A/N: This is one my favorites (don't tell the inner critic). Lots of friendship, lots of fluff, lots of Emison. And of course…trauma and drama.
Also, just a note, fanfiction's alert system (story/chapter alerts...basically ALL alerts) have been screwed up for months. So if you don't follow me on twitter and you haven't been getting alerts...just know that you might have missed some chapters because alerts never went out for some of the previous chapters. The IT team SEEMS to be working on it again, but who knows?
Just know that since the alerts have been broken for so long you might want to look back to catch up on chapters you missed.
Chapter 23:
For the Longest Time
After Emily's phone call with Caleb, the brunette let Alison in on everything. When Emily told her Charlotte hadn't been the only one there when her mother was murdered Alison was speechless at first. But then she completely blew her top, pacing around the condo while ranting and throwing things to the floor like a child.
"She's been teaming up with someone the whole time!" Alison yelled in frustration. "God, fuck her!"
She kicked a pair of her high heels that were sitting by the door and let out an animalistic noise that came from her soul.
Emily sat quietly on the arm of the couch waiting for an opportunity to step in. She knew Alison needed to get it out so she let her rant and cuss and scream.
But after a few minutes she couldn't take it anymore. She pushed herself to her feet and walked over to Alison and engulfed her in a hug.
Normally Alison sank into her embrace, but she fought the hug because she was afraid she would hurt Emily.
"I never should have come out here." She shoved Emily away. "This wouldn't be happening if I just stayed in Rosewood." Alison threw her arms up in the air in defeat. "You and the girls would be safe."
"Ali, we've never been safe. Sooner or later she would have gotten bored and she would have come after us again through her A-Team." Emily took a step towards her, but didn't embrace her. She gave her time to step away. "And for the record I'm glad you're here."
Alison sighed and dropped her arms to her side, her fingers tightened into little red fists of fury. She inhaled a deep breath and then let it out.
Emily moved forward again and this time Alison reached out to embrace her.
"I'm sorry. I'll clean up the mess." She looked around the living room.
"I'm not worried about that right now." Emily stroked her hair. "What's happening is a lot more important than this." She gestured to the room. "Your mother was murdered. And you just found out your sister had help doing it. That's more than worthy of a tornado blowing through the living room."
"How long do you think it'll take Caleb to see if the Teddy case is related?" Alison looked up at the brunette, a spark of flame in her eyes.
"He should be able to pull the murder case up fairly easily since that's a matter of public record, especially since your mother and her sister weren't juveniles when it happened. But it'll probably take time to track where the family went and who associated with them. If whoever is doing this is an associate of the family or even one of Teddy's actual family members we'll find out."
"What about Mary's friends who might be looking to avenge her for my mom getting her sent away?"
"He's going to look into that, too."
"Where are we on Wren?" Alison asked.
"Caleb is still working on the barriers on the international records. There is not much on him except that his parents are both dead and his brother is or was in a mental institution. That…and the fact that he's lying about where he works. Caleb checked the other two hospitals and they don't have him in their files. So either he's lying about working in a hospital or he's lying about his name."
"Great. So for all we know Charlotte had Sara, still has Wren, and now there might be a third party involved that's been involved since Radley." Alison scoffed.
"Caleb and Toby are working together to try and get access to Charlotte's file from Radley."
"I thought you said you didn't want Toby involved because he lives in town." Alison's forehead wrinkled in concern.
"I don't. But it seems as though he's ignoring me." Emily puffed her lips out into a pout.
"Yeah, that sounds like Toby." Alison wasn't surprised. "Spencer is going to be pissed."
"Spencer stays perpetually pissed, especially when people she loves are being threatened."
"Hmm." Alison cocked her head at Emily. "Loves. Present tense."
"They've never stopped loving each other." Emily slowly moved next to her girlfriend. "Kind of like us."
"Charlotte will use that against them."
"Not if she doesn't find out."
"She's not our only threat. Did you warn Caleb about Tanner?" Alison sat down against the edge of the couch.
"I did. And I texted Toby, too. Caleb and Toby are letting the girls know. They know we have our hands full here."
"This is such a fucking mess."
"We should probably tell someone that Wren is roaming around town in scrubs and might be slipping into hospitals undetected." Emily was pretty certain every single time they'd seen him he'd been in scrubs. "What's weird is that he did work there when we were younger. He treated my ulcer. So he clearly used to work there. And he volunteered on a Psych rotation at Radley when Mona was there. Hanna said when she was visiting Mona he talked about how difficult it was to see loved ones struggle with mental health issues. He talked to her about his brother back in England, who was in a mental health care facility there."
"So what happened between then and now?" Alison asked. "What's he been up to? Where was he when you were being tortured..." Alison stopped short, trying not to trigger Emily's memories in the Dollhouse.
Emily flinched, but then she brushed it off.
"Where has be been?" Alison asked.
"Spencer told me he initially moved back to England to be with Melissa. But after Wren and Melissa broke up, he admitted that he'd also moved back to be closer to his brother." Emily started brainstorming.
"So then why did Sara say he didn't have a brother? And why did he come back to Rosewood? Did something happen to his brother? And why lie about his job? And why would Sara out him? All of this feels like a trap." Alison bit her lip.
"Or they've given up the anonymous aspect of their torture."
"Kind of like how when I came back from being on the run, Mona didn't hide in the shadows anymore. She straight up followed me out to the mausoleum and told me she wasn't going to stop messing with me. It was right after my mother died."
"That's really shitty. Why didn't you tell us she was doing that to you?" Emily cocked her head, a wave of sympathy washing across her face.
"I honestly didn't think any of you would have believed me." She paused and then shook her head. "Actually, that's not entirely true. I think you would have, but by then the other girls had already made up their minds about me. And I didn't want to put you in the middle."
"You don't have that problem now." Emily sat down next to her, giving her space to move away if she still needed breathing room.
Instead of pulling away, Alison scooted closer.
"Not only am I here for you. The others are, too," Emily continued.
Alison's phone chimed and she nearly fell off of the couch. She was terrified to look at the screen, but Emily wasn't.
"Speaking of the girls…it's Aria."
Alison grabbed the phone like it was a lifeline and answered the FaceTime request.
"Hey." Aria's face was flooded with sympathy. "Hanna and Spencer are here, too. Toby and Caleb told us everything. We wanted to check in on you. We were all there that night…when they found your mom. We know how traumatic that was for you."
"Some more than others." Hanna frowned sadly, her eyes searching Emily's.
"Who do we think helped Charlotte that night?" Spencer was already in detective mode.
"Someone who hated my mother, most likely." Alison muttered. "And that's a fairly long list. She pissed a lot of people in town off. Like mother, like daughter, I guess." She grumbled cynically.
"You aren't your mother, Alison." Of all people who could have come to her support, it was Hanna Marin. "We aren't the sum of our parents' mistakes. Hell, my dad is a Grade-A bastard and I actively try every day not to think about how I might be like him."
"You're nothing like him." Alison replied in kind.
"Thanks." Hanna mumbled.
"Your dad had an alibi that night, right, Ali?" Spencer asked, still focused on solving the mystery.
She would have been a great contestant on Wheel of Fortune…if her guesses were ever correct. But the girls loved her tenacity.
"Hell would freeze over before my dad would help Charlotte with anything." Alison scoffed. "He never hid his hatred for Charlotte. He openly pretended she didn't exist. There is no way. He's an asshole, but an asshole who is also a transphobe and would just as soon see Charlotte dead, too. He would have driven her to the police station himself."
"Okay, so we just need to backtrack to see who she was communicating with back then. Sara is behind bars now, so she's out. What about Lucas and Paige? Didn't Mona recruit them when Alison came back to town to play the game? Maybe Charlotte could have plucked one of them from the crowd?" Spencer asked.
"Lucas would never do that." Hanna jumped in to defend her high school friend. "He made some mistakes, but he's not a bad person. Besides, his tech-start up company has made millions. He's really well-off. Why would he care about this petty shit now?"
"He's a tech genius…" Aria gently considered. "Who has easy access to bypass security and get burners to people…"
"No. No way." Hanna shook her head defiantly. "He's been traveling the country. Check his company page if you want proof."
"Hanna's right. And there is no way Paige was involved. She walked away from Mona. She told her she wouldn't do it," Emily said. "I think everyone here needs to take a beat. As much as we appreciate the effort, we're still processing. And you have your own lives to lead. We don't want to derail what's happening in your lives. Alison and I have both talked about it. And we agree that it's safer if you stay under the radar."
