Thank you as always for all the kind reviews and wonderful words on the last chapter, and the story in general. I'm so glad so many people enjoy it. This chapter was originally ridiculously long, but ending it where it did just made a little more sense to me, so I've cut it in half. Time allowing, I should be back early next week with the completed other half. I hope you all enjoy it :)

Chapter 28: Warm

Paige's feet were heavy when she eventually made her way outside, her body apparently not as certain as her mind that she was ready to do this. The cold pricked her skin but Paige didn't mind it, her cheeks still flushed and burning from the heat of the kitchen. Paige looked around apprehensively once the door clinked shut behind her, frowning.

There was nobody in sight.

There were a few cars parked in the small lot of the café, but none of them resembled her Father's. Paige's shoulders slumped with a heavy sigh. This was all beginning to feel like some cruel trick of the mind.

"Paige."

Paige turned when she heard the voice, short and gruff, her eyes landing on her Father instantly. He was leaning against the corner wall nearest the entrance, though far from casually, his eyes fixed on something across the lot, looking out at the road that ran directly pass the café. Paige followed his gaze for a moment, finding nothing of interest, before eventually she stuffed her hands into the pockets of her apron and walked towards him cautiously.

"Hi."

"Hello Paige."

His tone was softer than usual, Paige noting he spoke her name with an almost fondness that felt both familiar and foreign to her at the same time. She looked up at him expectantly, though his eyes refused to meet hers. He'd taken the time to shave since they'd last spoke, Paige guessing that now he had access to her siblings he'd simply wanted to look a little more presentable. He still couldn't completely hide the toll the last few months had taken on him, his eyes giving away his tiredness, surrounded by deep, dark circles, only made more prominent by how thin he was lately.

"Is something wrong?" Paige asked after a beat, her shoulders rising and falling in a sort of shrug. It was the first reason that came to mind and in truth the only one she could think of. Given the state of their relationship it hardly made sense for this to be a social visit.

"No, no," Nick shook his head, reassuringly. Or at least in a way Paige imagined was intended to be reassuring. "Nothing's wrong."

"Okay," Paige sighed, at a loss. She glanced back towards the café. "Do you want to go back inside? My break is a half hour, so…"

"No, that's quite alright," Nick shook his head, clearing his throat and straightening his back. "I won't be here long."

"Okay," Paige pursed her lips, trying to quell the slight frustration her growing impatience was stirring within her. She desperately wished he'd just get to the point. She sighed again, deciding to prompt him. "Why are you here?"

"Yes, well," Nick cleared his throat again, shifting on the spot as his gaze dropped once again. "I need a favour."


"What are you smiling about?" Aria asked Emily with an amused smile of her own, Emily flushing slightly as she looked up from her computer to find three sets of eyes now studying her.

"Planning on taking a vacation Em?" Spencer asked as she walked behind her on the couch, glancing down at the screen as she made her way towards the kitchen.

"I was thinking of booking a trip," Emily shrugged nonchalantly, trying to act like she hadn't been grinning like an idiot seconds earlier at the thought of taking a short break with Paige. Just the two of them, somewhere relatively hot, with nothing to do but relax and enjoy the time with each other. "For Paige and I."

"California?" Hanna piped up, craning her neck so that she could view the screen. "Crystal Cove Beach Cottages."

"I want somewhere not too far away, in my budget and quiet…" Emily began, looking at the screen. She'd searched around for a while, deciding that if they took a week off, they could fly to the nearest city and drive down the coast to spend a few days somewhere a little more quiet, finishing up their trip lazing about on the beach or hiking the nearby trails. "I figured we could spend a day or two exploring LA and then drive down there and just relax. Do nothing all day."

"Do each other all day," Hanna smirked. "What does Paige think?"

"She doesn't know," Emily explained, a smile tugging onto her lips. "I wanted to do something nice for her. And take advantage of having actual money and actual holiday time to take."

"Early christmas gift?" Aria asked.

"Maybe," Emily mused, undecided. She wanted to book it right then and there so she could give it as a thank you gift come Monday night, but she knew she really needed to figure out the best time to go and check with work to see when she would be able to take another holiday first. She'd taken one for today, everyone apart from Paige deciding and able to do the same, all of them feeling the effects of the previous nights friends-giving celebrations. The four girls were currently camped out at Emily and Spencer's apartment, fully intent on doing absolutely nothing with their day. "Are you guys sure you're okay about making yourself scarce this Monday?"

