Hello, guys!
Hope you enjoy this next chapter. The infamous DiLaurentis dinner will happen here.
With love,
White Tigresss
Chapter 13 - Fragile Truths
After getting Jason's text message, Alison and Emily quickly excused themselves from Hanna and drove back to the DiLaurentis house. Jason was already waiting in the living room, an envelope clutched tightly in his hands.
"What are the results?" Alison asked, her voice tight.
Jason exhaled and shook his head. "I don't know. I haven't had the courage to open it yet."
Alison huffed, though the irritation didn't fully mask her own anxiety. "Oh, give me that." She snatched the envelope from Jason, fingers trembling slightly as she ripped it open.
The world felt like it slowed down. If the test was negative, it would mean CeCe had lied to her—again. But if it was positive… that would change everything. Would they have to find a way to forgive her? Could they even be a family after everything?
A warm hand settled on her shoulder, grounding her. Emily. Alison swallowed and forced herself to look down at the paper.
Her breath hitched. Not in surprise, but in confirmation. In her core, she already knew.
CeCe was indeed her sister.
"What does it say?" Emily asked softly.
Alison's voice was almost hollow when she spoke. "It's positive." She met Jason's eyes. "CeCe is our sister."
Jason sat back against the couch, running a hand down his face. He didn't look angry, just... tired. "Of course she is." His voice carried the weight of exhaustion, of years of buried family secrets. "I'll talk to Mrs. Hastings. We'll need to make some adjustments."
Then he stood abruptly and walked to his room, needing space to process.
Alison barely acknowledged his exit before she pulled out her phone and dialed CeCe.
She picked up on the first ring. "Ali?"
Alison hesitated for only a second before exhaling and saying, "Welcome to the family."
CeCe was silent for a moment. Alison could hear her breathing on the other end of the line, like she was processing the words, weighing them.
Then, she let out a breathless, almost nervous laugh. "Wow. So it's real."
"It's real," Alison confirmed. Her grip on the phone tightened. "You're my sister. Jason's too."
There was another pause. "And what does that mean for us?" CeCe finally asked, her voice careful.
Alison glanced at Emily, who watched her closely, concern in her eyes. She didn't have an answer—not really. What was she supposed to say? That they would suddenly act like a family? That the years of manipulation, secrets, and lies could be erased by a DNA test?
"It means we can't ignore it," Alison said at last. "We have to figure out where we go from here."
CeCe hummed in thought. "Does Jason hate me?"
Alison hesitated. "I don't know," she admitted. "He's dealing with it in his own way."
CeCe sighed. "That's fair." Then her voice softened. "What about you?"
Alison pressed her lips together. She still didn't fully trust CeCe—not after everything—but this wasn't just about their history anymore. It was about the truth.
"I don't know yet," she answered honestly.
CeCe was quiet, then, "Well… let me know when you do."
Alison nodded, even though CeCe couldn't see her. "Yeah."
She hung up before she could second-guess herself.
Emily reached for her hand. "How do you feel?"
Alison let out a shaky breath. "Like I just got more questions than answers."
Emily squeezed her fingers. "Then let's figure them out together."
Alison met her gaze and, for a moment, the weight on her chest lightened. She wasn't alone in this.
Alison made it back to Dr. Woods' office, but as she sat down, she didn't even know where to start. There was so much to unpack—so much she had been avoiding for years—that picking just one thread felt impossible.
Sensing her hesitation, Dr. Woods offered a gentle nudge.
"Did you manage to make up with Emily, Alison?"
Alison exhaled, then nodded. "I did. We both know there's a lot we need to work through, but I'm not running away from this. From her."
Dr. Woods gave her a proud smile. "That's good. But don't feel guilty if you ever feel the urge to run. Remember, you always have a choice."
"And I choose her," Alison said, her voice firm.
"Good," Dr. Woods nodded, but her eyes studied Alison carefully. "Though, I get the feeling that's not the only thing on your mind."
Alison smirked slightly. "Because it's not. I think it's time I work on another loose thread from my past."
Dr. Woods tilted her head. "And that would be…?"
Alison hesitated for a beat before admitting, "My friend Hanna."
The word "friend" felt strange on her tongue. She wasn't sure she'd earned it yet.
"I was awful to her," she continued. "I bullied her. Made her feel worthless. Encouraged things I shouldn't have, just because it entertained me. And she paid the price for it. She had so many issues because of what I did, and for a long time, she resented me."
Dr. Woods caught on immediately. "Resented—in the past tense?"
Alison nodded. "I think we can move forward. We had a conversation recently. Emily was there… kind of as a mediator."
Dr. Woods gave Alison a moment, watching as she absently traced a pattern on the couch cushion beside her.
"That's a big step, Alison," she finally said. "Acknowledging the damage you caused is difficult, but facing it head-on? That takes real courage."
