A/N: I'm off-schedule a little bit, but doin' my best. Thanks for hanging in there with me.

Rated NOT T for...stuff and thangs (at this point I'm not sure whether this crazy ride should be rated T or M, given nothing is "explicit").


Chapter 29:

Growing Up

The trip was meant to be two-fold. Emily wanted to see NYU. She wanted to see Alison in her element. She wanted to see the living situation there. At least, that's what she was going to tell her mom and dad. Part of it was true. She did want Alison to understand what she would be missing out on if she rejected New York.

Their main reason for going was to catch a criminal. They already had Wilden on the hook. If they could find who he was working with they could put an end to everything.

Emily asked for the weekend off. Toby was happy to oblige. The boys had really been picking up the slack around the gym since they'd gotten confirmation of her pregnancy. Emily didn't like being treated any differently, but she couldn't exactly argue.

Friday after school let out Emily went home, unprepared for the battle of resistance she would get from her parents about her latest decision. She'd been thinking a lot about New York. Not just because of her current circumstances, but because of the fact that it could potentially be her future.

She told her parents that she was taking Alison north for the weekend so they could get a feel for the city. She mentioned they might look at jobs and housing. She did not mention their plans to go upstate.

"New York?" Her father asked, scratching at the stubble on his chin. "Where is this coming from? This is so out of the blue."

"Not really. It's been in the back of my mind…"

"Since when?" Her mother looked horrified. "God, the crime statistics alone…"

"Crime happens everywhere." Emily frowned, trying to keep it from turning into a full blown argument. "Kind of a planetary epidemic. Utopias don't exist."

"Of course we don't expect you to fear living your life. We just want you to think responsibly, not just for your sake, but for the baby's sake. And New York…it's not the safest place for young women and a newborn." Her mother made a face like she had smelled something sour.

Emily had to hold in a laugh. She'd been in more danger in the sleepy little town of Rosewood than she had been anywhere else in her entire life.

"You don't think there are any babies in New York?" Emily argued.

"Don't be snippy, Emily." Her mother bit back.

"I'm sorry, but you're being unreasonable…"

"Hey…" Her father intervened. Emily peered at him. He sighed. He looked exhausted. The worry wrinkles on his forehead made him look decades older. "Don't disrespect your mother. We're trying to help you."

"It's just a trip. I don't know anything for sure yet. I don't understand why you're freaking out so much. I thought you were going to support me." She felt betrayed. She expected her mother to complain about it, but her dad had told her that he wanted her to follow her heart.

"Of course we are." He reached out to touch Emily's hand, but she pulled it away. He rubbed his brow. The weary expression in his eyes told Emily he'd had a long week at work and he wasn't in the mood for a family blowout. "You're not always going to like what we have to say. You have to understand that we see things a little differently. You're still young, Emmy. There is so much you still don't know about the world…"

"Then let me learn! That's why you were trying to push me out in the first place." Emily felt a heat rising in her chest. "I don't see what difference it makes where I go as long as I'm out of the house. That's the whole point of this, isn't it?"

"Baby, you know that's not what we're trying to do." Her dad was patient, but firm. "Look, I was pissed at my parents for a long time after they made me move out. I hated them, but I look back and now I understand. You're going to understand one day…"

Emily cut him off with an aggravated breath.

"So you want me out, but you don't want me to go where I want to go?"

"We want you to be sensible." Her mother interjected. "I mean, my God, Emily, you've barely got a plan. You don't even have a car-seat yet. You haven't looked at transportation. You haven't considered upgrading to something that has seats. Be realistic. Are you going to strap an infant seat on the back of your bike?"

"No, Mom, I thought I'd just tether the baby to the back of the bike with some duct tape and cruise around the most dangerous city in the world while waiting to be stabbed to death."

Her parents let her bitchy comment slide, though her mother looked like she wanted to slap her.

"There are a lot of things to consider. What about your apartment here? You just signed a six month lease," her mom said.

"Which I can negate at any time."

"You're going to lose money if you do that. And the cost of living in New York isn't anything like it is here. Even if you're working housing is going to be expensive, not to mention the costs associated with raising a child. Have you given that any thought?"

"I'll manage. I'll get a roommate."

"You don't know anyone in New York." Her mom pointed out.

"I know Alison."

"Who will be in classes. Who is going to take care of the baby when you're at work? Are you going to be able to afford childcare?" Her mother had an argument for everything.

"Look, I'm figuring it out, okay?"

"You can't just uproot your entire life to chase some girl…" Her mother still had a problem calling Alison her girlfriend, and it irked Emily. Pam was trying, and Emily knew that, but it still bothered her. "We've put up with this long enough. But this is ridiculous, Emily. You've known that girl for six months…"

"She has a name." Emily scowled at her mother. "Alison. And you might as well get used to it, because she's going to be in my life. She's going to be in my child's life." Her hands were trembling in anger. She pushed herself to her feet and moved towards the front door. "God, I can't wait to get out of here."

Having them poke holes in her dream of making it work with Alison was painfully sobering. She thought they were coming around to the idea of her relationship with Alison. They'd been open and accepting. She didn't understand why they were trying to belittle her feelings. She was too blinded by hope to understand that they weren't trying to demean her relationship with Alison. They were concerned about her future.

"Emily…" Her dad stood up to try and follow her.

"Don't!" Emily exclaimed. She faced her dad, her face hot and red. "You're as bad as her." She shot her mother a dirty look. She'd expected better of her father. "I thought you wanted me to follow my heart. I thought you trusted me. But I'll never be anything more than your problem child that just continuously fucks up…"

"That is not true." Her dad cut her off. "We love you…"

"You just don't love my choices." Emily huffed.

She wasn't sure why she was so upset. It wasn't like they were outright refusing to let her make her own choices. They just had a lot to say about it. They always had a lot to say about it. She hated when she got overly-emotional. It just wasn't her. She knew a lot of it was hormones, but the feelings felt intensely insane and it made her feel like she was losing her mind.

"Don't worry. You won't have to deal with my choices much longer. I'll be gone soon." She snapped.

She paced out of the kitchen and raced towards the front door. Getting away from her house couldn't come soon enough.

She heard her dad calling out after her, but she didn't bother to turn around. She slammed the door and paced down the steps. She needed to cool off before she said something she really regretted.

She stormed out to the garage and hopped on her bike. She hadn't been riding nearly as much lately. Her OB told her that short rides on safe roads were still fine, but it had been too cold to take her bike out most days.

The weather was warm and breezy and the sun was beating down on her. It was the perfect day to take the motorcycle out for a spin. She stuck to the roads close to home and she was very careful about being around other vehicles, especially given she knew that someone was after her.

Being on the bike out on the open road invigorated her senses. Her emotions took a backseat to being in the moment. She could feel everything around her. The wind. The trees. The energy buzzing through the bike.

