AN: It feels like forever since I've been here (in this story) and I'm so glad I've found some free time to write. I'll keep this short, bc I'm working on other chapters for this story and others as well, hopefully you're keeping up? I'm looking forward to your reviews, the detailed ones really excite me, thank you for those…well, I hope you enjoy! : )

Chapter 37: Graduation

"Em, are you okay?" Ali's voice sounded from behind the brunette who was absently staring at her desk, her papers strewn in no particular organization.

"What? Yeah, why?" Graduation was in a week and Em had just got back from dropping her mom off at the airport.

"Well, I asked you if you wanted to go somewhere with me?" Ali sat up from Em's bed and tilted her head, concerned with where her girlfriend was going when she wasn't here with her.

Emily heard Ali but didn't realize she hadn't answered her until Ali stood up and walked behind her, squeezing her shoulders lightly before leaning forward and gently hugging Em's chest into her body. Ali then brushed their cheeks together and whispered into Emily's ear, "where are you Em? Come back to me."

Emily sighed and closed her eyes, leaning further into Ali's body, "I'm right here, babe."

Ali shook her head, "don't lie to me," she spoke softly and stood, spinning Em around in her chair until they were facing each other. Ali squatted down in front of Em until they were eye to eye and grabbed her mermaid's hands in her own, "talk to me."

Em couldn't look down at the cerulean eyes boring into her own, so she opted for looking down into her lap where their hands where connected, "it's nothing Ali."

But Alison knew full well what this was about, "you know they want to be here Em. And I'm going to record it all PLUS I can video chat them from my phone."

Ali knew that Em had been tense and slightly distant these past few days because her mom had left for California to go settle things with their new house with Wayne. It was unfortunate that they had paperwork to deal with so close to graduation and as much as Emily had said she was fine with it, Ali could tell she just wasn't.

"Yeah, it's just, this is a big deal for me and I wanted my parents there, I want my dad there, I haven't seen him since…well god knows when and I- I-" silent tears fell and Ali caught them in the palm of her hand, holding Em's cheek gingerly.

Ali stood and held Emily's head to her chest, "shh shh, I know Em, I know Em, but think, in a few months, you can spend every weekend with your mom, and your dad is almost relieved of his duties, what was his plan, he's leaving in few years right? It's ok."

Emily focused in her breathing until it was steady, focusing instead on the way Ali smelled, the way her hands rubbed her hand until wrapping in her hair, and the way everything between them felt so right.

Ali sensed that Em had calmed down and stood back, lifting Emily's head until their eyes met. "I love you Em, and it's going to be okay, as much as you want them there, I know they want to be there just as bad."

Emily nodded, smiling weakly, but Ali could see that the sadness hadn't left her eyes. California was so far, why couldn't her parents have waited until after her graduation to confirm the move and finalize the paperwork on their new house?

"I love you too Ali." Em stood and kissed Ali on the lips, lingering briefly before kissing her forehead and pulling away, "now where is it you wanted to take me?"

"It's another surprise."

"I better like it." Emily smirked, watching as Ali gathered her purse and walked towards the door.

"Em, when have you not loved my surprises?" Ali lifted a single brow in a challenge and Em squinted as if she was thinking, "well…"

Ali narrowed her eyes, but Emily laughed nervously, "okay, okay, don't kill me, I was just kidding!"

"You better have been, or else you're not getting any later."

"You don't have it in you."

Ali turned around as Emily came to stand behind her, "don't test me Fields."

"Wouldn't dream of it DiLaurentis."

x-x-x-x

"Wait, Ali, I know where we're going!"

"Do you? Wow, it only took you a few hours."

"Shutup, I was thinking this was going to be a new surprise."

Ali feigned to be hurt, "oh so this isn't good enough? We can turn around if you want." Ali looked over her shoulder, pretending to switch lanes to the off ramp.

Em reached out and her hand landed high on Ali's thigh, "No! No, this is more than enough, don't you dare turn around."

Ali smirked and then looked down at Em's hand placement, "Emily," Ali practically hissed, "take your hand off of me unless you plan on doing something with it, and in that case I can pull over."

Emily laughed, "I told you, you don't have it in you."

Ali shook her head, "Em, I'm not playing."

Em smirked and dragged her fingernails along the inner seam of Ali's jeans, "well, what if I want to?"

Ali gulped, "then I won't be able to focus and we'll crash."

Em pulled her hand back and sat in her seat, "you're right, we shouldn't risk it."

