Just like in Heartbeat I am so unapologetic about writing the two of them this way. I think this dynamic is the shit, and I'm really glad some of you think so too. Thanks to all of you who review, you're all so kind. Still in a writing slump, but I already had this written and thought why not post it. Enjoy!

"Sit down," Alison says quietly and Emily obeys, looking around the room in awe. This wasn't the same room from last night, this looked way more upscale and clean and filled with lavish furniture.

Before Emily opens her mouth to speak, she watches Alison come sit on the couch next to her, her arms crossed over her chest embarrassedly.
(The blonde has never been embarrassed of her nudity so she's not sure why one girl sets her nerves on fire)

"Merry Christmas," Alison greets softly with a trace of a smile on her face.

"Merry Christmas to you too," Emily replies hastily. She just wants to fix things, and the blonde seems to be in a calmer state of mind than when she left last night. "I didn't know you worked today."

"I didn't have anywhere better to be," Alison shrugs and suddenly finds the walls of the room to be more interesting.

"You could've stayed," Emily says so quietly that Alison can barely hear her over the loud sensual music playing.

She carefully glances and sees the obvious discomfort in Emily's face and sees how wistful her eyes are as they focus on her. Alison can't stand to see her so upset.

"I'm sorry I ran out like that, but I meant what I said. I'm no good for someone like you," Alison ruefully tells her.

"Shouldn't I decide that?" Emily asks lightly.

"You're very sweet Emily," Alison says and uncrosses her arms, unable to resist reaching across and holding Emily's hand. "But trust me when I say that it's for the best. You can come visit me here anytime you want-"

"No!" Emily says sharply and Alison jumps at her sudden increase in volume. She almost laughs seeing Emily scare herself with her tone as well. "I don't want to have to come see you here, like this."

She glances at Alison and the blonde once again feels self-conscious, but she can't cover herself up because Emily has a death grip on her hand so she shrinks back a little.

"You don't have to dance around it, you can say you think I'm disgusting. But this is what I have to do to make money," Alison says frustrated.

"I don't think you're disgusting," Emily says exasperated as she runs her free hand through her hair trying to force herself to say what she wants to. "I…I thought I could come here today and…you know…not feel anything…jealousy I guess…but I couldn't. I saw you and…"

Emily has a hard time finishing her thought but Alison thinks she understands.

"Hey, I know what I felt last night was real. Everything that happened, every little touch and kiss or words that I said or did, I meant. And really, I haven't been able to stop thinking about you," she coos softly as she looks sweetly at Em. "What I was doing today with that guy just now was not even the slightest bit real. It's an act I have to follow. So if you felt jealous, at least you should know that I don't treat anyone the way I treated you last night."

"I'm different?"

"You're very different," Alison confirms. "You have to realize how special you are."

"But if I'm so special, why are you pushing me away?" Emily asks, and Alison swears her heart hurts because she can see the vulnerability and confusion painted across Emily's face. She sighs and scoots closer to Emily and pulls her into a hug, rubbing her back softly.

"Because I don't want to hurt you. We come from two completely different backgrounds. You're in school about to graduate with a really useful and impressive degree, and I work in a strip club to pay rent. I'm not good enough for you Emily, I could never be good enough for you," Alison says quietly. "I'm just protecting both of our feelings."

She feels Emily release a shaky sigh onto her shoulder. Truly, the brunette is trying to focus but she can't think about anything when she can feel Alison's hard nipples against her own chest.

"Please just come over," Emily breathes as she lifts her head up a little to speak close to Alison's ear. Her warm breath sounds shivers down Alison's spine and she unknowingly begins to get the blonde hot and bothered.

Alison pulls away and she notices Emily's eyes travel up and down her before struggling to focus on her face.

"Is that such a good idea?"

"Yes, please," Emily begs and Alison stands up only to move to straddle Emily on the couch.

"Okay, fine, but only because it's Christmas and I don't want you to be alone," Alison says warningly but there's a smile on her face. Her resolve has crumbled; she knew last night as she lay in bed that she had to see Emily again- she can't help herself. It's selfish, she tells herself, because she knows she's only trouble for Emily.

She notices the way Emily's eyes have widened and she cocks her head sideways, confused.

"What are we gonna do? Should we pick up food or something?"

"I…uh…Alison," Emily tries to speak.

"You can call me Ali," the blonde tells her quickly.

