A/N: I appreciate the reviews so much. Several of you had questions. Some are revealed in this chapter. I'm personally excited about this chapter for more than one reason. Emison…of course. But also...you're going to see a lot of familiar faces. And some new ones. The new face I'm most excited about is a side character I did a poll on Twitter about. It's a cat. You will learn who the cat owns in this one.
Chapter 2:
Summer Lovin'
Alison was warm...comfortable. She felt like she was wrapped up in a cocoon. She didn't want to open her eyes.
She gripped the soft silky sheet covering her body and rolled to her side.
When she finally opened her eyes it took her a moment to realize she wasn't in the Airbnb anymore.
She thought she'd dreamed the entire thing. But waking up and seeing Emily's condo in the light of day was proof that she was really there. Emily had come to her aid last night. She had comforted her and given her a safe place to stay. They had watched a movie. She could still smell Emily's shampoo and bodywash on her skin.
Then the reality hit her.
If last night was real…that meant what happened in the Airbnb with Tyler was real. She felt like a ball of steel had been dropped into her stomach.
She thought about the clothes she'd packed in a plastic bag in her suitcase. She thought about the Q-tips she'd carefully sealed away for when she went to the cops.
She knew that he would do it again. And she couldn't have the next innocent victim on her conscience.
She had to go to the police. But the thought of it made her feel sick.
She glanced at the end table and saw a tumbler filled with ice water and a bottle of anti-inflammatories next to a closed laptop. There was a note folded in front of the tumbler.
Alison grabbed it, recognizing Emily's handwriting immediately.
Her penmanship hadn't changed at all over the years. It was swoopy and bubbly and sweet like her.
Thought you might need this. I didn't want to wake you. Went for a jog. Don't worry, you're safe here. Everything is locked up. Be back soon. Call me if you need anything. Otherwise, make yourself at home.
PS: You lost. You fell asleep first. The bed is yours.
Alison chuckled and put the note down. She was going to demand a rematch on the couch versus the bed. Not that she didn't trust Emily was telling the truth. But what if they had fallen asleep at the same time and Emily woke up first?
She just wanted an excuse to keep the game going. She liked spending time with Emily.
Alison pulled the sheet back and sat up. Her head hurt, but not as bad as she thought it would. She took a moment to observe her arms and legs, finding a few scratches and a bruise on her arm where Tyler had grabbed her. Nothing that couldn't be covered up.
But then she went to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. Shadows circled underneath her red puffy eyes. Her face had a few spots from running in the brush.
There was no amount of make-up that would cover up her exhaustion. And if she didn't look her best for the photoshoot it might hurt her chances at growing her portfolio.
She reached out to the photographer, hoping he would be gracious in letting her reschedule in twenty-four hours. That would give her plenty of time to make herself presentable.
Fortunately for her, before she could even ask he said that the studio had been having technical issues. He asked if she'd mind rescheduling in a day or two.
Alison obliged.
She took her time walking through the condo, getting used to her new home. She wasn't sure how long Emily would let her stay, but she knew the brunette wouldn't let her leave until she had somewhere safe to go.
She paused at the windows, pulling open the shades to reveal a stunning view…of the tiny parking lot. But beyond that she could see where the cliffs dropped off into the ocean. It was barely a glimmer in the distance, but she could kind of see the waves forming…if she squinted hard enough.
She peeked in Emily's closet to get an idea of what her wardrobe was like. She had a mixture of casual California chic, old school grunge, flannel, and exercise and professional attire. She had simple shoes. She only had two pairs of dress shoes. She had triple the amount of flip-flops.
She saw a small locked safe bolted to the wall. It was likely where Emily stored her gun. In a way, it made her feel safer to have the gun around. She knew Emily knew how to shoot it. She'd been going to the shooting range with her father since she was a kid.
She closed the door and then slowly spun around in the bedroom. She loved it because it had Emily's essence.
She meandered into the kitchen, peering into the cabinets and refrigerator.
There wasn't much in the way of food. A few fresh fruits and vegetables. Quinoa. Hummus.
Alison frowned, worried about Emily's nutrition.
She pulled out her phone and used her location to search for the nearest store. She browsed through items, adding them to her cart. But when she got to the delivery address she realized that she didn't have it.
She searched for a bill or a piece of mail, but she knew that everything was online now. Emily seemed like she was the type who cared about saving the environment and going paperless.
She walked to the front door and opened it in hopes of seeing a number.
As she was walking out, she heard a door creak open. She spun around and saw a tall blonde two doors down across the hall.
Her eyes were on Alison, but she didn't look surprised to see that a stranger was in Emily's condo.
How many women does Emily bring back here? A mixture of jealousy and disbelief churned in her stomach.
She was tall and lean and looked somewhat familiar. She was wearing a sleek white spaghetti strap shirt covered with a styled mesh black tank top. Her tight denim pants were circled by a black belt with a large silver buckle. Her hair fell down in waves against her shoulders.
To her surprise, the woman smiled and walked over to her.
Alison felt a blossom of embarrassment flood her face. She was definitely not dressed to meet people.
At the very least, I've got stylish pajamas. She reminded herself.
"You must be Alison…Emily's friend."
Alison's eyes narrowed as a glint of recognition sparked her brain.
Why was she so familiar? Was she a fellow model-influencer? The face of a corporate sponsor she hadn't met yet?
"We never officially met back in Rosewood." A hand was extended and Alison was taking it before she realized she was doing it. "I'm Samara Cook."
Emily's ex-girlfriend. Now engaged to someone else.
"Hi, yes. It's nice to meet you, Samara. I was just looking for the condo number. Do you mind giving me the address to this place? I want to have some groceries brought here. I've got the order ready, but I don't know the address." Alison smiled.
"Sure." Samara gestured for Alison to give her the phone.
Alison was reluctant at first. Her phone was her lifeline. But there was something trustworthy in Samara's eyes. She put the phone in her palm and watched as Samara typed in the address.
"It will save automatically and then you'll have it later for anything you might need."
"Thank you so much." Alison took her phone back and finalized her order. "It was really nice meeting you."
"You too. If you need anything, my fiancée Zoe and I are more than willing to help." She pointed to their condo as a short curly-haired woman with rich dark skin walked out and closed the door behind her, locking it. "Zoe! This is Alison."
And we're meeting more people…great.
Alison looked around to make sure no one was pointing a camera at her while she was looking less than her best.
The hallway was empty except for her and the couple across the hall.
Zoe was shorter than Samara by an inch or two. She was wearing a skirt and heels and a fierce red top that Alison really liked.
"I love your outfit." Alison smiled at Zoe.
"Thanks." Zoe walked up next to Samara. "So, I hear you're from Samara's old stomping grounds."
"Technically a few miles outside of my old stomping grounds. Emily and I lived in different jurisdictions," Samara said.
Alison waited for jealousy to spark in Zoe's eyes at the mention of Emily, but Zoe was unbothered.
The blonde wondered if she could get to a point where she didn't obsess over Emily's exes. She certainly wanted to try.
"I'm officially wildly outnumbered by you East-coasters." Zoe laughed.
"She's originally from San Francisco." Samara explained.
Zoe's phone chimed at her and she glanced at her screen.
"We're going to be late if we don't get moving, babe." Zoe tapped on her phone and then put it away. "It was nice to meet you, Alison. If you ever need anything just let us know."
The girls said goodbye and Alison disappeared back into the safety of the condo.
While she was waiting on the food to arrive she went into the bedroom and pulled an outfit out of her bag. She grabbed her make-up kit and went to work to make herself look presentable.
Just as she was finishing up she heard a knock at the door.
The delivery was right on time.
She peered through the peephole and saw a young girl walking away after having dropped something off.
She waited until she was sure the girl was gone and then took the groceries into the kitchen. She put a few of them away and then grabbed the ingredients to make Emily breakfast.
She'd bookmarked a few recipes she'd found in Emily's kitchen. She scrolled through them until she found what she wanted.