"We've got it covered," Spencer smiled as she made her way back into the room, dropping a handful of snacks onto the coffee table whilst tossing a letter at Emily before taking her seat. Emily looked at the envelope and frowned, noticing the familiar emblem in the corner.

"They're staying at my place for the night, and in exchange Spence is going to take Ezra and I to the airport first thing in the morning," Aria explained, returning Emily's attention to the conversation.

"We'll not be back til Tuesday afternoon," Hanna chimed in. "So you can have dinner with your parents and then Paige for dessert."

"We're happy to get out of the way," Spencer added sincerely, rolling her eyes at Hanna.

"Thanks," Emily smiled gratefully. Monday was quickly becoming a pretty big deal for her, and she was thankful her friends were being so accommodating of the plan.

"So, is Paige freaking out yet?" Hanna asked, almost giddily, though Emily hardly saw the funny side. She hated knowing that Paige would likely torture herself all weekend, worrying about impressing her parents much like she had last time, when Emily knew she had no reason to at all as long as she could relax and be herself.

"Not yet," Emily shook her head. "There's still time of course, but I think she'll be okay. She was very sincere about looking forward to it last night."

"It's very sweet of her to think of it," Aria mused. Emily smiled. As apprehensive as she was about Paige's nerves holding up, she had no doubts that her girlfriend was going to do her utmost to host the perfect evening.

"What's that?" Hanna asked through a mouthful of chips, motioning to the letter on Emily's lap.

"It's a letter."

"No shit," Hanna drawled sarcastically.

"It's from Penn," Emily frowned, turning the envelope in her hands. She didn't have to open it, having a sneaking suspicion what it was about.

"Aren't you going to open it?" Spencer asked, Emily shaking her head with a meek smile.

"Later," Emily shook her head, setting the envelope on the table. Spencer's eyes prompted her, Emily rolling her own at her friends insistence. "I know what it's about."

"And?"

"It's about my place next year."

"I thought you already deferred?" Hanna asked.

"I did," Emily nodded. "I still have to confirm my acceptance."

"The sooner the better though, right?" Spencer chimed in, tossing the letter at Emily once again. "It's bound to have a deadline."

"It does," Emily agreed with a forced smile, setting the letter back on the table as she stood. "I'm getting another drink, anyone want anything?"

Emily walked into the kitchen, a chorus of no's fading out behind her.

"It's pretty obvious you don't want to accept it," Hanna's voice drew Emily's attention to the doorway, her friend propped up against the doorframe.

"I don't know what I want," Emily sighed, slumping back against the counter.

"You know it's okay to drop out right?"

"And tell my Mom I'm giving up a place at Med school?" Emily sighed. "And Dr West…"

"Has already given you a job."

"As an assistant," Emily reminded her. "That I know he doesn't really need. What he needs is for me to be qualified and certified."

"Don't you think deferring for a year was just you putting off the inevitable?" Hanna asked, Emily's shoulders slumping at the question.

Hanna had a point.


It had felt like forever, but in reality had only taken a few, albeit excruciatingly awkward moments for Paige to convince her Father to join her inside. It was cold out, Paige had eventually started to feel it, and there was just something about they way he looked these days that always compelled her to feel he should be sitting, resting, warm. Now she was sitting across from him, awkwardly fiddling with her water glass whilst he nursed his second cup of coffee. Decaf, doctors orders. He'd been sure to grumble about that as he'd rolled off the order.

"This place is…" Nick began, looking around the café, but failing to come up with an end to his sentence. "It's…" Paige let him struggle on. If she hadn't felt so on edge thanks to his unannounced appearance, she figured she'd probably be amused by witnessing her Father struggle to make small talk. "Does it pay well?"

"I enjoy it," Paige shrugged. It was reasonably enjoyable work and she got a decent wage, more than her position probably warranted, Paige suspecting Shana had something to do with that.

"That's good," Nick nodded, clearing his throat awkwardly.

Paige enjoyed the odd moment of silence they shared, frowning sadly as she pictured an alternate universe where this would be the norm. A daughter and her Father sharing a drink. It didn't take her long to dismiss that reality. He hadn't come here to see where she worked and he hadn't come here to make sure she was adequately paid. Paige desperately wanted to know how and why he'd felt the need to come to her of all people for a favour.