"Ali…I can't really think when you're on me like this," Emily says embarrassed with flushed cheeks. She really can't concentrate with Alison basically naked and straddling her. But she knows now is not the time to appease the ache between her thighs.

The blonde realizes and laughs lightly as she slides off of Emily. She sheepishly looks at her.

"Sorry-"

"No don't be sorry," Emily says trying to catch her breath again.

"I have to go work a little more, I'm a little short still for today's quota," Alison admits.

"By how much?"

"Just eighty," Alison shrugs.

"I'll just give it to you," Emily says quickly. She knows she doesn't have to watch the blonde do her job, but the idea is unsettling. Just because she's not about to judge Ali for working here doesn't mean she likes the idea.

"I can't take your money," Alison tells her though she wants to just so she can get out and be alone with Emily. "It'll just be a few minutes."

"But I want to," Emily insists. "I brought cash this time. I can afford it."

"So you brought money to actually pay me as a stripper?" Alison asks with quirked eyebrows.

"I brought it incase you needed it," Emily corrects her.

"Is this because you don't want me to go back out there and work? And by work I mean be all over random strangers?"

Emily opens her mouth but she knows she can't lie with the way Alison is looking at her, so she just nods guiltily.

The blonde feels her heart pounding. Sweet Emily couldn't even stand the sight of her with somebody else. In the back of her mind, she knew that wasn't a really great thing, because this is her life, it's all she knows. She hasn't had another job in at least 2 years. But she feels protected by the athletic looking yet gorgeously soft brunette, like she can be anyone she wants to be.

"Well, I think I can make that work this time," Alison gives in and climbs back on top of Emily as she pushes her back into the couch. Emily is stunned as the blonde slides up and down her body to the music, her face teasing with a glint of mischief in her eyes.

Alison grabs the back of her couch and with both knees on either side of Emily, she rocks her hips back and forth across Emily, and her breasts are level with Emily's face.

"Ali…"

"I'm just making sure you get your money's worth," Alison says and Emily smiles but she grabs her hips to stop her movement.

The blonde looks down at her confused.

"You know you're not allowed to touch the stripper right?" she teases but Emily's grip is firm and her eyes are darker than usual with desire.

"I'm not paying you for this," Emily tries to make it clear. "I'm just paying them so you don't have to work any longer than you have to on Christmas. So this isn't necessary."

"Alright," Alison sighs and her body relaxes. But she leans in by Emily's ear. "Trust me, you'll never need to pay me to do this."

She hears the brunette's unsteady breathing and smirks, satisfied.

"So, what does Emily Fields want to do on Christmas Day?"

x

"Don't look so shocked," Alison laughs happily as she pulls a delicious looking cake out of the oven.

"Baking is just the last thing I thought you'd be good at," Emily says as she inhales and smells the delicious aroma of the cooling cake. She watches as Alison mixes a bowl of icing that she made from scratch.

"Here, try some," Ali says with a grin as she lifts the spoon up and cheekily puts some icing on Emily's nose.

"Hey!" Emily laughs as Alison backs away defensively, a playful smile still on her face.

The brunette uses a finger to wipe the icing off and eats it off her finger, in an unknowingly seductive way. "Mmm," Emily moans and briefly closes her eyes. "That is so yummy."

She doesn't see the way Alison has stopped all movement and is staring at her with suddenly dark blue eyes.

"How did you get so good…" Emily's voice trails off as she notices how intensely the blonde is looking at her. It's almost like a predator looking at it's prey, but Emily doesn't feel hunted.

"That was…way too hot to be innocent…"Alison mutters as she puts the bowl down. She has some icing on her fingers and steps closer right up to Emily. The blonde wants so badly for Emily to lick the icing right off her own fingers, but she refrains from being that aggressive.

So instead she brings her own finger up to her mouth and sucks the icing right off, moaning (because damn her icing does taste delicious) and pulls her finger out slowly, watching Emily's pupils become large and her eyes almost black.

"Wanna taste how sweet it is?" Alison asks and if Emily weren't so turned on she would laugh at how stereotypically cheesy they're being.

Emily doesn't speak, she only nods, and Alison leans in and brushes her lips softly against Emily's. The brunette feels heart shaped lips gently graze her own before she leans forward and kisses the blonde with serious intent.

