DISCLAIMER: Pretty Little Liars and all its characters are the intellectual property of others. Some characters used in the writing of this fic belong to PLL. Events that transpire, will transpire, and have transpired in this story are of my own creation.


Happy New Year, everyone!

As always, thanks for the reviews. I will try to post a new chapter each month. TRY being the operative word as I am going to be busy with the review for my upcoming exam in May.

To my girlfriend, EyeOpener 16, thank you for staying by my side during these trying times. For helping me cope with my anxiety and keeping me sane. I love you.


PART FOUR: "De Integro"

~ Again, a second time. ~

CHAPTER THREE

"Okay. So, that takes care of Jess, Angela, Vanessa, and Ivy." Paige enumerated as she and Reese exited a store selling sports accessories at the mall. "That just leaves us with Faye and Carla, but I feel like I'm forgetting someone." She said, brows creased.

"Nope. I'm pretty sure they're the last ones on your list." Reese reassured the girl. "Let me help you with those." She offered, reaching for the shopping bags Paige was carrying.

It was the night before Christmas, and the two girls were doing some last-minute Christmas shopping in Rosewood, having decided to spend the holidays together. The plan was that they would spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with Nick, then leave for Scranton to be with Reese's family. A condition Paige agreed to so the girl's family would let Reese spend Christmas with her.

"Does your dad like wine?" Paige suddenly asked. "I think I should bring wine." She decided, veering to the right to head to a liquor store. "What do you think? Red or white? Maybe I'll just get both."

Reese hurriedly reached for Paige's arm to stop the girl and laughed. "Whoa. Slow down, newbie. I'm sure we have enough wine at the house." She reassured the girl.

"Oh. Then I should bring a cake then." Paige deduced. "Does he like chocolate? Everybody loves chocolate."

"Not him. He's allergic." Reese answered with a laugh. "Are you okay?" She asked when she saw the panic in the girl's eyes.

"Uh-huh! Completely fine." Paige replied, nodding her head vigorously. "I'm fine."

"Are you sure? Because you look like you're freaking out." Reese told the girl gently. "It's not a big deal. My family is harmless, and it's just one dinner."

"No, it's not. It's several meals." Paige reminded Reese. "We're staying for a week at your family's house."

"Okay, so it's several meals." Reese acknowledged. "But dinner on our first night there is what's making you panic." She pointed out. "You know, I can still go home if you're not comfortable meeting my family." Reese offered as she checked the time on her watch.

Paige shook her head. "No. No. It's just nerves. Sorry. It's… I want to make a good impression on them." She admitted. "Jai's the one parents love. And to be honest, I don't exactly have experience when it comes to these things."

"Paige, just be yourself. You're amazing." Reese said earnestly.

"Even if I asked you to pretend we're not together in front of my dad?" Paige asked, giving the girl a dubious look. "Are you really okay with lying?"

"Well, if you put it that way, no. I don't want to lie." Reese clarified. "But if you're not ready to tell Nick we're seeing each other, I'm not gonna force you to. I'm just happy we get to spend the holidays together." She reassured the girl. "Besides, it could be fun sneaking around. We could steal a few kisses, maybe even flirt a little when he's not looking. But you have to remember that we're supposed to just be friends when we're around him."

Paige laughed. "Tell that to yourself. I'll try not to make it too hard for you." She said, finally starting to relax.

"Oh, don't underestimate my acting skills. I bet you'll be the one who's going to give up our secret." Reese told the girl smugly.

"You wanna bet on that?" Paige dared, extending her hand.

Reese shook the girl's hand without losing eye contact. "Heck yeah." She answered gamely. "Winner gets to be on top."

"Deal," Paige replied, already imagining Reese underneath her. "We should get going." She said when she checked the time on the girl's watch. "My dad gave Gwen the night off, so we have to start cooking dinner."

"I didn't know you cooked," Reese said, amused.

"I don't. That's what YouTube's for." Paige stated matter-of-factly.

"Oh, hey, what did you get me for Christmas?" Reese asked as they made their way toward the parking lot.

"I'm not telling," Paige answered stubbornly. "It's a surprise."

"I like surprises," Reese said, her eyes twinkling. "I have one, too. I'm thinking of… slipping into something more comfortable when we get to your place. How do you feel about me going commando?" She asked mischievously. "Good luck, pretending tonight," Reese whispered before heading for the exit.

Paige stopped in her tracks, and her eyes grew wide. "Wh—" She stammered, her imagination immediately going into overdrive. "Hey, that's cheating!" Paige called out, increasing her pace to catch up to the girl.


Emily positioned the bow on top of the small box she painstakingly wrapped and looked at the finished product. After spending almost two hours wrapping gifts, she was finally done. Now all she needed to do was give them to her friends, her parents, and… Paige. Emily thought, becoming nervous as she studied the box she was holding. It was a last-minute decision to give the girl a gift, only because she couldn't decide whether to give Paige something as impersonal and effortless as a gift card or a flash drive filled with tracks the girl could listen to while training. The latter won, eventually. Now I just have to find a way to casually give her this gift. Should be easy.

"Hi, Paige. Happy holidays." Emily said, handing out the box to an imaginary version of the girl. "Don't mention it. It's just a little something I put together when I thought of you." She added flirtatiously. Oh, god.

Knock, knock.

Emily started at the sound and barely got herself together when Pam opened the door and poked her head inside the room. "Hi, mom." She uttered in greeting as she carefully lowered Paige's gift on her bed.