"So?" Paige prompted as the lull of silence continued, her leg bouncing anxiously beneath the table. She didn't exactly want to rush him, didn't want to say or do anything that would serve as the spark for yet another argument between them. She'd hoped that thanks to the success of their last encounter they were done with pointless arguments. Still she was mindful of the clock; her break wasn't going to last forever, and she didn't want anything to be left unfinished between them.

"I need a favour," Nick repeated his words, his voice clearer this time, a little more conviction behind his words.

"From me?" The words slipped out, though Paige felt it was fair of her to be at the very least surprised that he'd come to her for a favour. She quelled any other emotion except surprise, pushing away the part of her mind that willed her to stand up from the table and tell him just how rich asking her for a favour was.

Paige didn't think she owed him any favours.

"I…" No sooner had he spoke, his shoulders slumped. Paige's brow furrowed at the action, concern quickly joining her confusion. "I have nobody else to ask."

Paige was taken aback by the brokenness of his voice, the sympathy that swelled within her for him just about managing to quell the sinking disappointment that came with his words. Paige wasn't sure exactly how she felt about the possibly of being, by the sounds of it at least, a last resort.

"What is it?" Paige asked hesitantly. It seemed like he needed genuine help with something, but Paige knew there was always the chance his favour could simply be for her to move aside so he could worm his way back into her Mother's life.

"I'm moving."

"Moving?" Paige asked in confusion. "Moving where?"

"Not far," Nick answered shortly. Paige simply stared blankly at him, confused and surprised to name but a few emotions, the whole encounter a little too surreal for her liking. He was talking to her far too casually, but still with a difficulty befitting of their troubled relationship. Conflicting. When it came to her Father, it was always the most appropriate word. "An old client of mine is a property developer, he was able to find me a reasonable apartment on short notice. He's agreed to give me a short term lease."

"Why?"

"Well," Nick sighed, pausing to take a sip of his coffee, his eyes looking out of the window again. He'd done that a lot since they'd walked inside, seemingly uncomfortable to look Paige in the face. "Your Aunt Meredith is quite possibly the most insufferable woman I've ever met."

Paige let out a terse laugh. She didn't disagree with him, but she didn't quite understand his point either.

"I'm sorry. I'm not following."

"Your Mother should have the house," Nick elaborated, and for a moment Paige saw him soften. It was easy in that moment to forget the hurt he'd caused her personally; if she hadn't known him the way she did, she'd have looked at him and saw nothing but a man trying his damnedest to do the right thing for the woman he loved. "And the children, they need to be at home."

"Wow."

The word slipped out of it's own accord, Paige couldn't help it. She had the good grace to offer him an apologetic smile, not that her Father noticed, his eyes fixed to his coffee cup. It was both a rational and kind idea, and neither word was something Paige had ever really associated with her Father.

"That's kind of you."

"No need to be patronising," Nick grunted, the smile that had worked it's way onto Paige's lips falling at his curt tone.

"I wasn't...how can you say that sounded…" Paige trailed off, recognising her own tone and knowing, especially after their last conversation, that they were capable of talking without it ending in tears or raised voices. She didn't want to bicker. She took a breath, looking up at him. "She'll really appreciate it."

"I think so."

"What's the favour?" Paige asked, her eyes once again flitting mindfully to the clock.

"I have no-one else to ask."

"You've mentioned that," Paige frowned.

"Help me…ah, could you help me move?" Nick asked, and now his eyes met hers, an alarming amount of hope, or desperation, or both within them, again destroying Paige's once coveted notion that her Father was void of all emotion. "I'm not allowed to do any lifting. Or to drive. Goddamn doctors don't…"

"How did you get here?" Paige asked, confused. It was a long way out. "How did you…Evan said you got them McDonalds the other night?"

"I took the bus," Nick explained, his nose scrunching up at the thought. "That day we all did."

"I see."

"So? Can you do it?" Nick asked, his tone a little more insistent. Paige couldn't quite work him out. His general sadness and desperation had to be sincere, she knew first hand that the McCullers' were generally terrible liars, yet still, she didn't quite know whether or not to trust her good will. It all seemed too simple. They didn't talk, they didn't exist in each others worlds. Until five minutes ago he'd made it clear he didn't care to be in her presence. Now he was willing to spend an entire day with her?

