"I just…need to get away from here for a while"
Her voice trailed off as she averted her eyes from Lydia, feeling the sting of oncoming tears.
"Allison" Lydia said softly, placing a delicate hand firmly on her shoulder
"I understand, do what you need to do. Besides" she drawled, now stepping back and balancing her weight on one foot in a strange pose.
"You know I can hold things down here" Lydia finished confidently-flashing a smile through parted layers of strawberry hair.
"Lydia" Allison began, now feeling unsure of her decision. She parted her lips, ready to protest her friend's false bravado
"Allison!" Lydia cawed, her eyes now displaying seriousness. A breeze caught in the trees and ruffled her hair, the setting sun casting an eerie light.
"Everything depends on you being alright"
A man in a blue sweater and dark faded blue jeans inhaled deeply, opening his arms widely and savoring the smells of fresh baked breads.
"Ah, Allison-Isn't the weather beautiful here? I'm afraid I'm overdressed" Chris said gruffly, catching and following the eye of a woman's disapproving glare at his choice of clothing.
Allison couldn't help but laugh. It'd only been two days since they left Beacon Hills for France, her father suddenly deciding to fulfill some lifelong urge to spend a weekend in Spain.
"C'mon kiddo, cheer up! We're far away now" Chris said gleefully, extending his arms and motioning to their surroundings.
He did have a point Allison thought to herself. She looked around, taking in the sights around her. Everything was so alive, far different than the bleakness of home. Her eyes lingered on a group of small children, a brother and sister along with two of their little friends. The little boy with dark hair walked in front of his sister, pulling her trike along. Upon further inspection Allison noticed that the front tire was blown, and instead of walking the boy volunteered to pull her home. A small smile wiped across her face as the little boy shouted at the two others in Spanish, they now rushing forward and surrounding the back tires on either side-also pushing them along.
"So" Allison began, swinging her arms back and forth once-almost cartoonishly.
"So" Chris replied, instinctively crossing his arms. She looked at him, reading the anxiety in his eyes that contradicted his posture.
"Why Spain?"
He sighed heavily, looking away before deciding to speak.
"Well, Allison. Your mother and I always spoke about…"
Your mother and I. These words rang coldly through her mind's voice, causing a shiver in her spine. Everything Chris said was drowned out, the story simply not processing.
"So, how about it?" Chris finished heavily, looking attentively toward his daughter.
"I'm sorry, what?" Allison asked politely, not wanting to fray ignorance.
"The White Villages of Cadiz? Or maybe The Alhambra Palace in Granada?" He replied enthusiastically, pulling a hand to his chin as he stood in the middle of the street deep in thought.
"Dad, what's the point of all of this touristy crap? I mean it's great that we're here, it's a complete breath of fresh air-but" she let her voice trail off.
"Gotta see as much as you can in this lifetime, Allison. There's so much you've missed out on, being born into this family" he replied, not missing a beat. "
"We're running" Allison said flatly, feeling a slight annoyance rising in her.
"I'd rather run for the rest of my life with you than let whatever has taken the women in this family over catch you" Chris replied shortly, a bitterness ringing on the last words spoken.
Allison swallowed hard. She thought for a moment, before deciding to close her eyes. The smells and sounds of the city wafted over her, she clenched her eyes shut even tighter-trying to block everything out and focus. Just focus. Sometimes she could hear her mother's stern voice in her head, telling her clues on how to proceed next.
Just go with him dear, you're only young once.
Allison's eyes flung open, heart now racing fiercely. She turned to her father head on, taking a deep breath before articulating three simple words:
"Let's do it"
The clouds over the city began to gather around the sun, blocking its harsh rays that filtered down into the city below. Allison wandered the cobblestone streets aimlessly, peeking into store windows as she goes. She glanced back ever so often at the shrinking image of her father, fondling maps and trying to communicate in broken Spanish with a vendor. Allison kept straight forward, deciding to follow the scent of freshly cooked meat and rice. She tracked it into a small tapas bar, "EL Concho".
She walked through the open bar and into the restaurant portion, the cool air making her high collared sleeveless lace top cling to the sweat on her neck. Allison lifted a finger to smooth her hair down, now realizing how much she had sweated outside. She sat down at a table on the far side of the restaurant, in the ever welcoming shade. A small menu lay in front of her, a plethora of tiny in-depth descriptions of what seemed like at least eighty items to choose from without really counting. Music wafted into the building, an invigorating voice harmonizing rhythmically with drum and flute. She turned her attention to the window section, her eyes catching something as she searched for the music's source. Allison quickly adverted her eyes down, a waitress choosing now to come over to take the order.
"Umm, un cafe negro, por favor….no, no, no leche o azucar. Gracias"
Allison watched her leave before glancing in the window's direction again, holding the menu up to her face for cover.
No, no…it couldn't be. There is open boarder travel here, but it's too much of a coincidence. From a psychological standpoint this could be a hallucination, manifesting false senses of familiarity and comfort in my mind and projecting it onto reality. Yes, that has to be it.
Allison nodded to herself, her coffee now coming towards her. She gave a gracious nod to the waitress before taking a sip, reassuring herself that Lydia would come visit in the summer-that things would cool down somehow.
The music began to play again, the voice now whining into the very wind that breathed life into the city. Allison closed her eyes, deciding to try it anyway. Even if she was wrong, no one knew her here-so it wouldn't matter. This was supposed to be a new start, a brand new start in a new country. For both of them. Allison shot another curious glance at the boy who had caught her eye, his profile now adjusted-as if he could sense eyes on him. Allison took one last fleeting sip of the coffee before pushing her seat out and balancing on her boot's elevated heels. She walked towards the figure, his back still turned-the sun catching the color of his hair.
Allison finally strode across the room after what felt like a very long time and stood diagonally facing the boys back. She parted her lips, letting out a raspy "J" before closing her mouth again and inhaling deeply.
"Jackson?" She asked with a fierce gusto booming into her voice.
The figure stirred, slowly turning around.
Allison's eyes begin to water, a sad smile now growing across her face.
The screen fades to black.
"Long time no see, huh?"
A/N:Just my take on an alternate ending for Allison in light of her recent character death. I haven't watched the show since 3a, so please forgive me for any minor contextual errors in relation to the show's current season. I think Davis could have handled this situation better, and l'd like to think Allison went to France and took a wacky field trip with her dad, Chris. While in Spain walking around, she runs into Jackson-who's supposedly in England right now. It's just the reunion of two friends at a time when comfort is needed the most-nothing more nothing less. I hope I could help at least one fan coupe with the…difficult choices Davis has made in lieu to the story's plot.