"Your friends are downstairs," Pam told her daughter, surveying the mess around the girl who was sitting cross-legged on the floor.

"Thanks. I'll be down in a minute." Emily answered before gathering the pieces of wrapping paper and leftover ribbons scattered in front of her.

"Is that for Jasmine?" Pam inquired good-naturedly, inclining her head toward the only gift sitting on Emily's bed.

"Um, no. It's… actually for Paige." Emily revealed without meeting the woman's eyes.

"Really. Huh. Well, it's good that you two still remained friends even after Jasmine came back." Pam remarked.

"We're not," Emily replied. "I mean, we are, but…" She trailed off, trying to find the words to explain to the woman her situation. "I'd like to be more. Eventually."

"Are you sure?" Pam asked once she recovered from her surprise. "Because I hear people talk and she's not really someone you should be involved with. I'm sorry, honey, I just don't want you to get hurt."

"Mom, you don't know her," Emily said defensively. "What they're saying about her… none of it is true."

"Emily, I said this before. That girl isn't a good fit for you." Pam insisted. "Does she even feel the same way about you?"

"That's not the point," Emily argued. "Besides, it's just a gift, mom. It's the holidays."

Pam raised her hands in mock surrender. "Fine. Is Jasmine still joining us for dinner?" She asked while watching her daughter move around the room.

"Yes, mom. She is." Emily answered. "But don't even think about playing matchmaker." She implored as she put the rest of her things on her study table. "It's over between us. For good." Emily added, kissing Pam on the cheek on her way out.


Turn the slow cooker on the low setting. Add in the red wine, then the onions, and then place the roast on top of the onions.

Paige's brows furrowed as she concentrated on the YouTube video she was watching, glancing every now and then at the tablet to check if she was following the instructions correctly.

Snuggle the carrots and potatoes on top of the roast.

"Snuggle?" Paige repeated, looking at the vegetables in her hands with confusion. "Do I hug them or?—"

Reese let out an amused laugh. "Just pack the vegetables closely." She instructed from the center island table where she was sitting.

"And… done." Paige declared as soon as she placed the cover of the crockpot. "Should be ready in six hours." She said as she washed her hands on the sink before wiping them on a dishtowel. "What?" Paige asked when she turned around and saw the look Reese was giving her.

"Color me impressed," Reese commented as Paige walked over to her. "We just might survive dinner." She quipped.

"Thanks to YouTube," Paige said, wrapping her arms around the girl's waist. "And we still have two hours left before my dad gets home." She added when she saw the time.

Reese brought her arms around the girl's neck and smiled. "Two hours? That's a lot of free time. What should we do?" She asked, her gaze moving to Paige's lips. "Watch a movie?"

Paige shook her head. "Try again." She said, her voice low.

"Hang out in the jacuzzi?" Reese suggested. "But I didn't bring a suit, so I would have to go in without any clothes on."

"I can live with that," Paige whispered, her heart starting to hammer as she moved her hand from the girl's waist to the skin where the hem of Reese's cotton shorts ended.

"What are you doing?" Reese asked when she felt the girl's hand run up her thigh and stop just below her ass.

"Checking," Paige answered without taking her eyes off her girlfriend. She chuckled when she felt Reese's bare skin. "You're really not wearing any underwear."

"I plan on winning our bet tonight," Reese told the girl, her eyes sparkling. "It's my turn to be on top."

Driven with desire, Paige kissed the girl's lips hungrily, their tongues meeting and parting. She cupped the girl's cheek with her left hand while her other hand traveled from Reese's thighs to the girl's right breast.

"Let's take this upstairs." Reese managed to say as Paige began to kiss her neck.

"Uh-huh," Paige uttered in agreement, forcing herself to stop fondling the girl's breast. "Let's go." She breathed, reaching for Reese's hand to lead the way to her room. "You can be on top."

"Wow. Something smells good." Nick called out in greeting, his deep voice carrying from the vestibule. "Good thing I managed to catch an earlier flight."

FUCK! Paige thought, throwing a panicked look at Reese. She quickly let go of the girl's hand and headed for the pot roast she was cooking. From the corner of her eye, Paige caught Reese making a beeline for the fridge. The video said not to uncover the crockpot for six hours. Still, she needed an explanation as to why she was flushed other than I was just making out with my girlfriend.

"There you are," Nick said when he finally entered the kitchen. "I have to admit I thought I was either coming home to a burning house or a burnt dinner."

"Funny." Paige retorted, walking over to her dad and giving the man a kiss on the cheek. "Wow, the rain isn't letting up, huh?" She commented when she saw the state of her father's clothes.

"No. It's not." Nick said in agreement as he ran a hand through his wet hair. "I'm afraid it's gonna be a rainy Christmas this year. Hello, Reese." He uttered, finally acknowledging the presence of the other girl in the room. "Thanks for keeping my daughter company."

Reese waved her hand dismissively as she stepped back from the fridge with a bottle of water on the other hand. "No problem. It's me who should be thanking you for letting me crash here for the night, considering it's Christmas Eve." She reminded the man.

"Well, considering Paige is going to spend the rest of the holidays with you and your family, it's the least I could do," Nick told the girl with a smile. "Are you okay? You look flushed."

"Really? That's weird. I feel fine." Reese said while touching her cheek. "But just to be safe, I think I should probably lie down." She continued, walking past Paige and exchanging meaningful looks with the girl before heading upstairs.