"Why can't you just hire someone?" Paige asked, frowning as she spoke, knowing how it sounded.

"If you don't want to do it…"

"I never said that," Paige shook her head, her eyes flitting to the clock, frowning. They were running out of time. She cast her eyes around the cafe quickly; it had died down a little, but not enough to warrant a longer break.

"I don't want to hire someone. If I hire someone people will see a moving van, and I don't want questions to be raised concerning your Mother and I," Nick explained, having taken Paige's silence as a cue to elaborate.

"Keeping up appearances," Paige almost scoffed. She'd found the catch. What she'd expected him to ask for, she didn't know, but knowing that he'd come to her for a favour, and most likely come to her for that favour to use her as a simple excuse he could feed to the neighbours should they ask about where half the house was disappearing to filled Paige with a sense of disappointment. Of almost annoyance. He'd come all the way to see her, but it wasn't really her he was interested in.

"Paige," he said disapprovingly, apparently not liking the conclusion she'd come to. Still, he didn't try to deny it.

"Why me?"

"Pardon?"

"Why me?" Paige asked, unable to stop herself, her impatience, her sadness evident in her voice. She watched something flash across his face, something unreadable…maybe an annoyance, offence, she couldn't tell. His voice though, when it came, was calm.

"I don't have…"

"Anyone else to ask," Paige finished for him. She wanted ask him why now, why had he decided to think of her now, now that she'd finally started accepting that their relationship would likely never be repaired. Why did it have to be her that helped him, why had he decided to think of her now when he hadn't given her a second thought for so damn long.

"Perhaps this wasn't a good idea," Nick sighed resignedly, pulling out his wallet and setting a few dollars on the table as he stood from his seat. Paige frowned as he nodded his head to her, before walking away, confused by the guilt she felt as she witnessed it.

"Wait," Paige sighed, following him, her voice stopping him in his tracks. "What day are you moving?"

"Tuesday."

"Okay."

Paige nodded, though he simply raised his eyebrows as if asking what she meant. For a moment, she wasn't quite sure herself.

"I'll be there."


The rest of Paige's shift was a blur. Thankfully so, because judging by the look Sharon gave her as she left for the night the rest of her shift had been a disaster. She'd messed up a few orders and managed to burn her arm on the stove, it was only the shock of that had snapped her back into herself, long enough for her to just about manage to pull through until it quietened down. Sharon had practically ordered her to leave early once it had. Paige hadn't protested.

Paige didn't know what to do once she'd left. She'd sat in her car, mind racing, flitting from confusion, to annoyance, to anger and back to confusion all over again. When she'd eventually started the engine she'd driven aimlessly, almost causing an accident as she jerked across two lanes to make her exit. It wasn't until she'd parked up that she realised she wasn't at home.

As she looked up at the building ahead of her Paige managed a smile. Of course, of all the places to end up, here was where her mind had taken her when she wasn't quite paying attention. She didn't feel 100% okay with turning up unannounced, and she didn't feel 100% sure she wanted to talk about what had happened that afternoon, but she couldn't deny being here was exactly what she wanted at that moment.

Still, Paige hesitated when she got to the door, her hand stalling mid-knock as she heard a fair amount of giggling coming from the other side of the door. She frowned. She didn't want to be interrupting. Paige wasn't given time to consider leaving, the door opening abruptly, Aria walking right into her.

"Oh, sorry I didn't…hey Paige!"

"Hey," Paige offered Aria her best smile, glancing past her to see Emily on the couch, a smile tugging onto her lips as Paige gave her a little wave. "I'm sorry…I totally spaced and forgot you guys were…"

"I was just leaving actually," Aria explained, turning to wave at her friends one last time before moving aside so Paige could enter the apartment. "Nice seeing you Paige. Bye guys!"

Paige offered Aria a wave as she disappeared down the corridor, closing the door behind her with a click as she made her way sheepishly into the apartment. Hanna was no where in sight and Spencer was already standing before Paige had the chance to say hello.

"I'm gonna call it a night," Spencer announced, Paige noticing the not so subtle wink she shot Emily's way before Spencer turned to her, smiling. "Hey Paige."

