#ending spoilers for red dead 1 for anyone who hast played it

[knives-out20]

I Love You/Back To Me - The Huntsman x The Pied Piper/Sheriff Graham Humbert x Robin Fifer (OC) - Once Upon A Time

Fandom: Once Upon A Time (2011-2018)

Pairing: The Huntsman x The Pied Piper/Sheriff Graham Humbert x Robin Fifer (OC) 

Word Count: 4093

Warnings: Swearing, OUAT Season 1 Spoilers, Alcoholism, Speaking In Shakespearean,

Notes:  Hi! I Know, I Know, This Isn’t The Next Part Of Wake Up Call, Nor Is It Another Oneshot Of Malcolm And Harlan. It Also Isn’t Part One Of That Promised General Hux x Harvo, My OC, That I Told You All About. But! Sheriff Graham Humbert In OUAT Got Me In My Feels, So I Made This. I Hope You All Enjoy This Long Piece That Took Me Like, Four Days To Make. Just A Heads Up- Piper’s/Robin’s Faceclaim Is Hayden Christensen, Specifically Him As Anakin Skywalker, With His Curly Hair. And, His Enchanted Forest Persona (The Pied Piper) Speaks In Shakespearean. If You Wish For Me To Translate It, Message Me And I’ll Gladly Do So. Anyways, Again, Enjoy!

"Who are you after?".

The Huntsman turned around, sword out and pointed...At some skinny male with a red hood over his head."Who're you?" He asked, hair falling over his forehead."Why do you want to know?". When the hooded one didn't answer, he stepped closer, the tip of the blade closer to the stranger's neck."Answer me." The Huntsman hissed.

The stranger slid his hands through his hair, the hood falling back. This revealed an oval jaw, light blue eyes, and scraggly, chin-length hair."Sayeth not thee remember not me, yond'll just did hurt mine own feelings" he pouted."Cometh anon, ti's me. Thy gentle forest Pied Piper"

"It's you" the Huntsman breathed, putting his sword back in its sheath."Don't...Don't do that, okay?" He asked, slowly approaching the Piper and cupping his cheek. 

The Piper smiled slightly."Did miss me much, Huntsman? Who is't or what art we after?".

The Huntsman cupped both of the Piper's cheeks now, lips parted slightly as he looked into the Piper's eyes."I did...I missed you. And I'm wandering for deer. Want to help me?".

The Piper's eyebrows jumped, as he slowly ran a hand through the Huntsman's untamed hair."Well, I wouldn't be crossed" he teased, acting as if he was taking it into serious thought."I'd followeth thee to the ends of the kingdom, mine own Huntsman. I'd square any beasts, battleth any duels, and leadeth hence any rats yond commenth between us. Never forget yond" he explained, a hand brushing over the pipe instrument attached to his belt.

The Huntsman nodded, that action speaking enough words so that he didn't have to verbally say anything. He pulled away, holding one of the Piper's hands in his."Right. Come along then, Piper. I need you with me, forever".

***

Robin turned a corner, his hand on his belt as the other hung at his side. He didn't jog, but he'd describe what he's doing as a speed-walk. To Mr. Gold's Pawnbroker & Antiques Dealer- he heard Mr. Gold is good with deal-making. Robin also heard that Mr. Gold is not to be trusted when making said deals, or something along the lines of how it's a bad idea. After a long night of drinking the previous night, Robin has waited far too long to make a good deal with him. And with Graham gone, he needs a deal more than ever. 

Robin stood at the front door of the pawn shop, only now having second thoughts. Graham has been dead for a while now, would it be any use trying to get him back, now? He started nervously playing with the silver chain around his neck- Graham bought it for him, and Robin hasn't willingly taken it off for a second. Robin glanced in through the windows to see if Mr. Gold was even in- and, sadly, he was, behind the glass table. Taking a deep breath, he walked in, the bell ringing above his head.

Mr. Gold looked up immediately, flashing Robin a toothy grin."Ah, Mr. Humbert" he teased.

Robin closed his eyes, gulping thickly."M-Mr. Fifer, actually. Graham's heart a- heart a-attack prevented us from, uh, from going that far, I- I thought that you'd be aware of that, M-Mr. Gold, sir" he corrected, slowly advancing towards the desk that separated him with the shop owner."You do seem to be everywhere around town and nowhere at all, Mr. Gold".

"As are you, Mr. Fifer. I hear children humming your tunes all over Storybrooke, either that or they attempt them on their silly, colourful toy flutes and such" Mr. Gold recalled, eyes trailing down to the dark, wooden pipe instrument on Robin's belt.

