A/N: Hello, everyone! :) So happy to be back and be with you all. Let's see... updates? 1. I officiated my cousin's wedding last month. That was fun. 2. I watched the opening show of Taylor Swift's tour over Instagram Live with 35k other people. 3. Had Spring Break and spent 12+ hours playing Detroit Become Human on PS5. 4. Celebrated 7 friends different birthdays. All in all just experienced a ton of love.

I hope you all have been able to find love in all the big and small places around you. Thanks for coming back. Enjoy this chapter. It'll feel like an IMMENSE amount of fluff, but I promise, the breadcrumbs are there! Let me know if you pick up on any! :)

She woke me up Sunday morning. I knew it was her from smell alone but was emphasized by the tender touches and short, simple kisses left in her wake. Being near her again made my body feel alive. Made my heart race uncontrollably. Because she was back. She was mine. She was –

"Beautiful." Alison whispered next to my ear as her hand snaked along my ribcage. "Wake up, my love." I turned my head to kiss the side of her face, wrapping my arms around her waist aggressively in excitement. "Emmy!" She squealed as I rolled us back and forth.

"I missed you. I missed you. I missed you."

Alison paused, moving her right hand to my chest as her left held her above me. "Oh, you have no idea." She leaned in for our first kiss in almost 48 hours. I sighed as she took gentle control, kissing me tenderly. My palms opened to grip her waist firmly, sliding my right hand down to gently cup her ass through her sweatpants. Her lips cascaded up my jawline, nipping along her way. "Never let me leave you two again."

I let out a breathy chuckle, keeping my hands securely latched against her. "You know you have to go back for closing right?"

"Come with me." She whimpered. "Both of you. Too much happens when I leave." Alison kissed me one last time before settling against my chest. "I love you too much."

"I love you too, Ali. But we're okay. See?" I kissed the top of her head repeatedly.

"Jake's still asleep next door. I gave him a kiss and then came on over here to see you." She nestled further against me as though we weren't already close enough.

"Wait. What time is it? You're not – "

Her hand held the side of my neck. "Shh… I cancelled my flight back and took the earliest train they had this morning. Three seemed like too late to get back today when I could just be here with the two of you."

"And Hanna?"

"She understands. I just – I don't want to miss out on any more time."

I could tell by the way Alison clutched her arm around my waist that she was anxious. Looking barely downward, her eyes were closed tightly, clinging onto every second she had. "Babe? I understand how you're feeling, but we're not going to let you stop living the rest of your life. There are going to be events and times and circumstances where one of us can't be here. There are going to be times that Jake, I don't know, goes to a sleep over or that I go visit my parents during a time you can't make it. And yes, we're going to miss things. It's inevitable." Her sigh wrecked me. The way it escaped her chest like there was so much more to say. "Can you talk to me about it?"

"I just can't imagine all that I've missed. I wasn't here when J was sick or when he called you Mom. And who knows what else?" She kissed just above my breast through my shirt, resting her head on her hands to look at me directly. "It's like – there I was in Philly, right? My hometown. In a place that Carter and I fought to buy right before we got married. Surrounded by the feeling of memories I fucking love. And with one of my best friends. It should have been memorable. It should have been so… what's the world where like it feels like a release of the good?"

"Cathartic?" I questioned, toying with her hair as it fell over her shoulder.

"Yeah. It should have been cathartic. But last night, I asked them all to go to bed before me, so that I could have a few more minutes or hours feeling it all. And it felt empty. It felt nothing like it should have. For all that that place brought me, you're my home. I whispered that in the middle of the living room last night trying to figure out what the fuck was wrong. So, I got back here as quickly as I could. I don't know. I had all of these expectations for what it would feel like to be back there. But it was nothing without the two of you."

Pushing away from her, I tapped directly next to me. "Scoot up here, sweetheart." Each of us lying on our sides now, I traced the side of her face with my thumb. "You're right. Everything is a little duller without each other. And I'm so sorry that this weekend didn't bring you all that you might have needed."

She shook her head. "No, no. That's not the case. It told me everything I needed to know, Emmy. Moving here was the right thing to do. Spending over 800 dollars on 20 bouquets of roses the day after I met you was the best money I ever spent."

"Eight hundre – " I pulled back incredulously.

"Shh. Shh. Not the point." She laughed, scrunching her nose before leaning in to kiss my forehead. "Everything we've fought for and about. You make it all so worth it. Thank you for this weekend, babe."

"You're welcome."

We laid like that for what felt like dozens of minutes. Her right foot grazed my calf repeatedly as my hand trailed up and down her waist. There was no fear in her eyes. No more anxiety or concern. She stared at me with an unplaceable intensity. As though she had never been more in love than doing absolutely nothing next to me. It made me melt in her presence.

After an extended period, I started speaking, "I'm unsure if this helps, Ali. But I'm not even sure that the whole 'Mom' thing actually happened. It was like in the middle of a dream that overlapped with what I think was him saying it, but it's now a blip. I don't know what was real or not. So, you didn't miss much of anything really. All you missed was this."

"Let me tell you, this is much better than packing up picture after picture. I'll lie here as long as you let me. You're one of the best views in the world."

I laughed in disbelief. "Who are you, and what did you do with Alison DiLaurentis?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. Nothing really. I'm just exceedingly grateful for you. You've taken on a role that I never thought someone would even have the desire to fill. And you're fucking fantastic at it. You make our son feel so much love, and I come home to find you acting like you weren't Super Woman this weekend. I just hope you know that when I look at you, I see you for all you do for our family. I see it all, okay?"

"Okay." I whispered. "Thank you."

Alison scooted in closer to me, tucking her forefinger and thumb underneath my chin. "I love you, Emily." Tilting my head up toward hers, she teasingly kissed me as if slowly bringing us back to life. The groan that escaped my throat was equally met by her hum, enjoying every single second of my enjoyment.

I knew what she meant. Even if I didn't fully feel the words she was saying. Couldn't fully accept or appreciate her gratitude. I knew what she meant. Because we saw each other as individually great people in a relationship that was excelled by the lump sum of our parts. This is what we were meant for: rebuilding one another from previous relationships meant to destroy us from the inside out.

Her hand connected with mine the second we got back into the car. "So, what's changed since last I saw you?"

I chuckled, looking down at our similarly olive-toned skin, "What the fuck are you talking about?"

"Ems, you look happier than I've literally ever seen you, and Jacob had a chemo treatment a few days ago that caused him to vomit around your entire second floor? So, what the fuck has changed since Christmas?"

Leaning my head back against the driver's side headrest, I looked over to Maya in the airport garage. "She's just the best person I've ever known." I sighed as she bit her bottom lip.

"You're like a fucking lovesick puppy!"

"You don't get it…"

"You're right, I don't. Some of us didn't immediately become obsessed with our significant others."

I pulled away, switching the car into reverse. "Now, you know that's some bullshit, babe. You and Charlie were insufferable back in the day."

"Blah, blah, blah." She mocked. "I am happy to be here though. Really. I don't know how you and Alison were able to make it happen, but I feel fortunate to be able visit you after everything with Ash."

"Thank you for being here. I am doing much better now, but it was touch and go for a second though."

"And Ali was cool with it being touch and go?"

"Cool with it? Probably not. Did she try to make it seem like she was? 100 percent."

