*I realized almost instantly that this could never be a one-shot*
*pll/faking it crossover*
It's Complicated
Chapter 1
It was dark but she wandered the streets. Since she didn't know where she was going she got off the bus at a small looking town. It was a town that seemed nice. A town that seemed rich. She could make art here and sell it. She could find her way. Find a church.
Amy pulled her green army duffle up on her shoulder and sighed heavily. Life would probably never be the same.
Hanna, Emily, and Spencer were sitting inside their favorite cafe and moaning on and on about A. They hated to do it but also they had become addicted to the trouble. Addicted to that one thing that could always keep them from focusing on themselves and their own problems. It was like a crutch in a way, though none of them spoke of it.
"Hey, look at that girl," Hanna said sitting up on the couch and leaning her elbows onto her knees so that she could better see her. The girl had the style she had been going for ever since Ali had returned. It was kind of humorous but also kind of sad. The girl was obviously a run-away. She was young. Younger than them. She looked scared.
"Weird," Spencer said under her breathe.
"Rosewood doesn't get many runaways," Emily said nervously. Emily was used to seeing everything now as a potential threat. But this girl wasn't threatening. She looked tired and like she needed a shower.
"I'm gonna go talk to her," Hanna said, standing up. It was surprising to Emily and Spencer because Hanna had become more vocal and active ever since Ali came back. She was like this whole new person, this hyper-drive Hanna. "Hey," Hanna said, approaching the girl.
"Hey," Amy shrugged feeling nervous.
"Can I buy you a drink?" Hanna asked.
"Why?"
"You look tired. I've been there," Hanna said, she was holding her back pockets with her fingers and trying not to be nervous about this girl who was actually quite stunning up close. She had these beautiful eyes. They were just unreal.
"Fine," Amy said. "I'm Amy."
"Hanna," Hanna said, she turned a little, "Those are my friends. Emily and Spencer." She pointed lazily. "You should come sit with us."
"Why?" Amy asked again, this time laughing.
"Fine," Hanna said, rolling her eyes. "You're obviously a runaway. I saw your duffle," Hanna tugged at it and Amy almost stumbled because it had been weighing on her all day.
"And?" Amy asked.
"And… Do you have a place to stay? Do you need a place to stay? I know this looks like a safe town but it's really not," Hanna tried to say.
"Says the pretty girl with her pretty friends in the pretty cafe where everyone can afford their pretty drinks and pretty clothes," Amy teased. It was too easy to tease. This place was like that town in Gilmore Girls. A little bubble of prep school kids probably. Amy didn't know much about America but what she did know was that this place had money.
"Fine, Jeez… I was just trying to be nice," Hanna said, turning away.
"Hanna," Amy said, stopping her with a hand on her arm and a pitiful stare. "You're right okay. I'm a runaway," she shrugged, hating how obvious she was. She knew she looked pitiful. "And I've never done this before," Amy confessed. She was trying to hold back some tears and Hanna saw.
"You're gonna stay with me," Hanna ordered. "I don't want to think of you out there with all the fucked-up killers and ghosts." Hanna said that last part on accident and she held at her head and blushed. All Caleb's talk of ghosts had started to get to her.
"Killers and ghosts? What?!" Amy took her drink and sipped it. She was trying hard not to laugh. This girl was like nobody Amy had ever met before. Serious but beautiful? Scared but not?
"It's just not a good place, believe me," Hanna sighed. She knew she sounded crazy. No stranger could ever understand Rosewood. They just couldn't. "Come on," she slipped her hand into Amy's and pulled her along toward the den.
"And who's this?" Spencer asked, smiling. Spencer loved meeting new people and Hanna was being so very bold, it made her smile.
"This is Amy. She's gonna stay with me." Spencer choked on her coffee.
"That was fast!" Spencer scoffed.
"She doesn't live her. She ran away."
"Hanna, can I talk to you?" Emily asked, standing up.
"I guess," Hanna shrugged. She didn't want to let go of Amy's hand.
"Come sit by me," Spencer smiled, inviting Amy in to sit down on the couch.
Emily wasn't about to just let this shit happen. She pulled Hanna into the bathroom and shut the door.
"Hanna, what the hell do you think you're doing?!" Emily yelled, crossing her arms.
"The girl's homeless, Em."
"In Rosewood?!" Emily stared, judging her. "Did it even occur to you that this could be a set-up by A?"
"I can't think like that. Amy looked tired. If I was her I'd want someone to help me. So I'm gonna help her." Hanna rightfully avoided all eye contact with Em when she was like this.
"I don't like the thought of you with some stranger in your house."
"It's fine, I'll bring her to Caleb's," Hanna shrugged.
"Caleb's?!" Emily scoffed. She hadn't thought of that before. It was actually a good idea. She didn't want to admit it though. She didn't want to admit that any part of this could be a good idea. Too much had happened to them. They weren't allowed to be nice. Not anymore.
"Yeah, Caleb's," Hanna said, seeing a little bit of weakness in Em. Seeing Em squirm made Hanna squirm. Emily watched as Hanna shifted her body a little and hugged herself under her chest.
"Is this even about that girl?" Emily asked, almost deciding something.
