Disclaimer: I don't own PLL.
Warnings: This work contains foul language, sex scenes, child abuse, attempted sexual abuse, violence etc. MATURE AUDIENCES ONLY.
"Thats the last of it," Alison sighed dropping the last creepy doll she'd been gifted into the evidence box that Mrs Hastings was taking to the station later that evening.
Mrs Hastings looked over the assortment with a shudder.
"And they say gifting is hard," Alison tried to ease the tension.
"Don't joke Alison this is serious," Mrs Hastings muttered, looking over the contents solemnly.
"I know," Alison mumbled.
It was odd to have an adult on side and Alison hoped she wasn't placing her trust in the wrong person. The police were obviously already compromised and Alison had suggested they take pictures of everything for their own records as an extra precaution. Mrs Hastings had agreed although some what reluctantly but Alison had no doubt all of this would disappear before it even got processed as evidence, A was every where after all.
Alison was also quite certain her phone had a brand new tracking device implanted from its excursion to the crime lab. However Alison was using her knowledge to her advantage, if A was tracking her phone that meant Alison could slip around town undetected whenever she liked. All she had to do was go phone less and she'd essentially drop off the map. Or better yet appear in only certain parts of the map.
Alison could admit she felt proud of herself the only downside was her knowledge was all based on hindsight and she couldn't even gloat about her brilliance, unless she wanted to be shipped off to Radley. So she just basked in her awesomeness all on her own.
"Have you gotten anymore threats?" Mrs Hastings asked scribbling down the individual items on list that was to accompany the box.
"No," Alison noted. "Not since the one last week when we got back from the station."
Alison's phone rang and both of them looked at each other sharply.
Alison took a deep breath and pulled it out but sighed when the caller id flashed Board Shorts. She declined it quickly.
"Wrong number," she muttered to Mrs Hastings.
"Well that looks like everything," Mrs Hastings stood and began gathering her purse. "I'm going to run this to the station you're welcome to stay Alison."
Mrs Hastings eyes told Alison the woman was well aware of what had gone on over the weekend but Alison really didn't feel like the third degree tonight still aching from picking up trash for hours on end.
"No thats ok, I have plans," Alison smiled.
"If you're sure," Mrs Hastings sighed.
"Thank you though," Alison tried to smile warmly.
Veronica Hastings nodded and turned for the door.
"Actually Mrs Hastings can I talk to you about something," Alison queried.
"Yes?"
"It's about Spencer," Alison started.
"What about Spencer?" Veronica asked worry rattling in her voice.
"Well her and Melissa fight a lot," Alison stated, this was obviously not news to the woman.
"Their siblings Alison, I'm sure you and Jason fight all the time," Veronica waved away the notion that anything was wrong.
"Mrs Hastings I think.. I think Spencer feels like you love Melissa more," Alison flinched as the older woman frowned deeply.
"What. Thats ridiculous," Veronica spat. "I don't love one child more than the other."
"I know that," Alison soothed. "And you know that but I don't think Spencer does."
"Why? Why would she think that?"
"Well," Alison took a deep breath. "Sometimes you kind of favour Melissa or at least Spencer sees it that way."
"I don't… is that really what she thinks," Veronica put a hand to her chest clearly distressed. "Did she tell you that?"
Alison shrugged.
"It's more of feeling really," Alison admitted. "I just thought you should know."
"No, yes thank you, Alison," Veronica shook her head. "I should get this to the station."
"I didn't tell you to upset you, Mrs Hastings," Alison called after the woman.
"No, I suppose you didn't," Veronica sighed wearily. "Good night, Alison."
"Good night, Mrs Hastings."
Alison watched Mrs Hastings leave and wondered if she'd done the right thing, a lot of Spencer's anger stemmed from tension with Melissa. Maybe if Mrs Hastings was a little more clued in to how Spencer felt some of that tension could be eased. Alison could hardly tell the woman Spencer was speeding, though she did intend to talk to Spencer about it. She didn't want to outright tell the Hastings how to raise their kid, but everyone in town could see the pressure the Hastings' placed on their children to be the best and Alison refused to sit by and watch it eat away at Spencer. Again.