"I hope she isn't coming down with something," Nick said, startling Paige. "I would hate for her family to think we didn't take care of her here."

Paige reluctantly tore her gaze away from Reese to look at her dad. "Yeah. But it's probably just a fluke. I'll go check on her later." She answered, trying to seem nonchalant. "So… how did it go?"

"Good," Nick answered as he walked over to where his daughter stood. "It's not as big as this house, but it's still beautiful. And it has a pool. I already put a down payment for it." He added before checking the contents of the crockpot. "But are you sure you don't want to finish your studies in UPenn? You only have one year left, and you seem to be adjusting well. You made team captain this year." Nick reminded the girl. "We can move when you graduate."

"I know. I'm not gonna lie. A lot of things have changed since I asked that we move our life to California." Paige admitted, her mind immediately drifting to the girl waiting for her upstairs. She really didn't want to leave Reese. "But you can't keep flying to and from Rosewood. It's going to take a toll on your body eventually." She pointed out. "You practically live there, dad. The only reason you come home is that I'm here. It's time we leave Rosewood behind and start over. I don't need to be a team captain. I just want to be a Trojan."

"Okay. If that's what you really want." Nick said, giving his daughter a tired smile. "You should start looking at the courses they offer that interests you. I'll call to inquire about the process."

Paige nodded. "What's that smell?" She suddenly asked.

"What smell?" Nick asked in reply.

"I don't know. Like a woman's perfume or something." Paige answered, making a face. "It's cloying."

Nick brought his hand to his nose and shook his head. "It's Eva's perfume. She must've transferred her scent when we shook hands. She's the real estate agent I met with." He explained when his daughter gave him a confused look. "I'm going to rest and freshen up before dinner," Nick said, touching the girl on the arm briefly before leaving.

Paige watched her father's retreating back pensively. Nah. It's probably nothing. She thought, shaking her head. Paige turned her attention to the crockpot to make sure it was still on low. Wouldn't want to have burnt pot roast for dinner. Six hours, huh? Paige contemplated, grinning as she headed to her room to continue where she and Reese left off.


"Everything looks good, Pam. Thanks again for inviting me." Jai told the woman as she reached for a dinner roll and put it on her plate. She surveyed the rest of the food on the table before deciding to get some buttered vegetables as well.

"Please. You're practically family." Pam reminded the girl. "When you said Logan is in Canada for a conference and your sister had to work, I knew I had to invite you to spend Christmas Eve with us. No one should have to spend the holidays alone."

Emily suddenly choked on the piece of bread she was chewing and immediately reached for the glass of water next to her. "Sorry. Wrong pipe." She managed to say in between fits of cough while exchanging glances with the girl.

The truth was Logan and Kayla were just a few blocks away, probably in the middle of a meal. Jai lied when Pam asked what her family's plans were for the holidays since she still hasn't told everyone the truth. What she and Jai didn't count on was that Pam was going to end up inviting the girl to join them for dinner. Not that Emily was against it. She just didn't have the patience to participate in her mom's plan to play the role of matchmaker.

"How's school?" Pam asked, glancing at Jai as she cut through the piece of chicken on her plate.

"Uh… good. Really good." Jai lied after she wiped the corners of her mouth with a table napkin.

"And you're adjusting well? It can't be easy being a year behind your friends because of what happened." Pam sympathetically told the girl. "But in time, I know you'll catch up."

"Um… yeah. I'd like to think I've adjusted to my… situation." Jai answered, unable to look at the girl seated next to Pam. "After all, it's been more than a year since I came back."

"So, you're still working at the foundation? And on top of that, you decided to get a part-time job." Pam continued when the girl nodded, not bothering to hide her admiration. "If it were anyone else, I would tell them to think about working and studying at the same time. But with you two, I know I don't have to be worried." She said confidently. "That's because you've been such a good influence on my daughter, Jasmine. But be careful when you're working outside of campus. Both of you." Pam added, giving her daughter a pointed look. "I leave my daughter in your capable hands."

"I'm sure Emily can take care of herself. But I will look out for her." Jai promised. She knew what the woman needed to hear, so she chose to ignore the exasperated look Emily was giving her from across the table.

Pam's attention suddenly turned to the window at the sound of thunder followed by more torrential rain, and she looked at Jai worriedly. "It seems this rain isn't going to let up anytime soon. Why not spend the night? I'm sure Emily can make space in her room." She reassured the girl.

"Mom!" Emily cried out incredulously.

"Um, it's fine." Jai hurriedly said, shaking her head. "Really. Thank you for the offer, but you've already shared your food with me. I'm sure the rain will let up soon."

"Nonsense. It's not safe to travel back to Philadelphia in this weather." Pam insisted. "Tell your sister you'll celebrate Christmas with her tomorrow. We have some extra pillows and sheets, and you know you're always welcome here. It's not a big deal."

"Yes, it is," Emily argued. "Don't I get any say in this?" She asked, fed up.

"Honey, don't be rude." Pam reprimanded.

"Why? It's not fair that you keep pushing Jai and me to get back together. You won't give Paige a chance when the truth is, they're not that different." Emily said before she could stop herself. "You think Paige isn't a good fit for me? Why? Because she's not put together? Well, so is Jai. Her family isn't celebrating somewhere else, mom. They're at home. Logan kicked her out because she lied about being in a coma for a year!"

"That's enough!" Pam admonished.

