Guest: I have to admit, your comment confused me a little. There are several points in the story where Paige has been the instigator, and the aggressor, of physical intimacy with Emily, so I'm not really sure where you get the idea that she is a pillow queen.

Guest: Thank you. I'm glad you're enjoying this story. And, that you're finding that it fills the gaps the show left. That's what I was going for. As much as I loved Paily onscreen, I felt like there was a lot left missing. Thank you for reading, and for taking the time to leave a review.

Viva33

Guest: Yeah, certainly a weekend they will never forget.

Kim: I'm glad you're enjoying the story. And, I agree with you on the assessment of Maya. She was what Emily needed, at the time, but ultimately, not what Emily needed in the long run. The story is coming to a close, so no, there won't be any Maya included in it. She served her purpose in her history with Emily. With all the issues that Paily had to deal with, I felt ex-girlfriend drama was unnecessary. And, since she's not a part of Emily's daily life anymore, I couldn't think of a way to bring her in otherwise.

Author's Note

This chapter was supposed to be the last, the story ending the way it began, with Paige and Emily at a swim meet, only with some much having changed for them, and between them.

But, as I was writing it, another chapter popped into my head. So, there will be at least one more, for this story.

Chapter 50

Emily was not one to let the pressure of competition get to her. She was always a little nervous before a meet, because she wanted to do well, and didn't want to let her team down. But it was not something she stressed over. She swam for herself, and if she were to quit tomorrow, it wouldn't change a thing, in terms of the opinions of those who mattered to her. Her family, her friends, they would still love her and support her, if she chose not to continue swimming.

Today, however, her nerves were jangling as she stepped up onto the starting block for her first race of the day. This was the state championships, and her team was poised to win it all. If they could just keep it together today, swim well and put up good times, they could very well take the championship. It was impossible not to feel the pressure as the roar of the crowd dulled to faint hush as the girls were called into position. Emily could feel the eyes of the audience, as well as her teammates, on her, as she readied her stance. She was the first from her team to race today, and knew that her performance would set the mood, not just for herself, but for all the girls. Do well, and she would bolster their spirits and usher them into the next race. Do poorly, and she'd set the seeds of doubt about the rest of the meet.

The buzzer sounded, and Emily was off the block in a perfectly executed dive. She entered the water with barely a splash, and suddenly everything else fell away and it was just her and the water. She focused on her form, keeping her strokes clean and even, her kicks forceful and steady. Stroke. Stroke. Stoke. Stroke. Breath. Down the lane, timing her movements to bring her into position to perform a flip turn, and push off against the wall. She powered her way through the second lap, keeping her focus on her own performance. It was only as she tapped the wall and bobbed up in the water that she took the time to look around, trying to see how she had placed. Her vision was limited by the hands that reached for her from above, pulling and prodding at her. It wasn't until she had levered herself out of the pool, and found herself engulfed by the arms of her teammates that she realized she had come in first.

As soon as she was on her feet, the girls descended on her, wrapping her in exuberant hugs. Paige being the first, and most enthusiastic of them all. Despite the number of arms wrapped around her, the number of voices clamoring in her ear, the only one she really felt, really heard, was Paige's. She was to Emily's left, with one arm slung around her waist, her lips against the shell of Emily's ear as she whispered congratulations.

Her body was abuzz with excitement as she returned the enthusiastic hugs with equal vigor, excitement and accomplishment coursing through her. She had just beaten the best the state had to offer.

Slowly, the clamour died down, and the girls, including Paige, peeled away to prepare for their own races, which were upcoming.

"Good job, Fields." Coach Fulton appeared behind her, and wrapped a towel around her shoulders.

"Thanks, Coach." She smiled happily at her, then let her gaze slip past her, seeking out the one person on the team whose opinion mattered the most. Paige was standing just behind the starting blocks, offering words of encouragement to Vicky, who was getting ready to take her place for her first individual race of the day. As much as Emily would have preferred to have Paige still tucked into her side, she was glad to see that she was taking her team captain duties seriously.

