Title: Cop Car
Rating: K+
Disclaimer: I don't own anything in relation to Pretty Little Liars or in relation to any pop culture references that are made in this story.
Summary: Coming back from a date in the city, Alison takes Emily on a detour to show her a place near and dear to her heart. But when a couple of unexpected guests show up, their night takes an unexpected turn that they have no choice but to make the best of. An Emison one-shot based on the song Cop Car by Keith Urban.
A/N – Hey all! So this is an idea that I've had in the works literally for almost a year, but because I already have a fic that I try and update on a regular basis, I've never had the time to actually work on this. For the past couple of weeks though, I found myself at a bit of a stand still with my other work, so I decided to focus on this instead, and finally I was able to get it done! So, this is a one-shot that was inspired by the song Cop Car by Keith Urban. If you've never heard it before, I suggest you have a listen. The first time I heard it, I immediately thought of Emison. And while I'm usually a Spemily writer, I genuinely couldn't get this OS idea out of my head – to the point where I just decided to write it myself, haha. Anyways, this is my very first Emison fic, so go easy on me (; And I hope you all enjoy! Thank you so much for reading.
"Ali, baby you missed the exit," Emily told Alison as she looked down at her phone screen. She couldn't help but say the words with a smile – though it had taken them what felt like an eternity to get to where they were, Emily loved the reminder that Alison was hers.
Ever since the day she had met Alison DiLaurentis, Emily had been completely captivated by the girl. From the moment that Alison had been introduced to her sixth grade classroom as a transfer student from Philadelphia, Emily couldn't help but be hooked. They had easily become best friends – something that was new to Alison who had transferred between eight schools in six years, and had never been one to let anyone get past her hard, exterior surface. And while it had been a long, winding road for the two of them, Emily knew that it was worth every second; she was worth every second.
"No I didn't," Alison responded in a nonchalant tone, keeping her eyes on the road ahead of her. "This is kind of my old stomping ground, Em. I think I know what I'm doing," she tried to argue, but Emily simply quirked an eyebrow at the blonde, looking down at her phone once more.
"Ali, I'm looking at my GPS right now, and it just rerouted us. It's saying we have to turn around," Emily told her, and as she looked over to Alison, she could instantly see the change in demeanour on her face. "Wait a second; you're up to something. Where are you taking us?"
"Okay, don't think you can just bypass the fact that you definitely just doubted my ability to get us back to Rosewood without using a GPS," Alison retorted, and Emily couldn't help but smile at the blonde's weak attempt at scolding her.
Emily knew that Alison hated when she used her GPS, but she also knew that the girl had a hard time harbouring any actual anger towards her. Because it wasn't that Emily doubted her navigating ability by any means. Rather, she did it because knowing where they were and how long they could expect the drive to be kept her calm and relaxed. And Alison always made sure to do everything in her power to make Emily feel comfortable.
Taking her eyes off the road for a split second, Alison side-glanced Emily as she could tell that her girlfriend was still staring at her. Though she hadn't wanted to reveal her plan earlier than necessary, Alison knew that keeping things from Emily wasn't something even she could do. One look from her girlfriend's puppy dog eyes, and Alison was done for. And as she had quickly spared one single glance over to the girl, Alison let out a sigh, knowing that that was the case once again.
"You know, one of these days that look isn't gonna work on me anymore, Em," Alison claimed, though her tone of voice sounded anything but firm as she shifted her eyes back to the road ahead of her.
"Mhm, yeah, I doubt that, Al," Emily responded with a sly smirk. Moving her hand so that it rested on the hand that Alison had sat on her gearshift, Emily intertwined their fingers together before lifting them toward her, kissing the back of Alison's hand lightly. "Now, if you're done your poor attempt at trying to take my attention away from the fact that you haven't answered my question yet, can you tell me where we're going?"
"But playing pretend with you is so much fun," Alison replied, her tone suggestive as she gave Emily a wink that caused the girl to shake her head and roll her eyes.
"Ali…"
"Fine, fine. You know, this was supposed to be a surprise. But since you went all Dora The Explorer on me with your map, that's out the window," Alison spoke with a sarcastic tone. Her comparison earned her a soft chuckle from Emily who once again rolled her eyes at the blonde. "So," she continued. "Without going into too much detail; I'm taking you to my spot."
"Your spot?" Emily questioned, her curiosity immediately peaked by Alison's revelation. She looked over to the blonde who was now sporting a soft smile while nodding ever so slightly in response to Emily's question.
