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 into her room late in the afternoon, she'd stood in Spencer's backyard for a good twenty minutes unable to tear herself away from her gorgeous girlfriend, before she finally let Emily breath, or rather Spencer turned on the sprinklers. Alison still maintained it wasn't her fault Emily's lips were so addictive and she'd almost killed Hanna when the other blonde jokingly wanted to try Emily's kisses for herself.

Needless to say Hanna quickly figured out that Alison did not want to share even for a joke. Emily had just turned bright red through out the whole exchange but still kissed Alison goodbye when the blonde really did have to leave. Again.

Alison stopped at the doorway to her room and felt her happy mood instantly evaporate. Throwing her things around, pulling open random draws and sifting through the incredible mess he'd already made was Jason.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Alison shrieked at him.

He whirled on her startled and frantic.

"I need them, Ali," he begged. "Where the fuck did you put them?"

"Put what?" She yelled at him stepping further into the room, to truly survey the damage.

"The tapes, I know you have them," Jason yelled at her. "I need them. Now."

Alison glared at her destroyed room her irritation rising as Jason panicked and then it all washed away as her eyes settled on her journals. All of them wide open and laying on her bed.

"Where the fuck did you get these!" she barked at him, pointing at her bed.

They'd been hidden in the grate where she carefully stashed them whenever she needed to add something or reread for clarification.

"I didn't touch your stupid books," Jason grumbled. "They were like that when I got here."

Alison peered over the pages, trying to find answers as to whether Jason was telling the truth.

"I need those tapes, Ali," Jason begged, but she ignored him.

She flipped one journal over to find a sticky note on the front.

"Some light summer reading, I always love a good scandal -A"

Alison crumbled the note, well that answered how A knew about the affair and now they had all kinds of information that could hurt Alison and her friends. Fantastic.

"Ali," Jason whined.

"Are you still here?" She drawled. "Get the fuck out Jason you made enough of a mess."

"The tapes," Jason snapped looming over her as she sat on her bed.

"Oh please as if I'd hide them here," she scoffed. "Amateurs."

"Ian-"

"Ian can fuck off for all I care," Alison cut him off. "Get out and tell you're little NAT club friends that they've been officially shut down, one peep out of any of you and those videos go to the cops."

Jason glared at her but Alison just raised her eyebrow in challenge. She was so done trying to play nice and A had just riled her up even more. Jason huffed and stormed out of the room and Alison rolled her eyes at his retreating shadow, he never did have any discipline.

Alison surveyed her damaged room with a low sigh and wondered not for the first time what she should do about A, she had no doubt the threats of exposing all their secrets would start soon. As if reading her thoughts a text alert pinged, Alison fished out her phone and sighed with relief that it was just from her mermaid.

"I miss u x"

Alison smiled unable to help herself and texted back that she missed Emily too well aware it hadn't even been half an hour. God she was pathetic when she was in love.

Alison followed Mona's directions to a deserted parking lot on the outskirts of town, she parked and waited once again wondering if she was walking into a huge trap. A dark four wheel drive pulled up beside her with heavily tinted windows and Alison's heartbeat spiked until Mona stepped out and wiggled her fingers at Alison in a friendly greeting.

Alison reluctantly climbed out of her car, fixing her dark wig and gathered her purse.

"So thats how you always disappear," Mona murmured with a nod at Alison's dark wig.

"These people all know me as someone else," Alison admitted.

"Incognito," Mona whispered impressed. "Don't worry your secrets safe with me."

Mona winked and Alison doubted she was safe with Mona let alone all her secrets. She wondered whether this was a taunt that Mona had been in her room, had found the journals and did know everyone secrets. Just like last time. Only one way to find out.

"Someone was in my room last week," Alison studied Mona. "They got a hold of some private information, you wouldn't happen to know anything about that would you?"

"I told you to lock that door," Mona shrugged. "Even if I did know, I wouldn't tell you."

"Someone is threatening my friends, Mona, I don't like it when my friends are being threatened," Alison glowered.

Mona crossed her arms.

"I have no interest in your little followers, Alison. Frankly they bore me," Mona faked a yawn.

That was a lie but then again Mona hadn't started terrorizing the girls until a year after Alison had disappeared, so it could also be the truth. Alison didn't know what to believe.

A phone rang and Alison hurriedly fished it out before glancing at the screen. Board Shorts flashed up as an incoming call and Alison denied it. When was the guy gonna buy a clue?

"Best leave that here," Mona mused pointing to Alison's phone.

Alison slipped it back into the glove compartment in her car and discretely checked that her burner was still in her purse, it wouldn't do to be caught alone with Mona without a phone. But that answered one question her phone was being tracked.