She stopped at the park and took a walk to cool off. She found a quiet spot on a bench in the warmth of the sun. She closed her eyes and let the sun paint colors behind her eyelids. After a few seconds she opened them back up and took a calming breath.

Her phone buzzed. She assumed it was her parents nagging her for storming out. When she saw Isaac's name she wasn't sure how to react. They hadn't spoken since he'd asked for time last weekend.

How are you?

She stared at the screen trying to figure out how to respond. Things felt really weird now that he knew the truth. She typed back,

Fighting with the parental units.

Three little dots popped up as he responded,

Yikes. I know that feeling…

Isaac usually didn't argue with his mom and dad. He was the kind of guy who walked away and stewed quietly in his rage. Her immediate thought was that he'd blown up at them about keeping his baby a secret and sending Emily away. She'd begged him not to tell them. She was afraid of what they would do.

Isaac…you didn't.

No. This has nothing to do with…you know.

He tiptoed around it, like putting it in writing would damn them both in some way. Emily appreciated it, especially since she didn't know what was being monitored and by who.

They were pissed at me because I got into a huge blowout with Courtney over everything. I didn't tell them why we were fighting. I had it out with her.

He emphasized his anger with several little angry-faced emojis before continuing,

After everything she's done over the years...to me...to you...to everyone, I told her she's seriously messed up and that she needs help. Told her she needs to get her shit together. She threw a ceramic bowl at my head and screamed at me and threatened to tell everyone in town everything, including mom and dad. She even threatened you. I told her if she even thinks about hurting you I'll destroy her. She stormed out…being dramatic.

An eye roll emoji followed by,

She's staying with one of the girls on the swim team. She's refusing to come home. Now mom and dad are putting all kinds of pressure on me. I'm exhausted. I'm tired of this.

Emily sat there reading and re-reading the message. The part about Courtney threatening her made her nervous. She snapped out of it when her phone buzzed again.

I can't talk to anyone. And it's killing me. I've got so much going on in my head right now. I have some things I need to say, but…it's too much to text. Would it be okay if I called you?

Emily didn't wait for him to call her. She felt responsible for everything that was going on back in Texas. She had done so much to screw up his life. She needed to fix what she could. She hit the "call" button.

"Emily?" He asked as he picked up the phone.

"Hey," she answered.

"Hey." The sound of his voice was almost too much for her.

"So…" Emily wasn't sure what to say. "Things are tense there?"

"That's a word for it." Isaac huffed darkly. She hated hearing the pain in his tone. "God, the nerve of my sister…" He growled. "I'm so sick of her. It's one thing to try to bully me, but she tried to bring you and the baby into it…"

"I never meant to cause any problems."

"You didn't. She did. The second she started manipulating you…and pushing me around. I'm not going to stand for it anymore. I'm sick and tired of people taking advantage of me and walking all over me…"

"That's kind of my fault, too…"

"No." Isaac suddenly realized that he was ranting. "I didn't mean it that way. I'm just…still reeling from everything. But I know this hasn't been easy for you either. I get it." He heaved out a breath. "I hate that you've been stressed about this for so long. I hate that you were too scared to just tell me the truth from the beginning. I liked what we had. I liked our friendship. I would have been happy to be whatever you wanted me to be. If you needed me to be your beard you didn't have to lie about it."

"Coming out for me…it wasn't easy." Emily shuffled her feet against the ground.

"I still would have loved you. And who knows where we would be now?" he asked sadly.

"Yeah…" Emily reached down, her palm brushing her stomach. "Who knows?" She rubbed her belly.

If she had done anything any differently she wouldn't have her baby. As terrifying as motherhood seemed she couldn't fathom a world in which her baby didn't exist. She was starting to lose track of the world before seeing her daughter's heartbeat…before feeling her first motions. Before the baby nothing else seemed to matter. All she knew was the love that she felt for her child. She wouldn't take any of it back. Without her relationship with Isaac things would have been very different. She wasn't sure she could picture any other outcome. She didn't want to picture any other outcome.

"I…" Isaac's voice wavered nervously. "I have been trying to understand this whole parenting thing. I don't know how to feel. I thought by now maybe I'd know what to do, but all this shit with Courtney and my parents…it's made me realize…my family is so incredibly fucked up. I don't…I don't know that I am any better than they are."

"Don't talk like that." Emily felt a twinge of sadness. "You're an amazing person. You're not like..." She paused, biting her lip, holding back the insults about his family.

"Not like the rest of my family?" He finished her thought for her. "It's okay. You can say it. I know how shitty they are. I grew up with them. I'm going to be stuck with them my whole life, whether I want to be or not."

"You don't have to be," Emily said softly. "We're not tethered to people forever. We can find our own way. Family can be whatever you want it to be."

"Not for me." The sting in his words sent a crushing wave of guilt washing over her. "I mean...where do I fit in? Honestly, can you tell me that?"

"Isaac, I..." She fumbled with her words. She didn't know how to help him.

"It's okay, Em. I'm not mad. Not at you. Not anymore. I'm too tired to be mad." He sighed. "Besides...I could never stay mad at you, especially not knowing you were only trying to protect her. I'm just trying to figure out what this means for me."

"What do you want it to mean?"

There was another heavy sigh. She could tell he was conflicted.

"You and I both know I'm not the kind of guy that would abandon my family. But this is…it's a lifetime commitment. And usually…that's something that people talk about, right?" He asked. It was a rhetorical question. "We…we never did. We never got to have those conversations. I never knew how you felt…or how I feel, if I'm being perfectly honest. I had all these wild thoughts that made me feel like a terrible person, because I didn't know anything you were going through. Like…" He cleared his throat and she could hear him rubbing his palms against his jeans, "…early on…did you ever think about getting an abortion?"

The line went silent.

"Emily?"

"I'm still here," she replied quietly.

"Did you?"

"What would you say if I said yes?" Emily licked her lips nervously.

Another pause on the line.

"That I understand. I wouldn't have stopped you. But not because I wouldn't have wanted the baby. You're the one who ultimately should make that choice for yourself. I wouldn't have tried to force you to do something you didn't want to do."

"Would…" Emily tiptoed around it. "Would you have wanted me to get one?"

Isaac took a few seconds to think about his answer.

"No. But I don't have any right to tell you what to do. What matters is you. And whatever you wanted to do at the time. I hate to imagine that you were shamed and yelled at just for asking about your options. I would have stood by your side if that's the route you'd gone."

Of course he would have. He probably would have held her hand the entire time. Because that's the kind of guy he was. She knew without a doubt that he would have supported her. It wasn't an easy decision, but she was glad she'd gone to the clinic to discuss her options. She was also glad that she'd decided to walk out having made the choice that she made.

"I'm glad you didn't though," Isaac said. "I'm glad you're here…that she's here. And…that you're happy." He paused and thought about something. "You are happy, aren't you?"

It was a question that Emily didn't want to answer, because she knew that telling him that she was happy would hurt his feelings.