It was Ali's turn to laugh, "that's stopped you before."

Em smirked and nuzzled her head into the back of the seat, "wake me up when we get there."

Ali was going to protest about Emily falling asleep on her, but thought better of it, if Em was going to last the night, Ali knew she would need all the rest she could get.

x-x-x-x

"Ali, how do you keep doing this? This place looks just as good as it did when we were first here."

Ali had brought Em back to Lover's Peak, the place that they had spent days together, working their feelings out, among other things. The rollercoaster of emotions was hard to handle but every second was worth it Ali thought silently to herself, loving the way Emily lit up when Ali woke her up. It was where they had first been with each other and later made love, it was where they finally admitted that love, where Ali asked Em to be her girlfriend and Emily had said yes. The more she thought about it, the longer it seemed like it had been since they had been there.

"Okay, so what's the plan?"

Ali smiled as she walked towards the back of the car, towards her trunk, "a picnic in the weeping willow and then, well, I got you a little graduation gift."

Emily raised her eyebrow, "a gift you say? We're giving each other those now?"

"Haha, no, I am giving you a gift and you're going to love it." Ali walked over to where Em stood and reached up to peck her girlfriend on the lips.

"Love it? How are you so sure, what if I don't?" Emily held Ali's waist, teasing the blonde.

Ali pouted and then shrugged, "fine, then I'll find someone else to give it to," Alison said plainly, unwrapping Emily's arms from around her and walking up the hill.

Em smirked, loving when they played like this. Ali barely took a few steps before Em grabbed her wrist and spun her around until their bodies collided, "Babe, I'm kidding, whatever it is, I know I'll love it. You wanna know why?"

Ali pretended to be in deep thought.

Em pushed the blonde's chin up and kissed her lips briefly, "because, I love you, and everything you've given me is a gift." Em tapped Ali's nose and kissed her forehead, "c'mon, I'm starving."

Ali looked up at Em, thinking how lucky she was to have someone like her in her life.

Alison slipped her hand down into Emily's intertwining their fingers and led them to just the first part of what was to become a long night.

x-x-x-x-x

"But Ali, graduation is in 2 days, what if you don't make it back in time?" Emily pouted, holding on to Alison's hands as they stood at the terminal marked for flying to Georgia.

"Em, my grandma is old, this might be the last time I get to see her, and I won't be late, I'll be tired, but my flight will get here at 6:30am, and the ceremony doesn't start until 9, so I have time." Ali rubbed her thumbs over the back of her girlfriend's hands to reassure her.

"But…"

"No buts Em, I. Will. Be. There."

Emily sighed and then squared her shoulders, knowing that Ali would be good on keeping her word, she knew how important graduation was to her.

"Fine, fine, but if I don't see you-"

"Emily, you will see me, I'll be wearing that bright yellow dress you bought me…plus if that's not enough, I'll be the loudest one there, you'll hear me."

Emily smiled and placed her forehead on Alison's. "I'll miss you," she breathed softly.

Ali turned her face so their cheeks were touching, "I miss you already, but I'll be back before you know it."

They shared final kiss goodbye and Alison picked up her bags and headed to the terminal, turning to wave one more time before she boarded the plane…she had one more surprise gift to give Emily on her graduation day.

x-x-x-x-x

"Emily, wake up sleepy head, this is it! We're graduating! C'mon lazy ass, get up!"

Emily rolled over in Hanna's bed, pulling the sheets over her head, "five more minutes, Han."

Hanna walked to the foot of the bed, grabbed hold of the end of the sheets and yanked them from an unsuspecting Emily.

"Em, you said that 20 minutes ago, you know if I didn't care so much I would wake you up just before I was leaving so you would be forced to go looking like crap. But, lucky for you, I do care, now c'mon, it's already 6:30, we have to be at school at 8. That only leaves us with like-"

"An hour and a half left."

"Spencer!"

Hanna walked over to hug her tall brunette friend, "help me Spence?"

Spencer chuckled and dropped her purse, "I just got off the phone with Aria, so I came over to 'help'."

"Yeah thanks, Aria said she needed all the time she could get so she'll probably just meet us at school, but damn, you're ready early."

Spencer shrugged, "well you know how us Hastings like to arrive places, if you're early you're on time, if you're on time you're late. Besides I still need to put on my dress and gown, I left them in the car, I'll put them on after Em here gets up."

Hanna laughed and continued to apply make-up to her face.

"So Spence, what does a Hastings say if you're actually late?"

