[A/N] So onto chapter 26. Just a reminder to make sure you've read chapter 25 first since I posted two chapters together. I originally wanted to post the two chapters as one long chapter, but in the end it made more sense to break them up into two. I hope you enjoy the read.
[Trigger Warning]: Violence, Sexual violence towards the end.
"Welcome home, Em." Caleb sniggered to himself as he played around with his hair in front of a mirror trying to get it to look just right.
"You're back... but alone? Where the hell is Paige? It's like eight o clock." Hanna came into the room, running around frantic, her body wrapped up in a thick fluffy dressing gown, her hair thrown up in a towel.
"She had to go home to get ready." Emily couldn't hold back a yawn, tired now from a culmination of the two hour drive home, their impromptu swim in the Atlantic and their intimate session earlier on.
"I'm going to kill that girl." Hanna proclaimed, eyeing her best friend with annoyance.
"What why?" Emily frowned.
"You are exhausted, she completely wore you out." The blonde pointed out like it was as light as day.
"Pretty sure they wore each other out, Princess. You've seen how competitive they can be." Caleb remarked, he wasn't usually one to make such brazen comments, so in turn he left Emily bashfully red-faced and somewhat speechless.
"Goddamn competitive lesbians." Hanna shouted still running around the place trying to get ready in time. "Do you even have enough time to get ready?"
"Han, chill. I only have to shower, put on some make-up and do my hair and get dressed. I can do that in forty minutes. We're not all like you." She stopped Hanna in her tracks, placing her two hands on each shoulder trying to encourage a moment of composure over the blonde.
"Fine! But any longer and we're leaving without you." Hanna remarked before rushing back up the stairs.
"You still won't be ready in an hour, blondie."
"Just because you're her girlfriend again, doesn't mean you can start stealing Paige's lines too." Hanna shouted a response, Emily shaking her head chuckling as she headed off to her bedroom.
It was exactly nine when Emily received a text message from Paige, wondering if she should just wait outside or head on up to meet them in the apartment.
"Paige, is just outside." Emily called out, she and Caleb were still waiting on Hanna to finish getting ready.
"You might want to ask her up, Hanna still needs about twenty minutes." Caleb joked, earning a deathly glare from his wife.
"Caleb don't you start, it's not my fault your son didn't want to go with my Mom and Ted to Rosewood for the night. That completely threw me from the start" Hanna sighed rolling her eyes, her tone coming across more irritated than she actually truly felt.
"Oh he is my son now is he?" he smirked knowingly.
"You are the one who let it slip we were going out for the party, and then he wanted to come too."
"I know, I'm sorry Princess. I was just joking around about how long you take getting ready, you could go out in sweats and I'd still think you're the most beautiful woman on earth." Caleb eventually approached his wife, wrapping his arms around her waist before plastering her neck with kisses.
"Looking to get some, Rivers." Paige joked sticking out her tongue like a petulant child after walking into the River's apartment and seeing the husband and wife's affectionate interaction.
"Shutup, McCullers." Caleb flipped his friend off, giving Hanna one last kiss before heading into the kitchen to pour a glass a champagne for everyone.
"Where's Em?" Paige questioned scanning the room for any sign of her girlfriend.
"Think she just ran to the bathroom. I am actually almost ready so we'll have one drink here and then we're meeting Spencer, Toby, Aria and Ezra at the club. I suppose there's nothing wrong with being fashionably late, especially when you work in the fashion industry." Hanna explained grabbing a glass of champagne from the kitchen counter. "Speak of the devil." Hanna added as soon as she noticed Emily walking into the room.
"Hi Em..." Paige trailed off when she noticed what Emily was wearing, she was pretty sure her jaw fell to the floor like you see in the cartoons, her eyes wide and mouth suddenly gone dry as she gulped trying to calm her racing heart. Her eyes roaming over her girlfriends exposed legs accentuated perfectly by a pair of nude heels. She never tired of seeing Emily dressed up, she never tired of Emily full stop, in her mind the girl always looked incredible. But It was always a dress or skirt that left her breathless, catching sight of her girl's long toned legs enough to make her falter her next step forward.