"Yeah, my spot," Alison reiterated. "You know how everyone kind of has that one safe haven they can go to? That place where… No matter how bad your day is, going there always calms you down, makes you feel safe, and reminds you that no matter how big or small your problems are, it'll all work out for the best?" She quickly glanced over to Emily once more, just in time to see her smile and nod in acknowledgement. "Yours is the pool, Spencer's is the library, Aria's is the studio, and Hanna's is…"
"The mall," Emily interjected, the two of them sharing a brief laugh at how true the statement was.
"Exactly. Everybody has a spot that they claim as their very own," Alison continued, and as she spoke, Emily could feel Alison's truck slow to a complete stop. Dropping her hands from the steering wheel, Alison looked over at Emily, the eagerness clear across her face. "And this place is mine."
Alison leaned forward ever so slightly, placing a gentle kiss on Emily's forehead before pulling away and unbuckling her seatbelt. The action never failed to give Emily butterflies, and the raven-haired girl let out a shaky breath as her eyes stayed locked on Alison, watching her actions. Exiting the vehicle in a quick motion, Alison quickly brushed out the wrinkles from her pink and white flowery romper before she came around to Emily's side, opening the door for her as she offered her hand out to assist the girl.
"Are you sure about this, Al? I mean, I saw the 'No Trespassing' sign that we just passed, and—"
"Hey, you have nothing to worry about," Alison cut in, but her words didn't seem to remove the look of hesitation that was clear in Emily's eyes. Letting out a light exhale, Alison stepped forward so that she was now leaned against Emily before reaching her hand up to the girl's face, gently cupping her cheek against her palm. "I promise, we'll be fine. Trust me?"
"Okay," Emily softly agreed before taking hold of Alison's hand, which had previously been resting on her cheek, and intertwining their fingers together. As Alison helped her out of the vehicle, she was careful to make sure that the black leather jacket she wore over her white tanktop and black skirt didn't brush against the dirt on the truck. And once out of the vehicle, Emily took a quick look at her surroundings, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Where are we?"
"I found this place a while back," Alison started while beginning to lead Emily around her truck to its rear. And as they reached the tail end of the vehicle, the view became clearer to Emily whose breath caught in her throat at the sight in front of her.
Beautiful was the only way to describe what was in front of the two girls as they looked out to the scene ahead. They stood on a cliff that seemed to not only overlook the entire city, but it also had a clear view of the airport runway where planes were landing and taking off one by one. With the night sky as dark as it was, the only illumination came from the moon, the stars, and the lights of the city in front of them. It was the perfect balance between calm and hectic; the peacefulness of the distance between them and the city noise, but the sight of the still awake busyness of the city that they could see below them. And immediately, Emily understood the draw towards the spot; it was a feeling of strength and power to be almost untouchable in that position. It was invincibility.
A gentle tug on Emily's arm pulled her from her entranced state, to where Alison was trying to get her attention. She looked over to the blonde, realizing that she was now sitting on the tailgate of her truck while sporting a half-smile. Alison gestured for Emily to sit down next to her, and the raven-haired girl instantly complied. They were in no rush, and it was one of the most riveting feelings to Emily to have all night to spend under the stars with Alison. As Emily took her seat, Alison was quick to wrap her arm around Emily's shoulder and pull her in close – an action that never failed to give the girl butterflies.
The two sat silently side by side, and as Alison kept her eyes glued to the runway, watching a plane prepare for take off, Emily couldn't help but keep her eyes on her girlfriend. It was a rare and calming occurrence to see the blonde at such ease, but when she did, those moments were always Emily's favourite. She loved the look that came across Alison's face when she could tell that the girl was completely at peace. But even more so, seeing Alison in that state of carefreeness always reminded Emily of the first time she'd ever seen the blonde sporting that look five years before when she'd accidentally stumbled upon Alison hiding away in the library one afternoon. Coincidentally, it was the same afternoon that they had shared their first kiss; and to Emily, it would never cease to warm her heart, the fact that the most calm she'd ever seen Alison was after their lips met for the first time.
"I used to love coming here to just relax; watch the planes take off," Alison spoke, breaking the silence that had fallen over the two of them. She smiled to herself as she looked up at Emily who had her eyes locked on the blonde. "There was always something so heartbreakingly beautiful about the thought of taking a plane to absolutely anywhere in the world and just… Starting over, y'know?" She paused once more, looking back out to the runway just in time to see one of the planes make its ascent into the air. "Then I could be anyone I wanted without worrying about the drama of high school."
