RULE IX: Cuddling is intimate

CONFIDENTIAL

To Whom It May Concern,

It has come to our attention that the CIA has initiated an investigation into our team's former doctor, Elliott Rollins. The CIA has discovered significant discrepancies in Mr. Rollins' background, including his true identity, lack of medical credentials, and suspected involvement in the creation and distribution of doping-related substances internationally.

The USA National Swim Team will fully cooperate with the CIA's investigation to shed light on Mr. Rollins' association with our team and to determine if any team members or staff were implicated and/or complicit in his illicit activities. Rest assured that legal representation and aid will be provided to you during your mandatory statement to the CIA, and you will have access to public relations support throughout the investigation process.

We urge all team members to disclose any relevant information that may aid in the investigation. Additionally, we emphasize the importance of refraining from speaking to the press independently regarding this matter. In the event of media inquiries, please direct reporters to the USA National Swim Team's public relations team.

Thank you for your cooperation and understanding during this sensitive time.

Sincerely,

The USA National Swim Team


Emily arrived late to practice and walked straight into a pandemonium. People were sprinting all over the place and no one was in their training suits despite the time. Something very off was going on.

However, before she could paddle through that mess, her teammate Sydney frantically ran to her as soon as she spotted her in the middle of the crowd.

"Emily, where were you?!"

"Sorry, I got stuck in traffic", the little white lie stumbled out of her lips. Emily didn't want to tell anyone outside her social circle of her relationship with Alison. It was bad enough that the Rosewood Hawks was already on them. Plus, she was pretty sure it wasn't nowhere near as scandalous as what was going on at the training facility anyway. "What is going on?"

"We don't know," Shana answered, approaching them. "Practice has been canceled and we're joining the male team for a meeting with people from the staff. It sounds urgent."

Their training sessions never got canceled, no matter how bad it was. Emily now knew that something extraordinary had happened.

"Have you any idea where Paige is?" Sydney asked. "They've been trying to reach her as well."

If they had been trying to reach Paige on her mental health break, then things certainly had to do with their team. Otherwise, they could've just sent her a letter, an e-mail or even a text message. Emily felt slightly nervous, wondering what it could be about.

The only answer that came to her mind was sexual assault allegations. That was bad enough to make every practice session stop and have them call Paige. Emily hoped that it wasn't the case; she had heard the rumors of those allegations in women's field hockey teams and the victims were left behind to deal with a lot of wreckage and emotional damage.

"I haven't talked to her since we broke up. But Shana may have an idea," Emily redirected the question to Shana in contempt. She did that on purpose. She wanted Shana to entertain the idea of her knowing about their affair. Emily wasn't usually this petty, but the recent events have caused her to grow more of a backbone.

Plus, it was quite messed up to sleep with your teammate's fianceé, who also happens to be your teammate.

Shana coughed awkwardly and replied, "I don't know either."

It surprised Emily that Paige hasn't gone straight to Shana after their breakup. Maybe their relationship was more casual than she had thought. Maybe Paige had cheated on her with other women too. The idea made Emily's blood boil, not out of jealousy but out of anger. She can't believe just how disrespected she was in their relationship.

"Girls," their swim coach appeared and interrupted her train of thoughts. "Let's meet up with the male team. We have some urgent news to share. No phones, please"

They were all huddled up in one of the locker rooms when the team executives showed up in their expensive suits. They all looked worried and aghast. Emily guessed they were the team's lawyers and public relations staff. When both of them were involved, it usually meant trouble with lots of repercussions.

She had a terrible gut feeling about it.

A black woman in a gray suit came forth and began to speak.

"Good morning, team! My name is Yvonne and I am the Legal Director here," she greeted them. "Unfortunately, I have some not so great news to deliver. A spokesperson from the CIA reached out to us this morning. The team's doctor, Mr. Elliott Rollins, was killed in a CIA operation. His real name was Archer Dunhill and Interpol listed him as a drug dealer."

Several gasps around the room interrupted Yvonne in her speech. Emily herself couldn't believe it. The man who was supposed to be treating her shoulder was a random drug dealer who had been injecting God knows what into her body.

She felt disgusted and invaded.

"The CIA now wants to talk to every person Mr. Dunhill has interacted with on the course of his contract. That includes, but is not limited to, members of the National Swim Team. We will legally assist you on your statements," Yvonne continued. "They will host a press conference this afternoon sharing all the public details of their Rosewood operation.."

