PROMPT:
"After the dollhouse Alison's become super overprotective over Em and follows her everywhere like a lost puppy but Emily tells her to leave her alone bc she doesn't need a babysitter and they fight about it and end up telling their feelings to each other,"

A/N: Here's a nice, fluffy-ending fanfic to tie in with the amazing cuteness that Sasha and Shay have given us in these past few weeks! And yes, it gets a tad corny at the end, but bear with me.

Just one more time.

Just one more time, and Emily was one-hundred percent positive that she would flip out.

A certain blonde had been following her around since she got back from the Dollhouse about a week ago, and not that she didn't enjoy her company, it was just that Emily had never felt so simultaneously suffocated and happy in her life before.

Happy because the Dollhouse, even with its nightmare inducing memories, had brought her and Alison together again, something that seemed impossible after they had gotten her arrested, but suffocated because of—

"Em, where are you going?"

That. Exactly because of that.

She had simply moved to another rack in the store and Alison might as well of had 911 already dialled.

Emily huffed. "I'm going to head to the bathroom."

Alison perked up. "Yeah," she nodded. "I'll come with."

Alison hadn't let Emily out of her sights since she got back. She tagged along whenever Emily went out for coffee, or went over to Hanna's (even though the two blondes still had a fair bit of tension in between them) and Emily theorized that Alison had probably been waiting outside the bathroom for her whenever she went, something that concerned her more than anything.

She was also slightly surprised that Alison hadn't been trying to shower with her yet.

"No, Ali, it's fine."

"Em, don't worry, I need to use the bathroom, anyways."

Whirling sharply around, Emily stalked off towards the bathroom, muttering "I'm sure you do," under her breath, as if it was a coincidence that Alison was in the same room as her ninety-nine percent of the time.

"Whoa, Em, wait up," Alison quickened her pace to keep up with the brunette, eyebrows furrowed.

Stopping outside the bathroom, Emily finally turned around to face Alison. "Look, I appreciate what you're doing here, but I'm completely fine. I can use the bathroom on my own."

Alison's eyebrows headed for her hairline. "I have no idea what you're talking about, Em. I just have to use the bathroom."

"Oh yeah? I didn't know that you were interested in watching swimming competitions." The brunette challenged.

"Curiosity,"

"Were you curious about my dad's potential birthday gift, too?"

"Just trying to be a good friend, and help give opinions."

"And last night, along with the rest of the week?"

Alison raised an eyebrow. "I didn't know it was a crime to sleep over at your friend's house."

"Oh, for God's sake!" Emily sighed. "I can take care of myself, I don't need a babysitter."

The blonde rolled her eyes. "Yeah, sure. You could 'take care of yourself' really well, when you got stuck inside a barn, when you were about to be sawed in half— oh!" She exclaimed, sarcasm lining the word, "You totally had everything in control when you got kidnapped, too! How could I ever think that you needed help?"

"It's not my fault that some psycho is after me!"

"I didn't say that," Alison sighed, frowning. "But if I'm around then I can help prevent future bullshit from happening, instead of you having to suffer before I can save you."

Emily rolled her eyes. "Yeah, poor Emily. Look, she's in trouble again. I'm sorry I'm such an inconvenience to you."

"Okay, I'll admit that was bad word choice, but stop twisting my words, you're not an inconvenience, I just don't want you hurt." Alison dropped her head in defeat, playing with a bracelet on her wrist.

The brunette sighed. "What do you care if I'm hurt? You've got Lorenzo."

Suddenly, everything clicked for Alison. She let out a bitter laugh. "You are seriously so blind. I kissed you outside the barn, and asked if you wanted to run away with me. And last month, that night? Right after that happened you and the girls immediately thought the worst of me, and then you threw me in jail. Excuse me for trying to get over you."

"Get over me?!" Emily indigently squeaked. "I've been trying to stop loving you for three years, Alison! I thought you were dead!"

Alison took a step closer to Emily, their faces less than a foot apart. "So did I! I thought that A had killed you in that dollhouse, and it scared the hell out of me, because I love you, and you slipped through my fingers before I could ever really hold you!"

"Well, I—" Suddenly, Emily paused, just catching Alison's words that had hung in the air. Words that had remained unsaid for three long years. "You— you love me?"

The blonde sighed, running a hand through her hair. "If you haven't noticed, the DiLaurentis' aren't good at putting emotions and words together. Or with emotions, in general, really. You kissed me in the locker room, and I acted on instinct; find the good people, the good things in life, and screw it all up."

"Then, we visited the Kissing Rock, and I think that's when I realized I was in trouble. When I couldn't help but notice how you tucked your hair behind your ear when you were nervous, the curve of your lips when you smiled, the way your eyes wrinkled at the edges when you laughed…"

"I said to myself, 'Alison, you need to stop this. You cannot screw up this girl, you can't break her.' I didn't trust myself with you, but then we kissed, and I was done for. I had to keep it going, but I couldn't show anyone else weakness, so when we were alone I was yours and yours alone, when I was with the others, I was Queen Bee Ali, and when you were there, too, it was all a balancing act; trying to keep both sides of myself prevalent, but not letting either side weaken."

Emily avoided eye contact with the blonde, who stared intently at her. She absently toyed with the sleeve of her shirt.

"I'm tired of running, Em," She continued, and the aforementioned girl finally locked eyes with her. "I'm tired of lying— I'm just… I'm just tired. I'm laying this all out, no more lies, no more secrets."

Emily spoke with furrowed eyebrows. "For the longest time, I tiptoed around this— around us. I never wanted to mention something and risk having you stop talking to me. I don't know what to do now that I know you won't run."

"Anything,"

Anything screamed out one specific something.

Hyper-aware of their closeness, Emily moved to close the gap, Alison meeting her halfway. The scent of vanilla and taste of cherry engulfed her, and she was lost in Alison, just as Alison was lost in her. As years of built up passion collided in a kiss, their hearts beat in sync. Their arms sought the other out, and they fit into each other's embrace perfectly, finally completing a puzzle left unfinished.

They were no longer "Emily," and "Alison," but "Emily and Alison," as they were always intended to be.