***Sorry for the late-ish update! Anyways, please read and love this chapter! Let me know what you think! Update coming soon!

Chapter 23

No One's POV

Alison woke up in the middle of the night, or was it early in the morning? She couldn't tell, all she did know was that her body felt deliciously sore and worn out and the reason for that was lying next to her with a long warm arm draped protectively around her waist. Ali tried to move but found her legs were tangled into Emily's, and their skin was…sticky? Why in the worl- Ali stopped mid thought at smiled to herself remembering how last night's events took a surprising turn…and it was for the better. Ali was suddenly warm, well warmer than she already was, when she remembered how she had played with Emily and the sweet vanilla ice cream…Ali hummed to herself and closed her eyes, dreaming about the night before:

Em and Ali made their way from the sofa into the bedroom, and Ali walked back towards the bed. "Em, wait you should shower, I just changed the sheets, they're clean." Ali moaned and although she didn't want to change the sheets again, she was thinking that she could make an exception.

Emily closed the distance between them, eyes dark with arousal and pushed Ali squarely in the chest, toppling her onto the bed on her back. Emily moved with her in one fluid motion and straddled her hips, rolling them sensually as she did. "Not for long." Em said wickedly.

The rasp of her voice and intensity of Emily's eyes went straight to Ali's core. She shifted her hips under Emily as she felt her need built to an uncomfortable level. "Emily, you're scaring me." She said with teasing smile. Ali never really considered herself liking being a bottom but she was starting to really enjoy it especially when Emily was the one on top.

"Mmmm." Emily growled. "I would normally say you shouldn't be, but right now…you should be." She slid her hands up Ali's torso, biting her lip as she did.

Emily sat back, her eyes bright in the light coming in from the curtains, Ali had decided to leave them open this time. A slow smile played at Em's lips as she looked down at Ali, completely naked with a red tint of warmth crawling its way over her body from the heat of Em's eyes. Ali wasn't built athletically like Em was, but she was still in good shape, a shape that Em could appreciate. Ali was soft and her curves didn't belong to someone still in high school. She had a woman's body adored with wide hips and full breasts.

Emily raised Ali's arms and pushed them above her head, pressing them to the bed with her hands. "Don't move," Em breathed as she ran her fingers down the underside of Ali's arms, down her sides and across the tops of her breasts before tracing swirling patterns across her flat stomach. "Your body is incredible Ali, and you don't know how long I've fantasized about you like this."

Ali bit her lip against a groan and let her eyes close as Emily slid her hands over her body, roaming every inch of her skin, leaving a trail of flames in their wake. "Fuck, Emily, I want you…" She breathed and cracked her eyes to watch Emily as she caressed her skin. Ali would gladly fulfill every one of Emily's fantasies.

Emily rolling her hips, sticky with dried left over ice cream, against Ali's waist again, this time a little harder, eliciting another deep moan from Ali. "Patience," Em whispered.

Emily's words were doing as much to arouse Ali as her hands were and Ali couldn't help but arch her back high at the thought of Emily taking her sweet time, making Ali want it and dread it equally.

Emily slid her hand down between Ali's legs, pressing against her, feeling the warmth and wetness of her on her hand, moaning at the effect she had on the blonds. Ali groaned and dropped back onto the bed, twisting under Em, her legs clenching against the sensation. Emily smiled, knowing she was driving her wild. "Lay back," she demanded and pressed Ali down, her other hand flat against her soft stomach. Alison squirmed again as Em eased and increased the pressure against Ali's core slowly.

"Fuck…" Ali said in one strangled breath.

Ali's hips thrust into Emily's hand, yearning for more friction and the release she desperately craved. But everytime Ali would try to get closer, Emily would ease away, teasing Ali who was left in agony.

"That's good." Emily purred as she watched Alison carefully. She moved her hand away and Ali immediately sighed at the loss.