"Hello to you, too." Emily's eyed Paige too, she was wearing skinny jeans and a loose white shirt left open but loosely tucked in over an ashy grey tank, a silver pedant hanging making it look more dressed up. "Since when did you become so stylish, Pai?"
"I googled Kristen Stewart..."
"You didn't?" Emily mouth slipped open with intrigue.
"I did, I really like her style." Paige shrugged it off like it was a pretty obvious thing to do.
"I really like it too." Emily remarked moving closing licking her lips without thinking, she pulled Paige closer by the starched collar before slipping her hands in around Paige's waist passed the loose shirt material. "Especially on you." She whispered nipping at Paige's jawline before kissing her lips.
"Eww gross. When is that lesbian bed death thing going to set in? It's literally been less than five hours since you two jumped each other's bones. I'm constantly walking in on you two in compromising positions." Hanna sighed, throwing her hands up in frustration.
"Lesbian bed death isn't really a thing, Han. Plus I'm literally only kissing my girlfriend, hello. How is that a compromising position? Do you also not remember last night, when you walked in on me and Paige fast asleep on the couch, I most certainly remember that was not in the least bit compromising, and I think my girlfriend can attest to that one?" Emily added shaking her head, Paige agreeing instantaneously.
"Well tell that to Cosmo. I read an article all about it."
"Ah yes, Cosmopolitan, leading the world in lesbian literature, advice and information." Paige mocked.
"Whatever, Paigey." She rolled her eyes. "You two are always so intimate, we get it you're in love. I just don't like feeling like I'm interrupting you guys. You two are finally really happy and I don't want to intrude on that but I guess I just miss my friends." Hanna deflated somewhat, she was so used to having Emily around all the time, it was a little difficult for her to re-adjust to not seeing her best friend as much.
"Awh Han, I promise you're not interrupting, ever. Come here" Emily released an arm from around Paige's waist opening it wide to comfort the blonde. "Come on, group hug." Hanna smiled bashfully as she trudged forward falling into their open arms.
"You know if you hug two lesbians long enough you'll eventually turn into one too, something to do with osmosis or something." Paige added off the cuff.
"Really?" Hanna spoke seriously, eyeing Paige with honest intrigue.
"Yeah, I read about it in Cosmo." The trio bursting out into laughter after Paige's quick-witted response.
"You're such an idiot." Emily guffawed a response, Paige unfortunately earning a scowl from the unimpressed blonde, before they all laughed together once again.
"Dance with me?" Emily asked, her hand falling seamlessly into Paige's, pulling her up out of her seat. The evening was a lot of fun, the meal was great but having being prepared by a Michelin star chef you couldn't really expect any less.
"Em, you know I don't dance..." A side smirk lingered on her lips, as she blushed shyly.
"Yes, you do." Emily poked her in the side.
"Yeah, fine, behind closed doors."
"Oh come on, Pay... Take a walk on the wild side." Emily bit the tip of her tongue through a brazen grin,this time Paige couldn't help but chuckle, unable to say no to her girlfriend's request's she followed behind her and out onto the dancefloor. They had only been dancing for a few songs when Paige heard her phone ringing. Joe, the name flashing on screen momentarily baffling the brunette.
"Who is it?" Emily uttered into Paige's ear, hoping she would hear her over the loud, intrusive music.
"Joe, you know the old manwho does maintenance at my building." Paige's eyebrows knitted together suddenly worried, her mind instantly raced to the worst conclusion, had someone broken into her apartment, was there a fire.
"You should answer it. I'll be here, I see Spence on her way over anyway." Emily encouraged, kissing the girls temple before she turned to leave in search of somewhere quiet to talk, which she eventually did out on the rooftop.
"Hello? Joe?" Paige questioned.
"Hello Ms McCullers, I'm sorry about phoning you so late..." he voice sounded apologetic. "I just didn't really know what else to do."
"It's okay. Is everything okay?" Her heart racing, she wished for a moment that Emily had come with her, someone there for reassurance.
"Well umm, there's actually a lady here. She's quiet intoxicated, slightly disorientated and visibly upset. She keeps asking for you, begging even, I tried to get her to calm down but to no avail." Joe explained down the line. Paige was wracking her brain, why would a lady, drunk and clearly distressed, just show up at her door.
