Infatuation

by Forever without him

Doctor Alison DiLaurentis is sharp, a charming seductress. She is also a killer. Behind her eyes there is a darkness. Beneath her smile there are untold secrets. She thought she had everything figured out. But then Detective Emily Fields came into her life. Emily is hunting Rosewood's most notorious serial killer. She never expected to fall in love with her. DARK AU. M

8. Laws of Attraction

A/N: Uh...I didn't realize the word count on this one was so long. Oops.

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Chapter 8:

Laws of Attraction

The morning sun filtered in through the blinds, painting the living room of Alison's house with perfect checkered blocks of light.

Emily blinked, slowly waking up, registering the night she'd had. She could feel Alison's warm body curved against hers. They were laying on the couch. The blonde's ankle was hooked over her leg. She felt the warmth of her cheek against her collar bone.

Alison nuzzled against her in her sleep. Her eyes were still closed. The sun slowly washed over them. The dim light in the room cast an amber hue over her beautiful face.

The brunette replayed the night in her mind. As they were leaving the restaurant Emily was certain Alison would end up flat on her back in bed, but something had stopped her. A need. A desire for something different.

She'd meant what she said.

"I want more."

Emily had wanted to fuck her so bad. She had felt how wet the doctor was outside the restaurant. She'd sensed how much Alison wanted her. Her finger had almost plunged inside of Alison's depths, but it didn't feel right.

She'd held back.

She held back because she had feelings for Alison. She hadn't had feelings for anyone in a long time. As much as she wanted to lay her down and worship every last inch of her body she knew that it had to be different with her. It had to be real.

Ever since she met her she'd had visions of shoving her fingers into her, of teasing her with her tongue, of slamming a strap on in to the hilt and watching her blue eyes roll back into her head in ecstasy. But she'd also had visions of holding her delicately, of looking into her eyes as she came. She wanted to know Alison. She wanted to know every intimate part of her.

They'd taken the first step towards that last night. They'd shared a different kind of intimacy than sex.

Opening up to Alison had been something she'd never done with the girls before her. There had been something terrifying about it, and Jeeeesus, had she CRIED?

She had a faint recollection of telling Alison about her dad. Those wounds were still healing. She hadn't been able to stop the tears.

She probably thinks I'm a total pussy now…

But then Emily remembered what Alison had shared with her. Her past. Her fears. Her demons.

Alison hadn't just latched on to her life. She'd opened her own. The intimacy they shared linked them, bonded them.

It was a bit intimidating. It felt like they were cruising through life in the fast lane. Emily wanted to be with her, but was she ready?

Her heart started pounding in her chest.

A nagging feeling prickled the back of her brain.

I wonder if she has any alcohol.

She wanted a drink to calm her nerves. She wanted a shot of bourbon more than anything in the world, but having Alison in her arms helped.

She didn't know it, but Alison had hidden the liquor in her house, knowing Emily's propensity to look for the bottle. The blonde had almost forgone the wine at the restaurant, but she was nervous and needed a confidence boost.

She had drawn the line at the wine though. She made sure there was no alcohol where Emily could find it. As much as she wanted to see Emily's dark side, she didn't want to hurt her to bring it out of her.

The doctor knew all too much what it was like to fight against an addiction, feeding something inside of her that was never satisfied. She didn't want that for Emily.

Emily's phone, at critical low battery, grumbled at her in a dying tone.

Her alarm.

It wasn't the first time she felt like throwing her phone into a river. But it was the first time she'd wanted to do it because of a beautiful girl in her arms.

Alison mumbled and whined in her sleep.

"Em?" Her eyes lazily drifted open.

She smiled up at the brunette with the softest expression that Emily had ever seen.

Alison always looked innocent when she first woke up. Her aunt had commented on it constantly. Sometimes Mary would come in and gently wake her for breakfast. Before Alison's brain could kick into overdrive there was a moment of peace. Just her and her surrogate mother. Mary would ruffle her hair, rub her head, and smile.

"You look so innocent like this, you know that?"

It was the only time in her life when Alison felt innocent.

Up until now.

The way Emily was looking at her made her forget all of her sins. It also made her hangover headache slightly bearable.

"Mmm…" The blonde reached an arm out, stretching. "Morning."

"Morning." Emily kissed the crown of her head.

Alison pressed her lips together and let out a quiet breath through her nose. She smelled like Emily. She loved it.

Her phone was flashing at her from the end table. She reached above Emily's head and saw a missed call and a text from Chief Hastings, which set her nerve endings on edge.

Doctor Kingston had a family emergency. Any chance you can work his morning shift?

Alison grumbled and put her phone down. She didn't want to work. She wanted to stay right where she was, with her favorite person.

I've never had a favorite person before.

"What's wrong, grumpy-pants? Not a morning person?" Emily poked her ribs, teasing her.

Alison buried her face in Emily's chest and laughed.

"I am when I wake up next to you." She slowly lifted her head and kissed Emily's collar bone. Sometime in the night Emily had slipped out of her jacket and blouse and was sporting a spaghetti-strap undershirt that showed a delightful amount of skin. It was warm underneath Alison's lips.

Alison's phone chimed at her and she plunked her forehead against the divot in Emily's neck.

"That's my Chief of Medicine. She needs me to come in." Alison sighed.

All she did was work. She'd never realized it before, because she'd never had someone she wanted to spend time with before.

"Yeah, I have to get to work soon, too." Emily frowned.

The words, "I'll write a Doctor's Note excusing you from work so we can fuck all day" were on the tip of Alison's tongue.

But she had to be a good person. She had to go in and cover for her fellow doctor. Because it would humanize her.

Plus she had business to attend to.

Extracurricular business.

She had a new mark.

A woman who had hit an elderly woman with her car and fled the scene, leaving the woman to die in agony.

The case was still unsolved, but Alison had treated the girl for scrapes and bruises consistent with hitting the steering wheel. She'd followed her, watching, waiting for her to slip up. And the girl eventually did.

Alison slowly sat up. They'd been on her couch all night. Comfortable. But not nearly as comfortable as her bed would have been.

Alison smiled at the brunette. The detective's hair was a bit askew. Her spaghetti strap undershirt was wrinkled.

"Thank you." Alison rubbed her palm against Emily's collar bone. "For staying."

"If you ask me to stay," Emily reached for her hand, keeping it in place against her collar bone, "I will always stay."

"I'm sorry that I made a bit of an ass of myself last night. I don't normally drink that much." You just fascinate me so much that it's intimidating.

"Are you kidding? You were an esteemed prim and proper lady." Emily grinned, thinking about how Alison had bucked her body against Emily's fingers, desperately needing them.

That kiss. That hot and steamy kiss.

"I lost track of the time. You're just so easy to talk to." Alison touched her shoulder.

"I feel the same about you." Emily smiled.

"I mean it. I really do. You're different, Emily." She tucked a bit of Emily's bedhead behind her ear. "You see things no one else sees."

"That's why I'm a detective." She bumped Alison playfully.

And why I have to be really careful around you. Alison added in thought.

"It goes beyond that." Alison gently stroked Emily's cheek. "I can honestly say…in my entire life, I have never had a night like last night."

Emily found herself lost in the blonde's beautiful blue eyes. She couldn't help but feel like she'd only scratched the surface of her soul last night. She couldn't wait to peel back more layers.

Emily's phone screeched at her again.

"Ugh, I hear you." Emily growled at the device. She rubbed her sleepy eyes and reached for her blouse, which was laying on the arm of the couch. "The call of adulthood." She gave Alison a sheepish smile.

"I understand that call all too well." She glanced at the clock. "I have to be at the hospital in an hour." A sigh. "How am I expected to get ready with a Goddess in my presence?"

"Sweet talk this early in the morning?" Emily smirked, buttoning her blouse. "You flatter me."

Alison reached over and put her fingertips against Emily's hands, moving them aside and working to button the blouse herself. She would have rather been taking it off of her, but she knew that day would come soon enough.

"Can I offer you a breakfast buffet, at the very least?" Please venture a taste. I need your tongue, your fingers…

"I wish I could, but I really do need to get going." She pulled herself to her feet. She didn't see the way Alison pouted when she pulled away from her to grab her jacket.

"Alright." She mumbled, languidly rising to her feet, stretching. "I'll grab my keys."

Emily reached for her shoes.

"I think I'm going to walk." She needed to clear her head. "The station is only a few blocks away."

Alison pushed her lips out and furrowed her brow.

"Alone?" She walked her fingers up Emily's arm. "There's a serial killer out there, you know."

It shouldn't have made Emily laugh, but her sense of humor was so warped from everything that she'd seen that she couldn't help herself. She flashed a half-smile at Alison.

"I can take care of myself." She pulled her jacket on.

Alison thought about her tone chiseled abs. Her biceps. She thought about running her fingers against her strong protective arms.

You certainly can.

But Alison wasn't going to give her the last words.

"Funny, because the day we met you'd just been shot." She tapped her index finger against Emily's chest.

"Which led to meeting you." Emily leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "Hell of a meet-cute."

Alison cupped Emily's cheeks and pulled her face forward, pressing her plump lips against Emily's mouth.

"Thanks for the lovely evening, Detective." She pecked her lips. "I look forward to doing this again."

Emily kissed back.

"I'll call you."

"That's what they all say," Alison sighed, playfully, but dramatically.

"That's what they all say when it's a one-night stand." Emily corrected her, slipping her shoes on. "But that's not what we did."

"Right."

We'll just sleep.

Emily grabbed her things. Alison walked with her towards the front door. Before she reached for the handle Alison grabbed her hand. Emily faced her.

"Do promise me that you'll be careful. My doctoring skills may have made you think you're impervious to death, but there are a lot of nasty things lurking in the shadows."

