Hi guys, sorry for the delay. Just one more chapter to go after this, I promise. To be honest with you, this story, this journey started with what you'll read in this chapter and the next one. I always wanted to see more about the evolution of Alison's character than the one the TV series showed us. There have been some hints of the ending, I hope I didn't make it so obvious. Anyway, thank you for liking this story and the patience you've shown over the years. It means a lot. There will be violence in this chapter, I have no intention to trigger any bad. The chapter starts where the previous one ended. Good reading.
Note: the name of the songs is just the music I want as background for each scene/part of the chapter.
CH 99 - EPIC Part III
[Music: What could have been - Sting ]
*** Taylor's narrative (voice-over) ***
Sooner or later you stop running away from the darkness, you embrace it and then the real scary start. And let me tell you something… it's EPIC
"I'm the monster you created. Are you proud now, mother?"
Taylor asks Claire's body. No response. It makes her smile. The silence. The quiet in the room and mostly, the blood in her hands. Taylor is covert in blood, holding something warm while all she can feel is a chilling cold.
"You ripped my father and my brother away from me, all those I cared about. You took them away from me. They were my heart. It just felt fair to rip out your heart, too. We're even now, mother. How does that feel?"
She says while dropping the warm heart all over the floor. How does that feel? How should she feel? Taylor has no clue. Could it be the adrenaline of the moment? Is she in shock? Is she worried about the consequences of what she did? No…
"You're the first one who broke me and left these pieces of me. But, you're not the only one who has hurt me. And more than anything, I want to hurt like I was hurt. I want them to lose everything like I lost it. And, I want everyone to remember what could have been if they just would have just let me be…"
There's a strong determination in Taylor to continue and expand this path of blood and revenge. She leaves the crime scene and hides in the darkness of the night. It's a quiet night, it's always calm before the storm and no one knows what kind of storm will hit Rosewood when the next day, Taylor walks into the DiLaurentis house, with quite an appetite for destruction. The moment she enters the warm home, she feels sick and angry with all the happy pictures around the place. Her madness goes to new levels now that she sees what she will never have.
"Betty, you don't deserve any of this…"
Taylor mumbles, gripping hard on the paper knife she still holds in her bloody hands. More than anything, she wants to nail that sharp blade in her nemesis, Betty DiLaurentis, just like she did it with her own mother, but, as fate would have it, there's no one at home. Looking at the hour, the kids must be already in the school and the mothers in their jobs.
Rosewood high school, that's where Taylor plans to go next when Pepe, the loyal guardian of the home, angrily barks at her.
"Easy there, you're not the one I'm after"
She really has no intentions to kill the dog and that's the main reason she runs away from him and towards the first room she sees open. The hot pursuit starts, and it's impressive to watch Pepe's transformation. From a cute, tender dog to this beast which could be able to kill, if it must. Pepe's resilient, but Taylor is faster to close the door before the dog could get into the room too. The door shakes as Pepe continues to bark and try to reach the devious intruder.
"You have determination, I'll give you that…"
Taylor says, amused by the constant barking of Pepe against the locked door. But as amusing as this might be, she has no time to waste, she has somewhere to go, so, Taylor's 1st task of the day is looking for a window to get out of that house in order to look for Betty at the school. And looking around, her eyes lie on what she believes is destiny.
"Well, well, well… isn't this nice?"
Taylor's devil smile gets more malicious than ever when she stands in front of Emily's weapons. Heritage from her father, she keeps them under key and full display in her studio. The brunette accepted them as a gift under the thought of using them to keep her family safe. What a wicked twist of fate will be to give them the exact opposite use. Taylor feels lucky today. Contrary to another lady in town, who's just shocked to find Claire's dead body in the Rosewood hotel: Mona Vanderwaal. The little brunette was hoping to get a word with Claire but, it looks like she arrived too late.
Mona should be scared and even yelling out of fear like the cleaning lady who let her in and ran away as soon as they saw the blood. A very normal reaction that Mona doesn't dare to have right now in front of the bloody scene in front of her. It's pure madness what happened in this room, and sadly, Mona knows pretty well the source of that madness…
"Oh, Taylor, what did you do…?"
Mona mumbles the name of whom she believes it's the culprit of this murder. And, she feels so sad and angry because…
"I thought I could protect you. I thought I could shield you from any evil that might come your way. How stupid I was to believe I was doing you any favor by bringing you here, to Rosewood? I'm sorry Taylor… I never wanted this for you. But, even if the whole world decides to throw rocks at you because of this. I'll protect you like no one did it for me back then"
Another girl who gets mad in this town. It's nothing new. A mad pattern Rosewood keeps repeating over and over. But, contrary to the previous evils that this town has faced, this might be like releasing hell on Earth.
*** Wayne's narrative (voice-over) ***
Hell… We create our own hell. We create and feed the monsters who haunt us. We unleash Evils on our world without thinking about the consequences of it. The things we do. The things we say. It all matters. Everything matters, and not many people get the chance to realize that till it's too late to do something about it…
"Fight! Fight! Fight!"
First thing in the morning, Emily is not surprised to deal with a fight between students, what she's surprised of, it's that it was a fight between her two boys.
"Wayne, Enzo, what the hell happened?"
The two brothers look at each other without saying a word. But, the look of disapproval from Enzo, it says more than a thousand words. He's upset, he's pissed because Wayne shows no intentions on coming clean about what happened at prom. And, somehow, Enzo thought he could kick out the good sense in his brother by force, but it didn't work.
"You're seniors! You cannot afford a suspension or worse, an expulsion right now! What were you thinking?!"
Emily sighs, frustrated by the silence of the boys who refuse to say a word. They might have nothing to say, but their brunette mother has plenty to say…
"You are so close to leaving and following your dreams that I don't understand how and why you would put your future in jeopardy, for what? Teen drama? What am I missing here?"
Again, silence from the two teens. Emily sighs, feeling frustrated. It seems that the drama that started last night will continue in their lives. Anyway, they left Emily's office with a warning notice, it was the lower sanction they could get and they know Emily expects this will be the last time she will see any one of them fighting on the hallways of the school and for what it's worth, the next fight of the day, it didn't happen in the hallways of the school but in the locker room, when Wayne lost his temper again and this time, he broke the nose of a member of the swimming team.
"Wayne DiLaurentis-Fields! What the hell is wrong with you today?!"
The golden boy of the family stays in silence as he gets scolded for the 2nd time in the same day by the principal of the school who's also his dear mother.
