After the doll house all of the girls were hurting immensely, the pain and anguish they felt was a lot. The one thing they had to be grateful for was that they had eachother to help them get through it.

Alison remembered seeing Emily emerge from the tree covered lines in the blackest of nights, she desperately tried to read her mermaids expression. On the outside she seemed okay, standing, breathing steadily. The brunette locked faces with the blonde she hadn't seen in months. The same blonde she betrayed and thought the worst of and when she finally thought they could start to mend their broken "friendship" her guilty verdict was read out. Her last memory,the memory that haunted her when she was confined to the 4 walls of As special prison just for her. She remembered the way Alison's shoulders slumped when the verdict was read out, the complete defeat and devastation that came across the blonde in an instant. She remembered the way her head hung back, her golden curls falling loosely on her shoulders as she couldn't bear to hold in the tears any longer. The love of her life had lost, and she was part to blame for it. These were the memories that haunted her, but now that she was free, when she dared to open her eyes fully only to be stunned by the flashing Amber lights of the emergency vehicles, and the bustle of people moving around her. She inhaled deeply, the breath of pine wood fresh air hit her nostrils and her face landed on the one person she'd dreamed of every night without a fail. The crystal blue eyes she'd love to drown in.

Alison looked relieved from what Emily could tell God knows what her kidnapping put her through. They both take several short steps to eachother with urgency, finally

Emily lunged into the blondes arms, and Alisons arms immediately slipped around the brunettes waist never daring to let go. She felt her mermaids exhaustion as she sagged into her, bearing all of her weight. The world was forgotten to the pair of them as they basked in eachother.

Emily was first to pull away slightly meeting blue eyes, she lifted her right hand to Alison's cheek, her thumb daring to touch the edge of the blondes jaw, she whispered "you're here, Ali I can't believe you're here"

The blonde opened her mouth to reply but was cut off by the gentlest of kisses, she felt the brunettes lips on hers, both of their lips moved in sync ever so tenderly. Alison relished in the taste of her mermaid, tears escaped her eyes. The brunette pulled back slowly and looked at Alison. The blonde saw doubt and what was that? Regret, in Emily's eyes combined with relief.

Alison opened her mouth to reply "I...I" but she was cut off abruptly by a rushing paramedic who tended to the brunette and encouraged her to move slowly over to the ambulance vehicle. Emily held on to Alison's hand before the blonde could protest

"Emily it's okay, I'll stay with you I promise" the faintest of smiles appeared on the brunettes face for the first time since they had seen eachother.

Once in the ambulance van, the paramedic looked at the blonde with curious eyes " are you family, because we're really only meant to allow family to ride along with patients" he said while busying himself setting up an IV and simultaneously giving Emily an oxygen mask. Emily held the mask down as he handed it to her "it's fine she can come if she likes" , she looked at Alison briefly trying to read the blondes expression, she looked beautiful as she allowed herself to really look at the blonde for the first time in months. "Ali" she said again still looking at the blonde who looked like she was miles away.

Alison was quickly brought out of her thoughts by Emily's voice "yea I'll stay" she muttered quietly and the paramedic slammed the back door and knocked on the transparent glass telling the driver that they were all ready to go. The drive to the hospital was quiet only the sound of the sirens were present and both girls were now lost in their thoughts.

...

Emily laid down in her hospital bed, her mom by her side, her and Alison were separated after they arrived at the hospital and the paramedic checked the brunette into the next trauma room telling Alison that this was as far as she could go. The other girls rooms were scattered on the same floor, the brunette slowly opened her eyes, and her eyes adjusted to the brightness in the well lit hospital room. She saw her mom sleeping on one of the chairs by her bedside, her head tilted as she leaned on her arm. She wasn't sure how long she had slept for but for the first time in weeks Emily felt completely rested. She moved gently, her limbs feeling twice as heavy, and her body aching slightly.

