February 29th 2020
"Mona?"
The small Hawaiian turned away from the fuming Alison to look at a surprised Hanna leaning against a tree, Emily and the twins right behind her.
"Hey," was all she could think of to reply.
"Aren't you supposed to be watching Aria?" Alison accused. "I can deal with Mona."
"She wanted a moment alone, Ali," Emily softly told her wife. "He was her husband."
"You also don't have to 'deal' with Mona." Hanna rolled her eyes. Quickly, she grabbed her former best friend's hand. "Come on, Mona, let's go for a walk."
December 6th 2019
Neither of them were aware for how long they have been kissing. It felt like too soon when Spencer pulled away. For a second, Mona looked confused, but the confusion written across her features quickly turned into a look of panic as the other woman jumped to her feet, backing towards the door.
"I-I'm sorry," she stuttered, retreating to the other side of the room. "I shouldn't have done that."
"No, no, don't apologize," Spencer breathed out, resisting the urge to pull the petite girl into a hug, to run her fingers through her hair, to breathe in her scent. How long had she gone without even knowing that she wanted to do that?
Mentally shaking herself, Spencer let out a frustrated groan. She is really scared right now. I can't take advantage of that. The only times she had seen Mona like that were when the girls had rescued her from the hole in the dollhouse… and when Mona had tried to throw Spencer off a cliff.
Suddenly, all memories from Junior year came rushing back, causing Spencer to suddenly feel nauseous. She had just kissed the person who had tormented her and her friends for a whole year. The person who tried to bring up Hanna's eating disorder by forcing her to eat half a dozen cupcakes. The person who replaced their food with worms. The person who gave Emily carbon monoxide poisoning. The person who hit Hanna with a freaking car!
"I have to go," Spencer finally gasped, grabbing her purse, pushing past Mona, out of the front door.
February 29th 2020
"How is she?" Mona asked, softly, almost as if she were afraid of the answer.
"No better than when you last saw her." Hanna almost added, which was twelve hours ago, but decided to keep quiet.
For a few minutes the two highschool friends walked through the trees and gravestones, appreciating each other's presence and silence.
"Are you ready to tell me what happened between you two?" Hanna finally asked.
I pained expression clouded the other girl's face. "I didn't even know that I was falling for her until it was already too late." It was difficult for the former doll shop owner to hide the emotions that threatened to drown her. "I just keep thinking that if I'd never kissed her that night…" Hanna's eyes widened. The fact that they had kissed was new information to her, but she didn't say anything and let Mona continue. "She'd be alright. Maybe, Ezra would even still be alive."
"I don't know if that would be a good thing," Hanna muttered.
December 7th 2019
Spencer turned over for what felt like the billionth time that night. For some reason, she was completely unable to sleep, the kiss from that afternoon playing over and over again in her mind. It made no sense. Nothing made sense.
Mona had been forgiven, but her actions not forgotten.
The kiss. Soft lips against her own. Gentle but firm. Solid and safe. Had Mona intended to kiss her all along? Or was it just the moment that had caused her to do so?
The tall brunette winced. Her best friend's husband was the one to torture her and friends. As sloppy of an A he had been, Aria could be in serious danger right now. Before she knew it, Spencer found herself dialing the Fitz's number.
It rang for a moment. Fora few more, and Spencer felt her heart racing.
"Spence?" A sleepy voice finally appeared on the other ended. Aria. "Spence? It's three A.M. … Spencer? Are you hurt?"
It took a moment for the lobbyist to snap out of her relief and realize that her friend was speaking to her.
"No, no I'm fine," she managed to croak. "I just needed to hear your voice. To know you're O.K."
If this had been anyone else, they would have been pissed. But this was Aria, and after everything all of them had been through, Aria couldn't blame her.
"Do you want me to come?" Spencer's friend suggested. The young Hastings was about to say yes when she heard Ezra's voice in the background.
"Could you not? It's way too early. I am going back to sleep." There was this moment of silence that truly terrified Spencer, before her tormenter continued. "And please be here when I wake up."