"So are you excited for today?" Mona asked bouncing on her feet a bit.

"Sure," Alison half heartedly responded. She loved shopping with snakes.

"So where to first," Mona queried as they settled in the brunette's car.

"Kim at the salon," Alison muttered as Mona headed back into town.

Kim had been pleased to see her and not so pleased to see Mona's hair, the brunette had been grilled for a good twenty minutes on her hair care routine. Alison took great pleasure in sympathizing with Kim's pained gasps and tutting. Mona was bewildered and completely out of her depth.

"This needs a lot of work," Kim muttered staring at Mona's hair. "Vivian brought you just in time."

Alison nodded and held up a hand.

"I can only do so much," Alison intoned seriously. "You're the true genius, Kim."

"Oh this one," Kim chuckled nudging Mona as she fawned over Alison.

Mona grimaced and Alison found she was actually really enjoying herself, this was her world not Mona's and the brunette may have bullied her way in the door but Alison was still the queen of this kingdom.

Kim tutted about Mona and shook her head in distress.

Mona patted at her hair self consciously as Kim appraised her.

"Honey, no," Kim grabbed her hand. "Its better if we don't linger."

Alison stifled her chuckles as Mona glared at the older woman, who dragged her into a chair. Mona shot Alison a fierce look as Kim puttered around her head and Alison just opened her magazine with an eye roll. They were going to be here a while she might as well get comfortable.

"Does it look ok?" Mona asked for the fifteen time when they were back on the street.

"You look great," Alison couldn't muster a smile like the last fourteen times she answered and Mona was once again checking her hair in the reflection of a shop.

"Mona its fine lets go," Alison called.

"Whats the rush?" Mona asked her eyebrows lowering dangerously. "Have you got better things to do?"

"Yes," Alison crossed her arms in exasperation. "You pretty much blackmailed me on this little trip I'm not exactly having fun."

"I thought we could bond," Mona shrugged, trying to appear friendly.

"Yeah thats not gonna happen," Alison uncrossed her arms with a sigh. "Just tell me what you know please?"

"You should really watch your back more carefully," Mona smirked and then smiled sweetly. "Where to next."

"The makeup counter," Alison checked her burner phone for the time without even thinking.

"Whats that?" Mona asked pointing to the phone in Alison's hand. "I told you to leave it in the car."

"I did," Alison snapped. "This is a different one."

Mona crossed her arms and murmured something to herself.

"Come on," Alison grabbed the little devil and pulled her along.

Cindy was cleaning down her counter when they stepped up and she smiled widely at Alison.

"What can I help you girls with?" she asked warmly.

"This one," Alison pointed to Mona. "Needs some advice."

Cindy nodded and pulled Mona up to a small vanity mirror, clicking on a few lights so they could get a detailed look at Mona's face. Alison hung back but enjoyed watching Mona squirm as Cindy pointed out different products and their purposes. Almost everything was above Mona's head Alison was sure but she figured the brunette would get it eventually she certainly had the first time Alison had helped her.

"Always buy everything Cindy tells you to," Alison warned.

"You're too much," Cindy smiled.

As warm as Cindy's smiles were, Alison was well versed in the smile of a shop assistant who knew where there was money to be made, a shop assistant like Cindy worked on commission and she worked well.

They were there for an hour and when Cindy was finally done collecting everything Mona would need, she rang it up. All five hundred and sixty four dollars worth. Whoever said beauty was priceless had never met Cindy. Mona gave Alison a long look and the blonde reluctantly pulled out her credit card.

"No please I insist," she sarcastically muttered.

"Aren't you a good friend?" Cindy smiled again.

"The best," Mona smirked at Alison who not for the first time wanted to strangle the freak.

"Why am I carrying this?" Alison grumbled holding the heavy bag of makeup and perfume.

"Because you're a good person," Mona cackled as though it were the funniest joke she'd ever told.

"Alright Mona you've had your fun now tell me what you know?"

"Oh Alison we'd need months for that and you only have till the end of summer," Mona smirked.

"What happens at the end of summer?" Alison asked desperately.

"Don't you know?" Mona cooed. "Its the night they kill you."

Alison felt her blood run cold as Mona chuckled to herself. Obviously enjoying the blonde's distress.

"Do you think Cindy will give me a discount when you're dead?" Mona wondered aloud. "Like a bereavement tax or something."

"Mona," Alison snapped grasping Mona's shoulders and turning the brunette to face her.

"Who is after me?" she stressed.

