The rain came pouring down as the train rolled through Union Station in Washington DC. Thankfully the station was underground so none of the disembarking passengers got wet leaving the train. Several had stopped to thank the dark haired woman sitting in the Business Class seat for her service to their country. It was a sweet gesture, but she didn't feel that she deserved it. She'd only gone to college and Officer's Candidate School. She was on leave after her commissioning before she went to school to become a 31A Military Police Officer for ten weeks. She had wanted to choose a more dangerous job, but her mother and her friends had begged her not to. However it wasn't her mother, or Spencer, or Hanna, or Aria, or even Paige that had stopped her from choosing something like Infantry or Explosive Ordinance Disposal, it was the pleas of one beautiful blonde girl in particular who had done it.
This was the same girl who had come to Fort Benning, Georgia two weeks earlier to pin this girl's gold bars on her shoulder at her commissioning ceremony. That was a story in and of its self. The trouble was that the blonde; Alison DiLaurentis, or Alison Rollins as she was calling herself these days, was married to a Doctor. Hearing that had nearly broken the dark haired girl's heart but she'd managed to stay strong through it and it was Alison's marriage that had sealed her decision to join the military.
Emily Fields had needed to get as far away from Alison as she could after finding out that her angel was married. It had broken her heart, but she'd survived because she'd lost Alison before and that had nearly killed her. However, as much as Emily wished she could pretend that Alison didn't matter to her, or that she was just a friend, it was impossible. Emily kept a photo of Alison with her all the time. Even in basic training when the recruits and officer's candidates weren't allowed to have much of anything, Emily had kept that picture of Alison with her. When it came time for her commissioning, everyone assumed that Emily would have her mother Pam pin the 2nd Lieutenant bars on her shoulders, but Pam had agreed with Emily's choice to have Alison do it. Alison had agreed, all to willingly, which told Emily that she wasn't as devoted to her husband as she pretended to be.
The day had finally come, Emily was being commissioned. Everyone was there, Spencer, Hanna, Aria, Caleb, Toby, Pam, even her dad was there in the form of the photo that Pam had brought. The bars being pinned to her shoulders were her father's bars from when he was commissioned. The ceremony proceeded and soon it was Emily's turn to be pinned. She had stood at attention, her eyes forward as the beautiful blonde Angel came forward and pinned the gold bars on her shoulders.
"I'm so proud of you Em." Alison had said, "You really are my Killer... you always have been." She had smiled and leaned up to kiss Emily's cheek as she'd seen all the other mothers, and wives, and girlfriends do. In the age where "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" had been repealed, it was allowed. Emily's heart had skipped a beat but she'd maintained her military bearing as Alison walked back to sit next to Pam.
That had been two weeks prior and Emily still could feel Alison's lips on her cheek. She closed her eyes and looked at her phone. She was due at the Philadelphia Station in an hour and a half and she couldn't wait. She had already talked to Alison when she'd left Georgia to double check and make sure that Alison could pick her up. She might not have been able to date the girl, but she could spend as much time with her as she could and hopefully make Alison see who she was really meant to be with.
Dressed in her grey BDU's, with her tan boots, and black beret with her bar on it Emily leaned her head back and drifted into a shallow sleep but one where she still could dream. She dreamed of the sweet time when Alison had saved her from the barn and had told her that she was her favorite. She dreamed about the time Alison visited Emily when Emily was staying in Alison's room. That was when she'd gotten her bracelet back. She still had that as well. She dreamed of the time they had found Alison alive. Everything was perfect... but then the train came to a stop and jarred her awake.
It was the stop before hers. Emily sighed as she felt her phone buzzing, "Hey killer, I won't be able to make it. Hubby surprised me and took me to dinner. I'm so sorry! You know I'd much rather be there. Let's do lunch tomorrow. Your choice, my treat. Kisses! -Ali"
Emily's heart sank. She got a follow up text that had been sitting in her phone for twenty minutes from her mother saying she was going to be picking her up. Emily just sighed again and leaned her head back on the seat, "Fuck..." She whispered to herself.
"Union Station, Union Station next station stop. Please check to make sure you have all your personal belongings. Not all doors will open, exit where you see a crew member. Thank you and have a nice evening. Union Station next." The driver of the train announced.