"First, you fight with Enzo and then, you get into a fight with Tommy?! He's your friend…"
"Who I just picked, selling photos of you in your swimsuit!"
"What?!"
The room gets very quiet now that the main reason for the second fight is in the open. Emily has confiscated pictures of her from other students, she never knew the source of them till now. And, it feels quite obvious now that one member of the swimming team was involved in taking those pictures. The brunette has no idea what to say next, thankfully the first mother who arrives to deal with the messy fight, has plenty to say. Especially when her eyes catch a glimpse of the photos Wayne took away from the other student, Tommy.
"Damn, you look hot in these pictures, mermaid"
"MOM!"
"ALI!"
Alison smirks, teasing Wayne and Emily is priceless. Soon, Tommy's mom arrives too and the mood in the room gets more serious.
"This is not like him. He's acting out of character"
"I agree Ms. Fields, My boy, Tommy did wrong but, he didn't deserve to end with a broken nose either…"
Emily nods, she agrees that this went out of control. And, she wonders what Alison has to say about it and it's nothing. Alison just raises an eyebrow to Emily, playing the card 'it's your turn to be the bad cop', and that's the main reason why the blonde stays quiet and waits to see what Emily is going to do about all this big mess. To Alison's surprise, Emily doesn't give another free card to one of their children. Wayne and Tom get dismissed from the swimming team immediately. Which means that the golden boy of the DiLaurentis-Fields family will not be able to compete for the state championship that was going to happen this afternoon.
"This is not fair! You cannot do this! I'm the anchor, mom! This is my last chance to break the state record!"
"Wayne, as your Principal. Your coach. This decision is not something I take lightly. But, I condemn any kind of violence in this school. You know that. I'm sorry son, you didn't leave me another choice"
"I've been training for months so I could break the state record today, in the competition!"
"Well, you should have thought about that before breaking the nose of one of your team members!"
"He saw it coming!"
"Wayne! What is wrong with you?! Do you want detention too?"
Wayne says nothing more and gets out of the office. His bad attitude might cost him some hours of detention, but he doesn't seem to care at all. Tommy also gets detention and he's sent directly to the infirmary so someone can check on that nasty broken nose he got. He apologizes for the pictures one more time and he even gives over all the pictures he had in his possession, which were a lot, to Emily's shock. Without saying more, Tommy's mother drags him out of Emily's office, leaving behind a very shocked Emily and a very amused Alison.
"I don't get why are you smiling, right now, Ali"
"Well. What can I say? The kid has a good eye. Damn, these photos are good! They'll be a great addition to my collection"
"Collection? What collection?! You've a collection of me?"
"You look surprised for some reason…"
"Well, I… ahmm…"
Alison smiles, she loves how shy and flushed mess she can make of Emily. It's always a turn on for the blonde, and that's why Alison wastes no time flipping the tall brunette against the desk while her hands roam between Emily's legs.
"Ali… we're at the school and you were supposed to be angry with me"
"And, when has that stopped me before?"
Alison whispers in Emily's ear. Hot, so hot gets the air in the office that soon, they get steamy windows. Kinky moments like this one, it's what makes Emily fall in love with her wife even more.
"ALI! ALI! I'm…."
Drenched in sweat, Emily mumbles Alison's name as a prayer between orgasms. She's not a Saint but, God! She knows how to respond to Emily's prayers. And, more than that, Alison knows the exact moment Emily feels in heaven when her 3rd climax in a row arrives. The blonde has a big smile on her face, as the view she has right now, it's all she lives for.
"You're so beautiful when you cum, mermaid. How did I get so lucky?"
"I'm the lucky one"
They smile at each other as they lock eyes. There's so much love between them. They don't feel the need to say it, they know it's there as their lips find each other, over and over. The reason to stay angry at each other is soon forgotten between kisses. Time stops, all their arguing and fights stop that moment till they hear a noise.
"What is that?"
Alison asks, and when they hear it again, Emily's eyes get bigger from shock because…
"Crap! It's my alarm, I've to go. The competition is today, I need to make sure the team is on the bus in 10' so we will not be late"
"I can do plenty in ten minutes…"
Alison says with a sassy tone. She's up for the challenge and Emily would love to stay for another round, but she has responsibilities. In a rush, the mermaid is ready to swim her way out of the office but, before she leaves, she turns around and looks Alison in the eyes. There's so much she wants to say. They need to talk about them, about their kids, about their last fight. So much to say and in the end, Emily just asks…
"We're gonna be okay, right?"
Alison gives her a tender smile and replies.
"Of course, mermaid"
Emily smiles, she walks away without blowing a kiss or saying "I love you'. Something she will regret later. After all, nothing haunts us like the things we didn't say. And, just like Emily, there's another DiLaurentis who has been keeping things to himself…
Wayne sighs, he watches from afar the bus leaving for the swimming competition where he was supposed to be the star. All his life, he has followed the rules, he has been perfect! Then why one mistake, one slip cost him everything?! He doesn't get it. He wants to blame his damn luck for this turn of events, but there's no one else to blame than himself and if he's not able to see it, someone else is going to point it out for him.
"You screwed up, big time. I'm supposed to be the troubled kid in our family, you know? That's my role not yours"
Wayne rolls his eyes, the last thing he needs right now, it's to get into a 3rd fight on the same day. Sadly for him, Betty, his little sister, thinks quite the opposite. She believes that he needs to storm out all his anger and frustration right now. And, she knows what button to push to force him to vent.
"This could ruin the next four to five years of your life, Wayne. What were you thinking?"
"Shut up, Betty! As if you care about my future! Leave me alone, Betty. I don't want to talk about it, especially with you!"
"Well too bad, because what you need is to talk, especially with me!"
"And, why's that?!"
Betty stops walking, for a brief moment, she hesitates on letting Wayne walk away. But, can they really walk away from this? Can they walk away from what Veronica makes them feel? She knows she can't. Betty has tried really hard to push away this feeling, but it was a losing battle from day one. And she needs to know if for Wayne, it's the same crushing feeling that doesn't let room for anything else. Because if they both love the young Hastings the same way, if the two of them are madly in love with the same girl. Then, they need to talk about it because…
"You're not alone…"
Wayne frowns, he has no idea what she means and that's why he stops walking and turns around and stares at her with a puzzled look.
"You're not alone, Wayne. On whatever you're dealing with, after what happened at prom. You're not alone. I feel it too. I feel crushed. Stupid. And, mostly angry with myself to let Veronica in just so she could break my heart, so easily"
They stare at each other, neither of them knows what else to say. They are a few meters away in one of the largest hallways of the school and yet, they were never this close. Between all the DiLaurentis kids, these two have always acted like oil & water. They never tag well. They never share the same point of view. They are so different and yet, they will always share the same feeling: regret. A big regret that comes to life, the moment they hear the first shooting.
