AUTHOR'S NOTE: I am sorry :((((((( There is nothing else I can and will say. A little Dutch birdie said she doesn't have the patience for fanfics that aren't updated in forever and I kicked myself really hard and am posting this.

Thanks to all of you who have had the patience to read my work and appreciate it. Your reviews make me so happy. I have the next chapter almost half done so its going to NOT take forever to update. I'm writing after a break of 6 months so tell me if you think anything needs work. Hoping to not disappoint. Enjoy :)

THE SCARF GIRL. IT WAS YOU!

Most of Celine's face was hidden behind a giant glass of chocolate milkshake. The straw was curved and bent downwards so she could sip on it leisurely as she studied the faces of the two others at the table from behind the beverage with rapt curiosity, without being noticed. Pepe lay curled up contently at her feet, tired after all the exercise.

Emily had a latte in front of her that hadn't been touched. This would have been understandable had she been busy holding the packet of frozen peas they had just bought for the purpose to her sore face. The peas however were sweating in a pool of water on the table beside the coffee whilst Emily just sat there fidgeting in discomfort.

Alison was a lot more composed, even smiling occasionally at Celine. She had initially drank some of her iced caramel frappe but now just looked at Emily like she expected her to say or do something.

Emily had refused to look at Alison in the past five minutes and Celine was enjoying the sudden change in the usually composed, graceful and in control Emily a little too much.

Alison's phone that had been lying on the table rang with 'WORK' flashing across the screen. "Sorry, I have to take this," she mumbled as she looked up at Emily the same time Emily looked at her. Alison blushed, picked up the phone and walked out of the Soda Shop.

Celine's eyes darted back to Emily and she almost choked at the sight of Emily's cheeks that were a deep shade of crimson, with a very small smile playing on her lips. This was new to Celine- Emily blushing like 'high ponytailed' Sarah when 'pimply' Paul had held her hand during the bus journey home from school. This was not something Celine could stomach without letting out a giggle. Which she did! Emily looked at Celine surprised, like she had almost forgotten she had been there.

"We should get going," Emily said almost to herself. "You have school tomorrow and I've already spoilt your appetite for dinner with that milkshake. Cece isn't going to be happy." Emily frowned thinking of Cece. She was pretty sure Cece was not going to be happy about a lot of things.

"But I haven't finished yet," Celine responded eyeing her half finished glass. No way was she leaving the milkshake or the amusing sight of Alison and Emily behaving like blushing schoolgirls. This was just too good she decided. "Its milk. Its healthy isn't it. This IS dinner," she pleaded with Emily with as innocent an expression as she could muster, knowing very well Emily never really had the heart to say 'No' to her.

Emily sighed looking at the child she had grown to love with all her heart and wondered how badly was her own indulgent nature going to ruin the kid. She nodded and was rewarded by Celine jumping out of her chair with joy and almost toppling everything on the table.

Alison returned to find the two discussing the rules for how much time Celine could spend with Pepe. Watching this very different side of Emily as she interacted with the child brought a smile to Alison's face. She settled back into her chair and took a sip of her coffee.

"I'm sorry. That was work," she volunteered. "I've been kind of neglecting it the past few days and they aren't too happy." She frowned as she spoke because she loved her job and didn't want to lose it.

"What is it that you do?" Emily inquired. As she spoke her head was filled with about thousand other questions. She knew close to nothing about Alison and she didn't quite like that.

"I'm a copywriter for 'Living The Life'," Alison replied. "It's a good job and my boss lets me work from home. I hope to someday be a full-fledged writer but for now I'm just taking baby steps."

"Baby steps are good as long as its in the right direction."

"Says the hotshot chef with a catering business that caters to the happening and the glamorous," was Alison's prompt reply. A raised eyebrow and a smirk that showcased the dimple in her right cheek accompanied it.

Emily blushed again. "You obviously seem to know more about me than I do about you." This time she looked Alison straight in the eye.

"It's a long story that maybe I should tell you later. We have lots of time." The last sentence was almost said like an assurance to the woman she knew she had let down.

Emily searched the blue eyes that seemed to be saying more than the words were saying and for some reason she was transported back to the moment an hour back when the voice in her head was assuring her that everything was going to be alright now.

Emily looked at Celine as she finished off her milkshake and slid out of her chair. "I better get you home before your mom calls the National Guard," she stated as she got out of the chair herself. As she glanced back at Alison she noticed the sudden disappointment on her beautiful face. She handed the sleeping puppy to Ce who walked out cuddling him and turned around to face Alison.

"I don't want to leave."

"I know. Its okay."

"No. You don't get it. I couldn't possibly let you out of my sight. There is so much I want to say and ask you but I did not want to with Ce here." Emily looked down and continued. "I need to see you again." She looked back up at Alison. "Not tomorrow. Tonight!"

Alison was a little taken aback because this was not the Emily that had sat blushing at the table for the past hour. But she wasn't going to turn down a chance to meet Emily again — the sooner the better.

