A/N - Sorry, I kinda took a break from all of my stories since I couldn't really find time for them when I started university. But since a few people have been asking me about them I figured I'd make the effort to continue them throughout this summer. Shout out to everyone who has been reading and thanks for the reviews.

It had been about a week since Emily had last seen Paige and it was starting to drive her insane. Emily knew that she couldn't see Paige, at least not yet. This was her decision, if she couldn't trust Paige, how could she continue like this, how could she pretend everything was normal.

Emily hadn't hurt like this since Ali broke her heart. It seemed to Emily that this theme of dishonesty was always associated with her heartbreak.

When the other girls asked about their breakup, she tried to be as ambiguous as possible. Emily didn't want the girls suspecting Paige of anything; not again.

"We just- we started to drift apart. It was a mutual decision, it was better for the both of us." Emily explained when Hanna questioned her on the subject.

The four of them were sat at a table outside the front of school. They were waiting for the bell to signal first period.

"You sure you still don't want to talk about it?" Aria added.

"Thanks guys, but it's fine. Really." Emily smiled, hoping that they would get off her back about it sometime soon.

She appreciated having friends who cared about her, but sometimes she just wished they would know when to give up. Emily knew that the girls cared, and this was their way of showing it. But she just wished they would give up after the first time of asking and not getting an honest response.

"Okay, well if you need to talk." Spencer explained, tapping the coffee cup in her hands. "We're just a little worried about you."

"Don't be. I'm fine." Emily responded.

As much as she did appreciate her friends caring about her, she didn't want to talk about this, not this time at least. She couldn't let the others suspect Paige.

Emily went about her day as normal. Going to her classes, seeing the girls at lunch and between classes. The only thing missing from her day was Paige.

Hanna had arranged for the four girls to hang out at the cafe tonight. To catch up and spend some time together. She thought Emily could use some help since Hanna had noticed that she had become increasingly distant.

Emily didn't want to though, she intended on spending the night alone. Ben and Jerry's and a bad movie. I mean, she was a girl going through a breakup, what did they expect. Should couldn't act strong forever, she needed just a little bit of time to herself.

When Emily got home she threw her jacket on her bed and placed her school bag on the floor by her desk.

When she turned back towards her bed, she noticed a note. It must have fallen out of her pocket. But she didn't remember getting a note, or putting anything in her pocket.

Emily picked it up and began to read it.

'Meet me at our spot, midnight. Come alone. x'

Emily did the first thing she could think of in that moment. She rushed back to her desk and searched her drawers, looking for evidence. She found an old birthday card from Alison. She compared the handwriting. A match.

Emily's mind began to race. This can't be her, she's dead. A must be making things more difficult for us; tormenting us in a way we thought they couldn't.

Despite Emily's attempts at trying to understand the note. She still thought, deep down, that this could be Ali. Emily began to try, as much as she could, to rationalise this, to convince herself that this was real and Ali was actually alive.

After the fire, the four of them did swear that they saw Alison. But that was a hallucination, right? A delusion. They couldn't possibly have seen her, she's dead.

But what if she wasn't dead. What if this note was real and Emily could finally see Alison again.

Emily decided that the risk was worth taking. She was so torn, she wanted to believe that she could be alive, that she could finally see Alison again after all this time. But, at the same time, she couldn't believe it, or she didn't want to believe it.

The possibility to see Alison again after all this time was worth the risk of being caught by A. She had to go. There was no way she could be talked out of this; not this time.

Emily spent the rest of the evening ignoring calls from the girls and killing time, waiting for the time to go to their spot. She ran through the night in her head again and again; considering every potential possibility. She wanted to be prepared, even though she knew nothing could prepare her for this, she wanted to at least try.

She checked her watch. It read 11pm. She threw on her jacket, turned off her phone, took a few shaky breaths and left the house.

She told her mom that she was meeting the girls at the cafe and that she would be back later. Emily usually hated lying to her mom, but not today, when it concerned Alison, the lie didn't even phase her, she almost didn't even realise she was lying. She just needed to get out.

Usually, Emily would never wander around Rosewood alone at night. Rosewood was a scary enough place during the day. But she forgot her fear. All she wanted right now was Alison. Any fear was irrelevant; unimpoartant.

Emily sat there, on the rock at their spot for over an hour. It was dark and cold, but at this point, Emily couldn't even notice. Alison was the only thing on her mind.

She checked her watch. Almost 1am.

Emily was beginning to lose hope. Disappointed that she didn't get to see Ali but relieved that this wasn't a set up by A. She almost felt foolish that she even considered the possibility that Alison could have written the note, that Ali could still be alive.

Emily decide that it was about time to leave. She figured an hour was long enough to wait. She tried, and if it really was a note from Alison, the she should have made an effort to be on time.

Emily began to leave to head home, she stood up from the rock and fastened her jacket, suddenly feeling the cold that she had been ignoring for the last hour. As she began to walk away, she heard the snapping of a twig not too far behind her.

She held her breath. The worry had kicked in. She had no idea how she was going to feel when she saw Ali. After all, Emily had been convinced that she was dead for the last four years.

Initially, her mind jumped to Alison, she hadn't even considered what else could have caused the snapping of the twig. An animal, a dog walker, A. She was focused on Ali.

Emily slowly began to turn around.

"Emily..."

She heard the voice before she saw the face. Hearing Alison say her name again was surreal. She never thought she would her that again. And Emily was particularly grateful that, after all this time, she hadn't forgotten that voice. It was as recognisable as ever.

As Emily turned to fully face Alison she was hit with a flood of emotion. The love and admiration she felt so strongly for Alison. The hatred and heartbreak Ali was particularly good at provoking. The sorrow and regret after she found out Alison was dead.

It all hit her the second Emily saw her face again; heard her voice again.

The two of them stood either side of the rock. Watching each other, neither of them prepared for this; neither of them knowing what to do in a situation like this. They just didn't know what to expect from this meeting.

"It's really you?" Emily asked, her voice beginning to crack and tears filling her eyes.

Emily analysed the blonde hair, the familiar blue eyes, the pale face, the rosy lips. She almost didn't want to believe it. But she was here, right in front of Emily, at their spot again for the first time since Ali's 'death'. This was real and it terrified her.

"It's me." Alison's voice was shaky. She attempted a smile, but smiling had become unfamiliar to her over the last few years.

The two of them just stood there for several seconds, trying to make sense of what it was that was happening.

Emily rushed towards Alison and wrapped her arms around her. Being able to touch her, being able to hold her was all Emily needed. She knew this was real now. Alison was alive.

The two of them just stood there holding each other for sometime, it was difficult to say how long they were stood there. They couldn't focus on anything that wasn't each other.

After a while, Emily broke the embrace. She placed both of her hands on the top of Ali's arms and stared into those blue eyes.

"So why are you here? Why now?" Emily asked reluctantly, worried of what her response would be.

"...I need your help."