After community service for four gruelling days straight the gang finally had a rest day, on which Alison called an emergency meeting at Spencer's. Community service would be for all of Summer for Alison the other four were getting off with a month. Depending on the Cavanaugh family Alison could look forward to also working the whole following school year as well but it hadn't been sorted yet. Either way Alison's summer had taken a nose dive of major proportions it just needed to be careful scheduled now. Maximize fun, spend time with her friends, seduce Emily and track down A. And of course sort out every single problem everyone had. No trouble at all.
Alison sighed trudging up the path to the Hastings backdoor, she'd been home for the whole week staying out of her parents way, no one had told about the party but Jason was also conveniently missing. Alison hadn't had a chance to talk to her brother since the party and since she had spilled the Hastings/DiLaurentis secret to Spencer, she needed to tell Melissa and Jason too before Spencer got into another screaming match with her older sister and blabbed.
There was at least one thing in her control at the moment and Alison grinned to herself quite pleased with her own brilliance. She'd come home from community service the second day tired and drained to find a voodoo doll had been delivered another note about torture and death was added and Alison had had enough. She was going to fight this thing head on. Smarter than last time and hopefully with a few more allies.
"Ohhh shopping," Hanna exclaimed excitedly clapping her hands as Alison breezed into Spencer's bedroom with five designer shopping bags.
"Em can you get the curtains?" Alison instructed pointing at Spencer's drapes.
Emily confused did as she was asked.
"Aria the door," Alison pointed.
Aria and Spencer exchanged a puzzled look before Spencer shrugged and Aria carried out Alison's instructions.
"Hanna hold this," Alison handed the bags to Hanna, who gleefully took the pile, and stepped up to the double doored closest.
Steeling herself with a deep breath she pulled open the doors violently.
Nothing.
Perfect.
"Ah hello Alison, yes its lovely to see you too, were you in need of something specific or just felt like letting all your crazy out today," Spencer retorted sarcastically.
"One can never be too careful, Spencer. Now presents," Alison smirked taking the bags back from Hanna.
"I love Ali gifts," Hanna rocked on the balls of her feet excitedly.
Without preamble Alison spilled the contents onto the bed.
Hanna's face fell.
"Um Ali this is definitely not gucci," Hanna pouted.
"I should hope not," Alison easily retorted.
Alison had no doubt that the other four girls saw a mess of random bits and pieces on Spencer's bed, Alison however saw her bounty. She'd been busy thats for sure, careful collecting what she needed all in her Vivian Darkbloom disguise and paying with cash. She was still bitter that she had straight up given Mona her alias when the vindictive little Harpy had nursed her back to health. But Alison knew for a fact A didn't know about Alison's alter ego this early.
So she'd collected the essentials undetected. Five identical black hoodies, black army boots in differing sizes, five identical black leather gloves, ten bottles of pepper spray, five industrial torches, five smaller lightweight torches, five rape whistles, five burner phones and two identical red coats.
"I don't hate this though," Hanna admired picking up one of the red coats and holding it against her frame.
"Great cause its yours," Alison smiled at Hanna's shocked look.
"Whats going on, Ali?" Spencer questioned looking over the pepper spray suspiciously. "We're still doing community service for your last great plan and this all looks like it could land us with serious prison sentences."
"You're right as always Spencer," Alison tried not to smile as Spencer's eyes widened at the compliment. "But girls this stalker thing needs to be tackled head on, I will not have us cowering, looking around every corner just waiting for something to go wrong."
"You're really that worried about this, Ali?" Aria asked with concern.
"I'm worried for all of us, if this person wants to hurt me they're going to come after all of you and I just, I need to keep you safe," Alison admitted.
Her eyes landed on Emily briefly before Spencer interjected.
"So what you want to play super spies all summer?" Spencer scoffed.
"I want to stay alive," Alison snapped.
She took in their shocked faces.
"I'm sorry, this is a lot I know but I need to keep us safe."
"This just seems kind of excessive, Ali," Spencer admitted.
"I need your head in this Spencer, I need you all in this, we need to be a team," Alison implored each of them.
Slowly they all nodded back.
"Aria you're the support system because you know how to keep a level head and these guys need that," Alison instructed with pointed looks at Spencer and Hanna, both of whom crossed their arms but didn't argue.
