Pretty Little Liars: Paying the Cost
First chapter of my second PLL story, the second season begins, hope you enjoy it.
Disclaimer: I don't own Pretty Little Liars or their characters.
Season 2: Episode 1
The memory of the flames, of the incident that had happened where she had been kidnapped and nearly burned alive, it was enough to terrify Alison DiLaurentis into waking up sharply with a gasp. She tried to sit up when there was someone gently holding her down.
"Easy Ali, easy, it's alright."
She tried desperately to calm down and turned her head to the voice, she knew it all too well and she managed to smile.
"Jason." She whispered.
Her brother smiled and nodded. "It's okay, you're alright, you've not got any lasting damage from the fire and well...the police want to know what you were doing there and what happened?"
Alison swallowed but nodded. "I...yeah, I can talk to them about it. But, simply put, I was kidnapped and kept prisoner in that building before it was set on fire."
"What, Ali, that's-" Jason gasped.
"I know, I know." She replied. "I just...what happened, I barely remember Hanna, Spencer and Aria getting me out, but…?"
Jason smiled. "They're safe, they're waiting for news on you and Emily."
That chilled Alison. "Emily, what…?"
"Emily and Maya are also here at the hospital, they were injured during the storm, in…" Jason began to explain.
Alison did not like the way he trailed off.
Finally Jason sighed. Before he continued he helped Alison sit up in a more comfortable position.
"Alright um...It seems Emily's ex-boyfriend Ben is behind what happened to them. He attacked Maya and knocked her out. Stole her phone and used it to message Emily." He explained. "He lured into a trap and...and assaulted her."
Alison froze. "My God, Em…"
That was when she remembered something else. In the midst of her horror about what happened to Emily, she recalled that strange memory she had, of being trapped in a fire once before, with Emily also being there, trapped alongside her. At that moment the door opened and she heard Hanna's voice.
"Ali, thank god."
She looked up to see Hanna hurrying in, followed by Spencer and Aria. Jason smiled and stepped back, letting the girls surround the bed while he stepped out.
"You're awake, we were so worried." Aria burst out.
Spencer nodded. "Ali, it…"
She glanced over to the door, Jason was out of earshot now.
"It was A." She continued. "They sent us a message instructing us to look for you in that place. I don't understand why?"
"Or why they'd escalate to trying to kill you, after being content to just threaten us all with secrets and threatening to ruin lives." Aria continued.
Alison sighed. "I wish I knew, I was...I was knocked out and kidnapped and then woke up in that room, A was taunting me and then, then I found myself trapped in the fire."
"Are you sure you're alright about that?" Hanna asked. "You were so freaked out by the fire."
Alison nodded. "I am now, thanks for saving me you guys."
They all felt some relief that some measure of closure from the incident had been found.
XXXXX
Waking up herself after her own nightmare, Emily was terrified, even as she looked around and noticed she was in a hospital, that Ben was nowhere around.
"Emily, Emily, it's okay."
She had been working herself up but then relaxed as best she could upon hearing her mother's voice.
"Mom, I…" She gasped before wetting her lips, trying to speak clearly. "Ben, he, he-"
Pam gently tried to soothe her daughter. "I know, it's okay. You're safe now, Ben's been arrested."
"Good...that's good." She breathed, leaning her head back.
There was a pause and then Pam knew she had to speak up. "Emily, Ben, he...Why would he do something like that to you?"
Emily shifted, awkward and afraid.
"Sorry, I shouldn't have said anything." Pam apologized quickly.
Emily shook her head. "It's okay. I'll, I'll be alright. He, he was attacking me, simply because, because I broke up with him, due to the fact I'm now with Maya."
"That sick…" Pam growled, she then sighed and tried to calm down.
That was when Emily noticed something. "Did...did any of the others. I know Tony saved me, but…"
"It's okay, your friends are all here." Pam explained. "They're checking on Alison too."
Emily tensed at that. "Ali?"
Pam nodded. "She was caught in a burning building, they saved her and got her out but...well, she's awake now and the others are talking to her at the moment."
Emily sighed at that, taking some relief.
Finally Emily felt well enough to sit up, now actually sitting on the edge of the bed, she looked around.
"What about Maya, is she…?"
Pam sighed. "She was attacked, that's how Ben got you. He knocked her out and took her phone, using it to lure you in."
Emily's stomach lurched at that. "He what, is...is Maya…?"
"She's here too, she's alright." Pam explained.
"I...I'd like to go and see her." She said gently.
Pam gave a small laugh. "It might be tricky, if you thought I was overprotective of you Emily, you should see Maya's parents right now."
Emily grimaced at that but Pam just smiled and whispered something to Emily who brightened up and soon she was waiting for her chance. Finally, with her mother running interference, Emily was able to enter Maya's room.
"Maya?"
Maya looked up from the bed where she was sitting, looking bored.
She brightened at once. "Em, thank god, you're okay, I…"
"It's alright, Mom told me what happened to you, what happened with Ben." She explained.
She soon reached the bed and sat down, reaching out to take Maya's hands with her own.
"I'm so glad you're alright." Maya said at last.
"So am I...I can't believe all this happened but…" Emily said, taking a slow breath. "But what matters is it's alright now."
They were both glad to see each other and finally got some relief at things were starting to look up.
XXXXX
A short while later, Alison was sitting upright in bed when she heard the knock and looked up to see who was in the doorway.
"Em." She said with a grin.
Emily smiled too and walked over to the bed. "Ali, how...how are you?"
"Better now." Alison admitted before sighing. "I heard what happened to you, I'm so sorry."
"You had nothing to do with that Ali, so, don't apologise, still...thanks." Emily replied.
There was a pause during which Ali thought for a moment, then decided to ask.
"Em, do you remember us being trapped in a fire together at some point in the past?"
Emily started at this. "Ali that's...um, I actually do remember something like that. It was before you left, right before you left actually."
"What else happened, do you...remember?" Alison asked.
Emily shook her head. "No, I just…"
She explained as best she could and Alison couldn't help but feel worried about the fact they had the same gaps in their memories as each other. While troubled by this however, they all decided that they should focus on recovering and putting the nightmare of what happened that stormy day behind them.
End of chapter, hope you enjoyed it, read and review please.