"You can meet me at home."

"I don't know where you live." Emily frowned.

"The café?"

Emily hesitated. She had stayed away as much as possible because the café brought back memories of everyone she had lost- her Grandma, Alison and Spencer. But tonight was different. There was no better place to meet Alison.

"Yes, the café sounds perfect. Around 11? It will be closed by then."

"Oh!" Alison was almost afraid to spend time alone with Emily and yet the thought was exhilarating. "Yes sure. I'll be there at 11."

Alison had returned home with Pepe and fallen face down on her bed. She had sought out Emily for days and had no luck and today Emily had landed at her feet – quite literally.

Her body felt more alive than it had in years from the sensation of being held by Emily after so long. Her mind was a maze of thoughts – good and bad, scary and happy. She didn't know where to begin or what to say but she knew she wanted to keep no secrets anymore. She wanted Emily in her life as a friend and maybe more... Surely more! This was something special – she wasn't quite sure why or how, but she knew she had never felt more at home with anyone in her life.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a little yelp. She got up from the bed and sat down on the floor with the little puppy jumping to get into her lap. She picked him up and pressed her lips into his soft fur. "Thank you buddy. You made this possible. You brought her back to me." A lone tear rolled down her cheek and was lost in soft fur.

Emily and Celine walked home in silence, except for the sound of Celine's bike wheel as it slowly turned as she walked guiding it along. When they got home Cece was at the kitchen island going through something on her laptop and didn't seem at all pleased that the two of them had been out that long. However, she held her tongue and sent Celine off to bed.

Emily stood across Cece in the kitchen leaning on the fridge trying to make up her mind how and what should she tell Cece. Cece raised her eyes from her laptop screen and frowned seeing Emily standing there looking a lot like Celine when she had received a D in Math.

Cece looked at her awhile longer before her frown changed to a gasp. "You met her, didn't you?" The words held no anger and this made Emily look up in astonishment.

"What? You knew? Wait… you knew and you didn't tell me? That's perfect. In that case, I don't really need to have this conversation with you. I need to explain nothing!" Emily wanted to scream and fight. But she really didn't have the energy to go through this once again with someone who was important to her.

Emily walked out of the kitchen to get showered and changed. She spent longer than usual picking out the perfect outfit. Though lost in thought she was still aware of her desire to look her best that evening. Her favourite jeans suddenly didn't seem to fit well enough. Her low-neck deep green shirt that had got her more compliments than she could remember no longer seemed good enough. Her gorgeous mane that was the envy of every woman who had laid eyes on her needed more than her normal 3 minutes to do up. It was first too straight, after another 2 minutes with a curler too frizzy, after another 3 minutes of fussing not natural enough.

Twenty minutes of sighs and frustrated grunts later Emily was finally almost satisfied with herself. She looked at herself in the grey leather skirt that stopped just short of her knees and dark blue casual silk shirt that were completed with felt ankle length black boots with a casual one-inch heel. Dressy but not loud, alluring but not seductive, difficult to resist but not slutty. Yes- She smiled at herself. She had finally decided to let her mane fall in its natural straight waves and was pleased at the outcome.

As she was making her way out she found Cece seated on the stairs of the porch with a glass of wine. "I don't doubt her significance to you Emily. I just wasn't assured the outcome was going to be good for you. I didn't mean to… I owe you a lot… You are my family." The words were genuine, the tone apologetic. Emily nodded and left.

Alison stood outside the doors of the café again looking into the lit up place behind the glass windows. Only two of the tables were occupied and she could see the friendly guy from behind the counter closing up for the day. The jingling of the bells above the door reminded her of why she was here and she adjusted her white cloqué knee length dress that she had worn with a carrot colored, three buttoned jacket that closed only around her waist, accentuating her womanly curves.

Alison looked good and this was confirmed when two men in suits walked by- clearly very impressed with the attractive blonde. She ignored the eyes on her and looked back to the door where she found a stunning Emily Fields with a frown on her face staring at the two men as they passed by. Alison couldn't help the warm smile that fell across her face when she saw the brunette.

"Hey," she said softly as she took a step towards the tall brunette. Emily turned back to look at the exquisite blonde, her face instantly softening to a shy smile.

"Hey," she responded. "Maybe we should go inside." She held open the door for Alison to walk in and followed picking a table at the back for them to sit at, secluded behind one of the pillars, looking out at the quite street through big glass windows. She excused herself for a minute and went to have a talk with the guy cleaning up at the counter. She was back in a minute and sat down quietly at the table facing Alison.

The pair stayed quiet for a few minutes. The air was awkward but held an electricity that both could feel. Finally Alison looked up at the brunette lit by the warm glow of the birdcage lamps. She knew she was the one who owed the apologies and explanations so she would have to go first.

"How have you been?" she asked timidly.

