Hatchetfield Stories

Missing You

This was originally going to be a vent fic about how I can't talk to my best friend a lot because of time zones, but it just turned into me having a fangirl attack and being a Paulkins stan.

(Also, yes, the title is an AVPM reference.)

This is way happier than I usually write lol

TRIGGER WARNINGS:

-Injury (mentioned)

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"I'm going to miss you so much," Emma said. She was holding Paul's hand tightly, which made it hard for him to put the last few things in his suitcase, but he'd be gone for two weeks, so she wanted to be close to him as much as possible.

"I'll miss you too, Em," he answered, giving her a gentle kiss on her forehead. "But we'll talk every day. It's a trip for work, but I know Mr. Davidson, he doesn't give a shit as long as you attend the few meetings we've planned."

Emma nodded and used the back of her hand to wipe a tear from her face, pulling Paul's hand along in the process. Paul pulled her into a hug. "I'll just miss you, you know?"

"I know, Em... You'll be fine, okay?" He looked at his watch. "I really have to go now." He closed the zipper of his suitcase.

"Paul?"

"Yeah?"

"Text me when you land, okay?"

Paul nodded and gave her a last kiss. Emma didn't want to let go, and she wanted him to stay home, but this trip to Europe had been planned since before they even officially started dating. They were both in love, but neither of them wanted to make the first move. So when Paul was asked to go to Europe with some coworkers, he'd said yes. "Bye Em, I love you so much."

"I love you too, Paul." She helped him carry his suitcase downstairs and walked to the front door as Paul got his luggage in the car. They agreed that it wasn't a good idea that Emma would come to the airport with him, it would only make it more difficult to say goodbye.

Paul closed the door of the car and grabbed Emma's shoulders. "I'll be back in two weeks. We'll text every day. Oh, and by the way, if you want to call me, use WhatsApp. It's really expensive to call to the other side of the word."

Emma nodded sadly and fought to keep back her tears. "I'll see you in two weeks, Paul." She stared at the car until it went around the corner of the street. She choked back a sob. She could do this. It was only for two weeks.

*** *** ***

That night, Emma didn't get any sleep. What if the plane crashed? She knew she was just being paranoid, but she kept looking at her phone, waiting for a text from Paul, that he was safe, even though she knew he wouldn't land for a few more hours.

When he finally texted her, it was already six in the morning. She would have to wake up for her shift in a few minutes if she would be asleep. She immediately texted Paul back, telling him how much she loved him and how empty their house felt. Paul said that he was going to bed because he had jet lag and Emma sighed. She already missed him.

She got up from the couch and made some breakfast. She was still wearing her uniform, so at least she didn't have to do that. As she was grabbing her bag, she realized that the car was at the airport, so she would have to take the bus to work, and to class afterward.

Soon enough she was sitting on the bus and staring out the window. The hours of sleep she'd missed tonight were really going to ruin her day. She was already exhausted, and the day hadn't even started yet.

Her shift at Beanies went pretty smoothly. Nora got mad at her a few times for being so tired and therefore slower than usual, but she pulled through and that was enough to keep Nora happy.

When Emma could finally take off her apron, she decided that she'd go to her classes right away. She'd be way too early, but if she took the bus home she would only have a few minutes before she had to leave again. And she already had her laptop in her bag, so that wouldn't be a problem.

When she could finally sit down on the bus, she rested her eyes. The ride would take half an hour, so a quick nap wouldn't hurt, right?

"Ma'am?" a voice spoke. Someone was trying to jostle her awake.

"What?" She rubbed her eyes. "What happened?"

"We've reached the end of the route, I'll have to ask you to get out."

"What? No, I wasn't even sleeping, I had to get off at college!"

"I'm sorry ma'am, but the bus back just left, the next one is in an hour."

Emma muttered a quick thank you before grabbing her bag and running out of the bus. She was crying now. If she waited for the next bus, she definitely wouldn't make it to class. If she walked, she could make it in time, but it was a long walk, about half an hour.

She started walking and after about ten minutes, her bad leg started cramping. Emma pulled out her phone. She just wanted to hear Paul's voice. It was 11 in the morning, he'd be awake, right? She opened WhatApp and opened Paul's chat, which was on top of the list. She pressed the call button on top of the screen and waited.

"Hey?" he said when he finally picked up.