I'm one of them.

"Promise." Emily smiled.

Then she was out the door and on her way to work. She could feel Alison's eyes on her as she walked away. She turned around and walked backwards, light on her feet.

"I'm bulletproof! Don't worry!"

Then with a wink, she turned the corner and walked on to the sidewalk, Alison's lilting laughter fading into the distance.

The detective looked at her watch. If she'd had time she would have gone home – Alison's scent still fresh on her – and used her senses to feed her sexual appetite.

It had been a while since she had tried taking it slow with someone. It hadn't exactly worked out with Sabrina. She'd gotten bored with the mundane thing. The difference with Alison was that the blonde had excited her from the start. With the doctor, she was willing to wait…to savor every aching minute.

That didn't mean she didn't dig in her toy drawer and fantasize about Alison in her bed…in her shower…on her couch. Once she'd even gotten creative in her cruiser during a night shift.

Turning down Alison's invite for sex, especially after she felt how wet she'd been, had been one of the hardest things she'd been faced with in a long time.

But as much as she wanted to, the timing felt off. There was a part of the doctor that was shut down. She'd seen it outside the restaurant when Alison looked away.

Emily knew part of the reason for her hesitancy after spending the night with her, but she couldn't help but think there was more. She wanted to take it slow because she wanted to be certain that the blonde was ready. Emily wanted all of her. Not just her body. She wanted to feel her heart…her soul.

She daydreamed about the doctor as the sun peeked up over the morning clouds.

She practically skipped into the station. It dawned on her that she didn't have a change of clothes with her. She hadn't thought much of it until she walked into her office.

Toby took one look at her and then called her out.

"You're wearing the same clothes you were in yesterday." He cocked a smile at her. "Fields, you dog. You played doctor with the doctor?"

"It wasn't like that." Emily's face flushed with heat. She'd never had a night like the night she'd had with Alison. "We talked."

"You…talked?" Toby lifted his brow incredulously. "All night? About what?"

"Our lives." She sat down in her chair. She still felt light and airy from the evening. "There's just…there's something about her."

Something magical.

And it wasn't just her magical vagina, which practically had a mind of its own, trying to suck her fingers into it in that alley.

She leaned back in her chair and tilted her head back with a smile.

"You liiike her," Toby said in a boyish sing-song voice. "You want to kiiiiss her."

"Shut it, Cavanaugh." Emily sat up and slugged his shoulder.

"Is that any way to speak to the partner who saved your life?" He grinned.

He was going to hold that over her head forever. She could just see them, old and grey in a nursing home staring at the last helping of pudding. Toby would just look at her and ask,

"You remember that time I saved your life?"

She would throw the damn pudding at him.

"I didn't realize you were in my surgery room." Emily teased. "When did you get your doctorate?"

"I helped." Toby grinned. "I kept the red stuff on the inside…" He poked the side of her chest that was uninjured. "And you got a hot new girlfriend out of it."

Emily's smile wavered. She looked down in thought, rubbing her thumb against the pads of her fingers.

"Did you know?" Emily's eyes locked on Toby's. "Who she was?"

"Not at first." He shook his head. He reached towards a locked drawer. The key was hanging out of the lock. He pulled the drawer out. "But the name sounded familiar, so I looked her up."

He pulled a file out of the drawer, flipping the pages between his fingers. He glanced at his partner. She pretended she was invincible. But he knew she felt things very deeply.

"There is some really disturbing stuff in here. Are you sure you want to see it?" His first concern had always been Emily.

Emily needed to know what she was getting into with the blonde.

She reached for the file.

"I'll be fine."

She gingerly took the file from Toby. There was a flash of sympathy on his face. He turned away and looked at something on his computer, knowing she would need time to process what she saw in that file.

There were very personal things in it. Alison's statement about what she'd witnessed. A judge issued warrant for medical files. ER reports suggesting abuse. A very detailed description of how she'd seen her brother nearly decapitated. A play by play of how her father had turned the knife on her and cut her so deeply that she'd nearly bled to death. How she'd been found huddled in her closet covered in blood and crying.

God, poor Alison.

"Jesus, what a fucking nightmare." Emily pushed her hand to her forehead and ran her fingertips through her hair.

"I warned you." Toby slowly looked up at her.

"This sounds horrific." She dropped the file. "I don't remember it being this bad."

"There is a lot the news left out. She was a minor and they didn't want the media hounding her. Plus, you'd just moved to town. There was a lot going on…"

Before he could continue he was interrupted by his office phone bleating at him.

He looked at the caller ID and rolled his eyes.

"Speaking of the news…it's our friendly neighborhood journalist." He declined the call.

"She is obsessed with this. She accosted me and Alison at the hospital." Emily's lips curled when she recalled the way Alex had been pushing Alison.

He cocked his head.

"Why would she accost your doctor?"

Shit. He's going to freak out.

"Because Alison did the autopsy."

"Yeah, I was told Doctor Montgomery was out. So what?"

"I observed." She grimaced.

Toby threw his palms up and shoved his face into his hands and groaned.

"She's going to make something of this."

"It's not like it's uncommon for a detective on a case to be interested in the autopsy."

"I know." He hit the decline button when his phone started to ring again. "She's just fucking relentless. She's so ridiculously desperate for attention…"

Emily's phone started to ring. Emily glanced at Toby, a wicked grin on her face.

"Fields, don't you dare…"

But she'd already picked up the receiver. She twirled her fingers into the curly phone wire.

"Alexis Rose…"

"Alex." The voice on the other end was seething.

Struck a nerve, did I?

"To what pleasure do my partner and I owe this harassment?" She saw Toby shoot her a look that screamed, "now she knows I've been ignoring her calls."

Emily shot him a look back with a shrug, "she already knew."

"I wanted to know when you are planning on holding a press conference. The public deserves transparency about the case. And I know you have the autopsy results." A smarmy undertone. "Or were you and the lovely doctor doing something else down there?" She asked suggestively.

Emily straightened in her seat, dropping the phone cord. Had she been watching them?

What a fucking creep.

"What exactly are you insinuating?"

"I wondered if perhaps the autopsy results haven't been released to the public yet because you and Alison…"

"Dr. DiLaurentis." Emily cut in to correct her.

"Yes, well, you and the doctor who performed the autopsy were busy with other things last night." Her tone was cold. Calculating. "I saw you leave her house this morning."

"Stalking is illegal. You know I could pick you up for that?" Emily fired back.

Toby lifted his brows and mouthed "what?"

Emily waved him off.

"With what proof?" Alex questioned.

"With the audio recording I have of this call of you admitting it." Emily bluffed.

There was silence on the other end. Alex knew better than to call the detective's bluff.

"If you would be so kind as to let me know when you know something I'd appreciate it." Her tone was sugary, buttery, completely different than it had been at the start of the call.

"You'll know when you know."

Emily hung up on her.

Toby was staring at her.

"Shut up." She glared at him before he could say a word.

"Why do you insist on antagonizing her?" He picked up his mug and took a sip of coffee.

"Because I don't ignore problems." Emily pointed to his phone with several missed calls. "I bite them and send them away with their tails between their legs for a little while. She'll leave us alone for at least three days after that phone call."

He grinned at her.

"That's why I love you, Em. You're a problem solver." He gently sat his mug down.

"Let's put those problem solving skills to work, shall we?" Emily reached for her laptop and pulled up the SLK case.

"What did the autopsy show?" Toby questioned.

"Everything we already knew." Emily shrugged. "Victim was young and healthy." She cringed. Was Garrett a victim? "The CSI's are still looking at forensic evidence. Alison ruled the death a homicide."

"Clearly."

Toby glanced at his phone, looking at Alex Drake's name on the caller ID. He could only imagine where the girl's brain was at after catching Alison and Emily in the hospital hallway together. Emily didn't exactly hide her affection for the doctor well. How would Alex read in to that?

"How much does she know?" Toby asked pointedly.

"Alex?" Emily looked up from her laptop and shrugged. "She's got nothing."

"I meant your new lady friend. The one who did the autopsy. How much did you tell her about the case?"

He can read me like a fucking book.

Emily tried not to bite her lip. She hadn't gone into specifics, but she had talked about the case to Alison.

"Not much."

"You have to be careful who you tell. You could unintentionally make her a target." He moved his pen up to his mouth, chewing against the cap.

He hadn't meant to send her careening into the past, but his words of caution opened a door in her mind she'd tried to keep shut.

Maya.

If I had gone with her…if I had just stayed with her…

A cloud of darkness flashed in her vision. A corpse.

Pain.

Grief.

The day of her funeral had been the beginning of a very dark time in her life.

o ~ O ~ o

~ Then ~

A man stood at a pulpit, glorifying Maya's life. Celebrating it.

The church was hot and stuffy. Emily was uncomfortable. It was hard enough to sit through the service, but sitting through it knowing that her killer was still at large was eating away at her.

She kept looking around, wondering if perhaps her killer had come back to see her one last time. She'd always heard that killers liked to return to see their handiwork.

Handiwork.

It made her sick to her stomach that she was thinking in those kinds of terms. She'd heard too much police chatter. One of the downsides of staying with Toby.

Halfway through the service she felt a gentle amount of pressure on her hand. She glanced over at her friend Hanna, who had come down from New York to be with her for the funeral.

She squeezed Hanna's hand back and looked on her opposite side where Toby was stoically sitting.

He'd seen Maya's mangled corpse, too. She wondered if he had nightmares, too. Even if he did she was convinced he wouldn't tell her. He put his hand on her shoulder just as Hanna reached up to wipe away a stray tear from her cheek. She gave them both an appreciative look.

At the end of the funeral the attendees gave their condolences to Maya's family.

