"Operation 49 is the agency who I used to work for. They are coming after me because I quit." Ali explains.
"You quit?" Emily ask slowly. "Why?"
"I realized how much I want a future with you, and if I stay there that future is going slip away."
"Ali." Emily starts.
"I love you Emily. And my job was getting in the way of it."
They both no more needs to be said. Her job had been keeping her away. As she moved up in the ranks they began sending her on more international missions sometimes for weeks at a time. The separation was starting to put a strain on their marriage. The heated disputes they used to have exploded into cold silence. Alison knew the only way to melt that iceberg that was starting to sink them was to quit.
"Why won't they let you leave?" Emily asked confused.
Alison takes a deep breath. "Because there's this fear Operation 49 have that someone will rat them out. The only way out is death."
Emily eyes search around in unbelief. It's crazy. Insane. "Th-"
She's cut off by a knock on the window. Buddy's there smiling and waving.
"We're ready to roll." He yells as if they can't hear him through the window.
Alison takes Emily's hand as they exit the car. "We can finish talking on the plane."
Her wife wasn't an international sales representative for Revlon, but a secret agent. Her wife was a secret agent. For as long as she had known her, been involved with her she'd been an agent. Her mind was blown.
There was so much to process, knowing the love of her life had another life she's just learning about. A whole separate life that did not include her. Emily listens as Ali gives the other half's to truths she's told before. She listens to Alison tell her the story of how she got involved with Operation 49 first. How after her mom pulled the plug on paying for her tuition, how desperate she was that she found herself saying yes to a woman grey suit, asking her if she needed a job.
She tells Emily about how the day they met for the first time was also the day of her first assignment. How the words Emily had said to her in her drunken state had helped her decide she didn't have to do anything she didn't want to do. She continued with things like why she was late on their wedding day, she had accidentally lost the rings on a mission in England. Or why during their second anniversary her arm was really broken, a guy named Big Tony pushed her out of a window in Arizona, over a flash drive.
"What was on it?" Emily ask.
"I don't know." Alison shrugged, fiddling with the water bottle she'd gotten earlier. "I never asked too many questions. I learned quick, you just do what your told."
"What happens if you don't?" Eyes widening for the hundredth time that day.
"They hurt you." The words come out careful. She knows Emily, and prays she won't ask too many more questions. Questions she can't answer now.
"They didn't do anything to you, did they?"
Her lips quirk into a sad smile as she looks down. There had been many instances of torture disguised as discipline, things too dark for her wife to know. All she needs to know is she made it through. She was strong enough. "Nothing I can't handle."
The silence engulfs them for a few moments as Emily sits and thinks.
"Em." Alison starts. "I know it's a lot to process, and I know you're probably angry."
Emily looks directly at Alison, eyes wide. Confused yes, but angry? Why would she be angry? "I'm not angry."
"But-" Alison starts until Emily cuts her off.
"Listen." She says scooting forward in her seat until their knees are touching. "I am a little hurt you didn't tell me sooner but I understand you were just trying to protect me."
"And I will for the rest of my life." Alison says immediately, the fierce look in her eyes again.
"I know you will." She says before taking Alison's hands in her own and looking her in the eye. "But you've got to let me in, let me know."
Alison takes a deep breath as she looks down at the strong hands cradling her own. A small smile appears on her face looking back up into Emily's eyes
"I love you." It's simple and true because she thinks she needs Emily to know that.
Emily nods before she leans forward to rest her forehead against Alison's. "I know."
Another silence falls over them as their eyes connect. Brown meets blue, together. They're drawing each other in, breathing each other's air. It's a comfort to know.
As their mouths gravitate toward one another tan fingers find golden locks running through them to settle on the back of Alison's head. Lips graze slightly before being pressed completely against each other only to still a moment later. It's a comfort to know.
Emily's lips parts slightly, taking in Alison's bottom lip. Lips slide together in harmony. The kiss is like a choir singing, it's a comfort to know.
The beeping of Alison's watch breaks them from their concentration in their world back to the real world.
As her eyes glance at the watch her lips settle into a thin line. When she looks back up at Emily though, she can't help but smile as she reaches out to touch Emily's face. "We have a couple more hours, how about you try to get some sleep?"
Emily eyes her carefully for a while before nodding. "Are you gonna sleep too?"
"No. But I will soon." She adds on after seeing Emily's concerned face. "I've got some things I have to make sure are ready for when we land."
"I can help."
"It's not much." She says before placing a kiss to Emily's forehead. She turns to go into the cockpit only to be stopped by a hand grasp hers.
"Ali. Wait."
"Hm?"
"I love you too."
Alison smiles. "I know."
The only things she exits the plane with is the backpack she prepared on her back and Emily in her arms.
"Wow there Ms. Strongwoman I could..." Buddy starts to joke but stops as her eyes cut to him. "I was just saying I could carry her." He explains, hands up in mock defense. "Or you could you know wake her up."
Alison looks down to her wife sleeping in her arms. A laugh escapes her mouth because she can't help but think of the chaos that would ensue if she woke her. "She sleeps like a bear. First of all it's hard to wake her, and second if you do...you'd wish you didn't."
"Okay. Well I could carry her." He says, moving towards her. Buddy being the type of guy eager to help. Alison shakes her head.
"I've got her." She says gripping the woman in her arms a little tighter as she walks down the stairs of the small plane onto the runway. "Just open the car door."
Moments later Alison places Emily gently onto the leather seat, Buddy watches from the drivers seat as she reclines it back a little. When she takes the backpack off and gets out what's inside he has to keep a chuckle to himself. He thought, like always Alison would have come prepared with weapons, ammo, protection, but no she takes out a small blanket and pillow. Gingerly she places the pillow behind Emily's head, then places the blanket around her carefully. When she finishes brushing a few strands of hair out of Emily's face, he decides to say somthing.
