#the power alison saw in emily - the power alison never wanted to see the light of day and had to actively monitor and diminish

[terrifyingstories]

"look at my mermaid. if she knew how much power she had. she could have whoever she wants. but she’s afraid. i think about what she’d be like if she was as tough as she was beautiful. you can be anything you want to be in this world, but one thing you can’t ever be is weak."

[soul-music-is-life]

Hey!!!! I was wondering if you could do like the tiniest Drabble of em and Ali finding out their having another baby? That Ali’s pregnant with Sam?

The lovely people in my asks: “Emison prompts please?”

Me: *re-emerges years after apocalypse, sees asks are still in inbox, waves arms around in vast wasteland shouting* “DID SOMEONE SAY EMISON?”

You all have been asking for quite some time. Sorry the delivery has taken forever. Apparently the package got lost in the mail. Or the delivery driver read it and liked it and decided they wanted to keep it all to themselves. 

Seriously though, I haven’t forgotten about you all. I think about my PLL fam often. The state of the world has been a bitter pill to swallow for a lot of people, especially during quarantine. It’s an isolating time. I know the importance of needing an escape. I’ve been working on my Emison fics “The Dawn of Autumn” and “The Heart of Beacon Heights” but haven’t done a little ficlet in ages. I have so many sweet and loyal people who still follow me despite my years of fictional torture. And I just wrote this fluff as a thank you. Hope that it brings a little light into the world. We need more of that good light.

This is unedited. I wrote it in about half an hour at 2 in the morning, so if you find mistakes please send your notes to my inner critic. She will deal with them promptly.

***

Alison was hunched over on the edge of the bed, her knees bouncing as she anxiously tapped her feet against the carpet. She rubbed her palms against her jeans and exhaled a heavy breath.

Not many things made her nervous. She’d gone through a lot over the years. It had helped her develop a heavy outer armor. She had learned how to face adversity with her head held high. She had gone through a tremendous amount of growth with the help of Emily’s love and the love of their children. And several years of therapy.  

Her most recent session had her opening up about her fears and insecurities as a mother, and about whether or not she wanted to carry another child.

She felt the bed shift and then felt a comforting hand in between her shoulder blades.

Emily’s warmth was a force in her life that nothing else had ever come close to. Nothing compared to the way she felt about her wife.

The brunette was always there to calm her nerves. Every time. They’d been faced with some incredibly hard times. They’d endured a lot.

Even after everything had settled down...after all the torture had stopped...after they’d found their bliss...things still weren’t perfect.

They’d talked about expanding their family for a while. They’d been waiting until they’d found some stability, both emotionally and financially. After Alison landed her job as a professor at Hollis and Emily got her position at a prestigious swim academy that trained young hopefuls for the Olympics they’d found a stride...a balance between work and home.

That’s when the talks of having another baby had come up. They’d discussed it for months. The girls were old enough that they’d established a certain independence. And Alison and Emily missed having a little one around. Grace and Lily had stopped wanting to cuddle after they started middle school. They missed it.

Emily wanted to carry, so they’d gone through the process. They’d tried several times. The first time it didn’t take. The second time it took, but after six weeks they’d lost the baby.

It had been difficult to waver. Emily had wanted to try one more time, but after some routine testing her doctor discovered that she had uterine damage that made it very unlikely that she’d ever be able to carry a child to term. It had gone undiagnosed previously, but they found out it was from ill-effects from the torture she’d endured over the years.

That had left them with the choice of adoption or giving Alison the opportunity to carry.

Emily didn’t want to push her into it. She knew that Alison didn’t have fond memories of her previous pregnancy. She knew that having the twins had damaged her psychologically. So she didn’t ask.

They’d been laying in bed looking at adoption brochures one night when out of the blue Alison told Emily that she was open to the idea of carrying the baby. She’d been working through a lot of her past in therapy and she thought she was ready for the next step.

“Are you sure?” Emily had gently taken the brochure out of Alison’s hand. She would love any child that came into their lives. She didn’t want Alison to feel pressured. “You’re sure you’re ready?”

“I wasn’t at first. But I can’t let my past control me forever. There’s something about this...” She’d chewed on her lip.

Color flushed her cheeks and she smiled softly. The same vulnerable smile that Emily had seen hundreds of times when they were in high school. The smile that was reserved for her. And her alone.

“I know what happened with Lily and Grace wasn’t...we didn’t exactly ask for it or plan it. But I wouldn’t trade those girls for anything.”

“If Grace keeps mouthing off to her teachers I might consider trading her.” Their wild child was constantly in some kind of trouble.

Alison laughed. She appreciated Emily’s unwavering sense of humor. It helped calmed her racing mind.