Emily hadn't been able to look them in the eyes. Maya's mother. Her father. Her brother. They all ended up consoling her, because she'd been the one to find her.

It made Emily feel worse than she already did. Maya's father told her not to place the blame on herself, telling her that when Maya got an idea in her head there was no stopping her. Maya's brother told her there was no way to know what was going to happen.

"It's not something you usually think about…that the last time you're going to see someone is going to be the last time." He peered into Emily's eyes. He had Maya's eyes. It made the aching feeling in her chest worse.

His words were true. Emily certainly didn't believe watching Maya walk away would be the last time she saw her. She wished they hadn't fought. She wished she'd kissed her and told her she loved her.

She'd never get that chance now.

"She loved you, Emily." Maya's brother skipped the formal handshake and pulled the trembling brunette in for a hug.

Emily heard the words, but she couldn't comprehend them. She felt the kindness in his gesture, but she was totally numb to it.

After talking to Maya's family Emily spotted her parents, who had been in attendance. Seeing them there made her irrationally angry. She'd left home to get away from her mom. The last place she wanted to see her was Maya's funeral.

Her dad approached her first, knowing that she wouldn't react well to being cornered by both of them.

"Emmy…" When she heard his voice she nearly folded, her knees almost buckled, and she almost fell to the floor in tears. "We want you to come home."

His plea made her insides feel like they were being twisted into knots. She had always been a daddy's girl. When she was little she would go to him for every boo-boo and every time she was scared. One time she'd gotten knocked over by a big wave in the ocean and even though her mom had been holding her hand she had cried out for her daddy to come and save her.

It was hard to look into his eyes, eyes that she had inherited from him, and deny him anything. But she was trying to find her path now that Maya was gone, and that journey meant straying from home.

"Dad…" Her voice came out soft and broken. She knew her time with him was limited. He could get called to activity duty at any time, "I can't. I love you..." Her eyes flickered to her mother, and as much seething hatred as she felt for the woman who had called her an abomination, she couldn't help but love her, too. She didn't have to like her, but she felt obligated to love her. "You and mom both. But Maya and I were making a life for ourselves. She…she was supposed to be my new life. My new home."

"Listen, baby, I've lost friends, too. I know what it's like. I can help you…"

Emily shook her head, tears in her eyes.

"I don't know who I am without her. But I have to find out."

Her dad sighed, but he understood. He'd experienced loss overseas. He knew what it was like to lose his identity.

His wife was less than understanding. She wanted her daughter home. She was worried about her, not just for her mental well-being, but she was terrified that whoever had hurt Maya would come after Emily, too. Her fear prevailed over her common sense. Before her husband could stop her she was pacing over to her daughter.

"I know I'm the last person you want to see right now, but you can't keep pushing me away, Emily. I am your mother. I know you're grieving, but you need to be with family…"

"Maya was my family." Toby was her family, too, so she didn't feel a lack of support, something that was probably crushing her mother…that her child would rather be with people other than her.

"This childish display is ridiculous. How long are you going to stay mad at me?" She was equal parts frustrated and despondent.

Emily was a hair away from causing a scene, from telling her mother that she'd forgive her if she could bring Maya back and apologize for all the horrible things she'd said about their relationship.

Fortunately, her best friend had her back. Hanna had come swinging in and whisked her away, mentioning something about needing to borrow her for a few minutes.

Once they were out of earshot the blonde whispered,

"Want to get out of here?" She dangled her keys in front of Emily.

"Please. I'm going to punch something…or someone if I stay much longer." Emily nodded.

She waved to Toby on the way out, letting him know that she was okay. She had told him at the beginning of the funeral she wasn't sure if she'd be able to stay for the burial. Not because she didn't want to, but because she couldn't stomach being around dozens of other people grieving and shooting her mixed looks of compassion and scrutiny.

She didn't care where they were going, she just needed out. Maya was dead. Standing over her grave and crying about it wasn't going to do her any good.

At least, that's what she told herself.

She jumped into Hanna's rent-a-car and they took off, just driving around town, windows cracked, Emily trying to breathe in the fresh air.

When they stopped to get a bite to eat Emily thanked Hanna for rescuing her.

"You looked like you were about to deck your mother in the face. I've never seen you look like that before. I assumed you needed an out." Hanna took a bite out of her triple-decker burger.

"Thought you didn't do processed junk foods." Emily lightened the conversation.

"I do after a morning like that." She shoved her plate over to Emily, offering her the other burger she'd ordered. "Eat. I know you skipped breakfast."

She'd skipped dinner last night, too, but there was no way Hanna could know that.

"You skipped dinner, too," Hanna said casually, as if she'd just read her mind. "Toby says you haven't been eating. So…" She shoved the plate more aggressively at her. "Eat."

Emily couldn't argue. She had been so caught up in her grief she didn't realize she was skipping meals.

They shared their lunch, Hanna offering similar insight as Toby.

"You have every right to be fucking pissed. After my grandfather died I told my mom if one person came up to me and tried to tell me it was God's Plan that I was going to throw his ashes into their face and then spit on them."

"Charming." Emily grabbed three fries and mashed them together before taking a bite.

"Point is, I get why you're angry. Death is such bullshit. People leave us forever after we've spent a lifetime loving them. Like…what the fuck is that shit? Who designed something like that? Loss…" She shook her head, "…it's cruel and unfair, and it makes me mad. And it's okay to get mad at them for leaving…for dying."

"I'm not mad at Maya." Emily admitted, for the first time out loud. She'd been mad the night of their fight, but after she found her she was distraught. "I'm mad at myself for being a fucking idiot and not going after her…"

Before she could finish her statement Hanna reached across the table and gripped Emily's chin.

"You listen to me, Emily Fields…and you listen good." She made sure she had a sturdy grip on her face so she had her attention. "If I ever hear you putting her death on yourself again I will knock you upside the head so hard you'll forget your own name, I swear. Blaming yourself...that's a darkness you can't come back from, and I won't let that happen to you. There is nothing…nothing you could have done. Do you understand me?"

"Jeeze, I hear you." Emily tried to move her mouth to answer, but Hanna was squeezing her cheeks. "Now would you let go of my face?"

Hanna thought she'd gotten through to her, but Emily was just telling her friend what she wanted to hear. Her guilt was still there. It would be there until she caught Maya's killer…until she avenged her.

Hanna lowered her hand.

"May I express my desire to say I'm really pissed at the asshole who did this to her?" Emily poured her drink into her mouth, nabbing an ice cube to suck on.

"Of course not. I'm with you there. You get me a name and I'll personally help you bury the body." Hanna sipped on a soda, which was very un-Hanna-like. She was clearly stress-eating.

"I'll keep that in mind." Emily laughed darkly. She rubbed her jaw.

"Oh, don't be so dramatic. I barely touched you." Hanna flicked her wrist at her.

"If you use that kind of grip when you're yanking Caleb's chain I feel bad for him."

Hanna snorted out a laugh.

"That grip is reserved for my friends who are spiraling down a black hole." Hanna looked down at the table. "Besides, Caleb and I are taking a break."

The news was a shock to Emily. They'd been together for nearly five years.

"Hanna!" Emily frowned, reaching out to pop her hand like she was scolding a child. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"It's not a huge deal. We both wanted a little time to figure some things out. We'll end up back together in a few months. It's just something we needed to do before making the big decision…" She trailed off.

"Big decision?" She let Hanna's words linger in the air. "Are you two thinking about getting married?"

Hanna cringed and then slapped her forehead.

"I promised I wouldn't burden you with this."

"What happened?" A brief flicker of excitement, a momentary lapse of her current life…of her current loss.

"I freaked when he started talking about it." Hanna lowered her head and chewed on her lip. "I mean, we're so young…"

"That doesn't have to mean anything." Emily reached across the table and took her friend's hand. "You want to know what I've learned about love?" She picked at the fries in her basket. "If you love someone…don't wait. Don't hesitate. Go all in. If you have the chance…and someone loves you…love them back."

She'd never get the chance with Maya.

Her words struck a chord in Hanna.

Years later she would thank her for the advice, for her husband and her two beautiful children. Even their stinky dog.

"Take your time. Sow your oats. Just…love him back and see where it goes."

Hanna blew out an exaggerated breath.

"I'm supposed to be the one comforting you."

"Well, you took my mind off of other things…" She couldn't bear to think about the funeral.

Hanna shot her a half-smile and went back to eating her lunch.

They stayed in the diner for a while, but Emily started to get restless when nighttime rolled around. She needed something stronger than grease and caffeine to dull the ache in her head.

She suggested a bar down the street.

Hanna thought she was just going to blow off some steam, but over the next several hours Emily buried her sorrows in an endless bottle of bourbon.

Things had gotten a little fuzzy. Emily remembered the room spinning and the noise of the music and the bar-goers being too loud.

She'd ended up curled up in a bathroom stall having a panic attack, which is where Hanna found her when she came in after her, stumbling over her own feet.

Emily was crying so hard that she was shaking. Hanna pulled her to her feet and embraced her in a hug. Emily had let everything she'd been holding in go as she sobbed on her friend's shoulder.

When she pulled back, Hanna pushed her tear-soaked hair away from her face and let her palm linger against her cheek.

Then it happened.

In the blink of an eye.

One moment Hanna was leaning in and the next her lips were on Emily's. A kiss so kind, so tender. It reminded Emily of how they'd used to kiss in middle school.

Hanna cupped her face, having finally gathered her attention. Emily's breathing was back to normal.

It only lasted for a few seconds. A simple peck.

When Emily pulled back she looked at the blonde, perplexed.

