Hello,

Thank you for following my story

I'm not expert in medical terms, I just used what I saw in movies, sorry ^^

Note 1: In Italics, the storyteller speaking (moi ^^)

Note 2: In the scene of the 'surgical room' it's the dream that Alison had during surgery (= no real, just a hallucination)

Note 3: Enzo is a character that I create, he's mentioned in the chapter '5 – Too Close'; the physical look will be like the actor Michael Markey and he's. For Alison, Enzo is the closer thing of a family, the big protective brother that she always wanted and needed.

Chapter 17 – Dead or Alive?

(In Melissa's room – Spencer's house)

Hanna.- "What are we looking exactly?"

Spencer.- "I don't know… if my sister is really working with Mona on something, there must be a clue here in her room"

Aria.- "Do you think that she's working also with 'A'?"

Spencer with a sad look.- "I… I would like to think no but…"

Hanna founding a wooden box under the bed of Melissa.- "I think that I found something but it is locked"

Spencer.- "Let me see… perhaps with some clamps we can broke the lock…"

Hanna.- "Or maybe we can ask someone with skills to opened it for us…"

Aria.- "Give me that…" (She took the box and crashed it on the floor; the other two girls looked astonished to the little one) "What?! We're out of time in our current desperate situation…"

Hanna.- "Go Aria bad ass! I like it!"

Spencer looked down and she looked surprised.- "The USB of Ali!"

Aria.- "Your sister took it?!"

The other girls started to look what was also in that box as Spencer was opening the file in the USB.

Spencer.- "Guys, look…."

The girls approached to the screen of the laptop and Spencer play the video that was in the USB; it was a video which showed Jessica D. talking with the cop Wilden, it's the evidence that shows that Jessica D. bribed Wilden to keep it quiet about something.

Aria.- "Why is she giving him money?"

Hanna.- "Perhaps it's to keep it quiet about Alison, when she buried her alive…"

Spencer looked to Hanna's hand and noticed that she had something.- "What is that Hanna?"

Hanna.- "I don't know it was also in the box…"

Spencer took the paper and found that it was the plan of a building, she looked to the address and she recognized the place.- "OMG… I know this place… it's the warehouse where we met Ali…."

Aria.- "Do you think that there are planning something there?"

Spencer.- "Let's go find out"

(In the warehouse)

Melissa approached and looking to Alison in the floor she said with a sarcastic tone.- "Ah, I didn't expect that… look Emily, too much blood"

Melissa turned her head towards Emily who was looking at her with angry eyes. Melissa removed the tape of Emily's mouth and as soon as Emily felt her mouth free, she started to talk.

Emily yelling.- "You crazy bitch! You will pay for this! You better pray that Alison doesn't die, because if she does…"

Melissa with a challenging look.- "What if she dies? What are you going to do?"

Emily.- "I will hunt you and bring hell to you! I swear Melissa; I will make you pay for this!"

(Mocking smiles of Melissa)

Melissa was going to say something when out of nowhere; she felt a tranquilizer dart in her neck.

Melissa.- "What the h…" (She faded)

Emily turned in direction of the dart's origin, and from the shadows, there he was, Noel Kahn. He approached and used her pocket knife to liberate Emily's feet; he was trying to liberate also the handcuffed hands of the brunette when they started to talk.

Emily.- "Why are you doing this?"

Noel.- "I had a debt with Alison… this is the 2nd time that I save her ass…"

Emily.- "Second time?"

Noel.- "It was me, who called 911 when she was with her Mom; that night she looked for me and asked to keep an eye on her as she confronted her; when I saw that someone with a black hoodie hit her from behind I make the anonymous call"

Noel finally was able to liberate Emily and as soon as the brunette felt free, she ran over Alison and took her in her arms; the blonde was very pale but she was still breathing.

Emily cried with tears.- "Ali, Ali, please, hold on, ok, I need you…"

Noel.- "I already call 911, the ambulance will be here in any time… if she survives this, tell her that my debt is more than settled…" (He started to walk out of the place when he said) "For the rest of the word, I was never here Fields, do you understand that?"