She went to work on an egg breakfast scramble with spinach, cheese, onion, silantro, chiles, cherry tomatoes, and avocado. She drizzled some pico de gallo in to make the flavor pop.
As she worked on the eggs, fresh toast warmed up the kitchen with a delicious buttery smell. She left the eggs on low heat and finished up a fruit parfait.
She took a moment to admire her work. The freshly prepared meal would look great on her profile.
She was proud of the presentation and she thought her followers would like the aesthetic.
She pulled her phone out and snapped a few pictures and then shared them.
Alerts popped up immediately, but she was focused on finishing the meal. She only happened to catch the first one.
Wow, you're hot AND you can cook? Marry me!
Alison turned her phone face down, hiding the screen, and went back to the food.
She was putting the fruit in a bowl when she heard the front door open and then close.
"Alison?" Emily called, kicking her shoes off by the door.
She walked into the kitchen wearing a sports bra, exercise shorts, and running shoes. Her hair was frizzy and wet with sweat. Her entire body had a beautiful glow from the perspiration on her skin. She sucked down some water from a reusable bottle and then smiled.
"Something smells amazing." Emily wiped her brow.
"I hope it's still your favorite." Alison motioned to the oven where the food was sitting on a warmer.
Emily's mouth quirked into a pleased, yet perplexed smile.
"Oh…what's the occasion?"
Alison smiled cryptically, but she didn't reply.
"I don't remember having any of this stuff in my kitchen…" Another smile tugged at her lips. "Did you go grocery shopping?"
"Instacart." Alison shrugged.
"This is really nice." Emily walked over towards the small table. It only seated two people, but it was enough for them.
Alison had already filled two glasses with orange juice. A second glass on the side had ice water. Utensils and napkins were laid out.
A new centerpiece had been added. Flowers in a clear vase that she'd ordered at the last minute. Two plates sat on the counter next to the food.
"Wow." Emily smiled. "This is incredible. You didn't have to do all this. You're my guest."
"I wanted to. To thank you for everything you've done for me." Alison reached for Emily's plate and handed it to her.
Their fingertips touched briefly. They both glanced down at their hands and then lifted their heads, smiling.
"I feel tremendously under-dressed." A bashful look washed across Emily's face.
She walked over to the sink to wash her hands, setting her plate down next to it.
When she turned around Alison was ready with the eggs and the serving spoon.
"You're fine." Alison liked seeing Emily's lean muscular body. "If anything, I'm overdressed. I'm always overdressed."
"Part of the gig." Emily nodded towards Alison's phone.
"Kind of." Alison laughed sheepishly. "Sometimes I just like to dress up."
"You always did love a good outfit." Emily gestured to the food, suggesting that she take the first serving.
"You first." Alison insisted.
"Nope. Not how this works." Emily grinned at her. "You're my guest. You get first dibs."
"Fine." Alison turned towards the scrambled eggs. She scooped out a good sized portion and then turned around and plopped it on Emily's plate.
"Touché." Emily laughed. She picked up the fruit bowl and the fresh yogurt and she spooned some of it on to Alison's plate. "Your move."
Alison didn't hesitate as she reached for two pieces of the hot buttery bread, putting a slice on Emily's plate and then one on her plate.
Once their plates were full they moved over towards the table. Alison sat across from Emily. She was used to huge dining rooms with a dozen seats. Sitting at such a small table was new for her. But she didn't mind the small intimate setting.
Forks clinked against their plates as they scraped at their food.
"How are you doing?" The brunette's observant gaze was on Alison's swollen sunken eyes.
"Okay." Alison's eyes darted away from Emily's. She hated that Emily was seeing her at her worst. "How was your run?"
Changing the subject was the only logical thing to do.
To Emily's credit, she didn't push her. She seemed to understand that Alison didn't want to talk about it.
"It was good." Emily scooped up some of her eggs. "I run every morning. Helps me stay in shape."
Alison held up a fork full of eggs and took a bite.
It tasted delicious. She didn't know she was capable of making edible food. She was quite proud of herself. She chewed her eggs, and the kitchen was quiet for a few seconds while they both ate their meal.
"Did you sleep okay?" Emily made a point of making eye contact to make sure the blonde was telling the truth.
"Yeah." Alison was surprised at how well she'd slept.
She was certain she would have nightmares. Being with Emily must have helped.
"I hope waking up to the empty condo didn't freak you out." Emily considered the idea that she should have stayed with Alison, but she didn't want to overcrowd her.
She'd practically watched her sleep all night, so she felt like a total stalker.
"No. It was fine. Gave me an opportunity to snoop through your things." Alison winked with a whimsical smile on her face, trying not to let her mask slip.
She didn't want Emily to see her as some small defenseless creature who couldn't take care of herself. She had some pride.
"And how did you enjoy the boredom of your findings?" Emily asked.
The brunette had always been open about her life, especially after she came out. She was one of the most honest people that Alison knew.
"Well, I did find two towels that didn't match your bathroom décor…which is simply scandalous." Alison teased.
"That was a test of fashion. You passed." Emily chuckled. "Did you get settled into the bedroom yet?"
"About that…" Alison held her fork high and pointed it at Emily. "I want a rematch of last night."
"You don't trust my word?" Emily laughed.
"How do I know we didn't fall asleep at the same time?"
"I have a photo of you asleep while I'm wide awake…in a totally non-creepy way. I knew I'd need proof."
"You could have taken it when you woke up and saw that I was asleep too." Alison took a sip of her water. "So, I feel like it's only fair. Best two out of three?"
"Do you really want to sleep on the couch?" Emily nibbled on her toast.
"You said yourself it's comfy. And it is."
"Fine. Challenge accepted. But you'll still lose."
"We'll see about that." Alison brushed her off. "So, what's your schedule look like for today? Do you have to work?"
"I'm not on shift again at the beach until tomorrow." Emily sipped her orange juice. "Holy shit…is this freshly squeezed?"
"I thought you might like it. I remember when we were younger and your dad made it for all of us after we had a sleepover." She hadn't been very nice about it then.
She hadn't been very nice in general when they were teenagers. She couldn't remember exactly what she'd said, but she'd insinuated that Emily's family was too poor to afford store-bought.
Emily had looked hurt, but she hadn't said anything.
Spencer had snapped at Alison and told her to lay off.
Spencer was protective of all of the girls, but she had a certain rabid temper when it came to anyone hurting Emily. She was a fierce friend to have. She was the only one who stood up to Alison back then.
"Listen, I know I was a bitch when we were teenagers." Alison put her fork down and looked at Emily, who seemed stunned with the shift in conversation. "I don't think I can apologize enough for the way I treated everyone, but especially you…"
"I've moved past that." Emily replied softly, her eyes refusing to meet Alison's.
She was scarred in many ways. Alison knew she was responsible for some of those scars.
"I was a jerk after your dad made this for us." As she continued talking, Emily slowly looked up at her. "It bothers me that I never told you I was sorry for hurting your feelings. I know I told you I was sorry the day you left Rosewood, but I never said what I was sorry for." She studied Emily's eyes as she tried to show how much she meant the words.
"Well…" Emily smiled and took another sip of her orange juice. "Apology accepted. This is the best damn juice I've ever had. But don't tell my dad I said that."
Alison smiled back and relaxed into her chair. She had a lot to atone for, but she was hoping that Emily would give her a chance to show her how much she'd changed. So far, Emily had been nothing but open and welcoming.
"Why don't you and I go to town later?" Alison suggested.
Emily poked her fork at her plate and looked at Alison apologetically.
"I have plans this afternoon with some friends. You're welcome to come."
It was sweet that Emily wanted her to feel included, but Alison didn't want to be a charity case.
"No, that's okay. I can find something to do. I've been meaning to check out some of the boutiques and look at photoshoot locations."
"Maybe we can go after we finish breakfast?" Emily asked.
Alison's face blanched. Flashbacks of the Airbnb haunted her.
That smell.