"This isn't…it's not what you needed to work out while you and Caleb are apart, is it?" Emily wiped her tear-stricken face and calmly propped herself up against the wall.

"No. I just…" Hanna leaned against the sink, her face flush from all the alcohol. "I'm sorry. I just…I drank too much. Seeing you in pain…I didn't know what else to do. I just thought…" She combed her fingers through her hair, "I don't know. I thought maybe you could use some stress relief. I'm sorry. It was over the line, wasn't it?" She buried her face in her hands. "Ugh, I should have stayed sober. I'm such a sloppy drunk. I'm an idiot. Fucking pink drinks."

To her surprise, Emily started laughing. Hysterically laughing.

"This has been the weirdest fucking day of my life." She shook her head, glancing at her reflection in the mirror.

"So, you're not mad?" Hanna asked timidly.

"No. I…" She closed her eyes for a moment and saw Maya's body, trying to shove the image out of her head. "Grief does strange things to people."

"So does a half a bottle of tequila." Hanna made a face at herself in the mirror. "I really am sorry. I just…I thought about all those kisses in middle school and I remembered how happy you seemed afterwards. I just wanted to see a little of that happiness."

Emily grinned back at her.

"Well, you succeeded. It's not what I would call traditional stress relief, but I can honestly say I wasn't thinking about anything else."

"You know you're the only girl I've ever kissed." Hanna said it with a soft shy kindness. "And if it ever comes down to it…and you need…stress relief, I'll always be here for you."

"I love you, Han. You're my best friend." But you're not Maya. "But this isn't you."

"I don't know how to help you." Hanna struggled, trying to find the right words.

"Let's just get back out there and dance." She grabbed Hanna by the hands and dragged her out of the bathroom before she could protest.

Emily ordered another round of drinks. Hanna was certain the night was turning around.

But two hours later the frantic young blonde was calling Toby in a panic.

She thought that slipping into a bar and letting Emily drown her sorrows would help numb her pain.

She hadn't expected Emily to completely lose control.

Or to disappear on her.

She'd called Toby after she came back from the restroom and found that Emily was gone. Her keys, phone, and purse were still on the bar. She didn't think Emily would leave with a stranger, but she wasn't in her right mind. What if someone had taken advantage of that?

When Toby showed up, Hanna rushed over to him.

"I'm so sorry. I know we shouldn't have come here, but I thought maybe a beer or two would calm her down." Hanna gnawed at her thumbnail. "You're not going to arrest us, are you?"

She couldn't go to jail for under-age drinking. It would be hell on her career.

"No. You did the right thing calling me," Toby said. "Where is she?"

"That's the thing. I don't know…"

Toby whipped his head around. He'd worked enough bar disappearances to know that when someone vanished it was rarely a good thing.

"She took off. Or…or maybe someone took her. I don't know." Hanna was in tears. "But…she obviously didn't take the car, so at least she's not behind the wheel drunk…"

"Hanna, I need you to calm down and tell me the last thing you remember."

"She said…" Hanna squinted, her mind impaired by the alcohol, but then something terrifying crept into her brain. Her eyes opened wide. "She said she wanted to be with Maya. Oh, God."

Hanna took a heaving breath.

"Oh my God. She wouldn't…she wouldn't, would she? She has too much to live for." She buried her face in her hands and clawed at her eyes with her fingertips, letting out a drunken wail. "She's supposed to be my best friend. I should have listened to what she was saying. What if she's done something crazy? What if she's hurt? Or…or worse?"

"Hey, we don't know anything for sure yet." He put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Toby had a pretty good idea where Emily had gone. The brunette was often literal with her words.

"She's going to be okay, right?" Hanna begged.

Physically? Probably. Mentally…

"I'm going to look for her. I want you to stay here in case she comes back." He waved to the bartender, calling for his attention. He had known Jonny for years.

"What's up, Cavanaugh?" He questioned.

"You didn't happen to see Emily leave, did you?" He asked.

"No. Sorry."

"Do me a favor, sober her up." He jabbed a thumb towards Hanna. "And call me if you see Emily again."

"You gonna bust my balls for selling to them?" Thick furry brows lifted in distrust.

"Depends on what mental state I find her in." Toby shrugged, then shook his head. "You know my policy. I'd rather have her here than those skeevy dives with rapists and shitheads. At least you keep the riff-raff out."

"Try to." Jonny nodded. "Let me know when you find her. I was trying to keep an eye out, but she up and disappeared when a large party came in."

"Not your fault. I'll let you know when I have something."

"She probably hopped in a cab. There were a line of them out there earlier." Jonny wiped a glass clean.

"Thanks."

Toby took a few minutes to calm Hanna down and then he hopped in his car. He pushed the speed limits as he drove down long winding back roads.

Ten minutes later he pulled into a parking lot, poorly illuminated, which was made worse by the dense fog starting to roll out. It looked every bit like it was out of a scary movie.

He shut his car door quietly and walked along the gravelly path. It was the same path he'd followed earlier that day. It was a path that Emily hadn't taken…because she had left before the burial.

The grounds were spread out over acres and acres of land. It took him nearly fifteen minutes to get to her.

He found her exactly where he thought he would..leaning against Maya's gravestone, knees in the freshly planted dirt.

She heard the crunching of his boots, but barely had enough energy to look up.

"Don't even try to do anything." She sounded like she was on the verge of puking. "I have mace…" When she lifted her eyes she saw his familiar gaze. "And I guess I won't be using it." She blinked, making sure he wasn't a mirage. "What are you doing here, Toby?"

Toby crouched next to her. He saw a smudge of dirt on her cheek from where she'd been leaning against the headstone. It enhanced the tracks of her tears. She barely flinched when he rubbed her cheek. He was one of the few people in her life she trusted.

"You had us all worried, Em. You pulled that little disappearing act from Jonny's and everyone started thinking the worst."

Emily laughed sardonically.

"What could possibly happen to me that's worse than this?" She touched the cold gravel stone. She sighed as she used her index finger to trace Maya's name. "She should still be here."

She lowered her head, the alcohol making her dizzy.

"It's my fault she's dead." She heavily slurred her words, completely forgetting about Hanna telling her that it wasn't her fault.

One thing Hanna had been right about was that her guilt was a black hole, and it was eating her alive.

"That's not true and you know it." Toby lifted her chin and forced her to look at him. "I was there with you that night. And I know you would have done anything to save her."

"It should have been me." She muttered.

"Don't you ever say that again." His gruff tone startled her.

"I'm sorry." She sucked in a sad breath through her nose. "I'm sorry for everything." She laid her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes and sighed. "I didn't mean to freak everyone out."

"It's okay." He granted her a little leeway given she'd discovered her girlfriend brutally murdered days ago. "Come on." He put an arm around her, trying to get her to her feet. "Let's get you home."

"Maya was my home," she muttered as she stumbled into his arms. She whimpered sadly. "I don't have her anymore, Toby." Her eyes were filled with tears. "Maya is gone. My home is gone. I'm homeless." She paused and sniffled. "My heart hurts."

"I know." He sighed.

"It's going to hurt forever, isn't it?" She wrapped her arms around him for support so she didn't do a faceplant directly into Maya's grave.

She was certain the pain would always be there, and she was right. But callouses started to build around it.

The world continued to move forward for her. It became less of a controlling force in her life and more a simple piece of her that she'd learned to carry over the years.

She wasn't sure she'd ever love again.

Not until she met Doctor Alison DiLaurentis.

And the last thing she wanted was to lose another girlfriend to a psychopath.

o ~ O ~ o

Toby saw the look on Emily's face. He could see the haunting memories of Maya in her mind.

"Em, don't go to that place." Toby leaned against his desk and reached for her hand, pulling her back from the brink.

He always pulled her back. Emily was a different person now. She'd gone through hell and back to get to where she was, and she was not going back.

Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change…

Toby felt guilty for comparing Alison to Maya. He didn't want to insinuate that the same person who had killed Maya might go after Alison.

"I didn't mean to freak you out about Alison…"

"You're right though. This investigation could put her in danger." That's the last thing she wanted, especially given all she'd been through as a child.

The courage to change the things I can.

"No. That's not what I was saying. I just meant…" He tried to consider his words carefully. "I just meant that I can tell you care about her. And the last thing I want is some sick fuck using her against you."

A hilarious thought given that Alison was the sick fuck in question and she would never do anything to hurt Emily.

Emily flipped her palm over, grasping his hand.

Her partner. Her brother.

"You always know just what to say, Tobes."

And the wisdom to know the difference.

Toby gave her fingers a squeeze and then let go.

"You need a minute?" He questioned.

"I'm good." Emily assured him.

Toby nodded and then walked over to the bulletin board filled with images of all the victims they were assuming were linked to the killer.

"Okay, let's get down to business." He touched a photo on the board, "The first kill was sixteen years ago. Darren Wilden. College boy with money. No connection to Rosewood until he came up for a job interview. He came to Rosewood. Never left."

Or rather, he'd left in pieces. Severed toes. Other severed parts.

"The next was found three months later. Maggie Reynolds. Young teen mother. Druggie and resident bad parent, but not much else on her history. Until she was knocked up she was a good student. Wanted to be a kindergarten teacher. But she started using heroin after her son was born."

What must someone so young and so afraid and unprepared for motherhood go through? What had made her so desperate?

"Her kill was different than Wilden's. She didn't suffer nearly as much." Emily pointed out.

Maybe you are someone who doesn't like seeing women hurting? She hypothetically questioned the killer.

"She had several small lacerations all over her body and the official cause of death was a heroin overdose. She didn't feel nearly as much pain as our first victim." Emily pointed out.

"The third…" Toby continued, "Reynolds' drug dealer…"

Hearing her last name out loud jarred something inside of Emily, something she hadn't noticed before.