Their eyes met, and Paige offered up a grin, and a wink, before turning her focus back to Vicky.

The rest of the day passed in a bit of a blur. Emily stood on the sidelines and cheered on her teammates, offering hugs when they won, and condolences when they lost. Her second race didn't go so well. Though she got off the block well, she just couldn't seem to find her rhythm. Her stroke was choppy, and uneven, and when she reached the wall, her foot connected with the tile at an awkward angle, skittering across it, rather than giving her a solid push. She struggled to gain ground, but ended up coming in fourth overall.

Her team was there for as she pulled herself out of the pool though, patting her on the back, and squeezing her shoulder. She smiled sadly at them, an accepted their sympathies. She wasn't the first one to have a bad race. And she wouldn't be the last. She just had to shake it off, and be ready for the relay later.

"Good effort, Fields." Fulton gave her shoulder a squeeze as she walked by. She wasn't one to yell at her team for a poor performance, unless she felt like they hadn't been giving it their all.

Emily nodded her thanks, and once again sought out Paige. The other girl was just climbing up onto the starting blocks for her first race of the day, but, as if sensing Emily's gaze on her, she turned and offered her up a smile. Emily gave her a thumbs up, and mouth good-luck. To which Paige beamed, before turning her focus back to the race that was about to start.

Emily was front and center, as Paige got into position, her heart in her throat as her girlfriend took her stance, and then sprang into motion at the buzzer. She dove cleanly into the pool, a good arm's length ahead of any of her competitors. Emily went hoarse from cheering, though her voice was only one of many urging Paige on. The girls had been cheering each other on enthusiastically all day, but it was clear from the volume and force of their cries that everyone on the team cared especially about how Paige did. She was their team captain, their leader.

Paige was neck and neck with one other swimmer as she reached the wall, the rest of the field a stroke or two behind. Her turn had her pushing ahead, as she powered off the wall and rocketed back down the lane. The volume and pitch of cheers got louder, and higher, with the Rosewood High team being the loudest, and the highest.

Paige's hand grazed the wall a second before that of her closest competitor, and the team went wild. They practically hauled her out of the pool, and were on her instantly. Emily clamored for space next to her, but barely managed to get a hand on her. She didn't mind though, not really. For the rest of the girls, this would be their only real moment to congratulate Paige, whereas Emily would surely get her alone at some point. And, her methods of celebration would likely be more enjoyable, not to mention lengthier than the pile-on happening right now.

Perhaps it was for the best, not being able to get too close, considering that at the moment, Paige was flushed, and breathing heavily from exertion, dripping wet from being in the pool, and clad in nothing more than a form-revealing speedo. If Emily were to get a hand on her, she might not be able to stop herself from doing more than just hugging.

Her arousal had been simmering, just below the surface, all day. Seeing Paige striding around confidently in her suit was one thing. But, watching her perform was on a whole other level. She knew she would have to keep it in check, for a while longer at least though. Paige had one more race, and they both had the relay to compete in. And as much as she would like to whisk Paige off into an empty bathroom stall and have her way with her, the chances of getting caught were too great. As was the risk of missing one of their events. They were prone to getting carried away, after all.

Last time, they'd had the opportunity to sneak away and grab some lunch. That wasn't really an option this time. The event was being held at a community center, not a local high school, and aside from a snack bar between the pool area and an ice rink, there really wasn't anywhere to go.

Emily was going to have to settle for a few minutes on the team bench, between races. There were a couple that none of the Rosewood girls were swimming in, and at the first opportunity to sit for a minute, Emily nudged Paige and gestured towards the bench, where most of the girls had stowed their stuff. She'd come prepared, with a light lunch (Thanks, Pam.) and was more than willing to share it with Paige if it meant they got a few minutes of alone time. Or, as alone as they could be in a noisy, crowded room.

She sank gratefully onto the hard, uncomfortable bench, and reached immediately for her bag.