Robin followed his gaze, huffily covering the pipe from sight with his long coat. He flipped his hood off, revealing his chin-length scruffy hair, deep blue eyes, and the scar over one of them.

"Scar still haunting you, hmm?".

"Scars d-don't disappear, Mr. Gold. Physical or, uh, or- or not" Robin crossed his arms, the store lights shining off of his chain.

This caught Mr. Gold's eye, as he quickly put the pieces together."Ah, so that's why you're here...A deal is what you're in for, eh? What do I have the pleasure of doing, exactly?" He asked, his grip on his cane tightening.

Robin turned behind himself, to make sure no one was watching, or coming into the pawn shop. He turned back to Mr. Gold and leaned in."I want Graham back".

"As Sheriff?" Mr. Gold joked, leaning away."And risk Emma losing her job?".

"Mr. Gold, I- I didn't drag myself out of my house and- and all the way down here for j- for jokes. I don't want Graham back as Sheriff, I want- I want Graham back, that's it. I- I need him back." Robin scowled, glaring at Mr. Gold.

"What makes you think I can do anything about it? You can't just bring people back from the dead, whether you want them or need them. It just can't be done".

"Yes, it can't be done by- by me, Mr. Gold. Which is why I- I came to you. If anyone in this town could- If anyone in this town could help me, I knew right away it could be you, no matter the- the price. You can do anything. Please, Mr. Gold, I- I can't go on by myself with just my p-pipe".

Mr. Gold looked at Robin, as if inspecting him, psychoanalyzing him."You must be reading little Henry's magic fairy tale book, haven't you?" He concluded, chuckling."This is real life, deary. I can't snap my fingers and bring anyone back from the dead, just like that".

"Then- Then don't do it 'just like that'. What's your price? Name it. My- M-My coat? My- My record label? What is it?" Robin pleaded, shrugging his coat off so that it was holding on by his elbows, now.

Mr. Gold's eyes trailed down from Robin's desperate face, to his coat, and landing on his now-visible pipe.

Robin followed his gaze, eyes going wide."You- You can't be serious- Mr. Gold, my pipe-" Mr. Gold cut him off by raising his hand to silence him.

"Aye, I don't want your silly wooden stick, lad. Though, it would be of a worthy price..." Mr. Gold leaned in, a hand leaning in on the table. He watched Robin squirm nervously, quite liking the suspense he was building up on the poor, grieving piper."Your chain".

"W-..." Robin furrowed his eyebrows, head tilted a bit."What?".

"I believe I said that fairly clearly. Your chain, deary. That's my price".

Robin raised a shaky hand to his chain, gently tugging on it."But-" he started, unaware of how much he should let follow. Graham had gifted that chain to Robin, out of the kindness of his heart- a heart that Graham deemed he didn't have. Graham said it was for Robin to wear and keep him company, whenever Graham would be off doing whatever it is that Sheriffs do. Robin remembers the adoration Graham held in his beautiful eyes when he put the chain around the piper's neck, under a full moonlight outside his house. He remembers the chaste kiss that followed after, the smiles on both of their lips. Robin remembers every moment he's ever shared with Graham, in painful detail, but now Graham's nothing more than Robin's favourite fantasy.

And right now, Robin was destined to change that. It's not like Graham couldn't just buy him a new one, right? If Graham were to even come back after this deal.

Robin looked down at the silver chain, the touch cold against his fingers."I- I give you this necklace...And Graham Humbert c-comes back to- to life?" He reaffirmed, suspicious eyes on Mr. Gold, who just smirked at him.

"At your doorstep tomorrow night or your chain back, Mr. Fifer. I never let anyone down on their deals".

Robin had both hands delicately on the chain, still unsure on if he should take it back. Mr. Gold did say he could have his chain back if not, and it seems pretty sketchy that Mr. Gold is only asking for his chain. But, after night after night of drinking, morning after morning of a hangover, and depriving the people of Storybrooke of any new pieces of music since before Graham died, he's desperate. Robin nodded, slowly taking the chain off, savoring the feeling of it on his person. He dangled it with one hand, looking at it in an apologetic way. 

One of the last people that Robin ever thought of giving this chain to was Mr. Gold. But, here he was, making a deal to get his handsome muse back to him.

Mr. Gold smiled, eyes tracing over the chain in his hands."You won't regret this deal, piper. Trust me".

