A/N Thanks for all the the reads, reviews, follows and favorites. In going to update this is story once a week after this and another update later this week. Thanks for reading! And Enjoy- SGB
Chapter 2
Paige awoke with a start. After leaving the bar last night, she immediately made her way to the city of Brotherly Love. Emily had danced all Over her dreams the night before, and she couldn't stop thinking about her all the way til morning. Upon waking up, she was greeted by the sight of her friend making breakfast. Standing from the lumpy couch, she made her way to the breakfast island and sat herself down, smiling as the shirtless chef cooked breakfast. Jack McNamara was her best friend growing up, and continued to be when he left for culinary school and stayed permanently in Philadelphia. Whenever Paige looked back and remembered their youth together, she would sigh remembering those forgotten years. Turning away from the small apartment stove, he smirked as he slide the plate of bacon and eggs to his friend. Paige shook her head as she eagerly accepted the small plate.
"Only you would fry anything shirtless." Paige said as Jack laughed and plated his own food.
"Well the surgery came out really well, and my chest looks great now that they're gone." Jack said as he sat down, and Paige got a good look at his scars. Jack wasn't always Jack. Jack was born Jillian Ann McNamara, and was a chubby, awkward girl growing up. When Paige was coming out of the closet, no matter what she turned to Jill. Jill and Pru were her support. And while Paige loved Pru, Jill knew what Paige was going through because she was going through the same. When Pru went to California, Paige and Jill stayed in Pennsylvania. Paige ended up in Drexel, while Jill began her culinary career. Around the time of Paige's junior year, Jill came to her, tears in her eyes and confessed what she had be dealing with her whole life. Jill didn't feel like Jill. She didn't belong in her skin, she keep saying. She was so sad, and desperate, but she was content to be that way, not knowing if she would ever come out of that severe depression, until she met her. Natasha Mendez was the girl who gave her to strength to say who she really was, and admit it to the most important people in her life. The college TA was all Jill kept talking about, and when Jill admitted who she truly was, Natasha pushed her to tell her family. Paige was the first to learn that Jill, the chubby, awkward girl, of her past wanted to become Jack, the still chubby, confident man of inside of her. After two years of therapy, and most recently, surgery, Jack's wish finally came truth. He smiled as Paige eagerly ate, and Natasha rushed out of the bedroom, kissing Jack on the head and hugging Paige quickly.
"Have a good day, papi." Natasha said as she grabbed her keys.
"Knock'em dead baby. You always do." Jack said as Paige smiled, thinking about the whole reason she was in Philadelphia in the first place. Emily. She really, really really wanted to see Emily again. Jack quickly turned away from the door as his professor wife left, and smirked at Paige. "What's her name?" Jack asked eagerly, bring out a loud chuckle from Paige.
"Emily..Emily Fields." Paige admitted as she blushed and hid her face on the island. "She's...She's fucking beautiful. She laughed at my stupid jokes. No one laughs at my stupid jokes...not even you..Jerk." Paige said as Jack shook his head.
"She must think you're cute if she laughs at your awful excuses for jokes, Paige." Jack said, Paige smiling and relaxing back into the seat.
"We talked for like 3 hours straight. She forgot that she had to do her friend's wedding thing, stayed with me and this.." Paige said showing Jack the faded message on her hand. Jack smiled warmly as he ate his heartier breakfast.
"Any girl is better than her...she must be fucking awesome." Jack said as Paige nodded, shaking off the mention of her past and concentrating on this moment. She wanted to get to know Emily Fields. No one had brought out that feeling before. Time was still, nothing moved around them. It was just Emily, and her cute smile and infectious laugh and dark eyes that lit up like nothing she had ever seen before. Jack coughed loudly as he stood, shaking his head as he took Paige's empty plate.
"Should I call her?" Paige asked as Jack shrugged.
"You're asking the wrong person...it took Natasha showing up in a miniskirt and no bra for me to notice...I'm clueless when it comes to women." Jack said nonchalantly as Paige rolled her eyes.