The slight ruffling of sheets woke her mother and she rushed to her daughters side taking one of her hands in hers, "how are you feeling sweetheart" she said as she smiled at her daughter tentatively.

"Fine" Emily croaked, her voice still raspy from sleep, her mother handed her a cup of water on the bed side and she drank it tentatively feeling the liquid coat her throat as she swallowed. "Are the other girls awake" she asked, looking at her mother.

"I'm not sure sweet heart I'll have to check but you're all doing fine. The doctors did their check ups last night and diagnosed you with severe exhaustion and dehydration"

Emily's eyebrows frowned, she figured as much. She had barely slept while in the dollhouse and was too wary to drink any thing A offered her.

Pam, now sensing her daughters change in demeanour caressed her daughters cheek gently and kissed her forehead.

"Your dad is flying in tonight from Germany but the doctors want to keep you in the hospital for another day just to monitor you for at least 24 hours before you're discharged and sent home"

Emily's lips curves into a half smile as she looked at her mother " okay" she simply replied and looked away staring at the White lights on the sealing.

Her mother moved from her daughters bed side to the phone to alert the nurses that her daughter was awake, while on hold Pam looked at her only child

"Em sweetheart, I think Alison is still outside in the waiting room, she came in last night for a bit but I told her that you would need your rest, I promised her I would tell her when you woke"

Emily's pupils dilated, and she sat up not so gracefully at the mention of her first loves name giving her mother her full attention.

"I can go get her if you want" Pam said

All Emily could do was nod slowly and in a matter of seconds her mother was out of the door while 2 nurses busied themselves around the brunette.

"Nice to see you awake, how are you feeling?" One of the nurses asked as she adjusted the bed while the other nurse adjusted her IV

"Fine" Emily replied, she was about to say more but her thoughts were cut abruptly as brown globes locked with a pair of blue ones. Alison wore a deep blue sundress and her hair hung loosely on her shoulders in perfect curls. Her face looked slightly sheepish as she tried to gaud the brunettes mood but mostly the blonde looked happy to see her.

She tentatively walked into the room, her eyes never leaving Emily's

"Hi" Alison was the first to speak, her small voice filled the silent hospital room and Emily smiled in response

"Hi" the brunette answered. The nurses exited the room leaving the two alone.

"Your mom said she'll be back soon, she just went home to grab some of your stuff and shower quickly" the blonde said as she sat on one of the chairs beside the brunettes bed side.

"Oh okay..that's fine" Emily felt nervous all of sudden, being this close to the blonde again without any barriers or restrictions in their way.

She still remembered the kiss they shared after she escaped the doll house, longed for the taste of the blonde in front of her. She wondered if Alison felt the same, she hoped she did. Hoped that they can rebuild whatever they had and move forward.

The soft feeling of Alison's thumb stroking Emily's hand interrupted the brunettes thoughts, Emily jumped slightly from the now foreign feeling but the brunette immediately held onto the blondes hand before Alison could pull away.

"Sorry" Emily stuttered, "it's just...I don't"

"It's fine" Alison interrupted, "I get it"

Even though she really didn't get it, she couldn't possibly understand the horrors Emily has gone though though she's gone through horrors of her own this was different.

"How are you feeling?"

Alison asked, rubbing her thumb against the back of the brunettes hand

Emily smiled, "okay, better now, thanks"

"I feel a little dizzy but rested"

"That's good" the blonde replied, smiling sweetly at the her mermaid

A beeping sound from the heart monitor becomes more evident, the beeping sped up slightly.

"Is everything okay, should it beeping like that... Should I get a nurse" Alison stuttered then the blonde quickly realised that Emily's probably nervous since they haven't spoken about their kiss, or the kiss they shared months ago in Alison's bedroom when they dared their hands to wander and really bask in each other for the first time ever.

The blonde made a haste decision and stood up abruptly leaning over the brunette slightly and pressing a quick but chaste kiss to the brunettes lips.