That look in his eyes.
"No one would believe you."
What would have happened if she hadn't woken up?
"Oh, I…I'm…going to go by the police department…" She shuddered, the aroma of malt liquor assaulted her brain. "I don't want him to do that to anyone else."
"I'll go with you." Emily offered, slowly reaching out to her, but pulling back at the last minute. Alison really wished she would touch her. She wanted her to. It was a comfort. "If you want me to go I'll go."
"I think I'd like that." If anyone understood what she was going through it was the brunette.
"I wish I would have been brave enough to report Ben after what he did to me." Emily tensed up.
Alison felt her face get hot in anger. Ben Coogan, Emily's high school boyfriend before she came out, had tried to force himself on her.
Emily had told her when she got back.
If Alison had been in town when he'd attacked her in the locker rooms he wouldn't be breathing. He'd be six feet under. She'd piss on his grave.
Alison was seething.
He'd hurt Emily.
She hated anyone who hurt Emily. And after Emily's heroics last night it was clear that Emily felt the same way about her.
"I knew there was a reason I hated him." Alison growled angrily. "If I had been there he would be dead."
Emily had only been sixteen years old when she'd learned about how dangerous men could be. If Toby hadn't been there…if he hadn't intervened…
Alison couldn't bear to think about it.
Toby had broken Ben's face. Alison would have broken his neck.
"I never told anyone other than you the extent of how bad it was. I didn't even tell the girls. I was…I don't know…I was ashamed. They just thought we'd fought and that Toby came to my aid. They didn't know he tried to…" Emily shook her head. "I still regret not going straight to the cops."
"Everyone reacts differently." Alison tried to comfort her.
"I had a delayed reaction when it was happening. His fingers were underneath my bathing suit and I couldn't move." Emily chewed on her lip.
When Alison saw the raw terror on Emily's face she felt a surge of rage.
"I was pinned. I had no control, and I was so afraid of him in that moment. There was this disconnect." Emily flinched. "Like I shut down."
"I did, too." Alison admitted. "For a few seconds I just froze."
"I hate that guy for what he did to you." Emily's expression softened. "I hope you know it's not your fault."
"I know."
"Sometimes when we're familiar with our attackers our brains just short circuit…because how could someone we know…someone we genuinely thought we cared about…how could they do something like that?" Emily squeezed her fork, a shudder racking her body, "I never wore those jeans or that swimsuit again. I put them in a bag and shoved them into the back of my closet. I was going to go to the police, but before I got the chance he moved. And I lost my nerve." She reached out for Alison's hand. Alison accepted. "I won't lose my nerve again. I'll be with you the entire way."
Alison was so grateful for her in that moment. She wasn't sure she could do it without support.
She tried not to think about walking into a police station. She always panicked around cops. Not even using her sexual appeal worked, because she felt too awkward to make it seem real.
Emily seemed to have hope that the local jurisdiction would be as honorable as her father. But Alison knew better.
Even so, when they walked into the station as a united front, Alison couldn't comprehend the ridiculous amount of red tape and misogyny that she would be faced with.
Emily had reached for her hand as they walked in to file the report. She never hesitated when she needed her. That second nature was still automatic even though they'd been apart for so long.
Alison could tell by the gentleness of her grip that Emily hadn't second guessed offering her support.
The brunette walked by her side the entire way, including when they went into the room where she would be giving her statement.
A stocky older white officer walked into the room. He had a notepad in one hand and a pen behind his ear. It laid flat up against his smooth bald head. He reached for the pen and introduced himself as Detective Brett Williams.
"Why don't you tell me a little bit about why you're here today, Ms. DiLaurentis?" Williams tapped the edge of his pen against the notepad.
Alison launched into the story for the first time.
She hadn't told Emily the details yet. She could sense the brunette cringing.
After she finished speaking, Williams nodded.
"I'm glad that you managed to get away safely," he said. "Did anyone else happen see this incident?" He peered at Alison, his elbows against the table, his fingers tented up beneath his chin.
"I don't know. There were a lot of people there." Alison felt her toes curling in her high heels.
"So this was a party?" Williams rubbed the top of his chrome-dome.
"Yes."
"And was there drinking?" He lifted a speculative brow.
Emily clenched her fist when she saw the color drain from Alison's cheeks. They both knew what he was going to say.
"Yes. There was alcohol. That's not a crime." Alison grit through her teeth.
"And how much would you say that you and this boy had to drink?"
"Are you kidding me?" Emily leaned forward, hands vibrating by her side. She looked like she might spontaneously combust. "You're going to blame her for this?"
"Of course not. These questions are just procedure." Williams held his palms up as a show of good faith.
But they knew it wasn't just procedure.
"It's boy's club victim-blaming is what it is." Alison spit angrily.
"I know this must be upsetting, but we have to ask these things." He glanced at Alison and then back at his notepad. Emily kept her furious gaze on him. "Did you go to the hospital after the attack?"
"I…" Alison flinched. "No."
"So…no rape kit was performed?"
"We saved her clothes and she swabbed her fingernails with Q-tips…" Emily pulled out the bag with Alison's clothes.
"We can log this, but…" Williams trailed off, "I'm sorry, it's not going to prove anything other than you two were in close proximity. It's still a case of his word against yours. We have to have a witness or physical evidence…"
"I scratched the shit out of his face." Alison glared unapologetically at Williams, considering doing the same to his smarmy fat cheeks.
"Which doesn't prove anything except that an altercation occurred. If you don't have anything other than hearsay to go on, the court would eat you alive."
"The burden of proof would be on him to convince the court that it didn't happen." Alison had done her fair share of studying the law when she was on the run.
"I understand. I really do. And Ms. DiLaurentis, you have my sympathy, but…is there anything else that would give my Chief reason enough for me to open this as a case?"
"You're a detective. Detect something! She already told you what happened. Follow up on it." Emily looked like she wanted to fly over the table and fight him.
"Look, I'm just trying to look at the facts here and how it would hold up in court. No evidence…" He held up his pointer finger indicating the number one. "And it would be your word against his." He held up a second finger, ticking off each reason slowly. "If this young man didn't actually go through with the assault…"
"He did assault me!" She snapped.
He sighed again and lowered his hands.
"I 'm going to level with you. I know you have sort of a…reputation…Ms. DiLaurentis. I've got a friend who granted me access to some of your history…"
Alison felt like she was being swept under by a tidal wave. Inevitably haunted by everything she'd done in her past. No one would ever believe anything she said again if everything became public knowledge.
That was supposed to be sealed.
Alison's jaw slipped and she opened her mouth to respond, but she was too angry to form a coherent thought.
Emily spoke for her.
"Fuck you." Emily slapped the table and reached for Alison's hand, but Alison felt so numb that she couldn't feel her fingers. "I'm the one who picked her up last night and I saw what he'd done to her written all over her face. Her past has nothing to do with this."
"Maybe not. But the attorneys wouldn't see it any other way."
"You don't even care." Emily growled. "My father has been serving in the Army for almost 30 years and I can say with great confidence that you're a disappointment to your badge. You're supposed to protect and serve." She tugged on Alison's hand. "Let's go. We'll find someone who actually gives a shit."
Alison snapped out of her daze and rose to her feet. She shot the officer a venomous look, a snake waiting to strike.
"If he does it again I hope it ends up on your conscience…" Alison squeezed Emily's hand. "That is…if you even have one."
She grabbed the bag of evidence and stormed out with the brunette. They were like two irate twin tornadoes ravaging the patriarchy together, gaining steam and becoming a force of nature unlike anything that had been seen by the human eyes.
Their feelings were perfectly in sync.
They walked out into the balmy morning sun, the brightness unforgiving as it beamed into their eyes.
Emily let go of Alison's hand and reached up to shield her eyes by cupping her hand over her forehead, blocking the glaring light. Alison reached for her sunglasses, trying not to think about the fact that her hand wasn't in Emily's anymore.
It's not as though it had meant anything given the situation. It was purely chaste. It had been about being there together as a united front.
