Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to PLL. I'm only borrowing the characters for a while.
Hello my lovelies. I know it's been a long time since I've been here. Longer than I can almost remember. I appreciate all of you who have reached out to me over the years to say hi and inquire if I was ever coming back to finish my stories.
To be honest, I wasn't sure I would. But I'm in a place now where I feel I can hopefully finish what I started. I hate leaving things unfinished and I not only had unfinished stories but ones I still wanted to write. Stories in this Emison universe I wanted to share with you.
I can't make any promises as to how often I'll be able to update but I am committed now to trying.
Reminder: This story is AU as of Season 5, Episode 12. It is a sequel to my story "Ali's Nightmare Before Christmas", my AU version of the Season 5 Christmas episode where I revealed that "A" was Ali's twin, Courtney. Therefore, please remember Cece is NOT related to Ali and Jason and she was not "A" in my story.
You may want to go back and reread that story and this story before you read this new chapter because it is VERY different than what actually happened on the show. And it has been a LONG TIME since I updated this story.
I'll have another short note at the end.
Enjoy! And if you are so inclined, please leave a review.
Breathe Again – Chapter 9
"Emily Fucking Fields, what the hell are you doing?" Hanna snarled as her eyes flashed at the tall brunette standing in front of her.
"What the hell kind of greeting is that, Hanna," Spencer sighed as she shook her head.
"What are you doing here?" Emily's shocked eyes wandered over the three women standing in front of her.
"About as receptive as Em's," Aria stated drolly.
Emily crossed her arms over her chest defensively. "Aside from wondering how you knew to find me at this address, it is rather late to show up unannounced."
"I know. Sorry about that," Spencer apologized.
"A call first might have been nice."
"I fucking called you," Hanna snapped as she mimicked Emily's posture. "Maybe if you'd listened to your messages once in a while, you would've gotten the three messages I left you."
"We know you're still angry with us, Em, but can we come in?" Aria asked in a friendlier tone than Hanna.
Emily didn't want to still be mad at her friends but she couldn't help the resentment that lingered even though she'd put it in the back of her mind for the last month. Both Spencer and Aria had left her messages and sent emails apologizing for lying to her but Emily didn't respond.
Maybe she was being stubborn and unreasonable. After all it was two years ago and she and Alison were together now.
There was no guarantee Emily would have left Paris and gone to Los Angeles if she'd known Alison had been found, considering she had just started her relationship with Mari. And she was finally feeling like she just might be able to be happy without Alison. But thinking about all the time they missed, when they could have been together, left a hollow feeling in Emily's gut.
"Please, Em," Aria implored and Emily sighed and stepped back, letting them step inside the living room. Pepe came bounding down the stairs again and barked excitedly at the visitors.
"So, Ali didn't abandon her dog like she abandoned everyone else? That's a shock," Hanna scoffed.
"Hanna, don't-" Emily started to say when Alison's sultry voice floated down from the second floor.
"Baby, are you back already? If you're planning to fuck me again tonight, you better get up here because I have to leave at five to make my call time in the morning."
Spencer and Ari shot Emily wide-eyed looks as Hanna scoffed again, not so quietly.
"Un-fucking believable."
Emily felt the heat crawl up her neck and flood her cheeks.
"Em, is there someone down here with you?" Alison's voice came closer as she descended the stairs, tying her short silk robe around her body. She stopped short when she saw the three women standing in her living. It felt like a punch to the gut.
"What the fuck are you three doing here?" she asked, her tone scathing as she walked across the room to stand beside Emily.
"And you complain about my greetings," Hanna snorted as she stepped further into the room.
"Ali," Spencer said. "I know we shouldn't have just shown up here like this. But Em hasn't returned any of our calls or emails for weeks."
Ali glanced over at her girl with an arch of her eyebrow. Em didn't tell her the girls were trying to talk to her. But then again, she and Em were a bit busy the past month getting to know each other again.
In the most delightful ways.
"How the hell did you get my address?" Alison asked as she narrowed her eyes. "And if you're here to try to talk Em out of being with me, you can just get the fuck out."
Before anyone could answer, there were three brisk knocks on the front door. It opened and Cece and Jason walked through.
"Hey, are you two bitches still up?" Cece called before she noticed the group standing to the right of the door.
Emily cringed internally. As if things couldn't get any worse.
Cece's lips curved into a smirk. "Well well well… if it isn't the Powerpuff Girls."
Emily sighed audibly. She was wrong. It could get worse. Much worse.
"Spencer, what are you doing here?" Jason asked surprised before he glanced at Alison.