"You would never just leave forever without a word and never come back, would you?" Emily questioned, and as much as she tried not to, there was a hint of worry in her tone. The thought of losing Alison in any abrupt way without a chance of putting up a fight for the girl had terrified her, and rightfully so. She'd waited almost seven years for Alison to be hers; and if she was being completely honest with herself, her biggest fear was the possibility of ever losing the relationship they had built.
"There was a time when I think I would have," Alison revealed, her words causing Emily's heart to clench at the thought. "When I was younger, and things just got to be too much. I considered it." And immediately, Emily knew exactly what Alison had been referring to.
Moving to a small town had its perks, but it also had its downfalls; one being the inability to escape from rumours. And Emily knew firsthand exactly how painful the rumours and gossip could be. She had been brave enough to endure them ever since they had started in their freshman year of high school when she came out. But for Alison's entire life up until her senior year, she hid her true self from the world, and the internal struggle nearly destroyed her.
Since the moment they shared their first kiss, Emily had been there day in and day out to remind Alison that they could get through it together. It wasn't easy, though. For every good day they shared, there were even more fights, tears, and genuine times where they didn't think they would make it. But even though it wasn't the smoothest of journeys, eventually they got to where they needed to be. Alison had one day come to the realization that after high school, nobody's opinion mattered apart from the people that would be in her life for the long haul. And with that realization, Alison's first action was going after the girl that had held her heart in its entirety – Emily Fields.
Emily turned her head ever so slightly into Alison who kept her eyes out on the horizon, and she placed a kiss on the side of her girlfriend's head, allowing her nostrils to fill with the scent of Alison's vanilla shampoo that she'd loved so much. It was her favourite scent in the whole world; it was the smell of home.
"I remember when I first got my license. I'd drive out here and just watch the planes head off the runway, imagining what it would be like to up and leave. How much easier things would be if I could move away from Rosewood," Alison reminisced as she leaned her head against Emily's while gently tracing her fingers along her girlfriend's arm.
"When did you stop?" Emily asked, and her question caused Alison to pull away ever so slightly, looking over to the girl with a slightly quirked brow.
"Stop what?"
"Coming up here. You said you used to come here, so when did you stop?" Emily questioned, and Alison couldn't help but smile to herself ever so slightly. Emily had always paid particular attention to every single thing that Alison said, and now was no exception. Pulling away from the girl, Alison gave her a look that instantly made Emily's heart skip a beat.
"It was ever since you said yes to me. That was the moment I started living my life without any fear, shame, or regret. And I've never looked back," Alison revealed while reaching over to Emily and taking the girl's hand in her own, interlocking them together. "Now I think the only way I'd ever run off, would be if it were with you. I've always wanted to take you to Paris."
No words needed to be spoken as Emily smiled and leaned in, capturing Alison's lips with her own. She brought her hand up to Alison's cheek and gently stroked her thumb against it, to which the blonde responded by moving her hand to the small of Emily's back, pulling her in closer. They were lost in each other, knowing full well that they had all night, and not a single care in the world apart from themselves.
"You were wrong earlier, by the way," Emily whispered out in the brief moment that they had broken apart, their foreheads resting against one another. She stared deeply into Alison's blue orbs, and once again gently ran her thumb against the girl's cheek.
"Wrong about what?" Alison asked, her tone equally as soft.
"My safe haven. It's not in the pool. It's with you," Emily admitted, to which Alison instantly broke out into a grin before leaning forward, yearning to capture the girl's lips in her own once again. Just as their lips barely grazed for the second time however, the sound of a vehicle approaching caused their kiss to become very short-lived. The girls were quick to pull away, simultaneously hopping off the tailgate of Alison's truck. And as they came around to see who had interrupted such a private moment, their hearts stopped.
"Oh crap," Emily muttered out as her eyes locked on the red and blue lights that came from the police car in front of them, their brightness illuminating the closed quarters in which they were currently standing. Alison quickly took hold of Emily's hand and laced their fingers together, giving her girlfriend's hand a tight squeeze as she pulled Emily in closer to her.