"Please, Em." Ali raised her arms bringing her hands up to cup Emily's breasts, gliding her thumbs across her nipples and watching them harden under her touch. Ali let out a shaky breath. "Jesus, Em you're so fucking beautiful." Ali felt a wave of wetness coat her legs at the sight of her, above her, looking down like a sex goddess, with dark brown eyes burning with desire, her ache becoming intolerable.

Emily threw her head back and arched into Ali's hands which fit perfectly against the swell of her breasts, sighing in pleasure. Ali's breathing came hard and fast at the sight of her Emily sitting over her, her naked breasts smooth and warm, filling her smaller hands, Em's hips rocking into her with more force, more purpose.

Emily smiled as she settled back onto Ali, their centers caressing one another's in a way Ali both loved and felt tortured by. Alison groaned loudly, her body tensing, as Emily took a nipple gently into her mouth, rolling it around on her tongue before sucking it between her teeth, hard, while kneading her other breast with her hand. She stretched out on Ali, letting her weight fully settle on her and making sure her breasts were pressed against her firmly.

"Emily, please!" Ali cried in need. "Don't do this to me."

Emily smiled and lavished her other nipple with her tongue. "Do what?" She asked innocently.

Ali shuddered, feeling sweat trickling down her chest. "Make me beg." She panted.

Emily hummed and kissed her way down Ali's belly, running her tongue in circles over Ali's sensitive skin on the way down. Ali's breathing was ragged and she was becoming sticky with sweat. Emily licked her lips of the salty sweet taste of Alison's skin.

Em slid two fingers in between the inside of Alison's thighs and then moved them around placing them over her ass. Ali could only suck in a breath in anticipation and part her legs, inviting Emily to enter. "Tell me what you want, Ali." Emily whispered huskily into her ear.

"You..." Ali swallowed heavily, her body shuddering "...inside me."

Emily trailed her fingers along the inside of her thigh and dipped the tips in the wetness between her legs wiggling her fingers around Ali's entrance. "Like this?" She teased.

"Oh, fuck, Emily, please." Ali's hips jerked against her hand and her hands moved from the bed to cover her face.

"I love the way you respond to my touch." Emily marveled and parted her, slipping two fingers inside and entering her smoothly.

Ali's mouth dropped open in a silent scream as her body arched off the bed as Emily filled her. "Oh, fuck…" She gasped. Whatever was in that ice cream gave Em a whole new personality, dominating and completely sexy; so different from the sweet put together person Em usually was.

Emily moved in her, setting a slow, deliberate pace, wrapping her arms around Ali's waist to tilt her hips up towards her. Ali's hands flung out, tangling into the sheets by her sides, gripping tightly to anything she could find. Her eyes flashed open and held Emily's gaze as her breath came in short, sharp pants. She didn't know how much she could take "Em…" She choked out.

Emily thrust into her, feeling her walls contract around her hands, hard. Ali was so hot and ready and Emily had made her wait long enough. She moved a thumb to circle her swollen center and watched as Ali cried out beautifully, her electric blue eyes rolling wildly.

And just as Ali felt the tension build even more…

Ali woke up.

God damn it! Alison opened her eyes and wriggled in frustration. She was reliving last night in her dreams and was just about to get to the good part when she heard a faint buzzing noise. She lied there in bed in confusion until she realized that the buzzing was coming from her purse, from her phone. Not wanting Emily to wake up just yet, she stealthily removed herself from the sheets and padded her way to her purse. She had a feeling of exactly who it was.

Pulling her still buzzing phone from her bag, she had seen that she was right. Hanna. Ali groaned lightly at the other blonde's perpetual involvement in Emily and Ali's time. Ali turned to look at Em, who was sleeping soundly in the sheets, she was on her stomach now, her long auburn hair flowing in messy waves down her back, and the sheets were resting dangerously low on her hips, barely hiding her ass. Ali clenched her phone in her hand, wanting desperately to crawl back into bed, but she knew if she didn't answer, Hanna would keep calling. Ali quickly snuck out of the room and walked down the hall into the living room.

