A/N: So someone pointed out a discrepancy between this and former chapters (thank you!) so I changed this just a tiny bit and reposting! Thanks guys!

Chapter 8

Emily was awoken by a high squeal beside her. Her eyes snapped open and she swung around to see her girlfriend thrashing around beside her. Emily's eyes widened and she placed a gentle hand on her side.

"Ali," she said softly then louder, "Ali, wake up. Please, wake up."

Alison gasped as she woke up, realising where she was. She looked to Emily's concerned brown eyes and without saying a word crashed into her chest.

"Hey, hey," Emily ran her hands through Ali's hair before rubbing her back, "It's okay. You're awake now, you're safe."

Alison didn't say anything but Emily heard her sniffle.

Emily kissed the top of her Alison's head, "Ali… what is it? What can I do?" she asked, feeling helpless.

"Just hold me for a moment, please," Alison barely whispered.

"Anything," Emily murmured, pulling Alison closer, "I love you."

Alison nestled into Emily's chest for a while. She settled her breathing, helped along by the feeling of Emily's fingers in her hair. She sniffed one last time before withdrawing red eyed to face her girlfriend.

"Sorry," she said quietly.

"Don't apologise," Emily reassured her, "What's going on, Ali? What are you dreaming about?"

Alison sighed, "Just…" she shook her head.

Emily frowned, "Ali, what is it?" she pressed albeit gently, "You can tell me anything. Is it about A?"

Alison shook her head, "Sort of," she whispered.

"Is it about when you were in prison?" Emily asked quietly.

Alison finally made eye contact with the brunette and nodded, "Yeah," she breathed.

Emily bit her lip, "Do you want to talk about it?"

Alison hesitated, "It's just so real," she lent into the hand that found her cheek, "I'm in that stupid place, it's a hell hole… and I'm never ever getting out… and…" she paused, "I try to write everyone but nobody will reply or visit me. Except you," she closed her eyes, "But all you say is 'you deserve everything you get. Have a nice life,'" tears form in Alison's eyes, "And then I just get all these messages from A… about how you've moved on and you never even think of me anymore. You're with this random chick and you look at her like you used to look at me."

Emily felt the tears pool in her own eyes but fought them back, "Ali… it's just a dream – "

"Nightmare," Alison corrected.

Emily nodded, "But I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere. Neither are you."

"There's more," Alison barely whispered.

Emily bit her lip, "Tell me."

"Well, I get moved to the adult sector when I turn eighteen… and then all these women would beat me… nobody would help me," she hung her head, "Eventually it got too much… I started…" she began mumbling, "to hurt myself."

Emily was picturing it all too vividly and wrapped her arms around Ali, "No, Alison," she kissed her cheek then her lips then her cheek again, "You're safe now, I promise."

"I know," Alison nodded, cupping Emily's cheek with her hand, "I just," she shivered, "it brings back so many memories… and so many what if's…"

"But we're here," Emily insisted, "You're okay. We're okay," she stopped, a thought occurring to her, "Ali," she treaded carefully, "Did you ever…hurt yourself in there?"

Alison diverted her eyes, "Yes," it was so quiet Emily barely heard it, "I broke in there, Em. I didn't…I couldn't function in that place. I thought everybody had lost any hope in me, so I lost it in myself. I didn't see the point anymore. I knew I'd bought it all on myself and I… I hated myself for being such an idiot."

Emily couldn't supress the small whimper that emanated from her throat, "I hate to think of you in there alone. I wish I'd known sooner, I wish – "

"No," Alison squeezed her hand, "Don't start blaming yourself, Em. It was A, it was all A."

Emily nodded, "I know," she bit her lip, "I wish I could stop those dreams for you."

Alison smiled faintly, "It's okay, I don't get them all the time… " she shrugged.

"And you haven't…" Emily bit her lip.

Alison frowned, "What?"

"You haven't hurt yourself recently?" Emily asked, her voice dripping with concern.

"No," Alison shook her head, "I haven't, I promise."

"Good," Emily smiled, "I hate the thought of you doing that to yourself."

Alison kissed her lips, "Never again," she murmured, "Do you think we can just lay here a few more minutes? I know we're already late – "

"It doesn't matter," Emily rushed, "Let's lay here a while."

"So like, have you guys…" Hanna bounced her eyebrows.

Emily blushed, "Han," she elbowed her friend gently.

"Oh, come on. It's just us," Hanna smiled.

"Well, maybe…" Emily shrugged.

"Score! You go girl!" Hanna sounded surprised.

Emily glared at her, "Oh, shut up," she just laughed, "She's so amazing, Han. I mean, it's so nice. She's so open now and she just gets me and she's so beautiful and she smells like strawberries and her lips – "

"Okay, okay," Hanna put up a hand, "I ge it, Em. I don't need to know what Ali's lips taste like."

"Don't worry, you won't. Ever."

Emily bit her lip and turned around, smiling sheepishly at her girlfriend, "Hey."

"Hey, yourself," Ali smirked, "Pretty sure you were talking about me. All good, I hope?"

Emily kissed her as she sat down, "Of course," she murmured, "I love you."

"I love you too," Alison kissed her.

"That's nice and all…" Hanna stood up, "I'm going to leave you to your mushy love thing… I'll see you guys in a couple of hours?"

"Uh-huh," Emily nodded, smiling at her friend until she felt a hand on her cheek and turned back to her girlfriend.

"I don't think I've ever seen Ali look, or sound so genuine," Hanna noted, "She actually said I love you."

"They seem happy," Aria smiled, "Alison seems really… different."

Spencer shrugged, "I'm still wary," she claimed, "Emily's been through enough. If Alison breaks her heart…"

"Don't Spence," Aria shook her head, "I don't even want to think about that."

"Plus, you should see the way they look at each other, it's like…Juliet and Juliet," Hanna said.

Spencer snorted, "You know Romeo and Juliet ends in tragedy, Han."

"Well, maybe that's because of stupid Romeo," Hanna shrugged, "Juliet and Juliet ends differently, okay?"

"Jeez, someone's changed their tune," Aria laughed.

"Yeah, well, Emily seems really happy. I'm happy she's happy."

"So, what were you two talking about?" Alison bumped her shoulder into her girlfriend's.

Emily smiled shyly, "Just how amazing you are."

"Hmm, how amazing is that?" Alison flicked her hair as she stared into Emily's eyes intensely, her lips curling into a flirtatious smile.

Emily licked her lips unconsciously as she stared back, "Really, really, really amazing."

"Really, really, really?" Alison teased gently.

Emily laughed softly, "Tease."

"You love it," Alison shrugged.

"I do," Emily admitted, "We should um… get over to your place and your bags packed for Han's."

Alison nodded, "Yeah," she sighed, "We should," she leant closer, "But one more kiss wouldn't hurt, would it?"

Emily grinned, "Um, no, I don't suppose it would."

Alison laughed softly as she kissed her girlfriend.