Emily looked at her with a dry smile. "I've been surviving." Her tone was laced with a bitterness that didn't escape Alison.

"I'm sorry, Emily."

"You don't owe me an apology."

"I do," Alison insisted. "I owe you a lot. Not everyone picks up a wounded bird and cares for them and fixes their wings."

Emily looks away from Alison, peering out at the almost abandoned street. "Once the wings are fixed the bird flies away. You don't see the bird anymore. You hope he is strong and well but you can't expect the bird to stay caged with you. The bird owes you nothing for wanting to fly away and live his life."

"It wasn't that simple- not in this case. I carried you with me, if that is any consolation."

"… and you thrived." Emily said simply, looking back at the blue eyes that looked at her swimming in guilt. "I can see it and I am almost proud. I can see a stronger girl than the one I saw that night. I can see the wounds are healed and it makes me happy. I can see you reaching for a life, a career you desire. I see a more whole person. You carried me with you and that means so much but you didn't let the weight of it bring you down unlike…"

Emily stopped herself before she could say it aloud 'unlike me who was broken and carried the absence of you with me like a black hole that swallowed all of me.'

Alison looked into those brown expressive eyes that had haunted her since the first time she had allowed their warmth envelope her. She found her hand move of its own accord and reach across the table for the lean arms that lay folded on the table but before her fingertips reached that silken skin they were interrupted by the guy at the counter. He smiled broadly and lay a plate of soup before each of the girls and a plate of cheesy garlic bread in the middle.

"Is there anything else you needed before I left ma'am?" This was addressed to Emily – his boss that he had laid eyes on probably thrice in the time he had worked there. His eagerness to make a good impression was not lost on Emily and embarrassed her. She was a cook at heart not a businesswoman or entrepreneur. She worked with friends not subordinates.

She smiled at him warmly to put him at ease. "Thank you so much. I know I've delayed you. We will be fine. Leave me the keys and you can leave for the day." He left the keys on the table and turned around.

"Its Emily not ma'am next time, Paul," she added as he turned to leave. "Thank you once again." Paul smiled and left looking a lot more at ease than he had been before.

"The charm is still there, I see," Alison almost mumbled under her breath. She cocked her head to one side and found Emily looking at her with an eyebrow raised.

"I'm still me."

"Just more confident. I approve."

"You approve, do you?"

"Definitely. Makes you even more irresist.." Alison cut-off flustered, realizing their serious conversation had turned into flirty banter.

Emily smiled and gestured to the soup getting herself some garlic bread from the center of the table. "I know I didn't really ask you what you wanted but I really can't think of anyone who doesn't like lobster bisque so Bon Appétit."

"I don't really recall having it before. My parents weren't big on sea food." Alison helped herself to a spoonful before breaking into a big smile. Emily and her food never disappointed.

"Does that smile mean you like it?"

"How can one not? Its amazing."

"Hmmm. Good. Its not the right color. Its too orange! Don't you think its too ora…" Before she could finish she choked as she burst into a fit of laughter leaving Alison staring at her puzzled. "Oh my God. That child will be the death of me. I'm even beginning to sound like her."

"Celine?" Alison asked, admiring the sight of the brunette laughing.

"Yes Ce. She was driving me crazy earlier this week when we were out shopping. 'That's so blue. Don't you think that is just too blue?' I was so over the color blue and here I am sounding exactly like her." She giggled.

"You love her." It wasn't a question.

"Yes. She is a handful but she gives me purpose. Makes me want to go on." Emily sounded earnest as she said this. Alison didn't doubt her. Cece's protective and fierce face flashed before her eyes and she wondered about the how and why of everything.

"I met Cece at the café when I came here the first day to meet you." Alison's voice was low and cautious.

"I assume it didn't go to well?"

"I really couldn't just sashay in and expect things to be simple. I don't know what I was thinking. I just wanted to … I just couldn't go on without … I needed to see …" Alison struggled to say what she felt without saying something she could not take back. Alison looked up to find Emily looking at her with a softness in those brown orbs that instantly stripped away her caution and fears.

The corners of Emily's lips twitched. Her hands found their way across the table and she took Alison's soft hands between her own. "Its fine. Everything will be fine."

"You don't know that."

"Don't I? For the first time in two years I am sitting across you and its not just my mind playing games with me. I think that's improvement, isn't it?"

A slow smile slowly found itself spreading across Alison's exquisite features. Her cheeks glowed with the color of the lights.

"Second," she mumbled almost inaudibly, sneaking a sideways glance at the brunette.

"Second what?"

"It's the second time in two years."

Emily's eyebrows shot up. Her confusion changing to surprise and then a broad smile. "The scarf girl. It was you."

Alison nodded shyly before polishing off the last of her bisque.

How was it? Leave me a line. Someone told me they would like explicit scenes written and not just outlines. Gulp. What do you guys want? Tell me before I write the whole of the next chapter and its too late.

In case you want it my twitter is shaylovesjustme