"They're all here to try to convince Em that she's invited the devil into her bed," Alison replied for Spencer.
"Ali, that's not true," Spencer insisted. "If you'd just give us a chance to explain."
"I'm not interested in your explanation," Emily said harshly. "It will probably just be more lies I'm sure."
Hanna stepped forward and her hand swung out and connected with Alison's cheek before anyone else in the room could register what was happening.
"Hanna," Emily gasped horrified and angry as she instinctively stepped in front of her girlfriend protectively, glaring at one of her oldest and best friends.
"Hanna!"
"Hanna!"
"Damn, Hanna!"
"Hey, bitch!"
Also all rang out in unison from Aria, Jason, Spencer and Cece respectively.
"What?" Hanna scoffed as she crossed her arms, looking completely unapologetic. "She deserved it and we all wanted to do it."
Alison lifted her hand to her stinging cheek. That was the second time, in less than two months, she'd been slapped by a woman who loved Emily. And she was getting damn tired of it.
"You have no right-" Emily started but Alison reached out and put her other hand on her girl's arm.
"It's okay, Em," she attempted to soothe her irate girlfriend softly.
Emily's head whipped around and she looked at Alison with shock. "No it isn't, Ali. She has no right to lay a hand on you."
Alison felt a rush of love so fierce for her girl she wanted to tackle her, but, instead, she just smiled warmly and squeezed Emily's forearm because no one in this room wanted or needed to see how she planned to thank her mermaid later for defending her.
"Damn fucking right she has no right," Cece snarled as Spencer cut in and tried to be the voice of reason.
"Everyone needs to just calm down. Han, you're way out of line right now."
Emily lifted her hand to softly caress Alison's quickly reddening cheek, causing the blonde to sigh softly. Her girl's touch always made everything better.
"You're just pussying out now that we're here," Hanna retorted. "You're as pissed at her as I am. She's just using her Ali voodoo to bewitch Em again." The blonde looked at Emily pointedly. "Em, there's no pussy on the planet so good it's worth getting your heart ripped out again."
Emily clenched her hands at her sides. Alison's eyes slid from Emily's over to meet Hanna's and the warmth in them changed to steely cold.
She stepped around Emily, closer to Hanna, who stood straighter but held her ground.
"Oh fuck, here it comes," Cece choked out a laugh.
The two blonde's faced off as the silence in the room became deafening.
Finally, Alison spoke.
"That's the one and only free pass you get, Hanna. The next time I hit back."
Hanna's eyes reflected her surprise at Alison's restraint. Cece dropped onto the sofa and eyed the three girls narrowly, clearly disappointed that Ali didn't retaliate. Emily stepped in front of Alison again. Her protectiveness apparent to everyone in the room.
"That's it," Emily said firmly as she pointed to the door. "The three of you need to leave. I'm not ready to talk to any one of you yet."
"Em, it's been over two months," Aria started but Emily interrupted her.
"And it was over two years before you told me the truth."
"And we all flew three thousand miles to admit we screwed up in person," Spencer implored.
"And to save Em from Voldemort's evil clutches."
Spencer and Aria both smacked Hanna. "Hanna that's enough. You attacking Ali isn't fair and isn't going to help anything."
"Whatever," Hanna scoffed.
Alison could sense that Spencer and Aria were being genuine so she reached for Emily's wrist, gripping it gently in her fingertips.
"Em," the blonde said softly. "Maybe you should hear them out."
"No she fucking shouldn't," Cece scoffed but Alison shot a glare at her friend.
"Butt the fuck out, Cece."
Emily looked at Alison, her eyes dark, and the blonde could feel the hurt and anger radiating off her girl. She wouldn't push her to do this but Alison didn't want Emily to regret not at least hearing her friends out. She sighed as she looked over at the three girls.
"Em has asked you to leave. If she wants to talk to you she'll call you tomorrow. If not, you will all back the hell off her. And you won't show up at our house unannounced again. Or I'll have the police haul you all off to jail for trespassing."
The words 'our house' was not lost on anyone in the room including Emily and her eyes whipped to Alison's face again.
"I bet the Spice Girls will all be thrilled to see Detective Holbrook again, Won't you, Scary Spice?" Cece snorted as she nodded to Hanna.
"Cece, enough with the nicknames," Alison snapped as Hanna sputtered.
"Holbrook? What the fuck is Holbrook doing here?" She turned her glare on Emily again. "What the hell have you gotten yourself into, Em"
Alison huffed out a sigh before Emily could answer. "Hanna, it's late and I have to be up early tomorrow so you all need to leave."