"Ah ah Ali thats not part of the deal," Mona's eyes darkened. "We're playing nice remember."

Alison glared at Mona but released the freak slowly. Mona smirked at her.

"Now how about some new clothes," Mona happily smiled, linking their arms as though they were two best friends shopping.

"Vivian," Manny shrieked happily as soon as they entered the little boutique.

"Manny," Alison rejoined, returning the flamboyant man's air kisses.

"Cheri you're more radiant than ever," Manny praised as he pulled her back and twirled her in a little circle.

"Oh stop it you," Alison happily cried when she was righted again.

"Have you fallen in love?" Manny asked studying her. "Thats the only thing that could give off such a glow."

Alison found herself flushing under his unwavering gaze and the fact that he was right, she was in love, she wondered if it were as obvious to everyone else.

"You have mi amore," Manny pushed a hand to his heart in joy. "Tell me everything, is he all you ever dreamed of?"

Manny had always been a hopeless romantic and took great pleasure in living vicariously through all his customers.

"She actually," Mona snickered and Alison glared at her for a second.

Manny stared at Mona as though he'd only just noticed her.

"She doesn't seem your type," he squinted at the little brunette.

Mona placed her hands on her hips clearly affronted.

"She's not," Alison agreed, fishing out her phone, it went against her own rules but she'd saved a few pics to her burner just incase. She found a cute picture of Emily, in her running gear mid stride.

"She's beautiful," Manny mused. "And definitely more your type."

Mona squeaked in outrage and stomped her foot with a pointed glare at Alison to remind the blonde why they were here in the first place.

"Manny we have a serious crisis on our hands," Alison intoned seriously trying to cover her giggles as Mona squeaked again and Manny snapped to attention.

"This is Mona," Alison introduced the brunette pushing her towards Manny. "Do what you can."

"Alison-"

Manny cut Mona off with a sharp wheeze as he looked over her.

"Well you're not a totally lost cause," he mumbled to himself.

Mona rolled her eyes but took his appraisal silently as he moved around her, humming and haring.

"Come with me," he instructed. "We can't have you standing in my store dressed as you are."

Alison laughed this time outright as Mona followed the man grumpily. Alison looked back to her phone and couldn't help but smile at the picture of Emily.

"No, dear god, no," Manny shrieked from the back. "Argyle should never ever touch this skin."

Alison could only imagine the death glare Mona was giving Manny, but he was bitchy enough to hold his own Alison knew.

When Mona drove them back to Alison's car the blonde a fair bit poorer and Mona kitted out with everything she would need to be popular, Alison gave it one last ditch effort.

"Mona?" she turned to face Mona as the engine turned off.

"Yes," Mona answered giving Alison her full attention for once.

"None of this should define you, its just clothes and make up and-"

"A way of life," Mona grinned her eyes flittering up to the rearview mirror, her reflection beaming back at her in victory.

"You don't have to be a new me," Alison tried again. "You can be better and-"

"Oh I will be," Mona promised with a dangerous glint in her eye.

"I'm sorry that I pushed you to this," Alison shook her head sadly, if only she'd gone back further.

"Ali," Mona reached out a hand and then stopped herself, Alison almost felt like the brunette was sympathizing with her and then it shattered. "I'm sorry you're going to die."

Alison threw open the passenger door as Mona cackled.

"Oh come on its just a little joke," Mona yelled as Alison slammed the door closed and stormed over to her car.

Mona backed up her car and turned around, slowing down and then stopping right next to Alison, she lowered the window and peered out at the blonde.

"You know what, you've been a good sport today," Mona nodded to herself. "So I'm going to give you a gift."

"I have enough gifts from you," Alison bit off.

"This one you'll like, Ali cat," Mona assured her.

Alison crossed her arms and waited.

"So much frowning," Mona murmured taking in Alison's angry face. "My gift is this, you get to pick my next target."

"What?" Alison spluttered. What kind of sick gift was that.

"Think long and hard, Alison," Mona chortled.

"I don't need to," Alison spat. "I don't want anything to do with whatever you have planned for someone else."

Mona's face contorted in rage.

"This is a once in a life time offer Alison, and your lifetime has a deadline I suggest you remember that," Mona warned.

"I don't care," Alison shrieked. "I'm not that person anymore. I don't hurt people."

Mona tuttered.

"Oh Ali," Mona cooed. "You'll always be that person don't think a little lust will change anything, you'll get bored of Emily and well, we know what a cat does when it gets bored of a mouse don't we."

Alison lunged for Mona but the window slid shut.

"Think about it," Mona shouted through the glass, before she laughed and sped away.