Jai cleared her throat uncomfortably. She suddenly felt warm despite the weather, and her cheeks were flushed from humiliation. Oh my god. "Thank you for the offer, Pam. But I think it's best if I didn't spend the night." She said quietly.

"Jasmine, this is not about Paige. I'm asking you to stay because it's not safe. The roads are slippery, and most likely, it's hard to see outside." Pam explained. "Are you really going to let her go back to Philadelphia in this weather?" She asked her daughter with a disappointed look.

"Sorry," Emily uttered, embarrassed. "You can sleep in my room." She begrudgingly offered when she finally realized her mom had a point.

"Um… okay. Thank you." Jai said gratefully. "But only if I get to sleep on the couch instead." She continued, knowing Emily wasn't comfortable sharing a bed with her. Not anymore.


"All set?" Pam asked as she entered the living room and saw Jai making the couch. "You have everything you need here?"

Jai nodded. "Thanks again for letting me spend the night." She told the woman timidly.

"Of course," Pam answered. "And should you get hungry, don't hesitate to go to the kitchen."

"I will," Jai said thankfully. "I'm sorry." She blurted out before the woman could leave. "For not telling you the truth sooner."

"Why did you do it?" Pam asked, walking over to the girl.

Jai took a deep breath as she struggled to find the words. "Because… I didn't know what I wanted anymore, and rather than disappoint everyone, I chose to run away." She confessed. "It wasn't my intention at first." Jai hurriedly added. "I was going to call Emily, Paige, my dad, and Kayla. But then the plane I was supposed to be in crashed and I just—"

"Thought it best if everyone thought you died." Pam finished before taking a seat on one of the couches and gesturing for the girl to do the same.

"There wasn't a single day I didn't feel guilty for deceiving everyone," Jai told the woman earnestly. "I just needed some time to figure out what I wanted in life. By the time I was ready to come back, I didn't know how to do it without letting everyone down. So I lied."

"How long have you been feeling this way?" Pam asked, brows creased.

"Long enough that I felt running away was my only option," Jai answered as she wiped a tear that rolled down her cheek. "Paige found out and forced me to tell Emily and my family what I did. I didn't want to at first. But I was tired of lying and pretending." She admitted. "My dad wasn't exactly forgiving. He, uh, said that he didn't 'raise us to be mediocre.'" Jai said, using air quotes to indicate the exact words her father said. "I was so mad. I told him he was the reason my mom killed herself." She confessed. "I deserved that slap he gave me. And I don't blame him for disowning me."

"Have you tried talking to him again since then?" Pam asked, her tone worried.

Jai shook her head. "I tried reaching out, but… he's a proud man. My father." She explained. "And even if he decided to talk to me, I'm not gonna change my mind. I don't want to be a doctor anymore." Jai confessed with a heavy sigh. "If he can't accept that, then there's no point in trying to reach out to him."

"I'm sure he still loves you," Pam consolingly told the girl.

"I know. But he's disappointed." Jai said with a sad smile. "I'm doing good, though." She reassured the woman. "I have a job, and I'm currently staying with an old friend. Once I have enough money, and I figure out what I want, I plan to attend night classes at the community college." Jai revealed. "To be honest, I don't know what I would do if it weren't for my friends. My sister and Emily have also been really supportive. I'm sorry I couldn't take better care of her."

"Is that the reason why you two broke up?" Pam asked gently.

"No," Jai replied. "Emily ended things between us before she found out. We broke up because she fell out of love with me." She explained with a sad smile. "I'm sorry I broke your trust."

"Everyone deserves a second chance." Pam reminded the girl. "Yes, trust was broken, but no one said it cannot be restored."

"I'm just lucky Emily and Paige forgave me," Jai confessed.

"Jasmine, I'm sorry for my daughter's behavior earlier this evening," Pam said, placing her hand on top of the girl's. "She thinks I have an ulterior motive for asking you to stay the night." She explained apologetically. "All because I have my reservations about your best friend. I know this isn't easy for you, but I have to ask, is she going to hurt my daughter?"

"More than I did?" Jai asked wryly. "To be honest, I don't know. But it's Emily's decision who she wants to be with, and I think we should respect that. I'm not good enough for your daughter, anyway. Not after what I did." She added, shaking her head.

"Let me be the judge of that," Pam said, patting Jai's hand reassuringly before getting up. "Get some rest. We'll talk again tomorrow."

"Pam…" Jai called out before the woman left the room. "Merry Christmas." She greeted when she saw that it was already past midnight. "And thank you for listening. I really needed that."

Pam nodded and smiled. "Merry Christmas." She bade, turning off the lights in the living room before heading upstairs.


"I don't know. Something really smells fishy." Paige said as she and Reese crossed the street on their way to the Brew the next morning. "The timing is just off."

"Well, how did he meet her anyway?" Reese asked, shivering due to the cold weather.

"She's— does it matter?" Paige instead asked. She wasn't ready to bring up the topic of their impending move. It was too soon.

"Sorta. You gotta consider the circumstances. Maybe it was just a business deal. Or they were introduced during an event." Reese suggested. "Either way, you're probably just being paranoid."

Paige frowned. "No, I'm not." She said stubbornly. "Something's up with my dad and this Eva woman. I can feel it." Paige insisted. "And didn't you notice last night? He was acting weird throughout dinner. He was chipper than usual."

"And? What's wrong with that? Maybe he just had a good day at work. Or he was just happy to be home for the holidays." Reese explained.