Emily nodded.- "Yeah, I will not tell… thanks"

*** Music background: Chasing Cars by Sleeping at last***

The brunette hugged tight Alison; she accommodated Alison's head in her chest; the tears didn't stop, they just increased as she looked to all the blood and the arrow which was nailed in Alison's back; the blonde was unconscious; far away, Emily could heard the sound of the sirens; she felt a big relieve and comfort to know that Noel didn't lie and that he really call for help.

Emily put a hand in Alison cheek and her tears were dropping in Alison's face as she said.- "You heard that Ali, the ambulance will be here in any minute… the help is in her way and you will be fine ok?! Please hold on until they arrive, just a few minutes ok…" (She put soft little kisses in Alison's face) "Ali, you're not dying, do you hear me! You're not dying, no today!" (She approached her head and they were so close that their front-heads were leaning together) "I love you, I love you, I love you, I have and I will be always in love of you and that's why you need to stay alive; you promised me that you will bring me a happy ending, well, I need you for that, you're my happy ending: we going to college, going to our 1st date, celebrating birthdays and anniversaries, getting married, having kids, growing old together…. There is so much to do Ali; you can't leave me behind… you and me, we're supposed to have a wonderful life together, so you can't die ok! You can't! We have to be together… we're mean to be!"

Emily kissed her in the lips and when she felt Alison's cold lips, her crying increased…

When the girls arrived to the place, it was surrounded by cops.

Hanna.- "What is coming on?!"

Aria gulped.- "It seems that we're late.." (The brunette said as she was pointing out the paramedics)

The paramedics were getting out from the warehouse with Alison lying in a stretcher. Emily was behind them, she was covered in blood; the girls approached to her.

Spencer.- "Em! Are you ok, you're bleeding?!"

Emily.- "It's not my blood…"

The girls were trying to say something but the brunette wasn't giving them a lot of attention, all her attention was in following the paramedics and be with Alison. A cop approached to Emily and he was planning to make some questions when everybody heard the paramedics.

Paramedic 1.- "We're losing her!"

Paramedic 2.- "Starting CPR!"

The paramedics got the defibrillator and put the paddles on Alison.

Paramedic 1.- "Charging to 200!"

Paramedic 2.- "Clear!"

Alison's body moved but the flat line in the Heart rate Monitor didn't change, everybody could heart just one continuous beep.

Paramedic 2.- "Charge to 250!... Clear!"

Nothing changed; the paramedics were hesitating to continue when Emily stood up and yelled "Don't stop! One more time, please!"

They saw the despair in her eyes and they charged the equipment.

Emily mumbling.- "Come on Ali, come on Ali…"

The Paramedic said "Clear!"; Alison's body moved and the line in the Heart rate Monitor too; Emily could breathe again when she heard the 'bip, bip'. Alison started to open slowly her eyes; she was trying to say something as she tried to remove the breathing mask of her face.

Paramedic 1.- "Don't do that!"

Alison.- "Where is she… is she safe?"

Paramedic 2 talking to Emily.- "She's asking for you"

Emily got in the ambulance and she started to smile when she looked to an 'alive' Alison. Alison tried to raise her arm and Emily immediately hold her hand, their eyes met and Alison griped Emily's hand.

Alison smiling.- "You're safe"

Emily with tears in her face.- "Yeah, you save me…"

Alison smiled and she lost conscious again, the paramedics did their best to keep her alive; Emily got with them in the ambulance, once arriving in the hospital, the brunette saw Alison getting in the ER.

The other girls arrived to the hospital and found Emily sitting in the corner of the waiting room; her look was lost in her own thoughts.

Spencer was the 1st to approach her friend and she tried to pat Emily's back but Emily grabbed her hand; she turned towards her friends with an upset look.

Emily.- "I swear Spence, I will kill your sister if Ali doesn't survive this…"

Spencer gulped.- "I'm not responsible for Melissa actions"

Emily let free Spencer's arm, the other girls approached and there was a moment of awkward silence.

A cop arrived; he needed the testimony of Emily; he saw the girl very heartbroken so he decided to do the asking there as she was with her friends. Emily said everything, how she got kidnapped by Melissa in front of Alison's house and when she started to talk of the moment when Alison saved her, tears started to fall.

Emily crying.- "Right before she faded, she told me about how I taught her to love…" (More tears) "She can't die thinking that I don't love her! She needs to know it!"

The girls hugged her tight.