"I spotted our parents in the audience," Paige said as she dropped down next to her. "They're sitting together."

"They're what?" Emily didn't know why this surprised her, because it shouldn't have. Their parents had gotten along well at Wayne's welcome home party. And, why wouldn't they seek out familiar faces in the crowd? It would certainly make the day more enjoyable. Because, no matter how much Emily's parents assured her they loved watching her swim, she doubted that it was really all that much fun for them. It had to be boring, watching all the races she wasn't even competing in.

"Yeah." Paige gave a solemn nod, apparently understanding that Emily had heard what she said, but was having trouble processing it. "You don't think your parents will say anything to my parents about…?" She blushed, and ducked her head, and Emily couldn't help but chuckle lightly. She doubted she would ever not find it amusing that Paige could engage so enthusiastically in sex, but still got embarrassed talking about it.

Her laughter died quickly in her throat as Paige's question actually hit her though. "They wouldn't. Would they?" She glanced around, in a panic, trying to spot the foursome, as if she would be able to tell from here if they were talking about her and Paige.

Unable to find them in the crowd, her gaze met Paige's, both of their eyes widening.

"I mean, I know my dad is…but he wouldn't…Not to your parents."

She wished she felt as self-assured as her words. Surely, her dad had to know that Paige's parents weren't on the same level as he, and even Pam, were, in terms of accepting their daughter's sexuality.

Her moment of panic passed quickly though. Her dad loved giving them a hard time, but he would never say anything potentially damaging to Paige.

"He won't say anything." She reached over and squeezed Paige's hand, where it rested on her lap.

Paige regarded her for a moment, then nodded. "You're right. I know. I'm sorry." She let out a sigh, and slumped against the wall behind them as the tension left her body.

"It's okay." And it was. "Old habits and all that, right?" Even after Emily was out, it had taken awhile before the paranoia had left her completely. She still flinched sometimes, when Maya took her hand, or glanced around to see if anyone was watching before leaning in to kiss her, before remembering that it didn't matter anymore, and she didn't care.

"I guess. Yeah. I just feel bad, for doubting them. Your parents have been great to me."

"They love you," Emily said, feeling a bit surreal as she said the words, even though she knew them to be true. It hadn't been so long ago that she had been hiding her sexuality from her parents. Before coming out, and even in the weeks following, she had never imagined that she would bring someone home and have her parents embrace them so wholeheartedly.

"Yeah," Paige said, a small grin playing at the corners of her lips. "That's a little weird, right? I mean, did you ever think there would come a day when your parents and mine would be up there socializing, and we'd be down here, doing this?" She gave Emily's hand a gentle squeeze, to emphasise her words.

"Never in a million years."

"It's a good kind of weird though, right?"

"The best kind."

Paige's grin at her words, was soft, and sweet, and Emily really wanted to lean in and kiss her right now. From the way Paige licked her lips, and darted her gaze down towards Emily's mouth, Emily had a feeling she was experiencing the same thing.

"Ugh. I hate this." Paige let out a sigh, as her head fell back against the wall. "I just want this damn meet to be over, so I can kiss you."

"I know." Emily was feeling it too. Though, she had to admit it was a little strange to hear Paige express such a frustration. She was still getting used to this new, open version of her girlfriend. It was definitely a refreshing change, after hiding for so long. And she was glad to see that Paige hadn't simply been using the meet as an excuse to buy time, and conceal their relationship for a little while longer.

Paige turned to face her, and inched closer. "You know, there's only a couple more hours left. And, it's not like we're going to be here another night. What's Coach really going to do, if she finds out?"

She continued to inch closer as she spoke, until Emily could feel Paige's breath against her lips, and she had to go slightly cross eyed to meet her gaze. She was so tantalizingly close. All Emily had to do was tip her head, just a bit, and she could have what she had been itching for all day. Just a quick kiss. Maybe nobody would even notice. And, Paige was right. The season was over.