*** Betty's narrative (voice-over) ***
"I had a terrible day." We say it all the time. A fight with your BFF, the stomach flu, exams... That's what we describe as terrible when nothing terrible is happening…
"What was that?!"
"Shooting! Someone brought a gun to the school"
"WHAT?!"
"C'mon Betty! Let's go! We need to hide!"
*** Betty's narrative (voice-over) ***
And when the really terrible things happen, when you're smack dab in the middle of it, we start begging a God we don't believe in to bring back the little silly horrors and take away this…
"Wayne…."
"Shhh…. quiet…"
"I-I'm scared…"
They are hiding in the library, they are not the only ones hidden there. Looking around, there are some other kids, some of them are bleeding. It's hard to watch.
They've done drills for situations like this one so many times and yet, they don't feel prepared to deal with what is happening right now. It's shocking and terrifying.
"Wayne…"
They lock eyes, and Betty doesn't need to say another word. She's afraid and Wayne is scared too. He could pee himself right now, but he takes deep breaths and softly holds his sister's hands to calm her down. When was the last time he held her hands? He doesn't remember, but he just hopes this will not be the last time.
"It seems quaint now, doesn't it?"
"What?"
"Our fallout… our constant fighting…"
Wayne doesn't know what to say. He cannot make sense of their constant fighting neither of the reasons why he cannot remember the last time he held his little sister's hands. They're so soft and fragile. A tiny smile forms in Wayne when he recalls an old memory of them, when they were little. And, he decides this is the best moment to share that memory. To get their mind away from this madness.
"You used to cling on me in the pool…"
"What? What are you talking about?"
"From an early age, you've always been smart enough to read the situation that presents itself in front of you. So, as soon as you realized that between your three big brothers, I was the best swimmer, you didn't hesitate to cling on me in the pool…"
"Well, yeah, I didn't want to sink…"
They both chuckle. Recalling old times, it makes them remember that regardless of the drama around their lives. In the end, if they stick together, they will never sink.
"Well then, just cling on me one more time. And, I promise I'll not let you sink"
Betty smiles. Wayne smiles too. Just like back then, Wayne doesn't plan to let her drown but…
"Betty! Show your face or I'll kill everyone in this damn school!"
Their eyes get bigger of shock when they recognize the owner of that mad voice.
"It's Taylor… she's looking for me…"
Betty mumbles. Finally, Alison's warnings hit her hard and fast. This is it, this is the moment karma makes her pay for her horrible behavior against people like Taylor. And contrary to what many people might think, she's going to face the music alone.
"This is on me, I…"
"I was the one who called her mother…"
"What? What are you talking about, Wayne?"
"It was me. I asked Hayley to look into Taylor's past and even when Enzo asked me to do nothing with the information we found, I brought her mother into the town. All the drama of Taylor at prom, it was my fault, and I let you take the blame for it…"
"Why?!"
Wayne asks himself that same question. Why and mostly, what he thought he would get from it? Looking for a reason to justify his actions feels hollow right now, so he just speaks what's in his heart.
"I… I don't have an excuse. Taylor hurt Veronica and I wanted to hurt her too. And about letting you take the blame for it, well… after prom, I was so angry with you, I was so hurt that…"
"You wanted to hurt me too because of what happened with Veronica…"
"Yeah…"
He looks down, he doesn't dare to look her in the eyes. How can he? He messed up big time. He knows it. Betty knows it and yet, the blonde teen doesn't seem upset at all. She even laughs, looking amused with it as she says with a big smirk…
"Well, it seems that we're more alike than what we thought. Well played, bro, respect. I didn't see that coming…"
He frowns and looks at her with a serious look. This is not funny, this is far to be funny and yet, somehow, Betty's response to his confession has taken away a big weight out of his shoulders.
"She hurt me too, you know? Veronica kissed the two of us the same night. I didn't know she was your date for prom…"
"I didn't know you were more than friends…"
"Neither did I… I just…" (sighs) "I didn't want to admit I could like girls, you know?"
Wayne feels like crap now. Did he force her to come out? He cannot imagine the struggle that Betty must have felt. And, she had to deal with that alone? Betty doesn't open with anyone. Contrary to the rest of the siblings, she never felt safe to confide in one of them. Wayne always thought it was Betty's fault, for being the way she's but, now that he thinks about it, when was the last time he talked with her like right now? Well, it's simple: Never…
He always felt proud to act like the big brother who kept it all together and yet, recalling the old days, he recalls being the leader in the playground who always left Betty looked at them from afar. She probably wanted to play with them too, but she didn't know how to approach and Wayne, as her big brother, failed to notice it. He failed to extend his hand and reach out. He failed to notice she was struggling with her sexuality and be there for her. And, he feels anger again, but this time, he's angry with himself.
He calls himself the big brother of the family and yet, he hasn't acted like it with Betty. But, that ends now, this time, he will extend his hand and really be there for her but just like before he will fail to reach out because Betty steps back, she gets up and ready to do the unimaginable.
She gives him a smile that feels like a goodbye, and Wayen's eyes get bigger from fear.
"Betty, don't even think about it!"
Wayne mumbles with a shaking voice. He's already scared of the stupid idea that might be running inside's Betty's head. But, the screams don't stop. The shooting doesn't stop, and recalling her previous talks with Alison, Betty takes the decision to face the monster she helped to create.
"Betty. Stay with me, please'
Wayne extends his hand for her to take. He wants to protect her, he can protect her, Betty knows that but…
"You know, Wayne. I have been talking with mamma. About her past. About regrets. About how one bad decision can bring the worst in others. And, I think she finally got some sense knocked into me after all those talks"
Betty smiles, she can hear Alison's voice in her mind, telling her 'I told you so…' . Yeah, she did and yet, she didn't pay attention to the warning till it's too late to do anything about it. Anyway, there's no way to go back in time and change a thing. There's nothing Betty can say to make this better. All she can say it's…
"I'm flawed"
"What? What are you talking about?"
"I've flaws, Wayne. I'm human and as long as I live, I'll make a lot of mistakes and by consequences, I'll definitely have plenty of regrets. And, just like mamma, I will have to find a way to make peace with them. But, you know what? Staying hidden while others get hurt because she's after me, it will not be one of those regrets!"