Maybe Yvonne expected some reaction from them, but the swimmers were all too shaken to say something. Emily could guess what they were all thinking because she had the same concern: Dunhill was giving them medications on a regular basis. Just what the hell was he giving them?

As if reading their mind, Yvonne continued:

"Also, they have requested blood samples from anyone who has been treated by Mr. Dunhill. Given that he didn't have a medical license, the CIA wants to make sure you are all okay," Yvonne added. "Of course, you won't have to give them a sample if you don't want to. But it will work against you when it hits the press."

Emily saw almost everyone nod in approval. They were all scared and wanted to make sure their health was okay. All except for Shana, who looked a little bit scared at the idea of giving out a blood sample. Emily found that weird. She shouldn't be afraid of a simple blood test. They all did it on a regular basis for checkups.

"Per usual, we don't recommend you give any interviews or talk about this topic publicly. If you receive any requests, please forward them to our PR team immediately," Yvonne warned. "That being said, you can all contact me and the rest of our legal team in case you have any doubts."

The team executives left as swiftly as they had entered the locker room. Emily felt like she couldn't breathe. It was as if she had lost her footing and there was nothing for her to hold on to.

As soon as their meeting was over, she bolted out of the training facilities. She had wanted to go straight home, but remembered she had lunch with Hanna and Aria and maybe that was just what she needed to take her mind out of it. Still, the bitter taste in her mouth remained.

Just when she thought she was getting her life back on track, she was hit by another curveball.


"Lorenzo!"

Alison yelled as soon as she stormed into the CIA's office in Philly. She startled all the other agents who were working there. Some of them just shrugged it off. They had already witnessed Ali's bouts of diva behavior.

The truth was that she had been agitated ever since finding out that Emily was going to have to give a statement to the CIA. Alison didn't want Emily to go through that. She already had too much on her plate right now. Her rational side knew there was no way she could dig Emily out of this, yet her emotional side spoke louder, trying to protect the swimmer from yet another hardship.

"Ali, wait!"

Spencer chased after her as if she was going to actually be able to stop the stubborn blonde once she decided on something. Actually, Spencer was concerned about Alison's attachment to Emily. It was obviously interfering in her job as a CIA agent.

Spencer wonders how long Alison will be able to keep lying to Emily and to herself.

Lorenzo spotted his two best agents strutting over to him. He was unfazed by Alison's antics, having dealt with them a number of times. Plus, he didn't have the state of mind to actually talk it through with Alison. He had a press conference to give, after all. Charlotte had even dressed him for the occasion. He had to admit: he was looking handsome in that navy suit.

"You're bringing Emily in for questioning?!" Alison confronted him.

"It's nothing personal, Ali. You know that," he argued. "We will be talking to every swimmer in the team and everyone who interacted with Archer. They'll be called as witnesses at first."

"But you must know that Emily has nothing to do with this, right?!"

Lorenzo wanted to agree with her. In his heart, he knew that Emily — who had always played by the rules — wouldn't get involved in something sketchy. But his work as an investigator made him see that sometimes the nicest people were actually the cruelest one in their hearts.

He needed Emily to show her innocence. He couldn't prove it himself.

"That's not for me to tell, which is why we will investigate," he tried to assure Alison. Sure, she should know about this herself.

"Emily wouldn't hurt a fly! She's so driven that she wouldn't put anything in her body that would keep her from swimming!"

Lorenzo believed that Emily was innocent, he really did. But he couldn't have Alison bring her own personal bias into their investigation. She had really grown attached to Emily and that might have clouded her thoughts and her actions. This wasn't good, because it meant Lorenzo would have to kick out one of his best agents from this case.

"Agent, have you heard yourself speaking?!" He admonished. "Dunhill tried to kill you! He has connections and it is our duty to find them! But if your judgment is impaired by your own feelings, then I advise you to step away from this case."

His words shook Alison back to her place. She knew Lorenzo was right. They couldn't know for sure if Emily was involved until they heard her and went through every evidence available to them. She wouldn't allow herself to be kicked out of this investigation. That was her best shot of keeping Emily safe.

"My judgment is not impaired by Emily, I just don't want to waste time chasing after an innocent woman," Alison argued and Lorenzo relented a little bit. "Can I be in the room when you talk to her?"

"Ali, I don't think this is a good idea—" Spencer tried to chime in.