Aria nodded a little unsure but smiling.
"Spencer," Alison started, the brunette pining her with a inquisitive glare. "You're the brains of this operation."
Spencer nodded her glare softening somewhat.
"I need you to think outside the box though. Don't get caught in little details and always assume this person is three steps ahead of you. If it feels too good to be true it is alright?" Alison instructed a desperate edge creeping into her voice.
Spencer nodded more seriously this time only just beginning to believe her friend was not leading them on a wild goose chase.
"Em you're the muscle," Alison added turning to the brunette.
"Me?" Emily choked in disbelief.
The others tried to muffle their giggles as Alison glared at each of them in turn, once she was sure they had stopped she turned back to Emily.
"Don't underestimate yourself, Em, you're stronger than you know, not just physically," Alison intoned seriously and just because she couldn't help herself she added a flirty wink.
Emily blushed and looked down.
"What about me?" Hanna asked.
The other blonde looked reproached as Alison focused on her, as though she was worried she would be scolded for speaking out of turn.
"You, my gorgeous one, are my decoy," Alison smiled.
"Yay," Hanna clapped happy to be included. "Wait what's a decoy?"
"You're the bait," Spencer sniggered.
"That doesn't sound good," Hanna admitted with a frown.
"I won't let anything happen to you Hanna, you'll be perfectly safe," Alison promised taking hold of the blonde's hand. "One of the others will be with you all the time, this just gives me an opportunity to shake my stalker since they're watching my every move."
Hanna squeezed Alison's hand back before she let go.
"That brings me to the plan. We need a buddy system, no one goes anywhere without their buddy, groups of two or three or more, I don't want any of you caught out there alone. No splitting up," she cautioned.
"What about you?" Emily asked softly.
"What about me?" Alison retorted.
"Em's right, you'll be alone while Hanna's playing decoy what if your stalker notices and you're vulnerable?" Spencer added.
Alison sighed. She couldn't even begin to explain how she had done this before, hidden for years.
"I'll be fine," she dismissed. "Burner phones, everyone gets one, don't use it except to contact each other, all your numbers are already in there, this phone goes everywhere with you, leave the other at home when I tell you ok?"
She handed out the phones identical black flip screens, making sure that everyone got their own individual one.
"Vivian Darkbloom?" Spencer questioned scrolling through her contacts.
"Thats my alias I'm trusting you all to keep that safe and sound," Alison held each of their gazes until they nodded.
"Whose Veronica Mars?" Hanna read her own contacts.
"That would be the brainiac and future super sleuth Miss Hastings," Alison smirked as Spencer tried to hide her smile.
"Aprha Behn?" Emily read.
"She's attributed as the first known female writer in history," Aria happily recited smiling.
"Thats why she's Aria's codename," Alison smiled at her well read friend.
"Marilyn Kelly?"
"That would be Hanna, a mix of the two most gorgeous women in history Marilyn Munroe and Grace Kelly."
Hanna hid her blush as she read the last name.
"Diana Nyad?"
"She's a famous swimmer and Niada's were water nymphs in ancient greek mythology seemed fitting," Alison shrugged but didn't add that Diana was also a proud gay athlete. She had correctly assumed none of her friends would know who this woman was.
Emily blushed and the others nodded.
"So we have codenames incase any of the phones are hacked, don't use your real names or give any information away that could suggest who is who. Are we clear?"
They all nodded.
"Good moving onto supplies," Alison gestured to the array of equipment on Spencer's bed. "Pepper spray pretty straight forward point and shoot don't get it in your eye and make sure you have it spread across all your bags, rape whistles, torches little one in your purse big one in the car."
Each girl nodded, Hanna picked up a bottle of pepper spray and examined the nozzle. Spencer took it from her firmly.
"Don't point it at yourself," Spencer cautioned.
"Spencer's right it burns," Alison agreed.
Hanna looked between them and nodded, properly chastised as Spencer handed the bottle back carefully.
As she looked over at the closed curtains another thought came to Alison and she shuddered briefly.
"Girls," Alison got their attention. "Make sure you always close your drapes when you're changing."