Wayne wants to protest, he wants to say something to stop her but, let's face it, when has Betty ever listened to him? Never and today will not be any different. So, he just watches how he miserably fails to hold her hand one more time. Her hands slip away from his reach when she rushes to the door and leaves the library. She's out there, facing the danger and he's still there. Hiding and looking in shock at his hands. The hands that triggered the worst in Taylor. The hands that failed to reach Betty. The hands which feel full of regret, especially when he realizes something very important.
"I didn't tell her I'm sorry…"
He looks at the door that his little sister bravely crossed, and he says with a stronger voice.
"Betty, I didn't tell you, I'm sorry…"
Just like Betty, he decides at that moment what would not be another regret for him and against any logic, against any plan, he runs after his sister, to let her know how sorry he's.
*** Alice's narrative (voice-over) ***
Choices. Human life is made up of choices. Yes or no. In or out. Up or down. Hate or love. Be a hero or a coward. Fight your demons or give in. Live or die… it matters. All our choices matter. How you act today, matters. But sadly, it's not always in our hands the outcome of our choices. Especially when fate is not on your side…
"Ha! There you're, Betty!"
Taylor happily says when she opens the door of a closet and finds two scared girls that were hiding.
"Don't shoot! She's Alice! She's Alice!"
Robin screams with fear in her voice when Taylor points out the gun over Betty's twin. Both girls were hiding in the janitor's closet that's in the middle of the central hallway. They were already inside the tiny room before the shooting even started. It was their secret spot to make out, their little secret place till they ran out of luck and Taylor found them.
The young Hastings feels so guilty for getting caught. Especially because she was the one who got nervous and dropped some cleaning products by accident. The noise was minimal but enough to catch Taylor's attention. If it wasn't for her, Taylor wouldn't have heard them and Alice's life wouldn't be at risk. So hell yeah! Robin will be till the impossible to keep alive the girl she loves.
"Please, don't shoot!"
Taylor deviously smiles when both girls beg for mercy. Deep down, Taylor knows that she's not Betty and yet, she's more than ready to pull the trigger till someone tackles her down, from nowhere.
"Betty!"
Alice smiles when she sees her twin in action. This is not the first time the supposed evil twin stands up for her but, will it be the last one?
"Betty!"
"Get her out of here, Robin! NOW!"
Robin nods and she drags Alice with her, leaving Betty and Taylor behind. They hear a shot, but they don't look back nor stop running. They keep going without a real destination. Without really watching up, till they make a turn and collide with someone. Their first reaction is to scream, they're scared to death till they realize who's standing in front of them.
"Mamma!"
Alice rushes to Alison's arms. The blonde mother was in her car, ready to leave the school when the chaos started. Of course Alison's first impulse was to run towards the danger, and she's glad that she did it, so she could hug one of her kids, one more time. Alice clings to her while she sobs.
"It's okay, sweetheart. You're safe. I know a way to get you out of the school without being seen…"
Yeah, years of practice, Alison knows the best secret passage to get in & out of the school. Alice & Robin will be safe and sound soon. Alice feels safe already, and Alison holds her with so much love. The blonde mother softly kisses the head of her little girl, while whispering to her that everything is gonna be okay. Alison has no way to ensure that all will be okay and yet, Alice believes every one of her words. After all, if there's someone who's capable of facing the devil in person and getting away with it, it's Alison DiLaurentis, the one and only real Queen Bee of Rosewood.
*** Alison's narrative (voice-over) ***
When I was younger, I never thought love was a good thing. I didn't have it in me to love or be loved. Love felt like a two edged-sword that sooner or later would get me hurt. And, maybe I wasn't wrong about that. Love hurts. I've gotten hurt because of Love so many times. And yet, if I had to do it all over again. I wouldn't change a thing... not, even what will happen next…
"I'm sorry, Taylor…"
"You'll be!"
Taylor angrily says as she points the gun to an injured Betty. During their struggle, a bullet reached Betty's leg, and that was the upper hand that Taylor needed to finally have Betty DiLaurentis on the ground, at her mercy.
"This is justice, Betty!"
"Justice? How can you call this justice?! This is an execution! I can understand why you want to kill me, but why kill other students too?!"
"They weren't saints either…"
"No one is! We're teens, we screw up all the time! That doesn't mean we must die because of it!"
"Shut up! I'll finally put an end to the terror you've generated in this school, Betty, right now!"
"Ironic, don't you think? I believe in one day, you've generated more terror than all my years in high school"
"SHUT UP!"
She and her big mouth will probably get her killed. It's what the young DiLaurentis thinks while she lies down on the floor, with her leg bleeding and the hands up. 'This is it…' Betty says to herself. There were so many things she wanted to do. So many amends. Will she go to hell or heaven after this? Does she even believe in heaven & hell? Betty wonders till she hears once again, Taylor yelling at her with so much rage. She's shaking with rage and Betty should be scared to death because of it and yet, all she feels is deep sorrow.
Would it have helped if she could see what else was coming? Would she have known that being cruel and mean would wake up the worst in others? This is a complete mess and there's nothing else she can say than…
"I'm really sorry…"
She's sorry for pushing Taylor to her limits. She's so sorry for not being able to do better. To be better. There's not much to do besides looking at the empty hallway and finding no trace of Alice or Robin anywhere around. 'At least, they're safe. That's enough, right?' It's what Betty thinks when she closes her eyes, waiting to hear the shot that might end her life for good but, before she could hear another blast, she hears the voice of the last person she expected to hear right now.
"You better don't pull that trigger young lady. If you think my daughter has made your life a living hell. You've no idea what I'm capable to do to you if you pull that trigger, right now!"
"Mom?!"
Once again, the Queen Bee, Alison DiLaurentis, walks in the hallways of Rosewood school. Looking so confident, so sharp and so terrifying like when she was a teenager. Some things never change, like Alison's capacity to disarm anyone with nothing more than a lethal look. One gaze towards the formidable Queen Bee, it's all what Taylor needed to feel weak and hesitant.
"D-d-do not get any closer!"
Taylor stutters for a reason she doesn't understand. Is she scared of Betty's mother? Well, she doesn't think so and yet, her body speaks for herself. She's swearing, her shaking increases and she doesn't feel so confident and powerful like before, even if she's still the one who's holding the gun. Alison is the one who should be scared! And it pisses Taylor off that it's actually the opposite. She's the one scared. Not Alison. Not even when Taylor points the gun directly to Alison's heart.
"I said: do not get any closer!"