"Alison's right," Aria said softly. "Come on let's go. We have to find a hotel because I'm exhausted. But please call us tomorrow, Em?"
"You came all this way without having a place to stay?" Jason asked the room as Cece snickered.
"Fucking figures."
"It was kind of spur of the moment after Hanna called and Mari told her you'd broken up?" Spencer replied.
"Damn it!" Emily said under her breath as she made a split second decision. "Look, you can stay at my apartment tonight. It's not far from here so I'll take you there. I don't work until tomorrow afternoon. I'll come see you in the morning and give you a chance to say your piece but don't think I'm in any way ready to forgive you."
She turned to Alison. "I won't be long, love."
"Okay, baby," Alison said softly but her eyes reflected her hesitation at letting Emily be alone with the three women. But she swallowed down her fear that they'd convince Emily she wasn't worth forgiving.
Pepe barked from beside the front door, having been forgotten in all the chaos.
"I'll take him out back," Jason said as he grabbed Pepe's leash. "Come on, Pepe."
The dog followed him toward the slider in the dining room.
Emily grabbed her keys hanging on the hook beside the front door. "Come on," she said to her friends as she opened the door. She gave Alison a reassuring wink, which the blonde appreciated. But it still didn't remove the lump lodged in her chest.
The three girls followed Emily without a word after a quick glance at Alison. The door shut and Cece lifted her feet up on the coffee table.
"Well, that was…" Cece started but Alison turned to her.
"I don't want to hear it, Cece. What the fuck are you doing here so late anyway? I told you I have a shoot tomorrow."
Cece shrugged. "We wanted to make sure you and Americano were alright after what happened? And I'm glad I did. That was a heck of a show."
Alison dropped into the chair beside the sofa. "We're fine. My ass fucking hurts but other than that I'm fine."
Cece jumped on the change of subject. "If that fucker gets out again, he isn't going to stop until he gets to Melanie. Without her here, you're going to be his next target."
"I can handle myself, Cece." Alison said as she twisted her hands together. She was going to have to call Gabe and figure out what they could do about getting another restraining order. The last one was for Melanie and Fields House specifically. Not for Alison. But it looked like she was going to need one of her own now. Fuck!
"What were those bitches doing here, Ali?" Cece asked as she sat forward.
Alison frowned and bit her lip. "Trying to rip my life apart."
"Emily won't let them do that. She won't listen to their shit."
Alison arched her eyebrow at the conviction in Cece's voice.
"What?" Cece scoffed as she shrugged. "Americano is growing on me."
Alison smirked, happy that at least it seemed like Cece was starting to accept Emily in her life. She had no choice because Alison would never give up Emily again. Not matter who wanted it.
"She better not fucking let me down though or I'll kick her ass," Cece added for good measure just as Jason and Pepe came through the back door.
Pepe loped over to Alison and nudged the hands that were on her lap. Alison slid her fingers through his soft fur, taking comfort in his presence, particularly in Emily's absence.
"Can you two just go? I really need to get some sleep or I might kill someone on set tomorrow."
"Are you sure you're alright, Ali?" Jason said as he stepped up to Alison.
Alison stood and nodded. "Yeah."
He watched her silently until she started to glare at him in return.
"I'll call you tomorrow. Come on, Cece."
He gave Alison a quick hug before Cece rose from the sofa and stepped over to Alison. She pulled the blonde into what Alison always referred to as her bear hug.
"Call me if you need to talk. Or better yet, call Megan," Cece said fiercely against Alison's cheek. "Don't be a fucking martyr, Ali. Call your fucking shrink if you need to."
Alison wanted to wrap her arms around Cece but she kept her hands at her sides. She loved Cece but it wasn't her arms Alison wanted to be in at the moment. She wanted her mermaid.
Cece released her abruptly and looked Alison in the eyes. Gone was Alison's best friend and in front of her stood the warrior woman who wanted to tear Emily limb from limb only two months ago. "I am not going to fucking strap you down again to keep you from offing yourself. I'll kill those bitches before I let you try that again. Don't let them drag you down into the darkness again."
"Goodbye, Cece," Alison said instead of acknowledging Cece's words.
Cece nodded and left and Alison dropped heavily into the chair again. She inhaled a shuddering breath as Pepe nudged her. She wrapped her arms around the dog's neck and buried her face in his fur, letting it calm her the way it always did.
###############
Emily opened the door to her apartment and flipped on the light as she walked in, Spencer, Aria and Hanna following closely behind. She turned to look at her friends as Aria closed the door behind them.