She pulled away from Emily and looked directly in the brown eyes she loves "don't worry I'm not going anywhere, not unless you want me to"

"I don't" the brunette interrupted and Alison chuckled slightly before sitting back down in chair beside the bed.

"Well okay then" Alison replied

"How long have you been here?" Emily asked looking at the blonde

"Umm I haven't left since they admitted you 2 days ago" the blonde replied sheepishly

"Ali" Emily said, and Alison grinned from ear to ear hearing the familiar nick name from the brunettes lips.

"You should go home at get some rest, you don't have to stay here "

Emily said some what sternly because she worried about the blonde.

"You look cute when you're worried" Alison smiled, wondering when it became so easy to be around the brunette.

"Ali" Emily sighed again, trying to get Alison to see how serious she was but the blonde wiped her pout away with a peck on the lips.

"I'm fine Em I promise, I've been reading and sleeping, you don't need to worry about me"

The brunette sighed, knowing she wasn't going to win this one with the stubborn blonde so she let her eyes close again enjoying the sensation of Alison's thumb drawing absent patterns on the brunettes hand.

...

Emily woke again, the sun streaming through the thin hospital curtains. Her sleeping schedule now on better track as she slept through the whole night with Ali by her side still holding her hand until Pam came in during the middle of the night and told the blonde to move over to the sofa in the corner of the room so the blonde could at least get a better sleep.

Emily watched breathlessly as she saw the blonde curled up on the couch facing her , her features looked so gentle and innocent and the blanket covered her from head to toe.

She didn't want to wake her but the brunette didn't trust her legs to hold her weight so she could go to the bathroom.

"Ali" she said gently and the blonde stirred slightly opening her beautiful blue eyes.

" sorry I didn't want to wake you but I need help" Emily muttered as she bit on her bottom lip because asking this beautiful blonde In front of her to help her to the bathroom is so not sexy!

"It's fine" Ali moved and stretched her arms over her head, Emily's eyes immediately focused on the slight strip of cream skin that was exposed just under Ali's top as she stretched.

The blonde smirked, quickly noticing where the brunettes eyes had wondered and Emily looked away quickly knowing she had just been caught.

Alison moved over to the brunette and held two arms out to her helping Emily to her feet.

"Do you need to go the bathroom" Alison asked knowingly because Emily had woken her at least twice in the night for help because she's still exhausted from her lack of sleep over the past few weeks and she's extremely fatigued.

"Yes" Emily said sheepishly

And Alison grinned

" don't make fun of me, this is the least attractive thing it's like I'm 80"

Alison laughed as she led Emily over to the bathroom slowly

"Everything about you is attractive" the blonde whispered as she leaned up slightly to press a kiss to the brunettes cheek.

The brunette glared at the blonde before closing the bathroom door behind her.

Alison smiled to herself because if Emily knew half of the stuff she found attractive about the brunette it would certainly scare her away.

...

The day passed relatively quickly and before Emily knew it she was being wheeled out by one of the nurses, Alison closely by her side holding her bag.

She helped Emily into the car and closed the passenger door.

"All ready girls" Pam said looking back at the 2 girls affectionately and Emily rolled her eyes because her mother had been dropping hints about her and Alison for the past 2 days

"Yes mom" Emily sighed and Alison nudged Emily's side gently scolding her girl because her mom cares and there was nothing wrong with that.

Emily glared at the blonde playfully for taking her mums side.

"Yes Mrs fields we're all set. Thanks"

Pam drove out of the hospital and set out to rosewood. Emily stared absentmindedly out the window and Alison brushed her hand against the brunettes lower thigh, Emily shivered slightly secretly loving the touch.

"Are you okay" she whispered while looking at the beautiful brunette beside her

"Mhm" Emily replied but Alison didn't believe her. She didn't want to push her mermaid though so she settled for her answer and moved her hand away from the brunettes thigh but Emily quickly grabbed it back

"I'm sorry I just, I'm nervous" she whispered trying desperately to be quiet so her mum couldn't hear her over the radio.