"Joe, can you get a name?" Paige asked, her words fumbling slightly edged with anxiety.
"I can't make out a word she's saying, her voice is all slurred and that combined with her British accent it's too hard to understand." Joe explained, his voice defeated feeling awful for not being able to give Paige more.
"Alex... Joe does she have a short haircut." Paige asked, her heart sinking heavy in her chest, she knew it was Alex before he even confirmed her thoughts.
"Yes, she does."
"Joe, can you keep her in the lobby I'm 'bout three blocks away. Give me ten minutes and I'll be there." Paige quickly hung up the phone, heading back inside to the club to find Emily spotting her in the distance as she chatted away with Spencer and Toby.
"Paige?" Emily naturally moved closer girlfriend as soon as they made eye contact, her hand snaking in past her girlfriend's open shirt as she rubbed comforting circular motions along her lower back.
"I have to run back to the apartment for a second, there's a pipe leaking and Joe wants to see if there's any water damage in my apartment." She lied, Emily was having fun and she didn't want to ruin her girlfriend's night by telling her the truth. They could just have that argument in the morning.
"Doesn't he have a key? Do you really have to leave?" Emily moved even closer momentarily resting her head on Paige's shoulder, soaking in the subtlest scent of Paige's fresh perfume.
"Yeah, look just give me half an hour. I have my phone." Paige kissed Emily's temple, then cheek before turning to leave. It was when she reached the entrance she decided to turn around, Alex had already caused enough trouble for them, and she didn't want that to be the case anymore. Emily frowned with bemusement when Paige returned with such haste.
"Em, I lied. We agreed on no more secrets." The raven haired girl's brows creasing even more so.
"No more secrets." Emily nodded with assurance, her hands running the length of Paige's arms to not only comfort Paige some more, but to also calm her own nerves.
"Joe called because Alex is at the apartment. She's looking for me." Paige swallowed hard, her mouth still dry as she tried to read the emotion on her girl's features.
"That bitch, what is she doing here?" Emily hissed out, instantly fuming with anger.
"I don't know, but she's drunk and upset. I'm going to head over and get her booked into the hotel just down the street."
"I'm coming with you, Paige." Emily spoke stoically.
"No, Em. Stay here. I'll deal with her. You trust me, don't you?"
"Of course I do, Paige." Emily smiled seeking out a kiss from her girlfriend's lips "I just don't trust her."
"I know, babe. Alex doesn't really drink, I don't think I've ever seen her drunk to the point she can't make coherent sentences, there could be more to this." Paige shrugged sympathetically but it was difficult for Emily to understand.
"She was drunk the day I ran into her at the airport." She counter-acted.
"I know, but I promise it's not something she does often. Also that's another reason I want you to stay here." Paige sighed pulling Emily into her this time. "If I need help I'll ring, stay with Spence and enjoy the party. I'll be back soon. Don't worry." Paige offered a smile of reassurance, the two pairs of lips connecting once more, before she turned to leave.
"Joe!" Paige's voice carried around the lobby.
"Ms McCullers, we're in the office." She heard a voice respond followed by distorted nonsense.
"Thanks for looking after her Joe."
"She a little more coherent now, I gave her some coffee and water and it seemed to help."
"Alex, what the hell is going on?" Paige walked into the little office, now eye to eye with her ex-girlfriend.
"P-Pa-Paige. Th-thank god." She muttered a slurred response.
"Cut the crap, Alex. You're not staying here I can get you booked into the hotel down the street." She spoke matter of fact.
"We...we s'can't leave." The petite girl's face paled, as she continually glanced towards the entryway.
"What? Why not?" Paige sighed irritated. "I'm really not in the mood to play games, Lex."
"I know, just I-I did something real stupid." Alex bit down on her lip, playing with her hands nervously.
"Explain, please?" Paige rolled her eyes once more, expecting Alex to teal off some lame excuse for why she cheated.