"We want to help." Spencer stated adamantly.
"I know you do, Spence. But…what about your career? Your mom? And Hanna, you and Caleb have everything to lose. And Aria…you and Liam have so much going for you…"
"I told him everything. He's in." Aria interrupted Emily.
"You…what?" Alison was so stunned that her brain temporarily shut down.
"He knew bits and pieces about what happened to us in high school. Enough to know why we hate Charlotte and why Mona makes us nervous. He even confronted Ezra once…" She shifted uncomfortably when she said his name.
"Nice." Spencer grinned.
"The point is…Liam understands. And you have another resource to help because he was an investigative journalist before we met and he switched gears into writing with me. Our voices just worked together." She spoke so softly about her future husband.
"Ugh, he was an investigative journalist?" Spencer curled her lip up. "My mortal enemy."
"Did you miss the was part?" Aria rolled her eyes. "He was also one of the decent reporters who wasn't in it for the fame and clicks. He really believed in the stories he was researching. He doesn't really do it anymore, but if you need us to dig anything up I know he'll help. He's the Clark Kent to my Lois Lane." Aria sighed like she was helplessly in love.
"That might be the nerdiest thing you've ever said." Hanna snorted.
"You're one to talk. Caleb referenced Star Wars a few days ago." Aria bit back with a smile.
Emily and Alison glanced at one another. It felt so normal to be on the call with them. It felt like old times, but less terrifying. They weren't alone. The girls had made that perfectly clear. But that was also a scary thought. Neither of them could process what it would feel like for their friends to be in danger again. They were not prepared for that.
"Speaking of boyfriends…and ex-boyfriends…what about Ezra?" Spencer suggested gently, shooting a sympathetic look into the camera that was obviously meant for Aria. "He was in Rosewood when all of this happened. And he had that creepy lair and was writing a book. Charlotte was on his payroll. Sorry, Aria."
"I'd be lying if I say I didn't consider it." Aria sighed. She looked like she'd aged ten years just thinking about it. "But I would think Ezra would target me. Especially now that I'm engaged to Liam."
"He was obsessed with Alison. He had all those pictures. Remember? That was so pervy." Hanna wasn't as careful about the topic at hand as Spencer.
"Hanna." Emily frowned. "Maybe a little tact would be in order here."
"Tact? But that is not the way of my people." Hanna smirked, but then her face softened. "Sorry, Aria."
"I get why you suspect him. I really do." Aria huffed out a tiny breath. "But given that he helped Toby, Caleb, and Alison track us down in the Dollhouse I just have a hard time seeing it. If he was working with Charlotte he easily could have given her a heads up."
"That's a fair point." Alison nodded, trying to give Aria a little win, but even she couldn't help but wonder what Rosewood's most notorious predator was up to these days.
"Tell us more about Theodore Kim." Spencer managed to get the call back on track.
"We don't really know much. The name just sparked a familiarity. Emily started running through nicknames for Theodore…after making a dorky Alvin and the Chipmunks reference…" Alison shot Emily a sarcastic smile.
"I approve." Hanna grinned widely. "My mom used to make me dance to that stupid Christmas album when I was little."
"The Chipmunks are a household staple." Aria agreed. "Mike was like three when he heard them for the first time and he begged to be Alvin for Halloween. I settled on Simon, because it seemed like less work and I wasn't as into it. Mike was devastated there was no third child to play Theodore, so my mom took on that role. My dad played Dave…the human. Because it required the least amount of commitment. He was never as into it as my mom was." She admitted.
"Why are we talking about chipmunks? We need to be focusing here." Spencer snapped her fingers to capture everyone's attention. "It's wonderful to hear childhood nostalgia and all that, but we're at a critical point in an investigation. And as adorable as a four-year-old Aria would be spouting glasses and whiskers…"
"I had just turned five." Aria argued.
"Right. Whatever." But Spencer seemed oddly amused at picturing little five-year-old Aria and her family singing the Chipmunks.
"I was an unwilling participant." Aria added.
"Aren't we all?" Hanna muttered under her breath.
"So, you got the name Teddy from Theodore." Spencer continued like the other girls weren't talking about childhood Halloween costumes. "And that ties back to Alison's mom and her mom's sister."
"It's a long shot, but we think that maybe Charlotte revealed the truth to someone who might have known Teddy or his family. That could have sparked a partnership to avenge Teddy and Mary." Alison shivered.
"So we start there." Spencer said definitively, immediately taking charge.
"Caleb is already doing that," Emily replied.
"I'll look into it, too…"
"Spencer, please just stop." Emily begged. "The whole reason we didn't tell you all is because we didn't want to blow up your lives. I promise we'll keep you posted. But no Nancy Drew heroics necessary. If you happen to come across something organically then let us know. Otherwise just stay as vigilant as possible. And take care of yourself. Once we know more we can go from there. But you all need to act as normal as you possibly can. I refuse to let Charlotte drag you all into this. If she knows you're digging I don't know what she'll do."
Spencer was not happy being told 'no', but she had no other choice.
"Fine." She uttered. It came out sounding like a petulant child being told to eat their vegetables.
"Do you two need anything?" Aria eased through Spencer's tension to reach out to Alison and Emily.
"Just take care of yourselves." Alison ran her fingertips through her hair, exhausted from the day's events.
Hanna opened her mouth to say something about the fact that the blonde's eyes looked puffy, but then she thought better of it. She cleared her throat instead and feigned a smile.
"We'll get through this. Just like we always have." Her voice sounded confident, but her facial expression gave way to her nerves.
"You mean completely covered in psychological scars and riddled with trauma?" Spencer laughed sarcastically.
"You're not helping." Aria shot Spencer a coarse look.
"She's also not wrong." Alison pointed out.
"Yeah. No kidding. I've been so wired I can barely sleep." Hanna yawned. "Last night my brain was being recklessly loud. Every time I tried to close my eyes the Meow Mix jingle from those old commercials would pop into my head. I think I was so delusional that I was picking up on Cheese's dreams. It was annoying."
"The…Meow Mix jingle?" Emily asked in confusion.
"I can sing it for you…"
"Please don't." Spencer groaned.
A small window of text popped up on Alison's screen, alerting her to a call from her agent. She sighed.
"You have all been really sweet and supportive. And I wish I had a little more time to hear you out, but my publicist is calling me. I'm putting out a statement about Charlotte and everything else going on right now, but I've left you all out of it. I'm going to have to call you back." She hated to cut them off.
"I should probably ask my mom if she's planning on doing the same thing just in case she's called in for questioning." Spencer's eyes widened.
She looked like she hadn't given it any thought and that she was berating herself for not thinking about that sooner. Jessica's body had been found on the Hastings' property. She'd even mentioned to Emily that they wouldn't be able to ignore a subpoena.
"Should we be looking for lawyers?" Aria bit her lip.
"Not yet, but if we get to that point, I'll take care of it." Spencer nodded. "Take care of whatever you need to take care of, Ali. We'll be fine."
They quickly finished up the call so Alison could answer her publicist.
Emily watched as she paced around the room talking on the phone. By the time she was finished she looked like she might blow her top again.
"We're pushing the statement back a day." Alison plopped down on the couch and buried her face in her hands. "I just want this done and over with. How did this speed up from bad to terrible? At least when no one knew who my sister was or about my mom's death it was quiet on my socials." She looked up at Emily. "Did we do the wrong thing? I mean…with Tanner sniffing around again and the girls getting involved…"
"Alison, breathe." Emily sat next to her, putting her palm on the small of her back. "Take a few breaths."
Alison inhaled a deep breath through her nose and then counted to ten and let it out. She followed up with several more deep breaths. Emily laid her palms on top of Alison's trembling hands.
"I think I might be losing my mind." Alison meekly admitted. "I never wanted this for you…for the girls…for any of us. I thought I was prepared for what would happen if we sent the recording to the cops. But I was lying to myself. I'm cracking under all this pressure."
"I know." Emily gripped her fingertips. "You've got a lot going on. It's completely understandable for you to feel this way."
Alison lifted her head and shot Emily a weak smile.
"You always know just what to say."
"Your feelings are totally valid. No one is immune to anxiety. You'd have to have some kind of superhuman ability to contain the trauma that's built up over the years."
"Are you saying I'm not a superhero?" The blonde pouted.
