Hey guys! Thanks for hanging in there! Sorry for the SUPER delayed posting. I'm going to be writing a few chapters today so hopefully I can keep on top of this.

Also, I'm TOTALLY incorporating the stuff we learned this week on PLL into Paige's character - and it was very much a direction I was hoping they would go. You probably won't see it for a few chapters yet, but it'll def. start to come out. Consider this the calm before the storm...

And I'm also so stoked for the mid-season finale!

AND! I'm looking to start an AU Paige story, possibly a crossover, so if there are any requests out there, throw 'em my way! Leave them in the comments or PM me. Thanks!

The buzzing of the alarm jolted me out of my sleep. I groaned and flailed for the snooze button, desperately seeking another seven minutes, as if that would solve all the problems in the world. I rolled back to my other side, seeking sleep once again, but instead my arms became privy to the emptiness in my bed.

After Emily and I had worn ourselves out swimming last night, we retreated to my room to find some dry clothes and to warm up. And talk.

"Try these," I said as a threw a pair of little plaid boxer shorts and a black tank top to Emily.

"Thanks."

As she started to undress, I made sure to be fully immersed in my closet, searching for clothes for myself. I dared not turn around and see her fully undressed, I didn't think I could handle the sight right then without melting into a puddle. Once I found a suitable outfit, a pair of gray pajama capris and a cute purple tank top, I pulled the door mostly shut and quickly jumped out of my soaked undergarments and into the dry clothing.

Once decent, I shuffled my way out and across the room, head down, to where Emily still sat on the edge of the bed.

"Paige? What's wrong?"

"N-nothing," I stuttered, "I-I just...uhm, am still processing everything."

I looked up and her eyes has been fixated on me this entire time. I could feel them. A silence lingered in the air.

"I-it just doesn't feel real yet."

With that, she grabbed my hand and dragged me closer. I still stood above her, frozen, as she sat on the bed. She dropped my hand onto her shoulder and reached up. Her hand felt like it was setting fire to my cheek as she brushed it and then firmly held the back of my neck. She gazed up at me with a longing in her eyes and I took my cue to lean in for a kiss. Our lips met again and it still made me flutter as much as the first time. I pulled away and just stared at her with a smirk on my face. She patted on the bed next to her directing me to sit. I obliged.

"Paige," she nearly whispered, as she grabbed on to my hand in my lap, "I'm here. And this is real. I'm not going anywhere, at least not without you."

I looked away from her and let out a soft chuckle, focusing my attention on our hands, intertwined. I made a few inaudible sounds as I opened my mouth and tried to speak. Instead, I just nodded.

She grasped my hand even tighter as she began to speak again.

"I know we've been through a lot in the last year. I guess that's an understatement."

"Yeah," I lightly giggled back.

"But...but I've thought about this. A lot. Like you said, we had a connection. We have a connection. It just...just feels right."

I looked up into her eyes, mesmerized. I tried to speak again, but I was still tongue-tied. Emily sensed this.

"Look, Paige, I know we've had our ups and downs, but we've come so far. We've been through so much. I'm ready to make this work."

I hesitated, "You mean..."

"We make a good team!"

Just I said that, my phone began to ring. My mother, impeccable timing.

"Hey, Mom, I'm still at school, just finishing up with Emily."

I glanced towards Emily and gave her a smile. I turned away again.

"No, Mom, she's just a friend. I'll be home in an hour."

I could see the thoughts processing in Emily's head.

She raised her eyebrows, "Just a friend?"

"Yes. Will you be my girlfriend?"

I never thought I would hear those words. My heart was beating a mile a minute. I stared intently into her eyes for a moment, before looking away.

"Of course," I whispered.

She kissed my forehead and my heart began to melt. I felt tears welling in the corners of my eyes. She held my chin and raised my head so our eyes met once again. She took her thumb and wiped away the tear from the corner of my left eye.

"Em.."

"Hmm?"

"I...I don't think you understand how much you mean to me," my face began to become flushed.