"The towels and an extra set of sheets are in the closet. Two of you can take the bed and one on the sofa. I don't think there's much in the fridge since I haven't been here in over a week but you're welcome to anything that is still edible."
"You're not staying here with us?" Hanna asked, her tone still hostile as she dropped her purse on the table beside the sofa.
"No, Hanna. I'm going back to my girlfriend," Emily replied curtly.
Aria and Spencer rolled their suitcases into the dining area.
"You can't leave us here alone," Hanna insisted.
"Sure I can. And I am. If you would rather not stay here, you can find your own alternative accommodations."
"We just traveled three thousand miles to make sure Alison doesn't destroy you again. The least you can do is face us without your bodyguard present."
Emily's eyes flashed angrily. "Hanna, be careful. You're going to a place we may never be able to come back from."
"Em," Spencer spoke up trying to diffuse the situation. "Contrary to Hanna's meltdown before, we're not here to try to get you to dump Alison."
"That will never happen." Emily crossed her arms over her chest and lifted her chin defiantly.
Spencer stepped closer and put her hand on Emily's arm. "We're here because we're worried about you."
Emily yanked it away roughly. "That's rich coming from you, Spencer. You're the one who betrayed me the worst."
Spencer sighed tiredly. "Em, I know you feel that way. And in hindsight, not telling you was probably a mistake."
"Probably?"
Spencer crossed her arms defensively. "I was trying to protect you. When I found Jason and Ali two years ago, it was right after she went to see you in Paris. Jason told me she was hospitalized and not in a-"
"I'm sorry, what did you say?" Emily blinked, stuck on the words 'Ali was hospitalized'.
"What?" Spencer asked caught off guard at being interrupted.
"What do you mean Ali was hospitalized after she came to see me?"
"Didn't she tell you?"
"Of course she fucking didn't," Hanna scoffed and Emily shot a glare at her friend before replying.
"I know she came to see me but I don't know what you're talking about her being hospitalized."
Spencer looked as confused and Emily suddenly felt ill. She and Ali had briefly discussed the blonde and Mari's meeting in Paris but Alison didn't say anything about it affecting her that badly or needing to be hospitalized after she returned home.
"Honestly I don't know all the details, Em. I swear. He just told me that after seeing you with Mari she just spiraled downward." Emily knew Spencer was choosing her words carefully and it caused a knot in her stomach. "He said she checked herself into a hospital under her psychiatrist's recommendation. He didn't think it was a good idea for her to know I was there or for you to know where she was. He was worried about what it might do to her if you showed up. And I agreed. I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I should have."
"Yes, you should have," Emily swallowed over the lump in her throat. "All of you should have. Especially Mari."
"Huh?" Spencer said looking even more confused. "What are you talking about? What would Mari know about any of it?"
Emily sighed and rubbed her temples. She did not want to have this conversation tonight. She needed to clear her head and make sure Alison was alright. Her girlfriend was more affected than she let on in front of the other girls and she hated leaving her alone. But she had to get her friends out of there before things completely spiraled out of control any more than they already had.
"Mari and Alison spoke. Alison came all the way to my door. Mari answered when I was in the shower and she never told me. Then the next morning she saw Alison again and also never told me. Apparently everyone in my life lies to me for what they perceive as my own good."
"Oh, Em," Spencer said softly as her face crumbled.
"Oh my god!" Aria gasped under her breath.
"Is that why you and Mari broke up?" Hanna asked, her tone losing much of its hostility, being replaced with concern.
"Yes," Emily replied abruptly. "Not because Alison came back into my life and 'bewitched' me again." She was still angry at her friend but could see the gentle Hanna she knew and loved starting to resurface. Nevertheless, Emily couldn't help but throw Hanna's words back at her.
"Jason didn't tell me that," Spencer admitted. "If I had known I would have told you."
"You should have told me regardless. But I don't want to talk about this anymore tonight. I'll be back in the morning and we're going to have this out once and for all."
Emily turned to look directly at Hanna as she spoke her next words.
"And let me make myself perfectly clear. I love Alison. I have always loved her. I will always love her. And despite your opinion of her to the contrary, she loves me too. None of us are the same people we were six years ago, Hanna, and that includes Ali. By some miracle we've found our way back to each other and you're all going to have to accept that if you want to be part of our lives."
"Em," Spencer said her name but Emily just kept speaking.
"I love all of you fiercely even though I'm furious with you for lying to me. We have lived through hell together and if we can survive that I don't doubt we can survive anything. But again, let me be perfectly clear, don't make me choose. Because I will not lose Ali again."
"Em," Hanna started to say.