"Okay we just need to relax Em. I—"
"Relax? Those are real cops, Alison; not just the rent-a-cops who only carry around flashlights and write citations. They're actual cops. We cannot get arrested, Ali. Your dad'll kill me. You know he will." Emily began to panic, and Alison couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle at how absolutely adorable she found her girlfriend's anxiousness to be.
"You wanna run for it? It would make a pretty badass story," Alison suggested. And though she sported a playful look and tone, it seemed to completely slip past Emily whose eyes widened at her idea. Catching the increased panic that her words had sparked in Emily, Alison gave her arm a light tug, catching her gaze and flashing her a warm smile that immediately calmed the swimmer's nerves. "It's okay babe, I was kidding. It'll be okay, just let me handle this," she whispered to Emily as she squeezed her hand once more before dropping it and stepping forward to where the cops were now approaching them.
Emily watched the way her girlfriend's demeanour all of a sudden changed; it was something she had seen Alison do several times throughout the years. There was a certain way she carried herself when she was trying to get what she wanted, and Emily couldn't help but watch in amusement as she knew her girlfriend was about to try and talk her way of the situation they were in. Part of her couldn't help but think that Alison was crazy; but an even bigger part of her knew that that was one of her best quirks – one that she absolutely loved.
"Evening miss," one of the cops greeted Alison who flashed the man a smile that to him probably seemed incredibly sweet. But to Emily, she could see the hint of mischievousness behind it. She couldn't help the smirk that broke out across her face as she rolled her eyes ever so slightly, because Alison was so obvious. The other cop held up his flashlight, turning it on abruptly and causing Alison to pull back, her eyes squinting at the brightness of the light.
"Do you have ID on you, ma'am?" he asked, and Alison simply nodded while trying to shield her eyes from the flashlight. She reached into her back pocket and pulled out her license, and Emily followed her lead, taking a few steps forward as she reached for her own ID, which the other policeman came to her for. Emily handed it off to the man but kept her eyes on her girlfriend, watching the police officer move the flashlight from her face, down to her license, and then back up again. "Can I ask what you two are doing up here, especially at this hour?"
"Just admirin' the scenery. I used to live out on an acreage where you could see every single star in the sky, and being out here is the only way I can feel close to home," Alison told the officer, and Emily could hear the hint of southern drawl that the blonde seemed to be channelling from the brief year she'd lived in Texas as a child. Emily couldn't help but let out a scoff while shifting her gaze downward in an attempt to try and contain her laughter, as she didn't want to give away her girlfriend's blatant lie. "My girlfriend over there," Alison paused to nod over to where Emily was standing, and the swimmer glanced up, giving them an innocent wave. "She lives in a big city now, and with all the lights and smoke, she never gets to see anything this beautiful anymore."
Almost nothing that Alison had told the officer was actually true; Emily had lived in small-town Rosewood her entire life, and she'd spent more nights under the stars than she could remember. But Alison was always one to embellish if it meant she'd get her way; and even though Emily knew she should have been afraid of getting in trouble for trespassing on private property as well as lying to the policeman, Emily's mind wasn't even remotely focused on anything but what she felt for the girl that was standing only a few feet away from her. The evening hadn't been exactly what they had planned, but as crazy as it sounded, Emily was sure that if they got through it and survived the curve ball they had been thrown, she wouldn't change a single thing about it.
"So, what exactly made you choose to come up here instead of going somewhere else?" The officer questioned as he finally turned his flashlight off and crossed his arms over his chest, an unimpressed look splayed across his face. "You know, somewhere where you wouldn't be breaking the law? I mean, you do realize that you passed a 'No Trespassing' sign on your way in, don't you?"
Taking a step forward so that she was closer to the officer, Alison did a quick lookover on him. Although the man kept his dirty blonde hair clean cut, his patchy facial hair, silver retainer, and the smug, arrogant look in his green eyes led her to guess that he was 22-23 years old at most. And as her eyes glanced down to his crossed arms, for the first time they focused in on his nametag, which read: J. Smyth.
"I'm sorry, Officer Smyth. I guess I must've just missed the sign or somethin' when I was comin' in," Alison spoke, and once again Emily shook her head ever so slightly as she could hear Alison's southern drawl coming out yet again. It was rare that she'd pull it out – apart from when she used it as her go-to tactic in order to try and persuade Emily into doing things. But watching the girl try to use it on another person, Emily couldn't help but wonder to herself how she fell for it every single time. Alison looked up at the cop, giving him the most innocent look that she could muster as she softly asked, "Do you think you could maybe just… Let us off with a little warning?"