***

"Mine own loveth!" The Pied Piper called, running at full speed to his Huntsman in the distance. He jumped over a couple logs, dashed past a few trees, and stopped in front of the Huntsman, who held onto the Piper to keep him steady."Mine own loveth, I haven't seen thy grace in what hast hath felt like forever" he panted, cupping the Huntsman's scruffy cheeks.

The Huntsman looked at the Pied Piper's whimsical eyes, leaning in and kissing him in a needy manner, feeling the Piper's growing smile against his lips. He pulled away soon after, "I never meant to worry you. Seems your townspeople pulled you away from me, in need of your musical power".

The Piper chuckled, a bright smile on his face."Those gents art lunatics if it be true those gents ever bethink they could keepeth me from thy beauty forever. Nothing can, remember?" He asked, kissing the Huntsman's cheek, hands now on his broad shoulders."Thy eyes shineth liketh majestic lakes on a summer day, thy hair the same colour as bark on wood, perfect for keeping us warmeth by fireth on harsh nights. I feeleth safe in nowhere in this kingdom other than thy arms, mine own haven. Mine own loveth, I could playeth an eternity of songs for thee to coequal tryeth to sum up what I feeleth for thee, doth understand".

The Huntsman put one of his hands over the Piper's, nothing but love in his eyes are the man's words was music to his ears.

"Mine own travelling lamp, mine own moon, mine own stars, all mine own air, yond is what thou art to me. A Huntsman thee may beest, aye. But just a Huntsman after mine own heart and soul. Thee hast enchanted me, from the moment we first did cross paths. I can't beareth to beest did part from thee again, mine own lief. Calleth me as cheesy as thee'd like, but I speaketh nothing but the sooth to thee, mine own lighteth".

The Huntsman wasted no time to kiss the Pied Piper once he stopped talking, his hands trailing down to the Piper's hips and pulling him closer."I love you" he confessed against the Piper's lips. The Huntsman pulled away to continue."I love you, I'll say it again, and again, and again, doesn't matter if you believe me or not. I'll always love you, my Piper. I never want you to leave my side, ever again, not even for your townspeople. Stay with me in these woods".

"I loveth thee, Huntsman. I'll sayeth it backeth to thee with just as much meaning as thee sayeth it to me. I loveth thee, I loveth thee, with every breath, every song, every noteth-" the Piper ceased from another rant when his eyes lit up from a sudden idea- this intrigued the Huntsman.

"What? What is it, my Piper? What do you know?".

The Pied Piper locked eyes with the Huntsman, bouncing excitedly."We could runneth hence together, Huntsman. Just thee, me, thy arts, and mine own pipe. I can playeth thee mine own songs by a fireth, we can protecteth each other from beasts. Just sayeth aye, and it shalt beest done".

The Huntsman opened his mouth to answer, gulping as he stood up straight, backing away a bit.

"What? What is it, mine own loveth? Doth thee not wisheth to spendeth thy infinity with mineth?".

"No, no, no, that's not the problem. It's just...It can't be now" The Huntsman protested.

The Piper took a step toward his love, sliding his hood back."If be true not anon, then at which hour? Wherefore wilt we stall any longeth'r, just to truly be together? Some may calleth me a madman," he chuckled, spreading his arms out to his sides for a second."But I yelleth backeth yond I hast hath found true loveth within us, Huntsman. Thee were madeth for me, and I for thee. What is holding thee backeth, mine own dearest?" The Piper asked, looking at the Huntsman with puppy-dog eyes.

"I have been assigned to track down a girl. Sadly, I can't bring myself to bring you with me. It's...Quite the brutal mission. Despite any protests you may be thinking up, it's best for you to wait for me somewhere. Like...Firefly Hill, are you aware of Firefly Hill's whereabouts?" He smiled when the Pied Piper nodded.

"Those fireflies shineth not nearly as bright as thee doth, but I am all too acknown of where the Hill is".

The Huntsman blushed."Wait for me there, my Piper. I will be there soon, and then we shall run off together. Alright?".

The Piper smiled and nodded, pulling the Huntsman in to kiss him. This kiss was longer, and truly meaningful. The Piper knows the taste of the Huntsman's lips all too well at this point. When he sadly pulled away, he whispered to the Huntsman."I loveth thee, Huntsman. Truly, very much, deeply. I shall waiteth for thee, and then we shalt maketh our escapeth. I loveth thee".

"I love you too, my Piper. Now go, go to the hill. I'll be there soon" the Huntsman ordered, softly nudging the Piper away.