Emily held up her hand to stop her friend. "No, Hanna. I'm done for tonight. I'll be back at nine in the morning."
The brunette didn't wait for her friends to say anything else. She turned and left
############
Emily walked out the slider to the back patio.
"I wasn't sure if you'd still be up," she said softly as she walked toward the blonde sitting beside the table staring into her wine glass. Her feet were propped on the chair in front of her and Pepe was snoozing at her feet.
Alison looked up. "I wasn't sure if you were coming back tonight."
Emily lifted Alison's feet and sat in the chair, resting the blonde's feet on her lap. She tilted her head and her eyes softened. "I told you I was."
Alison took a sip of her wine. "I figured they'd try to convince you to stay."
Emily gently caressed Alison's right ankle. "They did."
"I'm surprised they didn't tie you a chair to keep you there."
"I think Hanna contemplated it for a minute," Emily replied drolly as she gently caressed the top of the blonde's foot.
"I bet." Alison scoffed and took a last swig of her wine before she set the glass on the table.
"Ali," Emily said firmly as she flexed her fingers against Alison's foot and the blonde slid her eyes toward the brunette. "There is nothing they could have said or done that's going to change how I feel about you. I love you and if they can't deal with it that's their problem."
Alison's gaze softened because she felt the conviction and truth in her girl's words. "They're not going to accept us easily."
"That's their problem," Emily reiterated again and lowered Alison's foot to the ground as she slid her chair closer. She lifted her hand to Alison's face. "I'm sorry Hanna attacked you like that."
Alison's lips curved sardonically. "I expected nothing less from her."
Emily's fingers gently brushed Alison's cheek. "She still had no right to slap you."
"That happens a lot these days."
Alison lifted her fingers to her temples and rubbed in small circles.
"Are you alright?" Emily asked.
Alison nodded. "Yeah. Just a headache. Hanna has a mean right hook."
"Do you want something for it?"
Alison shook her head and closed her eyes briefly. "No. I just need some sleep." Alison sighed and opened her eyes again, looking into Emily's soft brown ones. "Hanna's right though."
Emily frowned. "Right about what?'
"I'm not worthy of you. I've never been."
The way Alison said the words so simply made Emily's heart ache knowing the blonde believed them.
Alison stood up and Emily grasped her fingers. She rose and pulled Alison in her arms.
"Hanna is wrong." Emily slid her hand up the back of Alison's head and gripped the soft strands gently as she buried her face in Alison's hair. She pressed her lips against Alison's ear. "She's wrong, sweetheart. They all are. They don't know you. They don't know the beautiful person you are inside."
Alison sank into her and gripped Emily's sides, sinking her fingers in the soft flesh of Emily's hips.
She turned her face, capturing Emily's lips with a shuddering sigh. She pushed Emily back into her chair and straddled her, plopping down on her thighs and gripping the brunette's face as she deepened the kiss.
"Em," she murmured into Emily's mouth.
Emily groaned softly at the feel of Alison writhing on her lap. She could feel the heat between Alison's thighs, her short silk robe the only thing covering her. Emily's hands traveled over the blonde's curves and down to grip her bare ass, pulling Alison tighter to her.
Alison jolted as Emily's fingers dug into the spot she hit on the ground earlier and she grunted.
"I'm sorry, love," Emily murmured into her mouth and she gentled her hands.
Finally, Alison released Emily's lips and pressed her forehead against Emily's as they both gasped in deep breaths.
"You don't see clearly, baby," Alison panted as she ran her fingers gently through Emily's long dark strands. "But I hope you never do."
Emily's eyes fluttered open and she sighed softly. Her heart broke again for the woman in her arms.
"I'll make you believe it someday."
Alison smiled softly at her girl and kissed her lips gently. "We'll see. Now I really have to go to bed or I'm going to miss my call time."
Alison pushed to her feet. Emily held Alison's hips as she steadied herself.
She looked up at the blonde and debated her next words. But she needed to know.
"Ali, can I ask you a question first?"
Alison's eyes crinkled in the corners as she cupped Emily's cheek.
"What is it, Em?"
"Why were you hospitalized after you came back from Paris?"
Anger raced over Alison's features and her eyes narrowed. She tore her hand away from Emily's face and she stepped back. "Who told you that?" Alison's voice shook as she spoke.
"Why didn't you?" Emily asked as she stood up and looked at Alison. The blonde started to shake and wrapped her arms around herself.
Emily reached for her hand but Alison just stepped back again as the color drained from her face.
"I can't do this tonight, Em. I just can't."