But when Alison stopped by the van to watch Emily pace back and forth and swear under her breath she was mesmerized, not only because she would always be attracted to her…but because Emily cared that much about her. It was a change of pace than what she was used to. She'd never had anyone in her life that nurtured her.
"Well, that was complete bullshit." Alison let out an exasperated breath. "They never change, do they?"
Emily stopped dead in her tracks and spun around to face her.
"I'm so sorry I even mentioned coming here. I should have known…" They had a past history with police.
"You couldn't have known they'd illegally pull my records." She stared at the rainbow van in thought. "I wonder if I can sue them for that."
"I'll gladly help you if you do." Emily moved beside the panel van to enjoy some of the shade it was providing.
Alison followed her lead. She leaned against the van and then promptly pushed back off of it when the hot metal prickled her skin.
"I came out here for a fresh start." She'd also come because of Charlotte, but she didn't feel like getting into the full story yet. "I thought I could just…start over."
"You still can," Emily pulled her keys out, fiddling with them.
She looked like a nervous child.
Was the anxiety from being at the police station?
Or was she feeling something?
She was so impossible to read.
Alison cocked her head as she watched the brunette.
"Em, can I ask you something?"
She wanted to know what it would have been like if she had left Rosewood with her three years ago.
She wanted to know about the life they could have made together.
Mostly she just wanted to know if Emily still had feelings for her.
Emily's eyes tracked upwards, meeting Alison's. She opened her mouth to reply, but a loud voice boomed in the air.
Alison spun around when she recognized his douchey tone.
"DiLaurentis! Yo!" Chad called out to her as he jogged towards them.
Emily recognized him from the beach. He'd been the horny cat-calling piece of shit.
She took a protective stance in front of the blonde.
"Ohh…kay?" He looked at Emily like she was a giant question mark and then glanced at Alison. "She your bodyguard or something? Ease up, Stretch. I come in peace."
"What are you doing here, Chad?" Alison crossed her arms in front of her chest and stepped up beside Emily. "Trying to stop me from ratting on your buddy?"
"Who? Tyler? That fuckwad is not my buddy." His lips twisted in disgust.
"The way you and the rest of the hyenas stick together tell me otherwise."
Chad's shoulders slumped and his voice was softer as he replied.
"I gotta play it up around the boys, you know?" He chuckled halfheartedly, but there was something apologetic in his tone. "But that's not me. I'm from a big family in the mid-west. I got sisters. And I swear…if anyone did to them what Tyler did to you…"
"Wait, you know?" Alison dropped her arms and stared at him in disbelief.
Chad grimaced.
"When you ran out I tried to follow you." It had been his voice Alison had heard calling her name. "You looked completely broken. And Tyler was all scratched up. I put two and two together. There was another girl that accused him before you. But he's such a soft little dildo. We didn't think she was serious."
"Of course you didn't. Because men are all the same." Alison grumbled.
"Listen, just hear me out. I wasn't even around when she accused him. I just found out after the fact. She never pressed charges or anything. Tyler insisted that she was a scorned ex. And…well, I guess you're right that men are the same. Because I didn't really think more of it. But last night…"
Alison shuddered.
The alcohol.
The nightmare on the beach.
The malt liquor and boy sweat.
"I saw him taking you to your room. I was drunk off my ass, but I know what I saw. I was going to make sure you were okay, but I blacked out. I fell over and the next thing I know I'm waking up in a pile of my own vomit…"
"Charming tale." Alison rolled her eyes, her tone angrily caustic.
"When I was getting up I saw you running through the house. You looked really scared. And I remembered Tyler being in your room. I tried to follow you, but I was too wasted. I don't remember the rest of the night. I blacked out again. Woke up in the bathtub pissed out of my mind. Really regret drinking that much." He sucked his lower lip in between his teeth and clucked. "If I hadn't been so blitzed I would have been able to stop him."
"How gentlemanly of you." She curled her lip up at him.
Emily stayed quiet by her side, but Alison knew she would jump in if she felt necessary.
"I get it," Chad said. "I'd be pissed if I were in your shoes."
"You wouldn't last two seconds in these heels." She shuffled seamlessly in place.
"Like I said…I got sisters. I was dressed up a time or two." When he grinned his eyes had a weird innocence that Alison hadn't seen in him before. "You'd be surprised how far I could walk in heels. Would have walked my ass all the way down here in stilettos if I had to."
He was trying to break the tension, but it wasn't working.
"That further begs the question…why are you here?" Alison was still leery of his presence.
"Because I'm not a complete idiot. Cops don't take sexual assaults seriously. They're not going to listen to you. No offense. It's misogynistic bullshit, but that's just how it is." He ran his fingers through his hair. "Am I wrong?"
"No." Alison grumbled.
Emily silently watched the interaction. She was somewhat annoyed by him, but she was also impressed that he was there.
"I'll go back in with you. Tell the cops what I saw…and about the other girl. I've got her name. They'll listen to me, because…" He drifted off.
"Because you have a dick." Alison hated the way the world worked.
"Sorry." He shrugged. "And for what it's worth I pummeled the fuck out of him once I found out why he had a broken nose and two black eyes." He peered at Emily. "I'm sure you're the one responsible for that?"
Emily nodded.
"Impressive work." He sized her up. This time it was Alison who stepped in front of Emily. "Alright." He threw his hands up in surrender with a laugh. "The boys at the house are making sure that we all have our story straight. No one saw you hit him." He winked.
"I don't care if the cops know." Emily shrugged.
"Em…" Alison shook her head, worried about the legal ramifications of her walking up to the door and punching Tyler's lights out. "Think about your future."
Your parents would kill me.
"No need for anyone to say anything about his injuries, Killer." He faced Emily. "He's in a house full of men who don't like rapists. He's not going to fight the questioning. He's going to come and turn himself in. He'll tell the truth. He's not going to fight the charges. The guys are bringing him later. Thought you probably wouldn't want to see him."
That was oddly perceptive of the frat goon.
"Wow." Alison stared at him in surprise.
"Women get a raw deal. If you were my sister that mousy-faced motherfucker wouldn't be alive right now. So…I applaud your restraint." He looked at Emily again. "Didn't catch your name."
Emily sized him up once again and then relaxed her stance.
Alison watched the interaction closely. The brunette must have seen something in him that was genuine, because she smiled.
"Emily."
"I'm Chad."
"Thanks for doing this, Chad."
"Lead the way." He gestured towards the station.
Alison and Emily walked back into the station.
Alison stared at Chad the whole time, totally dumbfounded.
It was hard to wrap her head around it. The nice guy had turned out to be a total asshole. And the total asshole was…the nice guy? How had she read that situation so wrong?
They asked to speak to someone other than the prick who had waved the situation off. As expected, Chad's testimony helped Alison's case tremendously.
After they finished up they climbed in the van to go back to the condo.
Alison had barely even begun to process what had happened. A bad guy was going to jail. And the love of her life was driving a rainbow van around Malibu like some kind of gay superhero.
She couldn't make sense of the last twenty-four hours so she just listened to the music that Emily had put on.
It took her a minute to recognize the song.
"Is that Lady Gaga?" Alison couldn't help but smile.
She'd tried to win Emily over in high school by wearing a terrible costume of Lady Gaga. She wouldn't admit how bad it looked at the time, because of course she was never wrong. But when she looked back at pictures she couldn't believe how horrific her wig was. At least now she had the sense to laugh at herself.
"Yeah. She's come a long way." Emily's eyes flickered from the road to Alison, and Alison suddenly felt like her comment was directed at more than Lady Gaga.
Her cheeks flushed and she had to turn away, her eyes fixating on the scene of the ocean in the distance.
She really liked it in California.
"I wish I would have come out here earlier." Alison muttered, not meaning to let the thought slip out loud.
"Me too." Emily smiled.
And just like that…Alison was completely lost in thought again. Her life could have been so different. But would it have worked back then?