It earned an earnest laugh from Emily.
"Of course not. It's just that your ability happens to be being everywhere all at once. Seriously, I wish I had your dedication and your drive." Emily smiled.
"I'd much rather have your compassion and your empathy."
"You have those qualities, too." Emily shrugged.
"How are you so calm right now?" Alison raised a suspicious brow.
"Because only one of us can fall apart at a time. I'll schedule my next breakdown accordingly." She was only half-joking.
"You seriously schedule your breakdowns? How very…coordinated…and Pam Fields of you." Alison laughed.
"I can't argue with you there. I could totally see my mom scheduling her emotions on her little day calendar." Emily nodded. "Scream over an expired coupon Wednesday at 3. Cry about a Supermarket commercial Saturday at noon. Lament over wilting flowers two weeks from today."
They both laughed. Then Alison sighed.
"I miss the days when…" Alison paused, trying to think of better and easier days, but there wasn't a lot to choose from, "I guess these are actually our better days. At least we're far away from our tormenter and we have each other."
"Ali, you've always had me." Emily tenderly stroked her cheek. "Ever since the day I met you."
Alison's cheeks turned pink and she smiled bashfully. She didn't know how to respond. Her gaze drifted to the screen of her phone. She had hundreds of alerts from her social media accounts. It all suddenly felt overwhelming.
Emily watched her curiously. She could tell she was in over her head.
"Come on." Emily grabbed Alison's hand and pulled her to her feet. "You're coming with me."
"Where are we going?" Alison blinked herself back into reality.
"To get changed. We're going to the beach."
"But…what about your homework? And…all of this?" She gestured to the messy living room.
"Problems we can solve later. We could both use some fresh air. And a break from everything. No phones." Emily laid hers on top of the table. "Just the two of us. Feet in the sand, watching the sunset and the tide roll out."
"It's 68 degrees outside."
"Wanna make it 69?" Emily smirked.
Alison couldn't help herself. She started laughing hysterically.
"Oh my God, Em, are you twelve? That sounds like something my brother would say." She snorted.
Emily smiled.
Mission accomplished.
She'd gotten Alison to laugh.
"A 68 degree California winter day is a 68 degree balmy spring morning in Rosewood. Come on. I'm serious."
After her own panic attack and Alison's outburst, Emily realized they were shouldering too much weight. And she knew they had to do something to ease that pressure.
A cool evening stroll on the beach was just what they needed.
"Okay." Alison nodded. "We'll go." She put her phone down next to Emily's.
It hurt to abandon her device. It was her little lifeline. Her connection to the world outside of the condo. A direct link to her fans. Sometimes it was the only place she felt heard. It had started after Emily left. She had been so utterly alone, and her only refuge was on online. It had saved her sanity when she was at her lowest.
But it was also a toxic time-waster sometimes. Sometimes she wondered when she'd become someone who experienced life through the lens of a camera phone instead of appreciating life without it.
If the retreat in Poconos had taught her anything, it was that disconnecting for mental health was okay sometimes.
She had to find a balance or she was going to lose her mind.
Emily changed into a T-shirt and a light flannel jacket and shorts. Alison chose a similar outfit, but instead of layering she chose a loose fitting long sleeved shirt and her favorite pair of shorts.
It was easier for Alison to leave her phone behind than she thought it would be.
But unfortunately for them, leaving their devices behind turned out to be a huge mistake.
They were just making their way on to the beach when a text came through to Alison's phone,
Ali, call me NOW!
It was from her brother.
Not ten minutes later their group chat went off. The message was from Caleb with an attached news story,
You all need to see this.
Everyone in the chat immediately replied.
Aria was first.
Omg! WTF?
I know, I still can't believe this. Hanna had already seen the article after Caleb discovered it, so she wasn't as shocked as the other girls.
This can not be a coincidence. Spencer sat there for nearly fifteen minutes analyzing the news article before trying to call Emily and Alison.
When they didn't pick up, Spencer FaceTimed Aria and Hanna and they both answered almost immediately. Both were settled in the pajamas for the night.
"I tried calling them. I can't get ahold of either one of them." Spencer had a pensive look on her face. "I'm worried."
"Let's not freak out just yet." Aria was irrationally calm. Argos was settled in her lap and Liam was back in their bedroom doing the loads of laundry they still had piled up from their trip abroad. "We just talked to them an hour ago."
"Maybe we should try the LGBTQ Alliance. Maybe they're there." Hanna suggested.
"I think I have Samara's number somewhere. Emily gave it to me as a second contact for the Alliance in case my mother and I had questions about the monthly donations. I think I have the direct number, too." Spencer rustled around.
She held her phone out searching her contacts.
She found Samara's number and sent her a text, making sure not to raise any alarms.
Hey Samara, it's Spencer Hastings. Are Emily and Alison working tonight? Just curious. Tried to get them on the phone earlier and neither picked up.
They waited with bated breath. A few seconds later Spencer got a response.
Hi, Spencer! They were here earlier, but they left a few hours ago. If I see them at the condo I can tell them you're trying to get in touch.
That would be great. Thank you.
"They're not at the Alliance." Spencer addressed the girls, who were mid-conversation.
"…just think the timing is so weird." Hanna was finishing her statement.
"It's…what? Seven there? Maybe they went out for dinner." Aria started scratching Argos a little more aggressively between the ears.
The little dog seemed to notice her tension. He whined and she cooed at him.
"Going out without their phones?" Hanna scoffed. "Emily, sure. That woman could go off the grid and it wouldn't surprise me, but Alison is never without her phone. I don't like this."
"They're 3000 thousand miles away." Aria swallowed, trying to convince herself that she was right, but she couldn't stop the nagging sensation in her chest.
"Charlotte found a way to get to them when they were in the Poconos…that's all I'm saying." Hanna sipped on a tumbler filled with cold water.
"Aria is right." Spencer tried to settle her racing mind. "Let's give them some time to answer."
"Yeah, maybe they're having crazy wild sex and didn't feel like making it into an orgy with a group call." Hanna considered it.
"Always with the unsolicited visual. Thanks so much, Hanna." Spencer rolled her eyes.
"Anything I can do to help." There was a pause in the conversation and Hanna's expression changed. "Can you guys believe this?"
"I can." Spencer muttered. "The bitch was always devious." She grumbled and looked at the clock. "I wonder how long we should give Emily and Alison to answer."
"Why? Are you going to book a flight out there to see them in person?" Hanna scoffed.
"If I have to. I have the resources." Spencer shrugged.
"Now who's being drastic?" Hanna asked.
"Let's just give them a little time to get back to us." Aria's tension had eased. "As…vivid a point that Hanna makes about what they do in the bedroom, they could very well be…"
"Humping like jackrabbits." Hanna finished for her with a smarmy grin.
"I hate you." Spencer scowled.
"You love me." Hanna argued.
"Alright. I'm going to try to get some work done and I'll try them again later." Spencer absentmindedly slipped her fingers into the long sleeve of her pajamas and started tugging on it, a nervous tic she'd had since she was a child.
"It's ten at night there. What are you even working on?" Aria cocked her head.
"Work-work. School work. And just…a lot of work." Spencer sighed. "Hopefully I'll be able to concentrate."
"I'll tell Caleb to put a rush on whatever he's working on so we can get some answers about all of this." Hanna glanced over her shoulder. "He's feeding the cat at the moment."
"The cat should take priority." Aria nodded with a smile.
Though they were nervous, they quietly said their goodbyes and tried to finish the night as normally as possible.
An hour after Spencer had tried to get in touch with them another message pinged Alison's and Emily's phones at the same time.
But it wasn't the girls this time.
Around the time that message came in, Alison and Emily were digging their feet into the sandy beaches of Malibu.
Though the temperature was cool, the sand was warm from the sun beating down on it all day. The wind was a perfect gentle breeze blowing through their hair.
Alison had her arm locked and curled into Emily's, their fingers interlaced. Their toes flicked sand into the air as they strolled along the water's edge.
"This was a great idea." Alison leaned against the brunette. "It's gorgeous out here."
"I had to learn to appreciate the water here. An ocean is very different than pools and lakes." What Emily left unsaid was that she had to get over her fear of drowning in that well in the Dollhouse.
But they were making it a Charlotte-free night...
...at least they assumed they were at the time.
"I like it here." Alison glanced down where their footprints were tracking in the sand.