The Pied Piper grinned, stealing another kiss from the Huntsman. He took one last look at the Huntsman, up and down, then turned and started running."I loveth thee, Huntsman! I'll bid it to thee, and anyone who is't harks. I loveth thee, I loveth thee, I loveth thee! I shall waiteth for thee forever! One word from thee shall silence me forever. I hast to bid you- thee hast bewitched me, corse and soul. And I loveth, I loveth, I loveth thee. I never wisheth to beest did part from thee from this day on! I loveth thee!".

The Huntsman had a smile of true adoration on his face as he watched the Pied Piper run off, into the distance, towards the hill. He watched until the Piper was no more than a speak in the distance. Once his Piper was out of sight, the Huntsman sighed, and continued on his journey to find and kill Snow White. This will all be over with soon.

***

Robin flipped the page of The Great Gatsby, taking a swig from his bottle of Jack Daniels whiskey. He was awaiting for Graham to come back from the dead, as Mr. Gold had promised, but he wasn't exactly holding up the highest expectations. 

Then the doorbell rang.

Robin shot up from his couch, putting the bottle down, and putting his book down, drunkly forgetting to mark his page. He quickly wiped his eyes and fixed his hair (through he put on hos hood, ultimately covering it), taking a few deep breaths as he stumbled his front door."This is- is it..." Robin mumbled, opening the door.

And there stood Sheriff Swan."Robin" she greeted, giving him a quick smile.

Robin's expression faltered."Em-" he hiccuped, "Emma. Hi". Robin offered a lazy smile, leaning against the doorway for support."Sup, Sheriff?".

Emma furrowed her eyebrows, taking a quick whiff of Robin."Are you-...Robin, are you drunk? Seriously?" She asked, hands on her hips.

"Ah, drunk, schmunk. I'm barely even tipsy. Y'know, I was just reading The Great Gatsby, This is like, my, uhh, my third time reading- reading it and i still can't tell if- if it's about how the 'American Dream' is a sham or if Nick's plainly in love with Gatsby. I'm telling you, Emma, if that book was written nowadays? Nick and Gatsby's romance would be c- be crystal clear" Robin explained, waving his hand."Jack Daniels is filtering it all out, though".

"Okay, well..." Emma nodded, glancing around the inside of Robin's house, from what she could see over his shoulders."You haven't been at the playground playing to the kids like usual, so I just decided to come check up on you. I haven't even seen you all day today, not even at Granny's".

"'Like usual', more like before my- my muse died" Robin corrected, a hand over the pipe on his belt."And I-" he thought for a second, "oh, yea, no, I- I- I haven't come out like, once today". Robin giggled, shrugging."I appreciate the concern, Sheriff, bye-bye" he hummed, closing the door on Emma, who used her hand to put it back.

"Robin, I'm worried about you-".

"And I'm expecting somebody, so please-".

"Robbie, you're drunk, vulnerable, and alone, just let me-".

"What? Let you what? Help me? How? Magically bring Graham back to life? Take us all back in time, to a few weeks ago, back when he was still alive? He was alive, and I was happy, and making songs off of my pipe for him, but he'd let me release them to the general public. The light of my life, the muse to my art is gone, Emma. The most you can let me do is grieve in my own way" Robin snapped, huffing."You're making this a bigger-" he hiccuped, "bigger deal than it needs to be, Ems. So...Please, Sheriff-" saying 'Sheriff' to someone who wasn't Graham always felt like poison on Robin's tongue."Leave".

Emma took a deep breath, ready to say something. She looked Robin up and down, before finally nodding."Have a safe night, Robin. See you soon" Emma waved, turning and walking away.

Robin sniffed as he watched Emma walk off, hooded eyes filled with a void as he closed and locked the door, trudging back to his couch and flung himself onto it, only grabbing the bottle of alcohol. He brought a hand up to his neck, the ghost of his chain around it. Robin scoffed, drinking away the rest of the Jack Daniels. He pouted when he finished the bottle, putting it back on the table and closing his eyes, finalizing his decision to fall asleep on his couch. Again. Hood over his eyes like a sleeping mask. He took his pipe from his belt, tossing it onto the carpet and turning onto his side, his reflection staring back at him on the black TV screen. 

"This was- was stupid..." Robin mumbled, feeling tears starting to form."I should-  I should go get my chain back from Mr. Gold, first fucking thing t-tomorrow morning" he added, not taking to anyone in particular, but not to himself, either. Robin was just talking. About how stupid it was that the shady owner of a pawn shop could miraculously bring back the love of his musical life, after a sudden heart attack.