"Hi," Paige smiled again, waving dumbly as Spencer disappeared down the hall. Finally she turned to Emily who was still on the couch, still smiling at her warmly.

"Come over here," Emily shook her head, her smile widening. Paige obliged, shrugging off her jacket before making her way over to the couch where she gladly sank down next to Emily with a sigh.

"I'm sorry I scared off all your friends."

"You didn't," Emily assured her, pressing her lips to Paige's chastely. "Hanna ditched us hours ago for Caleb, and Aria wanted to be home by ten-thirty."

"Spencer then."

"What are you doing here?" Emily asked as her fingers began running through Paige's hair, Paige's eyes closing contently at the contact.

"I don't know."

"Is everything okay?" Emily asked, her fingers stalling momentarily, Paige feeling her gaze upon her.

I don't know.

Paige sighed heavily, manoeuvring herself until she was pressed against Emily's side, her arm wrapping around Emily's waist. It didn't take long for Emily to pull her closer, her lips pressing to Paige's hair as her grip tightened protectively.

"Paige?"

"You smell good," Paige mumbled, very aware Emily was about to question her further and wanting to break the silence they'd settled into before she got the chance. She was quickly deciding that her tactic, for tonight at least, was to pretend her whole encounter with her Father had never happened. It was as if Emily was a drug; all Paige needed to do was be near her, breath her in and her mind would clear and calm.

"Thanks," Emily chuckled, her fingers once again running through Paige's hair. "I don't know if I agree with you though. I have to admit I didn't bother showering today."

"Hmm," Paige perked up at that, shifting until she could look up at Emily. "We should fill the tub, take a bath. Together."

"Spencer and I don't have a tub," Emily reminded her. Paige pouted.

"We could shower together?" Paige suggested instead.

"You came all the way over here tonight just to take a shower with me?" Emily asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"I think you underestimate just how good you look naked," Paige managed a small smile.

"Is that all you want me for?" Emily teased.

"Of course not," Paige softened. "Honestly? I've had a long shift and a weird night and I just want to be...warm and pressed up against you."

"Are you going to tell me about your weird night?" Emily asked.

"I…I don't have the energy," Paige admitted, shaking her head. All she wanted was to lose herself in Emily until her mind quietened down.

"Come on then," Emily didn't press, offering out her hand. "Let's go get warm."


Emily rolled onto her side, grimacing a little. The ground beneath her, even with the blanket between her and it, was gravelly and uneven, making it fairly impossible to get comfortable. She managed eventually to find a position that was as comfortable as she was likely going to get. Her eyes fell to Paige, lying beside her, her girlfriends eyes staring up at the sky, her hand against her stomach, the other behind her head. Paige looked comfortable. Emily smiled, shimmying closer until her head could rest against Paige's chest. Paige was comfortable. Paige's finger's began trailing idly along Emily's spine, Emily's eyes flitting up to Paige's face once again with a smile.

Emily had spent the morning in Rosewood with her Father, the two having made plans throughout the week to have some quality Father-Daughter time now that the excitement of his homecoming had settled down some. She'd considered inviting Paige to join them, but had eventually decided against it. Paige seemed pretty set on Monday night being the night she met her Father, and Emily was fine with that. Admittedly, she found it all very sweet. Since coming up with the idea Paige had been insistent that she would be taking care of everything, she'd even, much to Emily's surprise, insisted on calling Pam herself personally that morning to invite her. According to her Dad, her Mother had loved that, and Emily could tell as he recounted the story to her that he had too. Paige had even carried on the phone conversation with her Mother when Emily went for her shower, Emily surprised yet happy to see Paige managing to hold back her nerves long enough to do so.

Paige had left with her that morning, explaining that she had some important dinner-related business of her own to take care of in Rosewood, though she hadn't divulged what. She'd suggested they meet that afternoon at the overlook, Emily's favourite place in the city. They'd shared a late lunch of doughnuts and ice cream, and now they lay side by side, enjoying the peace and quiet. Emily knew to passers by they probably looked a little crazy; it was decidedly cold out as it had been a lot of late, yet they were lying there as if it was glorious summertime. Emily didn't care though. It was relaxing and peaceful, Emily happily enjoying the chance to be out in the open with Paige, just being together.

