Sorry for the delay, I've had essays coming out of my ears at university. Word of advice: never EVER study Sociology and if anyone tells you it's interesting they are lying. Seriously lying to your face. Anyway had a lot of idea's about what people want to see drama wise which was pretty awesome, couldn't really choose between them all so I've kind of mashed them into one. And since most of you want flashbacks I've included two. Hope you guys enjoy it and as always give me a follow on Twitter at kirstenr93 and follow/fave and review!

Alison brushes her teeth quietly before she glances back at Emily who is still asleep, her arm still thrown over Alison's side of the bed and the blonde is jealous at how snug the brunette looks, and she really wants to crawl back into bed into Emily's arms. But she can't because today is her first day back at work and it's only one day a week but still it's a big deal. It's when she leans over to kiss Isla that she notices that her daughter is awake. Deep blue eyes looking back at her own.

"Good morning baby, I can't stay with you but your Mama is going to be here with you all day, I'm going to miss you," she whispers and she's not surprised to hear Emily stir behind her, any noise near Isla has Emily on alert.

"Put her into the bed with me, she likes it in here and I've kept it all warm," Emily replies sleepily and Alison lifts Isla into her arms before placing playful kisses all over her face resulting in a playful screech from their seven month old.

"Fine, but be careful and face her so you know where she is at all times, I will put the pillows at my side of the bed so she doesn't roll anywhere," Alison states as she stacks her pillows up at the side like a barricade and she places another kiss on Isla's head before she hands her to Emily who is now sitting up, running her hand through tousled hair.

"We will be fine in here won't we baby?" Emily asks Isla before she smiles at Alison and she can tell the blonde is nervous about going back to work, even though she has no need to be. "You will be fine too babe trust me, Aria will be happy to have you back for a day, now go before you're late. We love you," and she lifts Isla's hand in a waving motion.

"I love you too." Alison replies as she leans over to kiss both of them before reluctantly heading out the bedroom door. Her footsteps trudging heavily downstairs.

- x -

She's rudely awoken from her sleep when she feels tiny fingernails scratch against her cheek and when she opens her eyes she's met with blue ones staring intently at her, watching curiously as the brunette blinks her eyes open and they are nearly nose to nose. Both of them in the middle of her and Ali's bed and the duvet is pulled up to around Isla's waist enough to keep her arms free though. Clearly, Emily thinks when a small palm is pushed against her cheek. Squishing her face.

"Good morning to you too Isla, I am awake don't worry," Emily speaks softly as she watches a small hand come out to grip a hold of a strand of hair that has fallen down her face and there's a slight tug on it before her daughter attempts to put it into her mouth.

A mouth that is housing nearly three teeth now, the one on her top gum breaking through slowly, but enough that it's made her want to chew on everything and anything she sees.

"Nope, that's bad Isla, you can't eat that, that is my hair," Emily states as she pulls her hair back behind her ear and her chest aches a little when she sees how crestfallen Isla's face looks at having the hair taken away from her. She looks like a puppy who is being told off for bad behaviour. Isla's large blue eyes blink across at her own.

"It's not good for you, I will give you your teething toy when we go downstairs for breakfast," and she reaches over to twirl a soft curl around her finger and Isla's soon forgotten about Emily's hair when the brunette begins to tickle her stomach and small legs reach into the air while she giggles furiously.

Her small fists attempting to wrap around the hand that Emily has on her stomach. "Okay, so I think it is breakfast time baby," Emily states as her stomach grumbles loudly and she watches as Isla's head tilts slightly at the unfamiliar noise.

"When you get to me and your Mommy's age you are going to love this stuff too, trust me, it's great for any and every occasion," Emily says as she brings her mug of coffee to her lips and she closes her eyes briefly as the caffeine begins it's well travelled journey around her body.

She watches in amusement as a small hand slaps down on the tray at Isla's highchair and she knows immediately that Isla is waiting for another spoonful of her Weetabix. And the seven month old grins when another spoonful heads towards her mouth.