"You know, I think what I'm feeling come off you today is your own confidence. Last time I saw you, you were still unsure of what this all was. You seemed, I don't know, kind of scared?"

"Deathly scared." I laughed.

"And now?"

I stopped at the stop sign outside of the parking garage. "I'm going to marry her if it's the last thing I do, My."

"Oh, shit. After 5 months?"

"Almost 6… But yeah, she's it. Life without either one of them wouldn't be a life worth leading at all."

"Damn, that's great." She reached over to nudge me. "Do you need me to have a talk with her about what her intentions are or anything?"

"Her intentions? Shut the fuck up."

"What? You're my best friend! I've got to see if she's just as gung-ho as you are."

"Whatever. You'll see the moment we get home. She's obsessed with me, too." I smirked to my right. "You should know that though. I know you guys have been texting one-on-one more."

"True. I mean, she's honest as hell. When I need to know how you're doing, Ali's my girl. You will say that you're 'doing well' to a fault, so she's my go-to sometimes. That cool?"

"Of course, it is. It makes me want to get to know Alison's best friend, Hanna, more. We've met in person and over FaceTime a few times, and I think she's great. But I'm happy you two seem to like each other enough to talk outside of me. With both Ali and I being away from our hometowns, it makes me feel like she has another friend too."

"I do like her a lot for you, Emmy. Her chaotic energy balances out your – youness."

"My youness? What's that supposed to mean?"

"I mean, you saw yourself in Med School, right? Might as well have had a permanent stick up your ass back then." I swatted her arm as she continued, "Even when you moved here last year, pretentious yet approachable."

"Anyone listening in to this conversation would think you're just being cruel."

"And anyone who actually dealt with you day to day would nod in agreement. They've reignited your love for life. Accept it."

Maya was absolutely correct. Before Jake and Ali, my life revolved around myself. Becoming better. Doing better. Being better. And the idea of being where I am now had previously terrified me. It scared me enough that I hesitated to try. But they showed me how great life can be by living for something bigger than yourself. That freedom existed on the other side of my fear. How extending yourself beyond the infinitesimal idea you had for your life only opens you up to more. It leads you becoming more. Doing more. Being more. They weren't who I lived for, but they made life worth living.

Maya rubbed the top of my hand. "I'm really happy for you, Ems. No one deserves this more than you."

I smiled sincerely, "I'm really excited for you to meet J. He's not at his best right now, but he's always pretty fucking stellar."

"He'll be a great temporary replacement for Grey. Being away from him for a week is going to be more taxing than I realized."

"I mean, it's only four days really."

She sighed. "Right, right. I guess it's easy to blur them all together."

It made me laugh. How much she already missed her son after only hours of being apart. We made it home smoothly, and I allowed Maya to go inside while removing her bag from the back before racing inside to not miss a moment of Maya and Ali together.

Compared to me, Alison easily stood a few inches taller than Maya leading to her wrapping her arms around Maya's waist to tilt them back and forth as they hugged. "So good to see you." Alison vocalized, placing a short kiss against Maya's temple. "Happy you made it here safely. Thank you again for coming."

"Thanks for having me, honestly." She pulled away quickly, turning to face me, "Your place is cute, Ems."

"That is mostly Alison. By the way, babe, can you go grab some scissors? Maya's bag is basically impossible to carry by the handle because of all the luggage tags you have attached to the top. I mean, Jesus Christ, where all have you been travelling?"

Alison's voice quickly echoed, "Yeah, I got it, sweetheart. Why don't you show My around the first floor and then you both can take her bags upstairs to our room?" I nodded, shuffling quickly toward Maya who was looking over the photos on our mantle. As Alison passed me though, she gently reached for my hand causing me to pause behind her. "Also, happy you're home." She whispered, pressing a kiss against my shoulder.

I walked Maya through the kitchen and dining area out to the back porch which she audibly fawned over before walking back inside. "You have to remind me later to come back in and look at all these photos. I remember these walls being blank when you sent me that video walkthrough of this place a few weeks after you moved in."

"It's all her. She definitely made this place more of a home. Both do just with their energies filling the space. I enjoy being here a lot more than I used to."

Carrying her bag post luggage tag removal, Maya paused at the bottom of the staircase again to look at our lit photo in the alcove. "How are you two so hot? Like this is a relatively PG-rated photo, and it screams that y'all fuck."

Alison laughed from behind us while sticking her head out of from the kitchen. "Who's gonna tell her?" She joked.

"I don't want to know." Maya rolled her eyes walking up the stairs, looking back at me. "Ems, get your girl."

"No, thank you." I smirked, winking over my shoulder to Alison.

"And you're sure with that energy that you two are cool with not sharing a bed for 5 days? I can take the couch."

I swatted Maya up the stairs, trying to not continue the conversation. "We're not rabid animals!"

Alison though loved teasing both of us, "There's always the shower!" She shouted upstairs.

"Nope. Nope." Maya plugged her ears, briefly glancing toward Jacob's closed door before pointing to the open one leading into our bedroom.

After placing her bags down and showing her the upstairs, we knocked on Jake's door before entering, "Sleepy boy, we have a visitor." Jacob's eyes popped open, knowing that Maya was coming to visit. "Remember to not sit up too fast cause of your nausea, but I want you to meet Maya."

Following my brief instructions, he propped himself up slowly before extending out his hand with a smile. "Hi Maya. I am Jacob."

"Why hello there, sweetheart." She replied, sitting on the edge of his bed. "I'm not going to get too close to you yet. Your mom reminded me downstairs that I should take a shower after being on the plane, okay? But I'm so excited to spend the week with you. In fact, my son, Grey, drew you a picture. He's much younger than you are so it's nowhere near the art you can probably do."

"That's vewy nice. Tank you." He paused looking from me back to Maya. "So, you're my mom's best friend? Like Aunt Hanna?"

"Sure, like Aunt Hanna, but actually I'm Emily's best friend from college. She was in my wedding and everything."

Jake nodded, somewhat confused, looking back up at me. "I said that." He asked it like a question, but was being fully affirmative, wanting to be clear that he had not misspoke.

Maya looked over her shoulder as I stood by the door wide-eyed. "Right, you're right. I must have misheard you. I am your mom's best friend."

"I cawl you Aunt Maya den?"

"You can call me whatever you want, bud." She paused, looking back at me to catch a brief tear slipping out of my eye. "You know, for someone who recently had chemo, you're looking pretty good there."

"I feel wots bettew aday. My bones feel weak." He looked back at me as though asking if that were normal.

Inhaling deeply to try to keep it together, I started walking around his bed toward him. "You'll feel weak until your transfusion on Thursday, Bug. Think about it this way. All the medicine is working in your body right now to get rid of all the possible bad germs you have. Every, single one of them, so it's working really hard right now. But when you get your fancy blood on Thursday, it's going to be able to create all new good germs for you. It'll help your body fight off any remaining bad cells after your surgery earlier this year."

"Den I be stwong again?"

"You're always strong, J. Do you want to try and come downstairs while your mom and I fix dinner? You can stay for as much or as little time as you want."

"Will Aunt Maya be downstaiws?"

"After her shower, she will be."

He nodded, settling against the pillow propped on his headboard. "I wait til she done then. I have kestions."

