Disclaimer: I don't own PLL.
Warnings: This work contains foul language, sex scenes, child abuse, attempted sexual abuse, violence etc. MATURE AUDIENCES ONLY.
Alison strolled down the linoleum floors trying not to gag on the heavy smell of disinfectant that permeated the air. She adjusted her brown wig subtly, her burner phone in her purse the other at home, she hadn't noticed anyone following her on the way in and hoped this time she had made this trip undetected.
Her heels were higher than usual mainly because she wanted to feel powerful, she needed all the power she could get lately.
As she strode through the open door she felt guilt weighing down her every step, all her power effectively sapped as she took in the sight of Jenna Marshall lying in her hospital bed, heavy shades on as she stared at nothing.
"Whose there?" Jenna called startled and frightened.
Alison couldn't imagine what that must feel like to be stuck in perpetual darkness. It could only be some kind of hellish nightmare.
"It's.. Alison," Alison finally answered.
Jenna's lips turned into a feral snarl and she sat up.
"Come to finish me off," Jenna barked.
"No, I came to… let you hear something," Alison retorted softly.
She'd wanted to make amends with Jenna. She'd climbed through Ian's window, the night before and stolen the files, getting out just in time so all Ian saw was a black hoodie, Hanna happily eating at the Grille with their friends in her red coat and with Alison's usual phone, Alison had been quite pleased with her operation until she re-watched the video of Jenna and Toby and almost hurled her laptop across the room.
Alison laid out her laptop on the bedside table and cued up the video as it played all colour drained from Jenna's face.
"Where did you get that?" Jenna stuttered.
"My sources are none of your concern," Alison seethed. "Just know that I have this."
"What do you want?" Jenna asked desperately.
"You think you know people you know, you think the whole world is just black and white, hard and easy and then well the world's just full of surprises and darling Jenna isn't a victim," Alison taunted, she was ashamed to admit that a part of herself was proud, a part of her relished Jenna's fear and desperation.
"You blinded me," Jenna cried furiously.
"I did," Alison agreed. "And I will forever be sorry for ruining your life. I even confessed. Community service for the rest of summer and possibly the whole school year."
"Its no where near what you deserve," Jenna spat angrily.
"No. You know who didn't deserve anything, Jenna. Toby. Toby didn't deserve any of this," Alison furiously gestured to the video even though Jenna couldn't see it.
"I'm not proud of-"
"I don't care," Alison snapped. "You're as much of a manipulative bitch as I am so save the sob story for someone who'll believe it."
"What do you want, Alison?" Jenna bit off.
"I want you to stay away from Toby."
"We live in the same house and-"
"Then find a way to deal," Alison snapped. "If I get one word you're hurting him or threatening him or making him uncomfortable I will take this tape to the police."
Jenna hung her head.
"Fine," she whispered.
"If Toby wants to press charges I'll have this tape so be on your best behaviour, darling Jenna," Alison scoffed picking up her laptop.
"Why are you doing this?" Jenna whined. "What do you care about what happens to Toby?"
"I'm doing a favour for a friend," Alison said softly. "I owe them a great deal. Goodbye Jenna."
Alison started for the door at the last moment she turned back.
"I'll be paying for the surgery when you need it," Alison added.
Jenna didn't move to face her and Alison took that as her cue to leave. No texts from A came through and Alison breathed a heavy sigh of relief.
"Hey," Alison tried for casual as she approached Toby working on his motor cycle out the front of his house late in the afternoon.
He looked up and then down again quickly.
"I wanted to say I'm sorry for what happened," Alison softly admitted.
Toby wouldn't meet her eyes but his hand faltered in his cleaning.
"Toby really I'm so sorry it was.. the worst thing I've ever done and you have to know I would change it if I could-"
"But you can't!" Toby yelled.
"No," Alison admitted. "I can't but if I could go back, I'd be there when you needed me."
"I never have and I never will need you, Alison," Toby spat.
"I wish I could have helped," Alison barrelled along, she needed to get this out. "With your mom."
