Pretty Little Liars: Paying the Cost

Chapter 15 of my PLL story, enjoy.

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Disclaimer: I don't own Pretty Little Liars or its characters.


Season 2: Episode 15

Ella Montgomery sighed as she entered the kitchen of her small rented apartment, her place of residence since leaving home after learning about Byron's infidelity. She had been expecting just another quiet night, so the knock at the door surprised her and she paused, putting the kettle back down having just been filling it to put on to boil for a cup of tea. Confused she made her way to the door and answered it and was surprised by who she saw there. True she did get visitors, mainly Aria, but she did not expect to see Pam Fields, Veronica Hastings and Ashley Marin standing there.

"What…?" She gasped.

It was Ashley who explained as they all smiled. "We thought we'd come by Ella, we, it's been a long and difficult time for all of us, for a few reasons I think."

"Nevertheless I think we could all benefit from a simple night just spending time talking, don't you?" Pam remarked.

"I...I think that's a wonderful idea actually. "Ella conceded with a smile of her own.

They all stepped inside and they were soon all settled, Ella a little surprised to find herself hosting this impromptu 'party' but glad nonetheless, she knew exactly what the other women had meant by a long and difficult time and it wasn't long before they were all seated, drinking tea and all relaxing, their tension fading somewhat.

After a moment Veronica let out a slow relieved breath and then spoke up.

"I have to admit, I have been very worried about Spencer. She was acting so strange, along with her friends." She paused and then added. "Still I can't believe that it was that Vanderwaal girl that was behind all that."

The ladies all nodded until Pam spoke up. "Well, not all of it, there's still that, that killer."

"True." Ella agreed. "I've been worried so much about the girls, especially with how the previous victims actually looked like them. But still, I do feel a lot calmer about it, since Detective Linwood took over the case."

"Yes, he at least seems to know what he's doing." Ashley agreed. "But I've got to admit, with a police detective for a father, I'm surprised by his daughter, she's...quite the colourful character, isn't she."

They all laughed a little

"Well, a lot of people make wild decisions in their youth." Ella remarked. "I'm sure we're not any different, right?"

They laughed again.

"Maybe, but probably not quite as much as Morgan Linwood." Pam explained. "Still, she's a nice girl, very smart too."

"She doesn't let anybody get to her or get fresh with her which is good." Veronica added.

They all agreed and then finally, after a pause, Ashley sighed.

"I...There is something else." She admitted. "I'm worried about Hanna, I've been trying to talk to her, especially last night but...but she's being rather withdrawn and I'm sure she's been crying in private."

The women shared worried looks, wondering if the rumours they'd been hearing from the school had anything to do with it, rumours about some questionable pictures being spread throughout the school.

XXXXX

Returning home, Alison was still smiling, glad that things had settled down. She paused for a moment, confused. Jason was sitting in the living room, in the dark, looking lost, in a melancholic mood. Alison slowly approached him and at once noticed nothing on the living room table, there was no drink, he wasn't drunk so why was he in this state.

"Jason?"

He looked up and bit his lip. "Hey Ali, I…What's up?"

She quirked an eyebrow. "Why don't you tell me, what's going on with you, you're clearly worked up about something?"

"I…" Jason began before shaking his head. "It's terrible, a terrible secret I've hidden for so long, something horrific from my past and, and I just, I'm terrified of telling you about it."

"But you want to tell me about it." Ali noticed.

"Yes, I...I thought it." Jason explained but then stopped and sighed. "You remember I got upset at you years ago, when you found my NAT T-shirt?"

"Yeah?"

"It's about that. You see, NAT was a group that I led, along with Ian Thomas and Garrett Reynolds. We were...something of a voyeur group, we would film Rosewood residents, mostly teenage girls, through bedroom windows." Jason explained quietly.

Alison froze. "Then...oh my…"

Jason nodded. "Yeah. The group disbanded pretty much right after I ended any and all affiliation with them but...well, I was afraid they'd been reformed, after hearing what happened to Hanna."

"Was it?" Alison asked, tension seeping into her voice.

Jason shook his head. "No, it wasn't them. Of course that just leaves the question of, who could it be then?"

"Who indeed." Alison replied with a heavy sigh.

Shoulders slumping she made her way to her room, still trying to process everything her brother had revealed while he remained seated were he was, hoping he'd done the right thing in confessing the truth to Alison.

XXXXX

Emily returned to her room, still towel drying her hair from her shower, already changed and ready for bed. She paused when her phone buzzed, just as her parents were walking past the room. So they saw her pick up her phone, glare and toss the phone onto the bed without even attempting to open the message or respond.

"Emily?" Pam asked, worried.

Emily looked up, startled but then sighed and shrugged. "It's, it's nothing."

Wayne shook his head. "Emily, after what happened with that Mona girl, do you really think that's going to work. If someone is bothering you again-?"

"They're not, it's not like that." Emily said in response. "It's, it's Maya...She keeps trying to message me and I have no intentions of replying, I can't forgive her."

Pam and Wayne shared a worried look at that, but Emily didn't seem to want to say any more, leaving them all the more worried for their daughter and what appeared to be her fractured relationship with her girlfriend.


End of chapter, hope you enjoyed it, read and review please.