Thank you all once again for your nice words. Hopefully I'll do you proud, if not, my bad.

It had been a week since the moment in Alison's kitchen and you never would have known it had happened. Alison was back to being cold and ignoring, it bothered Emily more than it should have. She reasoned with herself that it was because she didn't believe it was the real Alison and she hated people being false. However evidence was to the contrary, one laughing fit and a brief vulnerable chat fuelled by alcohol didn't define a was it Spencer always said? Hope breeds eternal misery. She was aware of the blondes famous personality when she agreed to work for her so she shouldn't complain, but 6 months would have been made a whole lot easier if the working environment were a bit more pleasant.

However it was little moments over the last week that gave Emily hope for Alison. A fan with a small child had stopped them in the street, and while her usual balance of charming and aloof to the woman, she had interacted with the child so sweetly that Emily didn't believe for a second she was that good an actress. Once she caught Emily staring though she straightened up carried on down the street. Or when Carter finally spoke for the first time in Emily's presence, it was a simple good morning in reply to Emily's as he opened Alison's door. It had taken the brunette off guard and she quickly made a joke about him needing to quieten down and let somebody else speak for a change. Carter had smiled and blushed, Emily swore she heard Alison chuckle as she got in the car, however as she went to look at her the usual hard expression returned to her face. It was as though she didn't want anyone to know she might actually be nice.

It was Sunday and they were at yet another interview, this one with some internet fashion channel. Apparently socialites didn't ever have a day off, which surprised Emily as she didn't think they actually did anything. She had learned from her earlier mistakes and boredom and had taken to bringing a book or a newspaper whenever they went to these things. She was currently sat doing the crossword listening to Alison talk about some designers latest line. Emily was struggling, the clues were all cryptic style, she was missing over half of the answers and was moments away from giving up and going back to the articles.

"Ok that's great thanks, we'll take five minutes and then continue if that's alright?"

Everyone split off in separate directions to grab a drink and for Alison to get retouched. After a couple of minutes Emily heard the now familiar click of heels behind her. Then it stopped and she felt a breath on her shoulder. Alison stood silently, close behind her for a moment and Emily was just about to turn and ask if there was something she needed.

"Drawer"

Emily turned to look at her not realising she was quite as close as she was. She could see every detail in those stunning blue eyes. Why had she never noticed that smattering of freckles across her nose and cheeks? Something in her wanted to take her finger and trace them. Alison must have noticed her staring because she quickly stepped back and cleared her throat. Was it just Emily's imagination or was there a slight blush to her cheeks now?

"12 down, 6 letters. Sketcher went up to get reward. It's drawer."

Emily looked back down at her crossword, it fit. She wrote it in "How on earth did you get that?"

"It's cryptic, went up is usually code for reverse it and a sketcher is a drawer." Alison looked proud of herself.

"Wow, who knew you were such a geek?" Emily laughed and the pride on Alison's face disappeared and was replaced with a scowl.

"I don't do these stupid things, I have more important things to do than crosswords. It was a simple clue…" She began to rant.

"Woah I just meant that I'm impressed, you're pretty smart. You definitely shouldn't be defending that" Emily cut her off "Also for the record, crosswords aren't stupid and there's nothing wrong with enjoying them."

Alison opened her mouth to reply but was interrupted by the call that they were ready to start again. She went back over to continue her interview and Emily went back to her crossword. She felt eyes on her a few minutes later and glanced up to see they were Alison's. Emily threw her a smile, Alison looked away. Emily gave up on her crossword deciding she had other plans for it.

Carter was waiting by the car, Alison's door ready and waiting as usual as they left the building. Flashes went off around them as Emily guided them to the car. She had taken Alison's trick and started wearing sunglasses herself to stop the temporary blindness. As they reached the car and Alison climbed in Emily suddenly leaned down into her side of the vehicle before Carter could shut the door.

"I'm sorry, could you just hold these a second while I get in?" Handing Alison the newspaper and her pen before she could refuse. Then she straightened up and shut the door walking round to her side and climbed in without offering to take the items back.

The journey back to Alison's home was a silent one yet again. This time it didn't bother Emily at all though. She was enjoying watching Alison's furrowed brow as she worked out the clues and the look of glee on her face as she scribbled them in.

They arrived back at Alison's just as she placed the newspaper and pen into the middle seat.

"Thank you for holding it" Emily smiled "Get yourself home Carter, I'll walk from here."