Toby was on his feet in an instant looming over her. His face twisted into something feral and dangerous, it was only as he peered down at her that Alison remembered how much bigger he actually was. She stood strong though taking a deep breath to try and keep her nerves in check. He was a puppy on the inside, she reminded herself, though she'd rattled his chain more than once. Maybe this wasn't the best idea.
"Don't you ever mention my mother again," Toby whispered snarling at her.
"Toby I'm sorry I was a stupid bitch and-"
"You'll always be a bitch Alison, but you've never been stupid," Toby's blue eyes hardened. "Now go back to your little minions before someone really gets hurt."
"I told the truth you know, I told the police what happened," Alison rushed on. "But I didn't tell them about Jenna."
Toby clenched his fists.
"Are you trying to get me to hit you? Is this a set up to put me away for good?" He yelled.
"No. I talked to Jenna. She won't bother you anymore, Toby. I promise," Alison turned on her heel.
"What do you mean bother me?" Toby titled his head in confusion.
"I know it wasn't consensual and I didn't tell the police about me blackmailing you but I made sure Jenna won't hurt you again. I am sorry Toby. You'll never know how much," Alison smiled sadly and left Toby standing there processing.
He hadn't talked to her since, not that she blamed him but it was making her job a little more difficult and Alison had had enough of difficult.
So after a full week of trash collecting, she decided to send a peace offering with a sweet, friendly greeter. The question was which friendly face would work, Spencer was obviously out she was still creeped out by Toby and no were near as interested in him as future Spencer. Aria could work but she didn't really jell with him and the girl had a horrible habit of attracting any guy that got within ten feet, thats all they'd need Toby running off with the wrong girl. Hanna was an obvious option but again if wires got crossed Alison couldn't even begin to deal with the ramifications. That left Emily, sweet, hard to disappoint Emily. Perfect.
"Em," Alison laced her fingers through Emily's, her other hand wrapping around the brunette's bicep. Emily seriously worked out Alison noted with a not so subtle squeeze to her mermaid's impressive muscles.
"Yeah?" Emily asked somewhat confused as to why Alison was hanging off her and squeezing her arm.
"I need a favour," Alison implored adding a little head tilt and a pout.
"Sure, Ali what do you need?" Emily smiled.
Oh the things Alison needed, Emily's lips for one, her toned body for another and most importantly her heart. Alison shook her head trying to order her thoughts as Emily's brown eyes watched her curiously.
"I need you to talk to Toby for me."
"Toby?" Emily asked bewildered. "Toby Cavanaugh?"
"That would be Toby."
"I don't know Ali he-"
"Please, for me," Alison fluttered her eyelashes.
Emily sighed and Alison jumped happily. It was as good as a yes when Emily sighed like that.
"You're the best," Alison praised, darting forward to kiss Emily's cheek at the same time the brunette tilted her head and Alison's lips grazed the corner of her mermaid's mouth.
Emily pulled away sharply and swallowed.
"That… I…"
Alison gave her hand and bicep a comforting squeeze.
"Don't over think it, Em," Alison replied with a sad smile. "You might hurt yourself."
"Ali.."
"No, Em. I'm sorry that was uncalled for, you're still searching and I'll be here waiting when you figure everything out, I promise," Alison gave her best encouraging smile.
"I don't like disappointing you," Emily admitted.
"You're not disappointing me, mermaid. I just want you to be happy," Alison tugged Emily along. "But first you have to help me with Toby he won't talk to me and I need him to know how sorry I am, I was thinking we could bring him into the group."
"You want to bring Toby into the group?" Emily asked her brown eyes narrowing in confusion.
"Yes," Alison answered simply. "I think he'd be a good friend."
"Two weeks ago you said he was a creepy freak," Emily reminded.
Alison sighed.
"Yes and two weeks ago I was a total bitch, people change Emily I'm trying to make amends for my wrong doings and I can't do that without you," Alison implored.
"Just tell me what to do," Emily sighed.
This was going to be easier than Alison had hoped.