She glanced at Emily. How was it possible that she looked even sexier now than she did back in high school? She'd always been such a strong person. Alison had felt lost without her.
Was it possible to rekindle what they'd had?
Alison didn't say anything when Emily parked the van. Or when they were walking towards the condo.
The silence was starting to grow uncomfortable.
Emily punched in a security code at the condo complex and Alison mindlessly followed Emily back to her condo.
"Hey…" Emily shoved her key into her locked door and twisted it to the side. "You were going to ask me something back at the station…before Chad came along."
"Oh, yeah…that…"
She had no idea what to say now.
Did you miss me as much as I missed you?
Can we start over?
Do you still love me?
Emily had an eager look in her eyes and a nervous smile on her face. The last time Alison had seen that look was when Emily asked her to come to California with her.
Alison struggled with how to answer.
She tightened her fingers around her phone, which made her realize she had the answer she needed. She also realized that she hadn't reached for her phone once while she'd been around Emily.
She was still in love with her. But telling her that after one night together might spook the brunette.
"I just wanted to know some of the best spots around here to take photos without looking totally touristy."
Emily's eagerness morphed into concern.
"Are you sure you don't want to come with me? I've got a lunch meeting with the LGBTQ Alliance Board. It's going to be really low-key." She chewed her lip as she pushed the door open. "I know you're an adult and you can take care of yourself, but I feel bad about leaving you alone after all of this. I can cancel. I will if you need me."
The brunette reached for a small white box and punched in some numbers.
She has an alarm system.
How did she miss that detail? Was she that out of it? She took a moment to be thankful that she hadn't tripped the alarm earlier searching for the condo's address.
I need to snap out of it.
She cleared her throat and managed a confident smile.
"Oh, honey…" She flicked her hair over her shoulder and waved it off like they hadn't just come from a police station after she'd been traumatized. "I've been through worse and I'm still standing. I don't let things drag me down."
Except Charlotte.
"Besides…" Alison continued. "I've got to find some good backdrops for photo ops."
Emily hesitated, but then pulled her phone out of her pocket.
"I'll send you some locations and directions. You promise to be careful?"
"On my honor." Alison held up three fingers like she was taking a pledge. "I'll check in with you so you won't worry."
"You don't have to go that far. I'm not going to hover." Emily chuckled. "Just call or text if you need anything."
She walked over to a small drawer attached to the end table next to the couch. She pulled it open and searched it. Her fingers emerged with something small and silver.
"Here." She gestured for Alison's hand. When Alison stretched her palm out Emily put a key in her hand, her fingertips grazing her wrist as she pulled away. "Keys to the Kingdom. You're staying as long as you need. The code to get in the building is 536. And the alarm…" She motioned to the small box next to the door that was so uniquely small and hidden that it could easily be missed. "The alarm code is 1124."
Alison took note of the codes, typing them into her phone to store them safely.
She shouldn't have been surprised that Emily was offering her home to her. After all…they had been friends for years. More than friends.
Even so, she was taken aback by her generosity. It was a combination of things. Emily liked to help people. She was loyal. And her parents had taught her to look out for people when they needed her.
Alison hadn't touched Emily in a loving capacity in years, so when she reached out and grasped her arm...sparks flew.
Not just sparks.
Fireworks. Fucking fireworks.
It took both of them by surprise, so much so that she became totally speechless and forgot what she was going to say.
Emily's dark eyes held her steady gaze as she waited for the words that never came.
"Alison?" She prompted the blonde.
Alison blinked and let go of her arm, taking a step back.
My God, get it together, DiLaurentis.
"Thank you." Alison ignored the urge to touch her again.
"I uh…I've got a few things I need to take care of before my meeting…"
"Yeah." Alison cleared her throat. "Yeah, I should…" She looked at her phone. Emily had dropped a few locations for her to scout nearby, "I'm going to look into these places."
When she looked up again Emily had a mischievous look on her face, but Alison wouldn't understand why until she visited the last place on the list. It was something very reminiscent of Rosewood.
What are you up to, Emily Fields?
Her smile invigorated the blonde, and Emily could see that.
Emily had been struggling with her own feelings since she'd pulled Alison out of the ocean. But she didn't want to stir the pot. She was being careful. She did her best not to let anything slip through her mask, but she felt like cancelling her plans to stay with Alison. She could show her all the best places for photography, not that she ever took pictures of herself. She wanted to spend time with her, but she didn't want to crowd her.
Not until she got a feel for what Alison was thinking.
"Tell you what," Emily's stomach was a fluttering mess, like she was back in high school, "how about I meet you at the last place on the list?"
"I'd like that." Alison jumped at the idea.
It was hard for Emily to walk away after that.
She got a few things together and then sent a quick text to Samara that she was on the way to the office for the LGBTQ Board.
She planned on taking the van back by there and biking out to meet Alison after they were done.
The spot she'd picked for the last sight of Alison's tour wasn't far from the office.
As she was loading up the van she caught a glimpse of the huge smile on her face in the side view mirror.
She leaned against the open door as she scrolled through her texts.
There was one from her best friend, Toby, who was back in Pennsylvania building houses. They had been in constant contact since she left.
He had been a cop, but gave it up after Charlotte had been caught. He'd only joined the force to help the girls. His real passion was carpentry.
Toby was like a brother to her. He had been the first person she had semi-come out to. He'd always wanted the best for her and he'd always been there for her, even after she'd moved. Especially after she had moved.
He often went to check on Emily's mother, Pam. He'd give her updates on how she was doing. They were an interesting pair, because Pam hadn't much cared for Toby when they were in high school. Then Emily forced her to get to know him. And Pam had opened her mind up and had seen past the rumors about him being a bad seed.
Emily trusted him immensely, so he'd been the first person she'd texted about Alison staying with her. His response was a bit surprising.
Yeah, she hauled ass out of here pretty fast. No one was expecting her to take off.
That was strange, but not entirely unlike Alison. Then again, she'd stuck around for three years for…
Emily shivered at the thought of the blonde psychopath back in Rosewood.
Any idea why she left?
She waited for the three little thought bubbles to appear. He responded after a minute.
No. Running from the law, maybe?
Emily frowned at his joke. She knew he wasn't being serious, but the tone of it bothered her because of the way Detective Williams had treated her in the station.
Doubt it. Otherwise she would have been arrested when we went to the police this morning.
She paused and bit her lip, not wanting to overshare. It was Alison's story to tell if she chose to tell it, but Emily knew if anyone could relate it would be Toby. Not only had he saved Emily from Ben, but he'd been sexually abused and coerced into sex by his stepsister.
Some asshole hurt her, she added.
Oh…shit. Sorry. I feel like a dick now. Want me to come out there and beat the guy up?
Of course he knew it was a man. He was very empathetic.
Already done. Broke his nose.
Toby sent a bunch of thumbs up emojis. He approved.
Your father would be proud.
My mother on the other hand…
Would be equally as proud. She's proud of you in general.
Speaking of my mother…how is she?
Her father being away overseas was hard enough, but the fact that she was 3000 miles away made it harder. She knew her mother got lonely.
I saw her last weekend. We had brunch.
You're a better surrogate son to her than I ever was a biological daughter.
No, I'm not. You're doing great out there. Don't worry about your mom. She's fine. And tbh, I don't mind checking in on her. It's kind of nice to have a mother figure back in my life to tell me to stop slouching and explain which fork to eat what foods with.
Emily laughed, but it was bittersweet. Toby's mother had died when he was younger…way too young for a boy to lose his mother. Charlotte's friend Bethany had killed her when they were both in Radley. Bethany had then blamed Charlotte.
The fucked up world of Rosewood.
His father had remarried, but Toby didn't like his stepmom. And he'd been given the worst gift ever when he'd gained the most awful stepsister in the world. She made evil villains in Disney movies look like heroic puppy dogs. She'd hurt Toby the way Ben had hurt Emily and the way Tyler had hurt Alison.