"I am," she replied. "But just because I'm happy now doesn't mean I was unhappy before now." She'd been lost and trapped, but not unhappy. "You made me happy in your own way, too. I want you to know that."

There had been times that he had made her laugh so hard that she cried. She'd had good times with him.

"I appreciate that."

"Sometimes I used to wonder if we were to cross paths again what would have happened. With all your scholarships and full rides…you've got the open road right in front of you." It's the same thing she'd been trying to tell Alison. It's part of the reason they were going to New York. "We both took entirely different paths. And that's okay."

"I had these plans." His voice sounded distant. "Plans I'd be more than happy to put on hold, but the truth is I don't know if I should. That's why I have to know for sure…do you want me involved?"

"Do you want to be involved?"

There was a pause on the line. An uncertainty. Emily could sense it.

"I don't know." He hesitated. "I…I want to do the right thing."

"I know. And I adore you for that. I really do. You're the most amazing guy I know. But I have to ask…do you want to be involved out of obligation or do you want to be involved because you want to be involved?" The line went silent again. "Isaac?"

"I don't know." The honesty was refreshing. "You know how you said that you can't force yourself to feel certain things?"

"Yeah."

"I think I get that. I want to love this baby…because I love you. But…I feel like there is this disconnect. And…I'm not saying that I blame you or anything, but…how am I supposed to connect to her? I know you don't want me to…"

"It's not that I don't want you to…"

"It's just that you and Alison already have." He replied sadly. Emily didn't respond. "I get it. We can't go back. We can't change anything." He puffed out a gust of air that turned the line to static for a brief moment. "I don't know that I would go back. Because…because you seem happy. And that's all I've ever wanted for you."

God, he was too good for her. He was always too good for her. If her child was half as kind and as forgiving as he was she would be blessed. If she had his heart it would be a beautiful gift.

"I honestly never thought about having kids. I always thought that was like…a long time away. But I knew that if I ever had them I would have wanted it to be with you. Because I wanted us to be a family. But I know that's not what this is."

"So…what are you saying?"

"I have no idea." He admitted. "I think that maybe I just need a little more time to sort my feelings out. You've had six months to deal with this. I've had six days."

"That's fair."

"I'm thinking that maybe it just hasn't hit yet. It's not real yet. And I'm trying to figure out what it all means. I don't want to screw up what you have with Alison…"

It was something that simultaneously hurt her and soothed her. Her own parents couldn't accept what she had with Alison, but after having seen them together for five minutes, Isaac could see it. He knew what they had was special.

"I don't want to hurt you, Em. Because I know what it feels like to be hurt."

"I'm sor…"

"Don't. No more apologies, okay? We're here now. And we just have to figure out what that means for the baby. You said you wanted what's best for her. And I get that. But I don't know for sure yet," he said. "Until I do know…would it be too much to ask for updates?"

"Not at all." All things considered, it was beyond fair.

Emily told him a few things about the pregnancy he'd missed. Cravings and doctor's visits. How big the baby was and about some of her movements. Isaac listened curiously, but he didn't have much to say. Emily could feel the disconnect that he was talking about. She didn't blame him for it.

Strangely, the conversation took a bit of weight off of Emily's shoulders. After they were finished talking she sat in silence for a few minutes before heading back to the parking lot.

She felt oddly calm. Her head was starting to feel clear again. She slipped her sunglasses on and looked up through the trees at the sky contemplating the complexities of the universe. When she climbed on to her bike the muddled dissent of her thoughts faded away.

o ~ O ~ o

She stopped at the gym on her way home. She wanted to make sure they were all set for the weekend. She'd picked up some deli sandwiches for them to thank them for covering for her.

She parked her bike next to Toby's and then walked inside with the hoagies in one hand and her bike helmet in her other hand.

There were a few people spread out, but it wasn't very busy. Toby was behind the desk. Jake was sitting on the counter chatting with him. He waved when he saw her coming.

"What'up, Laila Ali?" Jake's eyes got wide in excitement when he saw the wrapped subs in her hands. "Ohhh, is that from Antonella's?"

"Only the best for my boys." Emily smiled.

"Em, you didn't have to do that." Toby shook his head with a laugh.

"Hey, you shut up, Cavanaugh. It's Antonella's!" Jake took the wrapped sandwich from Emily when she offered it to him. "You're the best." He looked like a kid getting a present on Christmas.

"I got a veggie wrap for Ezra. Is he around?" Emily asked.

"Yeah, I think I saw him heading towards the equipment room. I'll take him his rabbit food." Jake hopped off of the counter, reaching for Ezra's wrap.

He had a lot of pep in his step as he bounced away.

"I think you just made his entire year." Toby chuckled.

"I really wanted to thank you all for covering again this weekend, especially since I had last weekend off, too." Emily handed Toby his sandwich.

"We got you. It's no problem." Toby waved it off.

As they were talking Emily saw Noel walking across the gym. He was drenched from his workout. His eyes were glued to his phone. He looked up long enough to glance at Toby and Emily. Then he slowly walked away.

"He's such an ass." Toby grumbled under his breath. "I've been looking for a reason to get him banned. It would be my great honor to fire him as a client."

"I prefer having him somewhere that I can watch him." Emily admitted. "What's that whole bit about studying your enemy?" She put her helmet down on the counter.

Toby looked at the helmet. He was surprised she was still riding.

"Still playing Sons of Anarchy I see. Gonna bring down some biker justice on him?"

"Maybe." Emily glanced outside at her bike.

Toby looked around to make sure there was no one within earshot and then looked back at Emily.

"That kid is going to come out of you wearing combat boots and a motorcycle helmet."

"I sincerely hope not, because…ow." Emily made a face.

"I'm just saying…there is no world in which something you create isn't a badass. If you ever need a sitter let me know."

"You're going to be the babysitter who builds a rock-climbing wall for my toddler, aren't you?"

Toby grinned.

"I'll make her wear protective gear," he replied innocently.

Emily laughed. Her face morphed into a genuine expression of appreciation.

"Thank you for not being weird about everything."

"You're still Emily." He shrugged. "You'll always just be Emily to me. No matter what."

"Awww. And you'll always be the same old Toby that nearly knocked himself out with a rebound when we were toddlers."

"You're never going to let that go, are you?" He rolled his eyes with a sheepish laugh.

"Not until my dying day."

Toby leaned forward, putting his elbows on the counter. He played with the paper wrap on his sandwich. It crinkled beneath his fingers. He fidgeted for a few seconds before he looked up at her.

"So…what's this road trip about? Are you really thinking about moving?"

The question left a sour taste in her mouth because of her parents' reaction. She wasn't sure what she wanted to do yet, but she didn't like their negativity.

She'd rehearsed what to say to her mom and dad, but she'd considered telling her friends the real reason they were going to the big city. As she looked into Toby's curious baby blues she felt the truth getting ready to slip off the tip of her tongue.