Still, as peaceful as it was Emily hadn't failed to notice how quiet Paige was, how far off she seemed. Not just now as she lay, clearly a million miles away as she lay, but the previous night too. It came and went, but always returned whenever Paige was unable to immediately preoccupy herself. Like now, as she stared up at the sky. Emily could tell that something was troubling Paige, but it had been clear up to this point that Paige didn't want to talk about it, and Emily hadn't pressed.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Emily broke the silence, deciding that now Paige had had a night to dwell on things that perhaps she was ready to open up.

"Penny for yours?" Paige deflected the question back at her.

Apparently not.

Emily sighed. She knew something was bothering Paige, not that she had any idea what. She guessed it was probably nerves starting to build over Monday's dinner, Emily deciding that whatever it was, Paige wasn't at the talking about it stage just yet. What Emily did know was exactly what was bothering her as of late, deciding to take the opening Paige had offered her, knowing Paige would undoubtably be able to give her some decent advice.

"I got a letter from Penn," Emily said with a sigh, rolling back onto her back again. "About solidifying my place next year."

"I see," Paige hummed, Emily hearing the crack of the gravel as shifted to face her. "And you don't want to go."

"How did you know that?" Emily met Paige's gaze, though she was hardly surprised. Paige had a canny knack for reading her mind.

"Educated guess," Paige shrugged with a small smirk.

"I don't think I want to go," Emily admitted quietly, hearing the words out loud solidifying the feeling inside of her. Hanna had been right. Deferring was her way of putting off the inevitable.

"Okay," Paige nodded, taking the information in. "Are you still thinking of going to another school?"

"I don't think so."

"So UCSF…?" Paige let the question linger.

"California…" Emily sighed, looking towards Paige with a smile. "Ever since college started, it always felt so suffocating here for me you know? But when I broke up with Ellie I realised it was my relationship with her that was suffocating. I was trying to run away from her…or with her, like a different place would miraculously change everything for the better."

"And then you met me, and everything did change for the better?" Paige grinned teasingly.

"Something like that," Emily chuckled at the decidedly goofy grin Paige gave her. "I'm happy here now. I feel settled. I mean I can't exactly stay as I am forever, but, I wouldn't want to change too much."

"Can I ask you something?" Paige rolled to face her, Emily feeling compelled to do the same, the two of them winding up face to face, though the angle meant their noses were almost touching. Emily didn't mind it, nodded. "When you first went to college, what did you picture yourself doing at the end of it?"

"I…"

"Wait scratch that," Paige cut her off. "When you deferred your place at Penn, what did you want to be doing come the end of the summer?"

"Well, I was supposed to be…"

"Not what you were supposed to be doing," Paige interjected. "What did you want to be doing?"

"I'd hoped Fulton would let me stay on," Emily admitted.

"Coaching," Paige nodded, smiling triumphantly.

"What is that look?" Emily asked, quirking an eyebrow in amusement at the look of almost pride on Paige's face.

"Have you thought about looking into it?" Paige asked, her face turning serious.

"Coaching?" Emily asked incredulously. "Me?"

"Why not?" Paige asked. "You obviously enjoyed it."

"I did," Emily agreed, shaking her head. "That doesn't mean I could just…"

"Sure you could," Paige cut her off animatedly. "I told you my Dad used to be a coach right?"

"Ah, yeah, I think you mentioned it," Emily nodded. She remembered that conversation clearly. She remembered Paige sobbing into her swimsuit seconds later, to be exact.

"Well he was a swimmer, at Pittsburgh just like you. He injured himself and couldn't go pro, so he decided to look into coaching," Paige explained. "He ended up being a coach at Penn State for a few years, until he started up his consultancy business. It's not as complicated as you'd think. You could even go talk to Fulton about it, I mean, she obviously saw something in you."

"I don't know," Emily sighed. Paige had a canny knack for making thing's sound incredibly simple.

"You don't know because you're not sure it's what you want, or you don't know because you're worried about what other people with think?"

"Is it your turn yet?" Emily frowned.

"I'm sorry," Paige said sheepishly, realising she was getting a little carried away. She shuffled forward, leaning over to kiss away the small pout on Emily's lips. "I just don't want you to end up going to Penn because you're worried about disappointing your parents, or…"

"Wasting my college degree," Emily suggested, frowning.

"You wouldn't be wasting it," Paige rubbished the idea. "From what I gather, an Athletic Training degree and coaching go quite well together."