"Ali what-"
"Just trust me," Alison intoned seriously. "Toby wasn't peeping in your window Emily but someone else was."
They all looked to each other uneasily as Alison's words sunk in and suddenly this wasn't a game.
"Well if thats not a good reason for self defence I don't know what is," Spencer shivered. "Since its Saturday tomorrow and that means no community service theres a class in town."
"Great lets do it," Alison happily cheered.
No one joined her and it took Alison a moment to realize she'd fallen back on an old habit. Telling the others what to do.
"If thats ok with you guys," Alison amended sheepishly.
Emily nodded first though hesitant and the others slowly followed suit, they still seemed unsure of what to make of the new Alison but the blonde knew she was beginning to win them over.
"Great so whose my ride," Alison grinned as the others all pointed to Spencer.
The brunette in question threw up her hands in exasperation but she was smiling and the others all laughed along with Alison.
Somethings never changed.
"Ok the most important thing about self defence is it is the last option. If you can run, run like hell, if you can call for help, do that, don't pick a fight when you can flee."
It was amazing to Alison how boring self defence could actually be, before they got to hit anything they had to talk or rather be talked at. The blonde picked at her nails disinterestedly as the buff instructor James, Jarque no, Jake kept talking.
It was just their little group and Jake the classes were apparently small and intimate according to Spencer's notes and Alison supposed there was an advantage to that. Alison's eyes wandered around the room and settled on one of the floor to ceiling mirrors that covered the walls of the rec room. This particular mirror was angled in such a way that Alison could see her friends standing beside her, particularly Alison found she got a good view of Emily's toned tight body in her short shorts and tank. It was definitely a pleasant view.
"So lets start with some basic stretches," Jake clapped his hands excitedly.
The rest of the girls moved into the position Jake was demonstrating and Emily turned at just the right moment to catch Alison's eyes. She titled her head in confusion until Alison winked playfully and the brunette looked away. Ali couldn't help herself and chuckled before she realized she was the only one standing up while everyone else had moved into the first stretch reaching for their toes on the floor.
Planting her butt on the padded floor Alison followed the stretches that Jake led the group through. She was board again as she stretched and strained, Spencer and Emily seemed to be doing better and Alison had to keep her eyes focused on Jake as they kept wandering to Emily.
But who could blame her Emily was so toned and fit and just delicious. Hanna beside Alison's elbowed her as they all sat up onto their knees, while Alison was still reaching for her toes. She hurried to follow Jake as he lay forward pressing his stomach into the mat and then pushing up on his hands in a half push up before he pushed back on his hands curling himself into his stomach as his knees raised up, his arms lay flat on the ground stretching his back, his knees tucked under him and his butt sticking out. He looked silly but the other three were trying not to stare at his chiseled body. Alison rolled her eyes at Hanna's drooling.
"Think you can handle that?" Jake asked the girls.
They all smiled with varying degrees of interest and followed the stretches.
Alison was into her fifth half push up and was just tucking her knees under her self when she felt eyes on her, she tipped her head up to look at the mirror in front of her and caught sight of Emily's penetrating gaze in the reflection.
Alison noted that Emily was a little flushed but the brunette hadn't noticed that she had been caught, unable to help herself Alison moved further back into the stretch, sticking out her ass a little more than necessary.
She heard Emily's breath hitch because she was listening for it as she wiggled her hips sensually under the guise of getting into the stretch. A strangled cough came from behind her and Alison lifted her head this time catching Emily's dark eyes. She smirked at her mermaid devilishly before Emily hurriedly looked away, cheeks a faint red. Alison smiled to herself this was going to be fun.
They went through a few more stretches before Jake started showing them some basic moves, Spencer of course perfected the block and punching combination quickly, and Emily was just as effective. Alison, Hanna and Aria struggled and Jake took the time to instruct each girl carefully.
"Emily," he called as he was standing behind Hanna leading her through a move. "Could you give Alison a hand."
Emily nodded and Alison tried to keep her face neutral as the brunette stepped up behind her.
"Fancy meeting you here?" Alison quipped teasingly.
"We're supposed to be learning, Ali," Emily chastised weakly. "This was your idea."
Alison nodded, Emily was right this was serious.