"Oh my god Hanna, what now?"

"Well, good morning to you too, Ali! Wait, why are you whispering…You're still sleeping? You know it's like 10 am right? What on Earth…," Hanna laughed, "oh, haha I guess I should know it's a who rather than a what keeping you up all night huh?"

"Seriously Hanna? You wanna talk to me about that right now? Something is seriously wrong with you. Why did you call, I thought I turned my phone off too, what'd you do, have hacker Caleb break in?"

"Ha. Ha. Alison, but no I did not have Caleb do any hacking, although I do think it's super hot when he does…mmm, anyway, stop sounding so mad, I just wanted to call and check on Emison, I miss you guys and want to know how it's going. And by it, I don't mean the sex, because I bet that's great."

Only Hanna. "Hanna what do you want, I'm kind of busy."

"Busy? Already? But you just got up, and I thought Em was sleeping? Ooo that's kinky…"

Alison had to stop her before she went on, "Han, is this a replay of the last time you called? Because I'm not joking when I say that I will just hang up on you right here and now."

"Hahaha I'm only joking Ali, but okay then, did you ask her? What'd she say? Well she had to have said yes! Right? She said yes?"

Ali was silent for a while remembering that today was their last day there, tomorrow they'd leave to go home, leaving as friends or hopefully, more than that.

Hanna took Ali's silence in the worst way. "Hello, Ali, did I lose you? Hey, Em said yes right? Oh no, wait, did she say no?! OMG Ali-"

"No, Hanna, she didn't say yes, but she didn't say know either."

"Wait? What? Then what did she say, you did ask her right?"

"Yes, I did, but she hesitated and I think we both know why. She said she wanted to say yes and that all I said to her wasn't enough, I needed to prove it, so I am. I have just the rest of today to win her back and we go home tomorrow, sooo…"

"Sooo? So what?!"

"What Han? What do you mean 'so what'?"

"You're Alison DiLaurentis, you never back down from a challenge and you hardly take no for an answer. Stop feeling bad about yourself and just do it then!"

"Do what?"

"Ali, listen, Em freaking loves you, and is in love with you, and she will say yes, it's just up to you when she says it. So tell her, tell her you love her."

"I have been Hanna, I tell her and she tells me, so what the hell am I doing wrong!" Ali raised her voiced slightly in frustration.

"Ali, I'm no love expert – "

"Yeah, no shit Hanna."

"Let me finish okay? I'm no love expert but I know that just telling Em you love her flat out might not be enough, do something different. Tell her how, and why and what you love about her."

Alison hummed in agreement, "I get what you're saying Hanna, and I umm, I kind of already planned something, it's just I don't know if it'll work."

"Ali, grow a pair and just do it. You put a lot of thought into this, and Em hasn't gone running away yet has she?"

Hmm, the girl does have a point Ali thought.

"Yeah, thanks, I guess you're right Han."

I small shriek escaped Hanna and came through the other end of the phone, "Gosh, I love when you guys say that."

Ali could practically hear the dumb, goofy smile on her friend's face.

"Haha whatever Han, thanks for calling, I think?"

"You're welcome…oh and Ali?"

"Yeah, what is it now?"

"Can you make sure you and Em shower before you come home? I want to hug Emison first and I don't want to worry about…"

"Oh my god, this conversation is officially over, good bye Hanna."

"Haha bye Ali."

Alison shook her head at what Hanna insinuated. Joking aside, Hanna was right. Haha that's going to take some time to digest, Ali chuckled, but knew that she should just do what she had planned, why wait?

With that, Ali quickly started carrying out the next stage in her plan.

Emily's POV

I woke when my back started to heat up. I hoped it was the warmth of the blonde beauty I fell asleep with last night but moving in an empty bed, I realized it was the sun, beaming almost at its full strength. I hummed as I stretched my body out, I felt exhausted, but in good way. My body felt relaxed and I couldn't help but feel extremely happy. I moved again in my bed a caught a glimpse of something crimson in the bed. I shuffled through the sheets and uncovered a beautiful red rose and attached to it was a note. I planted my nose in the center of the flower and inhaled deeply, filling my nostrils with the sweet aroma.