Garrett's last name was Reynolds.

"Were Garrett and Maggie related?" Emily pulled Garrett's file.

Toby glanced down at some paperwork and shook his head.

"Must be a coincidence. Garrett's file says he's an only child."

"Thought there were no coincidences in police work." Emily raised a skeptical brow.

"It's a common last name." But Emily could tell he was thinking about her idea.

"Did Maggie list her child's father on the birth certificate?" Emily scanned through a bunch of documents. "We should look at name change forms. What if she was one of Garrett's victims? What if he wasn't careful and she got pregnant? What if she took on that last name to remind him of what he did to her?"

"Why would she want to remember that?" He looked disgusted at the idea.

"Maybe she didn't...maybe she wasn't thinking clearly. Maybe that's what sparked the drug usage."

"Okay, but why would the killer target her?"

If only they knew it was because Maggie had handed her son over to a man who would have sold him into a horrid world of child sex trafficking.

"I don't know." Emily lowered her head. "What do we know about the drug dealer?"

"It was about a week after Maggie. The kill was rushed, like there was a bigger picture at play." A bigger picture like the stake of a child's life. "Later that night Maggie's son was abandoned at a Fire Station."

"You think our friendly neighborhood vigilante killer was responsible for that?" Emily considered it. "What if the dealer had the kid for some reason? What if the killer found the kid? The little boy wasn't harmed. In fact, the report states that someone had cared for him very well in the hours prior to his abandonment."

"None of the victims are younger than eighteen." Toby muttered. Emily wasn't sure if it was directed to her or himself. "It's not uncommon for some serial killers to leave kids off-limits. In fact, it's a fairly common practice unless the perp is specifically targeting children."

"Did the kid remember anything?" Emily searched the case file.

"He was two when it happened. No recollection whatsoever."

"Okay, moving forward. The first year was three vics. Three times over the span of one year. That's where the pattern started. It was followed for the next three years." Emily pointed to the next three consecutive kills.

"There were two off years with zero kills and then two murders a year for two years." Toby picked up where she left off. "There was that one outlier where there were two consecutive kills after a three month period ten years ago. Nothing for a year. Then one the next year. Two the following. Three the third. Then there is another lull with zero kills for two years. A single kill last year. And now this year our body count is suddenly jumping. Four in the past three months. Something escalated them."

"Yeah, but what?" Emily mindlessly tapped her pen against her desk. "I mean…usually these types of killers are following some kind of rulebook they've created."

"Maybe this killer isn't playing by one. Maybe this is someone who just kills naturally, like it's a part of their nature."

Emily nodded, slowly taking in his words.

"Usually there is a reason for the victim selection, a reason for the kill, and a reason for the disposal. Right now the only connection we can make to some of the victims is criminal activity. But the rest is speculation."

"And the reason for the kills?" Toby asked.

"Still haven't figured that out. With some killers it's about recapturing their first kill, but the MO with Wilden is so different. Then you have killers who are trying to make the victims into someone personal to them. A mother. A father. A sibling. But the selection and the reasons are all over the place."

"So what does that tell you?" Toby scribbled something down in his notes.

"That this is someone who doesn't kill for fun. This isn't someone playing around. This is a professional. A professional who doesn't necessarily want to kill, but feels a need to for some reason."

Toby lifted his brows, impressed with her insight. She was such a valuable asset to the police department. He was certain she'd be running the place one day.

"And what about how they're posed?" Toby questioned.

They went through the kills one by one, taking their time trying to find connections...trying to get a sense of why the victims were being targeted. Some were horrible people, like Ian and Garrett. Others had clean records. None of it made any sense. All the kills were different. All the methods were different.

Emily shifted to try and profile the killer. Her brow was furrowed in thought as she stared at the bodies.

"The positioning after the kills…at least for Wilden, Ian, and Lyndon were religious. The upside down crucifix for Wilden. The cross for Ian. Lyndon being posed in prayer…" She flinched when she thought of seeing his body. Toby touched her shoulder, bringing her back into reality. "It's like they were paying penance for something."

She moved over to the very first case that they knew of that had all the classic markings of the killer they were dealing with now.

"Wilden's was about indecency. So was Talia's. They were being shamed for something." Not to mention the mutilation had been done with harsh angry cuts. It was emotional. "Garrett's was sexual, but also about indecency. The killer literally tied those two together when she sewed his hands to his crotch."

She looked at some of the other victims.

"I can't figure out the positions of Maggie or Sydney. What the significance is. Maggie had ligature marks on all of her limbs, but she wasn't tied down. She was drugged. Sydney's is even more bizarre. Incredible athlete. Had her limbs sawed off and was left in a bloody swimsuit next to the pool."

Thoughts were swirling around in her head. A bigger piece of the puzzle was coming to her. The A left on the cheeks of the newest victims wasn't just an escalation.

"This person is trying to make a statement about the kills. Branding them with a literal scarlet letter. We now know that at the very least that Garrett and Ian were involved in some extremely shady shit. What if the kills are about exposing secrets? Dark secrets? Just like in the book." The Scarlet Letter. "Hester Prynne…" The main character, "…was deemed an adulteress and forced to adorn the scarlet letter A. What if that's what this killer is trying to do here?"

"Hester didn't deserve to be punished." Toby drew a line between the victims on a chart he'd made.

"No, not from our perspective…"

Toby nodded and finished her thought for her,

"…but from the killer's perspective she would. The killer is playing fast and loose with the rules."

But that didn't make sense to Emily, because what was Maya's crime? And Lyndon? What had he done? She knew him. Not very well, but she knew him.

Toby saw the look on her face, and he knew. He understood.

"We'll keep digging," he said. "Maybe not all of the victims share the same ideals. Maybe they're not all criminals."

Maya was innocent. She doesn't fit the profile. Emily was chewing her lip, but she didn't realize it.

Toby glanced at Lyndon's name. He knew the truth about Maya and Lyndon not being related. Lyndon wasn't really her cousin. He'd seen that in the bloodwork, which was part of the file he kept hidden from Emily. He wasn't sure who they were to each other, but he didn't want Emily to find out. It would only hurt her. He wasn't positive that they were having an affair. He could only assume.

Alison was the only one who knew the truth about Lyndon and Maya. She had discovered it while following Lyndon around. He liked messing around with girls. He liked it a little too much. He'd used his position as a camp counselor one year to take advantage of one of the campers. He'd stalked her, slept with her, and later killed her.

None of that was in his records because he'd never been caught by the police.

Unfortunately for him, he had been caught by Alison, which granted him a fate much worse than prison.

Emily and Toby stared at the large bulletin board where they'd tacked up photos. There was red yarn connecting several different pieces of evidence.

"My brain needs a break from this." Toby rubbed his temple and plopped down in his chair. "We're looking too hard. We're zeroing in without a real focus. Sometimes our best work is done when we pull back and stop overthinking." He glanced at his desk. "You up for looking at another case? Coming back to regroup after we've been able to clear our heads?"

Emily sat down in her chair.

"Suuuuure." The word rolled off of Emily's tongue, longer than it needed to be. "It's all the same anyway. Murder. Torture. Rape."

The deadpan delivery in her tone made Toby snort out a hard laugh.

"I love your sunny outlook on life." Toby reached for a manila folder.

"Chin up, young Toby-Wan-Kenobi." She tucked her knuckles under his chin and lifted his head.

He grunted, then scoffed.

"You did not seriously just call me that." He rolled his eyes with a smile.

"I seriously just did." Emily beamed at him as she playfully patted his cheek.

"And you expect me to believe you didn't get laid last night?"

"It's always about sex with you men. You're all the same." She laughed. Given what she'd seen in Alison's file, she knew how hard it must have been for the blonde to let her in. It made their night together more meaningful to Emily. "There are other ways to connect, you know."

"Like what? Oral?" He mischievously lifted his brows.

"God, you're disgusting." Emily huffed out a laugh. "You're such a boy." She grabbed the file from his hand. "So, what are we working on?"

"Something a lot more disgusting than me." He sighed, his playful tone wavering into a more solemn one.

Emily opened the file.

On one side there were three close up shots of three different men in their forties.

The first one was boyish and blonde. His chin and his cheeks were lined with stubble. He had baby blue eyes and a scar by his right eyebrow.

The second man was more rugged. He had a big thick salt and pepper beard matching the disheveled hair on his head. His brown eyes were bloodshot, most likely from drinking.

The third guy looked like an average soccer dad. He had a round face framed with glasses, though it was clear he worked out. His face was smooth and groomed. He was balding, but still had some hair left on the sides of his head.

All three men were the same size and stature. Same weight. Same height. Same build.

"One of these men is a serial rapist." Toby tapped the pictures.

Maybe all three of them. Emily didn't like the looks of any of them.

Emily pulled the report on the other side up to find the profile of the victims. Her stomach clenched. There were three photos of young women. Two of them were crime scene photos.

One girl was in a pile of leaves. Her shirt had been ripped off. Her skirt was hiked up over her waist. There were bruises all over her legs. Her lifeless eyes were looking at the camera. She had long black hair and brown eyes. Emily saw a little bit of herself in the girl.

The second girl was blonde. Also young. Her haunting blue eyes were frozen in time. Unlike the first girl, who was still in her skirt, the blonde was completely nude. Her body was covered in blue and purple welts.

Emily flipped to the third photo and almost dropped the file. It was a young brunette who looked a lot like the first victim. She was no older than sixteen. Unlike the other two, there was a hint of life in her eyes. Her face was badly beaten. Her lip was split and she had a black eye that was swollen shut.