"You need to turn your body more," Emily commented. "You're leaving yourself too open."
"Like this," Alison swivelled her hips and turned more to the side.
"No, like this," Emily instructed reaching out and grasping Alison's hips.
The blonde almost jumped at Emily's warm touch through her long tank top. Her mermaid gripped a little tighter and Alison wondered if Emily as hyper aware of her as she was of the brunette. She let Emily move her as she pleased and followed the brunette's instructions as best she could with her heart beat pounding in her ears.
As Emily lead her through several more moves, Alison messing a few up on purpose so Emily would have to correct her, the blonde couldn't help but relish and hate their contact. She was teasing Emily whenever she got the chance, just innocent flirting until Emily cleared her throat and ignored Ali or blushed and looked away. It was all in good fun but it still hurt Alison that they weren't something, that they were in this undefined limbo between liking each other and not being able to actually explore their connection. Not to mention Ben.
Alison punched the pad Emily held particularly hard at the thought of Emily's boyfriend. The jerk didn't know how good he had it. Emily stumbled slightly under the force of Alison's next punch and Ali finally noticed.
"Sorry Em," she sheepishly apologized pulling the pad away and rubbing Emily's arm.
"You're stronger than you look," Emily complimented with a wince.
Alison grimaced.
Jake got them into pairs again and demonstrated with Spencer how to break free from an attackers hold. The first few were simple, if someone grabbed your arm you pulled your elbow sharply into yourself and twisted out of the hold.
As Alison tried to grab for Emily she found it was actually quite hard to hold onto someone moving in such a way. That was a useful trick with A and their minions lurking in the shadows.
The next few were similar variations stepping into the attacker to make them loosen their grip and then having a follow through opening to launch an attack.
The last was a little more complicated. Jake grabbed Spencer from behind, wrapping her up in a choke hold with his forearm pressed against her throat. It hurt Alison to see Spencer in such a hold even though it was only for practise and Jake slowly demonstrated how to break free.
"Now most people say go for the eyes," Jake commented holding Spencer close to him as he pretended to choke her with his arm. "However, Spencer help me out here, you can't really find them right?"
Spencer reached her hands behind her own head and blindly tried to find Jake's eyes.
"Nope," Spencer admitted defeat with a sigh.
"Other people say head butts work, but its hard to get enough force behind it to make your attacker let go. And lastly people say go for the groin," Jake instructed. "And that makes sense, on guys and girls its pretty effective but from this hold its an awkward angle, don't worry Spencer we won't demonstrate that."
Spencer flushed and the girls watching giggled.
"The best way to deal with this is to do something unexpected," Jake instructed. "Spencer grab onto my arm with both hands."
Spencer complied wrapping both her hands around Jake's hold.
"Now using both hands pull yourself up supporting your weight by holding my arm, put all your strength into that hold and the lift your legs and drop," Jake instructed.
Spencer followed his instructions and they both fell to the ground, prepared for it Jake fell to his side beside Spencer instead of on top of her, but it had the desired effect Spencer was no longer being choked.
Jake popped up helping Spencer stand and dusted himself off.
"When you're both on the ground hit your attacker and immobilize them," Jake warned. "Out of the two of you only you know you're going to end up on the ground."
The group watched him thoughtfully.
"Now in pairs we're just going to practise getting a good grip before the drop, you'll all hurt yourselves if you try it on each other but I want you to get a good feel for how this works," Jake paced along the mat as they paired up. "Lets hope none of you have to use it."
Spencer and Hanna paired up, Alison and Emily naturally gravitated together again and Jake moved to help Aria.
Emily wrapped her arms around Alison from behind as the attacker and Alison leaned back into the secure hold.
"Ah Ali you're supposed to try and escape," Emily reminded.
"Now why would I do that," Alison couldn't help her seductive purr, wrapping her hands around Emily's forearm. "I'm right where I want to be."
Emily spluttered for a comeback and seemed to be trying desperately not to choke on her own tongue. Alison traced a nail down Emily's forearm that wrapped across Alison's throat. The brunette wiggled and then pulled away suddenly stepping back from the blonde.
"Looks like I broke free," Alison smirked at Emily, the brunette wasn't angry but she was certainly reeling. "What do I win?"
