Chapter 5.
A/N: IF Anyone is still reading this, that's awesome lol. I was just re-reading my old fics and found a few I thought were worth updating because I'm still just in love with these characters as ever. I lost nearly this whole chapter after writing for hours last night and had to re-write it which is a pain in the a$$ but hopefully it's still alright. Reviews = more updates lol.
Charlotte cursed Mona. The bitch was right. She knew exactly how to work her and Charlotte hated it. She was seething. But curious. What could that bitch know about her mom that she didn't know? She tried to convince herself that Mona was just baiting her. Trying to prove her worth and keep herself alive.
Charlotte stared at the photo of Jessica in her hands. Her mom had been a walking closet of secrets. Was it really that unrealistic that there was something she didn't know?
Alison couldn't believe she had gotten any sleep in that place. She figured she must have passed out of exhaustion.
"Hey, Ali."
Alison looked up to see Charlotte standing in her doorway, "Hi, Charlotte."
"I'm glad you got some sleep," Charlotte smiled, "You looked exhausted."
"Charlotte, please let me go."
"You know I can't," Charlotte said, "I need you here, Alison. I've always needed you."
"Charlotte, I can get you help – "
Charlotte sighed in exasperation, "Alison, stop trying to look after me. It's my turn to look after you. Don't be scared," she smiled, "I've always just wanted to take care of my little sister."
"You're fucking with me," Charlotte rolled her eyes, "You couldn't possibly know that."
Mona shrugged, "Alison's isn't the only diary I read, Charlotte."
Charlotte glared at the other woman, "Well, where is this diary now?"
"Let me out of here and I'll show you," Mona replied.
"Bullshit, there is no diary," Charlotte snapped, "You're playing with me, Mona."
Mona smirked, "Sure, I'm lying. Depends how much you really want to know the answer, I guess," she paused and spoke slowly, "Did mommy dearest ever really forgive you?"
Charlotte's face twitched, "It doesn't matter now," she lied, "I have my mom back."
"Mary," Mona chuckled, "That's a real sick game you've got going there. But I know you want the real answer…from your real mom. And I've got it. The insight into that woman's mind, that will tell you everything she really thought about you. Precious, loved daughter or psychopathic, stain that won't go away."
Charlotte ground her teeth and switched off the two way mirror system, walking away. That bitch was right, of course she wanted to know what her mom really thought of her.
"Where's Alex?" Alison repeated.
Mary's shoulders dropped, "I don't know, locked up in another room here I think. I hope."
"Charlotte wouldn't hurt her, right? I mean, they got along right?" Alison asked.
"I don't know Alison," Mary sighed, "It's very hard to tell. My children seem to have a certain tendency to be very manipulative. I have a feeling perhaps Alex was really just another puppet, someone to execute the game while Charlotte was in hiding."
Alison frowned, "But she can… care about people, right?"
"She seems fixated on you, Alison," Mary said quietly, "You and Jessica. That's all she's spoken about since I got here."
Alison sighed, "I just don't know why she's so fixated on me. It's weird, even mom called our relationship toxic, obsessive but I never really thought about it until she revealed herself."
"You said you'd help her… did you mean it? Do you still really think she can get better?" Mary asked.
Alison paused before answering, "I don't know. Do you?"
Mary looked around the room she was in and shrugged helplessly, "I think… she's extremely traumatised and if Archer was her doctor, well she was never really getting help, was she? This is so… " she cast her eyes around the room, a direct replica of the Dilaurentis sitting room, "completely tragic."
"I don't know if she even loves me or I'm just some… doll to her," Alison couldn't keep the sadness from her voice.
"I find it hard to believe someone with no feelings would go these extremes to recreate a family," Mary said, "But I don't know, I'm no expert. I haven't exactly always dealt with my feelings rationally either. I fear this may be my fault, my genes don't seem to have done my children any favours."
"I don't think the way mom raised her exactly helped thing. Talk about toxic," Alison rolled her eyes, "That's where we learnt to be manipulative."
Mary thought aloud, "Maybe we just need to the manipulating and use these roles she's put us in to our advantage."
"Family time!" Charlotte chirped, "Stand back from the door."
Mary and Alison looked at her in surprise and took a few steps back.
"Further, all the way over to the far wall," Charlotte instructed.
Mary sighed and followed Alison to the far wall. Charlotte punched a code into the door and let herself into the replica Dilaurentis house.
"I bought a movie," Charlotte held up a dvd and popcorn, "Thought we could all have a movie night together. You know, like families do."
Mary watched her daughter happily bounce over to the tv and set up the movie.
"You just… want to watch a movie?" she asked weakly.