"Paul! Oh my god, Paul, I miss you so much!"

"Em, is anything wrong?"

"I fell asleep on the bus and I missed my stop so now I have to walk all the way back and my leg is killing me. Paul, I just want you here!"

Paul chuckled anxiously. "I miss you too, Em... But we were just about to leave for dinner, so I can't talk for too long right now, I'm sorry."

"Dinner? What the fuck?"

"Yeah, they eat dinner pretty early here, it's weird."

"You call that early? It's eleven in the morning!"

Paul laughed, "It's a different time here, it's five pm."

"Oh, right, sorry. Enjoy your dinner."

"Thanks, Em. I love you and I'll call you later, okay?"

"Okay. I love you too, bye Paul."

Emma hung up and tears started streaming down her face. She was almost at her school, and her leg was hurting so bad that she was limping now. She looked on her phone, she had ten minutes before class started, if she hurried, she could go to Hidgens's office and ask if he had any pain killers. She didn't have biology today, but he was the only teacher she talked to when it was not absolutely necessary, she had even been to his house a few times. She trusted him, so she could ask him if he had something to relieve the pain.

When Emma finally stood in front of his office, she sighed in relief. She'd made it to school. She knocked.

"Come inside!"

The door squeaked when she opened it. "Professor Hidgens?"

"Ah, Emma dear! How can I help you?" He stood up from his chair.

"Well, I was wondering if you had any pain killers for me. Paul is on a work trip and I haven't slept at all so I fell asleep on the bus and I missed my stop so I had to walk all the way back and my leg is killing me." She hadn't even noticed she was crying until the professor stroked his thumb over her face to wipe her tears away.

"Of course I do. Do you want me to tell your teachers that you can't make it today?"

"Oh no, it's fine, I don't really want to go back home, it's just so silent when Paul's not there, it's freaking me out."

Her professor grabbed a pill bottle from his drawer and handed it to Emma. He remained silent as Emma took two pills and sighed in relief. "Do you want to stay at my place until he gets back? Or do you want me to stay with you? I'm fine with sleeping on the couch."

"What? Are you serious?"

"Of course! Then you're not alone, and I'd enjoy the company. It's up to you though."

"Yeah, I'll come to your place tonight?"

Hidgens walked to his desk to turn off his laptop. "Actually, I was only finishing up some work, but I can do that at home. How about I talk to your teachers and we'll go to your house to grab your stuff?"

Emma nodded.

*** *** ***

"Emma, I can do the dishes myself."

"It's the least I can do to thank you!"

Hidgens grabbed her shoulders and looked at her. "You don't have to thank me. I can tell you're tired. Do yourself a favor and go to bed early, okay?"

Emma nodded and walked to the guest room. She put on her pajamas, brushed her teeth, and went back downstairs. "Hidgens?"

The man looked up. "Yeah?"

"Thank you so much."

Hidgens stood up and pulled her into a hug. "Anything, my dear."

*** *** ***

"Paul!" Emma jumped in Paul's arms as soon as he walked out of the airport.

"Woah, Em." he laughed, dropping his luggage so he could hug her properly.

"I missed you!"

"I missed you too, Em! I brought you some presents."

"Oh! What?"

Paul chuckled, "You'll see at home."

They laughed a lot during the ride home. Paul complained about how he shared a room with Ted, and Emma just smiled at him the entire time. She was so happy that he was back.

When they got home, Paul grabbed a small stuffed animal out of his suitcase. "I wanted to buy a bigger one, but I didn't have much room in my suitcase." He handed the small dog to Emma.

"It's so cute!" She looked at it from all angles, until her eyes fell on the label. Something was scribbled on it with a sharpie. For my fiancée? Emma's jaw dropped. "Paul? Are you-"

She turned around to face him, and there he was: on one knee, presenting a ring to her. "I've missed you so much, and I wish we'll never have to spend another day apart. So Emma Perkins, will you-"

Emma threw her arms around his neck before he could finish. She was crying now. "Yes!"

Her hands were shaking as he put the ring on her finger, and she kissed him before inspecting the ring. It was a small ring, it was beautiful. It was a silver ring with a tiny blue diamond. She looked up at her boyfr- fiancé. "Paul?"

"Yeah?" He was smiling at her, she missed that smile so much.

"I love you so much."