After 7x20 finale

Ali starts falling back into bad habits but with small things white lies. This worries Emily and makes her paranoid. She says "you're lying more and more, and you won't open up to me about why"

Ali reasons, that they are all small things that she's blowing this way out of proportion. She says she's not regressing, and that Emily needs to trust her. They argue. Ali says

"Every time I try to do something for us You always start off with an inherent distrust of my intentions. Like our proposal : all I did was sneak around a bit and the entire thing ended up being rushed because of your paranoia. You're the one falling back on bad habits Em, in not trusting me. If anything, my past may prove you right, but your recent shows that I shouldn't trust you. You're the one who sent me to jail for mona death. Thought I killed charlotte and handed me over to A.D. when neither was true. Emily, we've talked about our past 100 times. We've supposedly forgiven each other so why are we still having this exact same fight. Emily if I can let go of all that. Why can't you let go of our highschool trauma. I know I hurt you the most and broke your heart, but I've apologized and made amends with everyone including you, but why can't you move on or won't.

Emily responds

"Its not that, I just can't forget and move past it consistently." Ali says "I think we need help. Lets go and see Dr. Sullivan."

They go in for counseling and Dr. Sullivan sees them for a few weeks. There are good for a while, but a couple of years later they're right back to where they started and she suggests a temporary separation.She say "You both need to reassess if you both still want this marriage. Do you still love each other enough to try one more time to get over this hump for good. And who knows maybe this time apart will allow you both some clarity. You'll either realize you can or can't live without each other in your lives. Once that is done, we will have to work on the capacity in which you want to be in each other's lives" We organized a scheduled for the girls and we left her office. This would be our last session for years.

Ali POV

I had applied to some out of state colleges for my master's. I decided on Beacon Heights. I said goodbye to the girls. Hugged Emily Goodbye and left. Lily and Grace were really upset, but I promised to see them every other weekend, and on breaks they'd stay with me. It hurt to leave my family behind, but it was what best for the girl and my marriage.

Emily's POv

This feels awful it like someone died. The grief is killing me. Being Without Alison hurts, but so does being with her. Dammit my emotions are all over the place. One minute I miss her the next I'm glad for the space. And in one low moment I made an impulsive decision that I will always regret. Especially when I realized I was just testing Ali, and I didn't mean it. As soon as Ali sends me back the deforce papers and messages me. I knew it. The envelope still had her dried tears on it . I took the package and locked it up in our bedroom chest immediately. I was so touched and hurt by the fact she signed the papers because it dawned on me that Ali would rather me be happy than be with her even though she'd be miserable. I knew right then and there that I needed to do the work to get my wife back and hopefully she'd want me back by the time I was done.

Enter season 1 of beacon heights

Emison coparents away during the beacon's height mysteries. Alison earns her degree and moves back to Rosewood after 3 years.

After beacon height

Alison tucks the girls in. She's about to go to bed. When Emily confesses that she never filed the deforce papers. She tells Ali about her work with Doctor Sullivan and the want to fight for their marriage. She gets down on one knee and asks Ali "Will you try with me again? I still love you Ali and I promise, you won't regret this". Ali smiled and ran over to hug and kiss her they agreed to try and work this out.