Beacon Heights & the Divorce Papers

It had been a long day. Too long of a day. Her students had given her a hard time about their grades, which were absolutely deserved. Exams were coming up. She would be having her TA evaluation soon and her nerves were utterly shot.

And on top of it, she missed her girls. More than anything.

It had been a few days since she'd talked to them. With everything going on at BHU and the cops circling every hour on the hour, she thought it best to keep a little bit of distance. It was easier that way, she could keep them safe.

But it had quieted down for the evening, all the cops had returned to the station for the evening and the majority of the students were holed up in their dorms cramming for exams. It had just turned 3am and Alison knew that her time was now.

She climbed up on her desk chair and unplugged the Beacon Guard from the wall. She then reached into her purse and grabbed the small metal contraption that Mona had faceted for her. Mona swore it would work, but it was the first time that Alison would be using it, and she admitted to no one in particular that she was nervous. The contraption was supposed to disrupt any frequencies that may or may not be listening in on Alison's apartment. Each and every day Alison was more and more convinced that every inch of this campus was bugged, her apartment being absolutely no exception.

She searched for the small switch on the side and flicked it on. And just as Mona instructed, she counted to 15. That was supposed to be enough of a grace period for the little machine in Alison's hands to work and transmit a faulty audio to whoever may be listening.

God did she hope this would work. She didn't know if she could handle another day without hearing her favorite voices.

She quickly climbed on her couch and got herself comfortable, her favorite blanket from home wrapped tightly around her. She grabbed her phone and dialed the number she knew by heart. She glanced at the clock on her wall. Just past 3:30. 6:30 back in Rosewood. She pressed the call button and, rather impatiently, awaited someone to answer.

"Well, you're up late," said a warm voice on the other end of the phone. Alison smiled to herself, that voice always brought her back, grounded her, made her feel right at home no matter how far she might have strayed.

"Well, I had to be sure that I wouldn't be interrupted," Alison said, letting herself smile like an utter idiot at the sound of her favorite person's voice.

"Long day?"

"The longest. Especially because I didn't talk to you," Alison said, her mood slightly dampened again.

"Your rules. Remember?" reminding Alison of the rules she had set in place a few days earlier.

"I know, but still. I just hate going all day without hearing from you," Alison said, trying to bat away the tears from her eyes.

"That makes two of us," the voice said, rather short.

"You're still mad at me, aren't you?" Alison asked, her voice small and quiet.

She heard a deep breath being taken from the other side of the phone.

"No."

"Liar," Alison said, chuckling slightly.

"Well, maybe a little," the voice joined in the laughter.

"I'm sorry," Alison said, "I really am."

"I know. I know. I just wish it didn't have to be this way."

"It won't be for much longer. I promise," Alison said. She was a little worried when there was no response on the other side.

"Do you hear me? Emily, I promise you, this is all for show. All of this. I had to draft up the papers. I had to make it look like you were out of the picture. I had to make sure that I threw everyone off. I couldn't stomach if you were dragged into this." Alison said.

"And you think I can? Ali, I have to stop myself every day from buying a plane ticket and getting you the hell out of there!" Emily exclaimed.

"I know, Em. Believe me, I do know. This isn't easy for me either. But I have to keep you safe. You and the girls. That is the only thing getting me through this every day. You three are the only thing that get me up out of bed in the morning. You've always been the one to protect me, but Em, now it's my turn to protect you. And I need you to be safe," Ali said, her voice thick with tears.

"I know," Emily said, in a quiet voice. They'd been having this conversation for days. And even though it was fake, the act of signing divorce papers made them both sick to their stomachs.

"I'm sorry," Ali said, "I'm sorry that I'm putting you through all of this. God, Em you deserve so much better than this. Than all of this."

"Stop that," Emily said, the urgency in her voice cutting right through to Alison, "Don't do that. Ali, I love you. I love you. Nothing is ever going to change that. No long distance marriage, no murder at some college and certainly not some fake divorce papers. You said it yourself, this is not forever. But we are."

"I love you," Alison said, wiping her tears with the back of her hand, "And I miss you."

"We miss you, too."

They fell into a normal conversation, discussing the days' activities and Emily filling Alison in on all the latest preschool drama. Moments like this were amongst some of her favorite things in the world. She wouldn't mind spending forever getting lost in the sound of Emily's voice.

"Ali?" Emily asked a few minutes later, breaking their comfortable silence.

"Yeah, babe?"

Emily took a deep breath before answering, "Just don't-don't do anything stupid, okay?"

Ali couldn't help the slight chuckle that escaped her, "Well babe, I think it's a little late for that."

"Well, don't do anything really stupid. I'd still like to have a wife after all of this is over, if you don't mind. Disregarding the divorce papers, of course."

Ali laughed again, she couldn't wait to be back home, laughing with all her girls again.

"Like I'd ever let anything keep me from coming home to you."

"How many more days?" Emily asked.

"Hold on," Ali said, sitting up and reaching for the little pocket calendar she kept on her at all times. It served more as a countdown than to keep track of her day to day activities. It was far more satisfying to physically cross off the days on this little pad than just watching the calendar on her phone.

"Just a little over 4 months left," Ali said, flicking through the pages.

"How many days?" Emily asked quietly.

Alison took a moment and counted. And counted again to make sure.

"125," she said.

"125," Emily repeated, "Goes quicker that way."

"It'll be here before we know it."

"I can't wait," Emily said.

"Hey," Alison said, waiting for Emily's attention to get focused back from where it inevitably ran off too.

"Hmm?"

"I love you," Alison said, "And nothing will change that. I chose you, and I will always choose you. You are my forever."

"And you are my always," Emily replied and Alison could hear the smile in her voice.

"125 days," Alison promised.

"125 days," Emily repeated.