(And it's amazing because she does taste very sweet)

She enjoys the way the blonde's lips move against hers, and she lets her hands slip under her shirt in the back and Alison gasps at the cold touch on her skin. It gives Emily a chance that she takes to slide her tongue into Alison's mouth and the blonde is in a state of pure bliss- the moment is perfect. She wishes someone was there to take a picture.

Alison commits everything about that moment to her memory- the way the room is decorated with warm Christmas colors, the scent of their baking, the fact that it is Christmas day and she's never once enjoyed this holiday until now.

She presses tightly against Emily and loves the way her fingers are gently running up and down her back. It relaxes her and she lets Emily continue to dominate her while kissing, because she knows the brunette needs to feel a little sense of control once in a while. When they break apart their foreheads are still touching as their chests heave and they catch their breath.

Emily opens her eyes to see Alison's still dark ones looking back intensely at her.

"I-"

Before Alison can speak, she hears pounding on the door, again. Emily's heart sinks.

"Is she seriously back for round two?" Alison growls and Emily doesn't know what to do. "And did she have to interrupt right this fucking second?"

"Open the door now!"

Alison recognizes the vicious voice from yesterday and she doesn't even consult Emily before she goes over and throws the door open.

"What did I tell you about leaving Emily alone?" Alison hisses.

"I'm not going to listen to some fucking dirty stripper slut," Paige sneers and Alison's fists clench, ready to take her out.

"Did you follow me?!" Emily asks incredulously as she comes up behind Alison.

"What are you doing hanging out with some whore you picked up? Are you so pathetic that you needed to pay some skank to hang out with you?"

"Don't talk-"

"Did you use all of your daddy's money and give it to her so she could fuck your brains out? Probably because you're too pathetic to talk to anyone else."

"How dare you talk to Emily like that," Alison snarls but she hears Emily simultaneously speak.

"Don't talk about her like that," Emily says at the same time and it doesn't sound terribly threatening, but Alison can see from the way Emily's shaking that the brunette is still afraid of her ex. And so she feels warm inside that the brunette is facing her fears and even standing up for her.

"How would your parents feel if they knew you were wasting your time with a stripper? Imagine the look on Spencer and Hanna's face if you told them."

Emily watches Alison's shoulders slump and that alone is enough incentive for her to step up and defend her. She knows Paige can't hurt her, not with Ali here.

"I'd tell them in a heartbeat that I'm with Alison," Emily says in a steady voice. "But I'd be ashamed to tell anyone if I was with you."

Alison can't help the smile that graces her face, and she doesn't care that she can seriously see fire in Paige's eyes.

"Don't forget that I can break you in seconds," Paige threatens Emily and the blonde pushes the brunette back gently behind her as she stands up straight and steps towards Paige.

"If you threaten Emily one more time I swear to god I'll make you wish you never touched her," Alison says in such a deadly voice that the following silence is thick between the three.

"Emily you just wait," Paige says spitting at Alison. The blonde's temper flares and she lunges forward, shoving Paige into the wall with a hand around her throat.

"I said don't threaten her again," Ali growls in a venomous voice as she grips Paige's throat but she hears a soft voice from behind her begging her to stop.

Reluctantly, she lets go and Paige shoves her backwards.

"Emily's already got you whipped, but I had that bitch on a leash," Paige sneers and it takes everything in Alison to not attack her again but she feels shaking fingers wrap around her wrist and she breathes deeply.

"Stay away," Alison growls and slams the door shut.

"Ali…"

"I'm sorry," she breaks quickly worried that she went too far. She has a temper, but she'd never treat Emily like that.

Emily nods her fingers still wrapped around Ali's wrists and she pulls the blonde flush against her and backs her towards the door until Alison's breath hitches and she sees conflict in Emily's eyes.

"Are you mad?" Ali asks quietly.

"Not mad," Emily admits. "I was just scared when you attacked her-"

"I have a really bad temper, but I would never do that to you," Alison promises with earnest eyes. Emily nods and she truly does believe her.

"No one's ever defended me like that before," Emily tells her softly. "It was nice."

"And you stood up for me, so I guess we helped each other out," Alison says as she wraps her arms around Emily's waist.

"I'm sorry, she ruined our time again," Emily apologizes.

"It's not your fault, and it's not ruined we can still make the best of it," Alison says with an affectionate smile. She watches the corners of Emily's mouth turn upward.