- x -

She stands with her hand on the back of the black leather desk chair that's been unoccupied for the last eight months and she has to admit she's missed it but not as much as she's missing her daughter and her wife for that matter. After placing the photo of Isla on her desk, she flicks on her computer and the screensaver is still the same, a picture of her and Emily but she makes a mental note that she will have to change it to her, Emily and Isla. It's only for a few hours she thinks to herself as she hangs her coat up and she can't help but wonder what Emily and Isla are doing right now.

And she tosses her phone between each hand before resting it on her desk because Emily and Isla will be just fine and she's being slightly paranoid about being away from them for a few hours, it's okay when she's with Emily because at least she has one of them but this is the first time she's been without both of them and she knows she has to get used to it but it doesn't mean she has to like it because she already knows that she doesn't like it.

She lifts her head up when she hears the door of their studio chime and she straightens her dress down before she makes her way out of the office to greet Aria and her new photographer. "Hi, I'm Alison, it's nice to meet you," the blonde says as she extends her hand to Aria's protégé for the week and the other woman dutifully takes it with a firm shake.

"It's nice to meet you, Aria told me you're the boss around here, I'm Alice," the woman replies with a smile and there's a very educated lilt to her voice. Alison releases her hand before she takes a few seconds to take Alice in. She's younger than them although Alison doesn't think by much and there's almost a Spencer quality about her, tall, dark and she looks smart, she talks smart.

"I am the boss," she says with a smirk, "but you will only see me today, I am only gradually coming back to work after having my daughter," Alison explains with a smile and her mind again floats back to what Emily and Isla are doing right now.

"Congratulations." Alice states before Aria pulls her over to show her something on the computer screen, the both of them talking animatedly at whatever Aria is showing her.

"Is that your daughter?" Alice asks as she stands in the doorway of Alison's office and the blonde follows the brunette's line of vision to the photo frame that takes pride of place on her desk.

"Yeah it sure is, this was taken a few weeks ago, she's seven months now," Alison replies as she runs her finger along the top of the silver frame.

"She's gorgeous, you must have a very handsome husband," the brunette states and Alison's lips curve into a small smile as she gently shakes her head.

"I have a wife actually, but yes she's very handsome too," Alison jokes and she's not completely sure but she swears she sees something shift behind Alice's eyes, the brunette's eyes darting between Alison and the frame before lingering on Ali for a little too long, but before she can figure it out Aria is standing next to her protégé.

"I need a coffee break guys, so how about it?"

- x -

She puts the toothpaste onto the tiny brush before she gently brushes over three teeth and Isla squirms in her arms at the obvious intrusion, her hands coming up to wrap around Emily's wrist.

"I know you don't like it but you have to keep your teeth healthy even when you are this little," and Isla pulls back in an attempt to escape the brush. "Just a few more brushes and we are done Isla." By the time Emily finishes Isla's has eventually relented to the brushing, allowing Emily to do it without much fuss.

Emily picks out the bear snow suit from the pile before she wriggles Isla into it and she zips it up fully until the zip is touching her daughter's chin. "Look at you all adorable as a little bear," she coos as she ruffles one of the ears that is attached to the snow suit. And Isla's eyes dart upwards in an attempt to see what Emily is touching, before attempting to put her hand into her mouth.

"Your aunt Hanna bought you this snow suit, she will love seeing you in this, expect a squeal, and while it's fashionable it's also very good for the cold weather outside," Emily states with a smile as she clips Isla securely into her car seat before joining her in the front.

"Okay I think it's about time we made a visit to see how your Mommy is getting on, she's done extremely well not to text and call us but I imagine her patience is about to run out and no one wants that Isla trust me."

- x -

Alison picks her phone up again before clicking onto the messages and her finger hovers over Emily's name before she puts it back down again because she knows the brunette will think she's being silly.

Her thoughts are interrupted when she hears the chimes on the door again and when a shriek follows it she's quickly on her feet because she would know that noise anywhere. "Alison you have one very impatient visitor out here," Aria calls and Alison grins when she sees Emily and their seemingly new adopted bear.

"She's like a baby bear," Alison coos as she takes Isla from Emily before leaning up to press a kiss onto Emily's lips and god she's missed Emily this morning, even though it's only been four hours.