Paige rolled her eyes. "My dad is never chatty." She told the girl matter-of-factly. "I think I even saw him smile and heard him laugh once or twice," Paige recalled. "And did you hear his joke when he was telling that story about watching a play with his friend, which I now think was actually Eva?"

"What joke?" Reese asked, confused.

"He said 'why do you suppose people say break a leg to the actors when they're about to go on stage?'" Paige repeated in her best imitation of her father's voice. "Because every play has a cast." She answered when the girl gave her a blank look.

"Oh, I thought that was serious," Reese said after a beat. "Oh, I get it. You break a leg; you wear a cast. That's pretty funny." She added, starting to laugh.

"You and your sense of humor," Paige remarked, shaking her head. "Good thing you're drop-dead gorgeous. That was a bad joke. Okay? My dad sucks at making jokes. And this morning, I caught him whistling a Christmas tune! Whistling. A Christmas tune." She repeated emphatically.

"Fine. So something's up with him. Do you plan on asking him about it?" Reese asked, glancing at the girl.

Paige shrugged. "I don't know." She answered.

"Well, how would you feel if he was really seeing this Eva woman?" Reese pressed.

"Weird," Paige replied. "Only because my dad has never been with anyone else since my mom left." She explained, stopping when they reached the outside of the café.

"That you know of." Reese quipped. "Maybe all those trips he was taking to California was to meet Eva." She suggested, making the girl scowl. "Kidding! I'm just kidding." Reese hurriedly said, trying not to laugh. "I'll go get our drinks as a peace offering." She volunteered when she saw that the line was almost out the door.

"Nah. I'll get. I might know some of the baristas, so maybe I'll score a free muffin or something." Paige joked. "After all, it's Christmas." She added, kissing Reese on the lips before starting to head inside.

"Drop dead gorgeous, huh?" Reese called out with a smug grin.

"Whatever. You still like golf." Paige shot back, making a face.


"That would be fifteen seventy-five." The guy behind the counter said without taking his eyes off the computer screen.

"I got it." Emily hurriedly offered, handing the barista a twenty-dollar bill before Jai could reach for her wallet. "It's the least I could do for embarrassing you last night."

"Em, you have to stop beating yourself up." Jai admonished. "Besides, you more than made up for it when you let me sleep on your bed." She reminded the girl.

"Yeah, well, I know how uncomfortable our couch is. I couldn't let you sleep there just because I'm annoyed at my mom." Emily explained. "Sorry I put you in the middle of it. And out you in the process." She added mortified.

Jai shrugged. "It was only a matter of time before your mom found out anyway." She said as she watched the barista hand Emily's change.

"You don't know that," Emily argued. "And even if she did, at least I would know I didn't play a role in it. I really screwed up last night."

"Actually, something good came out of it. I was able to open up to a parent." Jai said, smiling at the girl. "It felt good to actually tell an adult how I really feel. I didn't realize how much I was struggling with everything that's happened until last night." She admitted. "Pam is like the mother I never had growing up. And even though she was disappointed, at least she listened to what I had to say."

"You didn't tell Ria's parents?" Emily asked, surprised.

Jai laughed. "No. We kept the truth between us. But we did tell her cousin and her brother since we needed them on our side." She explained. "Of course, we got an earful, and it took a lot of convincing before they agreed to help us out," Jai added as she stifled a yawn.

"Still didn't get much sleep?" Emily asked as she picked up the bag of assorted muffins from the pick-up counter.

"Yeah. Sorry if I kept tossing and turning in bed. I had too much on my mind." Jai said before reaching for the cups of coffee and turning to face Emily. "Don't worry, I—"

Jai stopped midsentence when her gaze shifted to the wall behind the girl where a mirror was hanging.

"What?" Emily asked, following the girl's gaze. She was about to turn around to face Jai again when she noticed that their reflections were standing underneath a mistletoe. "Oh." She uttered as she looked back at the girl awkwardly. "We should probably just ignore it," Emily said, chuckling nervously.

"Come on. Where's your holiday spirit?" Jai coaxed.

Emily rolled her eyes and sighed. "Okay." She uttered relenting. She took a step forward to close the distance between them, then leaned forward to kiss the girl.

Jai held up her pointer finger before Emily kissed her. "No tongue." She jokingly warned.

Emily laughed and shook her head before planting a kiss on the girl's lips.

"Oh, come on, guys, get a room." Paige rebuked the two girls in greeting.

Emily's eyes widened at the sound of Paige's voice, and she hurriedly touched her lips to subtly wipe away Jai's kiss. "Hey. We were just—"

"I'm kidding," Paige said, chuckling when she saw Emily's expression. "Hey, Jai, ever heard of a brush?" She asked when she saw the state the girl's hair was in. "You're lucky, Emily still loves you."

"I was in a hurry to buy breakfast," Jai explained as she consciously ran a hand through her hair. "Pam was kind enough to let me spend the night, and I wanted to do something nice in return."

"Wow. I guess everyone is in a holiday mood. I don't think she ever let you spend the night with her only daughter." Paige pointed out.

"What do you mean? Who else is in a holiday mood?" Jai asked, deliberately ignoring her friend's comment. "Clearly, it's not you." She quipped.

"My dad," Paige answered, rolling her eyes.

Jai laughed. "Seriously?" She asked. "What happened?"

Paige waved her hand dismissively. "Long story. I'll tell you some other time. I have a hungry girl to feed outside." She said, gesturing behind her.

