A/N - Hi there!

This set of stories came from a simple suggestion from that prolific prompter, thecatfromaliceinwonderland:

How about a Kiss Cam AU?! You know Kiss Cams right?! Maybe at an icehockey/baseball game?!

I got really excited about the idea and immediately thought of a couple of different directions that the story could take. I was about to write back and ask for clarification, but it occurred to me that it might be fun to write a series of short episodes covering each of the options.

So, over the next seven days, I'll be posting a series of quick fics, each of which takes place in its own alternate universe. The only things they have in common are Paily and the kiss cam.

I hope it's as fun for you as it's been for me! :)

Off we go!

They were holding hands.

Emily bit her lip as her mind replayed the events of the evening, right up to the events of a few seconds before.

It had been a last-minute thing. The boys' basketball coach had gotten four tickets to the Sixers game, and wanted to reward his star player, Ben Coogan. There was no doubt what Ben was going to do with the tickets. His girlfriend, Emily, would get one, of course. And wherever Emily and Ben went, Paige and Sean were with them. They had been inseparable since sophomore year.

Emily and Paige had met on the swim team. Initially rivals, they ended up being great friends, training together and rooting for each other. Paige was the one who introduced Ben to Emily. Not long after that, Ben set Paige up with Sean. They loved going on double dates, since they were all friends even outside their dating relationships. Eventually, they became known as Mount Rushmore, since their four faces always showed up together.

Although they were all athletic and were really into sports, Ben and Sean took it to another level. So, when they got to the Wells Fargo Center, Ben and Sean ended up sitting next to each other, with Paige and Emily next to them. It was better that way. Sean and Ben were hooting, high-fiving, and jumping out of their seats with excitement pretty much from start to finish. Paige and Emily were getting into the game, too, but in their own way: Hugging occasionally after a great shot or clinging to each other's hands when there was an important free throw to be made. Basically, a lot of hugging and clinging, the way friends do.

But it wasn't that surprising, then, when the kiss cam started flashing images of couples throughout the stands, that the director assumed that Paige and Emily were together. They didn't their images on the Jumbotron at first, not picking up on it until the other fans in their section started whistling and looking in their direction. Emily looked at Paige in shock, and Paige kind of shrugged, with a devious smile. Paige was always such a goofball, willing to do anything for a laugh. She turned to Emily with her arms outstretched, and before Emily could protest, started to kiss her.

That really made the crowd go wild. Even Ben and Sean joined in, playing along. Whether he thought it was funny or he just got off on the idea of two girls kissing, the arena's director knew good TV when he saw it, so he stayed on them longer than he had for the other couples. And Paige milked it for all it was worth – undulating her shoulders and pretending that she was really going to town on Emily.

But, the thing was, she was actually kissing Emily. And, somewhere along the way, their bodies forgot that they were only fooling around.

And, somewhere along the way, if only a brief moment, their minds may have forgotten that they were straight.

After the camera panned away, Paige, concerned, took Emily's hand to comfort her. "Are you okay?" she whispered, her eyes staring deeply into Emily's.

Emily was shaken by the experience. She couldn't find her voice. Paige's eyes narrowed in regret and guilt, until Emily finally managed to nod her head and choke out, "I'm fine." She covered Paige's hand with her other hand and gave it a slight, reassuring squeeze. But Paige could tell that she wasn't.

Paige looked over at Sean, who was giving her a leering thumbs up, and Ben, who was pumping his fist. Paige lowered her head. Emily rubbed her shoulder, smiling, reminding her that it was all in fun.

And she kept holding Paige's hand. At first, it was just to make sure that Paige was okay. It wasn't unusual for them to hold hands in public. That's the kind of friends they were. Nobody questioned it. At some point, they interlocked their fingers. Emily didn't remember when it had happened or who had initiated it. But she liked how it felt.

Things were a bit more subdued between them for the rest of the game. Paige couldn't even look at her anymore. Whenever someone made a nice shot or a good play, Paige kind of turned her head halfway towards Emily and smiled, but it was as if an invisible wall had been erected between them. Emily brushed her hand through her hair as an excuse to let go of Paige's hand. Somehow, it didn't feel right to keep holding it.

Things only got more awkward between them after that evening. They hardly saw each other, and, when they did, they barely spoke. With swimming season over, they were on their own practice schedules. Usually, they practiced together, but Paige ended up switching to night sessions. Emily took the hint.

When Emily saw Paige at the other end of the hall, heading towards her, she briefly considered ducking aside, into one of the classrooms, but she realized that she couldn't hide from this confrontation forever. She tightened her grip on her books, raising them a little higher as a kind of shield over her heart. "Hi, Paige," she said in a weak voice, with a weak smile.

Paige lowered her head. "Emily." Paige kind of shuffled her feet from side to side, wanting to say something, but not having any idea what. Emily took a long look at Paige, hating how cold and distant things had become between them, and hating that Paige just kept avoiding the situation. She let her eyes drop, focusing on her books.

"Hey, listen, Em. About that kiss." Emily looked up, the smallest hint of hope on her face. "I'm… I'm really sorry."

Emily exhaled deeply through her nose, the blood draining from her face. Paige was sorry. It was a regret to her. Emily should've known better. "It's fine, Paige." Emily's tone was flat and resigned. Her expression was clearly saying the opposite of her words. It was not fine. She was not okay.

Paige could sense it. She could tell from Emily's reaction that she had said the wrong thing. She really was sorry about the kiss, but not about the act of kiss itself. She was sorry about the fact of the kiss, what the kiss had done to them and to their friendship.

Paige felt powerless, sensing their friendship slipping away from them. Desperate to say something, she blurted out, "How's Ben."

"Ben?" Emily barked, annoyed. "How's Ben?" She couldn't believe that that was all Paige had to say to her. She sighed deeply, to keep her emotions in check. "Ben's fine," she said, stepping aside. "I'll see you later."

All that Paige could see was her future walking away from her. She wanted to say something, but, whenever she did, she only made things worse. She really wished she could rewind and go back to that night, up until the kiss. Up till and including the kiss, she realized. She turned quickly and put her hand on Emily's shoulder. Emily spun around, with fire in her eyes. "Wha–"

She didn't have a chance to finish. Paige's lips were too fast.

Emily couldn't believe it was happening, right in the middle of the hall, where everyone could see them. But, before long, she didn't care. Everything melted away. Her books fell to the floor as she threaded her fingers in Paige's hair, pulling her tighter, losing herself in the kiss. "Oh, God," she moaned, and Paige, panicking, pulled away. Emily pulled her right back in.

"I've wanted to do that ever since the game," Paige admitted breathlessly, between kisses.

"Well, what the hell were you waiting for?" Emily never interrupted the rhythm of their kisses.

"I don't know," Paige gurgled. "What do you have after this?" she whispered, during their next breathing break.

"Bio," Emily answered, with her lips never fully losing contact with Paige's.

"Want to skip it?"