"Hello baby," she murmurs against soft dark curls and she smiles when Isla's hand reaches out towards her own, small fingers curling around her hand. "I've missed you so much this morning."

"Thanks, I've missed you too," Emily retorts quickly and Alison narrows her eyes in the brunette's direction because Emily's well aware that Alison meant Isla.

"I did miss you babe don't worry, but I missed this little one especially," Alison adds as Isla reaches up for the silver chain that hangs around Alison's neck. The silver chain that Alison always wears when she feels like she needs some sort of luck. Small fingers wrapping around the turquoise Alexandrite gemstone that dangles elegantly from the chain.

"Happy birthday babe," Emily speaks as she hands Alison her card, the small jewellery box resting in her jeans pocket and she hopes that Alison likes it, she put a lot of effort into it, saved hard for it and she hopes it's not going to be wasted.

The blonde rips the card open before she scans the words inside and she reads the last three over and over again because sure Emily has given her cards before but never one containing the phrase 'I love you.'

And she knows that no matter what happens in their future she will always keep this card. Her first proper birthday card from Emily, almost a year since they had become an official couple.

"And I got you this," the brunette fumbles in her jeans pocket until she pulls out the precisely wrapped rectangular box and Alison takes it from her, this time she delicately rips at the paper exposing the jewellery box and butterflies flutter in her stomach because no one has ever bought her jewellery before.

And she smiles when she sees it, running her thumb slowly over the stone. "I can't believe you remembered this from last year when I said I'd never had one," Alison comments as she pulls the chain out and she hands it to Emily before she turns on her heels so her back is facing the brunette.

"I always wanted a birthstone chain like yours," she adds with a smile that Emily can't see and she still shivers slightly when she feels Emily so close to her.

"I know, that's why I bought you it babe, I know it's not your actual birthstone but it's a June stone and I thought you'd like this the most. Happy birthday." Emily replies before she places an open mouthed kiss on the blonde's neck while her arms wrap around Alison's waist to keep her close.

"Is this your daughter?" a voice from behind them calls and Emily turns on her feet to see who it has come from. Alison nods before she smiles proudly back down at Isla.

"Emily this is Alice, she's Aria's protégé for the week and she's very good at what she does," Alison says and Emily leans out to take the woman's hand.

"She's just gorgeous, you have great genes," Alice states as she makes her way over towards the group. Three coffees in hand and Emily smiles at Aria and Alison making her do the coffee run.

She doesn't know why but she doesn't really like Alice, there's no reason for it but it's one of they irrational things that she thinks may just be in her head but when Alice's hand touches Alison's shoulder for the third time in ten minutes and when Alison smiles back with her head tilted like it's no big deal she knows that it's not just in her head.

And she shamefully wonders if Alison's oblivious towards it or whether she's just enjoying the attention because she gets that women who have recently had a baby don't always feel attractive but she's pretty sure she's made Alison feel attractive.

Pretty sure she's always reassured Alison that she's beautiful. She hopes she has because she's not often jealous but she can feel it beginning to bubble away underneath the surface of her skin and she narrows her eyes at the other brunette who's now currently talking to Aria.

"Em?" Alison's voice breaks her from her thoughts and she shakes her head gently before reaching out to take Isla who has her arms outstretched in Emily's direction, a three toothed smile poking out from beneath her lips.

"I'm going to cook for you tonight, first day back at work and all that," Emily says as her eyes stay on Alice until she feels Alison's hand on her shoulder, the blonde looking up at her through long lashes.

"That sounds perfect I will probably call or text you before that you know what I'm like," Alison replies and Emily nods in agreement.

"I do."

- x -

Emily turns off the cooker before she steps back and she has to admit the house smells amazing, her cooking smells amazing and she's pretty sure that Alison will be pretty impressed with the meal she has prepared for them.

"If you and Alison ever divorce I will marry you for this kind of cooking alone," Hanna states as she rocks Isla on her hip and Emily can tell her daughter is extremely unhappy, has been since they got home from visiting Alison.