Alison kicked at the gravel under her feet fuming. She wasn't that person anymore Mona was just trying to bait her, she told herself over and over again as she slumped against her car. She wasn't, she'd changed. She had. Hadn't she?

Now that their friends all knew about them Alison found she was actually having a really hard time splitting her time accordingly. Hanna especially took a while to come round to the idea that Alison wanted alone time with Emily every now and then but that didn't mean she didn't value Hanna's friendship. It didn't help matters any that Emily was now twice as possessive over Alison, especially towards Hanna and no matter how many times Alison assured Emily that Hanna was only a friend, Emily still glared daggers when she felt the other blonde was being too friendly.

It was something to work on but apart from that Emily and Alison's relationship was great and now freely allowed to express their affection they did so. Often. Alison surprising herself by feeding the little needy part of her that longed to be loved, a part she had tried on more than one occasion to completely destroy.

Now she couldn't let Emily leave a room, let alone leave her for a day without a kiss and a long hug. There were kisses for hellos and kisses for goodbyes and kisses 'Because I'm bored', 'You're adorable', 'I really really wanted to', 'I really really really needed to' and Alison's favourite, kisses 'because you wrinkled your nose adorably when I kissed you just now'. It was pathetic Alison knew but found she also didn't care because this was a feeling she never wanted to lose.

So she basked in Emily's affections and juggled her new relationship and her treasured friendships as best she could so far she wasn't didn't think she was doing too bad.

Alison was happily perched in Emily's lap as Spencer handed out drinks. Hanna was busy with her mother for the evening and Aria was working through her family issues. So that left Emily, Alison and Spencer to hang out. Spencer however wasn't stupid enough to make herself a thirdwheel as she'd told Alison earlier that afternoon she was incredibly proud of herself when she'd managed to rope in Toby.

Alison had thought the whole thing so adorable and Spencer had almost had a heart attack when she told the brainy brunette that a double date sounded lovely. As soon as Toby arrived Spencer was hyper aware of every little thing she was doing and Alison couldn't help but cringe as the brunette dug herself further and further in her own little hole of nerves every time the blue eyed boy smiled at her. It was painful to watch Spencer make a fool of herself in front of someone who so obviously liked her back.

Alison accepted Emily's drink and then her own cup placing them both on the outdoor table they were sitting at. Emily thanked Alison by squeezing the blonde gently around her waist. Alison just smiled happily.

"You two are disgusting," Spencer grumbled as she took a seat next to Toby across from the pair.

Emily nudged her nose into Alison's shoulder and Alison lifted Emily's drink slipping it over her shoulder so the brunette could reach it.

"She's got you well trained," Spencer murmured watching them.

Alison winked back at Spencer before she turned in Emily's arms so she could sit sideways on her girlfriend.

"She knows I'd do anything for her," Alison murmured running a hand through Emily's dark hair, Emily smiled shyly up at her.

"I wish Hanna was here," Spencer grumbled crossing her arms, no doubt the bubbly blonde would be all over Emily and Alison.

Emily's eyes flashed darkly to Spencer and Alison cupped her mermaid's jaw. Emily's jealousy of Hanna was still a sore point for the brunette and Spencer was not helping.

"Me and you," Alison mumbled softly so only Emily could hear as she stroked Emily's cheek with her thumb.

"If you guys start kissing again I'm going to get the hose," Spencer warned.

Toby chuckled and Spencer blushed faintly remembering he was there.

"So Toby what have you been up to?" Alison asked politely trying to steer the conversation somewhere helpful for Spencer.

"This and that," Toby shrugged and Alison was glad he was still acknowledging her existence.

"Did you get the latest album?" Emily asked suddenly peering at Toby.

Toby nodded his excitement growing as he and Emily dissolved into a heated discussion about their band's latest release. Alison tuned them out happily playing with Emily's fingers while her mermaid talked with Toby. Everything Emily did was ridiculously adorable to Alison and she caught herself more than once just sighing while looking at her girlfriend.

"And then-"

Alison couldn't help herself anymore and kissed Emily's cheek softly. Emily flushed and stopped talking mid sentence obviously embarrassed.

"Lets play a board game or something," Spencer suggested loudly obviously in an effort to separate Alison and Emily.

"I'm game," Toby coughed, as though he hadn't actually meant to speak.

"Well then lets find something to play," Spencer stood heading into the house, Toby only a step behind. "Alison Emily come on."

Alison nodded reluctantly and slipped off Emily's lap holding out a hand for her girlfriend to take and pulling Emily up and to her lips for a quick kiss. Emily sighed against Alison's lips and pushed into the blonde kissing her deeply.