Taken aback at Alison's reaction, Emily only nodded. It was obvious Alison wasn't capable of talking about this right now and it was clearly going to be longer than a few minutes' conversation.
She reached out and grabbed Alison's wrist. She felt Alison's pulse beating rapidly beneath her fingertips.
"Okay, love. But we are going to talk about this and soon, Ali. We promised no more secrets. I'm holding you to that."
Alison nodded even as the vice she felt in her chest tighten. She swallowed thickly. "I'll tell you whatever you want to know, Em. Just not tonight. Not until the girls are gone and we can be alone."
"Okay," Emily said again as she reached up and ran her fingers through the hair at Alison's temple gently.
"Thank you," Alison whispered gratefully as a small yawn slipped past her lips. "I'm going to be a freaking zombie tomorrow."
Emily tugged Alison toward the sliding glass doors. "Let's go to bed. Come on, Pepe," she called and the dog trotted into the house.
After the entered the dining room and closed the sliding glass door, Alison stopped and lifted Emily's hand to her cheek. She pressed a gentle kiss against Emily's palm.
"I love you, Em."
Emily smiled softly. "I love you too, sweetheart. So much." She pressed a kiss to Alison's lips. "Promise me you'll never forget that."
"I promise," Alison whispered as slid her arms around Emily's waist and surrendered to her girl's lips.
#############
Alison tiptoed across the bedroom floor trying not to disturb the sleeping naked woman in her bed or the sleeping dog on the floor at the foot of it. Despite the orgasms they'd given each other once they returned to bed the previous night, Alison had barely slept. She watched Emily sleep until the early morning hours, willing her racing heart to slow and the tight knot in her chest to loosen.
She shouldn't have been surprised their three friends, former friends in Alison's case, would show up when they found out she and Emily were together. Their instinct to protect the brunette who irrevocably held her heart was almost as strong at her own. And she couldn't begrudge them but she would have liked to be able to bitch slap Hanna back. Of course, it would have upset her mermaid and no momentary satisfaction was worth that.
Alison leaned down and pet Pepe who lifted his head into her flexing fingers.
"Don't wake Em too early. I wore my girl out last night."
The dog seemed to sigh and then a soft grunt escaped as he put his head back onto his paws, making Alison chuckle as she walked around the side of the bed.
She leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to Emily's shoulder before softly brushing her fingertips down the brunette's bare back. Emily shivered in her sleep, shifting slightly, but didn't wake.
"Love you," she whispered before standing straight and walking out of the bedroom, stopping inside her studio to grab her camera bag.
She made her way downstairs to the kitchen to make a quick cup of coffee. She would never make the drive to set without it. As she waited for the machine to percolate, she texted Regan and asked her to stop by the studio and get her Sigma 150-600mm zoom. She received a reply almost instantly and smiled. She liked her new assistant better than she'd like any of the previous ones. Regan was smart, efficient and she learned Alison's "quirks" as Emily liked to call them, quickly. She also didn't cower when Alison snapped at her and the blonde had to respect that about her. She had a good feeling in her gut that Regan was going to work out just fine.
After filling her favorite travel mug Alison shrugged her bag over her shoulder and headed to the garage door, grabbing her jacket on the way. She tossed her bag in the backseat and pressed the garage door opener before sliding into the front seat of her Range Rover.
She was halfway out of the garage when she saw a flash of something behind her. She slammed on the breaks, looked in the rearview mirror and groaned.
With a screech of barely repressed rage Alison shoved the car door open and surged out of the seat.
"Hanna, what the fuck are you doing in my driveway at 5 in the fucking morning?"
Hanna stood defiantly with her hands on her hips. "I want to talk to you without your bodyguard."
"We have nothing to talk about," Alison insisted. "Whatever you need to know will come from Em. Now get the fuck out of my way."
"No.
Alison resisted the urge to screech again, not wanting to wake Emily or the neighbors. "How did you even know to be here at this time? Have you been lurking outside all night like a creeper?"
"You told Em you had to leave at 5 a.m. when you were beckoning her back upstairs to fuck you."
Alison couldn't stop the sultry smirk that curved her lips at the disgust in Hanna's voice. But it quickly vanished as she stared at the blonde narrowly.
"Hanna, I don't have time for this. I'm running late already."
"I have some things I need to say to you. And there are some things only you can answer for me."
"I don't owe you shit, Hanna," Alison snapped. "The woman I owed answers to already has them. And despite the answers, she's still upstairs naked in my bed. So there is nothing I need to say to you."
"I'm not leaving until we talk, Ali."