I detached the little note from the base of the rose and opened it, finding Ali's beautifully scrawled handwriting adorning the pages in a deep red ink.

Em,

I couldn't wake you because you look so peaceful when you sleep.

You said you wanted me to prove that I love you, and I've told that I

did, hoping it was enough, but I've never spent enough time telling you why.

Find me, and let me tell you all the little things I love

about you and can't possibly live without.

Ali

I sat up and felt a new warmth settle inside my body, in my heart, and in my soul. I looked around and found that there were several more rose pedals all along the edge of the bed and down by my feet was another robe. I hopped out of bed, giddy with excitement and nerves. I didn't know what to expect, but I did know that my heart was pounding at million beats per second, I was fearful that I'd have a heart attack before I found her, so I pulled on the robe and spun towards the door, noticing a trail of rose pedals leading to the hallway, but the door was closed and a pink sticky note was attached to it. I padded my way, barefooted to it, and pulled it from the door into my hand.

I love the way you hold me when you sleep, I feel safe and warm. Only in your arms, I feel like I'm home.

I sucked in a breath as I read, knowing what she meant because that was exactly how I felt. I know I was taller and my frame was bigger, but when Ali held me near, like she would never let go, I felt protected. I opened the door and walked slowly, I didn't want to miss a single note. I only had to take a step forward into the long hallway before my eyes were drawn to another pink note, stuck to a picture of a sunset. I had the previous two in my hand, adding in this next one to the small collection.

Your smile. God Em, if only you knew how you light up an entire room when you smile, you'd know that you put the sun to shame. And even if you don't know, just know that you will always be the light of my life.

I choked back a sob and wiped away the tear at the corner of my eye. Ali had mentioned a long time ago that in her darkest days, she thought of me, that I was her hope. She told me that I was the only light in her life which was full of darkness. I didn't think much of it, but now, it had almost brought me to tears. I looked down at the rose pedals, they led straight out of the hall, but looking up I noticed more picture frames hanging from the wall, most of them with small pink notes hanging from them. I took a deep breath, mentally and emotionally preparing myself. I turned to take the not from my left, it was a picture of the five of us, during the summer that Ali disappeared. Hanna was in the middle of Spencer and Aria, her arms draped over their shoulders, and to the right of the frame Ali and I were holding one another, and it was strange because we were still young in the picture, and I was still confused about my feelings, but we looked like a couple. We went together perfectly, her soft smooth and fair skin contrasted beautifully with the darker skin tone that I had, and my arms were wrapped around her, holding her to me.

Hope. Even when everyone thought that I was gone for good, you held on to me, you hoped that I would be back and you never gave up on me.

I felt small fissures in my heart form as I remembered the gut wrenching and hollowing feeling when Ali was gone. Even when the police declared the body was hers, I couldn't believe it, I still held on to the small possibility that Ali was hiding somewhere, waiting for me to find her. I put the not in my hand and stopped in front of another frame. This picture was different, it was of a mermaid. The mermaid was emerged under water but from the artist's point of view, we could see the whole length of her body, from the side view. She was long and had hair flowing in the water, the same way my hair would flow in the wind. There were small glints of sparkle on her scales of her tail and she was strangely beautiful and although the picture was flat and unmoving, she looked gracious, head pointed forward, determined.

It took me a while to find a picture suitable enough, but you are my mermaid. You must of thought I gave you the nickname just because you swim, but there is much more to it than that. Look here. You are like this mermaid, strong, beautiful and full of grace. Her hair reminded me of yours and just like her, you are enchanting, and almost too good to be true.

She was right; I always thought that Ali nicknamed me her mermaid because I was a good swimmer. I could feel my heart swell as I processed the other meanings. Ali was so thoughtful and only if she would've shown the world who she really was from the start….well there would have been a lot less heart ache.