"I guess I'm not the only one who slept over," Jai remarked with a smirk. "Why don't we meet when I get back from Ria's tomorrow night?" She suggested.

"I can't," Paige answered. "Reese and I are leaving for Scranton tomorrow morning."

"What's in Scranton?" Emily asked before she could stop herself.

"That would be Reese's family," Paige revealed. "We're spending the rest of the holidays there since we spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with my dad. Don't… make a big deal out of it." She warned when she saw Jai's reaction. "Anyways, happy holidays, you two. That's why I actually came over." Paige said, smiling at the two girls before heading back to the line.

"Wow. I don't think I've ever seen Paige this relaxed." Jai commented when her friend was out of earshot. "She actually looks—"

"Happy." Emily finished with a sad smile. "I guess that means they're not breaking up anytime soon." She told the girl dejectedly.


"Come on. It's Christmas. Cheer up." Ria coaxed, leaning forward to place two fingers on the corners of Jai's mouth to force the girl to smile.

Jai rolled her eyes and moved her head away. "It was so humiliating, Ria. I know she didn't mean it." She said, referring to Emily. "But sitting there with Pam… I really wished the earth swallowed me whole last night." Jai confessed. "And then this morning, she tried to make it up to me by agreeing to kiss because we were under the mistletoe. Only as soon as Paige showed up, it was like she couldn't wipe her lips hard enough. I think she was actually mortified that Paige caught her kissing me."

"Well, at least Paige thinks you guys are still together." Ria pointed out. "That's what Emily wanted, right?"

"I actually asked her to get back together with me. It was after that disastrous double date a couple of months ago." Jai revealed when she noticed the girl's confusion. "I walked her home, and she asked if we could talk for a while." She recalled exhaling. "Of course, she turned me down. After that night, I should've just stayed away. It's not like we needed to keep spending time together to convince Paige we were still together. It was clear my best friend couldn't care less about Emily and me. I told myself she needed a friend. But the truth was I just can't keep my distance." Jai admitted helplessly.

"Jai, Emily has other friends." Ria pointed out. "She doesn't need you."

"Ouch," Jai uttered, hurt by the girl's lack of tact.

"I'm sorry. But that's the truth." Ria insisted. "Maybe it's time you waved the white flag and started seeing what's out there."

"I wish it was that simple," Jai said. "The problem is there's no other girl for me. Not right now." She added helplessly.

"Got it," Ria uttered, trying her best to hide her pain. "No one comes close to Emily."

Jai sighed. "I'm sorry I'm ruining your Christmas." She said when she saw the disappointment in her friend's face. "Here, I got you a present," Jai revealed, reaching for something inside her duffel bag. "I decided not to wrap it and just put a bow on it because I wanted to see your expression. Merry Christmas."

Ria's eyes widened in surprise when she saw the object the girl was holding. "Shut. Up!" She exclaimed. "Oh my god, you remembered," Ria uttered as she ran her hand through the cover of the book.

Jai nodded. "Of course, I did. I may have been close to hypothermia that night, but I wasn't completely out of it." She quipped. "You nursed me back to health. And though reading to me a book about the Arctic wasn't exactly comforting, at that moment you made me feel that I wasn't alone. Sorry, you had to use it to keep the fire burning. It couldn't have been easy letting go of the first book you ever read." Jai said, her eyes on the gift she just gave.

"It wasn't. But sometimes, you have to know when it's time to let go." Ria answered, not entirely referring to the book. "Besides, it was either I lose you, or I lose the book."

"Thanks. I think." Jai added, laughing. "Oh, and, uh, I had that signed." She divulged.

"No way," Ria said before checking the first page of the book then squealing. "Jai! This is awesome. Really. Thank you." She uttered, hugging her friend.

"Please. It's the least I could do." Jai said, waving her hand dismissively. "You're the one who has always been there for me since this whole mess started. I don't know how I would get by if you weren't around." She told her friend earnestly.

"Are you kidding? You're Jasmine freaking Hayes." Ria reminded the girl. "You're stronger than you give yourself credit for. You raised Kayla. You took care of your dad. You protected Paige. You'll be fine." She reassured her friend. "Besides, you have Kayla, Paige, Cesca, and Emily on your side."

"Yeah, but being with you is different. It's… refreshing." Jai said for lack of a better word. "I'm serious, Ria. I would be lost without you. Out of everyone else, you're the one person who saw past my façade. Means a lot that I can be myself around you."

"Well, I guess this should come in handy, then," Ria said, handing the girl a small box. "Merry Christmas." She uttered and waited until Jai opened her gift before speaking again. "I know it's not exactly brand-new. But that compass has saved my life one too many times." She explained. "It's about time it helped someone else. So, whenever you feel lost, that thing will show you the way." Ria promised, smiling at her friend.


You can do this. Just ring the bell. Come on. Emily told herself as she licked her lips nervously. She took a deep breath and wiped her hands on the sides of her jeans before taking out the box she so carefully wrapped yesterday afternoon. For a second, she thought about just leaving the box on the porch, ringing the bell, and making a run for it. But that would make her look suspicious. This is stupid. Emily thought with a sigh. Just get it over with. She told herself and finally rang the bell.

Ding. Dong.

No one's home. Emily thought to herself, after waiting for a few seconds. Of course, no one's home. Did I miss them? She wondered, ringing the bell again. She could've sworn Paige said they were leaving for Scranton tomorrow morning. I guess I'll just give this to her next year. Emily thought, staring at the box with relief and disappointment as she made her way down the drive.