A heart attack that didn't even make sense, Graham was perfectly healthy. But that was for another drunk night. He's spend pretty much every night like this- reading Shakespeare or classic literature, drinking away until he falls asleep on his couch if he can't make his way all the way up to his bedroom, and not fall asleep on the stairs or in the hallway on the way. It's been like this, this has been his way of grieving every night if not brood in a corner booth of Granny's, or play sad tunes on his pipe at home, in attempts to make a song. But his creativity died along with Graham, and he needs Graham back with him more than anything.

Graham was his rock, his sun, moon, stars, and air. Graham was Robin's love, the only love of his life.

There was no one else Robin would dance around his living room with at night, no one for Robin to lose himself in the sight of. If he never heard Graham say his name again, Robin knows he'll go mad like a hatter. Graham is the only think Robin feels he got right, the only thing Robin would never give away, but he's clearly involuntarily made that mistake. He'll never truly be happy again, clearly. Just him, his alcohol, his classics, and his damned pipe.

And another damned ring at the doorbell.

"I said go away, Emma!" Robin called roughly, groaning in frustration."You gonna run me in? I- I don't feel like talking, I'm distraught" he told, draping his arm over his covered eyes.

Another ring.

"Kindly piss off, Emma. P-Please." Robin pleaded, wiping his eyes quickly.

Another ring, followed by two more.

"Fucks sake" Robin hissed, standing up. He staggered over to the front door, unlocking it and opening it."You're stubborn, Emma, and usually, sis, I-I'd praise that, but tonight, I don't wanna-" Robin stopped when he saw that it wasn't Emma.

Instead, there stood ex-Sheriff Graham Humbert, in all his leather-coated, doe-blue-eyed, curly-brown-haired glory. There he stood, at Robin's doorstep, alive, and breathing.

"I-..." Robin stared at Graham, confused."Graham...?".

"Robin" Graham breathlessly returned, gulping."Robin, oh my..." He had his hands on his hips.

"You're alive" Robin uttered, putting his hands on Graham's shoulders, then his cheeks."You're alive, y-you're alive, you're so fucking alive, o my god" he repeated, pulling Graham in for a hug.

Graham willingly hugged back, sniffing Robin."You smell like whiskey".

"Yea, it- it's Jack Daniels. After you...Y-Yea, I went down a sad, alcoholic, music-less hole, a- and- and I, I really just missed you. I didn't know how I could go on, hell, e-even if..." Robin stopped when Graham pulled away at that, hands on Robin's cheeks as he stared into the piper's eyes, inhaling sharply. Robin's eyes started sparkling with tears, as he put his hands over Graham's."I- I just...I couldn't, i dunno how to, uh, explain it. i missed you like hell, I had to get you back".

"Well, I won't ask how, but...I'm glad I'm here with you. Mind if I come in? Stay the night?" Graham asked, leaning in and kissing his forehead, pushing Robin's hood off to do so.

Robin nodded, stepping aside and closing the door behind Graham, locking it when the ex-Sheriff took his shoes off. He led Graham over to the couch, sitting down awkwardly and having his boyfriend sit next to him."I still can't- can't believe your back".

"Where's your chain?".

Robin raised his hand to his neck, remembering the absence of the silver jewelry."Oh, I-" he cleared his throat, "getting you back to me costed the- the chain. I- I'm sorry, I was desperate, and I was ready to give- give everything for you back. I love you, Graham, you know that. It was the only option I- I- I got".

Graham's eyes flicked up from Robin's neck to his sad, blue eyes, and sighed."Love me that much, eh?".

"I never want to be away from you from this night on, Graham, c-c'mon" Robin offered Graham a small smile.

"I'm buying you a new one, okay?" Graham chuckled, puling Robin into a hug."I love you, Robin Fifer. I'll never leave you, ever again".

Robin's smile grew when Graham said his name."I love you too. Now kiss me, I- I taste like whiskey, and I remember how much you love whiskey".

Graham pulled away, eyes trailing down to Robin's lips."Not nearly as much as I love you, but I do love kissing you" he replied, slowly leaning in and properly kissing Robin.

Robin slowly closed his eyes, savoring the kiss with Graham, a kiss he's been aching for, for weeks. And now he won't have to ache for it, ever again. Because Graham's back to him, and by Robin's pipe if he isn't here to stay.

[yawnjockey]

Two stories, an ending within an ending. Presented by the NAT club.

‘A’ is for Audience. ‘A.D.’ is for Assistant Director.

There are two stories on Pretty Little Liars. One is the story we know, which originated with ‘That Night’, which will be resolved either in 7x19 or early 7x20.