"I have no idea what's wrong with her she seems like she has a bit of an upset tummy so I've packed extra diapers, I don't think we will be late tonight so if you bring her back around nine that will be fine, Alison knows you have her so expect a text or several," Emily speaks as she tickles under Isla's chin and surprisingly her daughter backs away, burying her face in the crook of Hanna's neck.

"I think she needs a nap or something," Hanna replies as she pats Isla's back gently before rubbing her hand around in circles and after a few minutes she feels Isla asleep against her.

"She's pretty warm too I can feel her head against my neck, I think she may be getting the cold that is going around right now." Probably Emily thinks, it is the beginning of December and there is germs flying about everywhere at this time of year as usual and her Dad has had the cold recently.

"Maybe yeah, my Dad had it a week or so ago so maybe she has caught it from him when we went over there last week." Emily replies as she unties the apron that's around her waist, tossing it onto the kitchen counter.

- x -

"Ali, we got the contract!" Aria squeals as she reads the email again for the fifth time and she's unsure if she's reading it right but when she moves the mouse again she knows she is seeing it right.

"That is amazing Aria, well done, it was all you though I haven't been here for eight months," Alison jokes back as she brings the brunette into a tight hug.

"It's us, we are a team remember?"

"Lets go and celebrate, all three of us," Aria states as she pulls her jacket on and Alice nods in agreement.

"You guys definitely should, it's amazing for you and this place," Alice replies and Alison smiles because a drink sounds like a great idea but so does going home to Emily to have a meal with her wife and she's genuinely torn until Alice pulls at her arm.

"Come on one drink won't hurt," and Alison knows one drink won't really affect her night because she will still be home pretty early but she refuses, only going on the condition that she drinks water because she's driving.

She's in the middle of typing a text to Emily when Aria tugs at her arm so she can lock the studio up and unbeknown to Alison, her finger misses the send option and she locks her phone before putting it into her purse and heading down the street with Aria and Alice at either side of her.

She presses Alison's name on her phone for the fifth time and for the fifth time it goes to the blonde's voicemail, and she's torn between being angry at Alison and being panicked. So she sends another text and waits for a reply and when the reply doesn't come she calls Aria who's phone also goes to voicemail and now she's decided she's annoyed rather than panicked.

"What is the point of having a phone if you are not going to answer it?" she mutters to herself before she puts the bottle of wine away and just as she's about to put their plates away her phone vibrates on the kitchen counter.

"Hello?" she speaks into the phone and she hears commotion wherever Alison is, it sounds like a bar but she's not completely sure and she wonders what the hell Alison is doing at a bar anyway.

"I'm at the bar with Aria, I text you babe," comes Alison's reply and Emily shakes her head because she never got any text.

"I didn't get any text Alison."

"Alison are you sure you don't want to have a drink with us?" Emily hears in the background and she knows it's not Aria's voice, which leaves Alice and she doesn't like the small knot that forms in her stomach, twisting in an ugly way.

"Well I'm glad you would rather spend your night with them." Emily replies and she knows it's wrong, knows she will regret it but she presses the end call button on her screen and suddenly she's plunged into silence again. Sitting her phone back onto the kitchen island.

Alison's not completely sure what has just happened but she's pretty sure Emily is annoyed at her, not just annoyed but extremely annoyed because she can't remember the last time Emily hung up the phone on her and she immediately calls back to be greeted with Emily's voicemail message. And it's when she goes to text Emily that she sees it.

The earlier text that actually hasn't sent, the text that's still resting in the speech box and now she gets why Emily is annoyed. Because as far as Emily is aware Alison finished work over an hour ago and she should be long home by now.

- x -

She's not surprised to find their house in darkness and Alison can smell the food coming from the kitchen, it lingers in the air, and it smells amazing but she has no time to dwell on it, so she makes her way upstairs to where she knows Emily will be and sure enough half way up the stairs she hears the familiar thump of Emily's fists being pounded against her leather punching bag.

"Em, I'm home," Alison calls as she reaches the top and she heads right towards Emily's gym room.