This time, she doesn't stutter. For a brief moment, Taylor's confidence is back when she tries to win back the power and control of the situation. But, it's too late. Alison is standing in front of her, and without any effort, she disarms Taylor with just one hand. The gun flies in the air and drops far away from them. Showing who really holds the power here. In just a second, Alison was able to control the situation till someone else picks the weapon from the floor and tries to control the situation so easily, just like Alison did.
"Wayne, what are you doing? Drop that gun, now!"
Alison gives an order and expects Wayne to obey her, but the teen is not himself right now. He's a mess, especially because…
"She… she killed Tommy"
Wayne says, tears falling from his eyes as the memory of the body he found in his way towards them comes back to life. Tommy shouldn't have to be there in the first place. He would be on the bus with the rest of the swim team If it wasn't for Wayne, It's because of him that Tommy stood in the school in the first place. Wayne feels responsible for his death now. He feels responsible for all of this and yet, he has all the intentions to hold Taylor responsible for this guilt he's feeling right now.
"Wayne… don't do something stupid, son, please put that gun down"
Alison tries to reach him with words, but she knows that look. That sadness, that rage in his eyes. Alison has seen it before. In herself the day she killed Cece, aka -A. Alison let her anger take control of herself that day, just like Wayne is doing now. So, she knows what will happen next. Probably that's why her body moves even before her brain can register what is happening and what is gonna happen.
*** Alison's narrative (voice-over) ***
I wish I could tell you that this ends differently…
"Wayne! NO!"
(Sounds of gunshoots)
"Mamma! NOOOOO!"
*** Alison's narrative (voice-over) ***
But, the truth is that if I had to do it all over again. I wouldn't change a thing... not, even what happened today…
"Turn the bus right now!"
"I can't!"
In the bus, almost out of town, Emily yells to the driver as soon as she gets the alert on her phone about what is happening in the school. In her school. Emily was on the bus with the swimming team when the phones started to ring. She didn't want to believe it at first and as risky as it might be to go back, she must do it. Her students, her kids are in the school. Her entire life is at risk and when she calls Alison and goes directly to the mailbox, her fear increases to a new level.
"Ali… you're still there?"
Emily talks to herself and the memory of Alison in her office at the school is the only thing Emily has in her mind when she makes the bus stop in the middle of the road so she can get out and run her way back to the school. She runs like never before. She needs to go back soon, she has a bad feeling she cannot explain, a fear linked with….
"Alison…"
Mona mumbles the name of the bleeding blonde she sees in the distance. Just like Alison, Mona found her way to pass through the lockdown at the school and find the kids. Mona wasn't sure what she would find inside but, from all the possible scenarios, this one was never foreseen: Alison, taking a bullet instead of Taylor. No one believes it, no one, especially the boy who shot the gun in the first place.
"Mamma!"
Wayne drops the gun and knees close to her, regret written all over his face. He didn't mean to, he didn't want to and yet, he hurt one of the most important people in his life.
"It's gonna be okay, Wayne. Do not worry, I'm gonna be okay…"
Alison mumbles the lie with a forced smile, she has been on the edge of death enough times to know this is bad, really bad.
"Whatever happens next. There's greatness in you, both of you. It's never too late to do better. To be better. Never forget that…"
Her kids start to cry like little babies. Alison does her best to calm them down and stay awake, but it's a hard task to get done since she's losing a lot of blood and fast.
Wayne and Betty are not the only ones taken by the situation. Taylor is also shocked. Someone saved her life, someone put her life at risk for her and she cannot understand why.
"I didn't mean to shoot you, mom. I didn't mean to kill you, I…"
"Sshh, Wayne, you will not kill me, okay? This was a mistake and I hope you never make this kind of mistake again, okay?"
"Yes…"
"Promise me…"
"I… I promise"
The three teens have seen plenty of blood today and yet, for some reason, seeing Alison bleeding to death shock them to their core. Taylor, Betty and Wayne are in shock, they don't move, they don't know what to do next but Alison and Mona know.
Mona approaches from behind and she's close enough to lock eyes with Alison. Not one of them says a word and yet, a big conversation is happening between these two antagonists. With a sigh and lots of resignation, Mona understands what is the role she must play in all of this. She takes the forgotten gun and gets the kids out of their trance when she announces herself as the new threat.
"Mona!"
"Taylor, not a word! And, you two, leave now or I'll shoot you!"
"NO!"
Betty angrily replies and tries to stand in front of her mother, acting like a shield but, she fails miserable as her injured leg is not responding. Her brother notices her struggle and rushes towards her and becomes her main support. Betty is stubborn, she will not leave just because Mona is pointing a gun at them, so Alison has to do something.
"Wayne, take your sister and go…"
Alison gives the instruction and the boy doesn't move, he registers the words but his body doesn't move. So, the blonde repeats the command, before it's too late, they need to run away, Wayne and Betty have to run away. She doesn't want them here, when she will pass out…
"Mom, I.."
"I love you. I love you, both. And, I will not die from your shot, I promise. Now, I need you to leave with your sister, she needs help…"
"You need help, too!"
"I will wait for the help here, please Wayne, just go…"
Wayne gulps hard, he never thought his actions would lead them to this. Neither Betty. No one saw this coming. He has always looked strong in any situation, but right now, he's just a little boy, scared to move, scared to breathe. Still paralyzed by the fear, Alison gives him the little push he needs.
"It's okay, son. I'm not going anywhere, I promise…"
"Mamma!"
"Do not argue, Wayne. Betty is hurt, take her and leave!"
He cannot undo what is done but, he can do his best to bring Betty to safety and bring help for Alison. He can still save the day, it's what Wayne is thinking when he takes Betty in his arms and runs away, not before hearing Alison's last words to them.
"I love you and you will always be the best part of me, the rest of my life..."
Wayne sobs, tears blurring his view as he runs away while Alison stays behind. With them gone, it just rests one teen to deal with. And, Mona hits Taylor in the head, hard enough to knock her out. Now, alone, just the two of them, Mona kneels beside the blonde who a long time ago was her tormentor, her reason to hate this world. They both smile at each other with sympathy, the hate, the resentment that was once between them is no longer present right now. All that Mona feels is a big sadness for what she might have to do and doesn't want to.
"Just finish me, Mona"
"This isn't right, Alison"
"A mother protecting her child from the burden of killing someone, I'd say it's exactly right"
"You can wait for the paramedics to arrive"
"We both know I'll not last that long, I can feel it, Mona. Please, Wayne cannot carry the burden of my death"
"But, I can?"
They say nothing for a few minutes, they just share a look that reflects so many feelings, emotions. Mona looks down and sighs when she mumbles…
"Why does it have to end like this?"