Alison let out a short laugh, shaking her head. "Courage isn't exactly the word I'd use. More like… overdue guilt."
Dr. Woods tilted her head. "Guilt is natural, but it can't be the thing that drives you. If you're trying to make things right just because you feel guilty, then you're still centering yourself in the process."
Alison frowned, shifting in her seat. "I don't want to make it about me. I just—Hanna was one of the only people who ever truly believed in me, even when I didn't deserve it. And the way I treated her—" She exhaled sharply, shaking her head. "I don't know if I can ever undo that."
"You can't," Dr. Woods said simply. "But you can build something new. If she's open to that, then you owe it to both of you to try."
Alison nodded slowly, absorbing the words. A moment passed before she spoke again, her voice quieter this time.
"I guess I've been thinking about family a lot," she admitted. "Not just the girls, but… my actual family."
Dr. Woods waited.
Alison inhaled deeply, then exhaled. "CeCe is my sister."
There. She said it out loud. And somehow, it felt even more real than when she read it on the test results.
Dr. Woods leaned forward slightly, her expression calm and unreadable. "How do you feel about that?"
Alison let out a short, humorless laugh. "I don't know. I should've known. I think a part of me did know, even before the test. But it's different now, because there's no more pretending. No more half-truths or lies." She ran a hand through her hair. "I spent so much of my life thinking I had everything figured out. And now? I have no idea what I'm supposed to do."
Dr. Woods studied her for a moment before speaking. "It sounds like you're grieving the version of your life you thought you knew."
Alison blinked. She hadn't considered it like that before, but… it made sense.
"I guess I am," she admitted. "CeCe was my best friend. She was the one person I trusted with everything. And now, I have to reframe all of that. I have to see her as my sister. But I don't even know how to do that when I don't know what family even means anymore."
Dr. Woods nodded. "You lost your mother, and your father has been distant. And now, you've gained a sister—but that doesn't erase the pain of everything else. You don't have to figure it all out right now, Alison. You just have to decide what you want this relationship to be."
Alison stared down at her hands, feeling the weight of it all.
"She wants to be in my life," she said finally. "She picked up my call on the first ring. She sounded… happy."
Dr. Woods smiled gently. "And how did that make you feel?"
Alison hesitated, searching for the right word. "Hopeful," she said at last. "Scared, but hopeful."
Dr. Woods nodded. "That's a good place to start."
Dr. Woods let Alison sit with her thoughts for a moment, allowing the weight of their conversation to settle.
Alison exhaled slowly. "I think… I want to take a step forward with her."
Dr. Woods raised an eyebrow. "What kind of step?"
Alison bit her lip, debating for a second before nodding to herself. "I'm going to invite her for dinner."
"That sounds like a meaningful way to reconnect," Dr. Woods said. "Are you hoping to get answers from her, or just to spend time together as family?"
Alison hesitated. "Both, I think. I don't know if I'll ever fully understand CeCe, but I want to try."
Dr. Woods gave her an approving nod. "Then that's where you start."
Alison checked the time on her phone and sat up straighter. "I should go. Emily's waiting for me."
Dr. Woods smiled knowingly. "It sounds like you have a strong support system."
"I do," Alison admitted, standing up. "And I want to be better for them."
Dr. Woods nodded. "You're already doing the work, Alison. Keep going."
Alison gave her a small smile before heading for the door. As she stepped outside, she scrolled through her contacts and hovered over CeCe's name.
She took a deep breath, then pressed the call button.
It was time.
Alison had been brave when she called CeCe and invited her over for dinner—their first real one as a family. She had been even braver when she told Jason. He hadn't liked it at first, but after a moment, he had sighed and agreed. The sooner they talked with CeCe, the better. Eventually, they would have to navigate the legal side of things, so it made sense to at least attempt to build a real relationship with their long-lost sister.
A sister they should have known ages ago.
The thought of finally getting some answers kept Alison up at night. What had their father seen in CeCe that made him send her away? Why hadn't anyone told them? And how had she found them after all these years?
She tried not to let her hands shake as she brushed through her hair, but it was useless. Alison had no idea what to expect. Did CeCe resent them for being kept in the dark, even though it wasn't their fault?
"You're overthinking," Emily said from her spot on the bed, watching as Alison got ready.
Alison sighed. "I know. I have a lot to think about."
Emily had made it clear she was coming to dinner, even though it was a family matter. Alison hadn't argued. If anything, she was relieved to have Emily by her side. If it weren't for her, she might have spiraled into an anxiety attack already.
Alison pulled on a white cardigan over her pink dress, but the softness of her outfit didn't reflect how she felt inside. Across the room, Emily sat in a plaid button-up with the sleeves casually rolled to her elbows, paired with fitted jeans. The look was effortlessly beautiful, but Alison was too distracted by her racing thoughts to admire it.