"True..." Paige said as Jack laughed and shook his head. "Didn't she have to sit in your lap too? God you are clueless." Paige said as Jack shook his head and leaned on the island.
"Just...call her. If she's as into you as you are into her. She'll answer." Jack said a Paige nodded, still unsure of what to do.
XxxxxxX
Emily opened the door of her shared apartment. Maya had stayed over the night before, and the evidence of her stay all over her living room. A smelly ashtray, and Maya's amp sat on the floor while her bass laid on the couch. Emily let out a stressed sigh and shut the door. Six years, six years she repeated to herself as she picked up the bass and placed it on the stand. She sat down and picked up her phone. She bit her lip as she opened her contacts list, and scrolled down, stopping at the newest addition. Paige McCullers...the mysterious leather motorcycle jacket wearing stranger in the bar. Momentarily she forgot the mess surrounding her as she began to typed the small message out, erasing it before she could send it. She had a girlfriend. A long term girlfriend who she had nothing in common with anymore. Maya couldn't even be here to help clean her own mess...again. Emily sighed as she up her phone down. Not even a minute later, the phone buzzed on the table. Looking down, her eyes widened and her blush returned. Opening the message, her eyes read over the small message.
'Emily?" Paige McCullers asked in the message. Eagerly, Emily answered the new acquaintance, and sent the reply quickly.
'Of course...how many Emily fields do you know?" Emily joked. The phone buzzed again, and instead of a message, it was an incoming phone call, from none other than Paige McCullers herself. Eagerly, Emily answered as she sat up from the couch.
"Hello?" Emily answered quickly, smiling wide as the person on the other line spoke.
"Hey...I just...wanted to make sure I was still talking to the beautiful stranger from the bar." Paige said smoothly, trying to hide the nerves in her voice. Emily blushed as she caught sight of the picture in front of her. Maya and her, spring break 4 years ago...a happier time. The beginning of the long, now loveless relationship. She stood and walked over to it, pulling down as she turned Away from it.
"That depends...is this the beautiful stranger wearing a leather jacket?" Emily asked boldly, walking away from the mess and into her bedroom.
"So...I was thinking coffee? We can start where we left off...I have some pretty interesting stories that involve more alcohol and a marine daring me to do reptar arms all night." Paige said quickly, falling back against the couch as Emily laughed wholeheartedly. Her heart raced as Emily took a breath and quickly answered her question.
"Wanna meet now? I don't have class until 7." Emily boldly answered. Not caring about any of the possible repercussions at that very moment.
"Absolutely. Where?" Paige answered, grabbing her jeans and pulling them on. Emily gave her the name of the cafe, before they said their goodbyes. Paige jumped on her bike, her helmet secured as she started it and sped down Walnut Street. Her heart raced the closer she got to the small cafe in West Philadelphia.
Emily sat nervously as she stared at herself in her phone. It had only taken her a minute to Walk down to the Green Line Cafe from her apartment. She knew Maya wasn't going to be around today, and her class was late. She could spend the whole day getting to know more about Paige. She remembered how excited she once was to move into the city with Maya. The Jazz bassist was currently in a band, playing bar shows around the city. Emily was proud, once, that Maya chose to follow her dreams of becoming a musician in the city. But that was 2 years ago. Emily was in grad school and Maya, well Maya still played the 50 dollar gigs in the dive bars of Philadelphia. She mostly ignored Emily most days, choosing to hang out with her band members during the night and sleeping her days away. Emily sighed as she reached for her phone, checking the time again. She checked her hair, made sure her simple make up was ok, and put it down, only to check again as the bell in the small cafe rang. She looked up and smiled as the mysterious stranger from the night before walked in and sat across from her, smiling wide as she sat back and relaxed into the booth.