Emily gulped as Alison cocked her hip and titled her head expectantly.
"You win your freedom," Jake drooled as he came up to stand beside Emily.
Alison's eyebrows narrowed as Jake crossed his arms.
"You're really not giving the lesson your full attention, Alison," Jake commented with a pointed look at Emily, who looked away in embarrassment at being caught.
Alison glared, who the hell did this guy think he was. She was about two seconds away from eviscerating him when Emily started apologizing.
"I'm sorry, Jake we were.. it won't happen again," Emily nervously stuttered.
She was so timid now and Alison felt herself longing for the confident woman she knew, who didn't take crap from anyone any more even Alison herself.
"Yeah Jake, we're sorry," Alison sarcastically agreed before she could stop herself.
"Alright Alison, let's see what you got," Jake challenged.
"Excuse me," Alison spat.
"Come on," Jake goaded. "You're too good for my class I want to see how good."
"Fine," Alison flipped her ponytail over her shoulder.
They squared off on the mat facing each other, each kitted out in a soft helmet and chest padding. Jake rocked on the balls of his feet holding his padded fists up in front of his face. Alison was beginning to think that being flippant with self defence instructors was a really good way to get kicked in the teeth. But she could hardly back down now and even though she was trying to change Alison DiLaurentis still had her pride.
"Are we going to dance, Jakey or are we going to fight?" Alison asked raising her eyebrow in challenge.
Jake smirked and lunged forward unexpectedly he tapped at her helmet gently just to prove he could and then dodged when Alison took a swing at him.
"You've got to protect your head," Jake instructed.
Alison held her hands up higher to shield her face.
Jake lunged forward with a powerful kick that he slowed down at the last second, tapping her side, specifically the unpadded side.
"Don't leave your side vulnerable, too high with your hands and you'll create a really easy target," Jake warned.
Alison huffed, this was less of a fight and more of a humiliating annihilation thrown into a lesson, great she was an uncooperative pupil turned into a teaching point. She moved forward and jabbed at his smirking face, Jake deflected her punch effortlessly.
Infuriated Alison kicked at him but he grasped her leg in mid air, holding her up as she hobbled to keep her balance.
"Don't over commit on a kick, you lose balance and strength," Jake chuckled, still holding Alison up. "And once I have you like this there is not much you can do."
Alison had had enough, he'd made his point at her expense but there was one thing Jake obviously hadn't counted on. Alison DiLaurentis didn't go down without a real fight.
The blonde put all her weight on the leg Jake was supporting and jumped kicking out with the leg supporting herself, she hit him lower than she wanted but he left go under the pressure and stumbled back as Alison crashed to the floor.
"Are you ok?" Jake asked leaning over her.
"Fine," Alison smiled up at him, having brassed herself properly for the fall.
"That was pretty gutsy," Jake complimented as he pulled Alison to her feet. "Sloppily executed but gutsy."
"Well theres always a way out, I could take you down it just had to be at my own expense," Alison smirked pleased with herself.
"I would hardly call getting a hit in 'taking me down' but you have potential, Alison," Jake complimented.
"That was awesome, Ali," Hanna gushed. "I thought for sure he had you then wham."
"Where did you learn how to do that?" Spencer asked.
"Around," Alison vaguely answered.
"Well girls looks like our times up," Jake announced. "Next week we'll practise falling maybe Alison here can show us some of her moves."
They all thanked him as they gathered their things. Jake was packing away his own stuff when Alison approached him.
"Look I'm sorry about messing around in class I was…" Alison tried to think of a certain way to phrase what she was actually doing.
"I get it, Alison, and no sweat, you like her and thats cool," Jake smiled warmly and Alison had to bite back the retort that was forming on her lips because he was right.
"Just don't use my class to flirt ok?" Jake winked. "That's my job."
Alison laughed in spit of herself, god help her she actually liked this buff idiot.
"Same time next week right?" Jake asked.
"I owe you an ass kicking," Alison agreed.
"I'd like to see you try," Jake chuckled.
They said their good byes and Alison met the other girls at the door, Emily was glaring at Jake till Alison took her hand.
"Lunch at the Grille?" Alison asked the group, dragging Emily along.