None of them were expecting what happened the next morning. When Paige and Emily went downstairs, Spencer and Toby were standing by the door, talking in hushed voices. There were two police officers walking around outside, much to their alarm.

"What's going on?" Emily asked. Paige was busy trying to see out of the window.

Spencer and Toby glanced at them before glancing at each other. Paige stared as she waited for an answer, although she had a sinking feeling she knew.

"Paige, there's something you should know."

"Just tell me, Spencer."

"There's a body outside," Spencer told them calmly. Paige sank down into a chair as Emily gasped.

"What?"

"The police came to the door before. A jogger found it."

"Did you see it?" Paige asked softly. Spencer shook her head.

"Paige, it's okay," Emily soothed.

"It's not," she replied, her mouth dry. "I know who it is."

"Paige-."

"I need to see."

She got up, pushing her way past Spencer and out the door. She couldn't see well from where she was standing, but she could see enough to have her suspicions confirmed. It was Shana.

The rest of the morning happened in a blur. She had helped the officers identify the body and was then led inside by Emily and made to sit down. She was vaguely aware of people talking around her, but she didn't respond. She didn't cry. She didn't scream. She was just numb. Emily sat by her the whole time, holding her hand. The police wanted to talk to her at the station, given that she had known her, and Emily offered to go with her. She didn't want to do it alone.

So they went, Emily sitting out in the living room while Paige talked to a Lieutenant Tanner. She was still in shock, her mind elsewhere as Tanner questioned her about her relationship and her past with the victim. Paige was aware enough to notice the way Tanner sneered when she told her about their falling out.

"How do you feel about this, Paige?" she asked, her tone low and accusatory.

"I…. shocked," she replied, staring at the floor. It hadn't fully registered yet. She had just talked to her yesterday. She had lived with her for three years. This had to be a dream. Yes, that was it. This wasn't real. She would wake up soon, and everything would be okay.

"You're not upset?"

"Of course I am," she replied, anger starting to overcome her numbness. She didn't like the way the woman was looking at her.

"But, it doesn't sound like you had a very good relationship with her."

"Things ended badly, yes. But that doesn't mean I wanted anything to happen with her."

"The interesting thing is, Miss McCullers, is that we have already had several witnesses come forward and say they saw you yelling at her on the beach yesterday."

"She followed me here and kept trying to talk to me. I didn't want to listen to her because I was still hurt."

"Ah," Tanner replied, and Paige realized she was saying too much. It really didn't look good.

"Do I need to call a lawyer?"

"Do you have something to confess?"

"No."

"You're absolutely sure?"

"Yes."

"Here's what we're going to do. Until we have further developments, you will have to stay here. You're a person of interest-."

"What? Are you serious?"

"Yes, I'm serious."

"This is fucking ridiculous," she snapped. "I didn't touch her!"

"Well, that is what we're going to find out," Tanner replied calmly. She stood up. "For now, you're free to go."

Paige stormed out into the waiting area. When she saw Emily sitting there waiting for her, the tears she had been holding in all day came, and she collapsed into Emily's arms, sobbing. Emily held her as she cried, stroking her back and soothingly whispering in her ear. She had been waiting for Paige to fall apart like this since they had found Shana. No matter how angry she had been, it was the natural reaction. Especially for someone as gentle and caring as Paige. She wouldn't stop crying, gripping Emily's shirt as she sobbed.

"They think I did it," she whispered into Emily's shirt. "They think I killed her."

"What?" Emily asked, sure she hadn't heard right. They had no reason to accuse her aside from the fact that they used to date.

"Uh huh," she sniffed, wiping her eyes. "That woman sure thinks I did. She told me I was free to go, for now."

Emily stared at her, unsure of what to say. This couldn't be happening. There was no way her girlfriend was being accused of murder.

"I don't know what to do," she replied, her face so heartbreakingly sad Emily almost burst into tears with her. "We need to call a lawyer."

"Oh, Paige….."

"You know I didn't hurt her," she continued shrilly. "Don't you?"

"Of course," she soothed, hugging her tightly. "I am on your side, Paige. It's going to be okay."

Paige shook her head. This was far from over.

"I don't know if it will. At least not anytime soon."

Everyone was silent when they got back to the house. There was a lot of whispering as Paige made her way up the stairs, Emily stopping to look at each of their friends. Hanna was whispering something to Toby, Caleb staring at her. Mona was pretending to be busy on her phone.

"I can call my mother," Spencer offered. "She's a great lawyer."

"If you could," Emily agreed.

"And you can stay in the beach house. As long as you need."

"Thank you." She turned to Hanna. Her former roommate stopped talking, looking guilty. "Do you have something to say?"

"No."

"Good. I'll be upstairs."

She went up the stairs after Paige. She found her sitting on the bed, her face buried in her hands. Emily sat beside her and began soothingly rubbing her back. She didn't know how to comfort her and she couldn't even imagine the fear she was feeling. It was bad enough Shana was dead, and she was being accused on top of it. No one should have to suffer as much as Paige had suffered. It seemed everywhere the poor woman turned she caught a tough break. Emily wished there was something she could do to change that, but she knew all she could do was be there for her.

Emily went downstairs to get Paige a glass of water a little while later, her eyes widening in surprise when she saw Hanna and Noel by the door, bags packed.

"What the hell?" she asked Hanna, the betrayal showing in her eyes. Hanna shrugged.

"I think it's time for me to go."

"What about Caleb?"

"I'm staying," he replied, glaring at his girlfriend.

"Hanna?" Emily asked, stepping towards her. "You know Paige didn't do this."

Hanna didn't answer. Emily felt as if she had been stabbed in the back. She thought Hanna was her friend, and that she would stand by her. She thought she knew Paige well enough, too. But apparently she was wrong.

"Who are you?" she asked softly. Hanna's eyes brimmed with tears.

"Emily, please."

"I have nothing else to say to you," she snapped. She turned to the rest of the group, watching silently as Mona joined Noel and Hanna by the door. "Anyone else want to make an ass of themselves?"

"We're staying," Spencer replied, gesturing to her and Toby.

"Thank you," she replied, suddenly wanting to burst into tears. "I'm glad you're able to use logic."

"Tell Paige I believe her," Mona whispered. "Noel…. he's forcing me to leave."

"I am not!"

"Yes, you are," she snapped. "Paige would never hurt anyone."

"I'll tell her," she replied quietly. And with that she went upstairs, unable to believe this was happening. Paige was being accused of murder and her best friend thought she did it. This had to be a nightmare.

Paige was lying on the bed, her back to Emily as she came into the room. She laid down beside her and held her, her fingers stroking her arm. Neither of them said anything. All they could do was try to process what had happened, and how they were going to get through it.

A/N: So, there it is. Glad you're enjoying the story!