"I-I-I was at a bar down the street, I wanted to have a few to build up the courage to come see you. I knew about Hanna's birthday party... well, some guy bought me a drink, I took it gratefully and he seemed nice. We got chatting, a few of his friends too, we were having fun. It was nice to feel wanted again, so I kinda played up to it. They took some drugs, cocaine I think. Their behaviour changed, I felt uncomfortable, and got up to leave. They started shouting at me, the guy followed me out, so I-I ran. I came here..."
Paige eyes widened trying to understand the full extent of the situation. "Alex how did you know I live here now."
"You fell in love with the apartment here, I didn't. So when we broke up and I saw that it sold I looked a little further into it, it just confirmed my suspicions." Alex voice, ashamed when she realised how stupid the idea sounded once she heard it said out loud.
"Alex, you really can't stay here. I need to go make a phone call" Paige grinded her teeth together, she thought all this drama was behind her.
"Emily?"
"Don't you dare go there!" Paige growled with dominance, walking across the lobby to talk on the phone. "Pick up your fuckin' phone." Her voice harsh and loud as she shouted into the phone a moment later, Emily wasn't answering and either was Spencer, the music most likely too loud for them to hear the ringing.
"Alex, did they follow you here?" Paige questioned, biting uneasily at the nail on her thumb as she tried to think of a solution. She couldn't find enough trust in herself to allow Alex upstairs, and it probably wasn't safe enough to leave the girl aloe so instead had to come up with a completely different plan.
"I don't know." She shrugged, rubbing at her head distressed and upset having Paige angry and frustrated at her.
"I told my friends I'd be back in thirty minutes, you're not staying here alone, so you'll have to come with me. But I swear to god Alex you make a scene before I get a chance to talk with Emily, you're on your own." Paige hissed. "Thanks again, Joe." Paige forced a kindred smile towards the older man, waving him off as they headed back out.
The two walked in silence.
"Hey baby, there y'are? You went missing on me." A man's voice echoed up the unusually quiet New York street. He was very obviously drunk, swaying wickedly from left to right as he edged towards them.
"Paige that's s'him." Alex's voice trembled.
"Hold my hand, keep your head down and try ignore him." Paige whispered, her shoulders straightening, naturally trying to make herself appear bigger.
"Hey, sweetheart you're s'pose be coming home with me, s'yeah." He shouted again, approaching them with increased speed, almost falling over as he slung back a hearty mouthful of scotch. Paige took out her phone hoping Spencer would answer, unfortunately the tone just rang out once again.
"Eh, sorry love your very nice n'all. But you're friend 'ere agreed to go home with me." He tried again, stumbling on his feet she could smell the alcohol and stale smoke on his breath from where they stood. Paige tightened her hold around Alex, her naturally protective nature shining through. Neither she nor Alex responding to his advances as they tried to pass him without any further interference.
"S'that your girlfriend? So what are you? Some kind of fuckin' dyke." His tone suddenly viciously angry. "I spend my fuckin' money buying drinks for a dyke. Fuckin' hell I'm stupid." Paige and Alex continued walking. "Come home with me and I'll knock some sense into ya..." He spat out at them, slugging back another mouthful of scotch, this time half of it slipping from his mouth and onto his shirt. He moved towards them reaching forward, trying to grope Alex and pull her from Paige's hold.
"Don't you fuckin' dare touch her." Paige spat out, her eyes darkened with fury as she stood in front of her ex-girlfriend.
"Yeah? What the fuck you gonna do 'bout it?" He choked out a vicious chuckle sounding wickedly amused, as he lurched forward charging at the brunette pushing her backwards. "She owes me, you can have her back as soon as I'm done with her." He reached out to grab Alex around the waist pulling the petite girl towards him. Paige stood forward again, knocking him across the jaw with her fist. It was a strong hit, the pain of it soared up her whole arm. But only seemed to hold the other guy back for a second, he was definitely fuelled on by something stronger than alcohol and tobacco.