It had occurred to her that they could be putting themselves in danger. After all, the trip was about catching a predator. The thought had crossed her mind to build an army to go with them, but she knew that would make them look more conspicuous. They needed to blend in. She knew that visiting NYU would be the perfect cover.

"I'm doing it for Alison." Emily traced her index finger across her helmet.

For more than one reason. The first and most important thing was to get this stalker out of the way. But she also thought that going to the city might spark the traveling artist in Alison's heart and change her mind about going to school there.

They were staying in the city overnight and were planning a day trip to upstate in the morning. The trip from the city to Buffalo was almost a four hour drive. They planned to spend most of the day there.

"She wants to turn down NYU for me. I don't want her to."

"Classic 'For the Girl I Love' trope." Toby poked her arm. "I've got me one of those, too. Spencer got into Yale and Brown."

"Damn." Emily nodded, impressed. "Good for her."

"She's still very go-go-go with everything. She has me doing this French film festival with her this weekend. And in between films I'm helping her study for her debate next week." He shook his head with a laugh. "Women. Am I right?"

Emily laughed. She shoved Toby's food towards him and ordered him to eat in a very motherly way. Toby smiled crookedly when he heard her tone of voice.

She went to the locker room to grab a few things from her locker. The door code had been changed after the steam room incident.

There were two girls in the room chatting about their daily sprint times, so Emily didn't feel so alone. She'd been back in the locker room several times since being locked in the steam room. It wasn't easy, but she was someone who always jumped headfirst into her fears.

Emily glanced at her phone. Caleb had installed an app that alerted her any time a motion sensor she'd placed inside her locker had been activated. It was just an added security measure to make sure no one was still snooping. It helped that Toby had been adamant about making sure that Ezra had been vigilant about replacing all the key cards and the codes to get into the locker rooms. He had also added an extra emergency shut off to the steam room inside the room.

Emily dug through her locker until she pulled out what she'd come for. She'd left her phone charger on her last shift and didn't want to go to New York without it. She wrapped the charger up and put it in her leather jacket.

Just as she was getting ready to close the door she saw a glint of something that caught her eye. Near the edge of the front corner of her locker there was a tiny diamond encrusted piece of jewelry. When she picked it up she realized it looked like a broken letter.

An "N".

It didn't take her long to realize where she'd seen it before. Noel Kahn had a watch that his dad had gotten for him at the start of the school year. It had his initials on it.

Emily spun around and looked at the steam room. She felt a rising fury in her body. Noel Kahn had been in her locker. He'd locked her in the sauna and left her to die.

Emily slammed her locker and raced out of the room. She stormed up to the front desk. She marched behind the counter and reached for the safe where they kept the key cards for all the rooms. She punched in the code and opened the safe, grabbing the key card for the men's locker room.

"Uh…what'cha doing?" Toby peered away from the computer. "You know you're not on duty, right?"

"I need to take care of something." Emily spun around so he wouldn't see the murderous look on her face. "It'll just take a minute."

Before Toby could question her she was walking towards the men's locker room. Normally there was an announcement before a staff member came in to tidy up, but Emily wasn't there to clean...and she didn't care who she ran into.

Fortunately there were only three guys in the room. One was in a towel yammering about sports. Another was pulling a hoodie on over his head that matched his sweatpants. Noel was in the center of it, rubbing a towel against his damp head. He had on a white wife-beater and a pair of shorts.

The boy in the towel was the first one to spot her. She knew him from school. One of Noel's buddies. Ben Coogan. He blocked her path.

"Ah, looks like a wandering stray found her way in here. Mating season must be upon us. Guess we're simply irresistible to some bitches." He leaned against the lockers and towered over her. He winked at her.

"You might want to get out of my way before I break your bone in half." Emily didn't budge.

"Oooh, kinky. You like it rough, then?" He looked her up and down, licking his lips, liking what he saw. "You're clearly into fitness. How 'bout we test that? I'd love to see you fittin' this in your mouth." He grabbed his junk through his towel.

The boy in the sweats laughed.

"Nice one, dude."

Noel glared at both of them.

"Coogan, don't be a dick." Noel warned. He was surprised to see Emily, but he was trying to play it cool.

"Get out." Emily warned Ben and the other boy.

"Why don't you make me?" Ben inched closer to her.

Emily didn't hesitate. Her arm shot out as she reached forward and grabbed him by the crotch, twisting and digging her nails into the bulge popping out of his thin towel.

Ben squealed and almost fell to his knees as he let out a pained gurgle.

"Oh, do I have your attention now?" Emily asked calmly, like she wasn't using his junk like a choke chain on a dog.

He nodded his head furiously.

"Good. I'm not going to tell you again." She leaned forward as she increased the pressure on her hold. Ben squeaked out a cry. "Do you need me to lead the way?"

Ben shook his head, begging for her to let go.

"Good boy." She pat his head with her free hand.

When she let go he heaved a sigh of relief. His hands automatically shot to his groin area. He doubled over as he stumbled towards the door, still in his towel.

"Coogan!" Noel called after him.

Ben turned around and Noel tossed a pair of pants at his head. He grasped them and raced out of the room.

The other boy looked between Emily and the door. He held his hands up in submission and walked by her without saying a word.

She walked over to where Noel was standing.

"You're cutthroat, Fields." He tossed his wet towel down against the bench. "You might want to be careful though. Can't be a good idea to instigate fights in your condition."

Emily didn't say a word. She slammed him against the lockers.

"What the hell?" His back crashed against the metal with a hard clunky sound. "Are you crazy?"

Emily put her arm up against his windpipe.

"I know you're the one who locked me in the steam room."

"What are you talking about?" He tried to push her away, though he was careful about his retaliation.

She saw his hesitation. He didn't fight back very much. He couldn't, not knowing about the baby. Emily cocked her head curiously. He could have hurt her if he wanted to, yet he just let her hold him against the lockers. She gently let up on the pressure.

She held up the broken fragment of his watch.

"Care to explain how this got into my locker?" Emily asked.

"Oh." Noel's eyes widened. "Shit."

"You could have killed me. And my baby."

"I swear I didn't…I just…" He glanced at the necklace around Emily's neck. She had no idea what he'd actually done that day. "I just…"

"You just what?"

"Okay, yes…I broke into your locker. Wilden wanted to know what you knew. I found that paperwork."

He held back the rest. He held back the fact that he'd been blackmailed into putting a tracking device in the bracelet that Emily had gotten Alison for Valentine's Day.

"I just took the paperwork. That's it. I swear. I didn't even know you were there. I don't know who locked you in. I was leaving when I heard you shouting for help. I went to go get you out, but then I realized what it would look like if I was the one who pulled you out. I wasn't supposed to have access to the girl's locker room. I knew it would come back on me. I would have looked guilty as hell."

"You are guilty as hell! You just left me there!" Emily's nostrils flared.

