-A Note: I see some of you are starting to get worried... don't worry. You'll like the ending. It's going to get more angsty before it gets better though so hope you enjoy that!
Thanks again for reading and reviewing you guys! I love the feedback!
Emily can't seem to get home fast enough to open the small black box, burning a hole in the bag sitting in the passenger's seat. She wanted to open it right away but she had promised Paige that she would wait until she got home. Her head races with thoughts of what the small box could hold. Paige always gives the most thoughtful and meaningful gifts to her so it really could be just about anything. Her first thought was that it was jewelry but Paige basically said it wasn't so what else do you put in a jewelry gift box? She pulls onto her street and can see that Paige made it home, her truck is there. When she had left, Emily had to stand in the parking lot for several minutes just to sort through all that had happened in the previous several hours so it's no wonder Paige made it home before her. She was worried about the solider though, especially after the incident with the car back firing. If she hadn't been completely terrified at the time, it would have been hot that Paige was trying to protect her like that. But, she wondered if this sort of thing has been happening to Paige a lot. Has she been blind to Paige's on going struggles?
She finally gets into her driveway with thoughts of Paige on her mind until she sees that Stephanie is home. Instead of opening the gift in front of her fiancé, she doesn't even bother getting out of the car before digging in her bag and pulling out the small black box. She looks at it for a second and sighs before slowly opening the lid, inhaling sharply at the gift before her. After a minute has passed, she slowly grazes the familiar twisted metal with her finger like she always did twice a year for the last four years, as if it's instinct. This time though it was different, Paige is alive and she, in her own way, had helped saved her. This gift would always remind her of that. Picking up the tag, she runs her finger down the newly shaped edges, tracing out the angel Paige had cut one of her tags into as tears flow down her cheeks.
It takes her several minutes to get out of the car. She didn't want Stephanie to see her tears and ask questions. When she walks in the house, she finds Stephanie sitting in the living room with several books of samples trying to decide on the flowers to get.
"Hey beautiful!" Stephanie says when she sees Emily walk in." I was just looking at these flower things... Did you see any you liked earlier...? Oh how did the fitting go?" Stephanie was hyped up, her brain running at a million miles an hour between work and planning the wedding. She can't believe that she would be married to Emily in a month; that Emily had chosen her. The excitement of her fiancé caused a smile to creep onto Emily's face; she thought it was adorable. She could tell that Stephanie had gone straight to wedding planning the moment she had walked through the door. The sleeves of her light blue shirt were messily rolled up to the elbows and the shirt was unbuttoned enough to see the top hem of the tank top underneath. She hadn't even taken time to cast off her shoes. Emily steps over the coat and messenger bag strewn on the floor of the hallway to approach her.
"It went well," Emily says before giving Stephanie a quick peck on the lips. "It's all set, fits great. How was your day?" She settles in next to Stephanie with a small space in between them as the short-haired girl continues to stare at magazines and brochures. Her forehead is wrinkled in thought and concentration, bringing a smile to Emily's face. She looks so cute when she concentrates.
"So much better now that I'm with you," Stephanie says looking up at Emily with a loving grin, leaning her head onto her clasped hands. Emily can see the love and passion in the girl's eyes giving her no doubt that she has this girl's heart whereas she has no idea where she stands with Paige. Maybe their romantic relationship is over after all. Maybe four years really is too much time to get over. Paige had moved on. She is happy with Alex and Emily can't help but think it should maybe stay that way, as hard as that may be to accept. She really does love Stephanie though, who also makes her very happy.
"Well, I'm glad I can brighten your day," Emily says with a grin, leaning in to kiss the girl next to who takes her face in her hands and kisses her back passionately.
"I love you," Stephanie says, pulling back to look at Emily. "I can't believe we're going to be married in month." Emily smiles at the glee she can see in the deep hazel eyes, staring into hers.
"I love you too," Emily responds and she does means it but her heart breaks at the same time knowing that she and Paige will only ever be friends. She waited too long to choose and now Paige is taken, which is the reason she had thrown herself full force into wedding plans since Halloween. "One more month and I'm all yours," she adds with a grin eliciting an even bigger smile from the girl in front of her. Stephanie can't speak, she has no words for how happy she is that Emily wants to be with her. She pulls the dark-haired girl close and gives her another passionate kiss. When the pull apart again, Emily closes the gap between her and Stephanie, cuddling into the girl's side contently, as they work together to finish putting final touches on their wedding.