"Because they are just kids. And, I just saved yours, so please return the favor and save my kid from the guilt of killing me, please?"
"I'll not go to jail for killing you…"
"I don't expect you to do it. You were planning to run away and vanish with Taylor anyway, right?"
"I can reach her, I can still save her…"
Alison sighs, she's too tired, too weak to bring some reason into Mona. Taylor crossed today a line that's hard to forget. Mona might not want to acknowledge it now, but she will, eventually. Alison is sure of that.
"Look, I'm no one to tell you what is the best for Taylor, I haven't lived an honorable life, you know that better than anyone else. But, doing this, taking her darkness away so no one else is afflicted by it, it's not something you can do alone. You will need help. She needs help"
Mona sighs, deep down, she knows Alison is right, but it's a hard thing to hear and more to accept.
"It's funny how the way of the world is. This started with the two of us and it will end with the two of us, too…"
"Yeah, this ends with us. Make sure of that, okay?"
"I'll do my best"
Mona says as she stands up and her shaking hand stays stiff holding the gun which is directly pointed at Alison's heart. The blonde has no intention to dodge the bullet, on the contrary, she doesn't hesitate to stay stiff so the bullet can reach her. Her physical heart might get hurt today, but the blonde is okay with it, because what matters, it's to keep her real heart, her kids, safe.
Mona will be blamed for her death and both of them are okay with it. But, before pulling the trigger, Mona has something to say…
"You're wrong, Alison. You're and will be the most honorable person I'll ever meet. There's nothing more honorable than the choices you took, especially today"
Alison smiles, and it's with a smile that she gets ready for the end of this epic journey. And, while she waits for the definite end. Wayne runs as fast as he can in the hallways of the school, he could go faster if it wasn't for Betty who's fighting him to go back, to turn around and go back because…
"Mamma needs us!"
"She told us to run, Betty! You're bleeding! You need help! We will bring help, too!"
Is it the blood loss or the adrenaline of the moment? Betty doesn't know, she just knows she's struggling to stay awake, she's fainting and yet, she wants to jump out from her brother's arms and go back where her mother is, she doesn't want to leave Alison behind. Not now that the danger is imminent, not now when she has so many things to say to her.
A heart to heart talk, they have had many and yet, Betty cannot shake the feeling that she has so many things to say to Alison. Things like 'I love you!' 'I'm sorry!' 'I need you!' 'You were right!' God knows Alison would love to hear that last one but, will she be able to hear it? Betty has a bad feeling. So many things she needs to say, so many things she needs Alison to hear. She cannot wait to get the chance to do it, so she needs to get back NOW!
"Betty, stop moving! Stop…"
Her coach, her mother always says to him: 'Don't look back' just move forward. He does that every time he dives in the pool. He doesn't look back at his competitors. He never looked back while moving forwards and as hard as it was, right now, he needed to do the same even if caring Betty was becoming a hard task when the teen blonde wanted to be out of his arms. For a moment, Wayne wondered if he should just put her down and let her do what she wanted, but then, they heard it, the big 'Boom' that comes when you shoot a gun.
"MAMMA!"
Betty screams, and Wayne, he just holds her tighter, running faster than ever in the opposite direction of the gunshot.
"Mamma! NOOOOO! NO! Let me go, Wayne! Let me go back! Let's go back! Please!"
Struggling with getting on her feet, Betty cries in the arms of her big brother, but, no matter how much she struggles, he will not let her go. He will keep holding her in his arms as if his life depends on it. 'Run... Run Wayne…' the voice of Alison saying those words was the only thing Wayne was able to hear in his head right now, he keeps running towards the exit of the school, tears running in his eyes while Betty cries too. And, while they are rushing to get out of the school, another person is trying to do exactly the opposite.
"Ma'am, please! You need to understand, you can't walk in! The school is in lockdown!"
Outside the school, a policeman is trying to make Emily understand she cannot walk in. And, the brunette understands the protocol, she understands the risks of the situation they are living in right now but…
"My kids are inside! My students! My school needs me!"
She doesn't mention Alison's name but, the blonde is her bigger concern for a reason she cannot understand. The officer tries his best to make Emily understand that the best she can do is to stay out of it, but nothing will stop her to step in, especially when she sees two of her kids getting out of the school. She approaches as soon as she sees Betty' bleeding leg.
"OMG! Wayne! Betty! What happened?!"
There were already paramedics in the zone, soon someone is taking care of Betty and as her mother, Emily should stay with her, with Wayne and make sure they're okay but, the moment she hears: Mona, gun, Alison bleeding. That's all Emily needed to hear to fight her way inside the school.
"Ma'am, please!"
Despite the efforts of the policeman, the mermaid slides her way in and runs towards what she fears the most.
*** Alison's narrative (voice-over) ***
We care... we love... we mess up. We do so much damage to this world, to those who are close to us. We wonder more than once how to make it right. How to erase all the pain, all the mistakes. Well… you can't. You will not. But if you're willing to do the work, if you're willing to do better, be better, then, you can get the chance to help, to be good and more than good, to be a hero… their hero...
The impact of the bullet was painful, it was unbearable. It knocked the air out of her lungs in a second, and in that same second, Alison saw her entire life replaying in front of her eyes. The kissing rock, kissing Emily for the first time. Falling in love with the shy brunette, the lovely mermaid who became her everything, giving her everything she wanted and more. Love, kids, a happy life. With its up & down, but, happy in the end. A life full of memories, a life full of…
"Emily…"
Alison mumbles the name of the person she loves the most in this world. The pain in her chest is gone, as she paints the floor with more blood. It's not a good sign to not feel pain, she knows it, but it's okay because right now, all her senses are overwhelmed by the sweet love she feels for Emily. Her sweet Emily who loved her against reason, against promise, against peace, against hope, against all discouragement that could be, the mermaid simply gave her the one thing she never expected to have: unconditional love.
Yes, the mermaid loved the Queen Bee. The mean girl, the one who was selfish, evil, twisted. The Queen Bee who messed up, badly, many times. Causing so much pain, creating so many evils around them. The Queen Bee who rose from the ashes like a phoenix when she finally let Love in. Because with Love, she became the person she was meant to be. With Love she became the person Emily always saw in her. And, with Love, the Queen Bee is falling into an eternal sleep.
Alison feels at peace, somehow she knows everything is going to be okay, she knows she did everything she could have done and more than that. She has no regrets. Not anymore. She only has one last wish, will God be kind enough and make it happen? She doesn't know if her prayer will be heard but, she asks for it anyway…
"All I ask, it's to see you one more time, Emily..."