"Ma'am, you are aware that it's illegal to lie to a police officer, right? Its called obstruction of justice," Officer Smyth pointed out, his eyebrow quirked as a cocky grin appeared on his face. He spared a look over to his partner and let out an arrogant chuckle that Emily could immediately tell got under Alison's skin. Knowing that their exchange of words was about to get out of hand, Emily made a step towards her girlfriend, wanting to diffuse the situation before it got out of hand. But as soon as she'd moved, Officer Smyth snapped his gaze toward her, his eyes looking her up and down being enough to stop her in her tracks. He stared her down for a few moments until Alison put her hand in his face, snapping her fingers at him. The action caused him to turn his attention back to Alison who now had her arms crossed over her chest with an unimpressed look.
"Okay first of all, I would appreciate it if you didn't eye my girlfriend down like she was a piece of meat," Alison told the officer, her words making Officer Smyth's eyes widen as he was clearly taken aback by her directness. "And secondly, unless I were actually under arrest, it isn't illegal to lie to you. Just saying."
"Oh boy, here we go," Emily muttered out with a sigh. She brought a hand up to her face, pinching the bridge of her nose, as she knew that Alison was about to get the both of them into trouble.
"You know, I don't think I appreciate you trying to undermine my authority, miss," Officer Smyth told her in a firm tone as he mimicked the blonde's body language, crossing his own arms over his chest. But Alison didn't seem to be even remotely intimidated by him – something that she could tell bothered the policeman to no extent. Frustration boiled almost instantly, and within seconds, Officer Smyth reached for his belt, pulling out a set of handcuffs. If it weren't clear before, Emily could now see that the officer wasn't playing around. "I'm going to need you to turn around and place your hands behind your back."
"Are you kidding me? What did I even—"
"You may not have obstructed justice, Miss. DiLaurentis, but you did trespass. And that is a crime," Officer Smyth reminded her. He glanced over at his partner who seemed to be standing off to the side, not wanting to directly get involved in the exchange between he and Alison. But after briefly shifting his attention toward Emily and then back to his partner, Officer Smyth gave the man a quick nod before saying, "Officer Ryley, please cuff her. They can sit in the car while we run their information."
Emily's eyes bulged out as the other officer – Officer Ryley – made his way toward her. Her eyes promptly shifted over to Alison who was staring at her, and though she knew she should have been pissed at her girlfriend for getting them into the situation they were in, she couldn't help but smile and shake her head. Giving her an apologetic look, Alison mouthed 'sorry' to her, and Emily simply kept her smile while shrugging in response. Because as much as she wanted to be mad at her girlfriend for getting them into the predicament that they were currently in, there was something about her that made it damn near impossible to feel even an ounce of anger.
Maybe it was the way the blue lights of the squad car caught Alison's eyes, bringing out their beauty even more. She could see the innocence, the carefree attitude, the freedom radiating. Maybe it was the fact that she was looking at the girl she'd yearned for since she was twelve years old, and the fact that she was hers made any bad situation all the better. She couldn't put her finger on exactly what it was that made her melt with one simple look at Alison, but frankly, it didn't matter. All that mattered to Emily was the beautiful blonde that stood a few feet away from her.
Officer Smyth began to walk Alison toward the squad car as Emily stayed behind the two, being led by Officer Ryley. She remained quiet so as to not antagonize the officers; the same couldn't be said for her girlfriend, however who Emily could easily overhear putting up her own Ali-like resistance to Officer Smyth.
"You know, officer. I'm sure there's a lot of other crimes that could be being prevented right now – crimes a lot more severe than punishing a couple of girls for stargazing. Don't you think your time would be much more utilized doing that?" Alison suggested to Officer Smyth with a distinct sarcastic tone in her voice that had Emily shaking her head vehemently. She knew that Alison often acted out when she didn't get her way, but Emily had always thought there had to be a limit to her actions; apparently figures of authority weren't her limit.
"Ma'am, you do know that anything you say can be used against you, right? Including you trying to sweet talk your way out of this," Officer Smyth warned the girl, to which Alison simply rolled her eyes in response. It was clear that his intimidation tactics weren't working on Alison; rather they only seemed to be coaxing her to act out even more.