"I thought this was a bad idea," Emily teases and she watches Alison wince as if remembering her thoughts. But before Emily can take it back, Alison just kisses her to cut her off.

"It's the worst idea," Alison whispers on her lips and grabs Emily's shirt near her neck. She pulls the brunette against her as she crashes their lips together. She hears the brunette moan delightfully as Alison maneuvers her tongue in such a way that has the brunette trembling and fidgeting against her.

"I think I can ice the cake now," Alison says with a grin as she pulls away and bounces over to the kitchen.

Emily gazes after her, flustered and completely turned on. Her cheeks are red and Alison laughs gently. "I'm sorry, I want to finish the cake so you can taste it."

She hears Emily grumble something about taste and her eyes widen in surprise but she can't help smiling.

"I'm sorry, did sweet little Emily just make a very dirty sexual reference?"

Emily's cheeks flush an even brighter shade of red.

"No I said I already got a taste of it," she says embarrassed and Alison giggles.

"Oops, thought you said something else," she shrugs.

Emily shakes her head and sits at the counter, watching Alison's precision at making the cake look beautiful.

"You're really good at this," Emily observes.

"Not really, but I baked a lot in our house when I was little because we lived down the street from a bakery and they taught me how to," Alison explains.

"We'll see how it tastes," Emily says and Ali looks up at her with a cheeky expression.

"Oh, we will," Alison winks and Emily tries to laugh but all she can feel is the aching between her legs. She hasn't been with anyone in so long. Besides, Paige was too rough and all about herself, and the girl before her had been when she hardly knew what she was doing.

"Sorry, am I coming on too strong?" Alison asks, noticing Emily's silence.

"No, it's okay, I think it's funny," Emily reassures loving their playful banter. It doesn't feel heavy but it is nice that it was charged with sexual sparks. But she is nervous about being intimate with Alison. Actually, terrified would be a better word.

She doesn't know what the blonde expects. Emily can guess that Alison would be understanding of her lack of experience, but she doesn't want to come off as pathetic or weak.

"Can I ask you a question?" Alison asks her, breaking her train of thoughts. She nods, curious now as to what's on the blonde's mind.

"Just how innocent are you?"

It's as if Alison read her mind and her fears. But as Emily looks at her face closely she knows the blonde isn't asking this as a make or break kind of question. She can recognize the genuine curiosity.

"I've only ever been with two people," Emily admits nervously.

Alison nods. Perfect, so now she feels like an even worse slut.

"Is Paige one of them?"

When Emily nods, Alison feels her fists clench expectedly. "I don't like the idea of her even being able to touch you, much less…ew. What about the other girl? I mean, was it a girl?"

"Yes, her name was Maya, she was my neighbor and she could tell I was into girls so she wanted to explore it with me," Emily explained. "But I didn't really know what I was doing."

"I can't believe a gorgeous girl like you hasn't attracted a ton of people, girls and guys," Alison says shaking her head.

"Thanks," Emily says shyly.

"So you really are quite innocent," Alison says while mulling over that thought.

"What about you?"

"Oh you don't want to know," Alison says but quickly realizes how that sounds. "I mean, I am a stripper."

"So?"

Alison thinks its cute how Emily truly doesn't judge her. She's never met someone more understanding and compassionate.

"I lost my virginity my sophomore year of high school, and then I had two boyfriends after that who I slept with, and then after high school I've had three flings."

"Were they all guys?"

"Yeah," Alison admits. "Is that a turn off?"

"Not really, but you've never been with a girl? Are you even into girls?"

"I've kissed girls at work," Alison says cautiously not wanting to hurt Emily. She knows Emily is sensitive about her job. "But it was part of the act, even though I think girls are so much more beautiful and soft and just much better than guys. And I am most definitely into you."

"So I'm the first girl you've, well, I guess, had a thing with?"

"Yeah, you are," Alison says still surprised at how understanding Emily is being.

"I like that," Emily says with a shy smile.

Alison smiles and cuts her a slice of cake. Emily takes a bite to humor Alison and is shocked at how delicious it is.

"It's so good," Emily says appreciatively as she eats. Alison smiles and puts the rest in a container for the fridge.

"So, is it okay if tonight we sleep together? And I mean it, just really sleep."

"If you're okay with that," Emily answers as she puts the plate down by the sink.

"It's another bad idea, so why not."