Plot: Loosely based on "The Wedding Date".

Summary: When Paige is asked to be a bridesmaid at her cousin's wedding, she decides to hire a date. This man turns out to be the person she least expected to ever see again.

Rating: T, might turn into M later on. I'll let you know.

I'm not entirely thrilled with the beginning, in fact my favourite chapter at the moment is number 5. But I hope it's good enough (:

Resistance.

A sigh escaped her lips when she finally arrived at her seat.

14C.

A quick glance at her ticket informed her that this was indeed hers. She heard a heavy sigh behind her and turrned to find that a line of people was slowly beginning to form behind her. The man right behind her seemed to be impatient because he fixed her with a cold glare. Deciding to be nice in stead of telling him to keep his pants on, she shot him an apology and stuffed her leather handbag into the overhead compartment before sinking into her chair. The ones next to her were still empty and she was secretly hoping that someone nice would sit down on 14A, and especially 14B. Because she wasn't just going on this trip alone. 14B was supposed to be her handsome blind date.

And he had yet to arrive.

Eight weeks earlier she had received the invitation to her cousin's wedding which had started all this. Of course, she'd said she wouldn't go, because she didn't have a date. This was her dad's side of the family. The Matthews side. Exactly the kind that would remind her – non stop – that she hadn't brought any male company. And that would keep asking why not. Especially as she was supposed to be a bridesmaid.

Much to her surprise, though, Piper had been the one to suggest she'd hire someone to be her date. At first the brunette had been shocked, but if she thought about it, it really wasn't all that wrong. After all, it would be strictly business.

And so now she was waiting, after three weeks of emailing back and forth, planning everything into the smallest detail. What his job would be, how they'd met, how long they'd been together, etcetera. She could feel herself starting to get more anxious with every second that passed and her hazel eyes scanned the people slowly boarding the plane. Every time a man made eye contact with her she felt her heart flutter a little, but none of these men seemed to be sitting next to her.

"Excuse me, dear." She looked up to find an elderly woman in a lilac dress and matching hat looking at her. Her wrinkled hands clutched a ticket and a bag.

"14A is my seat, could you give me a hand please?" The woman asked with a frienly smile. Her voice reminded her of her grandmother.

"Sure, here let me." The brunette got to her feet and took the woman's bag.

"Thank you, dear." While the woman squeezed herself into her seat, Paige pushed herself onto tiptoes to be able to reach the overhead compartment once more.

"Need any help, 14C?" The brunette looked up and nearly dropped the bag at the sight of who was standing behind her. It seemed that she wasn't the only one who was surprised, because the man's jaw dropped upon seeing her face.

"Cole, what the hell are you doing here?" She closed the compartment, perhaps a little too hard, and turned to face him, her arms folded.

"14B." Was all he could say as he hoped, no prayed, that she wasn't actually 14C. The woman he'd be accompying to a wedding down in Miami.

"Oh no you're not. Step back, I'm getting off the plane."

"Paige.."

"No." Again she reached up to retrieve her bag, but someone touched her shoulder and she swiveled round to see whoever it was.

"What?" Her expression somewhat softened when she saw a handsome steward standing in front of her.

"Excuse me, Miss, but you're going to have to sit down. We're about to take off." The steward told her gently. A pair of deep brown eyes made it impossible for her to argue and she was sure the airline had hired him for them and the effect they had on people.

"But.." She sighed and glanced at Cole who'd already taken his seat. He offered her an innocent smile and she gave an eye roll that would've made her sisters proud.

"Fine."

The cushions wooshed underneath her as she sat down and clicked her seatbelt shut as the lights above her instructed. No smoking. Seatbelts fastened. Next to her Cole spend a few seconds adjusting the little fans overhead, giving him a good excuse not to speak. Until the silence became too awkward.

"Look, when we get to Miami, you just give me my money and I'll go back home so you can go on your own. You're right. You should go alone in stead of with me, I couldn't stand to be around you for that long anyway." He retrieved a magazine from his bag and opened it somewhere in the middle where he'd apparently left of. Meanwhile he ignored her when she shifted in her seat to look at him, her eyes blazing fury.

"Cole, I'm not paying you for not doing anything. I'll pay you for the flight back, that's it. You find another woman to do... whatever with." By now she was beginning to flail her hands.

"I'm not paying you." Her finger poked at his chest and he lowered the magazine, raising his hands in mock surrender.

