For the first time in months, Alison went home at the request of Emily to get a good night's rest. Since Emily's eyesight wasn't working, her other senses kicked in and she could smell the shower calling Alison, although she didn't say it that way. It scared her that she couldn't see who could come in and out of the room, Alison's health was more important, and if she could see, she would probably see skin and bones. Alison barely ate or slept since she's been in a coma, between taking online courses, making sure everything was alright with Mrs. Fields, and emailing and writing hand letters to Mr. Fields on updates about Emily and his wife and how things were back home. The effects of the three months finally caught up with her as she turned on the shower and barely had the energy to get in. Once she was in, she just let the water hit her instead of actually putting soap on her body. Thankfully she called pizza on her way home and they met her there. Once she was out of the shower she dried her hair with a towel and put on pajamas. She went downstairs to grab a soda and return to Emily's room. She finished two pizzas before the previews of the movie ended; her hunger was catching up with her. She watched movies for background noise so she could write honestly in her journals and when she wrote to Mr. Fields. That reminded her that she needed to write him that Emily was now awake but temporarily blind. She didn't want to delve into Mrs. Field's disappearance so she decided to skip it. Hopefully she would return later on tonight, or at least show up at the hospital tomorrow. Sleep quickly overtook Alison and she woke up to see that it was mid morning and she cursed herself for not setting a timer. Emily would most definitely be worried or scared.
She rushed over to the hospital and walked in the most adorable sight. Emily was cradling Amelia in her arms, and although she couldn't see her, the feeling of her baby in her arms for the first time since birth must've been something beyond words.
"Hey Emily, it's Alison," she says and Emily looks towards the voice. Her head is still wrapped and it hurts Alison to watch the sight. She nods to Danny who's in the chair making sure Emily doesn't accidently drop the baby or do something, because she'll never forgive herself even if she's temporarily blind. That's Emily, one to carry the guilt even when there was none to take.
"Hey Ali, how did you sleep?" Emily asks with the most sincere smile she's worn since waking up.
"I slept great, sorry for being late," she apologized.
"Hey you needed the rest," Emily said and sniffed the air, "and you needed the shower," at that we all laughed. At least she still had her sense of humor.
"Well thank you," she says. "Who's that pretty bundle?" she asked touching Amelia's small hands and she giggles.
"Say it's me Amelia," Emily answers back in a baby voice.
"Amelia? That's a pretty name," Alison says.
"Thank you, say thank you Amelia," Emily said while touching a sensitive spot on the child and that earned a loud screech from her. It's so amazing how well Emily knows her body despite not being able to see it, and it being her first time. Motherhood did indeed look great on Emily, and Alison could picture them with their family together. Amelia starts to cry and Emily looks crestfallen at what to do and not knowing how to comfort her, it's almost as if she wants to cry for not being a fit mother. Danny takes over.
"Hey, it looks like she's hungry, I'm going to take her and feed her outside," he said taking Amelia away from Emily's arms and grabbing a bag.
"Hey are you okay?" Alison asks sensing the brunette's emotions.
"Yeah I'm fine," Emily sniffs trying to hide her emotions.
"Come on, you can tell me anything," Alison touches her hand and shivers at the jolt that went through her body.
"It's just that I don't feel like I can really care for her in this situation. I mean not only can I not see, but also I can barely hold her. She was just resting on my legs," Emily explains.
"Hey it's okay, being in the same proximity is enough for her until you get better. You wouldn't believe how calm she is around you, she usually more, how do I say it, hyperactive," Alison comforts.
"Really?" Emily asks hopeful.
"Trust me, you're doing great for it being your first time seeing her since birth," Alison says.
"What do you mean? Why haven't I seen her since birth?" Emily asks and Alison sighs knowing that Danny didn't explain their situation.
"Well long story short. For the past three years an anonymous person named A has been threatening to expose our secrets and trying to kill us, but the cops don't know. Once you had Amelia, you made the decision to let Danny's family raise her until this whole A ordeal is done and over with," Alison rants.
"Why don't we go to the cops?" she asks.
"Because the cops don't trust us, they think we're involved with all the murders and dead bodies popping up, and they're corrupt as well. If we go to the police, A could spin a story to make one of us take the fall for a crime or something, so we just leave them out of it," Alison says as best she can.
"So we're walking liars?" Emily asks a little scared of the life she previously led.
"Basically, it's a lot for a teenager," Alison says before sitting down on the bed.
"Is that why you didn't leave my side? Because you thought this A person would get to me?" Emily asks.
"Yes partially, but also because I love you, and I wanted to be the first face you saw when you woke up," Alison spoke sincerely and opted not to mention the text she received from A since Emily entered the coma. Ever since, A has been non-existent at least for those two. She was too wrapped up in Emily and taking care of her family to ask the girls on any updates in their lives with A.
