A/N: I go a bit from past to present, so I hope I've pulled it off and I don't confuse anyone.

I would also like to extend a huge thank you to J - thank you for all of your continuing help, support, and encouragement. :)

Chapter 4

By the time Alex arrived at the Michalchuk house, the party was well underway. Immediately after graduation and a few quick pictures, she had taken off leaving Jay with a bunch of people he wasn't crazy about. She needed to be alone to collect her thoughts, and debate over whether to go to Paige's party or not.

On one hand she did invite me to the party, but on the other she didn't invite me until today. She had mentioned it to me before we broke up, but just in the assumption that I would be there. I guess I didn't really know whether I was still invited once it was over between us. Alex inhaled deeply, and heavily sighed as she exhaled. Over. I don't want it to be. I really want to talk to her today, I don't want to wait any longer, but I'm scared the party isn't the right place or time. She'll just get irritated with me cuz I'm interrupting her moment to play hostess. Maybe I could get her away just long enough to get an idea of how she feels about us, and if there is a chance we might try again. I just hope she has the answers I want to hear. I don't think my heart could take it otherwise. I never thought I would be so over taken by someone, especially someone like Paige Michalchuk. She absolutely drives me nuts, and yet I can't imagine having never known her. She's turned my life upside down, both good and bad. She's changed my life forever. She took in another deep breath, then jumped down from the giant boulder she had been perched on overlooking the beach. The party may not be the best place to talk to Paige, but she didn't want to wait one more second if there was a chance that they could get back together.

She stood staring at the Michalchuk's front door for what seemed like several minutes, working up the nerve to knock. Even outside she could hear the laughter and music spilling out of the house. A couple of hours had passed since graduation, and by this time everyone was well established in their clicks at the party.

The sound of a car door slamming shook Alex out of her trans-like state. With a brief and emotionless acknowledgment to the other late comers, she slowly followed them, a couple of steps behind, into the house.

Streamers in the school's colors were hanging all over the large living room, along with wall to wall balloons that covered the ceiling. A large banner with the words Congratulations Paige & Graduating Class of 2006 hung in the double doorway that lead into the dining room. Alex couldn't help but laugh quietly to herself when she saw that Paige's name came before the rest, and she just knew that Paige was the one who picked out how it was going to read. Yep, that's my girl, she thought to herself as her eyes took in her surroundings. I don't think she could have added any more blue and gold in here if she tried. Well maybe if she required people to wear the colors. Suddenly she started looking around the room at the rest of the people to make sure Paige hadn't really implemented a dress code. Letting out a sigh of relief, she started looking for the blonde.

She impatiently squeezed through the joyful crowd as her head darted around for the only person she wanted to see. Finally her eyes landed on soft waves of golden hair lightly draped over an emerald green top. Alex could tell that even from behind she was quite animated and thoroughly enjoying herself. Suddenly she felt guilty for wanting to bring up a potentially dramatic subject, and began to turn around to leave when she heard her name being called very enthusiastically behind her.

"Alex!" Marco bounded over to her with a wide grin on his face. "I'm so glad you decided to come!" He pulled her into a quick hug. Everyone seemed a lot more 'huggy' today than usual.

"Yeah, but I'm starting to have second thoughts about all of this." She motioned to the large crowd and the blatant school spirit swimming around in the house.

In the background Paige had heard Alex's name being called, and her heart jumped in her chest. For the first hour and a half she had closely monitored the door hoping to see the raven haired girl walk through it, but eventually admitted defeat after the second hour had taken hold. Smiling inwardly with delight she turned around and immediately locked eyes with Alex, and found herself walking over to her without even feeling as though she was moving. Out of the corner of his eye, Marco noticed Dylan heading towards the kitchen. He turned to Alex, who at this point forgot he was even standing next to her, and quickly mumbled "Looks like Dylan could use a hand bringing more food in, I'll catch up with you later."

"Uh huh" was all that Alex could muster as she was too busy watching Paige slowly make her way over to her. She knew she couldn't back down now, just looking into those eyes made her realize just how much she wanted to make amends.

"Alex!" Paige enthusiastically said when she finally reached her, and pulled her into a tight hug. "I'm so glad you're here" she whispered into the flowing shiny black hair.

"Me to" Alex whispered back. They smiled shyly at each other when they pulled apart, and motioning to the room around them Alex said, "I like what you've done with the place."

"Oh shut up, you do not" Paige laughed.

"Ok, you're right, I really don't." Alex laughed back, then added "But I love how your name appears to be nearly twice the size of Class of 2006."

"Yeah well, it's my party" the blonde squeaked out, causing her ex to laugh again.

After a few tense moments of glancing and smiling at each other, Alex took in a deep breath, "Paige, I know this isn't the right time or place seeing how you are the host of the party and all, but I've been thinking a lot lately." She paused and searched the blonde's face before adding, "About you and me. About us." Paige nodded in agreement, so she went for it. "Could we talk? Somewhere quiet?"