"Questions?" Maya leaned back in surprise. "My goodness, I need to get prepared then. Don't go easy on me, okay?"

"Okay." He giggled as I leaned over to give Jake a kiss on top of his head.

"I'll come get you as soon as Maya's done, alright?"

Walking out of his room and closing the door behind us, Maya grabbed my shoulders. "Holy shit. Is that normal? Him calling you mom?"

I shrugged, not wanting to say too much as my lip quivered. "It's recent."

"You have a son?"

"I have a son." My head dropped letting the emotion wash over me as Maya wrapped me in her arms.

"That's so cool, Emmy. You're so good with him, too." She stood up, mocking a dagger being placed in her heart. "You being so loved and in love here is killing me."

"Thank you? Now, go shower and get in your pjs. Ali and I will do dinner, okay?"

She winked, walking into our bedroom. "Whatever you say, Mom."

I raced down the stairs, sliding into the kitchen to hold Alison by the waist. "Slow down there, speed demon."

My heart raced and soared and ached as I looked into her eyes. Staring at her as she looked up at me so sincerely caused me to start crying all over again. "It wasn't a fluke."

"What do you mean, Em? Are you okay? What happened up there?"

"Jake – he, uh – he called me mom."

Her head tilted as she reached for my waist in commonality. "Baby – "

"He said it, and like corrected Maya."

"How so?"

"I don't know. He said it so effortlessly. Just like 'Are you my mom's best friend?'. And when Maya clarified to say that she was my best friend, he looked at me and said, 'That's what I said though.' as if he had been perfectly clear.

"Oh, come here." She pulled herself into my chest as I wrapped my arms around her back, leaning my face down next to her to continue to cry. "I'm so happy for you. He loves you so, so much."

In the middle of my sobs, I pieced together, "He's our son."

"Yeah, sweetheart, he's our son."

"So den Emlee has always been dis smawt?" Jacob loudly proclaimed across the dinner table as the rest of us continued to laugh from his previous question, as well.

Maya elbowed him while taking another bite of spaghetti. "She sure has, Jacob. Always been too smart for her own good. It got her into trouble in a lot in classes when we were younger though."

"Please tell us about the trouble." Alison pleaded, leaning forward to rest her chin in her hands. She turned to whisper to me. "I love learning about little you, Emmy."

I rolled my eyes, reaching for her hand. "I'm so happy you're enjoying yourself."

"You are, too. Your smile doesn't lie."

"You know, I actually first knew of Emily from her being a troublemaker. We didn't become friends until the next semester. But in a Chemistry class our first semester of college, Emily became known for correcting the teacher so often that he started turning toward her after finishing a balancing equation or really any other type of problem to see if she had anything to add." I started blushing at her story, immediately placing my head down as Alison continued to laugh. "At first, the whole class found it funny, but after seeing what a necessity it was somedays, there was a fake petition for her to start teaching the class!"

I sighed. "His strength was labs, Maya. You know this. We all have our weaknesses."

"Mommy?" Jake interjected again.

Alison and I both turned, causing us to pause, look back at each other, and laugh again. I pointed at her to take over. "Yes, Bug?"

He glanced between the three of us, confused by our laughter. "Earwier, Mom said we hab ice cweam? You make it for us, so I keep asking Aunt Maya kestions?"

She inhaled deeply at finally being present for him to say those three letters. "Yeah, of course." Alison stood with our hands still intertwined, bringing them both to her chest as she whispered, "Mommy." And then both of our hands to my chest. "Mom. Got it."

I kissed her briefly as she leaned in, cupping my face to reassure me of this now-spoken shared role. "Jake? Do you want to tell Aunt Maya about how good you've been getting at soccer while I go help in the kitchen?"

He nodded, needing no prompting to start talking a mile a minute. Alison stood over the sink, running water to warm up the ice cream scoop. I rounded the countertop with a grin as Alison reached to conjoin her hands around my neck. "See what I mean?" I squealed.

"It's incredibly cute, baby." Her thumb brushed below my hairline. "I still remember the first time he called me 'mama' at like 10 months old. Those first few memories never get old. Think. In a few years, it'll be commonplace. It won't even cross your mind."

I smiled, turning my face to kiss her wrist. "Nah, never. I hope it never becomes something I forget to relish in."

"I hope that for you too."

As I worked on getting each person's ice cream into their appropriate bowls: coffee for Alison and Maya, sherbet for Jacob, and rocky road for myself, I stole glances back toward the dining room table as Jake and Maya fully interacted for the first time. After a few moments, Alison moved to my right side to rest herself against my upper arm, wrapping her arm around my waist to watch.

We both understood that in his treatment timeline, his interactions with others were few and far between. Speech therapy and tutoring for his classes had been relegated to being fully virtual. Alicia, our previous home health nurse, had stopped coming to help following his full healing from his surgery. Visits from grandparents, and Jason and Aria, had been postponed for safety's sake. Other than Carter, Alison, and me, Jake saw no one from the outside world. Hell, the only outside world he was truly privy to was the car ride to and from the hospital. He lived a lonely life that we attempted to fill with as much love and excitement as possible. But the reality was that nothing we could do would completely heal the brokenness he was sure to be feeling inside. And seeing him connect, relate to, and enjoy the presence of someone new warmed each of our hearts more than either of us realized we needed to see or experience.

Maya offered to clean up after dinner as the three of us got ready for bed upstairs. After getting Jacob settled, Alison crawled into bed with me briefly, waiting for Maya to come kick her out to sleep in Jake's room for the next few nights. We laid like we had that morning, curled and facing each other tenderly.

I broke the silence hesitantly, "Ali? I don't think I did a very good job being your girlfriend this morning."

"What do you mean?" Her eyes drew inward while reaching for my hand across the bed. "What are you even referring to?"

I shrugged, trying not to make too much eye contact. It had been weighing on me all day. Not weighing, but it had invaded my thoughts. Like a vinyl skipping on a record player, my words or lack thereof during our conversation this morning had me wishing for a re-do. More than anything, my OCD – and therefore, I – want to be perceived as good. I want to do good. Be good. And this morning, I don't think I was good enough.

My eyes drew down toward our handhold as Alison's thumb rubbed the inside of my palm in consolation. "You were really vulnerable this morning about your weekend and everything. And while I think I helped, I didn't do well enough. I didn't validate you and how you were feeling. I mean, Alison, you called us your home. That's so big, you know?" I pulled my eyes up to finally meet hers, blinking tenderly. "I just – I didn't affirm you the way I wanted."

"Okay…" She whispered, realizing that no matter how she felt about my assistance this morning, there was a compulsion within me to fix it. To try and be good again.

I paused. "Sometimes people say things that you simply know to be true but can't necessarily process until they say it out loud. Like at our cabin vacation in January when you told me I was your best friend? Of course, I felt the same and said just as much. You mean so fucking much to me that it's incredibly overwhelming sometimes. But today, when we were talking earlier, I told you that I hoped to never forget these first few moments of being called mom. It reminded me that I never fully went back and explained my hesitation around committing to marriage. I mean, beyond past trauma and all that shit…"

She tapped my nose, smiling at me sweetly. "And what was that?"