"Nervous?" The blonde questioned looking at Emily with a slightly confused expression

"I...A made our rooms look exactly like our rooms at home"

"I know" the blonde admitted remembering the footage she saw when Caleb had hacked into As camera system

"You don't need to be nervous Em, it's okay I'm here and I'll be here"

The brunette smiled though she didn't look convinced

They made the rest of the way back to Rosewood in relative silence the blondes hand a welcome heat on Emily's thigh and she stared out of the window watching the scenery as they drove.

...

Emily opened her bedroom door devastatingly slowly afraid for her reaction when she sees the "prison" she had been confined to for weeks. A room she once loved was now the place she dreaded to see.

Alison placed her arm on Emily's shoulder, and slowly pushed the rest of the door open.

Emily gasped as she took in the sight of the room she should recognise. The picture frames were replaced but the same pictures remained, the cushions on the window seats were changed. The wall was now a sea blue colour and a new bed sheet with a range of colours laid on her bed.

Emily turned to look at Alison who had a nervous expression on her face, "Ali" she sighed as she took in the sight of her "new" room once again before turning back to the blonde.

"You did all of this?" Emily asked taking Alison's hands in hers

"I...yes I did with some help" Alison admitted

"Jason offered though, which was surprising but I guess it's obvious how much I care about you even to him and that's saying something but I didn't know what colour to paint and I wasn't sure if you'd like the bed sheet or the pillow case ..."

Alison's rant was cut off by Emily's lips brushing against hers and Emily's tongue slid gently along the blondes bottom lip silently asking for entrance that Alison eagerly granted. Their tongues touched affectionately and Emily kissed Alison devastatingly slowly loving the taste of the blonde. She could live on this taste for the rest of her life but they should talk, the rational part of both of their brains knew they should talk but neither of them had the strength to pull back.

Their lips moved perfectly in sync like they were made for each other. Alison pulled back gently taking Emily's bottom lip with her and biting down gently just enough for it to sting and Emily groans in response but the stinging is quickly soothed by the blondes tongue.

Emily is the first to pull away knowing they should stop because they're standing just outside her room and she doesn't want to get carried away plus her mom is right downstairs.

She looks down at Alison and gasps when she sees that her crystal blue eyes are dark and Alison's hands are gripping Emily's hips gently and their bodies are so close that she can feel Emily's heart beat.

"Thank you" the brunette says as she strokes Alison's cheek affectionately and the blonde grins at the brunette.

"But if you kept babbling on I don't think we would have made it in the room"

"Haha very funny" Alison replies dryly grinning at the brunette "and you're welcome, I just wanted you to be comfortable and not nervous or scared"

"Ali you're doing it again" Emily chuckled but she leaned forward and pressed a chaste kiss to the blondes lips. Alison hummed happily.

"You're cute when you babble" Emily smiled and Alison nudged the brunette playfully.

They walked into the room, Alison placed the stuff she was holding on the floor beside the bed while Emily sat and laid down smelling the fresh bed linen and losing her self in many pillows that now scattered her new bed sheet.

"Someone looks comfortable" Alison grins over her shoulder and she sits down on the edge of the bed. Emily's head rises slowly and she sits up and leans against the new headboard.

"It feels nice to be out of the hospital" the brunette says.

Alison looks at Emily through hooded eyes, "Em" she says abruptly

"I know we haven't talked much about well anything"

"Ali" Emily sighed, trying to stop the blonde

"No Em please let me get this out"

The brunette nodded and waited for the blonde to proceed.

"I know we haven't talk about us, and what we're doing and I want us to be on the same page, so here it goes"

Alison took a deep breath and fiddled with her fingers,

" I forgive you" she muttered, eyes looking away from the brunettes

" and I can only hope that you forgive me because I know it's all my fault that you and the girls ended up in that awful place and I'm to blame and I can live with that, I hope" the blonde breathes out a sigh and turns to look at the brunette who's looking back at her like she's grown three heads.