A pleading, a wish, a dream to be fulfilled by whoever was there, keeping an eye on her. It's all Alison remembers before everything gets black. And while darkness is the last thing Alison remembers, a dear mermaid stops running when she stands in front of something she's not prepared to watch at all…
"ALISON!"
Her heart literally stops. Emily screams when she recognises the body which is lying down on the floor in a pool of blood. She doesn't dare to approach, she doesn't dare to breathe and without air filling her lungs, she simply fades, leaving her shocked body to lay down on the floor too. So much noise around them, the cops finally getting in as well as paramedics, people calling a cardiac arrest on Emily. So many things are happening around when a last wish is granted and then…
"Em… Em, wake up…"
The brunette opens her eyes and smiles as the first thing she sees is those blue eyes she loves so much.
"Ali…"
They smile at each other. Nothing matters for a brief moment and Emily wants this moment to last forever when the events of the day finally hit her, hard and fast. Emily quickly stands up, she looks at her surroundings, trying to make any sense of what is happening. They're still in the hallway of the school, but this time, they are alone, just the two of them. No police, no paramedics, no guns, no blood… blood! The mermaid checks on the blonde, looking for any injury, but, there's nothing, her heart is intact because…
"This isn't real, Em…"
"Huh?"
Alison puts Emily's hands over her chest and the brunette gulps hard when she fails to sense the blonde's heartbeat.
"I can't hear your heart…"
"I can't feel it either"
"How…? Why…? What happened, Ali?"
"Nothing you need to worry about. The kids are okay, Em. That's the only thing you need to know…"
"And you… are you...?"
Alison doesn't reply, she simply caresses Emily's face and the brunette worries for the worst.
"Ali, what did you do?"
"Something kind of dumb, or brave, all depends how you look at it, but it's okay. I promise, everything will be okay…"
The brunette gulps hard, she doesn't dare to ask, she doesn't want to think about it, so she shakes her head, trying to erase the horrible image of Alison, in a pool of blood. Looking at the dreadful, pale face of the brunette, the blonde decides to not put more stress on her, so, she simply says...
"I… I did what I had to do, Em…"
The brunette doesn't need to hear it from Alison's lips, she has a pretty idea of what just happened. Wayne told her everything, she left them in the ambulance so Betty could be treated, but, as soon as she knew they were going to be okay, of course she jumped in, side by side with the cops, because she needed to run to protect the Queen Bee. She was the killer, the one who was supposed to protect Alison from everything and yet, once again, she's too late to save the day, to save her Queen, her love.
"Em, I…"
"No, no, no, no! Don't say it! I don't want to hear it!"
"Em, listen to me, we don't have much time and there are so many things I need to say…"
"Then tell me it is not true! Tell me what I'm fearing is not true! Please don't do this, Ali…"
"It's already done, my love"
Alison's lips move, Emily wants to register all she says, but all she can think is about how much she needs to see those beautiful blue eyes every morning to breathe, to exist and because of that, she says...
"I wish we had more time… I need more time with you, ALI! I..." (tears) "YOU TOLD ME YOU WOULD ALWAYS BE THERE!"
"I know…"
"YOU PROMISED WE WOULD ALWAYS BE TOGETHER!"
"I know…"
Alison leans forwards, their front-heads touch and tears fall from the blue eyes of the blonde because she wanted to be there, to always be there with the brunette. To be there when the kids leave the house for college, to be there when the brunette gets old and gray hair. She wanted to be there, always, she planned for a life with Emily, a long life together but…
"I wish I could tell you that this ends differently. But, the truth is that if I had to do it all over again. I wouldn't change a thing... not, even what happened today…"
"It's so unfair. I wanted to grow old with you"
"Yeah, I'm pretty sure you'll look so hot with gray hair, mermaid"
Alison softly caresses Emily's hair while saying those words. Sadness reflected in her blue eyes. A longing to live enough to see this mermaid. Emily sadly chuckles, the weight of the words, the meaning of it, it's too much to handle. Especially when Alison softly caresses her cheek, holding her gaze, expressing with just one look so much love that the brunette refuses to say goodbye, she refuses to let go because...
"I was supposed to spend the rest of my life with you, Ali"
"I know… but, at least, I got to spend the rest of mine with you…"
Her words were supposed to give some kind of comfort to the brunette, but, Alison's words, it brought just so much fear and sorrow.
"ALI!"
Closing the gap between them, the brunette hugs her wife for what could be the last time. She holds her tight between her arms, refusing to let go, refusing to let her go because…
"I love you, I LOVE YOU, ALISON!"
"I love you, too, Em. Always & forever…"
In Alison's arms, feeling her touch, hearing her voice telling her how much she loves her, it's all Emily wants. It's where the dear mermaid wants to stay frozen in time & space but people are calling her, they can hear their voices, trying to reach the brunette to come back to them...
'Mommy!'
'Emily!'
'Principal Fields!'
A stronger force is pulling Emily away, and, no matter how much the brunette tries to fight it, she knows they can't hold this moment forever because…
"They need you, Em. They're calling you. You need to go…"
"And YOU?! WHAT ABOUT YOU?!"
"Don't worry about me"
"COME! COME WITH ME!"
"I can't, I just can't, mermaid…"
Emily wants to ask why, but at the same time she's too afraid to ask and hear the answer. In the end, she stays quiet and just says…
"I don't know how to live in a world without you in it"
Alison's tears fall from her eyes, the pain and sorrow in Emily's eyes, it crushes her but…
"I made a choice and I'm at peace with it. Em, you need to do the same. I need you to go back and be there for the kids. You need to make sure they know it's okay to cry. To feel it. To feel everything. I don't want them locking this up and letting it eat away at them, I don't want them to blame themselves for this. Promise me, please, you will not let them blame themselves for this. Wayne and Betty, they cannot live with the guilt of the choice I made, Em. Please promise me, you'll make sure they understand it's not their fault…"
"I'll try, I'll do my best but I don't know how to do this alone..."
"You don't have to. You're not alone, you will never be alone. Do not hesitate to call your parents. You're proof they know what they're doing"
Emily chuckles, she's really lucky to have the parents she has and she's sure she will count on them and their friends for whatever will happen next. Alison softly caresses Emily's cheek and Emily holds her hand against it, still refusing to let go. But, that's the thing, she has to. The voices of the living are getting louder and louder. Like an echo, a breeze, they hear the voice of their kids calling for Emily to come back.