"Hope. You made me hope again. And it was fucking terrifying. After Ashton," I exhaled loudly as Alison replied by pulling me closer. "I sort of taught myself that hope is dangerous. It opens – opens the door to all kinds of possibility. I had hoped for years with her and had hoped in something that maybe was broken for a long time. And in turn, that broke me. The easiest thing to do was to give up hope altogether, and I was able to do that for a long time. Giving up hope in some ways brought value back into my life because I was no longer clinging to it. But, Ali, dancing with you that first night, I knew that my life would still be worthwhile if all we did for the rest of my life was dance in that same spot. It's what made me so assured those first few weeks we dated. But then, at a certain point, that hope was debilitating. Like that there was no way to continue to be more hopeful. To fall more in the love. To find even more strength by your side. And it scared me. It made me question myself and if I were letting myself fall back into the same traps as I did with Ash. That maybe hoping that I would come around someday to marriage was trapping the fear of it. But looking back on it and how much we've grown since our trip in January, it's something I know for certain now: hope is the only thing stronger than fear. And worse than the idea of not knowing where this relationship would take us was the idea of not knowing you at all."

"How did tonight remind you of that?"

"Because I never want to forget that first night either. Or the night I knew I was in love with you. Or the night I was certain that I wanted to be your wife. Or the night I told you. Or any moment in between." I gulped between my sentences, wanting to capture even this moment in my mind's eye. "It's just – you're my home, too. And I want it to be filled with every single memory that time's cruel affect tries to take away. That I can't help but hope when I'm with you. Because I look at you and see the rest of our lives: every triumph and hardship, every promise and conflict, every little thing big or small. And it doesn't scare me in the slightest. I have endless hope because my hope is in you. My hope is in us, and I'm so sorry it took me so long to realize that. I'm sorry for the nights I made you second guess or question. That was the fear talking…"

She looked down at our connected hands between us before bringing the back of my hand up to her lips, pressing a chaste kiss against it. "You don't – you have no idea what it means to hear you say that tonight. I won't lie. Watching you go through all you did with Ash's engagement a few weeks ago hurt. Not our relationship but me. It hurt me because of how much it hurt you. But you're right. During those brief moments where doubt crept in, I couldn't erase every moment before then. Our fight over everything with Jacob? You said something that I haven't forgotten since. Something to the effect of not letting that one terrible moment impact the thousands of moments of good you've brought into our lives. You were right then, and that stays true now. You are not just one moment. And if I didn't give you that time to process and grieve whatever you imagined to potentially be lost, I wouldn't be serving the woman you are every other single moment of the day. You are the woman who would do any and everything for me and our family. You are above and beyond the person I ever dreamed you to be, Emmy. I feel eternally grateful for not giving up on us last month because we have grown so, so much since then. So, yes, it did hurt. But only momentarily. Only for the brief pauses where I didn't know how to console you or know the right thing to say. I just had to trust you and trust us. And I'm so happy I did. I love you endlessly."

After mouthing an 'I love you' back, we both stared at each other intently knowing that if either of us made a move, we'd be lost to this moment. So instead, we invited action without words. Alison snaked her fingers delicately up my thigh as I drew my eyes to her shoulder barely peeking out from under the comforter. It was intimate without intimacy. Delicate without explicitness. Meaningful without –

"So, does this happen every night? Or did you guys save up this yuckfest for my eyes and ears only?"

Maya's voice echoed across the room causing both of us to jump apart as though being caught in something more than it even was.

"Fucking hell!" I yelped, turning to the door. "How long have you been there?"

She rolled her eyes walking toward us. "Long fucking enough. Y'all might as well have been in the throes of ecstasy instead of whatever this was." Maya flung her hands in front of her as though permanently scarred by words alone. "But as the two of you just laid there without any indication of trying to say 'goodnight' or 'see you tomorrow', I figured you needed to be interrupted."

"My – "

"Nope. Just how much time do you need? I'll grab my bag with my nightly routine stuff in it and just go to Jacob's bathroom."

I looked over my shoulder to Alison who sat there frozen. "Give us like 5 minutes?"

She sighed, unzipping her bag to grab her pajamas and night bag before walking back out the door. "Carry on, babes!"

The moment she turned the corner, Alison crumpled in defeat on the bed. "That's so embarrassing, Emmy."

I laughed, reaching for her. "Oh, boo. She's seen worse, sweetie. Come get ready for bed with me." Continuing her pout, she connected her hand with mine before crawling off the bed to stand next to me. "It's fine. I promise." Alison's crashed her head against my shoulder as we stood next to the bed, my arms wrapping around her waist while placing my head next to hers. "You're okay, baby. Maya can be dramatic and overly critical sometimes, but she means well, okay? I'm sorry you're embarrassed." The tips of my fingers fiddled with the bottom of her hair. "Walk with me."

Her head remained on my shoulder as I walked backwards attempting not to trip. It made her giggle as I overexaggerated my steps swinging ourselves back and forth through the double doors into the bathroom. Stopping in front of Alison's sink just inside the door, I moved my fingers to scratch up and down her back as she continued to hide her head. I couldn't remember if I had ever seen Alison embarrassed before, and I was unsure if there was more I should be doing to help.

My right hand reached in between us as I rested my thumb against the bottom of her chin to lift her eyes up to meet mine. "You know, Ali, I don't think Maya has ever even heard me be so lovey dovey with someone. Like, I guess I've always been somewhat of a romantic, but I've never been so willing in a relationship to bare my soul to someone. Even in the car today on the way home from the airport, she mentioned how different I looked compared to December. And I was so incredibly in love with you then. I think this is just new for her, babe. You did nothing wrong, and I love everything you said in there, okay? I love you so much." I kissed her gently, rubbing my thumb up and down her jawline. Her hand rested against my torso, clinching my shirt in her palms.

"I love you." She whispered, kissing me once more and then sighing. "I guess – no one in my life has ever really seen me this way either. Hanna kept telling me that my face was going to be stuck in a smile when we were texting this weekend, and there's just no way to describe to someone who isn't us how I feel. It doesn't work. And I didn't want to get into all of this because I really did have such a great weekend in Philly, but it was disheartening talking to Hanna about you because she's happy for me, sure. But it's like in all her years of being happy and married that she's also kind of – I don't know, jaded? Like she thinks we're too sappy or too co-dependent or too whatever, when I'm really fucking happy. I want other people to know that and feel that around us. So, this is just another example of someone you love now, getting an inside look at their best friend feeling fulfilled and content, and instead of welcoming it wholeheartedly, it feels like we're being questioned for finding our other half. I doubt either of them meant it that way, but outside of each other, they're our best friends. And I haven't felt very understood by either of them over these past few days. That's why I was embarrassed. Not for saying what we said." She looked over her shoulder. "I mean, fuck. Bring Maya back in here, and I'll say it again." Her smile brought me peace, knowing her thoughts had nothing to do with the two of us and everything to do with those around us. "Maybe it'll take other people more time. I don't know."

Brushing her bangs from her face, I continued speaking, "I think it's okay if other people don't get it. They don't have to get us as long as we do. It may take them a little longer to catch up, Ali."

"Like you when we first started dating?" She smirked, swatting my side with her hand.

"Yeah, my love. Like me. And look at us now: making people panic in the midst of our disgusting love for one another."

Her face inched closer to mine again before whispering, "Look at us now."