Aria.- "She will be ok Em, she will survive this and you will be able to say her how much you love her…"

Emily felt a little of comfort from Aria's word. There was nothing else she could do besides waiting for the best.

(In the surgical room)

The doctors were operating Alison, and her unconscious was in other place.

Surgeon.- "We need more blood, I'm losing her! Come on girl, don't give up…."

*** Alison's dream during surgery***

The blonde wake up and she found herself in Rosewood school; she's wearing a white dress.

Alison.- "Where Am I? What happen?

A male voice.- "Why have you got yourself always involved in this kind of mess?

Alison.- "Who is there?"

In the frame of the door, there it was Enzo. Alison smiled immediately and ran to hug him.

Alison hugging Enzo.- "Enzo, you're here! I miss you so much!"

Enzo patting Alison's back.- "I'm here kiddo, your big bro is here…"

Alison was very happy to see him, they stop hugging and Enzo asked her to give him a tour in the school, Alison nodded and started to walk together. They entered in the library, Alison showed him her favorite books, Enzo just looked at her with warm eyes.

Enzo.- "You need to go back Ali…"

Alison looking to the books.- "Go back were Enzo?"

Enzo.- "To your family, to your friends, to Emily…"

Alison.- "Enzo, we already talked about this a long time ago, I'm fine, they are better without me, I prefer to stay here with you…"

Enzo.- "No you don't" (He grabbed Alison's hands and they eyes met) "You need to go back and stop them, they're now in control: 'A', your Mom, Mona…. If you don't stop them, someone will die…"

Alison looked him in the eyes.- "What are you talking about?"

Enzo kissed the hands of Alison and continued talking with a soft voice.- "Kiddo, you're smart, fearless, the most remarkable and challenging blonde I've ever met" (both laughed) "You're my little sis and I love you, I would do anything to avoid you any pain at all, I don't want you to know that pain exist but pain is part of life… Ali, you need to go back; I can't make this decision for you; you're the one who has to decide to live…" (He grabbed her from the shoulders) "Ali, you need to live, you need to go back! Fight! You're not a quitter!"

Alison with tears in her cheeks.- "I'm done Enzo, I'm so broken, I can't anymore… what is the point… no one loves me…"

Enzo shook Alison from the shoulders.- "Something that I taught you in the past years it's the importance of perseverance, that in the face of true love you don't just give up, even if the object of your affection is not interest in you… another thing I taught you is the importance of forgiveness, the gift of a second chance… Ali, there is no use to deny the past or the pain, it's part of you, it will always be…"

Alison with tears.- "It just hurt so much, living, loving…"

Enzo.- "Love is a head wound kiddo, it make you dizzy, you think you die by a heartbroken heart but you don't, you will recover" (He put her hand in Alison chin and made her look at him in the eyes) "I promise that all will be ok, just don't stop fighting, don't quit… you have to survive this! It takes more than this to destroy Alison DiLaurentis!"

Alison chucked.- "Do you really think that I can beat 'A'? That; I will be able to be loved?"

Enzo smirked.- "My bet is on you kiddo!"

Alison smiled to Enzo; they hugged and Enzo whispered to her ear "I have faith in you kiddo, I trust you will do great, I know what are you capable to do… so just follow your heart ok"

Alison nodded and said "I will live Enzo, I will make you proud!"

*** END of Alison's dream during surgery***

(In the waiting room)

Jason arrived; he was agitated; he saw the girls and approached to them.

Jason.- "What happen?"

The girls were going to answer when a doctor appear in the room asking for the family and friends of Alison. Jason approached as well as Emily; the girl was a complete zombie before the arrival of the doctor but it seemed that she returned to life when she saw the men.

Jason.- "I'm his brother, my parents are not in town…"

Emily interrupted him as she asked.- "How is she?!"

Doctor.- "We almost lost her in the surgery but in the end her heart was strong enough to make it, she will need to be in the hospital for a while but she will survive"

A feeling of relief was present in everybody when they heard the words of the doctor.

Emily.- "Can we see her?"

Doctor.- "No today, tomorrow morning you can during visit hours… about the parents?"

Jason.- "I couldn't reach them on the phone, I left them voice messages, I hope they will be back as soon as they heard them"

Doctor.- "Ok, in the meantime, can you follow me, some administration documents need to be done by a familiar"

Jason.- "Yeah, sure…"

The girls hugged Emily and they escort her to her house.