"I do, too. I liked it better after you came along." Emily admitted. "It's nice to have someone to share this with, you know? I spend a lot of time on this beach sitting in my lifeguard stand, and taking dips on my breaks, or going into the water when someone needs help. But it's different being here…with you. It's like you brought serenity to this place."
I also brought Charlotte.
But Alison bit her tongue. She knew it wasn't going to be easy to ignore the impending storm that was Hurricane Charlotte, but she and Emily were both trying.
Eventually the thoughts of Charlotte faded and they were talking about the future.
"Where do you see us in five years?" Alison swung their arms gently between them.
Emily paused to consider the question.
"I don't know. I'm just trying to take it a day at a time." She admitted, peering over her sunglasses at the remaining sunlight.
"How is school going?" Alison questioned.
Emily paused again. Longer this time.
"It's…I don't know. It's different. I'm still on track to graduate, but unless I nail this semester it'll hurt my chances for getting into a good program for a Master's."
"Do you know what you want to do?"
"I thought I did. But things changed." Emily shrugged. "I mean, I want to help people, and I thought that meant making strides in something medical…even rehabilitation for people with injuries like I had in high school." A smile slowly formed on her lips. "But I love what I do for the Alliance. Yes, it doesn't exactly pay a ton and I do have to work for supplemental income."
"What would you do if money was no object?" Alison asked.
"That's the thing. I've always been someone who has to earn my own keep. It's instilled in me. Do I like working odd jobs? Not exactly. But I do like being able to pay my own way. I just wish adulthood came with some kind of manual, you know?"
"I hear you." Alison nodded.
"What about you, Malibu Barbie?" It had been a while since one of her friends had called her that, so she smiled at the nickname. "Is Hollywood your future? You ever think about making the move to LA?"
"I thought maybe one day, but like you said…things change. I have friends here. I have you. I have the Alliance." She slowed her stride and laughed. "I don't know what I'd do without Max constantly being around as my hype-man."
"Oh, Max would sneak into your luggage to go with us. So that's not a problem." Emily snorted.
"Us?" Alison was intrigued. "You'd come with me?"
"I don't want to lose you again, Alison." The way she said it with equal parts heartache and affection wormed its way under Alison's skin.
"But is that what you want? Because I'm not averse to meeting in the middle. If you want to stay I would stay. I would make it work. If I got enough star power, the distance wouldn't be a problem. I could easily come and go. And you could do the same. But we don't need to figure any of that out now. We have plenty of time."
"Is being an actress still important to you?" Emily gave her a quizzical look, like there was more to the question.
Alison didn't hesitate in her response.
"I think it will be once I'm able to focus solely on it. It's cathartic to play someone else on screen and get my emotions out in a healthy way, especially now that I have you to balance me out. I like not having to be Alison DiLaurentis sometimes."
"Well, I hope you don't change too much Miss DiLaurentis." Emily lowered her sunglasses and shot a wink at her. "I happen to like you."
Alison giggled.
Fucking giggled
Like a school child. Emily made her giggle. Even when things looked bleak, her sunny mermaid came through.
"Much obliged, Miss Fields." She presented Emily her free hand to plant a kiss on it like she was an old-school southern charmer introducing herself at a cotillion.
Emily didn't skip the opportunity. She grabbed it and placed a kiss on the back of Alison's hand, her lips feathery and soft against the thin delicate skin there. She dropped Alison's other hand between them and reached up to fix the wild stray hairs that had been blown all over Alison's face in the breeze. Her warm gentle fingers traced her jaw line as she pulled her in for a kiss.
Alison leaned into it, gripping Emily's hips and pulling her closer.
When Emily pulled away the sunlight in the distance cast a glowing hue over Alison's face. The brunette had the fleeting thought that maybe one day she would propose to Alison in the exact same scenario in the future.
She could see it all with her. Marriage, a family, a cat and a dog, a thriving couple. She wanted that.
Alison furrowed her brows, homing in on the expression on Emily's face.
"What?" She smiled.
"What do you mean what?" Emily asked.
"You're just…you're looking at me differently." Alison traced the edges of her cheeks.
Emily wanted to be surprised by her perception, but she wasn't.
"You look pretty." Emily bit her lip with a smile. "The sun is making your skin glow."
"I hope that's all the sun is doing. I mean, I put on sunscreen, but the last thing I need is a sunburn right now." Alison glanced down at her body to make sure her sensitive skin wasn't turning bright red. But of course it wasn't, because it was later in the day and she'd used sunscreen…as always.
Emily beamed at her.
God, she is so cute.
"You're doing it again." Alison observed.
"Is it a crime to stare at my girlfriend?" Emily took both of Alison's hands in hers.
"I'm willing to let you off with a misdemeanor. Community service includes lots of kisses." Alison leaned forward again and pecked Emily's lips several times.
"You are so ridiculous." Emily laughed. "Come on." She tugged Alison along.
They continued their walk on the beach.
Alison was so caught up in staring at Emily that she wasn't paying attention to where they were going.
It was only when Emily pulled away from the beach and started leading her up a path that was less sandy and more rocky that she realized how far they had strayed.
"Where exactly are we going?" Alison could feel the harder terrain poking into the soft spots on the bottom of her feet.
"You'll see." Emily answered cryptically.
Alison didn't mind being pulled along for the ride. She trusted the brunette.
They were halfway to their destination when Alison realized where Emily was taking her. She knew the view would be gorgeous.
Alison couldn't help but smile when they emerged at the California Kissing Rock.
"You're sneaky." Alison grinned as they made their way over to the rock.
"When I want to be." Emily nodded.
Emily helped Alison up on to the rock and then crawled up next to her.
"It's like home, but without all the drama. And with the ocean." Alison pulled her knees up close to her body, her bare feet hugging the side of the rock. She looked down and could still see the sand on her toes.
Emily had taken them on a path that Alison hadn't been on before. It was less of a hiking trail and more of an extension of the beach.
"Despite everything that happened in Rosewood…The Kissing Rock still means a lot to me." Emily glanced at the sunset. She smiled. "It was one of our first kisses. I cherished it."
Cherished.
"You're adorable." Alison smiled back. She reached for Emily's hand, lifting it up and playing with her fingers.
Emily was so talented with her hands. She knew just how to touch her to send shivers down her spine. She knew exactly how much pressure her muscles needed when they were strained. Her palms and fingers were soft and beautiful. They always had been. Emily was always gentle with her when they were younger.
Alison remembered her long tan fingers nervously fidgeting before their first kiss. She remembered the first time she felt her soft fingertips against her face.
Emily knew how to be kind, but she also knew how to use her hands to protect others. Alison hadn't forgotten the bruises she'd seen on Emily's knuckles after she'd punched Tyler. Her hands gave love, but they were also a strong force that would let nothing come between them.
Alison was reminded of a memory back in Rosewood when the two of them were talking about running away to Paris.
Alison had been arranging postcards of France on her desk during an after school French lab.
Emily had been busy, trying to do her work.
The first thing Alison noticed about Emily that day was the way her hand had been gripping her pen, her brow creased in concentration. She had wondered what it would feel like to feel Emily's fingertips against her skin. To feel them love her...to feel them everywhere.
When Emily got up to look at the postcards they had both moved their hands closer until their fingers were touching.
The blonde had felt an immediate spark, and she could tell by the way that Emily looked at her that she felt that same intense heat between them.
The heat since then had only gotten hotter.
Alison laced her fingers into Emily's.
"Our time in Rosewood meant a lot to me, too." Alison adjusted her sunglasses with her free hand.
Down on the beach in the distance they saw an older couple walking along the shore.
A peppy upbeat song was echoing in the air.
"…now I know the woman that you are. You're wonderful so far and it's more than I hoped for…"
The man stopped long enough to twirl his wife around in the sand. Their laughter was beautiful.
"I hope we have that one day." Alison smiled as she watched the older couple disappearing into the darkness, taking their music with them, the fading lyrics barely audible.
"I don't care what consequence it brings. I have been a fool for lesser things. I want you so bad. I think you ought to know that I intend to hold you for the longest time…"
"We already have that." Emily smiled. "I've loved you since we were kids. And I'll never stop."
"I think I knew back then how much I loved you. But I was so afraid of those feelings. I know we've talked about it before. I just think about it a lot."
"Everyone comes to terms in their own time. I never would have pressured you to come out or to tell me anything you didn't want to tell me." Emily pecked her cheek.
"I wish I would have given you the same courtesy instead of teasing you about your sexuality. That's what I told that girl at the Alliance earlier."