"Jenna Marshall. Sixteen. She fought like hell. He was wearing a mask, long sleeves, and gloves when he attacked her. He raped her twice, but she managed to get free. We weren't able to get any traces of DNA. Fiber from the clothing won't be much help. I'm sure he's destroyed what he was wearing by now, especially since she got away."

You fought. You fought for your life.

She was only sixteen.

"She survived." Emily touched the photo, her heart broken for the girl…her body full of rage that someone was out there hurting young girls, raping them.

"We've narrowed it down to these three perps. Been kind of difficult to get much further since we don't have DNA to go on."

Emily spread the photos of the men out. They all looked so different, but one thing they shared was the hollow look in their eyes.

Toby pointed to the blonde.

"Cyrus Petrillo. History of being on the run. He's volatile, though has never been arrested. Not so much as a traffic ticket on his record."

He's careful. The perp doing this is careful, too.

"Witnesses can place him near one of the three crime scenes and he lives close to the third crime scene."

The teenager.

Emily's stomach curled, twisted.

"Psycho Bachelor numero dos…" He pointed to the scruffy looking man. "Billy Ford. Has a temper. He's known to cause a lot of trouble in bars. He's been bounced from more than a few. Sometimes for being disorderly. Sometimes for harassing women."

He takes what he wants. He feels entitled. The perp is as well.

"He lives near one of the victims. They knew each other. Witnesses say they fought a lot."

"What's with Daddy Day Care here?" Emily slid the photo of the balding man towards him. He didn't look like he could hurt a fly.

But his eyes…something about his eyes were chilling.

"Tim Roland. Soccer dad. Has two girls. Chloe and and baby Grace. I'll admit I was skeptical about him being in the pool at first, but I did a little digging. He's divorced. Wife has custody of the girls. He fits the profile. Outwardly, he was happily married with two children. But I've got some sources that say he harbors some very dark secrets. A few folks in Vice say the prostitutes stay as far away from him as possible. He asks them to do things they're not comfortable with."

Emily stared at Tim. She stared into his eyes.

"What else we got on him?"

"He knew victim number two. And his daughter Chloe goes to school with our survivor."

"She's just a kid." Emily sighed softly, tracing her finger over the young girl's picture. "Can we place him at any of the crime scenes?"

"He lives dead center in the middle of the three of them. Easy access."

"Anything else?"

"He works with a tech company dealing in video production products, website management, and software."

The hairs on the back of Emily's neck stood up.

"Production as in?"

"Cameras, editing software, website domain registration." Toby slowly lifted his head.

"Could he have been connected to Thomas and Reynolds?"

Maybe the cases tied together. Or overlapped.

Toby reached for his laptop.

"Not only is it possible…" He flipped the screen around to show her a website he'd bookmarked. There was a graphic image of a woman in bondage mid-scream. "It's very likely."

"Holy shit."

"I've got IT working on tracing where the domain is registered." He cringed. "There is some really gruesome stuff on this site."

"I know I'm going to regret asking, but what exactly is on here?"

"At first glance it just looks like your typical BDSM site. Whips, chains, all that jazz…"

Emily thought about pointing out that he'd missed an opportunity to say all that jizz, but the sensible part of her won out and instead she shook her head and focused.

"Once you get deeper into the site it goes really dark. It takes you to another website on the dark web with snuff films. Men playing out their grossest wildest fantasies. It's fucking sick. There are women being raped on here and it gets millions of views."

"God, the world sucks." Emily sneered at the screen.

"I haven't been able to tie Roland to any of this yet, but we're trying." Toby said it with a conviction that Emily believed.

"Any of these guys have alibis?"

"None that can be confirmed. They were all questioned and released. We didn't have enough evidence to hold them. And we couldn't get DNA from any of them without a warrant."

"My gut says it's Daddy Day Care," Emily said, tapping his picture.

"Mine too."

"You thought about using a lure?" Emily peered at the victims again.

"What…you mean like…bait?" Toby saw the look on her face and his expression darkened. "Fields, no. You just got shot. I'm not handing you over to a fucking rapist."

"You can't treat me with kid gloves forever, Cavanaugh." Emily pressed her finger against the photo of the first victim. "You can't deny that I fit the profile for two of the three girls he's attacked. He might have a thing for dark hair and brown eyes."

"There was a blonde, too…"

"If this gets him off the streets it's worth a try." Emily was adamant.

"And what if he's seen you on the press junket covering the SLK case?" Toby lifted a skeptical brow.

"Men like him thrive on stalking and taking down powerful women. It will just make me more attractive to his tastes…his urges." She shuddered, feeling gross just thinking about it. "He'll see it as a challenge. What better challenge than getting the drop on a high profile detective? Especially if he thinks he'll get away with killing me."

"I hate this idea. I'd rather stick my dick in a blender." He shook his head.

"Don't be so dramatic." Emily flicked her wrist at him.

"What if we partnered with Vice? We could use one of the undercover cops there."

Emily held her hand up and shook her head.

"He won't go for it. Hookers aren't his type. He likes the challenge of regular women. He doesn't get anything out of having to pay for it. He wants to take it." Emily hated that she could get into his head, but she'd already profiled him and she knew exactly what they needed to do to catch him. "All we have to do is set it up so that he catches me showing a little skin…out of uniform and in civilian clothes. He'll fall right into it. Once he tries to get the drop on me we'll have him."

"How are you so sure about this?" Toby tapped his pen against his desk nervously.

"Because men are idiots."

"Gee, thanks." He rolled his eyes.

"You know what I mean. They think with more than one head." Emily peeled her jacket off. "You know I'm right. I did a few stints in Vice. This wouldn't be any different."

Toby grumbled, swearing under his breath. But he relented, because he knew she was right.

"It's going to take some time to get everything set up. Gotta go through the proper channels. Get a tail on him. Get a team together."

"In the meantime we just tell everyone to stay vigilant." Emily jotted down a few notes.

"They're already being vigilant." Toby reminded her.

A serial killer and a serial rapist. In a perfect world they would just snuff one another out.

Emily pulled out her laptop, searching for the digital copy to read through all of the notes. The search feature was a lot more convenient than scanning hours worth of paperwork.

She put her phone on her desk face up, occasionally glancing at it to see if she'd gotten a text from a certain blonde.

She felt the urge to send a cheeky message like, "Are you fingers deep in another woman right now, Doctor?"

She heard Toby chuckling and when she looked up she saw him grinning at her.

"What's so funny?" She furrowed her brows.

"You're thinking something dirty." He poked her.

She wanted to argue, but he was basically a human lie detector.

"This woman has completely gotten under your skin, hasn't she?" He kicked back in his chair. "You really like her, don't you?"

"I really do." Emily's lips quivered ever so slightly into a soft smile.

"Tell me about her." He liked seeing his partner so happy. "What's she like?"

"She's thoughtful. Introspective." Emily found herself tracing a finger against a file on her desk, drawing an imaginary heart without even realizing it. "She listens…"

"I listen." He interjected teasingly.

"And I appreciate that, but A) you're like my brother and B) you have more in the…" she pointed to his crotch, his pants pulled tight because of the way he was leaning back in his seat, "junk department than I care for. I don't drive stick. You've always known that about me."

"Gross. Curb that talk, sister." He lowered his feet so they were flat against the floor and sat up.

Emily laughed. She loved making him uncomfortable. It was one of her favorite pastimes.

"Alison just has this kindness I'm attracted to. The way she cares for her patients…" And the focus she had that drove her during Garrett's autopsy. "She's insanely intelligent and passionate. Funny. And she looks hot in scrubs." She grinned. "We have a lot in common when it comes to saving lives. And she's always up for my adventures."

Toby heaved out an impressed whistle.

"You've got it bad." A deep chuckle. "Seriously, Em, I haven't seen you like this since…"

He cut his sentence off abruptly and looked down at the floor.

Since Maya.

That's what he was going to say. She knew him well enough to know that's what he was going to say. He tried to save it,

"It's just been a long time since I've seen you this smitten."

She was. She truly was smitten.

The good doctor had found a way into her veins, and like an addict…she couldn't get enough.

Emily looked at Alison's number and sighed.

I should have just slept with her.

Then maybe she'd be able to concentrate on her work. She thought of the way they'd held each other, how they'd touched each other. The intimacy they shared. That was huge for her. She never let anyone in, and she could tell that it was the same for Alison.

Alison had touched her before, when she was in the hospital. But there was nothing sexual about it.

Emily wanted to feel her hands against her in the sexual way. She wanted Alison to touch her in ways she hadn't touched her in the hospital. She wanted to feel her the way she'd felt her outside the French restaurant. She wanted raw unadulterated tantric sex. But she also wanted the feeling she'd had holding Alison on her couch. She wanted that closeness.

Something had happened after their kiss in the alley. Something had changed. She barely knew the woman. She was fascinated. She wanted to know more. She wanted to feel more. She felt the inkling of hope that she might be able to love again.

She checked her phone obsessively over the next several hours, even though she knew Alison was in surgery. Toby teased her the entire time, which lightened the mood despite the dark content of their caseload.

At lunch time Emily left for her break, wondering if it would be too desperate to show up at the hospital, unaware that at that very moment Alison was daydreaming about her showing up at the hospital.

o ~ O ~ o

It had been a busy morning for the blonde. Dr. Kingston had left her a full surgery schedule, so she hadn't been able to check in with Emily. Around the time that Emily had left for her lunch break, Alison was sitting down to take a breather in her office.

The first thing she did was reach for her phone, hoping to have a text from the detective. When she didn't see anything she was perturbed, but tried to rationalize that Emily probably had a busy morning, too.

She thought about sending a selfie with a cute little message about working up a sweat, but decided against it.

How clingy is too clingy? The doctor wondered.

She'd never considered herself someone who needed interaction with others. She'd always been perfectly content on her own.