"I guess they do," Emily agreed. She couldn't fault Paige's logic there.

"You could be a trainer?" Paige suggested, Emily smiling at Paige's enthusiasm. "That way you'd get to work with athletes coming back from injury, which I know you've mentioned before..."

"You have a lot of suggestions," Emily smiled warmly, her hand reaching out to fiddle with the collar of Paige's coat.

"I just want you to know that you have plenty of options," Paige said sincerely. "Saying no to Penn isn't the end of the world."

"You always know what to say," Emily smiled, pushing up onto one arm so she could hover above Paige.

"I'm just lucky like that," Paige smiled softly.

Emily smiled down at her, taking in Paige, enjoying the safety the girl always offered her. Paige always managed to calm her, to make her believe that they would make it through anything as long as they were together. She leant down further, pressing her lips to Paige's chastely.

"Your turn."

"My turn?" Paige asked, Emily noticing the frown that tugged onto her girlfriends lips.

"I know somethings on your mind."

"You do?" Paige asked, Emily suspecting she was playing dump.

"What are you thinking?"

"Right now?" Paige asked, a smirk tugging onto lips. "Right now I'm thinking about whether or not we have time to fool around in the back of your car."

"Paige," Emily laughed, shaking her head fondly. She bit her lip as she looked down at Paige, a smirk of her own tugging onto her lips. "I think we have time."

Paige grinned up at her, only to pout when Emily pulled back before their lips could touch.

"Is it nerves?"

"Is what nerves?"

"Are you worrying about Monday?" Emily asked. "Is that why you're so…"

"So what?"

"Paige, you just seem…" Emily trailed off, sighing. Paige had moved to sit and was looking at her intensely. "I can tell when somethings up with you, you know."

"Em I told you, I just had a…"

"Weird night."

"Right," Paige nodded, sighing as she met Emily's gaze. "You're not dropping this are you?"

"I'm sorry," Emily said, reaching out to touch Paige's arm. "I shouldn't push."

For a moment Paige looked like she was about to speak, before her mouth closed. She met Emily's gaze, her face softening.

"Nerves," Paige said after a beat. "You got me. I'm a little nervous, that's all."

"You…"

"Shouldn't be," Paige finished for her, her lip twitching up into a half-smile. "I'm working on it."

"I know." Emily nodded, looking at Paige for a moment, unable to help but smile. "I wish you saw yourself the way I see you."

"How do you see me?"

"I wouldn't even know where to begin," Emily smiled softly.

"All good things?" Paige asked as she moved closer, ghosting her lips across Emily's.

"All good things."


"You're making dinner Paige, not studying for finals."

Dawn's words barely registered with Paige as her roommate sauntered into the room, Paige far too preoccupied with the book in front of her. She looked up long enough to consider Dawns point; the floor around her was littered with balled up paper, the sheet in front of her covered in barely legible notes as she frantically tried to piece together something that resembled a half-decent menu.

"It has to be a good dinner," Paige grumbled defensively, looking back at the book in front of her, then to her notes, once again ripping the paper from her notebook and throwing the crumpled sheet to the floor. "I want to be well prepared."

"I can see that," Dawn chuckled, taking a seat opposite Paige on the couch. "Is that…colour coded?"

"Yes, don't touch it," Paige batted Dawn's hands away as she reached for the book, setting it out of reach on table and slumping back onto the couch with a sigh. "It's not mine."

"Can't you just hire whoever loaned you it to cater the dinner?" Dawn suggested with a smirk. Paige simply glared at her in response. "No," Dawn added, answering her own question. "Because you want to impress the Captain."

"Lieutenant-Colonel," Paige corrected, groaning.

"You're pretty handy in the kitchen Paige, I think you'll manage to come up with something," Dawn smiled supportively.

"I just want it to be special," Paige sighed. "I can't concentrate."

"Take a break?" Dawn suggested, her tone softening.

"I can't," Paige groaned, her head flopping back against the couch with a heavy sigh. "If I take a break my mind will wander and I just…I can't let my mind wander right now."

"It's not the dinner that's stressing you out, is it?" Dawn's eyes narrowed, eyeing Paige knowingly.