She thought she was going to die that day. She thought she was going to lose her baby.

"I went to find help."

"Why didn't you just unblock the door?"

"I didn't go towards the steam room at all. I was afraid you'd see me through the window."

"What the hell is the matter with you?" Emily shook her head, biting an angry growl through her teeth.

"You think I wanted to help Wilden? I didn't have a choice. You're not the only one with secrets, Emily. He threatened me. He has proof that I'm using." Noel frowned. "If word gets out about the steroids…"

"I'm going to plaster it on the front fucking page of every newspaper in town unless you tell me everything you know."

"I've already given you what I got. I swear." He looked at her desperately.

"Who is it? Who is helping him? And why?"

"Blood is thicker than water, I guess. Whoever he was looking for apparently doesn't want you to find them. I'm guessing whoever is on the papers I gave him is your mystery person."

"He has friends in New York. Where are they? Where do they live?"

"How should I know?" But the look in his eyes told Emily that he knew more than he was letting on.

"I'm going to send proof to every scout interested in you that you're so pumped full of gym candy juice that you've got bigger breasts than a Hollywood washout and a pixie dick with balls the size of raisins."

Noel reached for his locker, but Emily smacked his hand away and slammed him against the metal structure again.

"Would you quit that?" He grumbled.

He reached for the locker again. Emily let him this time. She kept a watchful eye on him as he ruffled through some things. He pulled out a scrap piece of paper and a pen.

"I don't know if this is related, but he had me send something to this PO Box in Buffalo one time."

He grabbed his phone and started scrolling through it until he found what he was looking for. He scribbled on the paper and then handed it to Emily.

Emily looked at the address. It wasn't a home address, but it could probably lead them to where they needed to go, especially now that they had the information about the vehicle registration.

"How do I know you aren't setting me up?" Emily flipped the paper over in her hand.

"You came in here hunting me, remember?"

"For all I know leaving this in my locker was part of the trap." Emily flipped the broken watch piece over in her hand.

"You really think I'm that smart?" Noel scoffed. Emily stared at him in response. He sighed. "Look, Em…"

"Don't call me that. You don't get to act like we're friends."

"I meant what I said. You need to be careful." His eyes darted to her stomach. He seemed to genuinely mean it.

Emily opened her mouth to respond, but she was interrupted by the locker room door closing and the sound of approaching footsteps. A few seconds later Toby walked into view. He saw Emily and Noel. He narrowed his eyes, honing in on Noel.

"Everything okay in here?" Toby puffed his chest out and crossed his arms, glaring at Noel.

"Yeah." Emily nodded. "Yeah, we're good. Just returning something that Noel lost." She dropped the broken piece of his watch into his hand.

"Oh?" Toby asked curiously. "Was it his dignity?"

Emily flashed Toby a smile. She put the address in her pocket and turned towards Toby. He hovered over her protectively, even though he knew she could take care of herself.

Noel watched them go, torn between speaking up or staying silent. He knew if he breathed one word of it his ass would be on the line. He grumbled in frustration, spinning around and slamming his locker closed. He let out a growl and slammed his fist against the metal.

Emily and Toby heard it in the distance as they walked towards the front desk. Toby faced her.

"You good?" he asked.

"Yeah. Getting ready to take off." Emily nodded, trying to stay cool.

"Cool. I've got to get back on the floor out there. Ben Coogan has been asking for an icepack. He apparently clocked himself in the nuts with a barbell or something."

Emily had to work to keep from smirking. She fought back a snicker.

"I let him suffer a bit. I like him about as much as I like Noel." Toby admitted.

"You're a gem, Toby." Emily grinned.

"Take it easy, Em. Have a safe trip."

Emily waved to him as she walked towards the exit. She grabbed her keys and jogged out to her bike.

When she got home she parked her bike in the garage and then sprinted over to Alison's house. She saw Mr. DiLaurentis's car in the driveway. She didn't want anyone to overhear what they were about to talk about.

Meet me in the treehouse.

Her steps were a little clunkier now that she had some extra weight, but she managed to get to the top without a problem. She walked over to their little star-gazing cot.

She traced her fingers against the pictures on the wall. She'd put them up on Valentine's Day. There was one new addition. Alison had taped up a selfie of them at the kissing rock. Emily smiled and trailed her fingers across the edges.

A few minutes later she heard huffs and grunts as Alison scaled the tree, her footsteps heavy against the steps. Emily was there to meet her and help her up into the structure. She stumbled into Emily's arms and they both smiled. Alison leaned forward and pecked her lips.

"Heard you take off on your bike like an hour ago. Where did you go?"

"Had to pick up my phone charger from the gym," Emily said. "Are you packed?"

"Ready when you are." Alison nodded with a smile.

"What did your parents say?"

"I don't think they even heard me when I told them I'm going out of state for the weekend." She rolled her eyes. "I got a 'sounds nice' from my mom, but she kept walking by like I told her I'm just running to the store or something. What about your parents?"

Emily frowned, gritting her teeth.

"They were less than enthused."

"Why?"

"It doesn't matter." Emily wanted to spare Alison the details, because she didn't want her to know that her parents were sniping about their relationship. "We've got bigger things on the agenda." She reached into her pocket and pulled out the scrap paper that Noel had written the PO Box down on. "I got an address in Buffalo…kind of. It's a PO Box. Noel said Wilden had him send something there."

"Fucking Noel." Alison growled.

"Wilden has been blackmailing him. He's the one who stole the DNA stuff from my locker."

Alison's right eye twitched. She pinched her mouth together in a frown. Her cheeks turned pink.

"He's the one who locked you in the steam room?"

Emily could see the murderous rage in her eyes. She was a step away from going on a rampage.

"He swears it wasn't him. And I think I actually believe him."

The look on his face had told Emily a lot. He had seemed so torn. There had been a brief moment where she'd felt sympathy for him. She knew what it was like to have someone holding a secret over her head.

"He still deserves a swift kick in the nuts." Alison scowled.

"One thing at a time." Emily put a calming hand against Alison's arm.

"Have you looked up the PO Box yet?"

"Not yet. I was thinking it might be better to go in person. If I start digging around it might ping the psycho on the other end of the screen. I want to do this carefully. I don't want to let the welcome wagon know we're coming." She stared at the paper, memorizing it just in case something happened to the written proof.

"Welcome wagon?" Alison snickered. "There's that Texas drawl I've been waiting all these months for." She teased. She leaned into Emily. "We should just skip the city and head uptown. Lace the PO Box with anthrax or ricin or something."

"Damn, you just went from Uptown Girl to Backwoods Psycho." Emily wasn't sure whether to be impressed or intimidated.

"This person has been sending you messages for months. I want to send one back. 'Mess with my girl and die'." Her face was a stony resolve of determination.

"That's a very clear message. You've already got the New York spirit in you." Emily smiled. "It's probably best to make reservations somewhere close to campus. It's easier to blend in when you're in a crowd."