"You heard that, Spence?" Aria asked apologetically.
"Yeah," Spencer breathed, her heart still beating abnormally quickly. "Don't worry it's fine."
"Okay, I'll call you later."
Once Aria had hung up, Spencer's heart sank. She once thought that if Aria thought Spencer needed her, she'd come no matter what. If Aria would put Ezra over her, Mona wouldn't stand a chance if Ezra was really going to frame her for being A.
Slowly, Spencer reached out to her night stand to grab her phone.
I meant what I said earlier. She texted. About me sticking up for you. I still mean it. He won't hurt you, i promise.
To her surprise, Spencer received a reply less than a minute later. It seemed like the other woman was getting about as much sleep as she was.
I know, was all Mona had written.
With a groan, Spencer turned over. Images flashed in front of her eyes, like a tape. Soft lips. Mona smiling, laughing, a beautiful sound. Mona the day before, Mona figuring out A's identity. Spencer and Mona holding each other after the dollhouse, clutching on to one another, seeking and finding comfort in the other's embrace.
Spencer's eyes sprang wide open. The dollhouse was five years ago.
How long exactly had she been harboring these feelings?
February 29th 2020
At first, the smell of coffee that hit hanna like a wave as soon as she entered the loft surprised her. Caleb was out with the baby, so no one was home to make it. Unless…
There she was. Spencer. For the first time in a month she was standing in the kitchen, holding a mug with both hands, sipping coffee out of it, before gently placing it on the counter.
With a shriek Hanna dropped her purse and rushed over to her friend to pull her into a hug, almost knocking her over in the process. "Spencer!"
"Han," the other girl gasped. " I can't breathe."
"Sorry!" Hanna pulled back. Gently, she stood on her tiptoes to kiss the former lobbyist on her forehead, just like Spencer had done after Hanna had been run over by Mona in Junior year. "I'm just glad you're up. Like up-up."
Of course she didn't mention that Spencer looked absolutely exhausted. Her hair was dull and tangled and there were dark rings under her eyes, which seemed empty and … haunted themselves at the same time.
When her friend didn't reply, Hanna reached into her pocket to pull out her phone. "I'm telling Mona and Alison that you're awake. We've all been so worried about you!"
However, Spencer hastily reached out to place her hand on that of her friend. "Don't. Please." her voice trembled. "They can't see me like this."
"They've seen you at worse," Hanna pointed out. When that evoked no reaction from Spencer, the fashion designer felt frustration build up. "Are you planning on going back to sleep again?"
Guilt and hurt spread across her friend's features. "I'm not planning anything. I don't mean to sleep so long, I don't want to be such a burden. And I'm trying, really. Please say you believe me when I say I'm trying."
Hanna's gaze softened. Squeezing Spencer's hand, she murmured, "Spence, we can get you help. We love you. You know that, right?"
"I love you, too," the other girl whispered. With dread, Hanna realized that the world of sleep was sucking her friend back in with dread.
With one hand she guided Spencer to the couch, with the other, she grabbed her friend's still warm coffee.
"Here, you go," Hanna soothed her best friend. "You're awake. You're making progress, Spencer. Please stay."
There was an intense silence in the room. Hanna's hope as well as her dread was palpable.
Finally, Spencer stated, "It hurts to be awake." She paused. Then, "Will you tell Mona I miss her?"
"Always," Hanna replied honestly, pulling her friend close so that her head was leaning on her shoulder. "Always, Spence."
December 7th 2019
It was evening, and Spencer had spent all day thinking. Planning. Finding ways to stop Ezra from ruining Alison's and Emily's wedding. It was so difficult for her to do so without thinking about Mona.
The kiss seemed to have forced Spencer to relive every memory that she had of the other girl; the good and the bad, the happy and the painful.
Spencer didn't know what was worse. That she had feelings for the petite Hawaiian that she didn't even know she could feel, or that, despite having everything the other girl had done to her in her mind, Spencer still wanted her.
Without thinking, Spencer pulled out her phone and began to dial. After only a few rings, Mona picked up.
"I have an idea. But I can't do it alone."