"Well, considering you didn't actually read me my Miranda rights, clearly I wouldn't know that, now would I?" Alison shot back without skipping a beat. Emily couldn't help but let out a light chuckle at the blonde's witticism; though it was quickly cut short when Officer Smyth snapped his head in her direction, giving her an unimpressed glare, before looking back toward Alison.
"Keep talking, Miss. DiLaurentis. You're only going to dig yourself into a deeper hole that you eventually won't be able to get out of," Officer Smyth told her. Coming up to the squad car, both the girls and the police officers halted their movement, and Officer Smyth opened the back door before turning back around, his eyes fixated on Alison once more. "I don't know what TV shows you've been watching to get all of your facts, but I assure you they probably don't show you what happens after all of those criminals get thrown in jail. You'll get eaten alive, little girl."
"Well then, Officer Smyth, before you 'throw me into jail to get eaten alive', do you happen to have a smoke and a light?" Alison questioned, which caused Emily to look towards the girl, her eyebrows furrowed with slight confusion; she knew that Alison hadn't touched a cigarette in her life. Sparing a quick look at Emily, Alison flashed her a quick wink before looking back towards Officer Smyth. "I've seen Orange Is The New Black, sir. I figure I should probably get one more in before I have to organize my own cigarette smuggling operation just to survive."
The officer clenched his jaw in irritation as Emily burst out laughing at her girlfriend, unable to control herself anymore. Refusing to give Alison the satisfaction of any sort of answer, Officer Smyth simply placed Alison into the back of his squad car, followed by Emily, before slamming the door shut. The two girls turned their attention to Officer Smyth, watching him and Officer Ryley step a few feet away from the squad car while engaging in conversation, and Alison couldn't help but let out a scoff of irritation.
"Look at those two morons. They aren't even running our information, they're just trying to scare us. Ugh. Can you believe that taxpayer dollars write these idiots' paycheques?" Alison rhetorically asked as she kept her eye on them for a few more moments before looking away, shaking her head in annoyance. Looking over at Emily, she caught the girl staring at her, a playful grin splayed across her face. "I mean, don't get me wrong; it's not like I hate police officers or anything. But those two? They were like real-life Dumb and Dumber."
"You know, I'm pretty sure a lot of their stupidity had to do with you antagonizing one of them" Emily joked while leaning over to Alison and giving her arm a playful nudge.
"Hey, I tried to play nice!" Alison straightaway defended, which instantly earned her a look of scepticism from Emily who quirked an eyebrow in response. "What, I was! But then he gave you some creepy predator look, and I couldn't help myself," she continued with a shrug. "Honestly, not my fault in the slightest."
"Sometimes you're so predictable, you know that, right?" Emily told Alison who seemed to be slightly taken by surprise at her comment. There were a lot of things that Alison had heard people call her before, but predictable was definitely not one of them. To Emily, however, it seemed entirely fitting, as she knew the blonde like the back of her hand. "Come on, Ali. You have to admit; in some cases, you can be the most predictable person in the world. Or do I really need to remind you of ninth grade when you got suspended for dumping your cafeteria tray on Ben Coogan's head."
"Okay, that was totally justified, Em! Not only would he not stop pestering you about going out with him – even though he knew full well that you were gay – he also slapped your ass!" Alison reminded her, and Emily couldn't help but let out a fit of laughter at how much conviction the blonde seemed to hold on the topic. Shaking her head, Alison shifted her gaze downward as she muttered out, "I should have kneed him in the groin, too."
"Oh, don't you worry. I definitely took care of that myself," Emily responded, and the new revelation caused Alison's head to snap up, her head turning in her girlfriend's direction as she gave her an inquisitive look. Emily let out a sigh as she smiled to herself, drawing back to the memory of just three years before. "He came up to me again after school that same day, and tried to talk to me. At some point throughout the conversation, he tried to call you a bitch, but I kneed him before he could even get the whole word out."
"What? Really?" Alison questioned, her jaw dropped ever so slightly at what Emily had just told her. "You, uhm…" she paused, the corner of her mouth curving up into a half smile before she shyly looked away, her tone soft as she spoke. "You never told me that before."
"Yeah, well…" Emily began, shrugging ever so slightly as though it wasn't a big deal. But to Alison, it was. "Things were different back then, Al. I knew how you felt about the things people used to say about us, so I just… I don't know." She shrugged once more, not knowing what to say. "I guess I just didn't want to make you feel awkward about it."