"Fuckin' bitch." He spat out, wiping at his blood stained mouth. He charged once more, his limbs erratic yet powerful, knocking Paige into a small alleyway out of view of the yellow washed pathways, pushing her with force into a damp, grimy and greasy wall, the weathered red brick crumbling slightly as she hit it. The alley was the epitome of squalor; dark, foul and sleazy, the smell of rotten garbage mixed with urine and alcohol. Paige spat in his face distracting him for the briefest of moments as she pushed him off of her, elbowing him hard in the stomach, earning a breathless grunt but it still wasn't enough to hold him off. He swung his arm up smashing the bottle of scotch across her head knocking her to the wet ground. A blinding violent fury continued to wash over him, Paige was now only semi-conscious, he began kicking her in the stomach. It was endless, simply unforgiving, his anger or strength never seemed to falter whilst he laugh out manically. A high-pitched screech hissing from the pit of her lungs with each violent kick, a truly terrifying sound. She hadn't the strength to fight anymore, her only option to try and protect her body and wish for it to stop.
"Stop, stop... please fuckin' stop, the cops are on the way just take my purse and go. Leave her alone." Alex pleaded tears streaming down her face, she wasn't as strong or as tall as Paige but she was just about able to pull him back, the haze feeding his fury seemed to fade, as he grabbed the smaller girl's bag pushing her backwards too as she hit the ground hard.
"Paige... Paige... It's okay, it's going to be okay." Alex crawled across the damp, slimy ground, her eyes red raw, emphasised by the rivers of black mascara coating her cheeks, feeling sick at the sight of blood trickling from a wound the stretched from Paige's eyebrow up into her hairline. Paige's face a nauseating pale, her eyes shut tightly her teeth moulded together holding back severe cries of agony, she could only allow her body to surrender to the torturous, uneasy and raw humming of pain in her chest. Alex cradled her neck, finding Paige's phone the screen was smashed but it seemed to still be working. It was a struggle, but Alex eventually hit the re-dial buttom for last number Paige had called. Tears rolling from her face as she gently caressed Paige's cheek.
"Hello" Spencer answered her phone a little confused as to why Paige was ringing her and not Emily. "Hello, Paige?" She heard a muffled noise in the background but not enough to make out words. "Hello, Paige? Are you there?"
"Spencer?" The words on the other end faint and broken.
"Hello, who is this?" Spencer replied worried now that she didn't recognise the voice on the other end. "Is Paige there?"
"She's hurt... things are bad... help." The voice crackled through the bad phone line.
"Alex?" Spencer guessed that's who she was talking to when she just about made out the twang of a British accent.
"She's hurt... alleyway... help." With three loud beeps the phone line went dead. Spencer felt bile burn up the back of her throat as a sense of dread overwhelmed her, she glanced over to Emily who was now dancing and laughing away with Hanna and Caleb on the dancefloor, she was still so innocently oblivious. How could she tell Emily something happened to Paige, especially when she didn't know more than Paige being hurt or what even led to the girl getting hurt in the first place?
Spencer ran over to Toby, Aria and Ezra explaining the situation to them first, she wanted them to stay here and hold down the fort while she explained things over with Hanna, Caleb and Emily.
Approaching Caleb first, she explained what had just happened. Her mouth running a mile a minute. Caleb decided it was best to go get his car, he wasn't drinking so it was the best way he could think to help.
"Hanna, Emily we need to talk." Spencer spoke seriously this would be hardest conversation to overcome.
"Oh come on Spence, let loose. Let's have some fun." Hanna grabbed her friend, Emily laughing along with the blonde's banter.
"No, this is serious." The severity of the situation catching up with her, her mouth drying not knowing what kind of state Paige was in only added to her worries.
"Spence, what is it?" Emily paused, her mind rolling. It took her a minute to process but she knew the worry in Spencer's eyes were aimed at her, the second she saw it lingering there. Tears welling in her eyes "Paige..." Her voice speaking before her mind had even caught up. Spencer offering a timid nod to confirm Emily's worse thoughts. Emily quickly pulled out her phone hitting speed dial for Paige. BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. The line was completely dead. Her heart sinking when she noticed the two missed calls.
"Is she okay?" Emily voiced, but her mind was already rocketing to much worse scenarios.