"You two are being separated," Spencer called from inside, clearly not amused.

"Alison the point of the game is to beat your opponent not give them letters," Spencer scolded.

Alison pouted.

"But look at her cute little concentration face, Spencer. She only needed a Z," Alison argued.

Emily smiled over at her and Alison smiled back.

"Yes," Spencer gritted her teeth. "Your girlfriend is adorable and you just gave her 10 points."

Alison poked out her tongue at the angry brunette and winked at Emily.

"If I start pouting will you finally help me, you know your teammate?" Spencer asked angrily.

"You're not as cute," Alison admitted with a head tilt watching Spencer turn red.

"I..I think.." Toby stuttered and looked down at his letters when Spencer and Alison looked over at him.

"Yes, Toby?" Alison encouraged gently.

Toby looked up and gulped before looking at Spencer.

"I think you're beautiful, Spencer," he blushed shyly and looked away.

Alison almost awed out loud, Toby was so little and cute these days and his crush on Spencer was too precious.

Spencer cleared her throat to hide her own pleased smile.

"Lets just play," Spencer added finally.

The scrabble board between the four of them was almost completely full and it was irking Spencer to no end that Alison kept helping her girlfriend and by default Toby instead of actually decimating the opposing team like Spencer wanted. But Alison was having much too much fun riling up Spencer and flirting with her adorable girlfriend to really be paying attention to the actual scrabble match. Which of course was sacrilegious in Spencer's mind.

"Lovesick," Spencer placed down with a pointed look at Alison.

"Twenty points for team Spalison," Alison cheered.

Spencer's glare hardened.

"We are not 'Team Spalison', Ali," Spencer hauntingly replied. "It's stupid."

They'd been having this argument all game and each time Alison found it more and more amusing.

"Fine. Alison and Spencer," Alison conceded sticking her tongue into her cheek to stop herself from chuckling as Spencer turned red with anger.

"It's Spencer and Alison," Spencer snapped.

"Ah ah ah," Alison tisked wagging her finger at Spencer because it always pissed the brunette off more. "Alphabetical order."

"Last names then," Spencer groused.

"I'm still first," Ali smirked.

"Ali," Emily mumbled from across the board.

Alison rolled her eyes but let up on Spencer.

"Lizards," Emily happily played off Spencer's L, Toby high fived her and Alison leaned across the board for a congratulatory peck.

"Good one, baby," she praised when she resettled.

"Alison," Spencer snapped. "They're beating us because of you, you know."

"Spencer," Alison sharply commanded before she softened. "Look how happy they are."

Spencer finally looked over to Toby and Emily who were happily rearranging new letters and laughing to each other, bumping their shoulders together both with pleased smiles.

"Feels a lot like winning doesn't it," Alison whispered when Toby smiled at Spencer catching her staring.

"Better," Spencer admitted softly.

Alison smiled and nudged her friend, Spencer came out of her trance and cleared her throat awkwardly.

"Ok, I think you guys have clearly beaten us," Spencer conceded with a rueful smile.

"Rematch," Toby suggested hopefully, someone didn't want to go home Alison mused.

"Only if someone else gets Alison," Spencer groused.

Toby and Emily looked between each other deep in thought for a moment and Alison narrowed her eyebrows dangerously.

"I guess I'll take her," Emily huffed before Alison caught sight of her mermaid's playful little smile.

"Jerk," she whispered as Emily and Spencer swapped sides.

"That was mean," she pouted when Emily resettled next to her.

Emily just smiled and leaned over kissing her pout away.

"I'll always take you, Ali," Emily promised breaking their kiss.

"I didn't say stop," Alison whined pursing her lips at Emily.

The brunette chuckled and kissed her again, Alison gripped the back of Emily's neck and held her in place for a deeper kiss. Lost in her mermaid's mouth Alison barely registered a tiny prick to her cheek, she pulled away breathlessly to examine it and found a letter tile on the rug below her.

"Can we play now?" Spencer asked exasperated and Alison had no doubt she'd be pelted with more tiles if she didn't stop kissing Emily.

"Jealous much," Alison teased and Spencer blushed shifting uncomfortably.

"Ali," Emily scolded gently.

Alison leaned into her mermaid but didn't say anything else as the game began again. It turned out Toby and Spencer were a formidable team and Alison having lost interest in the game long ago wasn't really helping Emily so much as sneaking kisses whenever she could. It was odd how Alison's natural competitive nature was placated and almost completely subdued by Emily. She didn't want to crush Toby and Spencer she didn't even really care for the outcome at all she was just having fun, being in the moment with her friends. It was a nice change.