Alison clenched her hands and felt her fingernails digging into her palms before she heaved out a frustrated breath. She couldn't believe she was actually going to say the next words that came out of her mouth.
"You have two choices here, Hanna. You can either get out of my driveway before I run you over or get in the fucking car and you have exactly one hour on the drive to the Pacific Design Center to say what you need to."
Hanna looked as shocked at Alison's offer as Alison was at making it.
"You have two seconds to make up your mind," Ali said as she turned and got back into her car.
Before she could change her mind, Hanna stepped from behind the car as Alison backed up and stopped the vehicle so the blonde could get in.
##############
The beginning of the drive was silent. Alison was not about to be the one to speak first. And Hanna seemed to be in shock that Alison let her in the car.
Alison enjoyed the silence as she sipped her coffee and turned off Ocean Avenue onto Olympic. There was no way she was taking I-10 as this time of day. It was already the start of rush hour in LA and the freeway would be a parking lot heading east. Surface streets were the better option, especially since she knew all the short cuts to West Hollywood.
Alison could feel Hanna's eyes on her but she just looked forward, waiting for the blonde to speak.
"How am I going to get back?" Hanna finally asked and Alison spit out a laugh at the absurdity of her question.
"That's the first thing you want to ask me?"
"Well I didn't really think this through when I took you up on your offer."
"No shit," Alison chuckled as she waved her hand casually. "Don't worry, I won't make you walk. I'll have one of the Teamsters drive you back."
"Why?"
"Why won't I make you walk back?"
Hanna shifted in her seat and turned to look at Alison. "No. Why did you break Em's heart like that?"
Alison sucked in a breath as Hanna's question hit her in the chest. She tightened her fingers around the steering wheel.
"I can't really blame you for turning your back on all the rest of us. We probably deserved it after the way we treated you. We had no idea what you'd been through. Not that it excuses you for being a raging bitch to us all those years. Or for all the lies you selfishly told everyone. But Em only ever wanted to believe in you. She only ever wanted to love you and have you love her. But instead you tore her heart out and vanished for a second time without even a fucking word to her."
"I didn't…." Alison started to reply but Hanna just talked over her.
"And if you even bring up that lame ass letter you left for her, I'm going to bitch slap you. You didn't owe anything to me or Aria or Spencer. But you owed it to Em not to break her heart like that."
"I never wanted to break her heart," Alison snapped. "But if I didn't I would have sucked her under with me. I loved her too much to do that to her, Hanna."
"That's a fucking cop out, Ali, and you know it."
"Call it whatever the fuck you want. And I don't expect you to understand it but breaking her heart was the lesser of two evils."
"You destroyed her."
"You think I don't know that?" Alison snarled as she slammed on the breaks at a red light. "You think I don't know what I did to her? You think I didn't do it to myself too?"
Hanna slammed her hands down on the dashboard in front of her to stop from being tossed through the front window before scrambling to put on her seatbelt.
"Jesus, Ali. Are you trying to kill us?"
Alison whirled her head toward Hanna, her eyes blazing. "Leaving Emily again was the most excruciating pain I have ever experienced in my life. I know I fucking hurt her, Hanna. I fucking know it. And I'll have to live with that for the rest of my life."
Alison heaved out a harsh breath as she turned back to the road. The light turned green and Alison pressed on the gas.
"Even though you can't, she's forgiven me, Hanna."
"You don't deserve it."
"You're right. I don't," Alison scoffed knowingly. "And I probably never will. But I'm not going to turn that gift away. I can finally breathe again, Hanna. Without her in my life, even the simple act of breathing was nearly impossible. And I don't care what you say or how you feel. You can hate me all you want, but I will never live without her again."
Alison turned her head and pinned Hanna with her gaze. "So you can't either get on board or you can get the fuck out of our lives."
Before Alison turned back to face the road, she could have sworn she saw the right side of Hanna's lips curve up.
"I still don't trust you," Hanna said in the reflection of the sunrise through the front windshield.
"You don't have to. But maybe you should trust Em to make her own decisions about what and who she wants."
Hanna didn't reply to that but instead said, "Em told us last night that Mari turned you away in Paris. Is that true?"
Alison shook her head. "I told you Hanna, any answers you want about Em or her ex, you have to get from her."
Hanna turned to look out the side window.
"I'm not sorry I hit you last night. I've wanted to do that for a really long time."
Alison snorted despite herself. "I bet you have."
Hanna turned her head back to look at Alison.
"If you break her heart again, Alison, I'll strangle the life out of you with my bare hands," Hanna warned with ice in her voice.