"Wow. Well, uhm…" Alison began, her eyes still looking down for a moment before she brought them back up to meet Emily's. "It sounds like you did a pretty great job of defending my honour," she finally responded, and Emily smiled, feeling a sense of relief at the fact that Alison hadn't taken offence to her keeping that incident from her. "You know, uhm…" Alison started, and Emily looked over at Alison once again, the two sharing a look. "Looking back at it now, you were always the one to defend me. No matter what, it was always you."
"No way," Emily bashfully responded, her cheeks instantly beginning to heat up upon hearing the words of her girlfriend. "You? Alison DiLaurentis? If anything, you were always standing up for me." And it was true. When Emily had come out in her freshman year, she was the only openly gay person in Rosewood High. With that title came harsh looks, cruel words, and unwanted attention. But what had always made it easier for Emily to overcome the mercilessness of high school was having Alison by her side to stand up for her through it all. "You were always a total badass, Al. And you've never needed me to let people know that."
"To an extent, yeah, maybe that's true. But…" Alison paused, trying to find the right words to explain exactly how she felt. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that, well… Whenever I've doubted myself, you've always been there to remind me of who I am, y'know?" Shifting her body ever so slightly, Alison shuffled in her seat so that she and Emily were seated as close as possible, given the circumstance.
"You know, Em, for years people saw me as the Queen Bee. They thought I was the popular girl who had four ride or die girls by my side, and not a single problem in the world. Guys wanted to date me, girls wanted to be me. But you? You knew the real me, and not only did you keep my secret while I was coming to terms with who I was; you accepted me before I even accepted myself."
A smile slowly began to form on Emily's face upon hearing her girlfriend's sweet words, and a light blush filled her cheeks as Alison continued to speak.
"You were there each and every single day that I came home hating myself because I was living this lie that I wasn't strong enough to come out of. You were there to remind me that it was okay if I wasn't ready to come out, because eventually I would be. And you were living proof that when I did come out, everything would be okay. So I mean, sure I stood up for you from all those assholes that gave you a hard time when you came out freshman year. But I mean, aside from the obvious reasons, I stood up for you each and every time was because I thought you were incredible, Em."
Emily could feel her heart flutter at the girl's confession. Alison had never been one to wear her heart on her sleeve, or make sweeping declarations about her feelings. Her way of showing Emily how she felt had always been more through actions rather than words, which Emily had always loved and appreciated. But to hear such a raw, and genuine confession of feelings from Alison was something that never failed to warm Emily's heart; it was also something she never took for granted. And so, she simply leaned her head against Alison's shoulder, cuddling into her girlfriend as she continued to elaborate.
"I always thought it was amazing, you know? From the beginning of high school, you refused to let fear dictate the way you lived your life. You held your head high and proud, and I admired that so much about you." Alison smiled to herself as she leaned her head against Emily's, recalling each and every single time she had seen Emily walk proud in her own skin. "Truthfully, it was one of the things that drew me in the most about you. And part of me regrets not acting on it earlier. I hate that I took so long for me to come to my senses, because I feel like I wasted all of this time that I could have spent being with you."
"But we have all the time in the world now," Emily interrupted, and as she pulled away she caught Alison giving her a warm smile, nodding in agreement. "You changed my life for the better when you came into it, you know. You gave me the courage to be myself; knowing I always had you by my side, gave me the confidence to do that. And even though I waited almost seven years for you, I don't regret a single second of it. So whether it's sitting in the back seat of this cop car, or anywhere else, we're not wasting any time anymore." The two shared a loving gaze with one another, their smiles never wavering as they stared deeply into each other's eyes. "I'd follow you to the ends of the earth, Alison DiLaurentis."
Alison's smile widened, and it only took seconds before they leaned into one another, their lips connecting in a gentle and warm embrace. It was different than any other kiss that they had ever shared; as though there had been a sudden shift in their relationship – a defining moment. They weren't just two girls, young and smitten with one another anymore. Both wore their hearts on their sleeves for one another, believing in what they had with no doubts or hesitation. It was clear in that moment more than ever before; they were soul mates, plain and simple.
The two girls stayed engaged with one another, their kisses light, simple, and delicate. For a brief moment they were lost in each other, completely forgetting about all of the events that had happened in the night and focusing only on themselves and what they were sharing until suddenly, the sound of the police radio interrupted their moment.
"625 come in 625."
"625, copy?"
The sound of a woman's voice came over the radio, causing Alison and Emily to pull away from one another. Their attention shifted to the loud radio call that seemed to ring throughout the entire vehicle, unsure of what exactly was happening.