I loved the way she kissed me. Since the beginning, Alison always kissed me with care. With purpose. With intent. Her hands snuck under my top as she tucked her way around my waist to bring me closer. Cupping her face, I kissed her softly yet repeatedly. Fuck the outsiders, even if they were our best friends. We were solid. We were understood. And beyond that, the rest of world melted away around us.

About five minutes after Alison went to sleep in Jake's room, Maya re-entered with her hand over her eyes. "Safe to intrude?"

"You're such a shit-stirrer. And yes, Alison has now left with her tail between her legs, no thanks to you." I got into my side of the bed before patting Alison's usual side for Maya to slide in.

She laughed, crawling into bed next to me. "Awh, that makes me sad. Do I need to apologize in the morning or anything? Because if anything, I think I deserve the apology for having to –"

"Shut up and turn off the light. You literally just heard your best friend bearing her soul to her girlfriend and decided to gag instead. That's on you. I have nothing to apologize for." My voice was elevated and curt. I wasn't upset at her but wanted her to know that I wasn't happy either.

"Okay, okay. I'm just messing with you. Alison maybe doesn't know the full extent of my humor. I'll apologize in the morning, okay?"

"Sounds good to me." I sighed, rolling over to settle in for the night.

Maya tossed herself back and forth before falling into a resting position. "By the way, Ems?"

"Yeah?"

"I didn't doubt you in the car at all, but after everything I witnessed tonight? She's certainly obsessed with you, too. She loves you a lot, babe. I don't know what she meant by 'that thing with Jacob' but whatever it was, don't fuck this up. You're not going to find another one like her."

I sighed at hearing Maya's confirmation of us despite how Alison currently felt. "I know I won't, My. She's the one."

"And it seems like you're hers too."

At the lull in conversation, I turned back to face Maya, unable to get my mind to slow down after Alison discussed her issues with her and Hanna's reactions over the weekend. "Maya? I, uh, don't want this to come out the wrong way. So, listen to me first."

"Okay…"

"I'm sorry if seeing Alison and I so up close and personal is a little jarring. I realized after you left for the restroom that in my relationship with Ashton, we never were that attached at the hip. I never really considered how the shift from how you've known me in a relationship before to how Alison and I are together may be a lot. So, if that takes time, that's okay. But Alison and I are going to continue to be a 'yuckfest'. We're going to keep being sappy and over-the-top. It's not going to stop for everyone else's comfortability. She makes me too happy for that. Our relationship is the most rewarding thing I've ever experienced. I just – I'm really fucking proud of us as a couple. I can't wait for the day you're really fucking proud of us, too."

Even in the dark, Maya aimlessly reached forward to try and find the sides of my face, "Is this you?"

I laughed out loud, "Yes, it's me, you dork."

"Now, you listen to me." She remarked, squeezing my cheeks between her hands. "I'm already fucking proud of you and Alison, okay? The family you two have created in such a short period of time is nothing short of a miracle. The love you have for each other is palpable and so endearing. You are the best friend I've ever had, Emmy, and all I've ever hoped for you is to be loved the same way you love everyone in the world around you. It's a little overwhelming to see that same love being given to you so openly for me to overhear. It felt like I was intruding, and there was no good time to excuse myself. So, I overcompensated and overreacted. Are you looking at me right now?" I nodded in the dark. "Good. In no way was what I said meant to be a direct reflection of how I feel about you two together. It was me just trying my best to get out of your way. I'm sorry to you, and I will apologize to Alison tomorrow. But I love you two together. I love seeing you happy; and not you feeling happy, but you being happy. You exude happiness in this home. Don't let my dumb sense of humor and inability to process big emotions get in the way of that happiness. Please don't confuse my spiraling for lack of support. I'm your biggest fucking supporter, Emily Fields. Always have been. Always will be."

Lifting my hand up towards Maya's, I attempted to speak, "Cwan you wet go ob my whace now?"

"Right, right." She released my cheeks as we fell out into laughter once more. "Sorry, I forgot."

"It's all good. Thank you for setting me free and thank you for that. You've been my biggest supporter for so long, and I just hope that someday you'll be as big of an Alison supporter, too."

"She already has my support, Ems. Don't stress out one little bit! Here, come cuddle." Maya prompted me closer, wrapping her arm behind my neck so I could nestle into her armpit. "I love you."

"I love you, too. I love you, too."

Monday morning felt like déjà vu. Not in a fully literal sense, but if I were able to wake up with Alison kissing me every morning, I'd never wake up on the wrong side of the bed.

"I love you. I love you. I love you." Alison whispered in between each kiss on my face. My eyes opened in a strange flutter while attempting to orient myself to the room. "You're the cutest human in the entire world."

"Tell me more." I mumbled, reaching my hand up to scratch her upper arm as she continued.

She lightly squealed tucking her head into my neck. "Thank you for talking to Maya last night. You must have, right?"

I nodded. "Why do you say that?"

"She gave me the sincerest apology this morning before starting to cook breakfast for us. And the fact that even after how long your day was yesterday, you still put thought into arranging for her to stay with Jake tonight." My eyebrows furrowed wondering what Alison was discussing while puckering my lips to catch the rogue kisses she was still placing on my face. "We haven't been on a date in what feels like months. This is exactly what we needed, and you're the best. Cutest girlfriend ever."

My eyes shot open at her words and whatever wild scenario Maya had talked me into without my knowledge. But here was the love of my life happier than I had seen her in weeks, and despite having a hellacious week due to being off the week prior, I knew that the last thing I could do was take this happiness away from her.

So, I went with it. I doubled down, smiling up at her as Alison's blue eyes centered in my line of sight. "Did she tell you what we were doing?" She squealed again as I kissed the side of her face repeatedly wanting more than anything to soak in this moment.

"She did not." I internally exhaled for Maya not locking me into anything more specific. "Is it going to stay a surprise?"

"Yeah…" My voice trailed while trying to figure out what we were going to do that would keep this excitement going into tonight. "I'm still working it all out, babe. But I'll tell you more when we talk during lunch."

Alison's excitement made my heart soar. Even though Maya had lied her way into making this date a reality, maybe it was exactly what we needed. Maybe it was the change of pace that would excel us through the next month of our hectic schedules. And in terms of an apology to me? Maya had exceeded all of my expectations.

Claire laughed over our most recent test tube biopsy samples as I relayed all of the details of this past week leading up to this morning back to her. She carefully filled the test tubes with formaldehyde as I followed behind her with water to preserve the latest samples. I had missed this part of work. The relatively repetitive tasks that weeks from now could lead to our next discovery. Due to the cyclical nature of our work, we tended to have two to four more intense weeks followed by two to four weeks featuring the work we were completing today. It gave the job flexibility and downtime that I never had when completing my doctoral thesis. It also allowed us as a complete team to regroup, recenter, and refocus often, building a team mentality behind the already progressive nature of our study. It made the fact that Claire was laughing behind her double mask even more rewarding. The work was made better by the connection we all shared. If we were to truly make this study go at least the ten years it was projected to initially take, these moments between each of us were essential to reach that finish line.

"So, you just acted like you knew what the fuck she was talking about?" She sat down her pipette to wipe a rogue tear from her eye with the back of her glove.

Looking at her through my goggles, my eyes opened widely, "What would you have suggested? You should've seen her face! Her eyes were so bright, and it was as though she hadn't been that happy in weeks. I couldn't break her heart like that!"