She picked up her phone, staring at it before putting it back down. She repeated the cycle several more times. Then she turned it over so the screen was facing away from her.

For the next fifteen minutes she buried herself in patient folders.

She was in the middle of filling out a patient's chart when she heard a familiar voice.

"Hey you." When she looked up her heart started palpitating in her chest. Emily was leaning against the door frame wearing a mischievous grin. "So…this is your office." She took the space in. "I was starting to think you lived in the break room and the morgue."

Alison loved being teased by the detective.

"Emily." Alison smiled. "Hello. What a surprise."

I knew she couldn't stay away…

Alison had to control the urge she felt to run into her arms.

I'm turning into a movie cliché.

"Thought you might be up for lunch?" Emily pushed herself off of the frame. "There's a new food truck I've been dying to try."

She walked towards Alison's desk, catching a glimpse of some of her photos. They were mostly of her and Jason. Some of her and her aunt. None of her parents. Emily hadn't seen any pictures of her parents at the house either. She wondered if it was too painful for her to see them, though that didn't make much sense because she had pictures of her brother up.

"How'd you get past the ogre at the front desk?" Alison chuckled.

"Flashed this pretty puppy at her." She showed her badge off.

"Clever girl." Alison stood to meet her.

"Ran in to Doctor Montgomery. She looks like she's feeling much better. She pointed me in your direction."

Crap, I hope Aria didn't say anything embarrassing…

If she had, Emily didn't indicate it. All of her focus seemed to be on Alison.

"So…" Emily tapped the edge of Alison's desk, admiring some of the scenic photos that were surrounding her. "You free for lunch?"

"For you? Any time." Alison winked.

Jesus, I just WINKED.

What the hell was going on with her?

Emily just laughed and gestured for Alison to follow her.

Alison wasn't usually a fan of surprises. It lacked control. She didn't like lack of control. But she trusted Emily, so she followed her.

As they were leaving, Kathleen shot them an angry sneer and grabbed the cross around her neck like it was a lifeline.

She didn't like gay people. She was a devout religious Christian that would give Pam Fields a run for her money in the homophobia department.

Pam had seen the light because of her daughter. Kathleen never would. It had never dawned on Alison that Kathleen might hate her because she was bi.

Not that it mattered. She didn't give a fuck what the saggy old twatbag thought about her. She'd be dead soon anyway.

Fucking child-killing thief…

Fortunately, the doctor got a nudge of encouragement when she saw Aria waving to her from the hallway. Alison was glad to have her back. The tiny brunette shot the blonde an eager grin as she waggled her brows and gave her a thumbs up. She mouthed something like "we'll talk later!"

"You like Mexican?" Emily questioned, reaching for her hand as they walked out the double doors.

"My aunt and I used to have Taco Tuesday. She made the best empanadas." Alison smiled.

"I like a girl who likes adventure." Emily returned the wink from earlier.

They walked a few blocks down the road to where a row of food trucks were set up. Emily directed her to a brand new Fiesta Truck that was serving authentic Mexican cuisine. Alison took note of the name, Holy Guacamole, Let's Taco Bout it and chuckled. Someone had done really good work on their PR.

Emily ordered a spicy burrito with cheese. Alison settled on a vegetarian burrito. She was sitting in on an autopsy later. She knew Aria would smell the meat on her, and the last thing she wanted was to get a lecture about cruelty to animals, though Alison did believe a lot of what Aria preached.

Alison had dissected earthworms and frogs and fetal pigs for medical purposes, but she'd never hurt a living animal. She'd never hurt an animal.

They were innocent.

She had determined that at some point when she was honing her craft, though she still wasn't sure how.

How did I determine that?

Given everything she did, she teetered the line between psychopath and sociopath. She still wasn't entirely sure what she was. Most psychopaths and sociopaths didn't have emotional attachments to anything. To most killers, animals were no different than humans.

But she loved animals. Naomi had the coolest cat in the world. Alison had liked that cat more than Naomi. The cat would rush up to greet her every time Alison went to Naomi's house. He'd weave in and out of her legs and meow at her until Alison picked him up and cuddled with him. He would purr in her arms.

Riley was into equestrian and she owned horses. Alison had loved riding with her. Sometimes she felt a special connection to her favorite horse, an old gelding named Cadillac. She'd rub his blazed muzzle as he breathed hot stinky air on her. He'd loved apples. There had been nothing better than taking a quiet ride in the woods, thoughts to herself. Just her and Cadillac hanging out.

She had loved her aunt's dog, Pepe. She'd cuddled with him many nights. She had cried when he had to be put to sleep when he got old and couldn't walk anymore. She'd begged her aunt to let her build him a wheelchair. She'd researched doggy wheelchairs and had tried to talk her aunt into giving Pepe a little more time. But the dog was suffering and in pain, and it wouldn't have been fair to him.

She remembered bursting into tears after the Veterinarian told them he was gone. Alison certainly understood the complexities of life and death. She'd already killed several people by that point. But she'd cried anyway.

Why did I cry over a dog?

Why did cats love her? Why did she feel more at peace with a horse than she felt with human beings?

Because they were innocent.

The man running the Taco truck interrupted her thoughts with the total price of their meal.

Alison whipped out her card to pay, smiling at Emily. It was certainly no French dinner, but Alison wanted to do something nice for the detective.

"I don't know if I ever properly thanked you for the lovely dinner last night." Alison suddenly realized. Had she said it out loud or had she been too caught up in her hormones to mention it?

Thanking people was a normal thing to do. She needed to do it more often.

"It was my pleasure." Emily stepped aside while their order was being prepared. "I'm glad you had a good time."

It was more than that.

It had meant so much to Alison. Emily's honesty. Her integrity. The fact that she'd stayed with her. Her non-judgmental listening ear.

"How has your day been?" Emily questioned as they stepped aside and waited for their order.

"Non-stop." Alison blew out a breath, sending a tiny puff of her hair out of her face.

Emily chuckled and moved the wild strand of hair aside. Alison could feel the warmth radiating off of her palm.

"How are things at the station?" Alison tried to remember that they were in public, tried to remember that she couldn't just push Emily to the ground and peel her clothes off.

Emily made a funny face and rubbed her brow, the edge of her upper lip twisting up into a bit of a face that looked an awful lot like an Elvis sneer.

"Oh, that's not a good face." Still a pretty face, but not a good one.

Emily's brows were knitted together, a mixture of sorrow and rage. A bleak despondency. Something was clearly bothering her.

"Did something happen with your case?" Alison knew they couldn't have had a big break in it, because she wasn't in handcuffs. And there weren't any more bodies…yet.

The question seemed to snap Emily out of whatever thought she was lost in.

"No." She leaned up against the side of the food truck, traces of her conflicting emotions still there. "I was just thinking about another case."

She pushed her hands into her pockets and faced the concerned blonde. Alison didn't like seeing her upset. She tried to read the expression on her face.

She's troubled. Hurt. Angry.

The look in her eyes was…maternal? She recognized it because she'd seen it from adults in her life over the years. Her aunt. Her therapists. Her teachers. Everyone who knew what she'd gone through.

Had someone hurt a child?

Emily opened her mouth, ready to tell her about Jenna Marshall, but then looked at the surrounding crowd. It would be foolish to talk about police matters in such a public place. Plus, Toby was right…she couldn't put Alison in jeopardy. She'd already told her too much about the Scarlet Letter Killer case. She couldn't start talking about other cases.

"The job just gets a little overwhelming sometimes." Emily tried to shrug it off. She closed her eyes and lifted her head, letting the sunlight hit her face. Her tension faded. After a few seconds she pulled her hands out of her pockets and pushed off of the food truck. "It's important to get out and get some air from time to time."

Alison had a hard time understanding the complex emotions Emily was going through. She'd had bad days, too, but she never felt haunted by them. They didn't eat away at her like they did normal people.

But she could pretend.

"I get it." Alison reached for her hand with a smile. "Sometimes the hospital can feel like a monster. It eats people alive. It's always there. Watching. Waiting…" She was falling back on her own habits. Her own demons. "We all need an outlet."

Spencer had said that to her. Of course, Alison's outlet wasn't sunshine and a taco truck. It was blood and gore.

But maybe her outlet could become more. Maybe her sunshine could be her time with the detective.

"Order up!" A tall dark man waved them over to get their food.

Once they grabbed their lunch they walked across the street where there was a large fountain encircled by a thick stone wall.

"So…" Emily sat down against the edge of the fountain with a smile on her face, "Last night."

"Last night." Alison sat next to her, reflecting her smile back at her.

"I have to admit that I haven't been that open with anyone in a very long time." Emily took a healthy bite of her burrito.

Alison admired that she wasn't shy about her food. She had a good appetite and she didn't apologize for it.

"Me either." Alison admitted. Talking to people was easy. But talking to people about herself was not. Emily made it feel like a breeze. She made her feel safe. "It's hard…to be myself, because I always feel like people only see my tragedies."

"I know exactly what you mean." Emily nodded.

Which is exactly why they got along so swimmingly. It was also why Emily didn't bring up what she'd seen in Alison's file. She saw more than just her past.

"I like being able to talk to you." Alison nibbled on her vegetarian burrito. It wasn't half bad. Perhaps Aria was on to something with the whole vegetarian thing.

She had to suppress a laugh.

She murdered people, and she was worried about cows and chickens being killed for food?

"I feel like I owe it to you." Emily smiled at her. "You had to listen to my incessant flirting in the hospital…"

"That flirting was the highlight of my day." Alison smirked before taking another bite of her lunch. She really liked the spices that had been blended into the veggies. "Did you sleep okay last night? I know we kind of fell asleep in an awkward position. Your chest isn't sore, is it?"