The next three weeks fly by much faster than Emily had originally thought they would. She was beyond busy the entire time hardly getting to see her friends, especially Paige. They had bumped into each other a few times at the pool in the mornings but they had little time else to spend with each other. That is probably best for the both of them. Well, at least Emily figured it is better for her; she can focus on just being with Stephanie.
About three days before her wedding, Emily walks into the pool to prepare for morning practice hearing the light sound of small splashes in the pool. She walks onto the deck to see who it is fairly certain she has a good idea already. Even though she can't see her face, her suspicion is confirmed when she sees the figure of the girl easing effortlessly through the water. Her body is smooth and sleek and she glides effortless through the clear water of the dimly lit pool. The girl has gotten significantly better at swimming since being back home. Paige has spent a lot of time in the water, regaining her strength and speed. Swimming is in itself a therapy for both the mind and the body, so it's no wonder that Paige's limp seems to have finally started to slowly get better over the last several months. Looking at her fly through the water now, it would be hard to believe the girl powerfully gliding through the crisp, clear water had ever been as seriously damaged as Paige was. The only tell-tale sign being the dark scars cross-crossing her back, unable to be hid by her swim suit. Emily thought it made her look sexier; more intimidating and she can't help but stare. Even back in high school when they were rivals over lovers, she still marveled at the perfection and power of Paige's stroke.
Emily eventually sees the swimmer glide into the wall, finishing her lap. Knowing better than to sneak up on the soldier, she this time keeps her distance.
"Hey," she calls out causing the brunette in the water to turn around, giving Emily a tired smile.
"Hey you, how's the bride to be?" Paige calls back in yet another effort to remind herself that Emily is getting married in three days. The words leave a bitter after taste in her mouth. Paige's heart gets number as the days go on. She's days away from forever losing the love of her life; the only person she's ever truly loved. She can only take comfort in the fact that Emily is still her friend; her friend that she's unfortunately more in love with than ever. The problem however, is that each thinks the other has moved on for good not knowing the other has fallen even further back in love with the girl in front of them. They don't want to interfere in each other's new life. If you love someone, let them go right?
"Doing pretty good... Thanks," Emily says looking down nervously. "Um how are you?" She looks back up again, meeting Paige's eyes. They get lost for a moment, both of them remembering a time when things weren't so difficult, when they were in love and that was all that mattered. A time when they knew they could conquer the world, could defeat any obstacle, as long as they were together.
"Doing pretty good. Alex is coming in to be my date this weekend," the swimmer says feebly, trying to pass off her heartbreak as fatigue. The dark-haired girl doesn't say anything, instead she crosses her arms and drops her head again as she nods it. They can both feel the tension between them, thinking it's only coming from their side not knowing it radiates from both of them, filling the natatorium with magnetic energy.
"So you two are still doing pretty good then?" Emily asks looking up from her feet just in time to see Paige lift herself out of the pool, her back and shoulder muscles tensing enough to show each and every defined line. She continues to watch as the brunette grabs her towel, holding it up to her mouth.
"Paige it looks like you've got some competition, Emily remembers she likes to win."
"Happy to have her back," Paige smiles into her towel.
'Happy to have you back,' Emily thinks to herself as the memory plays in her head. She can't stop staring at Paige and thinking how far they've come from that moment. How they've change from two rival teammates to lovers and now unrequited loves.
"Yeah, I'd say we are," Paige replies covering her face to dry it off. "Are you all set for Saturday?" Paige really didn't want to know, it was all just small friendly talk as the pair did their best to not interrupt each other's new lives.
"Yeah, I am," Emily says with a satisfied smirk. "I'm really just glad it's almost all done so I can just relax and enjoy." Paige nods her head and holds the towel close suddenly feeling very cold with a desperate need to get away from Emily, as if the air in this place where so many memories of them are stored had suddenly turned to ice.
"I'm glad to hear it," the solider remarks with a sad smile. "Well I probably should go. I've got work." She looks down at her hands, dipping her head to keep herself from looking into Emily's eyes.
"Ok yeah, um see you Saturday then?"
"Yeah, I'll be there." Paige walks past her pausing for a moment at her side. As one hand grips the towel around her torso, the other cups Emily's cheek as she leans in to kiss the other lightly. It's so a light a kiss, Emily can barely feel it, but there is no mistaking the longing and passion being poured out from the girl's soft lips. "Congratulations, Em," Paige states quietly before squeezing her shoulder and walking towards the locker room. All Emily can do is turn around and watch as the broad, slouched shoulders of the girl she truly loves walks away.