"The Catholic girl that came in?" Emily asked.
"Yeah. I clammed up when we walked in, but Samara opened the dialogue. She's good at that. She told the girl that often it's the bully who is insecure and that they want to make others feel small. And that's true. That's when I told the girl about how I treated you. I told her that I wasn't always open, because I was scared of my feelings. I told her that she should never let anyone make her feel small."
"Really?"
"I try not to bring our relationship into meetings I have with people who come in, but that situation was too familiar not to. I told her that she shouldn't take that abuse from anyone. You never should have had to deal with it. I was a mean little girl." Alison sighed.
"You were a scared little girl. And you know that now." Emily hugged her. "I know that now. And look at us."
Alison couldn't help but smile.
"Yeah. Look at us."
"Besides…you weren't wrong about me loving Beyoncé too much. I'll never tire of her."
"Beyoncé aside…you know what I mean." Alison chuckled, but then her smile slowly faded. "When I told you those kisses weren't just for practice, I meant it. I felt something with you when you looked into my eyes…when you touched me or kissed me. I felt so much that it hurt. Because I didn't understand what was happening. I was conditioned to be this perfect stepford child, but then my parents just totally stopped caring and left me and Jason to our own devices. I never should have started hanging out with an older crowd. No one there was actually looking out for me." She turned to face Emily. "You did. You always have. If you had known what was going on before I ran away you would have been there for me. But I never gave you the chance."
"I'm just sorry you went through that, especially all on your own. No one deserves that kind of pain." Emily squeezed Alison's hand.
Alison pulled her sunglasses off and smiled at her, the reflection from the sunset crystal clear in her soft blue eyes.
"I never knew how to let anyone in until you showed me how. Even back then I knew I could count on you. Not because you had a crush on me or anything, but because that's what noble people do. You look for the best in people. You're forgiving to those you love and you're fiercely protective."
"Oh, am I?" Emily pulled her shades off to look Alison in the eyes.
"Yeah. Very much so. You're one of those people who rarely hates someone…and when you do it's not without a good reason. Take Jenna for instance. I hated her because I was bitchy and felt challenged by her. But you hated her after Toby told you the truth about how she'd been abusing him. That's why people listen to you. You're diplomatic, pragmatic, and fair. You're just…I don't know. You're one of a kind. You're Emily."
"That's really sweet. But I think you're giving me too much credit." Emily tried to tame her wind-blown hair.
"I'm really not." Alison looked at her bashfully.
"I think we all have those morals somewhere deep inside. Except sociopaths and psychopaths. Everyone has the same potential to be a decent person. I wasn't always a good person. I did some shitty things. We all do. The important thing is that we learn and grow from our mistakes. I'm not so closed off that I don't believe that people can't change for the better." Emily smiled.
Optimistic Emily.
That was another reason she loved the brunette.
Alison slowly reached up to cup Emily's cheeks, her thumbs tracing against the divots beneath Emily's eyes where her cheekbones were most prominent.
Emily gripped the side of Alison's neck and peered into her eyes as they tilted towards one another and leaned in for a kiss.
It was a few gentle pecks at first, but started to become more intense as their hands moved down, tracing each other's curves. Alison felt Emily's fingertips skim underneath her top. Goosebumps popped up all over her body. She met Emily's energy by slipping her tongue into her mouth, earning a soft content moan from her. Their lips moved together in sync until they were breathless. They finally pulled away for air.
"You totally copped a feel." Alison whispered seductively into Emily's ear.
"I should have asked first." Emily laughed.
"I would have slapped you if you stopped. I liked it." Alison wiggled her brows.
"Should we put our initials on the rock to solidify it as The California Kissing Rock?" Emily smiled.
"I'll bring the spray paint next time. We can be the first ones to claim it."
"To really claim it…we'd need to do a little more than kiss."
"I love you, Emily, but if we're going to have sex out here I'm not doing it without some soft padding. And maybe a little candlelight." Alison scoffed.
"Noted." Emily nodded, banking the idea for a later date.
"This is exactly what I needed." Alison scooted closer to Emily.
"Me too." Emily wrapped her arm around Alison's shoulder and looked out at the sunset.
The sun was disappearing behind the water. It painted the sky in a beautiful multi-colored palate.
"It's so peaceful out here." Alison admired the view. "It's amazing what time away from technology does for our sanity. I haven't had a night like this for the longest time."
"Maybe we should work it into our relationship more." Emily suggested. "A day without technology once in a while. What do you think?"
"My agent and publicist will hate it, but I think it's a great idea. I don't want to be one of those people who only lives life from behind a camera phone…and a ring-light." She smiled.
They watched the rest of the sunset in quiet enjoyment.
Emily squeezed Alison's hand.
"Are you hungry?" Emily questioned.
"Is that a sexual innuendo or are you really asking?"
Emily snorted out a laugh.
"You made it perfectly clear that there will be no sex out here until we bring a bed and some candles out. I'm asking if you want to grab dinner. Or just dessert. I know we had lunch a little late."
"Yeah, I could go for something. Maybe some gelato from that little place down the street from the condo?"
"Oh, that sounds good."
By the time they made it back to the beach where they'd left their things it was dark out.
The stars had come out in full force, reflecting off of the waves of the sea.
They both stopped to stare at the endless swirls of light in the sky.
"It's so…" Alison tried to put what she was feeling into words. "It's just utterly picture perfect." She grabbed Emily's hand. "Being here. Being with you. Seeing the light in the dark."
Emily leaned into her.
"I spent a lot of time laying on this beach looking at the stars and thinking about you." Her gaze was fixed on the peaceful serenity in front of them.
But Alison was watching her. She was always watching her, because when Emily was talking she was also thinking. And Alison enjoyed seeing the thoughts playing out on her face.
"Even when I thought I might die of a broken heart I could still see beauty in it all." Emily sighed. "You know, when you look at Vincent Van Gogh's Starry Night…if you look long enough you start to wonder if the dark tower is brightened by the stars and moon in the sky…or if the sky only looks that poignant and beautiful because of the dark shadows. Light and dark."
Emily was so beautifully deep that Alison could feel it in her soul.
"What did you decide?" Alison didn't realize how badly she wanted the answer until she asked.
"It's both." Emily slowly face Alison, her face glowing in the moonlight. "I'm starting to understand it's more complex in life than just one or the other."
"I thought a lot about you, too." Alison slid her toes into the sand and arched her feet and caressed Emily's face before giving her a chaste kiss. "Every minute of every day."
"I still do." Emily whispered back. "Every minute. Every day."
Her response made Alison quiver.
They watched the tide for a few more minutes and then they gathered up their things and slipped their flip-flops back on.
The temperature had stayed about the same, so they were still comfortable when they got back to their neighborhood.
The gelato place was alive with activity. It was one of the busiest places around. It was worth the wait though.
After they got through the line they found a little spot outside at a small table with an umbrella that would usually protect people from the sun during the day.
Emily took a bite of her gelato, a mix of raspberry and peach that caught her eye. Alison had some with pineapple because she was feeling tropical.
"How is it?" Alison leaned forward as Emily savored the first bite.
Emily scooped a small portion on to her spoon with one hand and cupped her other hand below the spoon full of gelato and moved it towards Alison, offering her a bite.
Alison leaned further over the table and opened her mouth, letting Emily feed her. The moment the tangy treat hit her tongue she closed her mouth and smiled in satisfaction.
"You have excellent taste." Alison licked her lips. She reached for her spoon to take a bite of her pineapple gelato. It was just as good. "Wanna try mine?"
"Sure." Emily smiled.
Alison mimicked Emily's earlier motions and gave her girlfriend a bite.
"That's really good. Excellent choice. I feel like I should be on a beach on a tropical island." Emily nodded in approval.
"I would kill to live in the Caribbean. Caribbean cuisine is so good." Alison played with her spoon. "I could eat it every day."
"If you could only have one food for the rest of your life what would you choose?" Emily scooped some of her gelato into her mouth.
"Mmm, that's not fair. I love so many things…" Alison shook her head.
"You have to choose."
"You're awful." She laughed. She thought about it. She loved so many different dishes. "I want to say tacos, because I mean…who doesn't like tacos? I like shrimp, too. And Chicken Parmesan. But I do think I'd get tired of it after a while. I juggle back to tacos, but then I keep thinking about potatoes. Is that weird?"