"You can, as long as you keep your mouth shut and you don't meddle in this investigation," Lorenzo conceded, knowing Alison would probably wiretap the room if he didn't grant her access. "And dress in a way she won't know Vivian is you."

"She won't know it's me, I promise."

"I still don't think this is a good idea," Spencer interjected. "Ali, you're way in too deep for this."

"Spence, I am a witness. Archer was the one giving Emily injections. I saw that with my own eyes," Alison recalled and turned back to Lorenzo. "I know you're probably running blood tests and I want you to remember that even if Emily's come out spiked."

Lorenzo nodded, "We're having Mona crack into every device and bank account Archer had. She already found the formula of some drugs he apparently was selling or using. I gave Wren a call to help us with this so we know for sure what effects we're talking about."

"Thanks, Lorenzo," Alison replied and he just tilted his head.

"Now you girls stay put. I have a press conference to give and then we can go back to the case."

Lorenzo left both women at the office. They both watched the press conference on Archer and the case. While Alison was happy that Archer was gone for good, she couldn't help but feel that they were barely scratching the surface.


THE ROSEWOOD OBSERVER

NATIONAL SWIM TEAM DOCTOR KILLED IN CIA OPERATION IN ROSEWOOD

By Aria Montgomery

In an astonishing turn of events, the CIA has announced that they have taken down Elliott Rollins, the National Swim Team's doctor, in the operation they carried out in Rosewood. The name Elliott Rollins was an alias; that man was actually Archer Dunhill, a notorious Scottish drug dealer on Interpol's most wanted list.

During their press conference, the CIA disclosed that its members executed a search warrant at Dunhill's residence. Reports indicate that Dunhill opened fire, injuring a CIA agent, before being fatally shot by other agents on the scene.

Efforts to obtain a comment from the National Swim Team regarding their vetting process for hiring Rollins were met with no response. However, the team assured that they will fully cooperate with the ongoing investigation.

While the CIA has yet to implicate other team members in this case, sources close to the operation suggest that members of the National Swim Team are expected to provide statements to the CIA in the near future. The unfolding situation raises questions about internal oversight and the potential impact on the team's reputation as the investigation progresses.


ROSEWOOD HAWKS

SCANDAL: NATIONAL SWIM TEAM DOCTOR EXPOSED AS INTERPOL'S MOST WANTED AND KILLED IN CIA OPERATION!

Now we know why the CIA came to town!

In a shocking twist worthy of a spy thriller, the National Swim Team's so-called doctor was dramatically taken down in a CIA operation right in Rosewood! The man, who posed as Dr. Elliott Rollins, was unmasked as none other than Archer Dunhill, a notorious Scottish drug dealer and one of Interpol's most wanted criminals.

The juicy details were spilled during a bombshell press conference led by the agency: the CIA stormed Dunhill's house with a search warrant, leading to a wild confrontation where Dunhill shot a CIA agent before being fatally taken out by the other agents. Talk about a dramatic end!

The National Swim Team ain't saying much about Dr. Rollins… or should we say Dunhill? All the team said is that they're going to cooperate with the investigation. Suspicious much?

Calm down, no one is going to jail… yet. The CIA will be calling other team members for statements soon. Some very famous swimmers are on the list for this VIP party.

Will we see any swim stars wearing orange soon?

#SwimTeamScandal #OrangeIsTheNewPool


Emily watched the CIA press conference and then met with Aria and Hanna for lunch. The two of them had watched the conference as well: Aria because she was the actual reporter covering the case and Hanna because it was very likely to affect Focus D and the Carissimi Group, given that they sponsored Emily and Ben, both from the National Swim Team.

"Gosh, Emily, I'm so sorry about all of this," Aria comforted her in a hug. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. There's nothing really bad in that press conference," Emily replied. "I'm just worried about whatever drugs Dunhill used on me."

"Wait, do you actually think he did something to jeopardize your career?" Aria asked.

"He wouldn't be that dumb," Hanna pointed out. "You'd test positive in the antidoping, then there would be an investigation and they'd find out about him."

"I'm not sure," Emily shivers. "I have a bad feeling about this."

From the looks of it, Dunhill looked like more than your average drug dealer. He used to figure on Interpol's most wanted list and Emily knows no one ends up there without a good reason.

"Em, it's gonna be okay," Aria places a supporting hand on her shoulder. "I can go to the station with you."