I thought of skipping the rest of the notes and running along the rose pedals to where she was, to hold her tight in my arms, but I knew that she had planned all of this, had taken the time to do this for me, so I should give back the time and continue.

My next note was on a bigger picture, a black and white photo of the lake and rope swing that Ali and I had got to enjoy together. I picked up the note and pang of guilt washed over me as I did.

Emily, you are brave. The strongest one of us all and I love you for giving me the strength to face not just one, but all of my fears. I was afraid of heights, but when I heard your voice, telling me I was going to be alright, that you would be there for me, I knew you were telling the truth. You make me a stronger person.

I bit my lip to keep it from trembling. Why didn't I know that Ali was afraid of heights? It all made sense now. I felt so stupid and inconsiderate, hating myself for putting her through that. Ali wants me to believe that I gave her strength, but the truth was that I was this 'strong' because of her. When I was with her, I admitted all my deepest fears; I revealed my soul to her and I was strongest when I thought of how Ali would handle something. How she'd tackle her fears head on, reading that she was just as scared as I was made my whole chest want to explode at the realization that we made each other stronger. My heart was beating almost painfully in my chest and a tear that I didn't realize I was holding back fell onto the notes in my hand, the ink bleeding softly as it did.

I continued to follow the path Ali had set for me and stopped at a small radio that I hadn't noticed before that was on the table next to the sofa.

Your laugh and your laugh only will always sound like music to my ears Em. No matter how I am feeling, I can't stop the warmth that spreads through my body when you're laughing and I feel even happier when I'm the reason that you are.

I found myself laughing softly at the memory of Ali and I back at her house. We were in her room and she was painting my toenails. I grabbed a water bottle on the side of the bed and sprayed with its contents from my mouth when she tickled my feet, she seemed upset at first, but then we both broke out in a fit of laughter. Those were the moments I fought so hard to cherish. We couldn't pick and chose what memories we could forget, but I made it my mission to always choose the ones I wanted to remember.

My next note was on the door of the fridge, next to a picture of the two of us standing in the kitchen at my house, Ali had a baking sheet in hands and she looked upset, one hip thrown to the side. Hanna held a black cookie in her hand looking disgusted and I was bent over the counter laughing.

No matter how many times I used to mess up, you always gave me another chance. You believed in me when I didn't but I promise that this is the last chance that you'll ever have to give me, I don't want to mess up with you ever again.

After that, that was it, I let the tears fall knowing deep in my heart that Ali meant all these things, I didn't have to hear her say it anymore, I just had to think about all the moments we shared and all of the memories we made with each other.

I walked faster to the next three notes, not holding in my sobs any longer, I just wanted to reach the last one and kiss Ali until we were both out of breath, I needed her in my arms.

This note was attached to a heart shaped pillow sitting chair in the living room.

Your heart is the best that there is. So warm, inviting and big, so full of love. How can you love so many people at the intensity that you do? How can you say that you love me? Me, who was so wrong and mean to you? Your heart is the most comforting thing I have ever known, I want to spend every night falling asleep to the sound of it pumping warm blood into your veins, and I want to wake up on your chest, feeling the rise and fall of your lungs, with your heart's passionate thumps in my ear.

Ali was going to be the death of me. I felt my heart jump against my ribcage and it was a beautiful kind of pain. It made me feel stronger, not weaker, to know that my heart beat that strong. As long as Ali was in my life, my heart would beat only for her. My body was becoming restless as I reached the door in the front of the cabin.

Your touch. The way that you touch me sets off live wires in my body. Your fingers leave a trail of flames that lick my skin begging me for more. It's different from when you hold me, I feel love, but when you touch me, my breath hitches, I get dizzy and a million butterflies are released in my stomach. I love the way you make me fall apart. I never want to be without your touch ever again.

There was another note attached to this one.