 The second story will be revealed in the “twist” ending of 7x20. 

 The first story will wrap up why the girls have been targeted, and explain what happened that night. It will cover all of the Hastings and DiLaurentis drama, and whatever this has all been mounting up to. The second story will explain that much of what the girls have been through was actually engineered and staged. 

 Someone has been setting these girls up from the beginning. And not for the reasons that we think. Not just for revenge, but also for entertainment. 

I have put off writing this theory for actual years, because I still don’t know how to put it in writing with any eloquence. Because it is really so all encompassing, but if you’ve been reading my blog for any real time, you’ll see I’ve been hinting around it since at least season 4. As we inch ever closer to the end, I start to feel like there’s more reason to believe it’s possible, so I guess now is the time to commit it to writing. It’s like a much more tolerable version of the “It’s all a book”/  “It was all a dream” ending, because it doesn’t dismiss the actual story, but rather incorporates it. 

Here are the highlights of the theory.

1. The NAT club (”Nos Animadverto Totus” meaning “We See All”) is still very much active, and profiting off of the ‘A’ drama. 

2. What began as a group of teenagers filming unsuspecting girls, has now grown into a full fledged entertainment empire. 

3. In 3x06, Jason confides in Spencer that he believed that Garrett and Ian may have been paying girls to set up their friends to be filmed. And he believes that someone was paying them to film specific stuff for them. 

4. This was the beginning of the NAT empire. This went from a few pervs filming girls undressing for their own entertainment, to a semi scripted, semi interactive live stream. There are people who pay a pretty price to subscribe to the service. They have input as to what they’d like to see next, and some are even regularly interacting with the girls on behalf of the rest of the ‘Audience’. 

5. The girls story arc for the NAT Production began on “That Night”. It’s the night that Ali faked her death, to get the story rolling. Ali is was fully involved from the beginning in setting the girls up for the NAT, as Jason suggested in 3x06. 

This entire ‘A’ thing was born out Ali’s quest for fame, and an appetite for money. “The First Secret” was Ali testing the girls to see if they’d perform the way she anticipated. 

A scene from ‘A is for Answers’, Ali tells about the first time that Ezra brought her to the Fitzgerald Theater. 

*Ali walks up on to the stage, and gazes out at the empty house*

Ali: “Wow. I get it.”

Ezra: “Get what?”

Ali: “It’s hard to explain.” 

Ezra: “Try me.”

Ali: “God. Imagine being up here, with all those people who love you.”

Ezra: “i think that’s called adoration, not love.”

Ali: “I could be an actress.”

Ezra: “Could be? Well I hate to break it to you, but you already are. The way you tell your stories with with such conviction. I think you’ve convinced yourself that half of them are true.”

Ali: “Well if you can’t convince yourself, why should anyone else believe you?”

6. Naturally the existence of this service is not just common knowledge, since being a subscriber would actually make them accessories to a crime. My guess is that some people have even been blackmailed into participating in the Activities, or risk having their membership in the NAT revealed publicly. 

7. Many of the dramatic scenarios that have happened to these girls were staged, almost like a theatrical production. I refer to the ‘major’ episodes. The events of the Halloween Train (3x13). Everything that happened in New York, including Ezra’s rooftop shooting, in ‘A is for Answers’ (4x24). The events in Ravenswood in “A Grave New World” (4x13). Of course, Charlotte’s reveal (6x10), The School for the Blind (7x10),  and the place where I first found it to be most obvious… the events of The Dollhouse. 

8. This means that the girls were seldom in any actual danger. Any danger that may have surfaced would have been from someone outside of the production jeopardizing them, or the production going wrong. I am not suggesting that EVERYTHING is fake, but that there is a controlled narrative for these girls. 

9. “The Game” that Mona, Charlotte and ‘A’ always reference, is a direct part of that. The game that the girls are playing now is a result of it. There are spectators to this game, like some kind of voyeuristic sport. 

10. This also accounts for why no one ever seems to stay dead in Rosewood. Most, if not all deaths were faked, using the drug that CeCe told Ali about in 6x10. The one she supposedly used to drug Ken And Jason. It honestly, would not surprise me if everyone that died over the last 7 seasons showed up in the finale to take one last bow. 

11. I Believe the Carissimi Group is not actually built on Charlotte’s Wall Street brilliance, but rather as a front for the NAT. 