Paige looked deep into dark chocolate colored eyes. She said nothing as she took Alex's hand in hers and gently lead her through the crowd heading for the stairs. Quietly they ascended them on the path that lead to the blonde's bedroom, a place Alex had been yearning to see once again ever since they had broken up. Paige walked in first, with Alex close behind. The blonde waited for her to enter, then slowly closed the door behind them. Unsure of what to do or how she should act, Alex stood close to the entrance until she received a signal from the blonde.

Without much hesitation, Paige pressed Alex against the door passionately kissing her while her hands were eagerly going through Alex's hair and drawing her mouth closer to her own. Alex was extremely surprised by all of this, but she quickly recovered as her hands found their way to Paige's hips, pulling them as close to her as possible. Hands, mouths, and bodies quickly became reacquainted as their hunger for each surged through them like a drug. This is heaven, Alex thought as her mind swarmed with lust and love for this girl she held so tightly.

But it wasn't reality. After she had asked Paige if they could talk, the blonde hesitated. She wanted to talk as well, but being Paige, she didn't want anyone to upstage her at her own party while she was away. Realizing that was a lot less important than the person standing in front of her, she agreed. Alex quietly followed behind her as they made their way into the kitchen to talk. Upon entering, they found Marco and Dylan making out in front of the cheese platter sitting on the counter.

"Oh come on guys, I know you two made up and everything, but is it really necessary for me to catch the two of you making out in every room I walk into? And in front of the cheese too!" Paige playfully teased, as the guys reluctantly pulled apart laughing.

"Hey, I didn't hear the cheese complaining" Dylan threw back, very pleased to see his sister walk in with Alex by her side.

"Yeah, maybe the cheese is gay too" Marco joked, and the four friends started laughing again. It was a much needed relief from the tension that was bouncing back and forth between the two girls. Marco sensed that the two wanted to talk, so he motioned to Dylan who had the same thought.

"Well let's get this gay cheese circulating before it queerly changes into fondue" they giggled on their way out, leaving the two girls alone in the kitchen.

Alex became very quiet, and walked over to the island in the middle of the floor. She slid her hand across the cool black marble, her mind quickly journeyed back to the week she had spent with the Michalchuk's.

Most nights she would wake up finding herself unsure of her surroundings, and wildly looking around the room. With her bearings back she'd then stretch out in bed, feeling a sense of safety and security wash over her. After a few moments of staring up at the ceiling, she would then quietly get up and slip silently into Paige's room just to see her cuddled up in her bed, sleeping peacefully. Creeping down the stairs, she would make her way into the kitchen, get a glass of water, then sit down on one of the tall stools at the island. She'd gaze down at the black marble, memorizing the white lines swimming through its surface, and finding herself in an almost meditative state. With every night she'd do this, and without failure, she would eventually hear the sleepy shuffling of Paige making her way to the kitchen.

"You ok, hun?" Paige would ask yawning and squinting at the softly dimmed lights above.

"I am now" Alex would quietly say back, taking in the most adorable sight she had ever seen. Paige would make her way over to Alex and wrap her arms around her girlfriend, practically falling back to sleep where she stood.

She must have had some kind of homing device on me, Alex thought as she softly smiled thinking of those blissful moments, all the while her hand gently touching that magical black marble counter.

Seeing her inwardly smile, Paige quietly made her way over to Alex and rested her hand on hers, "It was a good week" she whispered. Alex looked up slowly, still with a smile on her face, but also with tears in her eyes.

"Yeah. It was" she whispered back.

Without hesitation, Paige took her into her arms and tightly held her. Both closed their eyes, and they breathed in succession just as they once had. So many things were spoken between them without any words being said. They both knew. They were back together. I was wrong, Alex thought. This is heaven.

Slowly pulling apart, and looking deeply into each other's eyes, Paige gently reached up and touched Alex's cheek and drew her into a soft and tender kiss.

"Oh come on girls, I know you two made up and everything, but is it really necessary for me to catch the two of you making out in every room I walk into? And in front of the fruit too!" Dylan couldn't help himself as he walked into the kitchen for a soda only to find his sister finally back with her girl. All three laughed, and Paige grabbed an orange and threw it at him, which he fumbled with before finally catching it.

"Wow, look at that - the fruit catching the fruit" Paige mused, before darting out of the way as the orange went flying past her.

"So does this mean...?" he trailed off making a motion with his hands to represent being together.

Paige turned to look at Alex who was smiling with overwhelming relief written all over her face. Taking her girlfriend by the hand, she returned her gaze back to her brother and simply stated, "Yes." He smiled back at them, very pleased they had found each other once again.

"Is Paige in here?" Hazel hurriedly burst through the kitchen door looking incredibly annoyed. "Paige, finally I found you!"

"Hazel, why so flustered?" she asked furrowing her brow.

"It's Heather Sinclair. She somehow managed to get one of the buttons on those gaudy jeans of hers caught on the couch and she can't free herself."