"How so?"

"No one...in the entire world, probably...knows me like you do. You've helped me...so much. And you've been there for me, whether you knew it or not."

I felt the tears begin to stream down my face.

"Em, if it weren't for you, I'd probably still be in a closet somewhere, hiding. I'd still hate myself for feeling 'different'. I would be completely trapped..."

"I came out to my parents."

Emily had a shocked expression on her face, "You did?"

I smiled and nodded.

"How did they take it?"

"Freaked out, a little. Some tears, some screaming, but nothing like I thought it would be."

I could still feel the smile on my face.

"Wow," Emily gasped, "That's so great, I mean...not the screaming part, but, great."

I slowly walked towards her, "I have you to thank for it."

"Me?" she said, shaking her head, "What did I do?

I sat down on the desk in front of where she sat, "You handled coming out so well, it just made it seem possible for me to do it, too."

"I don't know about that."

"I do," I quickly interjected.

She just sat there and stared at me.

"I watched you."

She awkwardly looked around and cleared her throat before she spoke.

"Thanks...I'm glad you were able to talk to your parents."

"Me, too," I stood up, "I just wish...I'd done it sooner."

"I felt alone for so long. I felt wrong for so long. But this...this feels so...right."

She placed another kiss on my forehead and proceeded to wrap her arms around me like a warm blanket. She drew me in, close to her body. I rested my head upon her shoulder. I wrapped my arms around her as well. We seemed to stay like this forever.

"Em, I'm not afraid anymore."

I felt her squeeze me tighter in response and then kissed me on the cheek. I lifted my head up and our lips met again. This time, I could feel all the tension leave my body. This kiss was cleansing, like the weight of the world had just been lifted off my shoulders. All the pieces had finally fit together.

"Paige. I'm proud of you. I'm proud of how far you've come. And I'm proud that you are finally the Paige McCullers I've seen deep down there all along."

I smiled back at her and let out a soft, "Thank you."

But I wasn't thanking her for her words though. I was thanking her for being Emily, for helping me through this, and for seeing me for who I really was when everyone seemed to be blinded by everything else.

"I'm proud to call you my girlfriend," she smirked at me.

I then caught the alarm clock out of the corner of my eye.

"Crap. It's 11:45 already! You should probably get going before your mom freaks out!"

I couldn't believe the words that had just come out of my mouth. I desperately wanted her to stay the night, but my head was telling me, 'Paige, it's a school night and you need to be up early tomorrow and...'

My head always seemed to be racing no matter what.

"Oh man, I can't believe it's that late already!"

Emily jumped to her feet and grabbed her dry clothes that she had taken off earlier. She gave me another quick kiss before she began to dress herself, slipping her clothes over the ones I had given her. She turned to me and gave me a gigantic smile. It warmed me up inside and I couldn't help but smile back.

"See you tomorrow in school?"

"Absolutely."

She leaned in, her hand cupping my cheek, and kissed me deeply one last time. I grabbed her hand as she began to pull away. She looked to my hand and then to my eyes, which must have been screaming, 'Please, don't go!'

"Don't worry," she tried to comfort me, "I'll see you in a few hours."

She smiled again and kissed my forehead. I finally let her hand slip from mine.

Yep, 5:08 came far too quickly this morning. I still felt high from last night, a smile on my face I just couldn't wipe off. Emily Fields, my girlfriend. The second alarm began to sound as it woke me from my daydreaming.

I shut the alarm off and rolled out of bed. My feet hit the ground, but I still felt like I was floating as I glided around the room to get ready.

"Hey you."

I closed my locker and was greeted my Emily's smiling face.

"Did you miss me?"

"Oh, I didn't think I was going to make it through the night!" I sarcastically replied, bringing the back of my hand to my forehead, being playfully overdramatic.

"That's what I thought, so I got you this," she planted a kiss on my cheek as we walked side by side down the hall.

I turned to her and returned that with a smile as I slid my hand and fingers between hers.

I've never felt so free.