The girls sat on Emily's porch watching across the street as Emily and Toby talked, Toby inspecting the gift basket Emily had brought over. It seemed like a pleasant enough exchange between neighbours but Alison was wary of how Toby may react, he was still hurting and it would't do to leave Emily vulnerable to his anger.
"I don't even get why we should care," Hanna chimed beside Alison.
"I'm with Hanna on this one," Spencer agreed. "Toby may be innocent of the Jenna Thing but who knows what else he's hiding."
Alison rolled her eyes, sometimes her friends were so young.
"We hurt Toby the least we could do is give him a gift basket," Alison snapped keeping her eyes firmly fixed on Toby and Emily.
"Ali's right people can change, everyone makes mistakes and everyone deserves a second chance," Aria reasoned.
Alison smiled briefly at Aria thankful for her insight but caught the petite brunette's troubled frown, something told Alison Aria wasn't talking about Alison, the Jenna Thing or Toby.
"She's coming back," Hanna yelped.
The four of them shuffled around on the porch picking up magazines and turning to face each other, trying to appear as though they hadn't just been spying on Emily.
"So it says here that the trick to oral sex is-" Alison blushed too late catching up to what she was actually reading aloud.
"What?" Spencer gasped out with a scandalized laugh.
Alison promptly shut the cosmo.
"Not one word," Alison warned.
The others giggled but didn't say more and Alison watched as Emily strolled across her yard. When she was close enough the others questioned the brunette about what Toby wanted but Alison didn't take her eyes off the shaggy haired boy. His blue eyes were fixed on Emily and there was something in his smile that irked Alison.
He grabbed his gift basket and headed into the house looking for all the world like a boy who had been granted his greatest wish.
"We're going to hang out tomorrow," Emily softly admitted.
"He definitely likes you, Em," Hanna gushed as Emily blushed under the attention.
"What?!" Alison all but shrieked.
"He was just being friendly," Emily responded dipping her head to hide her blush.
The others cooed and awed at her but Alison felt her blood boiling. This was an unmitigated disaster, Emily was still firmly planted in the closet and if she decided Toby made a good beard or worse actually fell for the sweet, dorky charming boy next door who'd taken the fall and nobly saved them all. What then? Would Alison have to watch Toby sweep her mermaid off into the sunset? She could admit he was handsome and sweet and generally a good person. He was almost perfect for Em. No. No. Alison was perfect for Emily or Emily was perfect for Alison.
Maybe that was the problem Alison wasn't good for Emily but the blonde needed her mermaid to make sure she stayed grounded, she wouldn't have even started making steps towards fixing things if it weren't for Emily. Trying to become a better person for Emily, make Rosewood safe for Emily, everything came back to her Em.
She'd saved Toby from juvie to appease her guilt as much as to stop him joining A's quest, protected him from Jenna because she needed him on side. But she would not let him have Emily. Alison could not, would not let that happen.
Spencer Hastings was getting a boyfriend. Whether she wanted one or not.
Alison stood on the outskirts of the woods binoculars glued to her face as she peered out into the darkness, for any signs of life in the Lost Woods Resort. She knew Mona had a hide out here once and was pretty certain it was the little freaks lair at this point in time but she needed proof and a way to get inside.
So far the car out the front of room one hadn't moved and Alison was growing impatient, the drapes were drawn and Alison would be wandering in blind if she just strolled up to the building. Not that anyone would notice her hopefully she was kitted out in her full sleuthing gear, black hoodie, black gloves and black jeans and black boots. If Mona had recruited some friends already hopefully Alison would be able to blend in.
Her phone buzzed against her thigh and Alison slipped it out without taking her eyes off the window she was sure Mona was behind.
"Vivian," she whispered in greeting.
"Alison?" Aria questioned.
Alison couldn't believe they'd already forgotten, she sighed deeply and there was some squabbling before Aria's burner phone was on speaker.
"Its Veronica, Aphra, Diana and Marilyn here," Spencer yelled obviously driving.
"Where are you guys?" Alison hissed she'd requested them over an hour ago.
"We had to make a pitstop," Spencer grimaced.
"My bad," Hanna called from the back. "Hi Ali."
"We're using codenames, Hanna," Spencer snapped.