Picking up the paper she got out of the car and walked round to open Alison's door so that Carter wouldn't have to get out. A system they'd started a few days ago. She looked down at the crossword to see it completed.

"Not bad for someone that doesn't have time for these stupid things. You're a natural." Emily joked as she opened the door for her.

"Shut up" Alison smirked and shoved Emily's arm playfully as she exited the vehicle.

Emily almost needed to sit down, did Alison DiLaurentis just engage in a joke with her? From the look on Carter's face in the front seat it had indeed happened. Emily mouthed "I know right!" At him and saw him laugh as he drove away. She was brought back to reality by the chime of Alison's phone.

"Eurgh! You just can't get the staff!" She growled while typing furiously.

"Gee, thanks" Emily quipped.

Alison looked up as if just realising she was still there at the bottom of her steps. Emily always waited for Alison to get in safely, but it wasn't as though the blonde ever waved goodbye so she probably never noticed.

"Not you, my dog walker"

"You have a dog?"

"Yes and he needs taking out, but the unreliable bitch that's meant to do it apparently has the flu."

Emily ignored Alison's description of what was probably a lovely woman and looked at her watch, 2pm. "I'll take him out if you want?"

Alison's head snapped up from her phone. "It's your half day."

"I am well aware."

"Why?"

"Because I always get half day on Sunday unless given prior notice due to an event" Emily kept a straight face knowing full well what the socialite meant.

"No I mean why do you want to walk my dog when you don't have to?"

"What can I say, I'm a sucker for a poodle and I have no other plans"

"I do not own a poodle" Alison scoffed " He's called Pepe, he's a sheltie, I've had him since I was a teenager, he's old and he's cuddly. He can be grumpy, he doesn't really like new people. He won't attack or anything, more like run away. He likes sticks but he won't play with balls. Oh and he's scared of birds" she finished.

"Is he a Sagittarius that likes long walks on the beach?"

Alison stared at her with raised eyebrows.

"Sorry, that was just quite the list, I said I wanted to walk him not date him" Emily grinned.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive, I'm only into humans. Plus you're my boss, think how awkward meeting the parents would be"

This time Alison didn't bite, instead she rolled her eyes and turned to the door "Come on then"

The first thing Emily noticed when she stepped into the house was that no more work had been done other than a bit of painting.

"Your workmen slacking off?"

"I don't let them in when I'm not here. I don't like strangers in my home, I'm doing a lot of it myself actually." She turned to see Emily's shocked face "What? You don't think I'm capable of putting paint on a wall?"

"I think you're more than capable, I just didn't think it was something you'd actually do"

Just then a fluffy creature appeared behind Alison's legs "I'll go get you his lead, he might not even go with you."

"Well aren't you just the most handsome thing" Emily cooed kneeling down and holding out her hand for Pepe to sniff as Alison left.

"Don't be offended, like I said he really doesn't like new…"

Alison stopped speaking as she walked back into the hallway and looked at the scene in front of her. Emily was laid on the floor with Pepe stretched out next to her, mouth hanging open in a doggy grin with his tongue hanging out. He was clearly enjoying the belly rub Emily was giving him.

"Seems friendly to me" Emily sat up only to have Pepe clamber onto her lap trying to get more attention.

Alison didn't say anything, she just stared. There seemed to be a warmth behind her eyes, Emily was yet to see her look at anything as affectionately as she looked at that dog. It gave her an idea.

"Come with us"

"What?"

"When was the last time you walked your own dog?"

"Are you saying I'm lazy?"

"Not at all! I mean I bet you'd want to right? If you could, I get that it's hard for you going out and stuff. I mean it's why you have me" Emily spluttered worrying that Alison was taking her idea the wrong way "You have me now, I mean I'm here, so why don't you come too? Shove some sweatpants on, put a baseball cap on your head. Nobody would even know it was you!"

Emily saw Alison's disgust at the thought of wearing sweats and a baseball cap in public. Then she looked back at Pepe thoughtfully. Emily almost had her sold she knew it.

"Imagine how much that tail is going to wag when he realises his favourite person is going with him?"

"What if somebody does realise it's me?"

"They won't"

"What if they do?"

"I'll deal with it"

They stood in silence a little longer, until Emily put her head next to Pepe's and they both looked up at Alison with puppy dog eyes.

"Fine!" Alison finally gave in "Just give me a minute to get changed."

Emily fist pumped the air and ruffled Pepe's fur. "Don't take too long!" She shouted after Alison.