"I'll call the reservations in to Washington Square Hotel."

"…with aliases." Emily added.

"Look at you going all military." Alison rubbed her arm with a seductive smile. "I love it. It's really sexy." Her eyes darted to the cot on the floor.

Emily saw the look in her eyes and she knew exactly what was on Alison's mind. The blonde wore her desire all over her face.

"We need to focus." She put her fingers against Alison's cheek and moved her head so they were facing each other again. "I'll see if I can find a cheap rental car. It's best to go incognito."

"We can take my dad's company car."

"You think he'd be okay with that?"

"He hasn't used it in like two years." Alison shrugged. "He just brought it home to show what a big man he thinks he is."

She didn't say the rest of what she was thinking, "Because my brother and I weren't enough for him..."

She did her best to hide her emotions, but there was an undertone of sadness in her voice. Emily could see a glimpse of Alison's childhood every time she talked about her parents. There was a heavy loneliness in her eyes that she couldn't hide.

Emily reached out to comfort her, embracing her. Alison smiled softly as she fell into her arms. Emily was her safe place. Her home. And nothing could get to her when she was in the brunette's presence.

"I really hate that they don't give a shit. I shouldn't care. But I do." Alison's jaw tensed.

She hated that her parents made her feel like a scared kid. She hated that they made her feel vulnerable. She pushed her body closer to Emily's. Her warmth was magnetic.

Emily thought about what she'd told Isaac earlier. She'd meant what she'd said about being able to escape from the life that you didn't want and surge forward to a life waiting for you. It's another reason why the trip was so important. It was about creating a life for them free of trauma and torture. It was about getting away from who they were expected to be and becoming who they were meant to be. It was about their family.

"It's not forever, Ali." Emily kissed the top of her head. Her hand grazed the blonde's back. "They don't have to be your forever."

"I know." Alison peered at her through her watery eyes, smiling at her. "You're my forever."

Emily smiled back. She was determined to make a better life for them.

The first step in securing that life was to ward off the danger and stop the person threatening them. After they decided on what they were going to do they both went home to grab their things.

Emily dreaded facing her parents. She was still so angry at them for making light of her relationship with Alison. They had no idea how serious things were between them. They had no idea how much she loved her.

She considered climbing the trellis and sneaking in to get her stuff before sneaking back out, but she realized she was being childish. She quietly tiptoed through the front door. She expected her mother to be in the kitchen getting ready for dinner, but she didn't hear any noise.

She walked past the living room and up the stairs. She made a mad dash towards her room, thinking maybe she could get out fast enough without having to face her parents again.

She grabbed her things and made a pit stop in the bathroom. Then she quietly walked down the stairs. She walked past the living room on the way to the foyer.

She saw her mother sitting on the couch reading a magazine. Emily realized it was too late to dart through the foyer and out the front door. Her mother's eyes drifted away from the magazine and over to her. They were both silent for several seconds.

"Hey." Emily uttered under her breath. "Where's dad?"

"He's on third shift tonight. He was exhausted, so he's getting some sleep."

Emily nodded, pressing her lips together, trying not to let her irritation show.

"So…I'm going." Emily slung her bag over her shoulder.

Her mother knew she couldn't stop her. She wanted to run over and tackle her and force her to stay. She wanted to keep her safe forever. But she knew it was an impossibility. Her little girl was growing up. And she couldn't stop it. It was one of the downsides of motherhood. She'd held Emily's chubby little hand when she took her first steps. That little girl had let go of her hand years ago. Now her little baby was walking on her own and she didn't need her hand to guide her anymore. It was everything a mother dreamed of and feared. To raise children to be fearless and independent. The hardest part of motherhood was watching her walk out the door without her.

"Be careful." She turned back towards her magazine.

The room in the air felt chilly. Emily hated to leave in the middle of an argument, but she had bigger things to worry about. She was only able to shake her residual nerves off when she was behind the wheel of the car. Once they were on the way to New York it hit her that they might be able to stop the torment they were enduring once and for all.

She had one hand on the wheel and the other resting against the center console. Alison reached over without a word and put her hand on top of Emily's. Emily glanced at her with a smile on her face.

The plan was slowly coming together. They felt like they were finally on the right track. They didn't know that things were going to go horribly wrong. The last thing they expected was for their weekend to end in tragedy.

o ~ O ~ o

The city was every bit as bright and bustling as Alison had described it. It had been years since Emily had seen New York City. The last time she'd been there was on a layover flight and she hadn't had a chance to explore.

She made Alison show her the NYU campus and then they did a little bit of sightseeing and had dinner together. Emily wanted Alison's feelings about her dream city to resurface. She wanted Alison to show her everything that made her love New York. And Alison did.

They managed to stay below the radar. Unfortunately, it didn't matter how well they were hiding. Because Alison's bracelet and Emily's necklace were shining beacons of lights that put huge red targets on their backs.

As they were enjoying their dining experience, a camera phone clicked from across the restaurant.

Wilden wasn't supposed to leave Rosewood, but the second he saw that Alison and Emily were on their way to New York he borrowed a friend's car and cruised along behind them. His calls had been going unanswered. It was starting to annoy him. He attached the image to a message stating,

We have a problem.

He followed them around, slinking in the shadows. He heard them talking about college and the city. There was no mention of tracking down the people threatening them. But of course they wouldn't mention that out in the open. They were too smart for that. He knew it was a ruse. He knew they'd come for more than one reason.

New York was an easy city to blend in to. Getting lost in the crowd worked very well in his favor. Every so often he saw them scanning the crowd, presumably checking to see if they were being followed. But he was quick on his feet and he was stealthy when it came to hiding.

They didn't see him when Alison took Emily to her favorite shopping district. They didn't see him when they stopped and gushed about the Hamilton marquee lighting up the night sky. They didn't see him when they disappeared back into their hotel.

The city had breathed new life into them. They'd barely made it through their hotel room door before Alison pounced on Emily, backing her against the wall. She reached for the "do not disturb sign" and hung it on the door knob before letting it slam closed.

She pinned Emily to the wall, kissing and nipping at her skin. Their hands explored each other's bodies for several minutes before Emily led them back to the bed.

They couldn't undress one another fast enough. Alison's skirt ended up across the room. Her underwear were thrown so wildly that they ended up hooked on a picture frame overhanging the bed. Emily's pants and shirt were tossed aside landing on a chair next to the window. The rest of their clothes were scattered all over the room as they twirled around the bed snatching fabric and yanking it free.

Emily knew part of their excitement was being so close to getting answers and putting an end to the drama in their lives, but she also knew that Alison's love for the city life was arousing her senses in more than one way.

It was like the energy of New York was buzzing through their veins. They hadn't forgotten about the looming danger, but the threat of the unknown added a sense of urgency and excitement to their motions. Every moment mattered. They wanted to seize what they had while they had it.

