A/N: Wow it's been a while since I've updated this. Sorry about that. Writers block, again. But here it is. The last chapter. Hopefully you like the ending. Enjoy :)

This is ridiculous.

Her frustrated sigh echoes through the dimly light room. She fiddles with the bandages strapped around her wrist as she sits up in the hospital bed. The quiet of her hospital room is disturbed only by the continues steady beep of the heart monitor next to her and it was seriously starting to drive her crazy.

The stillness and quietness of the room. She was never fond of hospitals, yet she had been to them one too many times. It's been a day since her second near death incident; this time because of A. Unfortunately, she wasn't the only one who's had a share of those. Emily and her friends have had a share of close calls as well.

She pulls at the bandage on her cheek, the insistent itching of the stitches irritating her to no end. The wounds left by A hadn't been major, something she was relieved about. The worst damage had been done to her wrists and face. One look in the bathroom mirror had revealed a purplish and blue black eye, a souvenir from A's boot, as well as small scrapes and scratches scattered along her face and arms. A small gash on her neck had required only two stitches. The cut that ran from her temple to cheek, this a souvenir from A's knife, turned out to be smaller than she had imagined. From all the pain she had experienced and the amount of blood that had covered her cheek and neck she had thought it'd be a gruesome mess. But after the doctor had been done with her all that was left was a clean cut and a few small stitches.

The door opens quietly, a beautiful tan girl poking her head inside the door. Emily steps into the room. Their eyes meet as she comes closer. She looks exhausted, which doesn't surprise Paige. Emily's looked exhausted for days. Yet she looks as beautiful as always. Her heart starts beating faster, she silently curses the machine next to her, which has started beeping as fast as her heart, giving away the effect Emily has on her.

Emily glances worriedly at the machine and back at her. "Are you alright?" She asks, oblivious to the effect her presence has on Paige.

Paige pulls her hand away from her cheek and extends it towards Emily who takes it softly in her own, "I am now that you're here."

Emily raises her eyebrow, "Oh so I'm the reason the machine's going crazy?" She teases, carefully sitting on the edge of the bed.

A small blush colors Paige's cheeks as she dips her head, slowly twirling her fingers through her girlfriends, "Now you know what being around you does to me."

That damn head dip's going to be the end of me.
Emily smiles as she stares at the beauty in front of her. Even with the black eye and bandage covering half of her face she still makes her heart race. "Hmm, I wonder..."

Paige looks up, meeting Emily's gaze as she leans towards her. Emily's warm hand rests tenderly on her unharmed cheek, her eyes leaving hers momentarily as she glances down at her lips. Emily's lips graze hers and her heart starts racing, the monitor beeping fast along with it. Emily laughs quietly against her lips, her warm breath brushing along her skin.

She takes a deep breath, letting out a shaky laugh as she stares into Emily's warm eyes, "Stupid machine."

Emily laughs, leaning her forehead against Paige's. Hearing Emily laugh makes her smile wide; it's been so long since she's heard it. A real laugh. God she missed it. But she missed Emily's lips against hers even more. "Can you kiss me now?"

Emily giggles softly before parting her lips against hers and pressing gently against them. She responds back automatically, fitting her lips perfectly against Emily's. It's a soft kiss; slow and gentle. It felt like forever that they shared one of these tender kisses.

The beeping of the monitor echoes in the background, mimicking the palpations of Paige's heart as it skips a beat.

Emily pulls back and stares at Paige, who still has her eyes closed. "Did you...did you hear that?"

Paige opens her eyes lazily, meeting Emily's wide ones. "Did I hear what?"

"That." She points to the machine, "It stopped for a second."

Paige shrugs as she kisses Emily's cheek gently, "Maybe it did." She leans back against the bed, her head leaning to the side as she smiles at Emily who's staring at her.

"It...skipped a beat?" She stares dumbfounded at Paige. Paige had told her jokingly countless times before that she made her heart skip a beat, something she had rolled her eyes at, but to know that she had been serious and actually hear it?

She bites her lip and looks down as her eyes start to water. How could she have doubted Paige's love for her? The night of her birthday, out by the dock, she had felt like her world was crumbling away. She already had doubts of her own, but to know that Paige -her optimistic and ever positive girlfriend- was having doubts, it made her shut down and push Paige away. Not to mention that she had been too busy running around after Alison.

"Em...hey" Paige gently places her fingers under Emily's chin, meeting her eyes as she looks up. She wipes away a tear that manages to escape her girlfriend's eye.

"I'm sorry Paige." Her eyes rake over Paige's injuries guiltily. It was her fault that Paige was in the hospital. It was her fault that she had gotten involved with A in the first place. "I'm so sorry."