"What do mean?" Hanna asked nervously.
"Look, I didn't want to say anything because you've been a lot better but Hanna you're like a whole different person."
"I'm just me Em," Hanna shrugged, avoiding her eyes.
"Stalking Mona? Going to auditions? Running?" The last one even made Hanna smile.
"There's nothing wrong with a little change," Hanna said, allowing herself to see her friend.
"Yeah, a little. But Hanna… This…" Emily moved to hold her head but stopped herself. She didn't want Hanna to know how worried she was about her. "This is a lot of change."
"Don't you ever just miss it Em?"
"Miss what?"
"I dunno… Being a girl? Being a kid? Being a person who can go for a run or laugh at a joke or meet someone who looks sad and let yourself help them?" It was so sad this conversation.
"I do," Emily said, looking up at her reluctantly. "I do. I miss it a lot," she admitted. Em took a step forward and grabbed Hanna's hand.
"Do you get it now?" Hanna asked. "I'm just so sick of living like this," a tear escaped her and she wiped it away quick because she hated it. Em saw and pulled her in for a hug.
"Shit Hanna. I'm sorry," Emily said, holding her close. "I just want you to be happy."
"And I'm not," Hanna squeaked. She felt small in Emily's arms. Emily was the only one to ever really see her, it was always that way.
"I don't think any of us are…" Emily confessed.
When they came out of the bathroom Spencer and Amy noticed right away that they had both been crying.
"Is everything alright?" Spencer asked, as if in code.
"Yeah," Emily said, shaking it off with a smile. "Yeah."
They sat down and tried to relax.
"So, is this what you guys do?"
"I guess so," Hanna scoffed.
"Sorry, I'm bad at small talk. My best friend used to do all that." Amy felt uncomfortable but at least she felt safe. If Karma was there everyone would already be laughing. But Karma wasn't there. Amy hated herself for still thinking of her.
"Why'd you come here?" Emily asked.
"Things got violent back in Austin."
"Austin? As in Texas?" Spencer asked.
"Yeah…"
"God, you're not fucking around," Spencer stared.
"I didn't know where to go…" Amy confessed sheepishly. She just got on a bus and waited for the drive to end. When the drive didn't end she picked Rosewood.
"That sucks," Hanna said. And it did suck.
"What happened?" Emily asked.
"Eh, it's complicated," Amy tried to shrug it off but she could see these girls wanted a story. The way they stared was intense and they were all so clean and beautiful it was sort of intimidating just sitting there. "Look, I sort of fell in love with my best friend. Then I slept with her boyfriend. Then I got hazed by the entire school. And now I'm in Rosewood apparently." That summed it up. No secrets now. No secrets at all. Ever since what had happened with Karma, Amy hated half-truths and being fake.
"That's horrible," Spencer said, linking her arm with Amy's and taking her in. Amy seemed much too pretty for all of that. But Spencer knew a lot about how being pretty couldn't keep anyone from hitting you.
"It's okay. I just had to leave."
"What about your family?" Emily asked.
"Ha. Family…" Amy scoffed feeling hot and bothered. "Honestly, I'm trying not to think about it," Amy sat back and rubbed her face with her hands. "My relationship with my Mom has been up-and-down all year. It wasn't easy on her, finding out I was gay."
"So you're gay?" Hanna asked, her face perking up. She sent Emily a queer look of hope and Emily shrugged at her from across the room because HANNA MARIN COULD BE SO FUCKING EMBARRASSING.
"I guess.. I mean.. I fell in love with my best friend and she was a girl."
"Was?"
"Is… Is a girl…" Amy said, sadly. "I'm just not so sure she's my friend anymore." The liars all thought death since their lives had been that tragic. It was a relief to know that Amy's friend had not been murdered.
"Where was she while all this was happening?" Spencer asked, the mother in her creeping out.
"Somewhere... Nowhere? Fuck, I don't even know…" Amy felt like crying. Her story was mad bleak.
Hanna's heart broke just watching, she couldn't stop thinking: but what if this was Emily in some other town...
And Spencer had already been sold by Amy's body language along. When they were alone on the couch Amy couldn't sit normal and she was obviously uncomfortable with the silence. There was something just perpetually nervous about her. She was like a little puppy in need of love. In truth, Spencer was thinking about stealing her for herself. If Hanna didn't act quick Spencer would certain offer Amy a room.
"I'm really sorry," Emily said, truthfully. She felt like an ass for yelling at Hanna. She felt like an ass for treating everyone like they were a potential fucking murderer. Ever since Sidney she'd been on edge. Ever since Sidney she felt like ignoring almost every one.
"You know, Emily's a lesbian," Hanna said.
"Hanna!" Emily yelled. Amy just laughed and ignored them both. At least she could laugh. They all started to laugh.
Amy and Emily exchanged a soft pitiful look, it was apologetic but also, it was like saying hello all over again only sweeter.
"Hanna's not so great with secrets," Spencer smiled, holding Amy close and shaking her a bit to comfort her.
"That's good. It's good to be honest," Amy said, her throat sore from the loud crying she had done two nights before after the big attack.
She could be safe here. She really could.