Emily sighed and stood up pulling her bag off the luggage rack and slinging it over her shoulder. She reached up and grabbed her uniform bag and brought it down before the train came to a stop and Emily walked to the door. She was happy to see her mom as she disembarked the train and rushed over to hug her. Pam held her daughter close and tried to fight it but a few tears trickled from her eyes seeing her daughter in the same uniform Wayne had worn for so long. Pam looked at her daughter and Emily didn't even need to ask why her mom was crying. She knew, she'd cried over it herself more times than she could count.
Once Emily and Pam were in the car things started to drift back to normal. Pam explained all the gossip from the town and what she and Ella, and Ashley, and Veronica were doing. Veronica had won her seat in the state senate but made frequent returns to Rosewood. Emily sat and nodded flipping her phone in her fingers as though anxiously awaiting something but she knew that Alison was having dinner with her husband and then... who knew what. The thought almost made her sick.
"She would have been here if she could. You know that." Pam said as though being able to read Emily's thoughts.
"What?" Emily said, once again jarred from her own thoughts, "Who.. oh it's fine." Emily shrugged trying to pretend it didn't matter, "She has a family now, that should come first."
"Emily stop it." Pam said not in a scolding manner but firm, "You don't have to pretend around me. I know how much you love her and I know how disappointing it is that she couldn't come to pick you up." Pam smiled warmly but painfully over at Emily.
"No Mom, it's fine... really." Emily said but she didn't even believe the sound of her own voice so she knew her mom would see right through it.
"I'll tell you something," Pam said, "We have never figured out why Alison got married so young to someone she hasn't known that long." She looked at Emily, "We have all been rooting for you."
Emily's brow furrowed as an amused smile came to her lips, "Who's we?"
"Us moms. We know these things..." Pam smiled a bit brighter, glad to see Emily finally smiling.
The car continued to drive the half hour from Philadelphia to Rosewood in the dark. Pam's lights illuminating the way but Emily didn't care, her mind was on Alison and what her angel could be doing at that moment and the more she thought about her dancing with her husband, kissing him, or worse, Emily's stomach churned, she felt sick, and angry all at the same time.
The sun rose the next day and like she had always done Emily went for a run. She had always listened to music on her run but this time she just put on Fight Song on repeat as she ran for nearly six miles. The pain from the previous night still wasn't gone, in fact as she had laid in bed trying to sleep her mind kept thinking about Alison over and over. It had taken her forever to get to sleep but she couldn't help what her heart wanted.
She came back to the house, got showered, and dressed in her uniform as she prepared to go out for the day. She and Alison were set to meet at the Brew at 11. Thankfully it was summer vacation for Rosewood High School so this was possible and Alison wouldn't have a time limit in which she would have to return to class. Emily decided to walk from her house to the Brew. It wasn't that far and it would give her some time to think. She tucked her phone in her pocket and set off as her mom got ready to go to work.
The whole trip Emily was waiting for Alison to text her saying her husband had surprised her again and that she couldn't make it. Emily almost expected it, she knew that Dr. Rollins didn't like her, but then she didn't really care. They had met once during a vacation in College when he and Alison were only dating and Emily and he had taken an instant dislike to each other so it made sense in Emily's head that Dr. Rollins was deliberately trying to keep Alison away from Emily. The thought infuriated her but she kept her cool.
All thoughts of jealousy and Dr. Rollins rushed out of her mind as she saw the golden haired beauty sitting in one of the outside chairs sipping on a coffee with her legs crossed. Emily paused a moment soaking up the beauty of the woman she'd loved for so long. Emily had loved her to the grave and back and through everything they had been through, everything that they had been dragged through with Charlotte and Sara. She loved her, she knew she did because every time Emily looked at Alison her heart skipped a beat and her breath caught. She couldn't help but smile, her features, which had been sharpened by the Army, instantly softened when she gazed at Alison. She couldn't help it. Butterflies went rampant in her stomach but she didn't mind, it made her feel almost giddy.
Finally Emily's feet started moving again and as she walked up Alison stood and smiled, "Hi there Killer." She smiled wrapping her arms around Emily as she felt Emily's arms wrap around her. It felt so good, there was a warm comforting feeling about being held in Emily's arms that she didn't seem to quite get anywhere else. She had often thought it was just because they had gone through so much, but when Alison thought about it, all the other girls had too and yet she didn't get this feeling hugging them! No there was something different about Emily and whatever it was Alison liked it.