"Sorry Mars," Hanna grumbled petulantly back.
"Just get here as soon as you can and follow my instructions, don't park out the front," Alison warned them.
"Aye Aye Captain," Spencer sarcastically intoned.
"That place is kind of creepy, Al- I mean Vivian," Aria muttered. "Are you sure we're not going to get in trouble?"
"Its fine guys we're just doing a little reckon," Alison promised.
"See you in a bit," Spencer called and the line went dead.
Alison looked to the window again having taken her eyes off it for a second and the drapes shifted a fraction. Alison ducked down low but the drapes remained still. She waited for a while longer before something crunched loudly further back on the path. Alison could only guess who it was as frantic voices followed the heavy footsteps.
"Shh," Spencer hissed.
"You shh," Hanna hissed back, crunching another branch under foot.
"Emily thats me," Aria whined in pain.
"Sorry," Emily sheepishly murmured.
Alison wanted to murder them all.
"Ali," Hanna exclaimed as soon as she caught sight of her.
"Shh," Alison put a finger to her lips and Hanna covered her mouth with a sheepish grin.
"You look weird as a brunette," Hanna whispered looking at her funny.
"Its a disguise," Alison snapped.
"From what," Spencer argued. "The squirrels."
"Just keep it down and keep watch," Alison instructed.
"Where are you going?" Emily asked fearfully.
"I have to get a closer look," Alison pointed to the building, she needed to get a look in that window.
"I don't think this is a good idea," Spencer mumbled.
"Do you want to check me for explosives," Alison snapped before she softened her tone. "Guys look I'm just taking a quick look around I'm not even going to go inside, alright."
They all looked to the dirt but didn't say anything.
"Just whistle if theres trouble," Alison muttered.
Spencer and Emily nodded.
Alison crept away from them quietly and used as much of the bush as she could for cover, crouching low she waddled across the parking lot and ducked behind the car in front of the room. She peered into the back window of the vehicle, trying to see if anything could confirm it was Mona's but nothing stood out.
She crept around the car slowly pressing herself against it to shield her body and was just about to peer over the hood when a startled shriek came from the bushes.
"Holy crap, no!" Aria cried.
The other girls all screamed as well and Alison found herself sprinting back to their hiding spot fearing the worst.
"Theres a bug in my bra!" Aria frantically screamed clawing at her shirt as Emily and Spencer danced around as though they had bugs on them too.
Hanna was screaming as she pulled out her pepper spray and she pointed it at Aria with shaking hands.
"I'll get it," Hanna cried and Alison just tackled the crazed blonde in time preventing her from blasting Aria with pepper spray.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" Alison hissed at them all, arms tightly wrapped around Hanna as Aria whined jumping up and down.
"Stay still," Alison commanded, letting go of Hanna and grasping Aria.
The petite brunette whined and cringed as Alison stuck her hand down Aria's top and into her bra.
"Get it out, get it out," Aria panicked.
Alison got a hold of the sizeable beetle and yanked it free hurling it away. The others all flinched and shook themselves.
"Thank you," Aria breathed like Alison had just saved her life.
"Pepper spray is not bug spray," Alison lectured Hanna seriously. The other blonde looked down properly scolded.
"And you two," Alison rounded on Emily and Spencer. "You're supposed to be the muscle and the brains, but you run from a bug."
Emily and Spencer scuffed their boots in the dirt.
"And now we have well and truly lost the element of surprise," Alison sighed grasping her head in frustration.
She never should have brought them out here, even after they became better at sneaking around and hunting for clues Alison still worked better solo. They'd only get themselves killed if she dragged them into more missions, they were already about to destroy each over a stupid bug.
"At least we got something out of this," Hanna happily announced.
"What?" Alison rounded on Hanna furiously. "What could we possibly have gotten out of this disaster?"
"You got to cop a feel of Aria," Hanna chuckled.
Alison almost smacked her when Aria and Spencer chuckled too. Emily wasn't impressed. Alison crossed her arms glaring at Hanna this was the last time she brought these four on a stakeout she decided.