Except for the two races they still had two races left today. The backstroke for Paige, and the relay for both of them. Coach could bench them, for lying to her. Or, withholding rather. And, Coach could potentially get in trouble, for letting a couple room together at a school sanctioned event.

Reluctantly, Emily pulled back. Paige groaned softly in frustration, but didn't push.

"Eat your lunch." She handed Paige one of the wrapped sandwiches her mother had provided. "You've got a race soon, and you need to keep your strength up."

"Yes Ma'am." Paige offered a sloppy saute, before taking the proffered sandwich and releasing her grip on Emily's hand to unwrap it.

Emily immediately missed the contact, but shook the feeling off, and turned her attention to her own food, determined to just enjoy these few minutes of peace, and alone time, with Paige.

It was the last race of the day, and Emily was more excited than nervous. They were vying for first place with a team from Pittsburgh, and with only the relay to go, Emily was confident they'd clinch it. Whatever issues they might have had in their personal relationships, she, Paige, Vicky and Brianne were still a force to be reckoned with in the water. Their individual strengths working together to make them an unbeatable team. The way Paige powered through the water gave them an edge over their competitors. And the length Vicky could get out of her dive only increased that edge, or helped close the gap, on the rare instances that it occurred. Brianne's quick reflexes off the block, and the strength of her turn never failed to shave a few seconds off their time. And, Emily, as anchor, was their closer, hopefully taking off with a good lead, but if not, unfailing closing any gap and bringing them home a win. They hadn't lost a race all season, and Emily was determined they weren't about to start now.

The four of them stood huddled just behind the starting block, arms across each other's shoulders, foreheads bent together, creating a tight circle as Paige, ever the captain, whispered encouraging words. Emily zoned out slightly, listening more to the lilt of Paige's voice than the actual words, more focused on soaking up this moment, this brief comradery before they were called into position. For the first time all season there was no tension amongst them, and the energy that created was palpable.

They broke from their huddle just as the whistle blew. Paige shot them all a grin, warm and easy, bordering just off the side of cocky, before spinning around and taking her place on the block.

A hush settled over the crowd, and Emily's heart rate spiked. All down the line, the girls shifted into position. Vicky's hand slid into hers, and squeezed hard as the buzzer sounded. Emily's heart leapt into her throat as Paige sprang into action. She arched off the starting block in a perfect dive, entering the water cleanly, and a moment or two before anyone else on the line.

The hush over the room lifted as cheers rang out, Emily's teammates among the loudest. But she was silent as she watched, straining forward to see, her gaze tracking Paige's progress through the pool, and comparing it to the rest of the field. She was ahead by an inch as she reached the wall, and as she turned and pushed off the wall, she increased her lead by another few. She powered down the lane, pulling ahead by inches, until suddenly she was an arm's length ahead of the rest of the field. Vicky's hand slipped from her own as she hurried into position on the block, and Emily finally found her voice, as Paige approached the wall. She tapped, and Vicky dove over her head, the lead Paige had given her putting her in the water a few seconds before anyone else.

Paige hauled herself out of the water, and both Emily and Brianne rushed forward to congratulate her.

"Good job out there, Cap." Brianne tossed Paige's warmup over her shoulders before squeezing them in a hug.

She was gone before Paige could reply however, stepping up onto the block and getting into position as Vicky made her way down the lane, no longer alone in the water, but still ahead by a hand.

The rest of the team hovered a few feet away, cheering for Vicky, and eager to congratulate Paige. Emily was mindful of them as she pulled Paige into a quick, tight hug. It was over almost before it had even begun, and it was nowhere near satisfactory to Emily, who had been so close, but unable to really be near Paige all day.

She knew that she'd get her chance later though, so she reluctantly pulled away, releasing Paige with a whispered congratulations, and a subtle kiss to her ear. Paige slipped past her, into the welcoming arms of their teammates, and Emily turned to cheer Vicky on as she made her way down the home stretch.

She tapped the wall at the same time as the girl from Pittsburgh, but Brianne was a touch quicker off the block, and hit the water a second or two before her competitor. Vicky hauled herself out of the water, and into Emily's open arms.