"I mean, I guess I get it. Feels like a set-up for failure tonight though."

"I know…" I sighed, refocusing. "I've been wracking my brain all morning and I have –" I paused, looking at the clock above the exit door. "72 minutes before I call her to tell her all of our plans."

"Okay, then let's figure it out." Claire chuckled once more before rolling back her shoulders to help. "Dinner and drinks?"

I rolled my eyes. "Too predictable."

"Movie?"

"Too boring."

"So, then we're leaning towards an activity of some sort?"

Refilling my pipette with water, I picked up the next test tube as Emmanuel walked behind us, "Couldn't help but overhear, Fields. But if somehow this spawned from Alison being upset somehow, you gotta go with something that relates to that. Prove to her you were listening. Center your relationship in whatever you do."

Claire looked over her shoulder, "Ooh, that's good, Onyeke! See, this is why he's happily married and the rest of us are slowly paddling through long-term relationships."

"I do like that…" I paused, thinking about the night before.

"You said that you both agreed being more openly loving to each other than in other relationships?" I nodded. "Maybe prove that to her somehow? Do something you typically wouldn't have done with your ex? Something she'd enjoy? A side she hasn't seen?" Claire's voice trailed while trying to come up with something else, but the moment her questions strung together, something came to mind immediately.

I tossed my head back to re-glance at the clock, "And with 66 minutes left to spare! Thank you!"

"You got something?"

"I sure fucking do. I'll have to do a quick Google search before calling her, but I know exactly the thing!"

My 'quick Google search' had led to a brief panic at the timing of my date to the start of the event. So, I chose to forego lunch momentarily to run home. I opened the door roughly, causing Alison to jump from her desk as Maya and Jake's faces popped around the corner from the dining room table.

"Are you okay?" Alison asked, in surprise.

Out of breath while walking towards her, I replied, "Me? I'm great. Hi, baby." I smiled, pressing a kiss against her forehead. "Just date things, you know."

She smiled up at me, "Finally have some direction for me?"

"Sure do. I'll text you around 5:30 with the address. Uber to me?" Alison tilted her head questioning me as I started walking up the stairs. "Oh, and wear a tight dress for me. Something that will spark jealousy in anyone who isn't the one with you tonight."

Alison tossed her head back laughing, "That's oddly specific."

"I will be doing the same if that helps."

She smirked, knowingly, "It most definitely does."

I ran upstairs pulling an emerald, green bodycon dress from my closet before grabbing a pair of black heels to match. Placing each of them in a small bag, I shoved my straightener and some additional makeup into the bag as well, just in case. As I rounded back down the stairs in record time, Alison was still stuck in place as she and Maya spoke back and forth.

" – promise, she hasn't told me a thing."

"She just hasn't moved through this house that quickly since –"

I interrupted, sweeping Alison back into my arms, wrapping my left arm around her waist with ease. "Don't finish that sentence! Let me be excited!"

"I can do that." She leaned up on her tiptoes to kiss my nose lightly, "So be ready at 5:30?"

"Or earlier! Our reservation is at 6!" I kissed her cheek before heading back toward the door, "Love you. Maya? Thank you. Jake? You're the best."

Jake continued to look perplexed as I started opening the door, "Why is Mom acting so weiwd?"

"Good question." Maya replied, leaning back toward Alison still at her desk, "Why is your girlfriend acting so weird?"

"Sorry for being happy!" I exclaimed, closing the door behind me, knowing that my five-minute appearance was bound to be the topic of conversation for the remainder of the day.

8900 W. Ashford Dr. See you at 6, sweetheart. Love you.

You're putting a lot of trust in me to not immediately Google that address

You wouldn't dare. I know you too well.

That you do, Emmy. Ordering my Uber now. Can't wait to see the dress you picked out to make everyone jealous ;)

I set down my phone at the bar of the club located at 8900 West Ashford, sipping on a martini while waiting for her to arrive. Some brief liquid courage was needed for the night which had sounded excellent in theory in the bright florescent light of the lab. But in the haze of the club, the night was suddenly overwhelming. The Emily of seven years ago would never have been caught here, but the Emily of now would do anything to make Alison forget the world around her for three short hours of bliss. She was the catalyst.

About 15 minutes later, I watched her walk through the doors cautiously, looking down at her phone to see if another text had been sent her way. She was dressed in red like she had been wearing the first night we met. She was perfect. A flared backless dress that I was certain caught the attention of at least a dozen people as she walked in. But I wasn't paying attention to them. Only her as she finally glanced my direction, lighting up into a smile the moment our eyes met.

I set my drink down as I stood to greet her, grinning ear to ear like a schoolkid. I was dating a woman I had never imagined could be mine. Someone who floated through rooms, even when unsure. Someone who saw me and immediately soaked up the rest of the chaos. Someone who had no desire other than to be seen. By me.

Her small black clutch was placed next to my drink as she smiled shyly at me, wrapping her arms around my neck before speaking, "My, my, Dr. Fields. Where in the world did you bring me tonight?"

"You'll find out in about 10 minutes. First though?" Lifting my right hand to hold hers against the back of my neck, I pulled her into me by her waist, kissing her lips gently as a soft moan escaped. I felt her spine shiver as my forefinger found a parcel of skin just above the hem of her backless dress.

She pulled away to look back at me, tenderly. "I've always loved green on you, Emmy."

"You look beautiful yourself. Can I get you a drink?" I leaned into her. "I did pay off the bartender to able to bring a bottle of your favorite red because they didn't have it on their list. So, if you say no, my bribe will have gone to waste."

Alison laughed, placing her head on my shoulder while looking over at the bartender. "You're resorting to bribery, now?"

"Anything for you." I winked, before turning to the bar. "Can we get a glass of her red, please?" He nodded before turning away to open the bottle purchased with her in mind. Alison's finger traced up and down my neck as I looked back to her, leaning toward her ear to speak more softly. "After talking last night, I realized that while I've told you how different this relationship is for me, I've never taken the extra step and shown you. So, I thought that I would bring you someplace that feels entirely outside of my comfort zone. You are the only person in the world that I would want to share this with. The only person I can be vulnerable and willing to not look perfect around. So, I want to have fun tonight, but I also want you to know how much this is for you. For you and no one else."

She nodded. "What do you mean?"

As she spoke, the man at the front of the venue began speaking, "Welcome lovely couples to our weekly Monday night Ballroom Dance classes! My name is Carlos, and I'll be your instructor this evening. I see some of our regulars and new faces as well, so please, take your seat at your assigned table for the tapas portion of our evening before we move into the main event!"

"Emily?" Her voice dropped as I looked back at her, knowingly. "Dance classes?"

My hand lingered down her side before connecting our hands, "Let's go sit, and I'll explain."

I felt her body directly against mine as we walked, Alison suddenly feeling as out of place as I had felt when first showing up as well. After pulling out her chair to scoot her underneath our table located on the second set of stairs parallel to the bar, I sat across from her reaching out to hold her hand. Exhaling before starting, Alison looked just as she had during our first date, resting her head on the back of her hand as she stared back at me.

