Author's Note This story was supposed to be a oneshot. That was all I ever intended it to be. But well, you know what they say about best laid plans. So, now it appears that I have another Paily story for you all. I hope that you enjoy. :)

Chapter 2

Emily woke to the familiar but long absent feeling of Paige wrapped around her in sleep. She lay on her side with Paige pressed up against her back, one arm curled around her waist while her leg draped over Emily's hip. The weight of both warm and comforting. It conjured up old feelings of safety and security. It was the way Emily had always felt in Paige's arms and time had done nothing to diminish the feelings, or how readily they rose to the surface once again.

Emily smiled softly to herself and burrowed in, laying her arm across Paige's and pulling it more tightly around her. Paige chuffed, and stirred lightly in her sleep, her head dropping a little on the pillow, so now her breath tickled the back of Emily's neck with each warm puff. Goosebumps rose across her skin, but Emily didn't really mind. She was comfortable, content, to lay just like this

Especially since she knew that this moment was on borrowed time. Right now she felt calm, peaceful. But that was only because Paige was asleep and she could pretend, at least for now, that the last three years hadn't happened. That their relationship hadn't disintigrated into shambles around their feet and they weren't barely more than strangers to each other at this point. For just a few minutes she could pretend that this was their life, that this was how every morning started, the two of them wrapped up in each other all warm and sleep, muscles sore and tingling from a night of vigorous love making.

A flush flashed through her as memories of last night crept up. The smile on her face grew broader. She could lie, and tell herself she hadn't been hoping for exactly what happened to happen when she'd made that phone call to Paige but she was trying to be more honest, not just with those around her but with herself. No more talking herself into half-truths or blatant lies. No more denying things she knew to be true or turning a blind-eye to things she should face. She had wanted Paige last night.

She had called up her ex-girlfriend up hoping, knowing, that things would escalate once they were alone together. And she had not been disappointed. Being with Paige again like that, it was even better than she remembered. And, it had always been pretty damn good. She couldn't even bring herself to feel guilty about it, despite also knowing that it was just going to further complicate things between them.

Paige sighed softly and stirred. Emily recognized the signs of her waking and rolled within the circle of her arms to watch the process. Paige's eyelids fluttered a few times before sliding open.

"Morning," Emily whispered.

Paige blinked, clearing her vision, her brow furrowing slightly as she tried to shed the last vestiges of sleep. "Morning," she rasped, her voice rough and thick from disuse. In the past it had never failed stir something withn Emily and this morning was no exception. She looked adorable, all sleepy and rumpled. Unable to help herself she dipped her head and brushed a soft, chaste kiss against Paige's lips.

Paige hummed softly at the contact, but when Emily pulled away her eyes were clouded, troubled.

"Em," she sighed and Emily felt her heart drop. There might be some uncertainty surrounding their situation, but she knew she didn't want to be let down easy. To be told that this was a mistake. Or worse yet, that Paige regretted what they had done.

"Don't." She cut Paige off before she could say anything else.

"Don't what?"

"Don't say it."

"You don't even know what I was going to say."

"I know you. Of course I know what you were going to say."

Paige propped herself up on one elbow, her head resting in her hand. "We've been here before, Em," she said softly, sadly. "So many times. What makes you think that it would even work again?"

"What makes you think it wouldn't?"

"Be serious."

"I am being serious. You can't deny that this feels really good." Emily waved her hand in a vague gesture, indicating the two of them, the room at large, before settling her hand on Paige's hip over the blanket and smoothing it lightly. "That it feels right."

"It always feels good," Paige said, laying her hand over top of Emily's, halting it's movements. "Until it doesn't." She gently picked up Emily's hand and shifted it off her body, placing it back down on the bed between them.

The rebuff hurt, and Emily felt the sting of tears burn the back of her lids. "So, what was last night then?" she snapped. "A mistake? A regret?"

"Last night was..." Paige sighed softly and ran her hand through her hair, eyes drifting closed for a moment as she gathered herself. "Last night, you needed me and I came," she concluded, her eyes opening again to reveal her troubled gaze. The sight of which caused Emily's heart to lurch. She hated to see Paige in distress, though the reality was it had happened in their time together more than she cared to admit.

Paige dropped her hand, and it came to rest on top of Emily's. Her touch never failed to set Emily's nerves on edge, and this time was no exception. Heat blossomed from the back of her hand up to her arm. Butterflies stirred in her stomach as Paige began to play lightly with her fingers.

"It's been a long time," Emily reasoned. "Things have changed. We've changed. I'm not a scared, traumatized sixteen year old. Or a grieving 19 year old."

"And I'm not a troubled, lonely kid desperate for someone to love me."

Emily's heart ached at Paige's description of herself. Though for as accurate as the portrayal was, it also rankled. "Is that all I was to you? Validation?"

"No. You know I loved you, Em. A part of me will always love you. I just..." She trailed off and let out a frustrated huff. "What about logistically? What happens if you don't get the coaching job? Would you even stay in Rosewood?"

Emily tried not to get her hopes up, that by asking the question Paige was maybe considering her words, but it was hard to supress the flutter of excitement in her belly and the increase in her heart rate. She did her best, however, to keep her feelings from showing on her face, schooling her expression into a neutral mask.

"I could ask you the same thing."

"I've got a couple offers in and around Philly if it doesn't pan out."

It was as much of an answer at it was an evasion. It might have been awhile but Emily could still read Paige like an open book. She could tell when the other woman was heding her bets, trying to be non-committal to protect herself. She just hated the thought that Paige felt the need to protect herself against her. Not that she could really blame her.

"I've already enrolled in a couple of classes at Hollis." Emily offered. Now that she was finished running away from her problems, from her life, she was finding it lonely out there on the west coast. She missed having her mom close by and being able to visit with her friends. As much as she loved the weather she'd had her taste of independence and freedom, now she was looking for connection and stability. She only needed a few more to finish her degree. If she got the coaching job she could work around her practice schedule and meets, and if she didn't she could complete her schooling a little closer to home, where she could spend time with her mom and her friends.

Emily couldn't tell if that was the answer Paige wanted to hear or not, her face remained impassive. She began to feel doubt creeping in, for the first time considering that maybe Paige genuinely did not even want to consider giving their relationship another chance. That this wasn't just a case of Paige needing to be talked into granting herself permission to do what she wanted, but that she truly did not want to be with Emily. Her stomach roiled uncomfortably at the thought.

"I'm not going to just jump back into things with you," Paige said slowly, measuring her words. "This," she added, gesturing between them, "can't happen again. Not until we've sorted the rest of it out."

"Okay," Emily agreed, not sure if this was a dismissal or...something else. She nodded, and then held her breath, waiting.

"So, we take it slow," Paige continued. "Friends. Until we see if, and how, we fit into each other's lives again."

"Friends?" Emily breathed out the word, trying to decide if Paige's concession was a blessing or a curse. The two of them had never really been any good at being friends. It had always been all or nothing between the two of them. And after being together she wasn't sure that she would be able to be just friends. Not with her attraction to Paige simmering just under the surface. Not with how readily came the memories of kissing her, of touching her, of tasting her.

Emily stared deep into Paige's eyes, trying to see if there was any wiggle room on the "friends" thing, but where once she had been able to look into them and discern every emotion, every fleeting thought, now they were shuttered. Guarded. Against her. It stung, but she struggled to accept that was just the way things would have to be.

She would show Paige that things had changed though. That she had changed. She would win her over. She would win her back.

"Friends," Emily agreed softly. For now, she added silently.