Sounds like we're both taking care of people we care about. Toby added. How is Alison btw?
She's…Alison.
Complicated. Unique. Infuriating. Insanely hot.
Every time Emily looked at her it felt like there were a million little tap dancers doing a choreographed number in her stomach.
Is that good or bad?
I'll let you know as soon as I figure it out.
She couldn't stop thinking about Toby's response to Alison being there. What had driven her out of Rosewood so unexpectedly? What was she running from?
Got to run. Emily pushed herself off of the door where she'd been leaning and climbed into the van. I'll call you later.
She loved that Toby hadn't pushed for more information about Alison or judged her for taking her in. That's one of the things she loved most about him.
When she looked at the next text from Hanna she noticed the stark difference in their reactions.
I need details. Hanna had thrown in a bunch of random emojis, and it made Emily laugh. Lmk when you're free.
She glanced at the time. It was close to 3:30 in New York, which is where Hanna and her boyfriend Caleb had called home for the past three years.
Emily popped her phone in the docking station and started the van. She put her earpiece on and sent a quick text back to Hanna,
Got a few minutes whenever you're free.
She expected the phone to ring immediately, but it didn't.
She put the car into reverse and pulled out of the small parking lot.
She was pulling on to the highway when a Facetime from Hanna popped up.
Emily tapped her earpiece to answer and Hanna's face appeared on screen. It was clear she'd been lounging around on her day off. Even without make-up and her hair blown out she still looked like a model.
Hanna didn't even bother with a hello.
"Tell me everything." She grinned.
"Hi, Hanna. It's nice to see you, too." Emily laughed.
"Details, Emily! Details! Why is Alison in Malibu?"
"She's trying to start a career in modeling and build her way into acting."
"Well, she can certainly act any part she's given." Hanna scoffed. There was a quiet bitterness in her tone.
Her friends were still leery of Alison because she'd stayed with Charlotte. They didn't hate her, but they didn't exactly miss her either. Not like Emily had missed her…longed for her.
"Hanna." Emily cut her eyes at the phone.
"Sorry. Old habits die hard. Plus you know I speak the truth. I don't mean it in a bad way. Just that she's always been good at putting on a show."
"She's different now."
"You know this after one day? I mean…how exactly did she end up living with you?" Hanna asked.
"It's complicated." Emily's cheeks flushed.
Her dream woman was living with her. It was starting to set in.
"Complicated how?" Another voice cut in, startling Emily.
She saw Aria's face pop up on the screen, replacing Hanna's. She was sitting outside a café in Boston where she lived with her boyfriend Liam.
"Hanna…" Emily growled. "You set me up."
Hanna had bombarded her with a group Facetime.
"Hello to you, too, Em." Aria laughed.
"Sorry. I just…I wasn't expecting…" Emily fumbled her words, flustered. Her hands tightened on the wheel as she peered at the road. "Sorry, Aria…I was going to text you and Spencer, too. It's just been hectic."
"So…you're together then?" Another voice. Another familiar face.
"Hey, Spencer." She recognized Washington DC by the Lincoln Memorial in the distance behind her. "Hanna…I'm going to kill you. You're a total yenta."
"I am not!" Hanna exclaimed in protest, then paused. "What's a yenta?"
"It's a Yiddish word for 'woman who can't keep her mouth shut'." Spencer explained.
There was another pause and then Hanna appeared on screen, but she wasn't focused on the call. She was typing something into her phone.
"You're looking up Yiddish right now, aren't you?" Aria asked.
"No. I'm looking at Alison's Instagram. I never post, but I follow so many people that I barely see her content. If Emily won't tell us what she's doing in Malibu then her socials will."
"I told you…she came to build a career." Emily flipped her blinker on and double-checked her mirrors before changing lanes.
"You don't know that for sure." Spencer sighed, her face terse and tight in thought. "You need to be careful. I hate to say that. I know you two have gone through a lot, but she stayed in Rosewood with Charlotte…"
"I don't need a replay." Emily cut her off. "Thanks, Spence."
Spencer didn't flinch at Emily's reaction. It's the way the two of them communicated. Spencer had always been more attentive to Emily than the others.
"Sorry. I just worry about you. I don't want you to get hurt again, Em." Her voice was soft and sincere.
"You worry about me? When is the last time you slept, Intern of Pennsylvania Senator Hastings?"
"Okay, that's fair."
"We're just curious. That's all." Aria tried to mediate.
She'd always been the most sensible about Emily's feelings for Alison. She didn't judge her. She was ever-the-romantic. Spencer and Hanna had always been more blunt about it, and they weren't afraid to say what was really on their minds. In a way, it was because they were trying to protect Emily. But Emily was a big girl. And she didn't need to be coddled.
"How long has she been in Malibu?" Hanna asked, scrolling through Alison's Instagram, which seemed to support the theory that she was modeling. There were several professional shots strewn in throughout candid and posed shots in various California locations.
"A month. She was staying in a really sketchy place." Emily wasn't forthcoming with the girls about what had happened to Alison in the Airbnb. "I ran into her on the beach yesterday while I was on duty. The people that were with her…I wasn't comfortable around them."
"Not comfortable…in what way?" Spencer's tone edged into the higher register it went into when she was concerned. Her brow pinched in a tight tense line.
"They just seemed…skeevy. Alison said she was only staying with them to get a good deal. She's trying to save up."
"Why would she be staying with a bunch of creeps? Did her trust fund dry up?" Spencer asked.
That's something that Emily hadn't considered. Alison's parents' had been loaded. She and Jason both had trust funds. Surely she hadn't blown it? Or maybe it was something more insidious. Maybe her father had gotten involved and pulled support from his children for staying in Rosewood with Charlotte.
"We haven't talked about money yet, but I doubt she'd be staying in rundown old Airbnb's with a dozen roommates if she had the cash to get her own place. She seemed afraid of her roommates…" She danced around why Alison didn't want to go back. "I told her to come stay with me."
"That was really nice of you." Aria spoke before Spencer or Hanna could chime in. "How is she?"
"She seems okay. She made me breakfast this morning." Emily smiled, her cheeks flushing with color.
"She…what?" Spencer laughed. "Are you sure we're talking about the same Alison? I never saw her cook a day in my life."
"Seems she's learned how to be an adult." The brunette shrugged, giving her friends a smug look, because none of them believed that Alison was capable of changing.
"We're not trying to give you a hard time." Hanna finally turned her attention away from Alison's Instagram. "We just wanted to make sure you're both okay."
"We're fine. How are you and Caleb?"
"We're good. We're trying to work on healthy communication, which was something severely lacking when we were younger. But we're learning to open up and talk about what we want. I've been so wrapped up in my internship that I've been putting him second. I didn't even realize it. So we're planning a trip to Europe together to reconnect next summer. Oh, and we adopted a cat. Caleb wouldn't stop feeding him, so he was always around. One night when it was really cold out Caleb brought him in for the night. He's been here ever since."
"Hmm…kind of like Caleb in high school." Emily observed.
Caleb had been a stray, too. Hanna had taken him in…without her mother's knowledge for a while.
"He's cuter than Caleb." Hanna's camera panned over to a chunky short-haired orange tabby. "His name is Cheese."
"Why the name? Because he melted your heart the way cheese melts?" Aria made a silly kissy-face at the camera.
"No. Because he likes cheese." Hanna replied, deadly serious.
"Uh…I don't think you're supposed to feed a cat cheese." Aria's eyebrows pinched together. "And with his name being Cheese he might be offended. You're feeding him his namesake. That's a step away from cannibalism."
Emily burst into laughter. She knew Aria was joking, but she couldn't help but picture a cat believing that he was a cannibal because he was eating what he was named after. Cheese eating cheese.
"I'm having trouble wrapping my mind around the fact that you have a cat." Spencer cocked her head like she was trying to solve the most difficult equation in existence. "I mean…you around cat fur? With your thousand dollar designs?"