"I dunno. The line wasn't great, I don't know much. Alex just mentioned Paige was hurt and they were in some alleyway. Where exactly I dunno but there's only three blocks between here and Paige's apartment, it's basically a straight line they can't be too far away. Caleb's gone to get his car, he's tracking my phone so he'll know where to find us when we get to them" Spencer rolled on, her brain immediately looking for a solution, Emily face had turn a nauseating pale yellow colour she looked as if she was going to be sick, no longer capable of making a coherent thought outside of wanting to have Paige safe again.
"Okay, Spence you go. We'll stay here." Hanna wrapped a comforting arm hold around her best friend.
"No." Emily voice quivered. "I'm not fuckin' staying here, not when Paige is hurt. I'm coming with you, Spencer." Anger, hot on Emily's tone.
"Fine." Spencer knew fighting Emily on this wasn't going to work.
"Keep in touch?" Hanna asked worried.
"We will. We'll talk later."
"She's going to be, Okay, Em." Hanna soothed pulling the taller girl into a hug, it wasn't really reciprocated, Emily fighting back a sob at the back of her throat as she nodded to acknowledge the blonde's words. With that Spencer and Emily both left.
It was starting to rain when they got outside, slow at first but it slowly built in pace. It held a biting coolness, hitting Emily skin with force but still going unnoticed, as she stood there frozen unable to move. It wasn't until she felt Spencer's hand wrap around her own did her legs begin to work once again.
"Em, maybe you should wait here." Spencer tried to remain calm.
"No, no Spencer I need to see her." She cried fighting against the other girl's hold. Alex had given Spencer some vague instruction over the phone, her words making little to no sense given her intoxicated state. She knew she was approaching the spot when she saw a blue lighter ahead.
"Em, seriously. This could be bad." Spencer dropped her hands to Emily's shoulders trying to reason with her terrified friend, Emily's eyes scouring the scene still no evidence to what had happened. All Spencer could make out on the phone was that Paige was hurt, badly hurt in some kind of incident. Tears falling in rivers across Emily's cheeks, as her legs gave way and she fell into Spencer's arms overwhelmed with fear.
"Please Spence, please. I need to see her." She cried out with every fibre of her body.
"Fine. But you need to cop the fuck on. Stop whinging, Paige is going to need you to be strong." Spencer words maybe seeming too harsh but she knew it was what the situation warranted. Emily sniffled, wiping at her face with her sleeve, her tears blended in with the cool rain water on her face only she could identify the contrasting warm tears of sorrow from the unsettling, cold raindrops. Swallowing hard and sucking in a deep breath before looking Spencer in the eye with a nod.
"Paige needs me to be strong." The words danced on her lips, encouraging herself on. As she allowed her hand to fall into the tight grasp of Spencer's once more as they edged forward. The blue light's becoming hauntingly brighter, they could have sworn they had been watching them for hours on end when in fact they were really only in sight for less than five minutes.
They approached the scene, their eyes catching sight of a cop stood beside his car writing something in a small leather clad notebook. Looking into the alleyway Emily's heart stopped, Spencer's hold thankfully strengthening around her or else she was sure she was about to collapse to the floor. Three people invading her sight first, Emily immediately recognising one of the figures as Alex her knees pulled up under her as she sat on the soaking ground a police jacket her only source of protection as raindrops dripped from her forehead uneasily before crashing to the ground, the girl's eyes staring blankly ahead. A second cop stood near her, his eyes meticulously scanning the scene as he muttered into his phone. Finally a third person kneeling on the wet ground, their crisp white shirt outstanding in the dark and shadowy alleyway. They were a medical personnel, that's when Emily saw her.
Paige was lying flat on the cold wet ground. Her body motionless, her girlfriend's face pale and badly beaten from what she could see, her hair was strewn across the ground wet with rainwater and blood. The medic had placed her jacket across Paige's upper body protecting her as best as she could from the unforgiving, intrusive and penetrating rain.
In that brief moment Emily felt her world come to a crashing halt.
[A/N] Thanks for reading, and so we're back to some angst. Creating a few more problems for our beloved Paige and Emily, but they're strong so keep that in mind. Also we have Alex back in the mix, how will that play out? I know I constantly make promises about my next upload but I hope to get it up soon, especially when I end on a cliff hanger like that. Please review, I really want to hear your thoughts. Thanks again for reading. Until next time - KTF