"Aww that's so sweet." Buddy's booming voice stops her as she sends a cold glare his way. She looks back at Emily's sleeping form one more time before she closes the door lightly and enters the passenger side.
"So you told her." Buddy ask moments later from the drivers seat.
She stays quiet, her blue eyes gazing out to the trees standing still as the zoom past them.
"I guess that's a yes?" He continues slowly. "How'd it go?"
"Good." She lets out, because she realizes he won't stop and unlike years ago she doesn't want to hurt his feelings.
"You didn't tell her everything did you?" He turns to look at her, eyebrows furrowed in frustration.
Her lips purse, and her eyes roll before settling up to the midnight blue sky. "Keep your eyes on the road."
"Did you get at least all the important stuff."
Her eyes make there way from the night sky to the backseat. "I told her what she needs to know for now. I'll deal with the rest later."
"What about your mom?"
"No." She says, her voice hard.
"How long you guys been married again?" He knows that the Alison he was partnered with in the beginning of training all those years ago might appears so he ask a simple question. Sensing her agitation he changes the subject, he knows there's limits.
"Four years, nine months, fifteen days." She says immediately, only to get a laugh out of Buddy.
"Could you be anymore specific?"
He laughs when she glances to her watch. Yes she could be more specific. "It was a start to the best days of my life."
"So that's love?" He asks simply.
"Yes." Her eyes look at him smug. "You should try it sometime."
"Maybe." He says, looking truly thoughtful. "Did you tell her about us?"
"Yes. She knows you and Cece are from 49. That you're two of the few who made it out still breathing."
"Hey. It'll all work out. She won't get you. Look at me and Cece we've been out how long and they still haven't got us."
"You two are different." She starts to roll down her window, needing some air. "It's not only my head they want."
"Well, the Alison DiLaurentis I know won't go down without a fight."
Her eyes find his. A deadly fire just beginning in them. "That's for sure."
It's quiet for the rest of the ride. Buddy is getting tired and Alison doesn't have much to say. Thinking about Operation 49 makes her head stormy. Rage like lightning bolts, and confusion like grey clouds rain down. Every once in a while she'll glance at Emily in the back seat, then up to the moon and a calm takes precedence in her mind for a moment.
"I'm glad you found it." He says interrupting the silence that had lasted the last twenty minutes of the ride.
"What?"
"What you were looking for." He explains simply as he pulls into a dark driveway.
A smile comes to her face as she looks in the rearview mirror her wife. "Yeah. I am too."
She closes her door softly before opening Emily's door. As she unstraps the seatbelt and puts the blanket and pillow she ask Buddy to go unlock the door.
She carries Emily into the dark house, kicking off her shoes at the door. Not a sound is heard in the home as she walks up the stairs, focusing on her footing. When she enters the bedroom at the top of the stairs she lays Emily onto the spacious bed. Sitting down on the edge of the bed she grabs a hold of Emily's foot and taking her flip flops off. She starts to tug gently at Emily's jeans when she see's a reflection of light.
Emily is staring at her, the moonlight dancing in her eyes.
A sleepy smile comes onto her face."You trying to get in my pants?"
"I'm trying to get you comfortable for bed." Ali smirks.
"Sure." She says before looking around slowly. Her eyebrows furrowed. "Where are we?"
"Busan." She gestures for Emily to lift her hips as she goes back to taking off her pants. She puts them in the closet to the right of the television in the room, before going into the drawer getting some shorts for both of them. She feels Emily's eyes following her around the room, watching her every move.
"Where's that?"
"South Korea."
"Hey Alison." Buddy's voice travels up the stairs.
"I'll be right back." Alison says, handing Emily the shorts. "I'm gonna let Buddy out."
She walks down the stairs only to be almost blinded by the lights on. "Why'd you turn on all the lights?"
"Because being in the dark is the creepy. Anyway I'm gonna head out. I'll see you in four days right?"
"Yeah."
"Thanks Buddy."
Locking the door, she takes a breath. Glad to be somewhere safe again. She walks through the small house, turning off all the lights Buddy turned on, before she climbs back up the stairs.
She comes to a halt in the doorway of the room to find Emily sitting up in the bed cross legged waiting for her. Her heart swells with love and Alison can't help herself, she needs to be near her she almost runs. But then she stops by thoughts in her minde. Her breaths start to comes up short. The fear creeping inside her thoughts keep telling her she's put Emily through way too much today. Maybe she should back off. But standing in the doorway now she knows that to be able to breath easy again she needs to be with her air. She has to be brave she tells herself. The need to be close to her wife wins out over the fear she'll reject her. No matter how hard she tries, she needs protection too.
When she finally starts to move towards the bed Emily's head whips up and see's the unreadable expression on Alison's face, she opens her arms and Alison wants to cry. Until she met Emily she never knew love could be this intense. Could make her feel insane at times.
As Emily's arms wrap around her waist, Alison sits on Emily's lap, her legs wrapping around Emily's waist. Her arms locking around her shoulders. Alison exhales.
"Talk to me." Emily says, her arms tightening around the blondes waist.
"What about?"
"Whatever you want to talk about." She just wants to sit, hold her, and listen to whatever it is she wants to say. She wants Alison to know she's here with her and she's not leaving.
"About anything?" Alison ask.
Emily bites her lip, before nodding her head. "About anything."
A/N: Hello again! Thanks so much for reading and for the review, faves, and follows. So we know who Operation 49 is now...or do we? Emily's decided to stay, but for how long? And Ali still has stuff she's hiding...why? Tune in next time as the story continues of "Remember How I Love You".