When Alison emerged 5 minutes later Emily almost didn't recognise her. She'd changed into jeans and a baggy grey hoody. Her trademark golden curls were pulled back into a lose pony tail and she barely had any makeup on at all. Yet she looked just as stunning to Emily as she always did. She really was beautiful and Emily shifted uncomfortably on her feet as she felt things she was pretty sure she shouldn't be feeling about her boss. She'd always thought she was gorgeous, there was no denying that. However something about seeing her looking so normal and knowing that nobody else got to see her like this made Emily's heart beat a little faster. "Jesus, pull yourself together Fields" she mentally chastised herself and forced herself to look away.

"I know" Alison spoke up, dropping the baseball cap in her hand onto the floor "you're wondering how the hell I ended up on magazine covers. I bet you're wishing you'd never seen me like this" She laughed without mirth "I know I look disgusting, maybe this is a bad idea" she finished looking at the floor.

Emily couldn't believe this girl had no confidence, that she didn't know just how amazing she was. Further proof to Emily that Alison DiLaurentis was a character, an act. A security blanket. She slowly walked toward her and bent down to pick up the hat she had dropped. Standing back up she placed her finger gently under Alison's chin and tilted her head until she was looking in her eyes.

"Actually that's not what I was thinking at all" It was almost a whisper and she heard Alison's breath catch "Now put this on and let's go throw some sticks"

She smiled warmly placing the hat back into Alison's hand and turning toward the door walking over to it and opening it, Pepe's lead firmly in her hand. It was a moment before she realised she wasn't being followed. She turned back to see Alison still stood in the same spot, hat in hand and a blush on her cheeks.

"Come on! Before your dog pees in the house" Emily called breaking Alison out of her trance.

She quickly placed the cap on her head and followed Emily out of the door.

They walked to a small park nearby, Alison explained that it was private, for the surrounding residents only and that it should be quiet at that time as most of the dog walkers and Nannys would have left for the day. Emily had almost made a comment about people walking their own dogs and looking after their own children but she didn't want to make Alison defensive again. Not when felt she was finally getting to see the real her.

There was nobody else in the park when they arrived and Pepe was off his lead and eagerly chasing sticks as quickly as Emily and Alison could throw them and his old legs would allow.

"Where was he last week when I came in?" Emily asked, it was the first time either of them had mentioned the night Alison had let her walls slide down an inch.

"My brother went to the cape and I had a busy week so he took him"

"Are you and your brother close?"

"We don't hate each other"

Emily didn't quite know what to say to that, not knowing much about Alison's family, so she moved on.

"So you hate hotels, what else should I know about you?"

"What do you mean?" Alison looked at her with confusion.

"You said you didn't like hotels"

"No, I mean what do you mean what you should know?" Alison almost sounded accusing.

"Like, who's your best friend? What's your favourite colour? Pizza topping? Film? Song? Curse word? Book? Sexual position?"

"Fields!" Alison stared at her wide eyed and open mouthed.

"Relax, I was kidding!" Emily laughed and Alison's face returned to normal "I really don't care what you like on your pizza…"

"Fields!" Alison laughed too this time though, shoving Emily playfully like she had outside the car earlier.

"You like pushing me around don't you" Emily chuckled, exaggerating her stagger.

"Well I've found you like to push back" Alison replied, eyes narrowed, a smirk on her lips. They both knew she wasn't talking physically.

"Is that a problem?" Emily questioned stepping closer to Alison.

"It should be" Alison said suddenly serious.

"But it's not?" Emily moved closer still, they were almost toe to toe now forcing Alison to look up to see Emily's face from underneath the peak of her cap.

Alison cocked her head thoughtfully and she looked away, a flash of realisation across her face before bringing her eyes back to Emily's "No"

It was said so quietly that if Emily wasn't stood that close she wasn't sure she would have heard it.

"Actually I don't mind it at all" Again it was less than a whisper.

"Good" Emily whispered back, then brought her hand up to Alison's shoulder and pushed just hard enough to make her stagger.

The blonde let out a yelp which gained Pepe's attention and he left the bench he'd been sniffing and bounded over to find out what had his master making that noise.

"Attack, Pepe!" Alison ordered pointing at Emily. The old dog wagged his tail excitedly and jumped up at Alison trying to lick her face. Emily couldn't hold back her laughter.

"Not me!" Alison squealed as Pepe continued his assault on her.

"I knew he liked me better than you!" Emily teased.

"No you don't do you boy?" Alison bent down to Pepe wrapping her arms around him and burying her face in his fur, "you love your mama don't you?"

