes one step back and smiles at me. I look down to my hand at the very clear phone number written in bold black, I was overcome by a sense of pride. "I think you should give me a call, that's if you are interested."

"Why wouldn't I be interested?" I said almost straight away. "I'd be an idiot if I made this the last time we see each other for another three years."

I swore I saw her cheeks redden, but it was hard to tell in the dark.

"Well then I guess this is a 'see you later' rather than a goodbye." She tells me without question and I smile. "I look forward to catching up properly, Cook."

"Likewise, Eff."

She turns away but pauses in her tracks. I narrow my eyebrows in confusion as she is suddenly rushing towards me, with a somewhat sense of urgency in her eyes. Before I could even process what is happening, she is kissing me. It is only on the cheek, unfortunately, but it was still a shocker. It was over before I got a chance to enjoy it properly, but even so I still felt her touch and my cheek burned as if her mark was going to be engraved forever.

Effy gives me one of her famous wicked smiles, she definitely knew what such a simple peck on the cheek has done to me. "I got the sense that you were still my Cook when I followed you out here you know. I missed you."

"I missed you too Effy." I widen my eyes as I couldn't believe what she had just said. Only in my dreams has Effy ever said such a thing to me.

Before I knew it, she was gone. Nothing in this moment could ever destroy the happiness I was feeling right now.