Last one for now Em, I need to feel you and I'm sure you feel the same way…come and get me.

My body shock almost violently as I couldn't control the rollercoaster of emotions from running through me. I flung the door open and ran barefooted out into the grassy flat next to the cabin, not caring how many rose pedals I stepped on to get to her. I didn't have to run long before the pedals stopped showing and I stopped dead in my tracks about 20 yards away from Ali. She was standing still, with something in her hands and had turned back towards me but I knew she could tell I was there, I could feel it and truth be told she probably could've heard me breathing. I didn't say anything as I made my way towards her, my feet moving on their own accord as my body followed. I was about 3 feet away, when I stopped to reach my hand that was free of her notes to rest onto her shoulder, I needed to see her beautiful face, but her voice stopped me.

"Stop, not yet Em."

I closed my hand into a fist and lowered my arm.

"Not that I don't want you to touch me, because I do, it's just that I can't think straight when you're so close to me, let alone touching me, and I need you to hear this."

"Ali, it's okay, you've done enough, I-"

"No Em, let me talk. Please?"

I nodded in response. She turned slowly towards me, to face me and her eyes were watery, cheeks were red. She looked at me up and down, not in a sensual way, but in the nervous way that I used to look at her. I took my turn taking in the sights, feeling embarrassed that I was in a house robe and had no shoes on. My hair was a mess, I was sticky and lord knows I probably had morning breath and her she was, polished to perfection with a light yellow summer dress on, her hair styled in big casual curls, cascading over her heart shaped face, and she had the slight of make-up on, highlighting her brilliant blue eyes and rosy red cheeks.

She pointed to my hand that was clutching onto all of the little pink notes, "I hope you know that those aren't all of the reasons that I love you. I would love to plaster the cabin in those, but one, there's not enough space in the cabin, and two, I would never be able to find that many sticky notes."

We shared a brief moment of eye contact, brown colliding with blue, until she spoke again. "Em you make me feel vulnerable and open and I want you to know that I love every little thing about you. I want you to know my soul better than I do, know that my heart is full of your love. You make me a better person and I love you for that too. You have always seen the best in me, the good that no one, not even I, knew existed. I didn't think it was possible but you always make something new for me to love about you at least once a day. I want to tell you all of those things in time, just not right now. Right now, I needed you to know the bigger things, the things I couldn't possibly live without. But, you want to know the biggest thing I could possibly love about you right now, at this point in our lives," she swallowed hard and I didn't say anything, knowing that she was about the answer her own question, "One of the biggest things I love about you Emily Fields, is that you're big on happy endings. I told you this a few years ago, but I don't know if you knew that I was being completely honest, that it was the truth. I love how we shared that moment in the library together and I read you that passage, because we are Charles Dickens' "Great Expections." You want to know why? Because of you, you Em. You loved me against reason, against promise, against peace, against hope, against happiness, against all discouragement that could be… you did, you loved me, regardless of everyone putting you down and doubting you, you still loved me. So if you can do that, I want to be just like Pip, because Pip gets Estella in the end, and I'm hoping that I can one day get you, and I want that day to be today Em….so will you, Emily Fields, please be my Estella?"

I was crying and so was Ali, she looked so vulnerable and I felt the fissures in my heart burst wide open and all the love came spilling out. I couldn't answer her in words, I only needed to feel her lips against mine so I closed the distance between us and crashed our lips together, molding our lips into one languid exchange of love and salty tears. I pulled away from her, breathless and said against her lips, in a low voice, "No, Ali, I will not be your Estella," her body tensed against mine as fear and hurt flushed her face, "I don't want to be Estella, because you're not Pip. You are beautiful and real and all mine Ali, I'm I want to be and am all yours, I'm your mermaid remember?"

OMG thank you guys so much for reading! I literally almost cried when writing this...the Emison feels were almost too much! Anyways I love you all, and please, please, please review! The next update will be either tonight or in a few days, thank you, I hoped you liked this chapter. XOXO, Lina :)