"No. Why potatoes?" Emily asked curiously.
"They're versatile. There are so many different ways to cook and eat them. Bake them, mash them, load them up with stuff. You can make fries, chips, and most importantly…vodka." Alison wiggled her brows.
"That's really clever." Emily reached across the table and tapped her temple.
"Your turn." Alison poked her arm.
"Easy. Italian. You can never go wrong with Italian." Emily said without skipping a beat, glancing down and using her hands to showcase the gelato.
"Wait, you didn't say we could just be generic and choose a regional diet." Alison feigned a frown.
"I didn't say we couldn't either." Emily winked. "I still like your idea of potatoes, though."
"I want to change my answer to Italian." Alison protested.
Emily chuckled.
Alison stared at her frozen dessert. Their life could truly be this simple if they wanted it to be this simple.
"We should go to Italy." Alison's eyes twinkled in delight.
Emily cocked her head and took another bite of her gelato.
"Now?" It wasn't the first time Alison had thought about bolting, and Emily never knew whether she was being serious or not.
"Why not?" Alison batted her eyes.
"I thought you wanted France to be our first stop."
"Why not do both?" Alison had an adventurous inflection in her tone. "We could both use a real break. We could get away from all the stress we're under just like we're doing right now. Plus I could get loads of content for my socials."
"You're serious? You want to go to Europe like…tonight?" She took another bite of her tangy dessert.
"Well, not like right now. But we could look at flights and at places to stay when we get home. We could go for Valentine's Day."
Emily appreciated the grand romantic gesture, but the rational and realistic part of her mind was firing neurons at all paces.
"That's a week from today. What about your gigs? You're in the middle of filming a show." Emily reminded her. "And I have school."
She didn't want to crush Alison's spirit, but she knew they had to be logical about spending their money.
"And what about the cost?" Emily licked some gelato off her lips. "How exactly are we going to pay for all of this?"
"Yeah, I guess I am getting a little ahead of myself," Alison said, a childlike whimsical smile on her face. "I'm just really enjoying this carefree time with you."
"Aw." Emily blushed. "I love our time together, too."
"What about after you're finished with school this year? Should we plan for it? Research for the trip and save up?"
"I guess that depends on what happens in the next few months. What if I get a really solid internship? Or you get a motion picture deal?" Emily tiptoed around it.
"Those are just maybes. But I know one thing I've always been sure about. You." The blonde scooped a liberating chunk of her gelato on to her spoon and took a bite. "Besides, if they really want me they're going to have to chase me. The real DiLaurentis way. I don't come easy…" She cleared her throat and swallowed her gelato before she added, "…except for you."
Emily snorted out a laugh.
"I'm serious." Alison reached out and cupped Emily's hand. The brunette had done an amazing job easing her mind about everything happening back in Rosewood. "I wish every day going forward could be exactly like tonight."
"It can be like that." Emily smiled.
"You think so?" Alison asked.
"I do. In the meantime, maybe we should make tomorrow's menu Italian. All that talk about food is making me crave it." Emily suggested.
"All the more reason to plan a trip." Alison winked.
"Eventually." Emily promised. "We'll get there, Ali."
"Maybe I'll get cast in something that films overseas."
"Maybe you will."
They were halfway done with their gelato when a shriek filled the air.
They both jumped and spun towards the noise. Four young girls were barreling towards the gelato place.
It took Alison a moment to realize they weren't focused on the gelato, but on her.
"Alison!" One of the young teenagers squealed.
"Maybe I should have worn a disguise." Alison winked.
"Be nice." Emily looked at the starstruck little girls.
She knew what it was like to fangirl over Alison DiLaurentis. She'd been the ultimate Alison fangirl for years.
"Of course. I wouldn't have a platform without them." Alison was already on her feet, ready to greet the eager girls.
They squealed again when they got over to them.
"I'm so sorry. We didn't mean to interrupt you while you were eating. But we are huge fans. We've been following you forever." A petite dark-skinned girl with Box Braids tried to keep her composure.
The other three girls seemed ready to burst. One was a blonde with short cropped hair with braces and a shy grin on her face. One was a redhead with freckles sprinkled across her face. The third was a girl with pink streaks in her hair that looked a lot like Aria, but taller.
"That's your girlfriend, right?" The redhead asked with a giggle.
The other girls waved to Emily.
Emily waved back.
"Ah…well…yes. But she's a little camera shy." Alison walked a fine line between protecting Emily and answering the girls politely.
"You shouldn't be. You're hot." The girl with the Box Braids grinned at Emily.
Normally, Alison was very territorial when it came to the brunette, but she knew that the thirteen-year-old wasn't a threat. It wasn't like Emily had a membership to the NAT club. And Alison knew Emily was totally in love with her.
"Thanks." Emily laughed it off. "But she's the star of the show."
"I'm Sydney." The young girl continued. "This is my girlfriend, Dylan." She nodded to the girl with the pink hair. "And these are our friends Mia…" The redhead. "…and Zoe." The blonde.
"It's nice to meet you." Alison replied.
They all giggled in excitement.
"We can't wait for your new show." Dylan gripped Sydney's hand, squeezing nervously.
She looked like she was meeting a celebrity on the red carpet.
"Yeah, when is it dropping?" Mia asked.
"We're still filming, but I'll update soon when I know." Alison replied.
It was wild that she was getting recognized so often. It was the attention she had craved so badly back in Rosewood, but it was so different for her now.
"I just wanted to say that I love your content a lot, but it means so much to me that you shared your relationship. And all those resources at the LGBTQ Alliance. Oh my God, the community loves you. You're such an inspiration." Sydney gushed.
"It's true. You inspired me to come out." Dylan replied shyly.
"That's amazing. I'm so happy for you." Alison smiled.
She had to pause to consider the fact that she'd gone from teasing Emily about being gay to becoming a beacon of hope to younger LGBTQ kids.
"You know…she actually does all of the hard work at the Alliance." Alison glanced back at Emily. "I found out about it because of her."
She wanted to give Emily the credit, but she peered at her to make sure she hadn't overstepped.
"Thank you, too." Sydney smiled politely at Emily.
"Would you like to take a picture for Instagram?" Alison tried to take the attention off of Emily.
She didn't want the brunette to be uncomfortable.
"Oh, um…actually…" Zoe peered shyly at her. "We were wondering if you would do a dance challenge with us for a TikTok? We're really good and we've seen you do dance challenges in your other videos so it shouldn't take long."
She pulled up a video that Alison was already familiar with. She'd practiced it while waiting to go to set some days when she was bored.
"Sure. I think I already know all of the moves." She glanced at Emily. "Would you mind filming?" She asked before the girls could goad her into being involved in the dancing.
"Yeah." Emily gave Alison an appreciative look.
The last thing she wanted to do was end up dancing on social media. She had great dance moves, but she preferred saving them for her friends and family.
Sydney pulled up the camera app on her phone and walked next to Emily as the other girls gathered around Alison. She framed the scene and then showed Emily what to do.
"All you have to do is push the center button once Zoe starts the music. We can just add the track when we upload the video to TikTok."
"Got it." Emily nodded.
Sydney joined her friends and Alison and they huddled together while practicing a few times without the music.
"Ready?" Sydney asked the others.
Alison noticed that all the other girls seemed to look to Sydney for direction. But they didn't look at her with apprehension and fear. It looked like they truly admired her. And Sydney seemed like she was a sweet person. The blonde took a moment to wonder what her friendship with the girls would have been like it if was more genuine.
"I've got the music ready." Zoe put her phone against a table and pressed a button.
There was an intro, so they had time to get into formation and for Emily to hit the record button.
It took them a few tries to get perfectly in sync with the music, but no one seemed anxious about it. They all laughed it off and helped each other.
"I'm off." Dylan frowned.
"It's fine. You're doing fine." Sydney encouraged her.
"Yeah, if you just take your left foot back about half an inch and wait two beats you'll get it." Mia helped her.
Emily stayed behind the camera, capturing it all. She thought maybe the girls would want the outtakes, too…even if only for themselves. It looked like it would be a nice memory to have.
Sydney restarted the music, asking Emily if she would mind filming a clean take of their fourth attempt.
By that time, Emily was practically a pro with the camera.
"Sure. Starting it now."
The fourth take was perfect. When they were done they held their end pose for a solid ten seconds and then jumped up and down in excitement. Alison couldn't help but smile and join in. The kids were so jovial and carefree.