"Em, you need to leave…"
"Not yet… please just… please not yet…"
Alison nods and softly kisses her cheek as she says…
"Em, you've helped me to feel something I never thought was possible: unconditional love and I will always be grateful for that. And, that is why I'm telling you, it's okay for you to fall in love again"
"Ali, please, stop talking… I don't want that"
"Which is why you need to hear it from me. Please, mermaid. Do not shut down, okay? Be a mess. Let the kids know it's okay to fall apart. Take your time but not beat yourself up for too long, okay? You deserve to be happy, I want you to be happy…" (sad chuckle) "Bright side, you won't have to work for it, sexy widow"
"Shut up, do not joke about it! I don't want to be a sexy widow!"
They sadly chuckle when once again they hear the voices calling for Emily.
"They need you, Em…"
"They need you too! I NEED YOU!"
Alison does her best to contain her tears, she doesn't know how but she must stay strong. The blonde hugs her, holds her so strongly because she's not ready to let go either.
"I had a great life because I had you, my mermaid. You made my world so much better…"
"You make my world so much better too! That's why I'm not ready to say goodbye!"
"You don't have to, Em. I'll always be there when you need me…"
"You promise?"
"I already promised, don't you remember…?"
Hugging each other, they recall the promise they made when they talked about the kids leaving the house. Watching the kids leave the nest was going to be a hard task, but, the promise they would still have each other even after the kids would leave for college was more than enough to calm Emily's fears. But now, the mermaid can't imagine how she will manage to survive in an empty house, all alone, all by herself without…
"Ali…"
"No matter what happens next, just know I'm okay and you and the kids will be okay too…"
"Ali, you…"
"You're so loved, mermaid. Never forget that…"
"Never…"
Alison tries to hold her tears as Emily starts to vanish from her arms and realizes that this is it, this is the moment the brunette will return to the world of the living and she is not sure that the brunette will hear what she says, but she says it anyway.
"I'll always be there, Em. You'll never be alone, I promise!"
The blonde pauses on finishing her sentence while she feels how Emily is disappearing between her arms. Tears fall, the time they have left is nothing compared to what Alison needs, to say all she feels for the brunette. There's no time for words, so Alison takes it all in an epic kiss. The kiss is brief but more than enough to make them smile before Emily completely vanishes in front of the dear Queen Bee. Alison doesn't know if Emily will hear her, but she says it anyway, the last promise she can make right now.
"I will always keep an eye on you…"
[Music: Never say never (Don't let me go) - The Fray]
*** Alison's narrative (voice-over) ***
There's a point where death stops being scary. When you stop wondering what will come next. Deep down, you know it, and you're okay with it.
Alison wasn't sure what she's supposed to do next when a door at the end of the hallway gets wide open for her. She doesn't know what awaits her when she will cross that door but, she walks towards it without fear and when she crosses it, she's out of the school and someone is there to pick her up.
"Wow, that was beautiful, kiddo!"
A big smile spreads on Alison's lips when she sees Enzo, the big parent/big brother figure she never thought she would be able to see again. Happy tears fall from her eyes and all she can manage to say it's…
"Nah, it was EPIC!"
They both chuckle and the big love Alison feels when she gets to hug him once again, it's without words, epic.
"You grew up beautifully, kiddo"
"Thanks to you…"
Enzo chuckles, he was there when Alison needed guidance the most but he refuses to take all the credit for the wonderful human being she became.
"You got great kids, too"
"They're the best. You didn't meet them…"
"I check in sometimes… do not worry, you can do the same…"
"It's not gonna be the same…"
"No, it will not…"
Alison deeply sighs. She believes she already knows the answer, but she must ask anyway…
"Do I choose? Do I get to decide if I go back?"
"I don't know, kiddo. I didn't. I would have stayed if I could have. I didn't want to leave you alone…"
"You never did, Enzo…"
He was always there every time she went all-in for everybody. For her friends, for her family, just like he did for a runaway like her. His kindness had a big effect on Alison and it's true that he was a big influence in her life, but he's not the only reason why Alison deserves the paradise. Even if it's hard for Alison to believe it because…
"I've made so many mistakes, I still have to pay for all of them, right?"
"Well, I hate to break it to you, kiddo, but there's no one who hasn't made a single mistake! There are no perfect games or perfect players. There are just those who try and keep trying. And YOU, you tried the hardest. You don't give you enough credit, Alison. You survived so much loss, pain and what a thing you made of it all! What a big, messy, gigantic and spectacular EPIC life you made for yourself! I said it to you once and I'll say it again, you're as tough as they come, kiddo, and you my dear, have earned your rest…"
Alison smiles, she finally feels honorable, just like Mona said.
"Do you regret it?"
"No, but I'm not ready to leave them yet, Enzo…"
"You will not leave them, you'll see… we never left you either after all"
"What are you talking about? Who is 'we'?"
He extends his hand behind them and a bright light illuminates the horizon. Alison's eyes cannot focus, it's too bright when some shadows appear in the near horizon, she has no clue who they are till she hears their voices, saying her name.
"Mom? Dad? Nana!"
Alison cannot stop smiling when she gets reunited with her loved ones, once again. And, just like her, back at the hospital, Emily gets to see her beloved family and friends around her, too. People who mean the world to the brunette and yet, regardless of how happy she might feel for having so many familiar faces around her, right now, nothing of that matters because there's no sign of the face she would love to see. Emily cannot avoid to notice the absence of one blonde in particular.
"Ali…"
Everyone gulps hard, sharing concerned looks, wondering what they should say. Emily is just coming back from a cardiac arrest, she's not in a condition to hear any bad news, but they don't need to say a word. Emily knows, deep down, she knows why Alison is not right now here at her side. Emily's first impulse is to freak out, to scream, to cry, but in the end, all she manages to do is to close her eyes and remember Alison's voice telling her…
"I will always keep an eye on you…"
The voice of Alison, it's the last thing Emily remembers before waking up. It's a bittersweet feeling feeling this big love in her chest and not having Alison around to share it with her. There's nothing Emily can do to change that. All she can do right now is to hold her kids in a big hug as Alison's last words stay in her mind.
*** Alison's narrative (voice-over) ***
There's not a right way to end things. To say goodbye... there's not a right way to put an end to this EPIC story. But, I say that the right way to end this, it's however the hell I want ! Because after all, I'm Alison DiLaurentis ! The kind of person, you want to keep an eye on her because I'm definitely keeping an eye on you…
Next: CH 100 - Keeping an eye on you (Last chapter)