Emily kissed Alison with a driving power that made Alison's entire body shudder in response. She kissed back, her tongue rolling against Emily's. Emily never broke their kiss as she grasped the comforter and pulled it away from the bed. She gripped Alison's hips and spun her around and then pushed her on to the bed with a sheer amount of desperate force so hard that Alison's back sprang up off of the mattress before she crawled back and pulled Emily down on top of her.

Emily's baby bump made it difficult for their bodies to completely connect, so they rolled to their sides. Alison hadn't told Emily, but she'd been reading up on pregnancy sex and the best way to make it work. She surprised the brunette with how well-versed she was in making sure their pleasure was perfect.

Alison took her time. She was toying with her, enjoying her every needy breath. She knew all the tricks to trigger her body's sensitivity.

Emily was easily able to reciprocate. She knew how to drive Alison to the brink. They each tried to outlast each other. Alison could feel Emily's tension. She could feel how close she was, yet she pulled back at the last second every time. After the third time Emily felt like her entire body was going to explode.

"Stop teasing." Emily growled, biting down on Alison's lip nearly hard enough to draw blood. She felt her body pulsing in desire. She huffed a heavy breath out, quietly groaning. "I swear if I don't get some relief soon…"

Alison grinned, kissing her bruised lips. She gently rolled Emily on to her back and straddled her thighs.

"I've got you, mama." She winked.

She kissed her way down to her belly, barely giving Emily enough time to resonate a touch so delicate that it was like a feather tickling her skin.

"Ali…" Emily peered down at her, her chest rapidly rising and falling.

Alison had a mischievous glint in her eyes. The city had brought out something wild and untapped in her.

"Relax. Let me take the lead for once." Alison pressed a kiss against her baby bump.

She moved down and pressed another kiss against her pelvis. She went lower. Emily closed her eyes and just let herself feel.

The teasing had been well worth the wait. Alison took her to heights so high that Emily wasn't sure she'd ever be able to come down from them. She felt herself falling, spinning, drifting…all at once.

She didn't realize she was nearly ripping the sheets, twisting her fingers and gripping the linen…just holding on to something so she didn't completely drift away. She didn't realize how loud she was. She didn't realize that the entire hotel would probably know Alison's name by morning. She was too wrapped up in the moment to care.

Everything felt more intense. Every kiss. Every stroke. Every motion. Her body was so tender that she could barely stand it. The new surroundings created an entirely new atmosphere. Exciting chaotic energy gripped her in its clutches.

Alison watched as she floated in a state of bliss. She left imprints of gentle kisses against her body like little cool bursts of air soothing the fire she'd created. She crawled up next to her, wiping her long dark tresses of sweaty hair away from her face.

Emily opened her eyes. Her soft brown irises darkened in lust as they met the fiery passion in the blonde's piercing blue eyes. She wordlessly rolled to her side, pressing a kiss against Alison's bare shoulder, then her neck. Their lips met as Emily felt a burst of energy giving her a second wind.

"My turn." Emily gripped the back of her neck, kissing her forehead as she gently rolled Alison on to her back.

Everything about Emily's movements were so perfect and so precise. Alison couldn't help but think about one of the first conversations they'd had when Emily got back to town.

"So you're good with your hands?"

She was beyond good. Her hands were smooth and strong. Alison knew they were tough enough to rip apart a bike and put it back together again, yet delicate and nimble enough to carefully cradle a newborn. And if her hands were the essence of her character, her lips were the window to her beauty…the driving force behind everything that made her so addicting.

She was so multifaceted, both emotionally and physically. The duality of her persona was laid bare every time they were making love. It didn't take much for Alison to lose control when they were together.

She felt like she was floating in a sea with warm waves rolling over her. Emily's touch turned her into a different version of herself…a version that she wanted to be permanent. She let it wash over her. She let Emily take control. Her soul felt complete.

She'd barely slipped above the surface again to breathe when she felt Emily gently tugging her body down the mattress. Alison looked down at her, her eyes still flickering, her body still recuperating.

Emily smiled seductively at her as she pulled her legs towards the edge of the bed.

"I want to try something." Emily leaned down.

She invited her to move her thighs over her shoulders, which Alison complied with. She would have done anything Emily asked her to do. She was malleable clay in the brunette's hands.

Just as Alison was regaining her composure…she felt a surge charging through her body again. Emily's mouth and tongue did things that Alison didn't know were humanly possible. She dug her fingers into the sheets, losing control all over again as she squeezed her thighs together, her hot skin pressing against Emily's sweaty cheeks.

Her vision went hazy. New York had brought out an even wilder side in Emily than she was used to.

It was only when she stopped seeing stars that she realized that Emily had crawled up next to her. She panted heavily against Emily's hand as the brunette wiped away some of the perspiration that had built up on her face. Emily dragged her index finger lightly against Alison's lips. Alison pressed a gentle kiss against her fingertip.

"Where did you learn how to do that?" Alison moved on to her side and collapsed against Emily's hot flesh.

Emily flashed a curious look at her.

"Do you really want to know?"

Alison slowly shook her head, reaching up to grip her chin and pulling her face down so their lips could meet for a slow sensual kiss. She felt Emily's fingertips against her cheek and she smiled into their embrace.

Their eyes met. Emily cupped Alison's cheek and the blonde felt a strange flush in her cheeks as she bashfully looked away. Intimacy was so strange. Normally, Alison had no problem getting wild in the bedroom, but afterwards she felt mushy and sentimental, and she still hadn't learned how to deal with it. So she said the only three words that had been running through her mind since the start of their encounter.

"I love you." Her lips twitched into a sweet smile.

Emily kissed the top of her head, taking a moment to inhale the scent of her body.

"I love you, too." Emily ran her hand down Alison's slick backside. "So much."

Those were the only words that needed to be said. They just wanted to soak in their happiness. The silence was their time to connect in their favorite way. The physical acts always felt amazing, but it was the emotional aspect of connecting with one another so deeply that they could feel each another that made it so meaningful. It laid a quiet truth bare. It was the expression of love, of safety, a quiet conversation their bodies and souls shared.

They had come to New York for a reason, and they hadn't forgotten that reason. But they had the night to be together...to just enjoy each other's presence without reservations and boundaries.

So they didn't talk about the impending trip to Buffalo. Instead, they spent all night exploring different avenues of passion. It exhausted and exhilarated them. Alison felt something in her stir to life being in the city. But she also thought about the more quiet and sensual moments they shared back in Rosewood. It hit her that she didn't care where in the world they were...she just loved being with Emily.

After they finally got everything out of their system they laid in bed, cuddling. Emily was strumming her fingers against Alison's fingertips, playing with them. She glanced at the blonde. She always looked so beautiful bathing in the afterglow. She smiled at Alison and Alison smiled back. She saw a spark in Emily's eyes.

"What?" Alison asked innocently.

"New York looks good on you." Emily kissed her cheek.