Spencer smirked and laughed darkly, "then you're fucked."

The girls shared a laugh and Spencer walked over to the bed to get the swimmer out of the sheets she pulled back on and into the shower.

x-x-x-x-x

"Em, she'll be here, stop worrying so much." Aria sat in back of Spencer's car with Emily, trying to calm their friend down.

"Yeah but she texted me earlier and that was-"

"Em, calm down, it's probably because she stopped to get your…'surprise.'"

"My surprise? And how would you know?"

The three girls exchanged looks and Emily huffed, "why do I feel like I'm the only one who doesn't know what the hell is happening around here? We all agreed guys, no more-"

"Secrets," the rest of them said in unison.

"Em, c'mon," Hanna reasoned, "and technically speaking, it's not a secret, it's a surprise, it's like the exception to keeping a secret without it actually being a secret."

Spencer nodded in agreement, "yeah, Hanna is right."

Hanna smiled and smacked Spencer's arm, "I love when you say that."

"Haha shutup, you won't be hearing it for a while."

x-x-x-x-x

The girls arrived at the front of the school, stopping in the parking around the back.

"So this is it guys, graduation." Aria unbuckled her seat belt and turned her body to face the others.

Spencer pulled the keys from the ignition and slumped against the back of the seat, "Yeah, I can't believe we made it."

Hanna turned and looked down at her hands in her lap, "well not all of us guys."

Emily picked up on Hanna's mood the quickest and reached for the blonde's shoulder, "Han, we all wish Mona was here, you know she'd be so proud of you."

Spencer leaned forward to hug Hanna, "yeah and no one is more happy than I am to lose valedictorian to her than me, as crazy as that is."

Hanna sniffled and wiped a tear, gently laughing, "how bad was it?"

Spencer pulled away, "hey hey now, give me some credit, it came down to a A- in Mr. Humpback's US History class, he didn't like my presentation on the Federalist's-"

"Alright, alright," Em cut in, "we get it."

"What! It was really close, that's all I'm saying." Spencer shrugged and Hanna laughed again.

"Wait," Hanna said, "I thought his name was Hombauch?"

"Hanna, you're the one who gave him that nickname!"

The four of them laughed and when they settled, they shared the silence and looked at one another.

"I love you guys." Hanna smiled and looked at each one her friends in the eyes, "now let's go graduate and kick the world's ass."

"Here we go." Aria said rolling her eyes, earning a nudge on the shoulder's by Em.

x-x-x-x-x

"Now a speech from our salutatorian, Spencer Hastings."

Spencer rose from her seat on the stage and made her way to the podium in the middle of the stage.

"Good morning everyone. Good morning Rosewood's class of 2014!"

The crowd erupted into cheer and Spencer waved her hands to settle them down, "yes, yes, all 150 of us and our parents, we get it, we're excited."

The crowd laughed and Spencer looked out in the seats in front of her for her friends. She found them and looked up briefly to see her family in the crowd, next to all of the others.

"I'm sure all of you know that I could probably stand here all day and talk about school, but I won't, I'll be as brief as I can."

"THANK YOU!" Someone shouted and everyone laughed.

"Four years, c'mon Noel Kahn, I know that was you."

Everyone in the seats in laughed and when the laughter stopped echoing in the gym Spencer continued, "You know, when I came here my freshman year, I knew I wanted to be valedictorian, I worked my ass off to be, sorry, my butt, buuut, when it came down to it, well, I just didn't make the cut. You know four years of studying and working so hard to get something and just not get to it…I should be upset right? Well, surprisingly I'm not. This year's valedictorian, Mona Vanderwaal couldn't be here with us today, but that doesn't mean we can't celebrate her and all she achieved. I'm honored to have 'lost' to her, she was a fierce competitor and although I didn't have a very close friendship with her, I know someone who did and she said Mona was not only a great student, but a great friend.

"And that's how life works out, we fight to get something, to be someone, to fit in and win the approval of who we surround ourselves and maybe in the end it wasn't worth it. We lose battles, we even lose friends but that doesn't stop us from living, it shouldn't and I know for me and my friends it won't. If it wasn't for Rosewood, I wouldn't have 4 more sisters with me here today, I wouldn't have had all the memories I had to take with me and carry with me for the rest of my life.

"I don't know how anyone else out there in our class is feeling about graduating and being thrown into the 'real' world, but if you have any doubt at all about whether or not you are ready….you are. It's nothing you can prepare for, because life is full of the unexpected, but you're ready, we are ready.