"They wouldn't let you in with the swim team, Aria."

Aria smirks, "I can always tell them I'm working on a report for the journal. Which I am, by the way."

Then, Emily's phone beeped, effectively cutting their conversation short. It was a text from Alison.

Hey, are you okay? I just saw the news… You can come over later if you want to talk about it.

Emily smiled at how sweet and thoughtful Ali was. She shot a quick reply to the blonde.

I'm doing fine, but I really could use some time with you.

Her dopey smile didn't go unnoticed by her friends.

"I suppose you already moved on from Paige," Aria quipped.

"With my boss," Hanna snorted.

"What?! You're dating Alison DiLaurentis?!" Aria jumped back in surprise.

"I'm not dating her!"

"Yet," Hanna quipped. "Em, you spent a whole week in that hospital for her."

"Wow, such an Alison move by not making things official with you," Aria groaned.

"That wasn't her," Emily refuted. "She wanted to put a label on it, but I didn't want to. Not with everything that happened between me and Paige still fresh on my mind."

"It makes sense," Aria agreed. "I just hope Alison doesn't treat you the way she treated her other flings."

"That won't be happening," Hanna promised. "I gave her the talk."

"Wait, you talked to Alison?!" Emily asked.

"Of course! You're my best friend and I needed to make sure she wasn't going to play you around!"

"Oh my God, that's so embarrassing!" Emily groaned.

Aria laughed, "I thought that was cute!"

"And by that dopey smile you had on your face, I guess you're not coming home tonight either, Em," Hanna guessed and Emily smiled bashfully. She really didn't want to expose her still delicate relationship to her friends, but it was nice to see they were supportive of her.

"I'm not sure, Hanna. I might stop by her house later, but I wouldn't want to overstay because she's still recovering from getting shot."

Aria then frowned, "Isn't it weird that Alison got shot around the same time a CIA agent got shot by Dunhill?"

Hanna shrugged, "Gun crimes are on the rise, I guess."

It did leave Emily wonder though. Rosewood didn't feel quite as safe anymore.


Emily stood at Alison's door later that night. She was jittery, but still knocked. She knew that Alison would be open to her venting off about her problems. Yet, it still made her nervous to interact with the blonde despite the fact that their attraction was mutual.

Alison opened the door as soon as she knocked. She had a pair of jeans and a plain white T-shirt on, looking gorgeous even in a simple outfit, sling still up for her injured arm.

As soon as she caught sight of the blonde, Emily knew she couldn't keep it together any longer. She jumped into her arms, almost tackling Alison onto the ground. However, the blonde steadied them with a strong hand on her lower back.

Emily hadn't realized just how physically strong Alison was until that day. She would've questioned it any other time because Ali didn't look like your typical gym rat type, but Emily was so lost into her own fears that she just needed to feel safe for the moment and Alison provided that.

"I've got you, Em," Alison said. "I'm gonna keep you safe, I promise."

Emily wondered just how Alison would keep that promise. Her current issue seemed out of reach for the blonde. There were some things not even a wealthy CEO could work through. Still, Emily pulled away to find truth in Ali's eyes and chose to believe in her.

Only then did she realize she had basically crushed Ali's injured arm in between their bodies.

"Oh my God, Ali, I'm so sorry!"

"It's okay, I've had pains worse than that, believe me," Alison smiled nonchalantly before locking the door behind Emily.

She guided Emily to the couch, gently pulling her down to sit beside her. "Talk to me, Em. How are you holding up with all that Rollins… Dunhill stuff?" Alison's voice was soft, soothing, but Emily could see the concern in her eyes.

Emily took a deep breath, feeling the weight of her troubles ready to spill out like it was the very last drop on a very full cup. "Everything feels like it's falling apart, Ali. With Paige, my career, everything…"

Alison listened intently, her blue eyes never leaving Emily's brown ones. "You don't have to carry all that by yourself. You're not alone."

Emily looked down, trying to hide the tears welling up in her eyes. "I just don't know what to do anymore."

Alison reached out, lifting Emily's chin with her fingers, forcing her to meet her gaze. "You do what you've always done, Em. You fight. And when you can't, I'll be there to lift you up and fight with you."

The sincerity in Alison's voice and the intensity of her gaze made Emily's heart skip a beat. She felt an overwhelming urge to close the distance between them, to feel Alison's reassurance in a way that words couldn't provide.