(In Emily's house)

Emily was like a zombie, she arrived to her home and she sat in her couch; the girls were concerned about her, the brunette hasn't say a word since they left the hospital.

Hanna.- "Your mom is not in town also Em, if you want you can stay with me or I can stay with you.."

(No response)

Hanna looked to Spencer.- "Don't you need to leave and being with your family, your phone has been ringing all the time, I guess your parents are looking for you…"

Spencer gulped.- "Yeah, well I don't want to deal with them right now…"

Aria.- "What will happen with Melissa? Is she going to go to jail?"

Spencer.- "I don't know, but in any case, she didn't act alone, according with what Erza told us, Mona is also part of this"

Emily got to reality when she heard what her friend said.

Emily.- "What did you say?"

Spencer.- "Erza saw Melissa and Mona talking together in the brew, he heard that they were complotting something against Alison so he just warned us about it…"

Emily.- "That little bitch, I will kill her also!"

Aria saw the anger in Emily's eyes so she decided to change the subject.- "Em, you need to change your clothes, let me help you.."

The girls helping Emily to change, they decided to stay for the night and don't leave Emily alone.

(In Alison's hospital room)

The blonde felt a warm breath very close to her neck, she opened her eyes and turned her head slowly and she got surprised when she noticed that the source of the warm air in her neck was Emily's breath, the brunette was sleeping beside her, she fit her head in Alison's neck and she was grabbing her by the waist. Alison grabbed Emily's hand and murmured "Em"; Emily opened her eyes when she felt Alison's touch.

Alison smirked.- "Did you sleep well?"

Emily chucked.- "It's nice to see you with your sense of humor"

Alison.- "Well, I had a great dream…"

Emily.- "Do you care to share?"

Alison with watery eyes.- "Enzo told me once that life never delivers anything that we can't handle, that the best you can hope for it's to find some place which you can make your stand; that even on the worst days there's a possibility of joy" (she turned her head in direction of Emily and a tear appeared in Alison's face) "He died protecting me, 'A' killed him… the one person who adopted me and loved me as family, 'A' took it from me…"

Emily was moved by the sadness of Alison.

Emily grabbed her hand.- "Oh, Ali, I didn't knew…I'm so sorry"

Alison.- "His last wish was that I would found someone who would be there for me and I could be there for that person; he just wanted to see me happy... Em, I almost died again, and all I can think about is you, all I want is you but I will not lie, I felt like you and I were the greatest plan ever made… being with you made me feel that maybe I didn't have to keep running anymore because it felt like I was actually living and that for once in my life I wouldn't have to work so hard at being happy, that it could just happen… but, nothing has ever hurt me as much as your mockingly reaction in the kissing rock. And now I'm very confused of what happened between us the last weeks, what was the mean of that? it was another game?... And you're here, what is it? It's guilt? Gratitude? Pity?... What are we Emily?"

Both were looking in the eyes and Emily was over the point to talk but Alison's Dad arrived, he was with tears in his eyes, he asked to Emily to leave him alone with her daughter and she nodded.

The days passed very fast; Pam arrived as soon as possible and she was shocked by what happen; she put Emily in therapy even if Emily didn't want it; Alison's Dad sued Melissa for attempt of murder but Spencer's parents were smart enough to get a deal and send Melissa at Radley; Emily continued to visit as much as possible Alison in the hospital, but between the therapy, the school and the over protection of her mom, it had been impossible to have the 'talk' with Alison.

Like usual, Emily was arriving to the hospital, she was a little late because she visited the dentist; she was going to enter in Alison's room when she heard that the blonde wasn't alone; Emily stood in the frame door hearing the conversation.

Blair.- "I bring you the moka that you like"

Alison chucked.- "Thanks Blair, It's very kind of you"

Blair.- "Well, you know I'm miss polite"

(Both girls laughed)

Blair.- "So when are you going out from here?"

Alison.- "I'm not sure, perhaps in some weeks…"

Blair.- "Oh, so perhaps for the Ice Ball you will be ok?"

Alison.- "Maybe, why?"