Alison was silent for a few seconds before she replied. As angry as she was at Hanna, she felt a rush of affection for her former friend.
"If I do, I'll welcome it, Hanna."
###########
Emily stepped up to the door of her apartment carrying the box of pastries in one hand and a drink carrier with four coffees in her other hand. She used her elbow to bang on the door to announce her arrival.
She was not looking forward to this conversation with her friends. But it couldn't be avoided anymore.
As Emily stood in line at the Italian bakery around the corner waiting for her order, she texted Alison, telling her she loved her and scolding her for not waking her before she left.
As always, Ali answered in a matter of minutes telling her she looked too beautiful to wake and that she loved Emily too, before sending several risqué emoji's. It brought a smile to Emily's lips and strengthened her resolve to set things straight with her friends. They would either accept Alison in her life or they wouldn't be part of her life. She wasn't going to lose Alison again.
And after this conversation with the girls, she and Ali needed to speak tonight about this hospitalization Spencer mentioned.
The door opened and Spencer reached out to grab the tray of coffees.
"Hey," she said as she stepped back to let Emily in.
Aria sat in the dining area typing on her phone. She looked up and smiled at Emily as she placed the box of pastries on the table and looked around. "Where's Hanna?"
"Uh, she went out earlier," Aria replied. "She just texted and said she's five minutes away."
Emily walked into the kitchen and got several plates out of the cupboard. "Where did she go?"
"She didn't say," Spencer replied as she passed the coffees around.
Emily's brow furrowed as she walked back into the dining room. "How did you guys sleep?"
"Fine," Aria said. "That couch is actually pretty comfortable."
The door opened and Hanna walked in.
"Where have you been?" Emily asked as she looked at the blonde curiously.
"I drove to work with, Ali," Hanna replied before she rushed over to the table. "God, are those pastries? I'm so fucking hungry."
"Excuse me?"
"I'm sorry, what?"
"What did you just say?" Spencer, Aria and Emily all asked simultaneously.
Hanna shoved a croissant in her mouth and moaned softly before replying with her mouth full. "I said I drove to work with Ali."
"How the heck did that happen?" Aria asked as she took a sip of her coffee.
Emily glared at her. "Where the hell do you get off, Hanna?"
Hanna swallowed and sighed. "God, those are so fucking good. I had some things I needed to say to her and ask her. So I waited in her driveway for her to leave this morning. She said if I wanted to talk to her I had to ride with her to set because she was late."
"Jesus, Hanna," Spencer snorted. "You've always had the biggest balls of all of us. Metaphorically speaking that is."
"How did you get back?" Aria asked.
"Ali had a Teamster drive me back. He was a hottie." Hanna wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.
"What did you say to her?" Emily demanded.
"What I wanted to but you wouldn't let me."
"Damn it, Hanna. If you upset her…." Emily started to lay into Hanna, who only rolled her eyes.
"Relax, Em. Alison is more than capable of holding her own with me. We've come to a tentative understanding, depending on what you have to say."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
Before Hanna could answer, Emily's phone rang. She looked down at it and saw Regan's number on the screen. She lifted it to her ear.
"Hey, Regan." She listened to Alison's assistant and felt her stomach drop. "What?"
Hanna, Aria and Spencer watched as all the blood drained from Emily's face.
"What happened?" Emily leaned against the chair as she felt like her knees would give out beneath her. "Where are they taking her?" After another beat. "I'll be right there."
Emily ended the call and looked at her friends with haunted eyes.
"What's going on, Em?" Spencer asked.
"Alison had a seizure on set. She's unconscious and being taken to Cedars by ambulance. I have to go."
She rushed toward the door.
"We're coming with you," Hanna said as they all followed her.
"No," Emily replied as she yanked the door open. "I don't think that's a good idea. I have no idea what's going on."
Hanna stepped in front of her, the blonde's eyes blazing. "And you're not in any condition to fucking drive yourself. We're coming with you."
Emily swallowed and nodded because that is all she could think to do at the moment.
Aria put her hand on Emily's arm. "We're here with you, Em. Ali's going to be fine."
Spencer pulled the door closed behind them as they hurriedly strode toward the elevator.
Emily barely felt her legs carrying her as her mind whirled with questions of what the hell was wrong with Alison.
To be continued….
Second author's note:
This chapter was supposed to be longer but I decided to end it here because I wanted to get something posted for you all to let you know I was back. Again, no promises of a posting schedule but I'll try to get the rest of this chapter posted in the next week or so.
Thanks again for reading and please leave a reply if you enjoyed it. Reviews make my heart happy.