Alison looked so happy and the sight of such a carefree version of her warmed Emily's heart so much she couldn't even bring herself to make fun of the fact she'd called herself the dogs "mama". Then she saw a lone man enter the park, no dog, no kids. Maybe he was just out for stroll but Emily didn't like the feeling she got from him.

"Come on, we best head back" she said casually, not wanting to worry the woman that was currently whispering sweet nothings in her dogs ear.

Alison clipped Pepe's lead back on and followed Emily out of the park as they began the short walk back to Alison's.

They arrived back in good time and Emily stood at the bottom of the steps waiting to watch Alison go up them and in. Instead she turned to Emily.

"Yellow, just cheese, Love Actually, it changes all the time, fuck, and all the Harry Potters"

Emily looked at her confused.

"The questions you asked me" Alison explained.

"Oh I know, but you missed the most important one" Emily said placing a hand on Alison's shoulder.

"I am not discussing that with you!"

"I meant who's your best friend" Emily chuckled "Best friends are important"

"Oh" Alison blushed "Pepe I guess"

"Your dog is your best friend? I mean he's awesome but he's not very chatty"

"I don't really do friends, I mean I have people that I go to party's with and that I always see and speak to at events. I'm not a fan of the whole 'tell someone every part of your life and business' side of it. You can't trust people." Alison replied matter of factly.

"You can trust me"

"How do I know?"

"Well I signed a really hefty non-disclosure agreement so…"

Alison laughed, "Well that is true. What about you? What are your answers?"

"Well my favourite colour changes" she looked down into Alison's eyes, "Right now it's blue. I like as many toppings as you can fit on it, I love Die Hard, it's an oldie but a goodie. I have a very eclectic music taste so, like you, it changes. Great expectations. My best friend is Hanna Marin and she's amazing, we've been best friends since we were born pretty much. What else? Oh yeah, I like fuck too" She finished with a smile.

"Yeah you can't beat a good fuck.." Alison's hand flew up to her mouth as soon as it came out "I didn't…that's not what I…"

Emily howled enjoying watching the bright red girl struggle in front of her, "I thought you weren't discussing that with me?"

"That's not what I meant Fields and you know it!"

"I know, I know" Emily placated her, "so now we know everything that makes us friends"

"Friends?" Alison became serious again "you work for me"

"So get yourself a girl that can do both" Emily flipped her hair for effect and it managed to raise a slight smile from her boss.

"But…" Alison began

"Look the way I see it," Emily interrupted, "We are going to be working together for at least 6 months, we may as well enjoy each other's company. You don't have people you can trust, I have a contract that says you can trust me. I mean you could trust me without it, but I know you struggle with that concept. We get along, this afternoon proved that. Did you feel like you were hanging out with an employee? Even your best friend likes me." She gestured to Pepe who was laying at Alison's feet exhausted. " I'm not saying we have to braid each other's hair and have sleepovers but we could have actual conversations in the car."

She could see Alison mulling it over in front of her.

"Okay"

"Okay?"

"Yes, but it's a trial run. A week to see how it goes"

"I'll take it!" Emily grinned, happy at how the day turned out. She knew Alison wasn't a bitch really. These could be a really pleasant 6 months. So long as she stopped thinking about the kind of things she did when she mentioned a sleepover…on second thoughts this could be a very frustrating 6 months.

"Fields?"

She realised she had zoned out, "Sorry, one more thing"

"What's that?"

"If we're friends now we have to stop this whole Fields thing, it's Emily"

"Emily, okay Emily" Alison nodded.

"And I'm going to call you Alison"

"Wait a minute, I didn't agree to that" Alison shook her head vigorously.

"Friends don't call their friends Miss 'insert name here'" Emily reasoned.

"How is that going to look to people? To the other staff? To Carter?"

"Well when I'm working with you in a professional manner and there are ears about I will address you 'properly' When it's just us though it's Alison?"

Alison sighed "Fine, now let me get inside before somebody sees me like this"

Emily gave Pepe a scratch goodbye and watched as the two best friends ascended the stairs.

"See you in the morning Alison"

"Thank you for this afternoon"

"Careful there Alison, that's two thank you's in as many weeks" Emily smirked.

"I mean it" Alison said "I can't remember the last time I walked him, I had fun. Maybe we could do it again?"

"Whenever you want"

"Goodbye Fi..Emily"

The door shut and Emily started her walk home, spring in her step.

As usual all thoughts are appreciated good or bad. Have a great day : )