"All right, jeez, Paige. Relax. You're gonna poke an eye out. Keep your hands to yourself. We'll work something out. Stop pretending this is all my fault and sit -" He trailed off when the pilot's voice came on the speakers, informing them that they were ready to take off. Seconds later the plane started to move and the pilot was introducing himself, informing them of the weather and the estimated time of arrival.

With a final sigh, Paige settled back down and grabbed the aircraft safety card from the pouch of the seat in front of her. As her eyes scanned the illustrations, two stewardesses started to demonstrate the use of the oxygen masks and the lifevests. Next to her Cole leant toward her.

"Afraid of flying, Paige?" She smacked him in the arm with her card and raised her chin slightly.

"Just heights." She informed him with a certain sharpness in her voice that could cut through glass.

"Mhmm. You know what I never got about planes? Why they install emergency exits when you're 30,000 feet in the air. Where's the logic in that?"

"Shut up, Cole."

He smirked in response and concentrated back on his magazine. He was glad he'd brought it and his book, because this was going to be a long flight.

***

"Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. I would like to announce that we'll be landing shortly on Miami International Airport. Please turn of all electrical devices and fasten your seatbelts. Also may we please ask you to remain seated until the aircraft has come to a full stop and the seatbelt signs have turned off. The temperature outside is 32 degrees and we hope that you'll enjoy your stay here in Florida. Thank you for flying with United Airlines." Cole looked up as the overhead lights were turned off and the plane shook lightly. He put down his book and looked over at the seat next to him, in which Paige was still asleep. Her head was resting on his shoulder and the blanket that had been covering her earlier had slid down to her knees.

A little reluctant, Cole pulled the blanket back up to her waist and touched her elbow. She didn't move.

"Paige.."

"Speak up dear, your wife won't hear you this way." He looked at the woman in the lilac dress, who pushed her book into the patent purple bag on her lap.

"She's not my wife." Maybe a little too quick with his response, because the old lady smiled, a sparkle of amusement in her eyes.

"Well you two sure sound like a married couple. I should know, until my Marty died four years ago we couldn't stop bickering either. Now I miss him like crazy." She showed him a picture of a tiny old man with glasses. Cole gave her his best friendly smile.

"I'm sorry." The widow nodded and Cole turned back to Paige, touching her elbow again and raising his voice a little.

"Paige. Wake up. C'mon, we're about to land."

"Mmm, yeah and I'm gonna send your ass straight back home." She mumbled in response as she sat up straight and rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

"Yeah whatever, look out the window. It's a great view." He said, never having forgotten that she was afraid of heights, and smirking at the foul look she gave him. He was starting to consider not going back home, irritating her was way too satisfying.

***

''Oomph." Paige rubbed her lower back after she'd retrieved her suitcase from the luggage belt and set it down on the floor. Cole had long since collected his own and was pretending as if he were busy, but she knew better than that. He was simply too lazy to help her. Either that or he just enjoyed annoying her. As she passed him by, she elbowed him purposely in the ribs and lead the way to the glass sliding doors that would allow them access to the arrival gates.

"When we get to the main hall, I will get your ticket altered so you can fly back tonight. That's all I'm paying for." Her heels ticked across the tile floor when they walked through the sliding doors. There behind the line were people waiting for the other passengers of their flight. She wanted to get through the crowd as quickly as possible, but Cole tapped her on the shoulder and she paused to look at him.

"What?"

"They're calling your name." He pointed in the direction of three women that came hurrying towards them. Two of them which Paige recognised, the third she didn't. She groaned inwardly and considered telling Cole to walk away quickly. Too late, they'd seen her with him.

"Paige, dear. Surprise!" Her aunt smiled and opened her arms for a big hug, which the brunette reluctantly accepted. Her cousin was next and meanwhile she was introduced to the third woman, apparently her cousin's best friend. She definitely had not seen this coming, she was supposed to meet them at the beach house.

"Paige! I'm so glad you could be here for my wedding. Who is this hunky man you've brought with you?" While they'd been greeting each other Cole had remained on the background a little, but at the mentioning of his appearence he looked up before glancing at Paige with a questioning look. Go through with their plans or not? She looked back and rolled her eyes slightly before she grasped his arm and put on her best smile.

"Aunt Marcy, Claire, Nicole. This is my boyfriend, Cole."