"All good." Emily shook her head.

"Any nightmares?"

Emily smiled.

"No." She thought back to waking to the beautiful sunrise with a wonderful woman in her arms. She'd been at peace for the first night in a long time. "So, what do you think of the burrito?" She motioned towards the half-eaten food.

"It's really good. You picked a good spot."

"You learn a few things when you work the streets." Emily shrugged. "The food is one of the perks."

"I thought you were Homicide." Alison cocked her head curiously.

"I didn't start out there. I worked the beat for a while. Did my dues in several different departments. Even Vice."

Alison frowned. She shuddered to think of Emily letting skeevy men near her. Emily saw the look on her face and she couldn't help herself as she reached up and scratched her cheek with a teasing grin.

"It's nothing to be jealous about." She puckered her lips out, mimicking her pout with a laugh.

Fuck jealousy. That's a dangerous job.

Then again, the woman had been shot clearing an active crime scene. Alison was going to have to get used to her being in danger. But she didn't like it.

They finished up their lunch and then lounged by the fountain.

"If you weren't a doctor what do you think you'd be doing?" Emily questioned, leaning back into the sun. The glow of the bright light bounced off of her skin.

Alison shuddered to think what her life might be like had she not gone into medicine. Being a doctor gave her a purpose other than killing. She felt like every life she saved made up for the people she killed. It was the way the world balanced. At least, that's the way she told herself it balanced. She wasn't really sure.

Why did I teach myself to go after guilty people? How did I discern guilt from innocence?

"Maybe a veterinarian?" Alison had never really considered the question. She knew when she was seven years old she wanted to be able to operate on people.

She wasn't sure she'd be able to do it on animals though. She'd be too emotionally invested.

"That's just a different kind of doctor." Emily playfully bumped her. "If you could do anything in the world…what would you do?"

"Hmm…" Alison considered it. "I'd be a teacher."

"There you go!" Emily snapped her fingers in delight.

"Of medicine." Alison finished her statement.

"My God, you're hopeless." Emily laughed as she dipped her hands into the water and palmed it, splashing Alison playfully.

Alison let out the most girlish squeal she'd ever made and then immediately thought to herself,

Did that come from ME?

She wasn't thinking about all the bacteria and germs that could be breeding in the water, which is typically where her scientific brain wandered. She was too focused on Emily's smile.

"You got me all wet!" In more ways than one.

Emily smirked, catching the double entendre, almost uttering, it won't be the first time.

Alison bit her lip and smiled.

"Has anyone ever told you that you have a swimmer's body?" Alison reached for her arm, curling her hand around Emily's bulging bicep.

Emily laughed as she flexed her arm for the blonde.

"I swam a bit in high school, but a shoulder injury sidelined me."

"What happened?"

Ben happened. She'd injured it in the attack in the locker room.

"The psycho ex-boyfriend happened." She rolled her shoulder out of habit.

If Alison had still been holding her burrito she would have squeezed it until it popped.

"Small price to pay for my survival that day." She shrugged, but she sounded a little sad, which made Alison feel sad. And angry.

I liked it better when I couldn't feel anything.

"It opened up new avenues for me." Emily perked up, and she was Alison's smiling beaming ray of sunshine again. "Sometimes bad things crush us, but the pressure can turn coal into diamonds."

"You're cute when you talk like you're a fortune cookie." Alison reached out and touched her index finger against the tip of Emily's nose.

Boop.

"It's something my dad used to say." Emily chuckled and wrapped her hand around Alison's wrist, bringing her knuckles to her lips to kiss them. "Make the most of things, you know? Take bricks that are hurled at you and use them to build something with it."

"Another one of your dad's suggestions?" Alison guessed.

"Heard that one in AA years ago." Emily shook her head.

"Do you still go?" Alison asked curiously. She knew what it was like to need to feed an addiction. She wondered if there was a Serial Killers Anonymous.

"No. If I ever feel an urge to drink I usually just call Toby. He tells me not to be an idiot and that does the trick."

"Well, if it ever gets to a point where you need someone to talk to, you're welcome to call me." Alison touched her arm and then pulled back.

Emily smiled.

"I appreciate that." Emily leaned back, putting her palm against the edge of the fountain next to Alison's hand. "So, were you in to any sports in school?" She inched her fingers towards the blonde's.

Alison moved her fingers towards Emily's until their hands met. She felt her face get hot. Emily smiled when she saw her blushing.

"No. I was a science geek."

"You? A geek?" She didn't say it like it was an insult. She seemed aroused by the idea. She reached up and tucked some hair behind Alison's ears. "I bet you'd look really sexy in glasses."

"Wouldn't know. Never had them. I have perfect vision." All the better to see you with, my dear.

"So, what did you do in science club?"

Learned how to get away with murder.

"Learned about chemistry." Though not the same chemistry she was experiencing with the brunette. That couldn't be taught in any textbook. She moved her hand away from Emily's and slid it on to her thigh. "Did a deep dive into anatomy…"

"Mmm…is that so?" Emily smiled. She leaned towards her. "I bet you could teach me all about anatomy."

"Don't tempt me." Alison warned her.

"The indecency." Emily feigned a horrified look. "What would the mean old monster at your front desk think? We're in public, Doctor." Emily reminded the eager blonde.

"Don't care." She reached for Emily's blouse, mussing it up as she curled her fingers into the silky fabric and pulled her forward, locking her lips against Emily's. She mumbled. "I don't care who sees."

I WANT people to see. I want people to know you're mine. And I'm yours.

Someone whistled from across the street and they pulled away laughing. Emily wrapped her arm around Alison's waist and pulled her closer.

"Okay, give me a little more than books and research. What are you passionate about?" Emily spoke with her hands when she said the word passion, throwing the word around like it meant something.

"I'm assuming you mean besides my job?" Alison gave her a hard time.

"Branch away from the mundane." Emily let her body heat settle against Alison's. It felt nice. "What do you really love to do?"

Cut dicks off of pedophiles. Make bad people scream. Paint by numbers with blood.

"I had a friend with horses when I was younger. I always liked riding the trails. It was quiet. I appreciate the quiet." Alison struggled to come up with the right response. Was there a right response? "I get that quiet in the OR, too. My days are filled with chaos, but there is a calm that comes over me in the OR. I like that feeling. I seek that out in every way I can."

"What else?" Emily dug deeper.

"I like libraries." She looked up with a soft expression on her face. "Reading was always my escape when I was younger. I felt safe there. And I like music. It relaxes me. I like to walk, to really appreciate nature." It's where she did a lot of her stalking, which put her at ease. "I traveled a little bit with my aunt and really enjoyed it. I'd like to see the world one day."

"Any particular reason you haven't already?" Emily asked curiously.

Alison lowered her head, dipping her chin down.

"There wasn't a lot of time between med school and my aunt getting sick. She deteriorated fast. She was too weak to travel. So I brought the vacation to her. I'd decorate the house with different cultures from different countries. She really seemed to love it."

"I'm sure she did." Emily rubbed Alison's back.

The blonde liked the motion.

"I like simple things, Emily. You don't have to go out of your way to impress me. I mean, I know that restaurant was a bit bougie, but I wanted our first date to be memorable."

"It was memorable." Emily caressed Alison's cheek. "I was with you."

"You always know exactly what to say." Alison smiled dreamily.

"Really? Because I feel like I'm flying by the seat of my pants here."

"Who says you need pants?" Alison lifted her brows.

They both doubled over in laughter as they joked about taking a mini dip in the fountain to cool off.

"Hey, are you feeling dessert?" Emily asked.

"Depends…" Alison twirled her hair. Is that dessert you? "What did you have in mind?"

Emily nudged her chin forward at another food truck with swirls of frozen ice cream in all flavors on the front.

Alison ordered a mint chocolate chip in a cone and Emily went for the vanilla chocolate swirl. They had both lapped up a decent portion of their ice cream by the time they reached a bench halfway back to the hospital.

The delight Alison showed over a simple ice cream cone touched Emily's heart. She was like a kid experiencing something exciting for the first time.

Alison had eaten ice cream before, but as rich as she was growing up…ice cream was a luxury that her parents wouldn't allow her, for fear that she would get fat.

Such vain narcissists. No wonder I cut people up.

The burst of flavors danced in Alison's mouth and she smiled. Emily looked at her and saw a sweet adorable woman. She didn't see the dark cloud that hovered over her.

After Alison was finished she flicked her tongue out to one side and wet the corner of her mouth trying to make sure she didn't have any remnants of the treat on her face.

"You've got a little something…" Emily pointed to the other side of her mouth.

Alison reached up with her napkin and wiped her lips, getting most, but not all of the ice cream.

Emily chuckled. She put the tip of her finger against the edge of Alison's lip, cleaning the spot she'd missed. She felt Alison's smile grow underneath her touch.

Their eyes met as Emily trailed her fingers down against her chin and cupped it gently.

They leaned in at the same time, Emily's lips capturing Alison's.

The blonde closed her eyes. She didn't think. She just acted. She'd never been led by her feelings before. Her hand landed softly against the detective's cheek, her fingers curving into her perfectly defined jaw.

When they parted to breathe Alison smiled bashfully at the detective.

"I really enjoy being around you."

"And I you." Emily exchanged the sentiment.

"We should do this again sometime." Alison grabbed Emily by the lapels of her overcoat for another kiss.

When they parted Emily already had a response ready,

"How about tomorrow?" And every day for the rest of our lives?

---

A/N: Oh...the complexities of relationships. This one had a lot. Emily/Hanna, Emily/Toby, and of course, what you're all here for...Emison. Here's to hoping that Emily doesn't get in over her head in love AND in work...