"What do you say class of 2014, are we ready?!"

Spencer pumped her fist and the crowd whooped and shouted and smiled, laughed and cheered. Spencer smiled and met Hanna's eyes, who silently mouthed thank you.

Spence just nodded, grabbing her actual speech from the podium and ripping it in half, "thank you, now let's get this damn diploma's and rock the world, they're not ready for us!"

A final applaud sounded and the tall brunette took her seat back on the chair already on the stage.

The principal got up from his seat, settled everyone down and announced that he would now be calling everyone's names.

Emily squirmed in her seat, sneaking her phone out of her bra and checking her messages but she found nothing.

Out of the four of them, Em was first so she sighed excepting that not only would her parents not be there, but her girlfriend wouldn't be either.

Em stood behind her classmates, each one climbing the stairs to walk across the stage and get a piece of paper that validated all their work for the last four years.

"Gabrielle Fanning…J.T. Faylor…Anna Feagan….Christopher Feddel…."

Em was next.

"Our swim team's star, Emily Fields." Em took a deep breath and climbed the stairs, she heard people cheering and then a distinct whistle and a deep voice.

"Go EMMY!"

Em whipped her head towards the bleachers and she almost tripped.

There with her mom wrapped in one arm and waving his hand with the other was none other than her dad…and who was standing next to her parents, clapping wildly, holding a sign that said, 'that's my mermaid: Ali.

Em smiled and tears welled in her eyes, she waved at them all, joy overwhelming her and tempting her to run off stage to hug her little family. Instead Em continued to smile, grabbed her diploma, and walked right off. She sat down, looked for her parents in the crowd, watching as they sat and hugged, almost as happy as she was.

Emily searched Ali's face and when they met, Em silently mouthed a 'thank you.'

Ali smiled and nodded, mouthing back, 'I love you'.

Em shook her head, 'I love you more.'

Ali playfully raised an eyebrow 'we'll see.'

Em sat back and watched as the rest of her friends walked across. First Spencer, then Hanna and finally Aria. When everyone was through, there was only one thing left to do, move their tassels to the other side.

Once that was over, everyone was technically supposed to leave in a orderly fashion, but the someone shouted for everyone to throw their caps, and after a bit of hesitation, Rosewood's graduating class tossed them in the air, clapping and cheering.

Em found Hanna and the other two and they gathered in a circle holding and hugging each other. Em still with happy tears in her eyes.

"Em," Aria shouted, "what's wrong?"

Em nodded, nothing was wrong, she pointed to Ali and her parents and once the three others found what Em was looking at they laughed and smiled.

"Told you, it's an exception." Hanna smiled and squeezed Em into her arms.

"So what do you say guys, toss them up for one last rule breaker?"

"I'd hardly say this is the last time we'll break a rule." Hanna joked.

"After this Han, they're laws." Spencer reasoned back.

"Well good thing, you'll be a lawyer." Hanna laughed and was the first to toss her blue cap in the air.

Her friends followed suit and she reached behind her and threw another.

The girls looked at her as she did and she looked up watched it fall to the floor when Hanna brought her eyes back up, she met them with a small smile, and then stared not at, but through the ceiling, "that was for you Mona."

The others smiled and brought her in for a hug, not needing to say anything, just hold her.

x-x-x-x-x

"Em!"

"EMMY!"

"Emily!"

The ceremony was over and Em just wanted to be met with the arms of the three people calling her name.

"Mom! Dad! Ali! You're all here!"

Em ran right for her dad, colliding into the strong arms that she had missed for months and months.

"Dad, I can't believe you're here, how? I thought you couldn't leave the base and what about the house, I thought you couldn't-"

"Emmy calm down sweetie, you shouldn't be thanking us if that's what you were going to do next."

Wayne put his hands on his daughters shoulders and held her at arm's length.

Em furrowed her brows, "then who-"

Pam cleared her throat, and although looking somewhat awkward she tilted her head towards Ali.

"You have a very persuasive girlfriend."

Em met her mother's eyes and her dad's…

Wayne coughed, "c'mon Pam, let's go and congratulate the other girls, and say hello."

Pam smiled and hugged Emily before walking hand in hand with her husband towards Emily's friends.

Em walked towards Ali, every ounce of love for her girlfriend being portrayed in the way her eyes were zeroed in on her. Em stopped when she was just a few inches from Ali's face.

Ali swallowed hard, "hey."

Em laughed, "hey."

Ali wrapped her arms around Emily's neck and buried her face in the crook of her neck.

