Madeline's POV

I opened my eyes drowsily and felt someone was in the room with me. My eyes shot all the way open when I realized who it was.

"Als?" I croaked, not having used my vocal cords in who knew how long.

She came closer and sat beside me on the bed, brushing my dark hair out of my face and sighed. "Oh Mads, you've become so strong, independent, and beautiful. I wish I was around more to spend time with my little sister." She smiled and I looked around, finding out I was in a hospital.

"What's going on? Am I dead?" I cleared my throat to speak clearly.

She laughed. "No sweetie. My precious inspiration for secret identities," she had to mean that Vivian character…the hair color! No wonder with that wig she looked like me; "But thank god, I don't know what I'd do if you were gone."

"But-"

"I always liked you better than Jason." She said dreamily.

"I'm nothing like you!" I blurted out angrily, remembering I'd come a long way from being another pawn in her games.

Her facial expression changed, and she snickered, "you would like Jason better after he saved your life, wouldn't you? But just know this," she leaned in close to my face intimidatingly, "I protected you when he was doing drugs. And now you're with Mike right? You're ungrateful. It never would have happened if I hadn't thought about starting it off years ago when Aria and I introduced you two. Everything you have is because of me. You weren't always so gullible." She shook her head in disappointment.

"I never listened to you about Toby."

"Ugh. Don't remind me. He was such a creep. I'll never understand why he became your closest friend."

"Well, you've gotten your wish. He hates me." I said matter-o-factly.

"Don't be so sure. Mike, Jay, and him have been in and out of here all week. I had to see you Mads. You're my sister, and I had to make sure you were okay."

"Ali-"

"Shh. Go to sleep." She murmured soothingly and I did as she commanded.

I woke up again with Mike in the room, Ali long gone, and I called "Mike!" He shot up and saw me looking at him and his red-rimmed bloodshot eyes saw me and he ran over to kiss me.

"Mads. Oh my god. My Mads." He hugged me to him. "Thank god." He whispered and pulled away to look at me. "Don't ever scare me like that again."

My eyes glittered as I touched his cheek and he held my hand there.

"I love you Mike. I could never leave you like that. It'd hurt you so much."

"I love you more." He smiled and kissed me again, my heart rate sped up and a nurse entered to see him step away.

"You're awake. I'll go get your brother, he's been practically here all week, running on caffeine and anxiety."

She stepped out and immediately Mike and I resumed making out. If only we weren't in a hospital and we'd come together again under better circumstances, then we could do more than kiss.

We heard Jason running down the hall, and Mike stepped away, but I pulled him back by grabbing his hand and he looked down at it, then wrapped his fingers in mine and held onto me like I was his lifeline, and he was mine.

"Mads!" he exclaimed and my brother ran over on my other side and embraced me delicately but in bear-hug form. I realized he was almost crying as he said he had to call Toby and I smiled at him. I'd finally be going home. I put the pieces together from what others told me and what I vaguely remembered. There was a fire, explosion, how was still unknown, but Jenna had been in the house- and my sister and Hanna rescued her, not knowing I was in there too until it was too late. I'd been unconscious until Ali visited me…unless it was a dream and I woke up with Mike there. Plus, Officer Garret had recently been arrested for my sister's murder.

I knew then for sure Ali would haunt me forever, no matter how hard I tried to let go.

Even A still haunted me, I realized getting my invite to the masquerade ball, with a note from A to be there at midnight.

I got my dress and mask and everything, and took Mike as my date, obviously.

It was fun while it lasted, because soon after, the girls called to say that Mona was in critical condition and she was A and we were all safe and they hadn't let me tag along because I myself had just gotten out of the hospital and the girls weren't willing to risk me going back so soon.

They got back and we were walking out together when Toby appeared. He first came over to me and without a word embraced me in a loving, brotherly cradle sort of way and whispered how sorry he was and how much he loved me, and how he would never have forgiven himself if I hadn't woken up.

"I love you too Toby, but right now…you need to talk to Spencer." I whispered so the others couldn't hear.

I stepped back to where the girls were and my half sister went forward. The pair made up, which made my heart flutter, and we continued down the street until we got to Emily's house, where there was a crime scene. We looked at each other briefly, then sprinted in our heels over.

"There's two bodies…one's alive and one's dead. No word on who is which yet though."

"Who is it?" Emily pleaded.

Her mom looked at me and Emily and then said, "They think it's Maya and Jason…that they had some kind of drug deal gone wrong."

It didn't sink in at first, but then I caught on. My brother could be dead. How was this even possible? He wasn't into drugs anymore…A was gone, so that angle of them hurting me by hurting my guardian was gone too.

I broke down just as Emily did, and as bad as I felt, I hoped Maya was the dead one. Family was more important than silly relationships anyway…right? If that was true, I was a hypocrite. I'd do anything for Toby and Mike. They were my family too, but Mike was my boyfriend.

Spencer was sobbing too as she held me because it was her brother too, and Aria was holding Emily along with Hanna, but Aria was heartbroken over Jason…they liked each other…even if she loved that Ezra fellow. It was the worst feeling in my life, the dread and stomach twists…not knowing my own brother's condition. I had to find out…soon, or I'd burst.

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