"Fields?" Reese called out.

Emily immediately stopped in her tracks and turned around. "Reese." She uttered, surprised. "I, uh, rang the bell a couple of times, but no one was answering. I thought no one was home." Emily explained as she walked back up the drive.

"Yeah. Sorry. We were upstairs." Reese said, gesturing behind her. "What's up?"

"I, um, uh… I'm looking for Paige." Emily answered timidly.

"Oh. Okay. Come in." Reese invited, stepping aside to let the girl in. "She's taking a shower, but I think she's almost done."

Emily looked past the girl and inside the house uncertainly. She really didn't want to be in the same room with Reese and have to make small talk. "Um, no, it's fine. I was just going to drop this off, actually." She said, handing the box to the girl. "I can't stay long. I still have a few house calls to make. You know, it being Christmas and all." Emily lied.

"Okay. Where's mine?" Reese asked, looking at the girl expectantly.

Emily stared at the girl with her mouth slightly open. "Uh… sorry. I didn't get you anything." She finally managed to say.

Reese laughed. "Kidding! I was kidding." She said, unable to resist messing with the girl when she saw how nervous Emily was. "I'm just messing with you. I'll make sure she gets this."

"Thanks," Emily uttered, slightly relieved.

"Is there anything else?" Reese asked.

Emily shook her head. "Well, actually…" She began before Reese could close the door. "Jai and I ran into Paige this morning at the Brew, and she said that you guys were leaving tomorrow morning to go to Scranton."

"Yeeaahh." Reese affirmed slowly. "And? What about it?"

"Nothing. It's just that, I think Paige is too shy to say that she's not ready to meet your family." Emily explained.

"And I think I know my girlfriend well enough to know that she is." Reese shot back. "Why do you seem bothered with the thought of us going to Scranton?" She asked, arms crossed.

"I'm not," Emily argued. "I just want to make sure that you're not moving too fast for her."

"Well, thanks for your concern, but it's not your place to tell us what we should or shouldn't do." Reese reminded the girl. "I'll tell Paige you stopped by."

Emily nodded. "Okay. Sorry for meddling." She added, closing her eyes in humiliation once Reese closed the door on her face.


Paige blankly stared at the dark ceiling of her room as she listened to the steady breathing of the girl lying next to her. She slowly turned to her side, her gaze falling on the flash drive next to the digital clock. 11:20. The glowing digits reminded Paige that Christmas will be over in forty minutes.

Paige's gaze returned to the flash drive. In a sense, Emily's gift to her was a mixtape. A digital mixtape if there was such a thing. At first, she was confused when she opened the girl's gift, and she saw that it was a flash drive. She thought it was Emily's indirect way of telling her to back up her files. Which was weird because they never talked about such mundane things. Her curiosity piqued, she plugged in the flash drive on her laptop and saw that there was only one folder in it—Road to Greatness. Inside were about one hundred songs. She recognized some of the titles, so she knew that she could listen to all the tracks when she's training. The thought of Emily going through the trouble of putting together a playlist for her was touching. The gesture wasn't lost on her. But since then, she hasn't been able to get the girl off her mind.

Snap out of it. Paige told herself. Her gaze then drifted to the first drawer of her bedside table. She slowly got up into a sitting position, glancing behind her to check if she woke up Reese, but the girl seemed to be fast asleep. Careful not to make a sound, Paige gently pulled open the drawer and took out a small box. She studied it for a few seconds then checked the time, trying to decide. She's probably already asleep. Paige thought to herself. But she and Reese were leaving for Scranton tomorrow morning. Screw it. She thought, getting up.

Her eyes already accustomed to the dark; it didn't take long for Paige to find her sneakers and sweater. She took one last look at Reese then tiptoed toward her bedroom door, telling herself not to feel guilty for sneaking out to see Emily Fields.


Ping! Ping!

Emily reluctantly tore her gaze away from the dark ceiling of her room when she heard what seemed like pebbles being thrown outside her bedroom window. She checked the time on her bedside table and frowned. 11:40. She sat up and reached for her phone to check if there were any messages or missed calls, but there weren't any.

"This better not be a drunk neighbor," Emily muttered under her breath before getting up and walking to the window. "Paige?" She uttered, her eyes growing wide, and her heart starting to hammer when she saw the girl. Emily hurriedly opened her bedroom window before the girl could throw another pebble.

"Were you sleeping?" Paige asked, her voice just loud enough for the girl to hear her. "Can you come outside?" She continued when Emily shook her head.

"I don't think so. My mom's a light sleeper." Emily replied, barely whispering.

Paige nodded then looked around to make sure no one was watching. She didn't want to be mistaken for a burglar. "Okay." She told Emily before gesturing that she was going to climb up to the girl's bedroom.

Emily stepped back and hurriedly made her way to her dresser. She turned on the lamp and checked her reflection, running a hand through her messy hair anxiously. She looked at her oversized, worn-out sweater and pulled down at the hem to cover her bare thighs just as Paige's head popped inside the window.

"This certainly feels like old times." Emily nervously quipped as she walked over to help the girl get inside.

"Why? Is Jai here?" Paige asked, looking past Emily to check the room for any sign of her best friend.

"What? No." Emily answered as she took a step back to put some distance between them. "I was talking about that time when you came over to—you know what? Never mind." She finished, embarrassed.