"I'm home," she says again as she opens the door and Emily hardly gives her a glance before she goes back to pounding on the bag. "Emily I text you, I just never noticed it didn't send," and she's a bit taken a back when the brunette scoffs lightly at her.

"So technically you didn't text me you just left me to wait here after I cooked for you while you were out with them." And Alison has a feeling this isn't just about her being late home, there's something else that's bothering her wife, she can just feel it crackling in the air between them.

"Can we talk about whatever has got you pissed at me?" Alison asks as she steps into the room and Emily hits the bag with a one two combo before she finally turns around in the blonde's direction, her eyes narrowing slightly at what she's about to say and she knows it's stupid, she half expects Alison to laugh at her but before she can overrule her subconscious the words come tumbling out of her mouth.

"I saw you today with Aria's little protégé, all touchy feely with you and you smiled back at her like it was no big deal when clearly it is because clearly she's into you and you done nothing," and Alison's mind flies back to this morning when she thought she saw something in the way Alice looked at her and could she maybe have been right?

"Emily do not be ridiculous, it was her first day she was just being nice to me."

"Do you miss all the attention you used to get or something?" the brunette asks as she unclips her gloves and they fall to the floor with a soft bump. "They say there is the seven year itch, maybe you have the eleven year itch or something," she adds and she almost hates herself when she sees Alison flinch at her words.

Because she knows, really she knows, that Alison would never cheat on her or do anything to hurt her and that this is all part of an irrational jealousy that shouldn't really even exist, because Alice ultimately doesn't matter to them.

"You really think that I would do anything with her when I have you? When we have Isla? When I'm completely in love with you?" Alison asks and she makes sure her voice is strong even though inside she doesn't feel strong.

She's caught between wanting to shout at Emily for how ridiculous she's being and wanting to rip her clothes off to show her just who she wants but she doesn't do either, she just waits. Waits for an answer that doesn't come, the only acknowledgement Emily gives to her question is a shake of her head.

Emily's not surprised when she hears the room door slam behind her but it still doesn't stop her from flinching and she flinches again when she hears the front door being slammed shut too. She knows she's hurt Alison and she knows she has to make it right but she knows not to go after the blonde now because she knows Alison needs time and space.

She'd learned that pretty early on in their relationship that when Alison was pissed it was best just to leave her be for a little while.

- x -

Alison doesn't even know her destination until she gets there, it's a place she's been to many times before, some good and some bad, usually it's her place when her and Emily argue which isn't often but still they wouldn't be a married couple if they didn't argue once in a while. She gazes out over Rosewood and the bitter wind makes her shiver but she tucks her hands into her jacket pockets before she makes her way over to the rock that juts out at the edge and she sits on it, ignoring the cold. She takes in the view and simply breathes. Jealousy was usually her thing, not Emily's.

She shoves on a pair of jeans and her jacket before she heads downstairs and she takes them two at a time in a rush to get to her car. She picks up her keys from the table in the hall before she heads out the door, locking it behind her and Emily doesn't hear her phone as it buzzes insistently against the kitchen island.

She sits in her car for a few seconds before she decides where to go and in the end it's an easy decision because she knows where Ali has gone. If anything their relationship had made the blonde a little predictable at these kind of things.

She's not surprised to see Alison's jeep emerge from the darkness when she pulls up behind it and she can see Alison sitting on the rock that they always usually share, the rock that they will end up sharing before they leave here together tonight. This was one of their 'spots' and has been for a very long time.

"Hey," she speaks softly as she approaches the blonde who's eyes are fixed on the view of Rosewood and despite it being Rosewood, Emily has to admit the view is pretty spectacular at the time of night.

"You shouldn't be here at this time on your own considering everything."

"I needed space," the blonde replies curtly and Emily knows she needs to fix this quickly.

"Alison you have to stop with Paige. Me and her are over, we have been since… well even before you came back really," and Emily means it, her and Paige had been foreign since she had found out Alison had been alive all along.

"You don't get it though. When I was gone, I watched you with her sometimes, and I know at some point she made you happy so maybe she could again and I can't go through that, I just can't." Alison replies and she crosses her arms almost defensively, blinking back her tears when she feels Emily's head on her shoulder before arms snake around her waist drawing her closer.