Paige rolled her eyes, "You know, deep down I just knew she'd find someway to cause a scene around her. Come on Dylan," she motioned to her brother as she started heading for the door. "I need your help."

"What do you need my help for?" he mock complained as he started following her.

"You're a gay man, who better to help with a button/upholstery crisis?"

"Paige, I'm begging you, you have got to stop watching Queer Eye..." Their voices trailed off as they headed back into the party, leaving an uncomfortable Hazel and Alex behind.

"So..." Hazel began, just looking around the room. "Looks like you and Paige are back together."

Alex couldn't help but feel a bit defensive. "Yeah, we are. Look, Hazel, I know we've never been crazy about each other, but I really care for h..."

Hazel cut her off, "No, no - I'm happy for the two of you." Alex looked at her skeptically. "Really, I am. I know how much Paige cares about you, and I'm glad to see her happy again. Seriously." Alex softened a bit. "Plus, I know how happy she makes you too, and frankly it will be nice not to have to watch you moping around anymore."

"I wasn't moping!" Hazel looked at her with a sideways glance. "Ok, I was moping a little."

Hazel smiled at her minor victory, "It will also be nice not to see neurotic Paige running around here like a maniac trying so hard to pretend nothing is bothering her."

"So it wasn't just me who noticed that?"

"Oh heavens, no. She was starting to worry me a bit, almost like she was always high on caffeine or something. And that whole weird thing about hooking up with Spinner..." She trailed off as she looked around the kitchen, while Alex's eyes went wide with a mixture of emotions bubbling at the surface.

"What weird hook up with Spinner?"

Hazel's head whipped back to Alex as she realized no one had told her about it. "Oh god, you didn't know."

"Know what?" Alex demanded.

Trying to figure a way out of this, Hazel looked around the room hoping an answer would jump out at her. "Uh, it was no big deal, nothing to really bring up or anything."

"Hazel, either tell me, or I will pin you against the floor until you do."

"Eww, is that something you do with Paige?" Alex made a warning move toward her. "Ok, ok. Paige and Spinner, in an unexpected moment, kind of slept together."

Alex's heart sank, and she breathed in deeply to try and regain her composure. "While we were still together?"

"No! No, it wasn't until after you two broke up."

"Wonderful. I was that easy to get over, and he obviously wasn't what she thought she wanted, and so she decided to take me back. Great." Alex was practically near a panic attack by this time, over come with so many emotions rushing through her.

"It was nothing like that, Alex. She said it was some kind of way of saying goodbye to high school."

"I can think of a lot of ways to say good bye to high school, and jumping into bed with an ex right after I broke up with someone I love is not one of them" she spat back, clearly hurting from the news she had just received. She felt as though her heart had collapsed after being so full just moments before. "At least I thought she loved me..." She nearly whispered as she touched the black marble once more.

"She does, Alex" Hazel gently said, trying to calm her down and reassure her. "I've known Paige for a long time, and I could tell how much the break up was hurting her. She loved you, and she still does."

Alex leaned over the island, her mind a whirlwind of thoughts crashing into each other. She felt like she was swimming under water, and suddenly it was as if she couldn't remember which end was up. "I need to get out of here" she whispered as she started making her way over to the door.

"Wait! Alex!" Hazel called after her, trying to get her to stop.

But it was too late, the raven haired girl was quickly making her way through the crowd, avoiding Paige at all costs. She didn't want to be stopped. She needed to think everything through. She felt as though someone had punched her in the stomach, and she couldn't breathe.

By the time Hazel reached Paige, Alex had already made it out the door. "We finally got her free, where's Alex?" the blonde asked completely unaware of the drama that had just taken place.

"Uhm, she kind of left." Hazel squeaked out with a guilty look on her face.

"Left? What do you mean, she left? Where did she go, is she coming back?" Paige was clearly concerned and confused, and Hazel could barely look her in the eyes.

"I don't think so."

"What happened? I don't understand, wha..." Then a lightbulb went off in her head. "Did you tell her about Spin and me?"

"Paige, I swear I didn't mean to! I thought she knew!"

"How could she have known! I told you I didn't want to hurt her by telling her!"

"I thought maybe Marco had told her..."

"Told who, what?" Marco asked as he came up beside the two, Dylan following behind. "Where's Alex?"

Fuming and overwhelmed, Paige turned to the guys and filled them in with what happened. "I need to find her and try to explain."

"I think it would be better if you left her alone for a while and let her calm down. Give her tonight, and tomorrow go and find her."

"No, Dylan - I can't have her out there thinking I would intentionally hurt her. We just got back together, I can't let this be the end of us. I just can't."

Dylan could see she was determined to leave, so he relented. "Ok, I'll keep an eye on the party."

"Thank you" she breathed, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek before practically running for the door.

"Paige, wait!" Marco yelled to her before she could get too far. She spun around impatiently, as he calmly added, "I'll drive."

To be continued