"I'm just messing with you. Of course, I remember." Paige said, nervously tucking her hands inside the pockets of her sweater and pretending not to notice that the girl was a little underdressed.

"What's up?" Emily asked after a beat.

"I, uh, got your gift," Paige answered. "Reese told me you came by and—"

"You have to know I didn't mean to overstep. I was just concerned." Emily said defensively.

"What?" Paige asked, giving the girl a confused look.

"What?" Emily repeated, her mouth going dry. "That's… not why you came here?"

"Uh, no. I came here to say thank you." Paige clarified. "But now I'm curious. Did you two argue?"

Emily forced herself to laugh. "Nooo." She answered, waving her hand dismissively. "You know, if you wanted to thank me, you could've just called," Emily said to change the subject.

"Well, I wanted to thank you in person," Paige explained. "And… I actually wish you waited for me so I could give you this." She added, handing the girl her gift. "It's lame compared to what you gave me. Sorry I didn't have time to wrap it." Paige told the girl sheepishly. "I, uh, picked that up back in Abu Dhabi together with the water bottle I gave you." She explained as soon as Emily opened the box to find a miniature figure of Drax inside. "It's a keychain."

"I can see that," Emily said as she took the figure out of the box.

"I know it's lame. I just… I want us to be friends." Paige confessed. "Like, for real… friends. The last time we watched a movie together, that's what we were trying to do." She reminded the girl. "You said you found Drax funny, so when I saw that at the airport, I had to buy it 'cause it made me think of you," Paige said candidly. "I know things between us have been weird since I came back. But we're gonna be in each other's lives for good. And I'd like to think we've both grown up. So… do you think we can try being friends?"

Emily fought the wave of tears she knew was coming and forced herself to look at the girl who was unknowingly breaking her heart. "Yeah. I think we can do that." She finally said, her voice almost breaking. "Thank you. He's cute." Emily managed to say.

"I know. I got Groot." Paige shared with a grin. "I guess I better get going, then. Have to wake up early. Goodnight." She bade, about to turn around to head for the window, but the girl's hand on her arm stopped her.

"Why are you going to Scranton?" Emily asked before she could stop herself.

"Well, like I told you guys this morning, we're spending the rest of the holidays there," Paige explained. "My dad had to go back to California today, so rather than spend the holidays alone, I figured why not spend it with Reese and her family since they let her spend Christmas with me."

"But is that really what you want?" Emily pressed.

Understanding dawned on Paige. "Is this what you and Reese argued about earlier?" She asked in reply. "Because what I want is to make my girlfriend happy and to make our relationship work. I thought you would be happy for me." Paige said, hurt. "This is the first time that I've been in a relationship after Ria, so I'm trying my best not to screw it up."

"I guess I must've been pretty forgettable," Emily said, trying not to sound bitter.

"Oh, no. I didn't forget." Paige reassured the girl. "But whatever we had was confusing and destructive. I'm sorry, but that's the truth."

Emily shook her head. "Don't apologize. It's mostly my fault." She admitted. "Can I ask… why are you with Reese?"

"You mean other than because I like her?" Paige asked. "Because being with her is easy. And she's always accepted me for who I am." She pointed out. "I don't feel the need to try and be someone else for her."

"So, you're happy?" Emily asked, trying her best not to cry.

"I am. So please be nice to her." Paige implored. "She's important to me, and I want all of us to get along." She admitted. "See you when we get back?"

"Definitely," Emily answered with a small smile.

Emily watched as the girl went out the way she came in. She even managed to wave goodbye at Paige before her vision began to blur. Silently weeping as she watched the girl pedal down the street, Emily held tight the girl's gift on her left hand, while her right clasped the worn-out bracelet on her wrist.


Paige slowly opened the front door of her house and slipped inside, standing still for a few seconds to let her eyes get accustomed to the dark. When she could finally see the outline of the objects in front of her, Paige began to make her way inside the house, only stopping when she reached the bottom of the stairs. She was about to head up when a light in the living room suddenly came on, and she stopped in her tracks like a deer caught in the headlights.

"Where did you go?" Reese asked her tone calm. "You didn't bring your phone… you didn't even leave a note."

"I didn't think you would wake up," Paige replied, turning around to face the girl. "I'm sorry."

Reese got up from the couch and walked toward the girl. "I'm not mad. I was just anxious." She said, her brows creased. "What was so important that you had to leave at such a late hour? It's already past midnight."

Paige took a deep breath, trying to decide what to say. "I went to see Emily." She finally confessed. "I wanted to give her my gift before the day ended," Paige explained. "Sorry. I just didn't want it to be an issue between us."

"It wasn't," Reese answered. "Not until you felt the need to keep it a secret from me and even went out in the middle of the night to give a present." She pointed out. "Do I need to be worried?" Reese asked apprehensively.

"No." Paige immediately replied. "No. I'm happy with you. With us." She said, reaching for the girl's hand. "Emily's chapter in my life is over," Paige promised. "It was just something I needed to take care of before we left."

Reese let out the breath she was holding in. "Okay." She uttered, squeezing the girl's hand. "Then let's just forget the whole thing happened. Come on. Let's go back to bed."

"You go ahead. I'll just turn off the light." Paige said, kissing her girlfriend on the cheek.

"Okay. Don't take too long." Reese told the girl with a small smile.

Paige nodded and watched Reese make her way up the stairs before walking toward the living room. She stood in silence for a few seconds before finally turning off the light, the uncertainty in her face illuminated by the moonlight.