Finding Home

Chapter Twenty Four-Paige

After she had cried herself out, Paige continued to sit in Nathan's embrace. It felt comfortable and safe. "Gods I'm such a mess." She say up and slightly pulled away from him. "I have cried more in the past week and a than I have in the last four years. You must bring something out in me." She joked.

He chuckled and said, "Happy to help." She smiled at him.

"It's all just been so much. First coming home and all that entails, then my father, you, finding out I have a wolf. It's overwhelming."

"That's unsurprising," he said, "Anyone would be overwhelmed with all that. Not to mention you're defending your dissertation soon."

"Gods! I've almost forgotten about that." She sighed and burrowed her face back in his chest, as if he could hide her from everything that was happening. It made her feel safe. She chided herself for taking comfort in him. She knew that if they failed, she'd have to say goodbye again. She knew she should be guarding her heart against it but he gave her a comfort she hadn't know in five years.

Nathan stilled underneath her and she looked at his face. It held annoyance and an unfocused look, he must be mind linking with someone. He groaned. "Patrick says the doctors have something we should hear. I told them we were busy, but they are apparently being persistent."

"Aren't we supposed to be meeting with them again today anyway?"

"We were but I told Allen to cancel when I saw you earlier. I thought you might need a day. We don't have to see them if you don't want to."

"No, it's okay. Um, they're there now?"

"Yeah Patrick said they're in my office. Why do you need some time?"

"No, I just, uh, I haven't showered yet. I was on my run and then I got home and my dad and then I was here. I'm sure I look like a mess right now."

"You look beautiful." He tucked a piece of hair away from her face. She tried to resist it but a faint smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. Nathan was the only person who made her blush like a school girl with her first crush. She had been with plenty of other lovers, both before and after Nathan, but only Nathan could elicit these feelings in her.

"And you're even more beautiful when you blush like that." He pecked a kiss to her temple. They both stilled, shocked by the gesture. "Uh, I- I didn't-" He started stammering looking for words to explain a subconscious gesture. "I don't know what came over me. I'm sorry." They hadn't explicitly stated what their relationship was or where their physical boundaries were but it wasn't up to any kind of kissing yet. Paige was taken aback by the familiarity of the gesture but didn't find it uncomfortable.

"No it's okay. Uh, I don't-" She was equally flustered by it all the same. She stood. "Don't worry about it. Where's the bathroom? I'm just going to freshen up before we head up to your office." Nathan pointed and she hustled away.

She put water on her face and tried to pull herself together. Her hair had completely come out of the braid that it had been in so she redid it. Her hands ached from their beating but she didn't let that stop her. As she gave her self a final look in the mirror her hand went to her forehead where Nathan had brushed it and then to her temple where he had kissed her. She closed her eyes against the flutters and told herself to knock it off. "You are not going to get your heart broke by this man again." She said to herself in the mirror, "So stop acting like a schoolgirl and get yourself together. You are a strong, fierce woman who does not go back to the same old love only to be hurt again so STOP acting like it."

After giving herself a firm talking to, she went back out and found Nathan and together they made their way up to his office. It was an awkward walk. Neither really knew what to say to the other. As they walked the pack members they ran into all offered warm greetings to Nathan. Paige wasn't surprised as he was naturally chiasmatic when he wanted to be. What did surprise her, were his reactions to them. He greeted everyone just as warmly, calling everyone by name and asking after them. It brought another small smile to her face.