"I wanted do something outside of my comfort zone, something that I never would've done in my last relationship. And something Ash always wanted me to get good at was dancing because of how big of a deal it was for her family's culture. But throughout all our time together, it never felt right. I was always afraid of being seen as not good enough or being vulnerable in front of her. I guess because in those moments, she usually wasn't very supportive of my OCD episodes or any big displays of emotion." I took another breath, letting that take space in the room around us. For as devastated as the end of my last relationship made me, I still generally tried to not be critical of Ash. But looking back, her lack of support in my moments of hardship was the biggest red flag I still held on to. Especially when finding that the opposite was true with Alison.

The Alison who found me catatonic in her living room and worried for my drive home. The Alison who, when I was breaking down about my ex's engagement, brought me to a mirror to show me that even in my weakness, I was strong in her eyes. The Alison who told me how proud she was of me even when I couldn't be proud of my own progress. The Alison who had braved so many of my emotional storms and was unmoved. She was everything, but more so, she was everything that Ash was not. That's why I clung to this moment dripped in vulnerability and potential dismissal. Because no part of me anticipated a negative reaction. I knew that she would see my vulnerability as authenticity, and potential dismissal as room for acceptance.

"See, last night when we were talking, we talked about how deeply we love each other, and that others around us struggle to process it because of how foreign it appears compared to our previous relationships. So… I wanted to step outside our usual and learn how to dance with you. With someone who isn't going to judge me. With someone who will meet me halfway. To show you even more than I already do that you've revolutionized how I live my life." I dropped my voice further. "It was also sneakily a way to get you close to me this week with Maya being a live-in cock block."

Alison laughed into her palm, holding my hand more tightly in her own. But she didn't say anything for a minute, simply thanking the waiter who dropped off our first tapas plate.

"What are you thinking? Was this a terrible idea?"

"No, no, it's perfect. I just want to make sure to tell you how appreciative I am of you bringing me here, and for you thinking of this idea. It's really cute, babe. But I do want to go back to something you said." Her thumb swirled around the inside of my palm as she pensively took a sip of her wine. "You've never said it out loud before, but I could feel that Ash was fairly indifferent to your mental health. Thank you for trusting me with that. I can't promise that I will be any good at dancing tonight, but I can do my absolute best in supporting you through it all, okay?" I closed my eyes, nodding through her words, knowing the nourishment they were bringing to a part of my soul that had been neglected for so long. "I asked Maya before getting ready tonight if she had any idea what you had planned, and we spit-balled a couple of things back and forth. Never would we have landed on this. It's definitely not what I had in mind for our evening, but that's part of what makes it perfect. I'm excited to learn with you, Em."

She left it at that. No elaboration or condemnation of Ashton on my behalf, but she didn't let go of my hand. Scratch that. Alison wouldn't let go of my hand. It was unspoken between us to eat our bruschetta, drink our drink, and continue our conversation without ever letting go. We were in this together, no matter how terrified either of us might have felt.

Thirty minutes after taking our seat, Carlos called all the new couples down to the dancefloor and spent a brief moment with each of us to see what our goals were for the night. As he passed the microphone our way, Alison took lead, "Well, my wonderful girlfriend planned this evening as a surprise, so we're here for fun and just to get out of the house and our heads for a little bit." There was scattered applause and awh's around the room as everyone came to the floor to start the lesson.

Carlos stood at about Alison's height, directing the lesson from different points around the room. He focused on posture and head position and flexibility before regaining attention of the full group. "For those who have been here before, you know what I'm about to say. But to all of the new folks here tonight, we are so happy to have you with us. I started dancing 12 years ago after needing an outlet following the years of struggle I had in my twenties. I found dance through a friend and never looked back. It is such an honor to be here with you all. This class is meant to heal you, to grow you, and to have a lot of fun. So, though we will work on these specific steps tonight, feel free to mix it up. Trust your partner. Trust yourself. And like I say at the start of every class, from one of my favorite Native American sayings: to watch us dance is to watch our hearts speak. Dance freely. Speak openly. Thank you for being here, and let's begin."

We spent the next hour learning the basic steps of Salsa and Mambo, painstakingly breaking down the rhythm and movement for each of the minimal steps. Couples around us who had been to previous classes were more than willing to step in and teach us both together and separately. A kind older gentleman, Kyle, and his wife, Carol, took each of us separately to learn our respective parts. Kyle held his arms up in the lead position as I joined him in Alison's typical spot.

As we made eye contact, he started speaking, "While dancing in the lead position, your partner is following you. Even if – what's your wife's name?"

"Alison." There was no urge within me to correct him.

"Beautiful. Even if Alison knows all the steps and has memorized what comes next, it is up to her to relinquish ownership for you to lead. Your confidence is what's most important. For example, I'm going to start dancing a Samba. You don't know that?" I nodded. "Okay, so I'm going to Samba while telling you the moves. All I need you to do is trust me enough to follow."

"I can do that." I replied with doubt dripping from my words.

"Great, Emily. Eyes up here to me. Most important is for you to have some bounce on your toes for this. So, right foot back. Left foot meets. Bounce. Left foot forward. Right foot meets. Bounce." He repeated the steps for the first three go arounds and then started guiding me to the right without saying a word. "Follow my weight. Good, good. Eyes back to me. Same steps but to the side, you got it. And to the left, now. Yes, there you go, Emily. One more go through and stop." Alison and Carol stopped just over Kyle's shoulder to lightly clap, causing both of us to smile their direction. "So, those are the steps. Now, I want you to close your eyes."

"Close my eyes?" I stated, completely wide eyed.

He nodded. "Yes, close them and follow my weight. Feel how it feels to be led." And so, I listened. Breathing in deeply and letting go of all control. "Here we go." Though he did count out our steps, he did not prompt me for what was coming next and simply whisked me from step to step as I slowly felt ourselves move in a gentle circle combining side steps with back steps until he spoke again a few minutes later. "Last count. 6, 7, 8, and stop. Open your eyes."

It was magnetizing to feel how seamless the Samba felt in his arms. A stranger allowing me to let go. It was powerful and poetic and grounding to see what leading could feel like, what it should someday feel like for Ali. It wasn't easy, but seeing the ease that I eventually felt, being led back into Alison's arms made me feel optimistic. Less fearful.

Alison's smile welcomed me back. "Hi, baby." She whispered, kissing my cheek. "How did it go?"

"Really well, I think it helped. How about you? What'd you learn?"

She shrugged. "Things I already know but just need to put into practice."

Lifting my arms back into the hold for Salsa, I brought Alison in close. "Show me."

Her smile radiated up at me as our eyes met. "You're so attractive right now." She whispered once again as Kyle and Carol looked on. My right hand settled on her lower back as I beamed in reply to her compliment, pursing my lips together in subtle knowing. "My job is to trust you, bring balance to the dance, and to build continued connection. Three things that I already believe myself to be excellent at."

"I'd agree with that. Do you trust me?"

"Completely." Alison smirked, kissing me lightly before straightening her posture.

"Then, let's try this again."

I started listing out the steps just as Kyle had taught me, stepping with the expectation that Alison would follow. And she did. We still were hesitant but more confident in each other and ourselves stepping forward and backward without missing a step or stepping on each other's toes. Over the next thirty minutes, we slowly started adding right to left until we were soon able to combine the two, eventually being able to make a full circle just as Kyle and I had.