Blair.- "Well, I was going to ask you to go with me to the ball: obvious, only like 'friends'…"

Alison.- "Let me think about it, I will tell you later ok?"

Blair smiled.- "Sure.."

Blair said her good-bye to the blonde and she left, Emily hide when she heard the other brunette approaching to the door so Emily just saw her leave and she entered in Alison's room. Alison looked at her and she could tell that Emily heard her conversation with Blair.

Alison.- "Did you heard?"

Emily nodded.- "I heard"

Alison.- "So now you know that she's waiting for me to get my answer"

Emily.- "Why you asked for more time to think about it?"

Alison.- "You want to know what's stopping me?"

(Emily nodded)

Alison.- "I can't answer her question as I'm waiting for you answered mine, when I asked you the other day, what are we Em?"

Emily.- "Ali…"

(She stopped talking and Alison got upset)

Alison.- "You told me that you didn't love me, that all was an act, I thought that we couldn't be together, that the best thing for me would be to try to move on, but you, acting like this…"

Emily.- "Acting like what?"

Alison.- "Like this: visiting me every day, looking after me as I'm sleep, hugging me, holding my hand, … acting like you really care about me… It confuses me! I wonder if you're still playing with me and you just want me to be unhappy…"

Emily.- "That was never my intention, I want you to be happy Ali…"

Alison yelling.- "So look down deep into the soul, I know you have, tell me the true for once! Tell me what the hell you feel for me!"

Emily.- "Ali, I love you but I can't make you happy, I can't protect you… I'm sorry, I screw it… I was manipulated by 'A', he commanded me to break your heart or he would hurt you… I couldn't live with myself if anything happen to you; break your heart it was a small price to pay for your safety…"

Alison upset.- "A small price?!... You're not who I thought you were! … I didn't want to be safe; I wanted to be with you! And what safety are you talking about?!"

Emily.- "Ali, everything I've ever done, every choice I've ever made, every terrible mistake, I did it thinking that It was the best for you"

Alison.- "I believed in you, you broke my heart twice! All I wanted to do was be with you…Em, I barely knew who I was and then you lied to me again and you used my amnesia to rewrite the past?!"

Emily.- "When you lost your memories, I saw a second chance, I couldn't bear the idea of losing you again Ali, I just…"

Alison.- "Do you have an idea of how betray I feel right now?! You had the chance to be honest with me, you didn't tell me; no instead you tried to play me for a fool again!"

Emily.- "I'm so sorry Ali, I was trying to spare your feelings, I knew you would be upset so I was trying to find the right moment to tell you but everything happen so fast and it's just that we were so happy…"

Alison.- "Happy?! Really?! Happy in your terms!"

Emily.- "No Ali!"

Alison.- "Yes!..." (sighs) "Please just go, I need to figure out what I know and what I feel…"

Emily was turning in direction of the door but she stopped her movements, she decided to go in the opposite direction; she took Alison by surprise when she kissed the blonde; Alison got upset and she pushed her off.

Alison.- "No Emily! You just can't kiss me and think that all it's going to be ok, it doesn't work like that!"

Emily.- "Ali, I did a terrible, stupid, stupid mistake, and I'm sorry, I wish I could take it back but I can't, but I'm not leaving, I'm not quitting on us!"

Alison.- "You're a totally different person right now for me, I used to think of you as someone that would never, never ever hurt me, ever! I hope you would go the courage to tell me this before; I wanted to rip everything of you from my heart…"

Emily swallowed hard.- "So are you going to stop loving me?"

Alison with the arm crossed.- "I can't! … I hate that I love you so much, regardless everything that has happen recently, I still want you, forever, you and me forever…"

(Emily smiled of happiness)

Alison picked an eye on Emily smile and she said.- "Don't make that goofy face! I'm still angry at you!

Emily murmured.- "But you love me too.."

Alison.- "Shut up!"

Emily approached slowly and she sat in the bed beside Alison, she hugged her as Alison was avoiding seeing her in eyes and looked in other direction.

Emily whispering in her ear.- "I haven't had the chance to tell you but thank you for saving my life" (She put a soft kiss in Alison's hand)

Alison turned towards Emily and she hugged her back, she put her head in Emily chest and said with a smile "You're welcome", Alison fell sleep in Emily's arm and the brunette couldn't be more happier having Alison in her arms.