"Go ahead for 625," a man answered and they both instantly recognized it as the voice of Officer Smyth. Their gazes shifted out the window to where both officers were standing, and they watched as Officer Smyth held the radio to his ear.
"625, we have reports of a 10-57 on 39th and 84th street. Please proceed to the scene immediately."
They watched the two officers exchange a look of disdain with one another, both letting out sighs of irritation. Officer Smyth ran his fingers through his hair as he quickly glanced in the direction of the squad car before leaning into his radio once again.
"10-4, 625 is 10-76," Officer Smyth responded in a tone that surprised Alison and Emily, as it seemed to completely contradict his current expression of annoyance. They watched as Officer Smyth and Officer Ryley exchanged a few more words while glancing back at the squad car every so often until finally, they turned and made their way back to the car. Officer Ryley opened the back door of the vehicle while Officer Smyth silently made his way to the driver's side, not saying a word as he got into the front of the car.
"Alright ladies, you're lucky. Come on, out of the car," Officer Ryley instructed them, to which the girls were quick to comply. They shuffled their way out of the vehicle as best as they could, considering the lack of usage they had with their hands. Once the both of them were out of the car, Officer Ryley pulled out his set of keys and held them up while giving Emily and Alison a stern look. "We're going to let you off with a warning this time. If we catch you out here again though, expect to be taken down to the station, and fined," he explained to them. The two girls simply remained silent while nodding in understanding, and their acknowledgement seemed good enough for Officer Ryley as he came around them to un-cuff their hands. "Okay girls, you're free to go."
And with that, Officer Ryley gave them one final nod before turning and quickly getting into the passenger side of the car. The abrupt sound of the police siren caused both girls to jump ever so slightly as the squad car was quickly put into drive, speeding off into the night and leaving the girls alone once again. They watched the direction in which the police cruiser took off, silently waiting until the sound of sirens was unheard. And once it was, Alison turned her attention back to Emily, an ever so slight mischievous grin coming across her face.
"You want to stay a little longer?" Alison asked, and without a single moment of hesitation, Emily nodded in agreement. Offering her hand out, Alison intertwined their fingers together and led them back to the tailgate of her vehicle. In one swift motion, she hopped back up onto it and then turned Emily around so that her girlfriend was leaning back against her. Alison wrapped her arms around Emily's waist, allowing her to relax in her embrace, and the two kept still in that exact position, peacefully staring back out to the runway.
And while Emily couldn't exactly pinpoint why, she could feel that every single part about the moment they were sharing was perfect. The clear night sky with millions of stars illuminating the city's beauty; the feeling of safety and calm in the arms of someone who was her best friend, her girlfriend, and her soulmate. There were few words that could describe what she was feeling in that moment. But Emily knew exactly what words they were.
"Ali?" Emily whispered, her voice soft and delicate.
"Yeah, Em?"
Emily let out a shaky breath and turned in her girlfriend's arms so that the two were face to face. And as she stared into the eyes of her lover, it was as though she could see into the beauty of her soul. She saw the girl that she had yearned for every single day since she was twelve – the girl who had taken over her heart almost seven years ago. She saw the girl who meant the world to her, and the girl who she would do anything for. But not only that, she saw the girl that she imagined moving in with after high school; the girl she could see herself marrying, and maybe one day starting a family with.
"I love you," Emily spoke, and she could see Alison's breath catch in her throat upon hearing her confession. It was the first time that either of them had ever actually said it out loud. Even though it was a feeling that Emily was sure had been building ever since the day she'd met Alison, she'd never actually told the blonde face to face. But now, she was positive of it, and she knew she couldn't hold it in any longer. "I really, really love you, Alison."
"I love you too, Emily Fields," Alison replied, her eyes glistening as she reached her hand up to Emily's cheek and pulled the girl into a kiss. It was soft, slow, and delicate, but Emily was sure that it was the most intimate kiss they'd ever shared. And if they hadn't been sure of it before, they were now. They had fallen in love in the back of that cop car, and neither girl would ever look back.
I hope you all enjoyed it! If you've got time, feel free to leave me a review and let me know your thoughts on it. Whether it's compliments or criticism, I love to hear what you all think. And if you don't have time, well that's okay, I just appreciate you reading it in general. Thank you so much for taking the time to read my work, and until next time, I love you all!