"Only because you're here." Alison reached up and played with Emily's tangled hair.

"I'm serious, Ali. You light up here like I've never seen before." There was something different about Alison in the city.

She had always been assertive and demanding and unafraid of going after what she wanted, but it was amplified when she got out of the constraints of Rosewood. It's how Emily had felt after she got out of San Antonio. She'd felt free.

Alison saw the way that Emily was looking at her. Before the brunette could launch into a spokesperson for NYU Alison dive-bombed her with a sneak attack kiss-fest. She had become an expert at distracting her girlfriend. She held a lengthy kiss against her lips as she traced her fingertips against her jaw.

"Want to go again?" Alison pulled back, her brows dancing mischievously.

"Again?" Emily laughed. "And they say pregnant women are the horny ones…"

"Yeah, you're probably right. Don't want to push it…"

"Now hold on. I didn't say 'no'." Emily touched the blonde's taut stomach, her fingers slowly drifting lower.

Alison grinned.

Conversation about NYU diverted.

And she was getting extra love-making out of it. It was a win-win.

Alison crashed afterwards. Emily held her, peering at her occasionally, watching her eyelids flicker and her mouth twitch.

She reached for her phone. She didn't want to forget to set an alarm. She'd put her phone on silent after they had checked in at the hotel because she kept getting texts from her mother, who was bombarding her with messages checking in on her. She had only sent a reply to the first one.

She scrolled through the messages. Her mother didn't like texting, so it was clear she had a lot on her mind that she needed to say. Emily felt like a bitch for ignoring her, but she was dealing with too much to juggle her antsy parents.

She glanced at the most recent text she had, which was from her dad,

Call your mother. She's worried.

It was too late to call her. She set a reminder to text her in the morning to let her know she hadn't been murdered horribly.

It's the first thing she did in the morning when the alarm went off.

Sightseeing today. Everything is going great. No murderers. I promise.

Alison groaned and shoved a pillow over her head when she felt Emily stirring. She was unwilling to leave the comfort of the bed. Emily tossed her phone down. She leaned over and peppered Alison's shoulder with kisses and touched her bare stomach.

"Come on, Sleeping Beauty, we came here for you to get into a fight with a psycho-bitch, remember?" Emily poked her arm.

Alison mumbled out a tired garbled response from beneath the pillow. Something about a sex coma.

"We can save time by showering together..." Emily offered, moving down to place kisses against Alison's chest as she walked her fingers up Alison's ribs.

Alison lifted the pillow and smiled at her. It was enough incentive to get her out of bed. Emily tugged on her hand, pulling her towards the bathroom. It was a routine she could definitely get used to.

The shower was a little cramped, but they didn't mind the close proximity. The water pelted their skin as they moved beneath the showerhead. Water trickled down their nude frames, their eyes meeting every few seconds with a bright eager anticipation. Being completely exposed in every way was a foreign concept to both of them. There was a thin line between lust and love, and they were starting to understand that what they felt for one another was beyond physical attraction.

They'd been with other people. They'd been together. But they'd never explored one another in quite this way before. They were looking at each other in the light of day with no barriers. Every blemish. Every scar. Every vulnerability. It was as if time was slowing down solely for them to memorize every inch of one another.

Alison's eyes raked over Emily's constantly-changing shape. She was still buff, even with the extra weight she was carrying. The muscles surrounding her stomach were firm and toned, like a protective shield. Her baby bump was soft and perfectly rounded, the skin flat and smooth. Her legs were long and lean. Alison noticed a freckle on her inner thigh. She reached out and touched the tattoo on her pelvis, her fingertip tracing the cute little leaf there. She drew the pattern of the "A" in the center.

"A for Alison."

Alison smiled, watching as little beads of water bounced off of her protruding stomach. She pressed the tips of her fingers against Emily's baby bump, flattening her palm against it. She rubbed slow gentle circles, marveling at the fact that there was a beautiful little human inside of her. She felt a subtle movement against her palm and smiled. She delicately pulled her hand back and looked up to meet Emily's gaze.

The brunette was watching her, a look of adoration in her eyes. She put her hands against Alison's sides and moved her palms down against her hips. Her eyes scanned Alison's entire figure. The blonde somehow managed to look more stunning every time she saw her.

She moved one hand away from Alison's side to touch a tiny beauty mark near the top of her hip. Her skin was smooth and unblemished except for one small scar on her right thigh that she'd gotten by accidentally jabbing herself with her mother's eyelash curler when she was three. Emily ran her fingertip across the little bump and then touched her hip again. After a few seconds her hands fell away.

Alison turned around to grab her body wash. She squirted a generous amount in her hand and then lathered herself up as Emily watched. She moved around under the pulsing water. She felt Emily's hands against her shoulders and she twisted her neck to look back at her.

Emily gently lathered up her back, massaging her tension away. She ran her fingertips along her spine, drawing circles as she rubbed up and down. She pushed Alison's hair aside and kissed the back of her neck.

As the water washed the soap away Alison turned around. She twirled her fingers, motioning for Emily to turn around so she could repay the favor. She started with Emily's shoulders and worked her way down.

Emily arched her back. Alison's fingertips were like heaven against her muscles. The weight on her front end was constantly putting strain on her back. Alison worked the kinks out, slowly unraveling knots underneath her skin with gentle direct pressure. She rubbed circles against her sides and slid her palms over the front of her stomach. She couldn't get enough of touching her. She couldn't get enough of connecting with her...and with the baby.

Emily turned around and moved forward, wrapping her arms around Alison's waist. Alison reached up and curled her arms around Emily's neck, pulling her forward so their lips could meet underneath the rushing water. Emily pulled back and dipped her head forward until their foreheads met. She reached up to cradle her cheek. Alison leaned in to her touch.

They took turns using the stream of water to shampoo and condition their hair. When they were finished they climbed out of the shower, trading smiles as they took turns drying their hair and putting on their clothes. It was strange and domestic, but at the same time it felt right.

After they ate breakfast they set out on their trip to Buffalo. And while they were getting closer to the truth, Wilden was climbing out of bed a few miles away at an apartment he used to frequent. He kept his eye on the tracking app, which showed that they were still at the hotel…or so he thought.

He was starting to assume that maybe the two of them had just come to New York to explore the sights and get freaky in their hotel room. What he wasn't privy to was the fact that Alison and Emily hadn't put their jewelry back on after their crazy night of passion. The necklace and the bracelet were tucked away in Alison's bag. He didn't know anything was out of the ordinary. He didn't know that everything he'd been working towards was about to go down in flames.


A/N: Emotional heavy chapter. Emily and her parents. Isaac trying to come to terms with everything. And Emison takes New York (and no, IrishViking, they are definitely NOT smarter than their television counterparts, lol). Lots of feels/fluff happening. And I gave you Ben Coogan getting socked in the dick. Fun times. Got some crazy twists coming up. *inserts "I'm not ready" meme*