Charlotte turned to her, "Yeah mom, like it should have been. You, me and Ali," she frowned, "Sit down, would you? You can't watch a movie huddled in the corner like that."
Alison and Mary exchanged glances and made their way over to the couch.
"Charlotte – "
"Ali, don't," Charlotte sat between Alison and Mary, "Let's just have a nice family night. Right, mom?"
Mary's heart broke. She knew Charlotte was seeing her as Jessica but hearing her daughter call her mom still moved something within her.
"Yes," she said, "Let's just have a nice family night, Alison. We're all together again now."
Alison gave in and nodded, "Okay, we'll watch a movie. Maybe we can have a talk afterwards. Like real sisters do."
Charlotte's face lit up, "Great, now who wants popcorn?"
Mona looked around the room she was in. Three concrete walls and the two sided mirror. She was tired of looking at her own reflection. At least it wasn't a hole in the ground this time, she thought. One part of her couldn't believe she was back in such a situation, dollhouse 2.0. But another part wasn't surprised, this was the game they'd all been playing for so long. She just hadn't thought anyone was left alive who would avenge Alex and Mary. She'd never believe anyone was truly dead again.
At least she still had ammo. She was glad she'd been smart enough to keep back ups of all the information she'd collected over the years, all the digging she'd done into, well, everyone. She hadn't been bluffing, she did have a copy of Mrs Dilaurentis's diary. She'd just thought her days of needing it to bargain with Charlotte were well behind her.
Charlotte had her head resting on Mary's shoulder as the credits rolled. Mary couldn't help but appreciate the moment with her daughter. She understood Charlotte's logic to a point; after all, all she'd ever wanted was a family too. Still, she knew this wasn't right. She wasn't Jessica and she didn't want to pretend to be. And Alison didn't deserve to be locked up like this.
"That was fun," Charlotte spoke softly, "But I better go," she picked up the empty popcorn container and stood up.
"But wait," Alison said, "I thought we were going to chat."
Charlotte looked at her sister warily, "I know what you're going to try and do, Alison. You're going to try and convince me to let you leave. But I can't do that."
Alison hesitated, "No, Charlotte, I just want to talk to you. I thought you were dead, now you're back… I just want to talk."
Charlotte bit her lip and scrutinised the other woman, "Fine but one mention of being let out and I'm leaving."
"Okay, okay," Alison offered a small smile, "Come sit with me."
Charlotte sat back down on the couch, "Okay, Ali. I really missed you," she took Alison's hand in her own.
"I missed you too," Alison watched her sister, conflicted. It was true, she had missed Charlotte but she was also very, very confused, "I'm really glad you're alive, Charlotte."
Charlotte smiled, "Really? You are?"
"Of course," Alison insisted, "Just when I thought you were going to be home with me, you were taken away. How -did you - "
"I don't want to talk about that," Charlotte interrupted, "You of all people should know a funeral doesn't mean much in Rosewood."
Alison sighed, "I thought you were better, I thought… but Archer – "
Charlotte rolled her eyes, "Was a means to an end, Ali. If he wasn't already dead, I'd have killed him for what he did to you."
Alison blinked in surprise, "That wasn't your plan – "
"No," Charlotte said sharply, "I told you all I ever wanted was to be with my family. That was true. I love you, Ali."
Alison bit her togue; it would be so easy to believe Charlotte but she'd made that mistake before.
"You don't believe me," Charlotte said, looking crest fallen.
Alison sighed, "I don't know what I believe anymore."
"Well, I'll show you," Charlotte stated simply, "We've got all the time in the world now, Ali."
"Charlotte," Mary had been quiet but spoke up now, "Where is Alex?" she asked softly.
Charlotte sighed, "She's safe. I just haven't decided what to do with her yet, mom."
"Maybe she should join us in here – "
"No," Charlotte cut in, "She's not your daughter, mom. She's Mary's. She's not… part of this."
Mary felt herself tense up, "But you love her too, don't you? She is your sister – "
"Alison's my sister," Charlotte stood up, "I don't like this conversation. Alison is my sister, Alex was just… a filler. But now I have my mom and my little sister, that's all I need."
"Okay, okay," Mary took her daughters' hand and pulled her back down, "I'm sorry, sweetheart. I didn't mean to upset you."
"Remember what you used to say, mommy?" Charlotte whispered, "You said one day we'd run away and it would just be you and me. But I said we had to take Alison with us, she needed us."
"Yes," Mary lied, "I remember."
"And you always said, every time you left, you'd come back for me," Charlotte continued, "And now here we are. You're back."
Mary fought the tears threatening to spill out, "Yes, I'm back."
Charlotte threw her arms around Mary, clutching her tightly, "I love you, mommy."
"I love you too, sweetheart," Mary returned the hug, a tear escaping her eye.