"You did amazing," Emily said, as she squeezed Vicky tight, and Vick squeezed back. Paige approached a moment later, and wrapped them both into a big bear hug, before draping a towel over Vicky's shoulders and sending her over to be greeted by the rest of the team.

They cheered Brianne on as she turned, and started back down the lane towards them, but only for a moment, because Emily was up next, and she needed to get focused.

"You got this," Paige whispered, rubbing Emily's shoulders briskly as she shook her arms out, loosening them up.

Emily nodded, feeling her heart jump and her adrenaline spike. She bounced lightly in place and rolled her neck. She was ready for this.

"Got get 'em Fields." Paige smacked her ass and nudged her towards the starting block.

Emily shot her a glare over her shoulder, but Paige just grinned at her, and made a subtle heart shape with her fingers. Emily's heart skipped a beat. She mouthed I love you and then spun around before she could melt into Paige's wide eyes, shining with love and affection.

The girl from Pittsburgh touched first, her team mate diving in, and Emily's muscles quivered with tension as she positioned herself on the block, watching Brianne's stroke carefully so she could launch herself into the water the moment she tapped the wall. She sprang forward the moment Brianne's fingers made contact, a stroke or two behind, but not overly worried. She was definitely faster than this chick, but she could make it up.

As soon as she hit the water, the competition and the churning of water on either side of her fell away, she tuned it all out, focusing solely on her breathing and her stroke, powering through the water. The cheers and yells of the crowd faded into a dull roar, white noise in her ear, unimportant and inconsequential for the moment.

Stroke, stroke, stroke, breath. Stroke, stroke, stroke, breath. Down the lane to the wall, timed to flip and push off, launching herself back towards the starting blocks with all her might, without losing a beat.

Before she knew it, her fingers were grazing the wall. The sounds of the crowd came rushing back as she treaded water, whistles and clapping and cheers echoing off the rafters. She pulled her goggles off and glanced around, in time to see heads popping up all down the line. The question was, had any of them touched before she had? Heart pounding, chest billowing with exertion she turned to the leaderboard just as the number turned, flashing the last batch of times.

She let out an exhausted laugh of relief when she saw that hers was a half second fastest than the girl from Pittsburgh, and a full second faster than her previous personal best.

She hauled herself out of the pool, and barely had a chance to get her feet under her, when she was nearly bowled over, back into the water, by the force of somebody colliding with her.

She let out a faint oomph, and clung tightly as she swayed dangerously. It was only Paige's sure-footedness that kept them both upright.

"You did it." She was shouting in Emily's ear, though with the pandemonium of the team celebrating around them, the girls hugging and cheering and patting her on the back, it came as a bare whisper. "You won the state championship for us."

Emily shook her head, a wide grin forming to match the one Paige was already sporting.

"We did it. We won the state championship."

It had been a team effort, from beginning to end. Every race, every time each girl posted got them one step closer to that top spot on the leaderboard. It was the relay that cinched it for them, jumping them up from second place to first. Though, Emily was trying not to take it too personally.

Four of them had swam that race And all of them had swam hard all day.

"Whatever, Em. You were amazing out there."

The next thing she knew, Paige's lips were on hers, kissing her deeply, and the only thing she could do was wrap her arms tighter around Paige's neck and melt into it.

They came to their senses quickly, however, jerking apart, and glancing around. The team was still celebrating around them, and their family and friends had started to make their way down from the stands and onto the deck.

Coach Fulton wasn't anywhere in sight, the girls on the team having formed a barrier between where she had been by the bench and the edge of the pool, giving Emily and Paige relative safety to share a moment of celebration.

She didn't want to push their luck, however, so she gave Paige a quick peck, and then stepped from her grip, turning to accept the hugs and pats on the back from the rest of her teammates. She caught Paige's wrist as she moved through the crowd, keeping her girlfriend with her, and making sure she was never too far away.