The moment Alison's arms went around her Emily's heart started beating faster. She closed her eyes and she felt safe. Even the Army hadn't made Emily feel completely safe, but Alison did. Somehow when Alison was there, when they were close, Emily didn't have a care in the world. All her worries and all her fears just went out the window and nothing mattered anymore, except for the two of them. It was a unique feeling and one that Emily wished she could have kept forever.
They parted and smiled as they walked into the Brew. No real words were said. The pair smiled at Sabrina who was wearing her usual tie-died, hippie-esque clothing as she took a load of dirty coffee mugs into the back room to be washed. Emily looked at Alison, "She still works here? I figured she would have gotten too stoned one day and Ezra would have fired her."
Alison shook her head, "Ezra doesn't own it anymore, besides, this place has kinda grown on her." She smiled as Emily walked up to the counter and ordered her usual and ordered Alison another coffee. She knew Alison's order from memory after all these years. There was nothing about Alison that Emily didn't know or remember except for the things that had happened since her marriage.
After getting her coffee Emily and Alison walked over to the couches where the girls used to sit all the time and sat down, "So how was your trip?" Alison finally asked crossing her legs and sipping her new, much warmer coffee.
"Long, obnoxious." Emily said giggling, "Disappointing." Her eyes almost grew wide as she realized that she'd actually said that out loud.
"I know... I'm sorry." Alison said, "I hadn't expected him to bring me to dinner but it turned out to be a working dinner. He talked with his colleagues about cancer patients. I would have much rather been with you." A sweet, genuine smile came to Alison's lips as her blue eyes gazed at her mermaid.
Emily's heart skipped a beat, "It's ok, you have a family now. I get it." The disappointment was masked but not deeply.
Alison could see right through it but decided to let it go, "How long are you home for?"
"Just a month or so while they get a new cycle going." Emily said sipping her coffee, "Not sure what I'm gonna do with myself." That was a lie, Emily knew exactly what she was going to do with herself. She was going to win the heart of the woman sitting in front of her, even if it killed her to do it.
"I'm sure you'll think of something." Alison said with a sweet smile. A moment of silence passed between the two of them before Alison spoke again, "Hey, did you wanna join me John for dinner tonight? I'm cooking Pasta of some sort."
The idea of having dinner was wonderful and made Emily smile to herself, but the thought of Dr. Rollins being there made her want to punch him in the face. She remembered the dinner that Pam had invited Alison too when they found out Hanna was drinking Vodka all night instead of water. Emily imagined this dinner ending much that way, except she would be the one drinking too much. "I'm having dinner with Hanna and Caleb. She called a few days ago." She smiled. It wasn't completely untrue, she did have an open dinner date with Hanna, but Caleb knew nothing about it.
Alison smiled about to say something when her phone chimed. She pulled it out and saw an incoming call from her husband, "Excuse me a sec Em." She smiled and answered it, "Hi honey..."
Emily rolled her eyes and sipped her coffee, wishing she could spike it with Bailey's Irish Creme like she'd been known to do from time to time. Listening to Alison talk to her husband on the phone was more than infuriating. She had to find a way to get rid of this guy, he was way too old for Alison, just like Lorenzo had been, and Emily knew, she could feel, that Alison wasn't giving her all to this guy, just like Emily hadn't given her all to Maya, or Paige, or Sara. The only girl Emily had ever given herself to entirely and loved completely was the blonde sitting across from her talking to her husband on the phone.
A moment later Alison hung up, "Look Em... I'm sorry to cut this short but John forgot his lunch at home." Alison stood up looking a bit shaken.
Emily raised her eyebrow standing up too, "It's a hospital, doesn't it have a Cafeteria?" Her voice was less than amused; in fact it was far more hostile than she'd intended it to be.
Alison paused a moment as though thinking about Emily's question, "You know how that food is." Alison said, "We'll get together again very soon." She smiled and leaned in kissing Emily's cheek in a very French fashion which made the sting of her leaving even more painful as the flood of memories from that afternoon in French Class before Alison disappeared came rushing back into Emily's mind.
"Yeah..." Emily said forcing a smile as she watched the woman of her dreams walk hurriedly out of the Brew. Emily sighed wanting to throw her coffee but she just pulled out her phone and started walking out of the brew after putting her Beret on, "Yeah Hanna..." She said into the phone as her friend picked up, "Dinner, tonight, somewhere with Alcohol. Text me the details later." She paused, "I'm beyond pissed... I'm a girl on a mission now."