A/N: This was written after 3x11, because I thought it was missing something.
The frown on her face is still prominent as she holds the door open for Paige. Why is everyone warning her? Who do they think Paige is? And why did Jenna of all people warn her? She shakes her head, trying to get rid of all those thoughts. She knows who Paige is and she knows Paige needs her tonight. That's all she wants to think about now.
Walking slowly behind Paige, Emily reaches out for her hand to stop her. "Do you wanna go upstairs and wait a second? I have to talk to my mom real quick." Paige nods. "Sure, then I can get my stuff together and we'll still have some time left." Emily squeezes Paige's hand and lets go of it with a soft smile. "I'll be quick, I promise." Nodding again, Paige turns around and goes upstairs.
Emily bites the inside of her lip as she watches Paige leap up the stairs. She wishes she could've helped Paige sooner, she wishes she had known it. Known about Alison, known about Paige almost...
But she knows that this is the past, and the past is what she wants to get away from, so she just wants to make sure that Paige never feels this way again.
Her mother is sitting in the kitchen, reading the newspaper. She looks up when Emily enters the kitchen. "Hey, is everything alright?" Emily nods. "You don't look like you're fine. Did Paige leave?" One corner of her mouth is lifting up. A mention of Paige does that to her. "No, she's upstairs, getting her stuff together." She rests her arms on the back of the chair opposite her mom's.
"Then why are you pulling this face?" Emily looks at her fingers, not knowing what to say. "Emily, just tell me." Looking up, she balls her hand to a fist and swallows the lump in her throat. "Paige is not... she just told me that... she just told me something and it's..."
Struggling for words Emily looks at her hands again. "She told me something I didn't know and it was something she was dealing with for a long time. I don't think I should tell you everything about this, but I'd like to talk to her some more. She seems fine now, but I don't think I am fine with this yet." Lifting her gaze from her hands to look at her mother, she finds nothing but confusion and concern. "What are you trying to say?"
Staring directly at her mom, Emily finds the words immediately this time. "Can Paige stay for a little while longer? Just to, you know, sort things out and calm down? Please?" Her mother just nods. "Of course. Do what you need to do. Just don't let it get too late." A genuine smile appears on Emily's face. "Thanks mom.", she says, before leaving a kiss on top of her mother's head and walking to her room.
Emily stops at her door. It's wide open and she can see Paige lying on her bed, on her stomach, her shoes standing in front of the bed. She takes up all of the space and Emily can see her even breathing. Without thinking, she walks over to her bed and lays down on top of Paige. She hears a grunt coming from under her. "What are you doing Em?" Moving slightly so she doesn't fully lie on Paige anymore, Emily lays her head next to Paige's, watching her face, her closed eyes, the little smile. "I could ask you the same thing." She leans in to leave a light kiss on Paige's lips.
"Your bed just looked so comfy and I had to wait. So I waited here." Paige peaks her eyes open, a big smile taking over her face. She takes Emily's hand and laces their fingers together. "I'm sorry I lied to you about Alison." Squeezing her hand, Emily kisses her again. "It's okay. But I want you to know that you don't need to hide anything from me. It won't change how I feel about you. It won't change that you make me happy. Happier than I've been in a long time."
She can see a single tear rolling down Paige's nose, but her smile is even bigger than the one before. "Okay, I won't hide anything from you anymore. I promise." After a short moment of silence, Paige shifts so she's on her side and breathes out. "You make me really happy too." Their foreheads are almost touching and they both lean in for another kiss. It's soft and barely there, but it's everything both of them need right now. When they pull away they don't really do, their lips just stop touching and their heads rest against each other. They keep their eyes closed and just smile.
That's how Pam finds them later. Worried, because neither of them came downstairs by now, she went to look if they were alright. They are lying on the bed, fully clothed, facing each other, their hands entwined and their foreheads touching. Both are breathing evenly, just like they are sleeping. As she walks closer, she realizes that that's what they are doing. Sleeping.
She tries to think of the last time she has seen Emily look so happy, so content. It was a long time ago. Not wanting to disturb the peaceful silence, she sneaks out of the room again. She doesn't want to do it, but she still calls Nick McCullers to tell him that his daughter really should stay the night.