More impressive to me than us picking it up was the connection building between the two of us. Despite our focus, we were still us. Silly and loving and dedicated. I loved feeling this close to her, both literally and mentally. We were moving as a cohesive unit as her hips swayed against mine, making me weak in the knees. She was unspeakably attractive in her certitude in comparison to my reluctance. A near perfect foil to the past months of our relationship.

During the break, Alison and I chose to stay dancing. More relaxed though, similarly to how we had previously danced with one another as though at a high school dance swaying back and forth. Catching me off-guard in our silence, she brought her cheek up toward mine and started speaking, "Earlier when I was working with Carol, she was talking to me about how great it was to see such a newly in love couple at these classes. I pressed her, asking how she knew we were 'newly in love', and she told me that she could tell by the way we looked at each other. That we're still finding new things to discover, new ways to fall in love, new ways to potentially break each other's hearts." As she finished that sentence, she dropped her palm to her chest feeling mine heave beneath her. "I had the same reaction, Emmy, but wait. I looked at her concerned when she mentioned breaking each other's hearts. But she smiled back at me so sincerely and just said, 'Not everyone in the world is lucky enough to love. How lucky you are to love someone enough that even the thought of loss is shattering. But part of loving is losing, and how lucky are you to someday lose someone you loved with all your might?'" I felt her body weight lightly fall into mind as she let Carol's words hang between us. Alison's hand previously on my chest, looped back to my hand on her waist before bringing our now conjoined hands back in between us. She tilted her head up toward my ear. "How fortunate I am to be yours, Emmy. I love you."

I stepped backward to look at her, our eyes forming a deeper connection than they had when we first stood in front of each other earlier in the evening. Kissing her forehead, I replied, "With all your might?"

"And then some. You were right; there is no one else in the world I'd rather share this moment with." She kissed the back of my hand still holding hers. "How did tonight go for you?"

"Better than I could've ever anticipated. Thank you for being so willing to try, Ali." I leaned back into her, dropping my voice into a small chuckle. "We're pretty damn good at this if I do say so myself."

She laughed, kissing me again. "We are pretty damn good. You know what that means?"

"We've gotta come back." We laughed together on the dance floor as I spun her gently so that her back was against my chest. Pulling her hair over her left shoulder, I bent forward to press my lips against her jawline just below her ear. "I love you, too, and how fortunate I am to be yours in return." I paused, deciding to continue being vulnerable. "I do have something to tell you though."

"What's that?" She replied softly, over her shoulder.

I kissed her temple. "Maya lied to you this morning. About this date. She concocted this plan all on her own, and I found out about this 'surprise date' when you woke me up with the news this morning."

"No! That little rascal!" Alison jumped, turning back around in my arms. "You had no idea?"

Shaking my head, I responded, "None at all, but you looked so happy this morning that I had Claire and Emmanuel help me at the lab today. They asked me a couple questions, and then, poof! This dawned on me, and I never looked back."

"So, you planned all of this in less than like 8 hours?"

I spun her around again, connecting us back together in a ballroom hold. "From discussing it with them to booking this reservation to telling you, it was a little less than an hour. Just wanted to be honest with you."

Alison blushed in the glow of the dancefloor lights. "I don't know if I should be mad at Maya for putting you through the trouble or grateful for Maya guiding us into such an unforgettable evening."

"We're definitely grateful. Tonight has been nothing but exceptional." She pulled me in for another kiss. More intentional this time, knowing the minimal thought but pure intention put into creating this evening for us. As her tongue slipped into my mouth, I pulled her waist further into me, humming gleefully into our embrace as my hand slid over her ass. Completely forgetting the crowd around us. They were invisible to us. We were all that mattered. All that existed in our newfound novelty.

We spent the next hour and half dancing and laughing and learning and embracing and growing together until the moment we walked through our front door both barefoot and hand in hand. Her heels and mine collected together in my left hand. All the lights were off downstairs except for the glow from the TV as Maya raised her head from the throw pillow on the far end of the couch.

"Hey there, lovebirds." She grinned at us as Alison tucked herself into my side. "Good night?"

"Great night." I smiled, looking down at Ali, who kissed my upper arm before letting out a small laugh.

Maya sat fully up with so many potential jokes crossing her eyes before thinking twice. "You know, I won't even say a word tonight."

Alison beckoned with her right hand. "No, no. Give it to us."

She sighed, looking at me for further permission as I shrugged, "I'll save it for later. But what the hell did you get into before hooking up on the way home?"

I set our heels down by the front door before placing my hand on the back of the couch, "And if I tell you we didn't 'hook up' at all?"

"I sure as hell wouldn't believe you! Look at yourselves!"

Alison stood on her tip toes to kiss my cheek before walking around the couch to sit at the end as I wrapped my arms over her shoulders to connect our hands back together. "You don't have to believe us, Maya. Emily's just a romantic."

Maya scoffed in efforts to assumedly hold back a gag. "Then, Alison, enlighten me. What did Emily surprise you with this evening?"

And before I could even think to respond, Alison kissed my thumb and proceeded to lie. "Well, Emily made a reservation at this restaurant I've been wanting to go to for a while. It's on the top floor of this place downtown and overlooks the city. We had a table right by the window, and she was a perfect gentleman. Held open doors for me. Ordered for us. Paid the bill. Made me feel really, really special. Special enough that she didn't try anything on the way home. Just held my hand in hers as she drove, sometimes leaning over to kiss me at the red lights. It was perfect."

Maya glanced up at me looking impressed as she nodded. "Look at you, Ems. I had all the faith in the world in you." She stood up, stretching. "I'm going to go take my shower and get ready for bed then. Come warn me if I need to sleep on the couch tonight or something."

I walked around the side of the couch as well to sit on the arm rest, "No need, My. Alison can take our shower, and I'll take mine after one of you. We all have learned from last night." As Maya made her way upstairs, I turned to face Alison, "What was that?" And as if the easiest reply in the world, Alison's blue eyes met mine so sincerely that I stopped any and all questioning that ever could have followed.

"My attempt at creating something that is only ours."

Only ours. An inclusivity that captured our night in a time capsule. Containing it and keeping it like a secret. Two words that built a world around us. That sustained and lingered and flexed to fill it with all our meaning. An understanding that the world we were building was made of our walls and our doors and our strength. A unity. A promise. A single whisper in the dark begging for continuation. Two words that recognize the power between them, shake hands, and say:

Forever.

A/N: I love the end of this chapter. Alison lying for the two of them just felt like the right choice... if Emily finds in vulnerable and difficult to share with others, I think Alison would do all she could to protect it. Let me tell you, I love being omniscient as a writer in a story told from only Emily's perspective, but it is sometimes difficult to order everyone else perspectives in my mind while writing to ensure that they're authentically being represented as well. It's a balancing act that I love. 3

Once again, thank you all for reading! Since starting this story, I've grown a lot outside of the writing sphere and no longer focus on the validation you can get from reviews, views, favorites, etc.. So it still blows me away that there a people month after month willing to go along on this journey, despite my inconsistency and roller-coaster like posting nature. I promise to continue writing this story until it is done. If there is even one of you out there still reading along that entire time, it all will have been worthwhile.

Thanks for trusting me with this world and with these characters. It's one of the biggest treasures in my little world.

All my love,

secretpen28