Author's Notes: this story had so much potential. Sigh.
The wind outside Braidwood Manor howled desperately, the snow falling in a continuous flurry that showed no signs of relenting. The hour was late, but Paige lay wide awake with the sleeping form of Eleanor curled up in her arms. Paige smiled to herself as she stared at the peaceful expression on the other girl's face, but it vanished almost instantly as a fresh wave of guilt washed over her. The night they had spent together was nothing short of amazing, which made what she was about to do so much harder than it already was.
Eleanor shivered slightly in her sleep. Paige pulled the blanket up covering her exposed shoulder and holding her close against her. Paige chewed her lip thoughtfully as she agonized over what she was about to do. She cared for the girl in her arms, more than she had ever expected to, and despite the fact that they were in very different stages of life. She had come to care for all of the Waverleys, but Eleanor had truly captured her heart. She had come seeking answers but now she had more questions than ever.
She absently ran her fingers up Eleanor's arm, surprised by the warmth of her skin. It was so easy to forget that Eleanor was a ghost when she felt so very much alive. Paige cared for her more than she had ever cared for anyone, and it made her desire to help her almost a desperation. Eleanor was carrying around a secret that was tearing her apart, and a hundred years worth of holding on to that secret weighed heavily on her.
Paige felt hot tears of guilt sting her eyes, and she swallowed away the lump rising in her throat as she looked at her. She sighed heavily, placing a tender kiss on Eleanor's shoulder as she allowed her mind to wander back to what was possibly the greatest night of her life.
The two of them sat quietly on Paige's bed, neither of them certain of what exactly to say to each other. The silence between them was heavy, broken only by the howling of the wind outside the manor.
Paige sighed, taking it upon herself to break the deafening silence. "Look, I know you're not some mystery for me to solve."
"Then what exactly am I to you?" Eleanor demanded, refusing to meet her eyes.
"You really want to know?" Paige said, brushing her hand lightly against Eleanor's. She stiffened slightly, but did not pull away.
"You're someone that I never expected to find," Paige said softly. Eleanor's demeanor softened slightly, but she still refused to meet Paige's eyes. "But, now that I have, I can't picture my life without you. And I don't want to."
Eleanor turned to face her. Her expression was still apprehensive, but much softer than it had been moments ago. "You...do you truly mean that?"
Paige but her lip, nodding slightly. "You might have your secrets Eleanor, but that doesn't make you who you are. You are so much more than that. And if you're willing to share that part of you with me, then I promise I'll keep it safe, because it's too precious to me." She hesitantly took Eleanor's hand in hers, relieved when she didn't pull away.
Paige's eyes searched hers, trying to see if her words had any impact. Eleanor's dark eyes stared back at her, and she was truly afraid she would be lost in them if she looked too long. She was truly beautiful, and Paige felt her heart swell whenever she looked at her.
Suddenly, Eleanor's lips were on hers, gentle and somewhat hesitant. Paige gently ran her fingers along her jawline, pouring silent support into her touch. Eleanor's movements became bolder, her kisses becoming more insistent as she wrapped her arms around Paige's neck, pulling her closer. She pulled away several moments later, placing a hand on Paige's chest, her eyes dark with desire.
"Sorry," Paige said breathlessly. "Do you want me to stop?"
Eleanor bit her lip, shaking her head slightly. "No. Quite the opposite, actually. But you know that I...that I've never..." Her voice trailed off, her cheeks flushing slightly. "I would hate to disappoint you."
"That's not possible." Paige whispered, pressing her lips gently against hers. She trailed feather light kisses along Eleanor's jawline, a slight gasp escaping her as Paige gently took her earlobe into her mouth.
"Paige," Eleanor whispered breathlessly, sliding her hands under Paige's shirt. Her fingers trailed up her back, causing goosebumps to pop up along her impossibly smooth skin. Eleanor's hands shook slightly as she tentatively slid the fabric off of Paige, unable to hide to blush in her cheeks as her eyes roamed over her exposed torso.
She ran her hand down her flat stomach, marveling at the feel of her skin beneath her fingers. She lightly ran her fingertips over the tattoo adorning her rib cage; an intricately designed lock twisted into the shape of a heart with a large keyhole in the center. Feeling bolder, she leaned forward, lightly grazing her lips against Paige's neck.
Paige shivered slightly at her touch, her arms wrapping around Eleanor's waist, pulling her closer.
They took their time undressing each other, each new patch of skin sending waves of excitement through them. Soon they were fully exposed to each other, save for the black fabric covering Eleanor's neck. Paige had her suspicions as to why it remained, but she was not about to push the subject. Eleanor flushed a deep red as Paige's eyes roamed over her.
"You're so beautiful." Paige said, running her fingers along Eleanor's collar bone.
Eleanor smiled more openly and genuinely than Paige had ever seen before. Her eyes misted slightly as she gazed deep into Paige's eyes. "Nobody has told me that in a very long time."
"Then I'll have to make up for lost time," Paige said kissing her nose playfully.
Eleanor wrapped her arms around her neck, pulling her close and kissing her hungrily, desperately. Paige gently captured her bottom lip with her teeth, eliciting a gasp of pleasure.
Eleanor shivered as Paige slowly ran her hand up her thigh, pausing just short of her destination. She hovered above her, her eyes searching Eleanor's with an unspoken question. Eleanor silently nodded her approval, arching into Paige's touch.
The next several hours passed by in a blur; hands, fingers and mouths enthusiastically exploring each other. Their bodies moved as one, their troubles temporarily forgotten in each other's embrace. It felt like an eternity before they finally collapsed happily into each other's arms. Eleanor rested her head on Paige's chest, sighing happily as Paige ran her fingers along her back.
"Are you sure you've never done that before?"
Eleanor smiled shyly, slipping her hand into Paige's. "Quite sure. And I must say, it was well worth the wait."
Paige smiled, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. "I guess I should take that as a compliment."
"Let's just say I would happily wait another hundred years if I knew that I would find you at the end of it."
A comfortable silence fell between them, until Eleanor finally drifted off to sleep.
Now, several hours later, Paige was faced with the moment she had been dreading. She was not ashamed to admit that she was afraid. Not just about what she would find beyond the door, but afraid that Eleanor would come to hate her for what she had done. The last thing Paige wanted was for Eleanor to think that she had used her and that her feelings were not genuine.
She took a steadying breath, slowly untangling herself from Eleanor. She watched her carefully, looking for any sign that she was about to wake up. But she remained sleeping, a soft smile on her lips as she slept.
Paige quickly dressed, doing her best to be as silent as possible. She felt around in the dark, her fingers finding the fabric of Eleanor's dress. Carefully, she slipped her hand into the pocket, her fingers closing around the heavy key tucked safely away. The key felt heavier than the others, as if it felt the entire weight of the secret it kept locked away. Paige's heart was beating loudly in her ears, and her throat had suddenly dry. For a brief moment she considered abandoning the whole idea. She could crawl back into bed with Eleanor and think of a story to tell the other Waverley children. But even as she thought it, she knew she couldn't walk away. They had trusted her, and were now depending on her to help them and their sister. It did not matter what she did, she would end up hurting someone either way. If that were the case, she had to choose the route that could potentially free them all, rather than the one which only made her happy. She sighed and silently crossed the room before she had the chance to talk herself out of it.
"I love you, Paige." Eleanor muttered in her sleep.
Paige stopped in her tracks, her hand resting on the door knob. She glanced over her shoulder, feeling her heart drop to her stomach.
"I love you, Eleanor." She whispered. "That's why I have to do this. I just hope you can forgive me one day."
With one last steadying breath, she slipped silently into the hallway.