Her shoulders shake as Paige pulls her gently into her, her arms wrapping protectively around Emily. "It'll be okay. We'll be okay."Paige doesn't blame Emily for anything that's happened to her. She'd do it again if it meant keeping her safe.

She holds Emily tight against her as they lay on the hospital bed together. They stay quiet as they listen to the steady beeps of the heart monitor. Emily leans her head against Paige's chest; she can barely make out the faint sound of Paige's heart. She closes her eyes, tuning out the beeping and instead focusing on the thumps against her ear.

Emily smooths her finger over Paige's scar, biting her lip as she tries to hold back another apology. She knows Paige will just shut her up with a kiss. Actually she could really use a kiss right now.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

She shakes her head, smiling sheepishly. "Just...looking."

Paige dips her head. She was still self conscious of her scar. It wasn't her first, but it was the only one that was on full display for everyone to see. The doctor had done a good job of stitching it up, leaving a thin scar running down her temple to her cheek. She wasn't ashamed of the scar; she had no reason to be. But she didn't like being stared at by people that had no idea how she got it and would probably come up with their own conclusions.

"Hey, don't look away." Emily tilts Paige's head up gently.

"Sorry, I just…it really doesn't bother you?" She points to her scar, "This?"

Emily doesn't reply, instead she presses her lips against Paige's scar. When she pulls back she places her hands on Paige's cheeks, "No, it doesn't." She stares deeply into her eyes, hoping that what she's about to say will finally sink in. "You having the scar doesn't bother me. What bothers me is that I'm the reason you have it. I'm the reason you have a permanent reminder of that day on your face."

"Em."

"No. We both know I'm the reason you have this." She traces the scar gently with her thumb. "I made my choices, you made yours. But in the end it was the fact that you care so much about me that gave you the scar."

"I told you there was nothing I wouldn't do to protect you." Paige murmurs.

Emily stays quite, shaking her head in defeat. She traces her fingertips slowly down Paige's check, tucking loose strands of hair behind her ear. Her hand comes to rest on the back of Paige's neck. She smiles softly as she pulls Paige towards her. She kisses her gently, taking Paige's lower lip between her own. She deepens the kiss, trying to convey her love for Paige that words can't begin to describe.

Neither of them wants to be the first to break the kiss, but the lack of oxygen finally wins. They break apart with a gasp, both of them breathing heavily as they smile at each other, their foreheads touching.

"Come on, let's go. I'm hungry." Paige takes her hand in hers, pulling her towards the door. Emily had the house to herself and she hadn't wasted the opportunity to spend the morning with Paige. Neither of them felt up to making lunch, but after the fourth time Paige's stomach grumbled they had finally settled for going to The Brew.

"You know, Hanna was right."

Paige glances questioningly at her as she opens the door. "Don't let her hear you say that or she'll never let it go. But what was she right about?"

"The scar makes you look sexy, in a bad-ass kind of way."

Paige chuckles as she steps outside. Her smile vanishes as she takes in the blonde standing in Emily's yard. Her shoulders tense as she meets Alison's eyes.

"Although you're right, we probably shouldn't tell Hanna that or else she'll always bring it up when she's arguing with Spencer."

Paige glances at Emily who's locking the door and is oblivious to Alison's presence.

Paige wasn't sure what she felt towards Alison. Over the past week she's thought about it. Turning her feelings over and over in her mind. She finally came to the conclusion that she feels nothing. She doesn't feel anything towards her. No anger. No hate. No sympathy. What happened to Alison from now on was none of her concern. And she didn't care what Alison did.

She only cared when it involved Emily.

"So are we still-" Emily's words cut off as she stops in her tracks. She stares at Alison, they hadn't seen each other since they parted ways at the police station. Part of it was due to Alison's house arrest, but most it had to do with the fact that Emily hadn't left Paige's side since she was released from the hospital.

She glances between Alison and Paige, who are staring at each other. She takes Paige's hand in hers reassuringly, pulling her towards her car and away from the blonde.

"Emily, we need to talk."

Emily sighs as she glances at Alison over her shoulder. "I can't talk right now."

She unlocks her car, walking towards the driver's side as Paige climbs into the passenger seat.

"Emily, please."

She meets Alison's pleading gaze, shaking her head slightly as she opens her door. "Sorry Ali. I can't."

She climbs into her car, shutting her door and starting the car. Paige is pointedly avoiding Alison's glare as she drive onto the street. Paige's shoulders are still tense and Emily knows it's because Paige is scared she'll chose Alison over her again. Emily takes her hand, squeezing it reassuringly.

"I'll always choose you Paige." Emily assures, hoping Paige will finally believe her. She smiles lovingly when Paige gives her a timid smile. She wasn't going to let Paige go ever again. "Always."

So, tada :) I figured I'd end it with Emily choosing Paige over Alison because my Paily heart needs that. Hopefully you liked it and let me know what you think?