"They're not my designs. I am still but a lowly intern living off of my boyfriend's fat checks." Hanna plopped back against the couch and seconds later an orange head was moving towards her. Cheese climbed into her lap "Besides…" Hanna stroked her cat between the ears, "…lint rollers work wonders. And Caleb bought this special brush that gets his undercoat."
"I think it's great that you took him in. Liam and I are thinking about getting a cat. I told him we could only do it if we got a rescue." It wasn't a surprise that Aria wanted to save strays.
The petite brunette wanted to save the entire planet.
"How are things with Liam?" Spencer moved, her phone jostling in her hands as she walked across a very green lawn. It almost didn't look real.
"He's great." Aria beamed, a spark in her eye. "Our boss is a total shrew, but he's so amazing. It's been great co-editing together."
"I always knew you'd end up doing something in literature." Emily hadn't been the least bit surprised when Aria had landed a gig in Boston her junior year. She was unyielding when she wanted something in her life.
"I really love it." Aria's entire face lit up. "And it's been a bonus having my boyfriend work with me. You'd think it would get old and annoying being together all the time, but we have so much in common. Plus he's kind of a dork and I'm really into that for some reason."
"I'm glad you're happy." Emily smiled.
"Thanks. Spence, what about you?" Aria questioned. "How's the limelight?"
"Exhausting. But invigorating." Spencer was still moving, so her phone was shaky. "It's left me a little behind in keeping up with my friends…" She looked into the camera with a guilty expression on her face. "Em, do you still talk to Toby?"
Spencer's relationship with Toby had stalled when she was a freshman in college. They were in different stages in their lives and the distance wasn't easy.
"I texted with him a few minutes ago. Checking in on my mom." She pulled off of the highway, thankful she hadn't hit the major traffic she normally did. "And I talked to him a few days ago. He's good."
"I try to visit him when my mom is in Harrisburg. We've slowly been reconnecting." Her face flushed.
Emily could have been a smart-ass and mentioned old flames coming back into each other's lives, but she didn't. Because she understood the feelings bubbling inside of her friend. And she knew that despite anything Spencer said…she always had Emily's best interest at heart.
"That's awesome." Aria grinned.
"This has been great catching up." Emily pulled up the drive to an office complex. "But I've got to go. I'm meeting Samara and Zoe and the rest of the Board for lunch and to work on some planning."
"You got one ex living across the hall and another living with you. Damn, girl. All your ex-girlfriends are chasing you down." Hanna snickered.
"It's not like that." Emily pulled into a parking spot and managed to give them a nervous smile, like she wasn't freaking out internally. "With either of them."
"Why don't I believe you?" Hanna lifted a mischievous brow.
"Goodbye, Hanna." Emily smiled at the camera. "Bye Spence. Bye Aria."
"Bye Em." Aria waved.
"Hey, one last thing. Text me to let me know if my monthly donation went through." Spencer was on the move again.
Spencer had an automatic donation set up to be sent to the LGBTQ Alliance every month. Emily hadn't asked her to do it. Spencer had insisted on it when she found out what Emily and the others were doing for the LGBTQ community.
"I will. Thanks for all you do." Emily smiled.
"You too. Take care of yourself, Em."
The camera cut to each of them as they said goodbye.
In true Hanna fashion, she had to get in one last thing before she hung up.
"I see that look in your eyes, Emily." She winked and then wiggled her fingers in front of the camera before adding, "To be continued."
Emily grabbed her phone and started unloading the van. They took donations in for shelters they worked with for young LGBTQ youth who had nowhere to go. There was a lot of clothing and hygienic materials.
She hauled them into the office and walked into the conference room where Samara was already seated at the table waiting for the others.
There were boxed sandwiches from a deli they liked to frequent off to the side.
They smelled delicious.
Samara had already opened one and was working on an Italian Sub.
Zoe was scribbling on the whiteboard at the front of the room. She had a black marker raised up to her face, the tip pointing towards the ground as she stared pensively at her work.
"Hey. Sorry I'm late." Emily plopped two boxes down by the door.
"It's totally understandable. Zoe and I met Alison this morning." Samara gave Emily a knowing grin, reaching for the drink sitting in front of her.
The name sent a lightning bolt of heat directly to her heart, but she didn't react. She grabbed a box that had her initials on it. Zoe knew what everyone in the office liked, so she ordered the food.
"She seems sweet." Samara continued. "Nothing like the devil Rosewood painted her out to be."
"She's changed a lot over the years."
Or at least, she assumed she'd changed.
Why did she run away from Rosewood? What happened to her money?
Emily put her food down and sat down. She reached for a notepad with a bunch of names from their donor list.
"She had her issues." Emily stared at the paper.
"Don't we all." Samara took a sip of her Kombucha. "She still has feelings for you, you know."
Emily's cheeks turned pink and Samara grinned at her.
"What? How could you possibly…" Emily's eyes met Samara's, her words seeming to fail her. Her face felt hot. "You just met her. And it's been three years…"
"Yes, and the day you two ran into each other you asked her to move in with you. Total lesbian move, Em." Samara laughed.
"I didn't ask her to…" She choked. She had given Alison a key to her condo. Her face was turning from pink to a shade of dark crimson. Samara was laughing at her. "She needed a safe place to stay."
"Did you two sleep together?" Samara poked her arm.
"No." It came out in a nervous huff.
"You will. I've seen that look in your eyes before." She winked and reached for her sandwich. "So, what did you do last night?"
"We fell asleep on the couch watching a movie."
"Yeah, you're practically married. Want to have a double wedding?" She bit into a thick helping of bread and meat and chewed.
"Oh my God." Emily laughed, burying her face in her hands. "Please shut up."
"Emily and Alison sitting in a tree…"
"Are you seven?" Emily waded up a small piece of paper and threw it at Samara's head.
"Methinks the lady doth protest too much." Samara waggled her brows.
"Samara, leave her alone and follow up with these donors." Zoe walked up behind her, lowering her head to peck Samara's cheek. "I've got a meeting with a 14-year-old named Matt who was kicked out of his house after he came out to his parents after this."
"That's horrible." Emily grimaced. "This job never does get any easier."
"He's been on the streets for a couple of weeks. Someone put him in contact with us. I'm going to find him a shelter and talk to him about our services." Zoe glanced at her notes again. "And we've got two runaways as well. We'll need to place them and work on getting them support."
Emily liked Zoe. She was all business. She and Samara were a great match. Samara was a little more relaxed and carefree. They balanced each other.
The rest of the Board Members filed in and they were all three suddenly very business-like.
Emily buried herself in her work and her food.
She didn't realize it, but the entire time she was working she was watching the clock and checking her phone for messages from Alison.
The woman hadn't even been with her for one full day and she was already pining for her. Old feelings were working their way to the surface, and part of her felt like she was picking up right where she left off with Alison.
Back then they were in a different place…mentally and emotionally.
Perhaps they could have some form of a healthy relationship now.
I'm doing it again.
She often fell in love swiftly and deeply. But it was different with Alison. They had a history. And they'd left so much unsaid after she left.
Perhaps the reason she hadn't been able to get into a serious relationship since leaving Rosewood was because her heart already belonged to someone else.
She'd had a few flings, but nothing serious. Even when she'd been with Paige they hadn't had a spark. They hadn't even slept together. And all the other girls she had been with hadn't lasted very long.
Oh my God. She tried not to react. Am I still in love with her?
She knew she felt something when she ran into Alison on the beach. Something she hadn't felt in a long time. But she'd been burned in the past by letting her heart guide her.
She glanced at the clock again. She felt a gentle thump against her ankle and when she looked over she saw Zoe nudging her head towards all the people looking at her.
Was she that easy to read?
"I'm sorry, what was the question again? She was distracted by one of my notations." Zoe came in for the save, pointing to Emily's laptop.
"The list of counselors?" The head of the board, Lisa, repeated.
"I have them." Emily nodded. "I'll e-mail them to you right now."
"Perfect."