"That's not going to happen, I love you and only you and I hate arguing with you," the brunette whispers in her ear and she can't help the tear that rolls down her cheek and onto the ground. "Hey come on Ali," Emily soothes and Alison turns in Emily's arms and allows the brunette to completely consume her in the cuddle.

"I know it's been a few months but I'm still scared of this… of us," the blonde mumbles against Emily's chest and Emily presses a kiss onto Ali's head.

"I know and so am I, but Alison you have to trust me. I love you and I want to be with you. After we argued I was so worried about where you went, I don't even know how I remembered here but I did, remembered you saying you liked coming here when you needed space."

"That's why I love you Em, you remember they kind of things about me," and Alison leans up to press a gentle kiss against Emily's lips and the brunette can taste the last remnants of Alison's tears.

"I love you too Ali."

"I think if we ever argue this should be our spot so that if I come here you will know where I am and vice versa, it will make things a lot easier for us," Alison states and Emily thinks it's a great idea because it will save her endless anxiety whenever they argue because she knows it's inevitable in every relationship.

"I think that's a perfect idea, this will be our argue spot from now on."

"Alison?" Emily calls as she walks towards where the blonde is standing and the wind that blows causes her to shiver. "I'm sorry," she speaks as she gets closer and she sees Alison nod her head in acknowledgement but the blonde still doesn't speak.

"Jealously is usually my thing, it was strange to see it from you for a change. Even worse though is that you actually thought I enjoyed it," and Emily can hear the slight anger in Alison's voice.

And to be honest she deserves it, because she knows she was wrong to accuse Alison of that. "I deserved that," the brunette admits before she stands behind Ali shielding the blonde from some of the wind that is currently blowing in their direction.

There's a silence that lingers between them and Emily rocks on the soles of her feet because she hates when she gets the silent treatment it is worse than Alison arguing with her.

"Please talk to me, you know I hate when you give me the silent treatment," she speaks and she is pretty sure that she can see the corner of Ali's mouth twitching in amusement.

"I know and that's why I'm doing it." Alison replies and she finally turns slightly in Emily's direction, a smile tugging at her mouth.

She motions for Emily to sit beside her and the brunette takes her seat on the cold rock, hissing slightly when she feels the cold through the fabric of her jeans.

"How have you managed to sit here for long I can feel the cold through my jeans," she says as she puts her arm around Ali's shoulder.

"My ass is seriously cold right now I can't even feel it," the blonde jokes and she rests her head against Emily's shoulder. Enjoying the warmth of the brunette against her.

"I'm sorry Ali I was out of order to say what I did, I was just jealous. It was when she touched your arm, not once but three times, and yeah I just saw red and then when you didn't come home I overreacted and I'm sorry."

Alison appreciates the apology, she's already accepted it by the time Emily finishes the first word but she lets the brunette continue because flustered Emily is adorable Emily and she can't help but grin when she looks over at her wife.

"What?" Emily questions as the blonde looks at her, her head slightly tilted.

"Nothing, you are just very adorable when you ramble Em," and she doesn't waste any time before she leans over to press her cold lips against Emily's.

"Lets go home please, I am freezing so I can't imagine how cold you are," Emily states as she stands and extends her hand to Alison who takes it before linking their cold fingers together for the short walk to their cars and she sees her phone light up the inside of her car.

"It's probably Hanna to see where we are, it's just left nine and I told her to bring Isla home at that time, so she will be wondering where we are," Emily explains as they reach Alison's jeep and the blonde leans into get her phone.

She turns away to glance back at Rosewood as she hears Alison answer the phone but her head whips back around when she hears the word hospital and Alison has gone a worrying shade of white, the colour draining from her face rapidly.

"Okay we will be there right away," Alison replies and the blonde can feel her hand shaking against her face where she's holding the phone and she's pretty sure she is about to be sick.

And Emily's looking at her with a concerned expression, her brows knitting together and she hangs up the phone when Hanna says bye.

"It's Isla, Hanna had to take her to the hospital."