Emily must have sensed it because, in the next moment, she stood up and walked over, placing warm hands on Alison's shoulders. The gentle squeeze was grounding, pulling Alison back from the storm in her mind.
"Ali, it's going to be okay," Emily murmured. "CeCe loves you."
Alison let out a shaky breath and turned to face her. "I just want this to be over already."
"It will be," Emily promised. She leaned in, pressing their noses together in an intimate, comforting gesture. "No matter what happens, I'm right here with you."
Alison smiled finally, a small but genuine expression that made Emily's heart swell. "How did I get so lucky?"
"Come on," Emily said, brushing a strand of blonde hair behind Alison's ear. "Let's go downstairs before you overthink yourself into another crisis."
Alison huffed a quiet laugh, shaking her head. "Bossy."
Emily smirked. "You love it."
Alison tilted her head, her smirk turning playful. "You can be bossy in other areas too, you know."
Emily flushed slightly, but she chuckled, shaking her head. "Come on, troublemaker, before you stall any longer."
Alison took one last look in the mirror, inhaled deeply, and laced her fingers through Emily's.
"Let's do this," she said, her voice steadier now.
Emily gave her hand a reassuring squeeze before leading them out of the room, side by side.
CeCe arrived at their house just on time, wearing a blue flowery dress. It startled Emily a bit that she and Alison had a similar taste in fashion, but then, it shouldn't have surprised her because CeCe had always been an influence on Alison, sisters or not.
Greetings were casual. CeCe knew better than to push for more than Alison and Jason were ready to give her. They were not warm, but also not cold—merely lukewarm.
As soon as they sat down for dinner, Jason decided to take matters into his own hands.
"I think I need to hear your story. I want to understand," he said, his voice careful but firm. "It's so hard for me to grasp that I have an older sister. If my math is right, you're just one year older than me. And since the tests came through, my mind keeps going back to a little girl who would play with me when I was a toddler. I'm not sure if that was you or just my imagination playing tricks on me."
"That was definitely me," CeCe snorted. "We used to be really close when we were younger, Jason."
"Then, why?" Jason wondered out loud, not exactly directing the question at CeCe, but to anyone who could quench his doubts. "Why did they pull you away from me?"
CeCe gulped. "Dad never believed I was his. That's why he basically ignored me when I was growing up."
"Typical Dad," Alison muttered.
"I was young, but I always noticed the little things: how we were always on our own, how Mom and Dad took a while to cater to our needs, and things like that," CeCe recalled. "One day, Alison was crying and no one would come and get her. So, I did. But I was seven at that time, so you can already guess it turned out bad."
Emily swallowed hard, "What happened?"
"I tried to mimic Mom and Dad and give Alison a bath. But the water was too hot, and she cried even more. I was too young to realize what I had done. That's when Dad finally caught up to us, and he made me believe I was a monster. But I didn't know what I was doing… I just wanted to take care of Alison." Her voice cracked slightly, but she pushed through.
"You shouldn't have," Alison said gently. "You were still a kid, CeCe. You weren't supposed to look after us."
"I know that now. But Dad used that as an excuse to say I was dangerous and send me away to Radley. Mom didn't fight it, but she came to regret it later on," CeCe continued. "They ran every test imaginable at Radley, but the truth is—I was never crazy. I was just a kid who needed my family."
Silence settled over the table, heavy and suffocating. The weight of CeCe's words hung in the air, leaving Jason and Alison to process the truth they had been denied for so long. Emily glanced at Alison, noticing the way her fingers clenched around her fork, her knuckles turning pale.
Jason exhaled sharply, rubbing his temples. "So they just… threw you away." It wasn't a question. It was disgust, bitterness, maybe even guilt buried somewhere deep inside.
CeCe let out a humorless chuckle. "Basically."
Alison bit her lip, then reached for her water glass, but she didn't take a sip. "Mom regretted it?" she finally asked.
CeCe nodded. "She did. She visited me, as much as she could without Dad knowing. She promised me she'd find a way to bring me home." She swallowed hard. "But she never did."
Alison looked away, blinking rapidly. Emily instinctively placed a hand on her knee under the table, grounding her.
Jason sighed, leaning back in his chair. "I don't know what to say."
"You don't have to say anything," CeCe said. "I know this is a lot. I'm not expecting you to suddenly see me as your sister overnight. But I just… I needed you to know the truth."
Alison, finally finding her voice, met CeCe's gaze. "You are my sister," she said, steady and sure. "That doesn't change just because I didn't know before. I can't promise I have all the answers, and I don't know what this means for us moving forward, but I don't want to shut you out."
CeCe's breath hitched slightly. For the first time since she arrived, real emotion flickered behind her carefully guarded eyes. "Thank you," she whispered.
Jason nodded, as if coming to terms with it himself. "Yeah," he added. "We'll figure it out."