Emily had to force herself to be present for the rest of the meeting.
After it was over most of the people left the room, taking their leftovers with them.
Emily and Samara stayed, both needing to catch up on school work.
The meeting room was a quiet place that they would often use so they wouldn't get distracted, but it didn't keep Emily's mind from being distracted.
It was torture to try and focus on Biology, but she managed to force herself to finish her assignment.
She was closing her laptop when she got a text from Alison.
Heading to this mysterious last location on the map.
Perfect timing. Just finished up some school work.
Alison clutched her phone to her chest when she saw Emily's response. She smiled and replied,
See you soon.
She had loved every spot she'd been to. She'd even taken some photos, hiding her face and sunken tired eyes behind large designer sunglasses and a stylish bucket hat.
As she was texting Emily she was walking along a trail that ran parallel to the ocean.
The trail took a turn away from the ocean and started up a fairly steep rocky incline. But it was easier than she thought it was going to be because the path was worn down and created a track for her to follow. She took another turn and could hear the ocean getting louder. She walked over a hill and into a clearing.
She could smell a salty breeze in the air.
When she saw what was waiting for her she inhaled a surprise gasp.
She was staring at a relic from her hometown. Only…it wasn't the same rock she and Emily had scribbled their initials on after kissing. It was virtually the same, but there was no writing on it. And it was overlooking the ocean instead of a small-town river.
She walked over to the boulder.
Water slapped against the rock wall and spritzed her with a light mist.
There was a sense of nostalgia that overwhelmed her as she sat down on the rock and peered at the waves rolling up against the shore in the distance.
It took her back to that moment when Emily's soft lips had landed against hers back in Rosewood while they were sitting on an identical rock.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Alison had asked her after leading her out there.
Emily had sat next to her nervously and thumbed over some of the initials that had been written on the rock.
"I still think it's just a dusty old rock." The brunette had replied shyly.
Alison loved it when she blushed. It made her feel warm inside.
"Is that so?" Alison had leaned towards her. "What are the spirits of other lovers saying to you right now?"
She had practically been able to see Emily's heart thumping in her chest.
She'd moved closer, waiting for the brunette to get the signal.
When their fingertips grazed together Emily had smiled awkwardly.
Alison didn't think Emily would have it in her to actually put the moves on her, but that's exactly what she did. She'd delicately reached for Alison's face and pressed a kiss on her lips.
Alison had kissed her back, letting her fears and anger go.
It had been a moment of true bliss.
So naturally…she'd found a way to ruin it two days later when she gave Emily the cold shoulder.
But Alison was different now. She wouldn't ever turn away from her again.
She wondered what Emily had felt like when she'd discovered the California Kissing Rock.
She pulled her sunglasses off and closed her eyes, enjoying the serenity. The ocean acted as white noise and the sun warmed her skin.
After a while she heard shoes crunching against the gravel.
Emily appeared over the hill, sweaty from her bike ride over. She'd locked her bike up down at the bottom of the trail.
"So?" Emily walked up to her, eyes fixed on the ocean.
"The Kissing Rock?" Alison smirked at her.
"I thought it might look familiar to you." She turned to face her and sat down next to her, the tiny tap dancers doing a number in her stomach. "I remember when I first moved here and I was out exploring. This was the first place I stumbled upon. I thought about texting you a picture, but…I was worried it would…that it might hurt."
She spoke so softly, as though it had been hard for her when she'd first come across it.
Had Emily experienced the same rush of emotions that she had when she found it?
"I come here when I need to clear my head. There's something familiar and peaceful about it."
Something sexy and sentimental, too. Alison bit her tongue.
All this time...Emily had been thinking about her.
She had been struggling, too.
Why didn't I ever reach out? She was right there. She was always there.
A familiar blonde face flashed in her thoughts.
Charlotte.
It had been too awkward in the beginning. And she'd been so angry at Emily for leaving. Seeing Paige on her Instagram had brought out a very immature nature. She had let envy cloud her judgment. And then she'd been too wrapped up in all things Charlotte. She'd let all this time slip away for a lost cause. Her heart hurt from all the time they had missed together.
She was sitting so close to Emily that she could feel the heat radiating off of her body. Suddenly, it wasn't just spirits of her past that were in her head. It was her present. And her future. It was everything she'd lost and everything she'd found again.
"Emily…" The moment she uttered her name, the brunette reached up and tucked Alison's hair behind her ear.
"I know…" Emily trailed her palm down until she was cupping her cheek.
She knew all the thoughts about the lost years rushing through Alison's mind. Because she was having the same thoughts.
Their eyes met.
All the feelings from that day were suddenly resurfacing. It was as if the ghosts of lover's past had followed them out to California.
Emily moved closer.
She looked into Alison's eyes, searching for hesitation. The last thing she wanted to do after what she'd been through at the Airbnb was make her feel uncomfortable.
But the blonde wasn't shying away from her touch. If anything, she was drawing her closer.
"I should have come with you. I shouldn't have stayed." Alison parted her lips and color rushed to her cheeks.
"You're here now." Emily's fingertips grazed her temple. Alison could feel her hand shaking.
In anticipation?
In excitement?
Is she NERVOUS?
Alison shuddered underneath her touch.
Kiss her.
KISS HER!
Spirits were abound.
Before Emily could ask if she was sure, Alison was closing the distance between them. She made the first move, leaning forward until their lips grazed together. She reached up and gripped the back of Emily's neck and tangled her fingers in her hair. She pulled her forward for a long lingering kiss.
It was deep and passionate and everything they had missed the last three years.
Emily's hands were on her waist now, pulling her closer. Alison's hand was still gripping the back of Emily's neck. She lifted her other hand up to cup Emily's cheek.
Kissing one another was both familiar and exhilarating. It was as if they were coming back to a place that they'd always known.
When they pulled apart both of them were panting messes. They had been so caught up in the moment they had forgotten to breathe.
"I have been waiting three years to do that again." Alison smiled and pecked Emily's lips again.
"I have too." Emily smiled, a tiny shy smile. It was the smile Alison had fallen in love with back in Rosewood.
Their second kiss was even more invigorating than the first. Their bodies pressed together. Hands exploring familiar curves and shapes. The vibration between them was buzzing.
When they came up for air it was quiet except for the sounds of the ocean crashing around them.
Their chests were heaving.
Their eyes met again.
The silence spoke louder than words.
Emily wordlessly took Alison's hand and peered out at the ocean. Alison looked down at their interlaced fingers.
She felt like pinching herself, because it felt like a dream.
It was like no time had passed between them, like they were picking up where they left off.
They sat in the silence for several minutes before Emily looked over at Alison, her deep brown eyes boring into her soul. She reached up to cradle Alison's face.
"There is a lot we need to talk about." Emily's words were quiet, but they were also very fierce.
"There is." Alison tensed up.
She wasn't sure she was ready to tell her. But the last thing she wanted to do was to start something new with Emily without coming clean. She couldn't lie to her anymore. She had to tell her everything if she wanted their relationship to stand a chance this time.
No more lies.
A/N: Ah, from Top Chef Alison to Emily supporting her at the police station (who knew Chad would pull through!?), it was only a matter of time until they fell back on old habits.
I mentioned this fic is not a slowburn, but you'll also see that it's more complicated than the two of them just hopping back into bed together. This was just the start. In a way I went the opposite route of the show. Instead of forcing these two together in the end with a rushed plot, we're going to let them feel their feelings and see where it ends up.
I loved writing this chapter because not only is does it dip a toe back into Emison's endgame, but it's also the reintroduction of the Liars. I loved writing where they are in life. You will see them again! And you'll see Alison interact with them, too.
Also, the cat (Cheese, Duke of Cheddar: First of His Name): Poll questioned answered. I'll update on Twitter (ForeverW_OutHim).
I hope everyone likes the addition of Samara and Zoe, from awkward introductions to Samara giving Emily a hard time at work. When the Liars aren't around or on the phone to tease Emily…count on Samara to do so.