Emily moves over to Ali quickly kneeling beside the blonde and,cradling her face in her hands forcing the blonde to look at her,

"It is absolutely not your fault that we ended up there Ali, don't ever say that, ever. I feel bad enough that you had to spend 2 months in jail the last thing I need is you blaming yourself for something A did, okay?"

"And while we're on the subject I forgive you, I forgave you a long time ago for everything and I'm sorry "the brunette said sheepishly.

Alison blinked in surprise but nodded because it was the only thing she could do in the moment. Emily moved back and sat against the head board.

" So what do you want to do, my schedule is pretty full you know" the brunette jokes and Alison glared at her.

"Umm I don't know, are you tired?" The blonde asks and Emily shakes her head quickly "not really" she replies.

"We can watch some tv" the brunette added while reaching out to the remote on the bedside table and flicking the tv on.

"Ali you don't need to sit at the side of the bed you can come here you know"

Alison looked at the brunette a small smile creeped across her face and she moved in sure movements until she sat beside Emily and absentmindedly watched the tv. Emily shuffled lower onto the bed and leaned her head on the blondes chest while slugging her arm across the blondes waist and watched the programme on the tv. She felt Alison's sharp intake of breathe and Emily adjusted her head on the blondes chest while trying to get comfortable , "are you okay" Emily asks while absentmindedly drawing patterns on Alison's waist.

"Yea I'm fine" Alison replied while nodding

" do you want me to move" Emily said as she shuffled slightly

" no it's...okay you don't need to move" Ali replied and Emily smiled

She brushed her fingers through the brunettes hair gently as they watched the tv together.

...

"Oh" Emily's mother said

" I didn't mean to interrupt" she whispered

"I just wanted to know if you two were hungry, dinner will be ready in about 30 minutes" Pam said

Alison smiled, she didn't realise so much time had passed since they came home early this afternoon and she felt Emily stir gently in her sleep

"I'll wake her now" Alison said smiling and Pam returned a warm smile before closing the door gently.

"Em" Alison cooed and she felt the brunettes stir again, she placed a kiss on her forehead and waited for her eyes to open.

"I thought you said you weren't tired earlier" Alison teased as she combed her fingers through her mermaids long locks

Emily smiled in her sleep and opened her eyes, "I wasn't but I was pretty comfortable, so I took advantage of the opportunity" she chuckled knowing the exact reason why she was comfortable. She lifted her head off of Alison's chest and looked at the blonde.

"Mhm I'm sure" Ali said as she rolled her eyes at the brunette

" your mom came in earlier while you were asleep, she said dinner would be ready in about 30 min"

" ugh" Emily huffed

"She's going to bombard me with questions once you leave" the brunette sighed

"Questions about us?" Alison inquired

The brunette nodded and planted her head face down in the pillow while Alison laughed

"It's not that bad Em" Alison says as she got up and passed the brush through her hair"

"Yes it is" the brunette sighed and she lifted her head from the pillow to look at the blonde

"She's always liked you though"

And Alison grinned from ear to ear because Pam fields didn't like easily

They heard rustling in the kitchen and Emily's mom shouted then from the bottom of the stairs that dinner was ready.

" come get it while it's hot , I made pop overs" Emily's mom said.

"Be right there Mrs fields " Alison replied back sweetly, now taking Emily's hands in her own and pulling her to her feet.

"Suck up" Emily whispered in Alison's right ear once she was on her feet

The blonde turned her head slightly, her cheeks reddening and she glared playfully at her mermaid before she turned on her heels and exited the room in sure movements intending to help Emily's mom set up. Leaving the brunette standing on her own instantly missing the warmth of Alison. She sighed and headed down the stairs only to be greeted by the sight of 2 of her favourite people sitting at the dinner table smiling at her. The thought finally setting in that she was finally free and home, and whatever happens from now on at least she knows for sure she's never going back.

...:...