"Twice in one day...I'd say this is the start to something." Paige simply said as Emily blushed as Paige took the leather jacket off, and got comfortable, ready to stay as long as she could to catch the eye of one Miss Emily Fields. Hours later, Paige laughed wholeheartedly as Emily told the story about her, Hanna, and Aria getting lost in Spanish Harlem and ending up in a weird art show with people dropping acid all around them. Their story telling had gone on for hours, and now, with the sky darkening and the cafe workers around them closing down the storefront, Paige sighed, and grabbed the leather jacket behind her as Emily gathered her purse.
"You and Hanna seem to get into a lot of trouble together." Paige commented as Emily smiled and stood from the booth.
"That was one crazy time...you, Jack, and Pru sound like a constant party." Emily said as Paige smiled and followed her outside.
"We were at one point. That was before Pru went off to find herself in California, and Jack became Jack. Things are different now, but when push comes to shove, Jack and Pru are my brother and sister. I will also turn to them. Just like you will always turn to Aria, Hanna, and Spencer." Paige said as she caught the time. Emily sighed as she saw it too. Her class was going to start, but it had been so long since she had a conversation this long. Paige had stopped in front of her motorcycle, before turning around and smiling at Emily sweetly. "Is it wrong that I don't want today to end?" Paige asked honestly, growing ever more confident as Emily blushed and smiled.
"I was just thinking the same thing." Emily confessed as Paige tossed her the motorcycle helmet. Emily caught it and gave Paige a confused look as she jumped on the bike.
"Then lets have an adventure of our own. Just you and me. Something you can tell your kids someday." Paige said as Emily looked down at the helmet in her hands. Her mind flashed to Maya briefly, before shaking the thought free. She could make up the work, she thought as she moved the helmet to her head and climbed on behind Paige. Paige turned around and tightly secured the helmet for Emily, giving the tan give in front of her a small smile, before turning back to the front of the bike and starting the engine. Emily wrapped her arms around Paige tightly, shivering as the girl in front of her rubbed her arm "Just hold on tight. I've got you." Paige shouted over the engine, before lifting the bike up off it's kickstand and began driving down Chestnut Street towards Old City. Emily tightened her grip around Paige's waist as she weaved through the Philadelphia traffic. She pressed her body into hers, sighing happily as Paige again rubbed her arm whenever they stopped. It was a silent message, assuring her that Paige would take care of her on the bike. The blurred lights passed her, as Paige drove them down Chestnut, and crossed over to Market, finally parking in a private building lot. Curiously, Emily followed Paige down to the elevator, and lead her into the Old City section of the Philadelphia.
XxxxxX
2052
XxxxxX
"I lead her through the cobblestone streets of Old City. We went to a few bars in the area, but I really was excited to take her to Jack's job. Emily had never been to the Franklin Fountain, and I was determined to get her there. I just took her at the wrong time. Jack was there, and leaving from the back entrance of the shop when Emily and I showed up.' Paige wrote as she sat back in her desk chair. Her phone rang on the desk, breaking her from her train of thought. Like clockwork, it was Hanna calling, checking on her again. Paige answered readily, bringing the phone to her ear.
"Paigey, how are you?" Paige heard as she laughed and relaxed.
"I'm fine Han...you know I'm ok." Paige said as she looked at the picture on her desk. It was Emily holding an infant in her arms. Paige bit her lip as she traced Emily's smile as she looked down at the bundle of joy.
"Well excuse me for checking up on you, Paige. Sorry I care about my friend." Hanna said as Paige shook her head.
"I love you too, Ella is home from school. Want to talk to her?" Paige asked as she stood, opening the door to her office and walking out to the kitchen, seeing her tan skinned daughter sitting at the counter, drinking a coffee and reading a magazine. "Aunt Hanna for you, PB" Paige said as Ella rolled her eyes and took the phone, eagerly answering her aunt. She leaned on the doorway, watching the spitting image of her wife become animated as she spoke with her favorite aunt, still unsure how it was possible that even at her age, Hanna still embodied the 23 woman she met 30 years ago.