"Technically it was," Emily says and Alison looks on in confusion and realizes that Emily can't see her face, but Emily can feel the wheels turning in Alison's head and continues. "When I first woke up, I couldn't see faces, but I could see shadows, and I smelled your scent. I knew it was someone familiar and that name came to mind".
"Yeah, that was me," Alison says happily thinking back to the day. She felt relief like no other. Alison reached for Emily's good hand and gave it a squeeze. A woman dressed in grey interrupted their moment.
"Hello, I'm Dr. Charlie Ambrose, I'm the hospital psychiatrist," she says holding her hand out for Alison to shake.
"Hello, I'm Alison and this is my fiancé Emily Fields," Alison says after shaking her hand.
"Well Ms. Alison, I'm sorry but I have to ask you to leave for the evaluation," she says and Alison nods her head.
"How long is it going to take?" Alison asks.
"An hour," she responds and Alison kisses Emily on the lips before exiting, leaving Emily with a deep blush. Once she closed the door behind her, Alison realized what she did. She sent the girls a text to meet her at the hospital since they had much to discuss. Fifteen minutes later and a group of blondes and brunettes came barreling through the lobby.
"What's up? Is everything okay with Emily?" Hanna asked nervously and Alison cursed herself for not explaining things fully.
"Yeah she's fine, she's being evaluated by a psychiatrist, standard procedure," Alison responds. "I called you here to discuss A, have you guys been receiving texts?"
"Yeah, almost constant, but we didn't want to bother you while Em was in a coma, especially since it looked like you were free of that bitch," Spencer responds and Alison nods.
"Well I forgot to tell you this a while ago, but A texted me the day Emily went into the coma," she says getting out her phone and scrolling through the little texts she had and gave them her phone. They all went deathly pale at the text.
"What the hell? A had something to do with Emily's coma?" Hanna barked.
"I don't know, but we need to find out," Alison said.
"We need to talk to that doctor," Spencer says and a light bulb goes off in Alison's head.
"I have a friend here that can help, he's totally cool," Alison responds before sending off a text to Michael. She didn't really want to involve him, but getting to the bottom of this was more important.
"Who is he?" Aria asks.
"He's a resident here at the hospital. I've run into him a couple of times. He's the one who explained Emily's surgeries and diagnosis to me," Alison responds and they nod. "I'll text you guys when I have more news on either this A situation or Emily". They walk away knowing that their plan was set and in motion. The psychiatrist walked out of the room and Alison took that as her queue to go in.
"Hey how did everything go with her?" she asked.
"Just great, not only was that a complete waist of time, but I have to continue seeing her for a few more visits," Emily scoffs.
"Oh," Alison says not sure how to respond. She wasn't a big fan of talking to strangers either. "You have physical therapy today too right?"
"Yeah, hopefully that's a lot better. The sooner I'm able to get out of here the better. I just wish I could remember things," she says.
"There are some things I'd like to forget," Alison says.
"Yeah but there is so much more I want to remember, like my friends, my parents, my child. But I'm glad that I at least remember you," she says and Alison nods.
"Yeah, but you'll get there," Alison reassures her. It's funny how all Alison could do was talk when Emily was in a coma and now, nothing. It felt awkward because Emily and Alison would always talk non-stop, and the silences weren't awkward. They could both feel a shift in their relationship, and neither knew if it was a good or bad thing. Emily lay back on the bed and Alison flipped through her book. Emily could hear the rustling of the pages.
"I loved her against reason, against promise, against peace, against hope, against happiness, against all discouragement that could be," Emily repeated Alison's favorite quote. "I remember you reading that to me while I was in the coma". The air was thick and it became hard for Alison to swallow wondering what else she remembered.
"What else do you remember?" Alison asked nervously.
"I remember everything about you," Emily answers looking straight at Alison. She felt as if Emily were able to see her and shifted nervously under her gaze. Her breath got caught in her throat.
"I…" Alison was about to respond but a nurse once again interrupted them.
"Hi, I'm Nurse Walker, I'm here to take you to physical therapy," he says in a monotone voice and Emily if she could would roll her eyes at the interruption.
"Great," Emily says through clenched teeth. He goes to get Emily off the bed and place her into a wheelchair. "You'll be here when I get back right?" Emily asks nervous that she went to far with Alison.
"Of course," Alison replies and the nurse wheels Emily off and Alison lets out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding in. Of course she wanted things to happen with Emily, but there were so many thought going in her head. She was tired of being afraid of A, of what other people thought, of her own thoughts that tried to prevent her from pursing a relationship with the brunette. She just wanted to escape her own mind and stay in the ecstasy she felt when Emily looked into her eyes and read her like the back of her hand. She wasn't ready to have the talk with Emily yet, but she hadn't expected Emily to remember the things she said while she was in a coma, especially if she couldn't remember other people.