Em gladly wrapped her arms around Ali and rested her chin atop the blonde hair.

"You lied to me."

Ali pulled away and looked shocked, "no fair, it wasn't a lie, technically I did go to see my grandma, I just also went to California on my way home."

Em shook her head, "I don't know how you did it."

Ali shrugged, "I surprised myself actually, but I know how much you really wanted them to be here for this and I love you so much, so I had to try."

Emily smirked, "come here."

Ali looked up and smiled, reaching up on her tiptoes to reach Em's lips. The kiss didn't last long before Ali had to settle back on her feet.

"No fair again, Em. You're already taller than me; did you have to wear heels too, when I didn't?"

Em shrugged, "Hanna said it was a must."

"I said what now? That's not my fault Em, you can't wear your Nikes or Converse for everything."

Hanna walked over with Caleb and Spencer with Toby and Aria with Ezra followed behind her.

"Thanks Hanna," Ali mumbled.

"Oh whatever, you two will have plenty of time alone later, but right now, we need to go party!"

Aria groaned, "I'm assuming we're all talking about Noel's?"

Ali and Em shared a look before Ali shrugged.

"Eh, why not? One last time?" Emily chimed in and waved at her parents, they would have time to talk tomorrow.

"Yeah, I need to get Noel back for interrupting my speech!" Spencer took the lead and walked towards the back lot to her car.

The girls laughed and followed her.

"Easy there tiger," Ali teased.

"Yeah Spence, what could you possibly do to punish him? Talk his ear off about school? Too late for that. We're done with school. Adios suckers!"

Spencer rolled her eyes, "just get in guys. We can change at my house."

"Change? I thought we were already wearing our party clothes?" Hanna practically ripped her gown off and pointed at the others, "c'mon, I know what we're all wearing underneath, we'll be fine."

"But Han, I wanted to stop by my house and grab my-"

"No Em, no Nikes." Hanna finished.

"Ugh fine, Han. Just this one time."

Ali groaned next to her, "dammit."

"No to you to Ali, I heard that."

"What?" Ali pretended to not have a clue what Ali was talking about.

"I know why you wanted to stop at Em's house…no quickies on my watch."

"Ew Hanna, c'mon." Spencer complained.

"Yeah, Han, seriously?" Aria added.

"What?! We all know that's what they were thinking! C'mon we seen the fuck me eyes they were giving, we interrupted them at just the right time."

"Whatever Hanna," Ali teased, "you're just jealous."

Hanna shrugged, "the crazy college years haven't started yet, maybe soon I won't have to be anymore."

"Hey, what now?"

"Caleb? Sorry, I had no idea you were still standing there, I was just kidding."

"Uh huh, well me and the guys are going back to my place, just call us when you all need to be picked up."

"Okay, babe, call you later."

Caleb laughed and when Hanna turned around the girls were laughing at her.

"Yeah, smooth Han," Em teased.

Hanna was slightly embarrassed, "like butter, now shutup and get in."

When the girls got in, they buckled in and sat in silence for a few moments, realizing this was the last party they would all be going to in a while.

"No one says anything," Emily warned, "we still have all summer."

Everyone knew what Em was talking about but they still sat in silence, not wanting to ruin anything.

"Em's right, no one is moving yet, so let's party it up tonight and then tomorrow it's summer, we have a few months, so no sad faces, no moping, just fun right now, agreed?" Spencer spoke up, hands on the wheel.

"Agreed."

"Agreed."

"Deal."

"Yeah, deal."

"Good, now let's go, I could use a drink."

"Couldn't we all?"

x-x-x-x-x

*AN: hello my lovelies, I have returned from the depths of hell…well college, but let's not be so technical. Lol well I know it's been over a month...ma bad. I just started a new story and fell in love with writing that that I couldn't sit down long enough to finish this. I'm sorry, but I DID NOT forget about this story. This was my first, like my very own baby, I just let it slip away for a moment.

Well here it was, graduation, I know it was a lot of little pieces thrown together, but I hoped you liked it? Please review! I miss all of you

Also, please ignore what I said in an earlier chapter about my 'schedule' for this story…from here on out, I am not going to plan anything, I'm just going to write and hopefully you'll be ok with that? With that being said, the next chapter, chapter 38 will be the first in Emison's college years, so yes, there will be a little time jump…stay with me please?

Tell me what you think and leave a review for me to be excited to read later!

Be back when I can! (it will NOT be a month this time, I SWEARRR)

Love, Lina