A small, tentative smile played on CeCe's lips. It wasn't much, but it was a start.
Alison took a deep breath, glancing at Emily for reassurance before turning back to CeCe. "I think we should do this again. A real family dinner. No heavy conversations. Just… getting to know each other."
CeCe's smile grew. "I'd like that."
With that, they called it a night. There would be a lot of emotional processing for every one of them, but it still felt like a step forward.
After dinner, Emily stayed behind to help Alison clean up while Jason and CeCe went to the living room to talk privately. The house felt strangely different now—heavier, as if the air itself carried the weight of everything that had been said.
Alison stood by the sink, rinsing off plates with methodical precision, but Emily could see the tension in her shoulders. She hadn't said much since CeCe left, and Emily knew her well enough to recognize when she was lost in her thoughts.
"You're quiet," Emily observed, placing the last of the silverware in the dishwasher.
Alison shut off the water and leaned against the counter, exhaling slowly. "I don't know what I'm supposed to feel."
Emily moved closer, resting a gentle hand on Alison's back. "You don't have to figure it all out tonight."
Alison let out a short laugh. "I know. But you saw how Jason looked at her. He's trying, but he doesn't trust her."
Emily hesitated. "Do you?"
Alison turned to face her fully, crossing her arms. "I want to. But part of me is still… scared, I guess." She shook her head. "I grew up idolizing CeCe, Em. She was my hero. And now I find out she's my sister, and that everything that happened to her—being sent away, being erased from our family—wasn't her fault. But that doesn't erase everything else. The lies, the things she's done. I don't know how to separate it all."
Emily nodded, understanding. "It's complicated."
Alison huffed. "That's an understatement."
Emily reached out, tucking a loose strand of blonde hair behind Alison's ear. "You don't have to have all the answers right now. CeCe's not going anywhere, and neither am I. Take it one step at a time."
Alison sighed, but her lips curved into a small smile. "You're always so annoyingly wise."
Emily grinned. "It's a gift."
Alison shook her head fondly before reaching for Emily's hand and lacing their fingers together. "Stay the night?"
Emily's heart skipped at the softness in Alison's voice. "Of course," she murmured.
Alison squeezed her hand. "Good. Because I don't want to be alone right now."
Emily understood. After everything, Alison needed stability—something, or someone, she could hold onto. And Emily would be there for as long as she needed.
As they settled into bed, Alison lay on her side, her fingers idly tracing patterns on Emily's arm. Slow, deliberate movements—circles, lines, lazy shapes—as if focusing on the feeling of Emily's skin could quiet the thoughts still racing in her mind.
Emily didn't stop her. She liked the attention, the soft, absentminded way Alison touched her. It almost felt like a dream. But more than that, she liked how present Alison seemed—grounded, not lost in the overwhelming weight of the evening.
"You okay?" Alison asked suddenly, her voice quieter than before.
Emily blinked, a little surprised. "Me?"
Alison nodded, her fingers still gliding across Emily's arm. "I don't want this to be all about me. I know you've got a lot on your plate too."
Emily hesitated. She wasn't used to people checking in on her like this—not when they had their own mess to deal with. Paige and Maya had both left when things got too hard, despite swearing they'd always be there. And deep down, Emily feared that if she showed too much of her own struggles, Alison might leave too.
Comforting Alison felt natural. Letting Alison comfort her was both terrifying and soothing.
She swallowed. "I've been… better," Emily admitted. She glanced away, as if afraid Alison might see too much. "But tonight, I just want to be here with you."
Alison studied her for a moment before giving a small nod. She knew Emily's tendency to push her own pain aside for the sake of others. However, she also knew better than to press her right now—not when they were both carrying so much.
So instead, Alison shifted closer, pressing a slow, lingering kiss to Emily's lips before resting their foreheads together, their breaths mixing in the tiny space between them.
"Then we'll just be here," Alison murmured.
Emily kissed the top of her head, letting her fingers thread through Alison's hair.
"I love how affectionate you are," Emily confessed softly. "And how you keep seeing me instead of focusing only on your own struggles."
Alison felt warmth bloom in her chest. She smiled against Emily's skin. "We're a team," she whispered. "I know you can handle things on your own. But I'll still be here to hold your hand."
Emily exhaled shakily. "Ali, that's all I ever wanted from you."
Alison pulled back just enough to meet her eyes, then reached up to brush away Emily's tears. "Don't cry," she teased gently.
Emily let out a small chuckle, rolling onto her back. Alison moved effortlessly with her, cuddling against her side, pressing a kiss to the soft skin of her neck. Emily could feel her heartbeat settle, steady under Alison's touch.
They turned toward each other, no more words needed.
They would talk—about CeCe, about their own struggles—when the time was right.
For now, this was enough.
Yes, Emily's struggles will come back. For real.