Author's Note: This is my first Pretty Little Liars piece and I can say that I only really found the fandom due to a Paily video on youtube. I fell in love with the characters and then continued to explore. I'm not that knowledgeable on the fandom but I'm learning!
Emily sighed softly, wrapping her arms tighter around the girl sleeping silently at her side, pressing her mouth against the bare shoulder in front of her as she nuzzled her face into the soft mane of brown hair breathing in Paige's unique scent. The tips of Emily's fingers slid underneath the loose material of Paige's shirt, the pads of her fingers slipping against the other swimmer's abdomen, feeling the way that the girl's muscles twisted under the thin layer of flesh. Emily's eyes pressed closed when she fingers met a rougher section of flesh.
The tip of her index finger ran up the side of the scar, feeling the lifted rough skin under the pad of her finger, pressing down slightly as if she could smooth it away. Her lips pressed against Paige's shoulder once more as if she could kiss away the damage of neglect wrought on the other girl's body.
She closed her eyes, remembering the tales of the way that Mr McCullers treated his daughter, the whispers that flew around the school at the expectations placed upon a young girl's shoulders. Emily gritted her teeth at the way that those expectations had mounted until the need to be perfect destroyed a section of the beautiful girl's heart.
However, the real pain came not from the family, but from outside. While Nick McCullers contributed to the way that Paige acted, to the way that she pushed herself harder than should ever be expected of a teenage girl he was not the one that destroyed her heart. The destruction of Paige's heart began when she fell in love with Emily. It came not from the girl, but from outside, from one Emily's friends. The source of the carnage was a girl that manipulated those around her into believing her to be pure of spirit, loveable and kind leaving her able to control those around her and torment the ones that refused to be controlled. Paige did not allow herself to be controlled, but Alison found a way to break Paige's heart regardless. She manipulated a sense of control around the dark haired girl, holding the ability to destroy everything that Paige clung to in the palms of her hands.
Emily wished that she could have seen the way that Alison had treated the young girl; she wished that the others in the group had known who 'Pigskin' was to prevent her torment. Every moment of the day, Emily wished she could have prevented Paige's torments, but during the nights, she prayed harder than ever before. She wished for it harder than finding A's identity or learning the truth about Alison's death. She wished that Paige McCullers never wanted to disappear, because Emily knew that her world would have been much bleaker without the girl in her arms within it.
"I love you," Emily whispered into Paige's ear, her breath running over the soft pale flesh, tiny hairs standing on end as she pressed the length of her body against Paige's back. Her fingers slipped over the soft toned muscular expanse of Paige's stomach, feeling the effects of Alison's torment and Paige's internal battle with the need to die. Brushing against the scars Emily prayed that she would never again feel the need to add more to them, that she would never wish to die as she had wished to die.
"I love you too." Paige murmured softly, her hand sliding down her body to tangle her fingers though Emily's fingers, lifting her hand upwards to place Emily's palm against her throbbing heartbeat. "It beats for you Emily."
"I just want it to keep on beating," Emily replies quietly, nuzzling Paige's neck with her nose, arms and legs tightening around her body. "I want it to beat forever."
"As long as you are here it will beat." Paige promised softly, pressing back into Emily's embrace, feeling the way that the girl's breath fanned over the back of her neck as she took deep breaths in and out. "I live for you Emily, because I love you. I didn't want to lose this chance."
"You've always had me," Emily answered quietly, a smile spreading over her mouth. "Even when I didn't know it, you had me, from the beginning."
Paige smiled, the corners of her lips lifting upwards, her tongue sliding out of her mouth to wet her lips. Shifting slightly onto her side, the girl let her hand rest lightly on Emily's cheek, her thumb sliding over the girl's skin. "Kiss me," She whispered softly, her eyes locked with Emily's soft brown orbs, waiting for the girl to lean forward before sliding closed. Their lips met and fireworks danced behind their eyes as they held one another, breathing in the same air as they kissed slowly.