Title: Coffee and Calypso

Author: LadyBladesong

Summary: Paige is trying

Feedback: Please:)

Doubleshot

Upon thinking about it, Rachel decided she should thank this woman, whoever she was. And it was a woman, she knew. Paige didn't get worked up about men like she did about women, at least not the men that Rachel knew about. This woman was in Paige's kisses, in her caresses, in her enthusiasm, in her hesitation, in her honesty, and in her affection. Rachel knew this, knew it wasn't herself that caused this turnaround in Paige. But it was she who was reaping the rewards.

Paige had come to her that night in a way that Rachel was used to from times before, all passion and need, but the desperation was something new, as well as the gentleness.

When she found Paige in her kitchen the next morning, she was flabbergasted.

"You...cook?" she had managed dumbly.

"It's an old hobby," Paige replied shyly. "Waffles?"

"Sure. Time to throw out that pesky diet anyway." Rachel smiled, deciding she could get used to this, but knowing that she shouldn't.

Paige knew she was delaying the inevitable, or maybe she was just saving her own skin again. Maybe she was trying to prove something, but to who she wasn't sure.

Alex had pulled away as Paige attempted to pull their bodies closer together.

"I can't," she had said, although Paige was sure that Alex had been talking more to herself.

"Alex..." More than anything else, Paige felt embarrassed, and a bit ashamed.

"I'm sorry Paige, I thought you understood. I can't..." she hesitated. "I just can't." she finished. "Please, just go."

"As you wish hon." And Paige retreated back to something she knew very well.

After several nights of realizing Paige was crying herself to sleep, Rachel made a decision. She woke up earlier than Paige, making herself some coffee to steel herself.

When Paige made her way to Rachel's kitchen, she wasn't ready for that sad smile.

"She worth all this Paige?" she asked.

Paige stopped in her tracks, confirming Rachel's suspicions. "What?"

"Who is it?" Rachel pressed. "What woman has the power to turn Paige Michalchuck into the almost-perfect girlfriend?" Rachel shook her head. "Who broke you Paige?"

"I'm not..." Paige started, but Rachel interrupted her.

"Broken? Of course you are. You just were different before because you had accepted it. What are you trying to do now? Fix it?

"It's not something a person just fixes" Paige said. Rachel only nodded.

"Right. So who is she? The one woman who told you no? Did she just not want you, or did she wise up and leave you?"

"Rachel. Just. Stop. You're acting. Like a jilted lover." Rachel didn't notice the halting way Paige spoke,

"That's what I am usually."

"Well not this time! I'm here! With you! Isn't that enough" Paige fairly screamed. Then the blonde was clutching her chest, obviously having a hard time breathing.

"Oh shit...Paige?" Rachel rushed to catch Paige, who almost fell over. "Paige!"