12. This plot would be something like a combination of a “Black Mirror” episode and a couple of movies. Most notably “The Game” directed by David Fincher, (If you’re up for spoilers you can read a summary of the twist here.) for the twist ending, and it being ‘a game’. “The Truman Show” for the controlled narrative and surveillance aspect. And though I haven’t seen it… the interactive aspects might resemble the dares from “Nerve”. Just to give you an idea what I’m thinking. 

13. I think it’s pretty obvious who I think is in charge here. If you’ve read anything on my blog, I am a huge “Ezra is A’ believer. And in this case, I’m inclined to believe that he is A.D. He is the one working the situation from a ground level. I have rehashed reasons that Ezra is ‘A’ so many time son my blog… I won’t even go into it there.  But he is absolutely trying to actively sway these girls to his agenda every time he interacts with them. 

But who’s really in charge? Jason. 

NAT was his idea. Nearly everyone else involved with NAT is ‘dead’. He inherited the controlling interest in the Carissimi group. And he ‘always liked Aria’s pink stripes’. The same pink stripes she is made to put back in in the dollhouse. The same pink stripes her character has on the gameboard piece. 

Bonus: We all know that Marlene has cast herself into the finale. And we’ve joked  a time or two that she is probably A.D. because of the way she’s being torturing us. It would be so in Marlene’s line to show up in the finale, and introduce herself as the Executive Producer of the NAT production. Literal character self insertion. 

Also, heavily involved: Mona ( Like at a top level.) Ali, Lucas, Toby, Jenna, Noel, Wilden, etc. 

Maya was a part of it too, but may have thought about revealing herself to Emily, and that’s why her character had to die. 

Clues:

1.Props.

 We see props reused all the time, which makes sense. This is a TV show. But it also makes sense if this is a staged production. Follow what I’m saying? 

Remember that giant clown head that (clearly) had a camera in it, when Aria was shooting photos in the junk yard? The head turned to follow her, and to me it was extremely obvious that there was a camera in there watching her. Well, that SAME creepy clown head showed up in the School for the blind in 7x10. 

Then there’s this old tweet from Oliver Goldstick, where he’s clearly calling attention to the fact that they’re reusing props. 

And my favorite thing, which i regret that I cannot find…is a tweet that was put out by someone in the props department after the Dollhouse finale aired. And the person tweeted that something along the lines of “we put it right in front of you in the first few minutes. We couldn’t have made it more obvious.” And the first few minutes of that episode were the girls are recognizing that their room was entirely fake. Fake chairs, fake doors, fake books. 

There have been many instances where props were either clearly recycled, or completely overused. Where it literally felt like the props department just dumped everything that they could find to make a set look “creepy”. And some sets have been so overdone that draw attention to themselves just for that. 

2. Remember in 3x21… where Toby’s death is faked… Emily goes to his house looking for him, and sees a guy pull up to the house in his truck. The guy explains that he “Works with Toby” and hasn’t seen him in a few weeks. She later receives a message from Toby telling her to “Stop looking” and that he’d meet her. She’s then given directions Olivia Dr.  A person in a Red Coat leads her to this workshop. Emily confronts the guy that she saw at his house, and asks if he’s seen Toby. He tell’s her that he hasn’t. 

But Emily never told this guy her name, and she can’t imagine why he would know who she is. But he would know her name if he was involved in the production, wouldn’t he? 

Also, remember the great theory about how the people in this workshop were actually building the girls rooms for the dollhouse?

3. Cameras. No matter the reason why, we can all agree that there is absolutely no way that ‘A’, ‘Uber A’, ‘AD’ or ‘Amoji’, could ever have pulled off half of the timely messages they do if they weren’t pretty much constantly watching these girls. 

Through out the series we have been shown a variety of cameras that have been used to watch the girls. Whether they are the multitude of cameras Ezra used, the cameras in the dollhouse, security cameras both in Radley Sanitarium and The Radley Hotel, The cameras that I am 100% convinced were hidden Aria’s dolls, that clown head camera, Lucas’ “Security system”… not to mention the times we’ve seen someone sitting at a ‘lair’ keeping up with pictures or footage of the girls.  

4. Eddie Lamb

Where’d he go? The last time we saw Eddie Lamb, he was trying to make contact with Ezra Fitz, presumably regarding his latest interaction with Aria. in 5x06 he is speaking to Spencer about Bethany Young.

Spencer: ‘Did you know Bethany well?”

Eddie: “If I did, I can’t talk about it.”

Spencer: *sees the security camera where Eddie casually just gestured* 

“Right. Okay. Do you maybe want to get coffee later?”

Eddie: “I can’t talk about Bethany or any other patient. Not to the cops, or reporters, or you.”