Sydney went to get her phone from Emily, seeming to understand her aversion to being crowded. The other girls stayed behind and fawned over Alison, taking pictures and smiling and laughing.
"Thanks again for this." Sydney smiled at Emily.
"You're welcome."
"Hey, and I really meant it when I thanked you about the Alliance. You do amazing work. What age do you allow volunteers?"
"Sixteen."
"I guess we'll see you in a few years then." Sydney nodded.
"If you girls ever need anything feel free to drop in. Even if Alison and I aren't there the rest of the staff and volunteers are amazing." Emily assured her.
"I might talk to Dylan about it. Her parents are struggling to accept her. They don't say anything mean, but they don't seem to understand. So yeah, we might need some help." Sydney nodded.
"Sydney!" Mia called. "Can we see the video?"
"Yeah, of course." She gave Emily a wave and walked over to where her friends were standing.
They all hovered around the phone and watched.
"It's perfect!" Zoe declared. "We just need to upload it and add the music."
"Do you mind if we tag you?" Dylan asked Alison.
"Please do." Spending the entire evening away from her phone and all the Charlotte drama had reminded Alison of how much she truly enjoyed interactions with her fans.
The girls sang Alison praises and then thanked both her and Emily a dozen times before they said their goodbyes.
Sydney offered to buy them some fresh gelato since they'd interrupted their meal, but Alison waved her off, telling her they were almost done.
The girls skipped off happily while Alison took her place next to Emily again.
"That was very sweet of you to do." Emily smiled when Alison sat back down.
"I don't mind."
"It was hot, too. Shakira has nothing on your hips." Emily winked.
"Hmm, well, maybe a private show is in order." Alison pursed her lips and lifted her brows.
"I wouldn't say no to that."
They heard the girls' excitement from afar and smiled.
"Do you ever think about what our lives would have been like if we'd had something like they do back when we were in middle school and high school?" Alison sighed as she watched the kids disappear. "Maybe everything with A never would have happened. Maybe if I hadn't been such a terrible person to Mona she never would have hurt you all."
Sometimes Alison couldn't help but blame herself when she thought about what had happened back in Rosewood.
"That wouldn't have stopped everything that happened with Bethany Young and Charlotte. Charlotte thought you were Bethany that night. All of that still would have happened." Emily scooted her chair closer to Alison's. "Mona was suffering with some serious mental health issues. She admitted that she was obsessed with you. That's why she so desperately wanted your approval. She was fixated on you."
"And I used that against her. I goaded her because she freaked me out with how much she wanted my attention." Alison admitted. "That was a really shitty thing to do to her."
"I know you think you caused all of her problems, but Mona was sick before you came into the picture. I know you also know that bullying her added to what she was going through, but Mona's actions are on Mona. She knows she can't blame any of us for the horrible things she did to us."
"Yeah, I guess so." Alison paused and considered something. "Sorry. This is supposed to be a Charlotte-free and drama-free night out. Let's get back to that." She leaned in to give Emily a quick peck on the lips.
Emily's mouth was still cold from the gelato. It was a juxtaposition to the warmth of Alison's. She had worked up a sweat dancing with the girls. The heat and the cold complimented each other and sparked something in both of them.
"So…" Alison pulled away. "What do you want to do now?"
"Whatever you want to do." Emily reached up and put her arm around Alison's shoulders.
"I'm not ready to go back to reality yet. Let's do that putt-putt thing down the street. It's open until ten, right?"
Alison's response should have surprised her, but it didn't. The blonde was discovering the joy of just being a normal girl and doing silly normal things.
"Sure. You ever played?" Emily asked.
"No. But I went to a lot of my dad's boring ass golf club trips and I'd play a little." Alison shrugged. "Jason was better than I was, but he hated it. And dad hated him being there. Those two were always at each other's throats. The testosterone. I swear."
Emily looked at Alison in a curious way.
"Sorry, I'll stop talking about the negative."
"That's not what I was thinking at all." The brunette quirked a smile. "I'm trying to picture you in a frilly girly outfit hitting your little pink golfballs over tiny little bridges and through mini-windmills. It's very cute."
Alison's cheeks turned pink.
"Stop." She loved it despite being all dopey in love. "Actually, no. Say more." Alison leaned closer.
"You'd look so good standing in front of that mini windmill with your putter. Wind in your hair…" Emily grinned.
Alison had said something similar to Emily when they were younger about visiting Paris.
"Are you mocking me?" Alison feigned a frown.
"Yes. Yes, I am."
"Naughty, naughty." Alison wagged a finger at her, but she was grinning from ear to ear.
"Come on." Emily laughed and grabbed her hand. "I want to show you something."
Alison grabbed their trash and they threw it out as they walked away from the gelato shop.
On the way to the putt-putt place Emily took Alison on a detour of a small private beach she'd discovered while walking one day. It wasn't as vast as the oceans of Malibu. It was more like a tiny cove in a forgotten land.
They walked out on to a rickety old dock that Alison wasn't sure was entirely safe, but Emily seemed confident. And she trusted the brunette.
When they got to the edge they sat down and dangled their feet over the water. The tides were low, so the cool water barely lapped at their feet.
They were surrounded by nothing but the darkness and the lights that nature provided in the stars and in the moon.
The ocean below them was a gentle white noise that tuned out all of the negative things in their lives. Alison stared at it inquisitively. In the light of the moon it looked silver and bottomless. Dangerous, yet beautiful. A little like Emily. Her girlfriend had a huge capacity for love and it made her incredibly beautiful, but Alison knew that deep down she harbored dangerous thoughts. They both did.
There was depth in it, too, which Alison could relate, too. Both she and Emily had layers upon layers beneath the surface. It seemed almost impossible to reach the bottom. But the excitement of trying to go beyond deepened their compassion for each other.
The entire night belonged to them in that moment.
And so did the ocean and the sky.
It made them both more daring, unafraid to talk to one another.
Instead of going to play putt-putt they sat there for hours, opening up about everything. Their wants and desires. Their fears and their insecurities. They talked about the past. They talked about what they wanted in the future, both settling on two kids, a cat, and a dog.
"I could actually go for three." Emily admitted.
"Three pets or three kids?" Alison asked.
"Both. A dog, two cats, and three kids."
"I'm not renting out my uterus that many times, so we'll have to take turns." Alison laughed. "What kind of dog do you want?"
"Aria would kill us if it wasn't a rescue mutt." Emily smiled, gripping Alison's hand.
"I love rescue mutts." Alison's mind drifted to Pepe. He had been her only friend in the world when she got back to Rosewood after being on the run.
"I think I want a big dog. My dad always talked about getting a Lab-Pit mix. He had two mutts growing up." Emily sighed.
"I'd like that." Alison laid her head against Emily's shoulder. "What about the cats?"
"They would have to choose us." Emily stated with a nod.
"Naturally." Alison agreed.
"Maybe we could get Cheese to vouch for us. He'd be a good reference." Emily grinned.
Alison laughed.
"Kids?" she asked.
"Healthy. That's all that matters. Just healthy and happy." Emily thought of her father when she answered.
It was bittersweet, because that's exactly what he'd want for her. But he wouldn't be around to see it.
"Godparents?" Alison asked.
"Spencer and Toby would be the most logical choice, but…" Emily trailed off. "Hanna and Caleb are so good with their cat. They're both very passionate, but they're also very sweet and very sensitive. They want kids down the line, too. Last summer Hanna and I talked about kids and she admitted she wanted two. A little boy and a little girl. Aria and Liam would probably be good with kids, too. And Samara and Zoe work with kids every day. Any children would be lucky to have them."
"So we already have a list. Our kids are in great hands." Alison nodded dutifully. "We'd have to let them fight over Godparent duties for the cats and the dog."
"Toby would win out over the dog. He talks about getting a dog all the time. He wants one he can take to all his job sites."
"I don't know. Aria seems to adore Argos. He's going on their book tour. I think she'd put up a fight."
"Maybe Aria and Toby could have joint custody."
"And the cats could go to whoever they choose." Alison agreed.
There was laughter and then a quiet pause.
"I already know you're going to be the brightest shining star in the world." Emily smiled softly at her. "I wish I knew what I wanted to do for my career."
Alison wrapped her bare ankle around Emily's.
"Em, I only shine because you let me. You make sure my light never dims. I may be the star, but you're the entire fucking galaxy." She cupped the brunette's face. "Whatever you want to do you're going to be the best at it."