Alison's eyes flickered down to Emily's lips for a brief moment before meeting her eyes again, the tension between them palpable. Emily's breath hitched as she leaned in, hesitating for just a second before closing the gap.

Alison's good hand moved to cradle Emily's face, her thumb gently stroking her cheek as their kiss became more urgent, more desperate. It was as if they were both trying to communicate everything they felt, everything they needed, through this single moment.

What was supposed to be just a chaste kiss turned into a heated make-out session. They both didn't know how they ended up making out on the couch, Emily perched on Ali's lap, slightly mindful of the sling between them. The brunette needs to feel Ali's reassurance physically, so she'll take whatever Alison is giving her.

Alison is kissing her way down from Emily's neck to her shoulder and the swimmer stiffens. It's not her injured shoulder — no, Alison is too thoughtful to touch there without Emily consenting — but the gesture sparks a memory of Dunhill injecting whatever random substances he had into her. Emily freezes. Alison pulls away once she realizes that Emily isn't responding to her touch anymore.

"Hey," Alison gently caresses the back of Emily's neck, "What's wrong?"

"He was my doctor, Ali," Emily mumbled and Ali bit her lip. She knew they were talking about Dunhill, "He was my doctor and I trusted him enough to inject painkillers on my shoulder. What if they were not painkillers?"

Alison didn't know how to react. She couldn't let it show that she had considered that possibility as well, that just the thought of it made her blood run stale. Also, she had no idea what to say. She needed to comfort Emily, but she was genuinely scared for her as well.

"He wouldn't dare give you anything dangerous, Em," Alison replied carefully, though it sounded a lot like wishful thinking on her part.

"It's just… I feel violated in a weird sort of way," Emily let a few tears slip and it broke Ali's heart.

"Emily, he's gone now," Alison assures her, wishing she had been the one who had taken out Dunhill. Alison would gladly take one more bullet or two if it meant Emily would be safe.

The brunette nods, wipes her tears away and blushes when she realizes the position they are in, "I think we should stop."

Alison blushes too. She had Emily Fields on top of her and didn't even once think about anything sexual. The context didn't help, obviously. But only then did Alison see that she actually cared so much about Emily that she'd forgo sex for her. Alison was attracted to her, but her feelings ran deeper.

"Thanks," Emily reached for Ali's hand to ensure they remained closed.

After the swimmer had calmed down, Alison walked her to the door, never letting go of her hand. She wished she could keep Emily there forever and that thought scared her. Alison had never had such intense feelings for someone else.

On the other hand, Emily could feel her heart race with every step she took. Alison made her feel safe in a way Paige never could. She wanted more of it, even though she knew Ali may never give it to her. Emily was way too deep for her own good.

"Thank you, Ali," Emily said by the doorstep. She didn't want to leave and Alison didn't want that either, but both were having problems trying to speak. So, Emily courageously leaned in and kissed Alison on the cheek, making the blonde blush at the unexpected gesture. Alison is not a woman who gets flushed easily, but Emily managed to do so twice in the same day. Ali doesn't want to dwell on what that meant.

"Stay," Ali suddenly grabs Emily by the arm and only then realizes what she had done, "I mean... we could order pizza and have some beer."

Emily laughed nervously, "I can't drink alcohol because of the painkillers."

Stupid! Let's change to a soft drink.

"I have soda as well. You can drink soda, right?"

Emily shook her head and giggled, "Swimmer's diet. But a pizza might be acceptable."

"W-Water? Of course you drink water!" Alison grew more and more nervous each time she spoke.

"Yes, I can still drink water. In fact, I swim in it," Emily joked and closed the door behind her. Alison let a breath she didn't know she was holding.

"Great! Water it is," Alison said with a clumsy smile. She led Emily into the kitchen, grabbing a couple of glasses and filling them with water. They settled down at the dining table, the tension from earlier slowly dissipating as they chatted about lighter topics, like Ali's adorable nephew.

Alison ordered a pizza, and they ate together. Emily felt a warmth she hadn't felt in a long time. It seemed to wrap around her like a cozy blanket on a winter day. She tried to remember the last time she felt like that with Paige, but couldn't. Sure, they had shared common interests and had nice chats every once in a while, but their interactions hadn't felt as natural as the ones she was sharing with Alison.

When the pizza was finished and the plates were cleared away, Alison glanced at the clock. It was getting late, but she didn't want the night to end.