In the episode where Spencer is first admitted to Radley he acknowledges that he “likes his job” and that the only way to keep it is to keep your mouth shut. 

So what if the reason that Eddie suddenly disappeared is because he wasn’t sticking to the script? He recognized Aria as one of the girls from the NAT videos, and became a potential problem for the show? So he was paid off or blackmailed and told to leave the area. 

5. The Kahn Party stamp

 I’ve spoken about it before, and just recently. But I firmly believe that the “traveling parties” that were apparently hosted by Eric Kahn were most definitely related to the NAT club. The stamp was a picture of an eye, and the parties were secret. It could be a party just for those involved with the production. Which would include…

6. Holden Strauss

Look, guys, its no secret that I think Holden is more than a red herring. As I recently explained here, I think he was with Emily the night that she dug up Ali’s grave. And he’s back in Rosewood, and conveniently a chef at a wedding planners. Holden had a lot of nothing to impart to us recently except to say that he recently saw Aria on TV. We can argue about why she might’ve been on TV, and there’s certainly been occasion with everything that’s happened… but I just find it so odd that he mentions seeing her on TV, when we haven’t.  If Holden is actually a member of NAT, as I feel both his presence at Sputnik’s Diner, and his entry into the Kahn parties indicates… then he would have seen the ‘show’ pick back up after the time jump as well. 

7. Jenna

I think the binder that Jenna got in 7x11, wasn’t just an explanation of the A game, but a script of sorts. A sort of manual for what was supposed to happen next, and what role she was supposed to have in it. 

8. Money

Where Does ‘A’ get the money to pull off some of the elaborate messages they have sent? Where do they get the skill? Either they have a wealthy backer, or they are the wealthy backer. 

Can we agree that Charlotte’s story was bullshit? If so, her being a Wall Street Wiz, is also highly unlikely.  So where did her fortune (Which was later inherited by Ali and Jason) come from? 

Mothertrucking Ezra Fitz. let’s talk about his weird finance situation. How you affording limos and Armani on a teacher’s salary? Where’d that money in your sock drawer really come from? How could you afford to buy The Brew when you were an unemployed teacher? 

9. Marlene/cast interviews

At Paleyfest when asked about the NAT Club, Marlene and Co. Were so quick dismiss it. They basically said “Ohh what was that? I forgot all about that.” Like it never existed, and like it was probably not a big deal.

They’re really trying to keep our ending a surprise this time. You can really tell from mar’s twitter feed, and the interviews. The girls are being fairly tight lipped, Marlene is saying things like “I don’t want to spoil it”, when asked kind of broad questions on twitter, and even Keegan hasn’t been putting out any hints. I think that they tried to delicately squash any NAT theories by acting like it was an old, dead storyline. But way back in season 5, Marlene swore that there was a lot more to those NAT videos, and that we’d see them again. 

10. Theater imagery/ terminology and the use of puppets/dolls

-Ezra directing a highschool play about the nature of evil.

-“Shadow Play”. The episode is not only an homage to film noir, but a reference to a form of puppet play. It contains scenes of Ali as some kind of a stage performer. 

-”Twelfth Night” is at one point taught by both Ezra and Ali. 

-Ezra’s family theater was “his special place”.

- The stage in 5x25 was a cabin, not unlike the one where Ezra took Aria, and where his lair was. 

-Ali and Spencer dance to “I’m Your Puppet” in Radley, and we’ve repeatedly heard reference to the way the girls did whatever Ali told them. 

-Aside from the dollhouse there’s an almost infinite amount of times the girls have been referred to as dolls. Being toys for them to play with and orchestrate pretend lives with. 

-The above mentioned scene where Ali talks about being an actress, combined with “That’s immortality my Darlings” and that she keeps her diaries because her friends will need them when she’s gone.

11. “You know why I chose you, don’t you?” Ali to Aria

12. Deaths

Either when someone dies, we don’t see their body at all or we don’t see it til their funeral. OR if we do see them die, it’s in a questionable or confusing way. I’ll be the first to point out that, while I loved Noel’s death, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if hes still alive. Just for the complete unlikelihood of someone having their head chopped clean off by a stationery ax. Even though we actually saw it, that death felt like the most fake one yet.  

Season after season these monumental moments get more and more over the top.  Like they want us to think “This is ridiculous! Even by these standards, this is impossible!” 

OK, so I do have more examples, but I’m running out of time to write this, so I’ll end it here for now. But… if you’re open to the idea that this may have been a “game” all along, then to imagine its been watched by others isn’t that far of a stretch.