Emily grazed the nape of Alison's neck and leaned forward. In the cover of the darkness beneath the stars in the sky…they were kissing again. The waves lapped at their feet, the sound a roaring echo of white noise beneath them.
"Whatever you do, I know you're going to help a ton of people doing it." Alison smiled. "Hell, you already do. Everything you do centers on helping people. Being a Lifeguard, both literally at the beach and metaphorically at the Alliance. The research you're learning at school. It's all leading up to something incredible. And meant only for you."
Alison's words touched a piece of Emily's heart that hadn't felt quite right since her father died. The amount of love she had for the blonde was infinite.
"I love you." Emily's mind was whirling.
The possibilities for them were endless.
"Take me home." Alison leaned forward and whispered with a wink.
Several minutes later they were rushing up the dock and giggling, ready for their soft duvet cover and the intimacy of their bodies flush together.
They barely made it through the front door before Alison was all over the brunette. She pawed at her top as they kicked their flipflops off at the door.
Emily reached for her shorts, tugging at the zipper.
As they were making their way to the bedroom, Emily tripped over a throw pillow and bumped into the table, knocking her phone to the floor.
It landed face up and both of them stopped long enough to glance at it.
"Holy shit." Emily saw all her unread messages.
They couldn't even go a couple of hours without some kind of drama happening.
"Why do you have that many messages?" Alison's eyes widened.
Emily picked her phone up and straightened her shirt. Alison grabbed her phone and saw she had just as many missed texts.
There were more than a dozen messages from the girls. The first was from Spencer and it didn't offer a lot of information.
Call me!
Hanna's was more direct.
Jesus Em, pick up your ducking phone.
She'd added a,
*FUCKING. I hate autocorrect.
Alison had an identical message from Hanna, but with more to the message,
Where the hell are you? Are you dead? You better not be dead.
Aria had more tact, more urgent concern.
We're worried. Please just call us. Any of us. Even a text.
But with a recent picture of you two holding up a newspaper with today's date. Spencer clarified.
Alison saw another message from Spencer.
Alison, I'm twenty minutes away from chartering a private plane to come out there. You never leave your phone unattended for this long.
There was another string of messages begging for a status update. After they got to the end of that chain there was lag in the messages, an hour, before Hanna had come alive again.
Just saw Alison tagged in a TikTok, so at least we know they're alive.
Did she look safe? Was she being held against her will? Spencer replied.
She was doing a dance challenge with Taylor Swift and Ice Spice.
Excuse me…what? She was dancing with celebrities? Aria butt in, confused.
No, it was a Taylor Swift-Ice Spice mash-up song.
You listen to Taylor Swift? Aria had followed it up with laughing emoji.
Shut up. She's awesome. You don't know my life. Alison is fine. She was doing a choreographed number with a couple of little pre-teens.
Sounds like a hostage situation to me. Alison could practically hear Spencer's sarcastic response in her brain.
"What the…" Emily scrolled through, confused as hell.
"Why are they freaking out? What is happening?" Alison continued reading her messages. "Is this about the recording we sent to the cops? Or did they find something out about Teddy?"
"Let me see if I have anything new from Caleb…" When Emily closed out the group text chain she was met with a text from an unknown number.
Snitches get stitches. Unfortunately for Snitchey Sara Harvey, no one was around to give her stitches. One blonde bitch down. One to go.
"What does that even mean?" Emily stared at the phone in confusion. "Is Sara not really working for Charlotte?"
It startled both of them when Alison's phone jumped to life in her hands, Spencer's face splashed across the screen.
It took Alison a moment to compose herself before she answered, putting Spencer on speaker.
"Finally. Where have you been?" Spencer didn't even bother with a hello.
"Out. With Emily." Alison blinked, a furrowed expression in her brow.
Emily kept scrolling through all of the messages on her phone as Alison talked.
"Did you get Caleb's text?" Spencer asked.
"You blew up our phones. Finding it isn't exactly easy." Emily answered.
"I'm just glad you're not dead." Spencer let out a sigh of relief.
"Why would we be dead?" Alison asked.
"Oh." Emily's jaw dropped when she saw the text from Caleb.
There was a picture and a link attached, a screenshot of a news story with the source.
Emily clicked on the news article and it loaded in her browser.
LOCAL INMATE FOUND DEAD
"A local inmate at a county detention center was found dead in the showers from several stab wounds.
Sara Mandi Harvey, who was recently arrested for confessing to the murder of a young teenage boy several years ago, was pronounced dead at Rosewood Detention Center yesterday afternoon. Harvey, 23, pled guilty to the murder of Nolan Mason Brown.
Brown, who was 16 when he died, was a classmate of Harvey's, who was also 16 at the time of the crime. The death was initially ruled an accidental drug overdose, but new evidence came to light that incriminated Harvey. The case was re-opened and Harvey pled guilty. She was awaiting sentencing.
Harvey has a long history of misconduct starting with her claim that she was abducted and held against her will as a teenager. At the time, Harvey's lawyer argued that she was suffering from Stockholm syndrome, but some skeptics believe she was acting on her own free will in an elaborate scheme in the torture of four teenage girls. Records were sealed because of the involvement of minors, but Harvey was 19, so her involvement was made public.
She was involved in a local bomb scare four years ago, which is when she was apprehended and arrested, along with a local woman, Charlotte DiLaurentis. DiLaurentis pled insanity and is being held in a state mental institution.
According to an insider, Harvey's plea deal included cooperating with Federal Investigators for another serious crime. It is unclear whether she had already spoken to authorities about their case or what case it is. Local police were trying to coordinate with federal authorities on Harvey's cooperation.
When asked about the Federal case, an FBI agent replied,
"I am not at liberty to discuss this situation. This is an open investigation."
An open records request was placed, but we are still awaiting the request.
This is the first death that Rosewood Detention Center has on record. A spokesman for the county noted that the death is being investigated, but so far they have no leads."
"Sara Harvey is dead?" Emily stared at the short news article from a small Rosewood newspaper.
"Someone shivved her in the showers." Spencer cut right to it.
"What?" The color drained from Alison's face.
"Here." Emily extended her phone to Alison. "Hang on, Spence."
They exchanged phones and Alison started to read.
"The article mentions Charlotte." Emily bit her lip. "She must have been giving Charlotte up. It also might be why Tanner was sniffing around earlier."
"Yeah, I've been meaning to ask about that." Spencer replied. "What did you tell her?"
"She cornered me outside of school. It was right after I got off the phone with you. I didn't tell her anything. I just answered her questions with questions."
"That's my girl." Spencer nodded in satisfaction.
"Fuck." Alison whispered. "Fuck." She repeated. When she looked up her eyes were wide in fear. "If Charlotte can get to her inside a secure prison…what does that mean for us?"
Emily opened her mouth, intending to say something that would make Alison feel better, but she was utterly speechless. She quickly closed her mouth and looked to Spencer for help. Spencer shook her head in disbelief, also seemingly unable to string together a coherent response. Not even a sarcastic quip.
The silence was deafening.
No one said anything. No one knew what to say. Because they knew Alison was right. Their lives were once again in danger.
A/N: Ding dong, the bitch is dead (but who did the deed? And why?)
Fun fact: The middle name chosen for Sara Harvey is an Easter Egg. I'll give you a hint. Mandi means something in the language of Malay.
The girls are banding together and we love to see it. We've got some cute couple fluff for every endgame. Spencer being shy about her feelings. Hanna and Caleb…and that damn cat of theirs. And Aria telling Liam everything and his response is to just roll with it. Good man. Good man.
A few favorites: Spencer in detective mode. Hanna and that Meow Mix jingle. Aria dressed up as a chipmunk as a kid. Who wouldn't love to see that? Spencer's, "I hate you" to an unbothered Hanna's, "You love me."
I also loved delving into the psychology and the seriousness of the talks that Emily and Alison had throughout the chapter. Unplugging and just talking about their lives. Beaches, Kissing Rocks, and Gelato.
I also enjoyed writing the softer side of Alison's sensitivity in dealing with younger kids. The juxtaposition of Alison using her bad behavior in the past as an example when she's working with kids at the Alliance was something I'd always planned on doing.
And Emily's complete uncertainty about her career? Something all too real we didn't really get much of in the show.
Their bonding made me happy. And they were happy! And then…boom…dead body. Suspicions are starting to run high. And the stakes are even higher. This is about to get complicated.