"Dawn," Paige sighed, warningly. After spending most of Friday evening and Saturday being doggedly and blissfully ignorant in Emily's presence, she'd eventually cracked and blurted out to Dawn in a complete frenzy of words everything that had happened during her break on Friday afternoon when she'd arrived home. Paige was still doing her best to pretend it hadn't happened, Monday's dinner serving as the perfect distraction from all conflicting thoughts of her Father, Paige having thrown herself into it's planning with serious vigour.

"You can't just pretend it didn't happen," Dawn pointed out. "You can't just ignore it until it happens."

"I can do my best."

"Paige…"

"Dawn."

"What did Emily have to say about it?" Dawn asked. "Surely she knocked some sense into you?"

"I didn't tell her."

"Paige…"

"If I told her she'd just spend the whole time worrying about me. Worrying about what I'm thinking, worrying about what's going to happen on Tuesday," Paige sighed heavily. "I don't want her worrying about me. I don't want it ruining Monday night."

"You know, I get that you like to be this like, big tough superhero when it comes to her," Dawn began, waving Paige off as she scoffed. "But you can let her look after you once in a while as well too you know."

"I do let her," Paige huffed.

"Yeah," Dawn nodded. "And I bet it's like pulling teeth to get there."

"Dawn," Paige sighed heavily. She knew in some respects Dawn had a point, but Paige felt she'd come a long way where opening herself up was concerned, especially with Emily. She was certain come Tuesday night, whatever was to happen throughout Tuesday day, with Emily was where she was going to end up. And good, or more likely bad, Paige knew she could talk to her, and would talk to her when she needed to.

What was going to happen with her Father? Paige didn't know. And while the uncertainty was occasionally leaving her feeling like she was about to implode as she tried her best not to speculate, she'd also found an odd sort of peace in the knowledge that there was nothing she could do until Tuesday but speculate. Paige decided the whole act of speculating was therefore pointless.

"I don't know what's going to happen on Tuesday," Paige shrugged sadly. "So it doesn't bare thinking about. Monday, I know what is…well I know what I want to happen on Monday."

"Is that so?"

"I'm going to cook a decent meal, and I'm going to charm the pants off Emily's Father, and I am going to make sure my girlfriend is nothing but 100% happy, because that's what's most important to me," Paige said with conviction, surprised by her own certainty. "I can worry about Tuesday when it happens and cry on Emily's shoulder if it all goes south."

"Do you think maybe this is his way of offering you some sort of olive branch?" Dawn suggested, turning the conversation back to Paige's Father, much to Paige's chagrin.

"Sure," Paige simply scoffed, lowering her voice as she mocked her Father's voice. "Hey Paige, I know we haven't had a relationship for the past god knows how many years, but why don't we put all that behind us, starting with you coming over to haul all of my shit across town while I grumble in the passenger seat."

"You never know," Dawn shrugged. "You McCullers' are a strange bunch. I wouldn't put it past him."

"Perhaps, but I'm not holding my breath," Paige frowned.

"You know it's perfectly acceptable for you to tell him to go fuck himself right?" Dawn said bluntly, turning to Paige with concern. "You owe him nothing. If you don't want to, you don't have to put yourself through this."

"It's only one day," Paige shrugged, trying her best to appear nonchalant. Monday came first was a mantra she kept repeating in her head. She didn't have time to feel anxious about what Tuesday may bring.

"You're definitely set on going?"

"I have to go."

"Why?" Dawn asked. Paige sighed. They'd already had this conversation on Saturday night. "P, less than two months ago you couldn't even think about being in the same room as him without having a miniature breakdown. And more importantly, he didn't want you in the same room as him. And now you're doing a terrible job of acting like the thought of Tuesday isn't making you…"

"I managed to be in a room with him a week ago without having a 'breakdown'," Paige cut Dawn off. "I managed to tell him exactly how I felt without shouting and he…he listened I think. Or blanked out. Either way, we managed to be civil, no screaming…nothing. And when I left…every day since then I've figured that that was it for us, that it was a goodbye," Paige sighed sadly. "And now he shows up at work and sure, maybe he's just being a selfish asshole and using me to move his furniture regardless of my feelings so that the neighbours don't get suspicious. But maybe he wants…more."

"Is that what you want?" Dawn asked, softly. "More?"

"I…" Paige sighed. She shook her head tiredly before reaching for the discarded cook book. "I need to pick an appetiser."