The knock at her door surprises Bay. After all, it's not like she's expecting anyone. Toby's at his apartment, her parents are out at some charity function, Regina is somewhere, and she would hope by now Daphne got the message that she really doesn't want to be around her.

"Come in," she says, a hint of annoyance in her voice. She has spent the past half hour trying to get into the perfect comfortable position to write an e-mail to Emmett. A half hour and all she has written so far is:

Dear Emmett,

Yeah, long-distance relationships are super-duper easy. And now someone is knocking at her door just as she's semi-content with her right leg crossing over her left one.

"I said come in."

Again, nothing.

What the hell?

Suddenly, hope is well and alive in Bay's heart.

Is it? Could it be?

She's off the bed in a second flat and races to the door. When she opens it, she sees the one face she's been longing for in what feels like forever: Emmett.

"Emmett!"

Hot damn, the boy looks fine. He's got this dark-colored button down shirt on that's unbuttoned and underneath it a green shirt that is also coincidentally unbuttoned a bit. Not a lot, but just enough to see some of his chest.

Bay thinks it's almost criminal how sexy Emmett can look after coming all the way from California to Kansas City. It's honestly the cruelest thing ever. How can she be expected to act responsibly when he comes to her door looking like that? Those come do-me eyes staring at her, burning a hole through her chest.

But really, who can blame her? They've been apart for nearly four months now, and while technology is always improving, it doesn't do much for one's libido. Yes, they've done stuff. A few sexting sessions. Maybe a naughty skype/facetime session, but there's nothing like Emmett's kisses on her neck, the feel of his fingers moving on the small of her back, the shivers it sends down her spine.

Hey, she's only human. And so is he.

Bay throws her lips on top of Emmett's, not even giving him a chance to respond or say hello or even to find out what in the world he's doing home. She grabs a fistful of his shirt and drags him back to her bed, allows him to fall on top of her.

Emmett isn't complaining though. He's just as hungry for her as she is for him. Their hands are exploring each other, their tongues are dancing together. Then suddenly Emmett stops.

"What's wrong?" Bay asks. Why are they stopping?

"Nothing," he responds, a smile on his face. "I just wanted to say hello."

Bay smiles back. It's an impish grin though. "Well, hello."

"You know, that top is really working for you," Emmett notes her lacy red shirt and raises his eyebrows for emphasis. "It's working for me, too."

"Oh yeah?" Bay resumes their make out session and let's Emmett roll her over on top of him. Then she untangles her lips from Emmett's and takes the shirt off. "I think it's working better for me now."

Emmett's eyes grow wide in anticipation as Bay continues to undress. He pulls himself up against her headboard as Bay works to do the same for him.

A few seconds later they are both bare and waiting to be enveloped in one another.

Emmett gently pushes Bay off as she's nibbling on his earlobe, "Wait, Bay, wait."

Confusion creeps across her face.

"What? Do you, you know, not want to?"

He laughs.

Not want to. Yeah, right.

"No, of course not." He can tell Bay still isn't reassured. "I just want to make sure no one is coming."

Bay's impish grin returns. "No one is coming…yet."

Emmett doesn't need to be told twice.

Bay opens her eyes and looks around. She and Emmett are under her covers, he's got one hand in her hair and the other one on top of the blanket.

"Sorry," she says, blushing furiously. "I didn't mean to fall asleep on you."

Emmett shrugs. "It's okay. I wore you out, I guess."

"You did, but it was well worth it." Bay yawns. "How long was I out for?"

"Just twenty minutes or so."

She blushes again. "Sorry."

"Don't be."

"So," Bay begins to prod, "What are you doing here?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

Bay's eyes grow wide.

"No, not that. I mean, that, but really, I just wanted to see you. I needed to see you, Bay."

"I needed to see you too, Emmett. But you still have school. Did you drive all the way here?"

"On my bike? No. I never would have made it here and back in time for Monday. Rick let me use his frequent flyer miles."

Rick was a director who had taken to Emmett. Emmett told Bay that Rick had said Emmett had a "really good eye" for film. She was grateful he had met people out there, good people out there. Maybe it assuaged her guilt a little, but not much. Emmett would never flat out say she abandoned him, but she knew it was there, creeping in the dark corners of his mind. It's okay. Bay doesn't begrudge him those thoughts. If the situations were reversed, she would most likely feel the same way.

It was weird. This was Emmett, the person she told everything to, but fear was stopping her from bringing up what she was truly feeling – that Emmett deserved better. Maybe he would deny it, maybe he would confirm it. Either way, she couldn't take that risk. There was this show on the Discovery Network the other day about boats and for some reason, Bay found it interesting. Compelling. Bay and Emmett were a boat. When they first started out, the boat kept spinning and spinning, not knowing a clear direction to go in. And then the boat got some clarity and began moving forward, towards this really great place, Bay had thought. And then stuff happened, Simone happened, cracks appeared, and their boat took on water. They sank.

So Bay tried going into the water in other boats and while other boats made her feel safe, none of them made her the way the boat with Emmett did.

Bay and Emmett made a new boat and this one was finally in good condition. No cracks. She could even see the paradise they were headed towards, their own tropical and private island; a treasured cove. But of course nothing with Bay and Emmett was ever simple or easy and now, though the boat hadn't completely sunk, Bay felt like any wrong move, be it an inch forward or back, could drown them. So she didn't dare move.

"That's good, Emmett. Rick sounds like a nice guy."

Emmett frowns.

"Stop."

"Stop what?"

He sighs. "Whatever Bay thoughts you have going on in there. Just don't."

The boat was taking on water.

"I'm not – "

"Yeah, you are. You're feeling guilty and you need to stop. I'm happy there, Bay. Missing you doesn't change that. I used to miss you even when I was here."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Okay." She nods her head. "Okay, I'll stop," she says this time with more certainty. Her phone beeps.

Hey honey. Just wanted to see how you were doing. We won't be back until much later. Make sure you eat. Love you, mom.

"Who was that?"

"My mom." Emmett nods. "So it's Friday night. When do you go back to California?"

"Sunday. I take the red eye. My first class on Monday was canceled."

"Sunday?"

"Yeah."

That means they only have two days together. That hits them like a ton of bricks. Neither of them wants to face reality, to say goodbye again.

Bay sits up and begins looking for her clothes.

She feels Emmett's arm tug at her. "What are you doing?"

"Well, if we only have two days to spend together, we might as well make the most of it." Emmett watches her, waiting for what she'll say next. "Have you ever wondered what it would be like to do it in my art studio?"

He laughs. "What?"

"I don't know. I've always wanted to see what it was like."

Emmett gives her an "Um, okay?" look. "But wouldn't you be more comfortable in your room?"

"Nah. Our first time was in a park."

She winks at him and heads towards the door.

Yeah, Emmett definitely doesn't need to be told twice.