"Hey, do you want to stay over? It's really late."

Emily hesitated for a moment but then nodded. "Yeah, I'd like that. Thanks, Ali."

She'd handle all the endless teasing from Hanna in the morning.

Alison smiled in relief. "Great. Let me get you some clothes to sleep in." She disappeared into her bedroom and returned with a pair of blue pajamas. "Here, these should be comfortable."

"Thanks," Emily said, taking the clothes and heading to the bathroom to change. It still felt like a formality. She wasn't uncomfortable with Alison, far from it. She just wasn't ready for anything that remotely reminded her of the next step in their relationship.

Emily took her time getting ready and folding her clothes in an attempt to quench her nerves. When she came back, Alison was trying to put on her own pajama top, but it was proving to be a hard task. Her injured arm still wasn't fully functional.

"Here, let me help," she suddenly came up behind the blonde and helped her lift off her T-shirt. Alison turned around to face her. Emily realized she wasn't wearing a bra.

"Ali!" She groaned and closed her eyes.

"I thought you were used to seeing naked bodies all the time in the swim team," Alison teased. "I'm offended."

"I am, but I'm not attracted to them as I am to you!" Emily admitted out loud and the air turned heavy. Sure, they were obviously attracted to each other, but it hadn't been put in plain sight until now.

"Open your eyes, I promise I'm not gonna bite you," Alison joked. "Unless you want me to."

Emily did so and rolled her eyes at Ali's jokes, "Let me help you and get this over with."

Alison giggled as Emily helped her put on her T-shirt. The swimmer tried to not peek, but she couldn't help but notice how smooth Ali's skin was, how full her breasts were… She pictured herself scratching down Ali's back or feeling her boobs in her hands.

That's when she realized she needed to stop.

"Em, just wanted to let you know that we're going at your pace," Alison assured. "We can stop anytime you want."

"Thanks, Ali," the swimmer shyly replied. "I don't think I'm ready for sex just yet."

"Thank you for being honest with me," the blonde sighed too. "To be fair, I don't think either of us are ready."

"The sexiest woman in America is growing shy on me?" Emily teased.

"It's just that I want to make it work with you," Alison admitted. "I've spent so many years jumping into the physical aspects of a relationship only… With you, I know there's more to it. That's why I don't mind waiting."

Emily nodded, feeling slightly intimidated by Ali's blunt confession. Then, she decided to change the subject, "Uh, can you give me a pillow and some covers? I'll take the couch."

"The hell you are!" Alison groaned. "I call dibs on the couch."

"Ali, it's your house. You can't expect me to kick you out of your bedroom."

"Em, I'm not the kind of girl who lets my injured girlfriend sleep on the couch," Alison argued, taking a jab at Paige. "You're sleeping on my bed and that's final."

"Ali, you're injured too," Emily reminded her. "You literally took a bullet to your arm last week."

"Fine, then we both sleep on the bed," Alison suggested a bit nervously. "It is big enough for both of us."

Emily tried to argue against it, but eventually nodded as she couldn't come up with a better solution. The only con (or pro, depending on how you saw it) was sleeping on a bed with a gorgeous blonde by her side. That was going to be such a temptation, considering they were both supposed to be waiting.

Nevertheless, they climbed into the bed, settling under the covers. At first, there was a bit of awkwardness, neither sure of how to position themselves without forcing their respective injured arms. But soon, they found a comfortable spot that worked, facing each other with a small gap between them. Even in the dark, Ali's blue eyes were glimmering.

"Thank you for tonight, Ali," Emily said softly. "I really needed this."

Alison reached out and gently squeezed Emily's hand. "Anytime, Em. I'm here for you."

They lay there in the quiet, the only sound the gentle rhythm of their breathing. Slowly, the gap between them closed as they moved closer, seeking comfort and warmth in each other's presence. Alison wrapped an arm around Emily, and Emily rested her head on Alison's good shoulder.

Somehow, that felt even more intimate than sex.

Emily tried to remember the last time Paige held her like that. It probably didn't happen. Paige's hold on her was always so possessive and controlling as opposed to Ali's sweet embrace.

"Goodnight, Ali," Emily whispered.

"Goodnight, Em," Alison replied, placing a soft kiss on Emily's forehead and Emily melted against her, purring softly.

With a sense of peace and belonging, they drifted off to sleep, knowing they were exactly where they were meant to be.