“You know, that pregnancy...God, it was so hard...”

“I know.” Emily took her hand and peered at her with a soft expression.

It was a look that could only be shared and understood between the two of them. Because they both knew what it was like to have choices taken away from them...to have things thrust upon them that could never be completely overcome. It was something they would live with for the rest of their lives. But they shared that pain. They’d gone through that tumultuous journey together.

“I’ve been doing a lot of reflecting about this. And even though the pregnancy with the twins...it...it nearly destroyed me...”

Emily saw her retreating into herself sometimes when she thought back over those memories. But there was something different in her expression tonight. A newfound sense of confidence. It’s like she had chosen a direction, and she knew exactly where she was going.

“This isn’t the same. I...I want this. We’ve wanted this for so long, Em. And I realized that I actually have a choice this time. And it clicked. That’s what’s important to me. I...” she’d paused and then looked up at Emily, “WE...we get to make the decision this time. And that’s the biggest difference.”

She had watched Emily with their girls over the years, and she had fallen even more in love with her than she realized was possible. She was a beautiful person and a beautiful mom. And Alison woke up every morning thankful that someone like Emily loved someone like her.

Their family had started out from a broken place, but they’d picked up the pieces together and they’d created something beautiful along the way. And Alison wanted more of that.

She had threaded her fingers between Emily’s, interlocking their hands. She’d put her other hand on top of their joined fingers.

“I want to do this for us. I want to have our baby.”

Emily had been completely speechless. Alison was constantly surprising her with her courage and the depth of her strength. How was it possible she’d taken for granted just how incredibly resilient the blonde was? She looked at her and she saw the epitome of determination. A fighting spirit.

She was certain she’d never loved her more.

“I love you so much.” Emily turned towards Alison with a watery smile. She reached up and placed her palm against the side of Alison’s neck, leaning forward to capture her lips.

Alison could feel her emotions in her movements. She could feel it in the way that Emily gently stroked her cheek and brushed her hair aside.

“I love you, too.” Alison pulled back, tears of joy in her eyes.

There were moments in life that defined certain unspoken love between two people. There were moments that put them in a world all to themselves, where all there was...all that existed...was their love. Sometimes words were meaningless. Sometimes it was quiet little moments that people shared in which the most powerful exchanges of love were experienced.

Emily gently cupped Alison’s face and kissed her forehead tenderly. The warm smile on Emily’s face had sparked an even deeper meaning behind Alison’s choice. She looked at her wife and she saw pure joy. And she felt pure joy. She looked at Emily and she knew that everything was going to be okay. She knew that no matter what...they were going to be okay.

She had the most loyal woman in the world by her side. It had stripped her of her nerves that night. She knew they’d made the right decision for their family. In an odd way, it had taken the looming pressure of her past off of her.

But that had been months ago. Months before the fertility treatments and the hormone injections and the IVF procedure. That had been months before she’d started hoping and wishing. Months before she’d started picturing their child. What their baby would look like. How much her heart would melt when she saw their baby for the first time...first smile...first laugh. She started picturing what they wanted.

And now she was terrified they wouldn’t get it. They’d already had two failed attempts. Could they survive a third? They had spent their entire lives waiting for the other shoe to drop. Any time something good happened in their lives they were inevitably faced with something bad that ripped their happiness away from them.

When they’d bought the test Alison had felt her anxiety rising. The nerves had returned.

She glanced over at the pregnancy test on the edge of the dresser. She’d been shaking so much after she’d taken it. Emily had led her to the bed and made her sit down and take several deep breaths. She didn’t want Alison to stress herself into an anxiety attack.

They’d set the timer and had been waiting together. It felt like it was taking an eternity. The last time she’d taken a pregnancy test she’d been physically repulsed at the idea of having a child. But this time she was experiencing a painful worry that she wouldn’t have a child.

Emily could feel Alison’s tension underneath her touch. She wrapped her arm around Alison’s shoulder and pulled her in for a hug. She kissed her temple.

“Ali, relax.” She pulled her close. “Whatever the outcome...we’re in it together, okay?”

Alison nodded nervously. Her mouth felt dry and sticky. She reached for the bottle of water that Emily had brought to her and took a sip.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been so impatient waiting on test results.” Alison curled her toes against the carpet.

“Remember when we were waiting on the girls’ placement tests?” Emily tried to take Alison’s mind off of the ticking time.

“Don’t remind me.” Alison scoffed.

Grace had tried to cheat by writing the answers on the back of her water bottle label. It was actually ingenious. If she put half as much energy into her school work as she spent trying to get around her school work she’d be at the top of her class with her sister.

“I thought Lily was going to have a nervous breakdown waiting for those results.” Emily reminisced.

Lily had always been their studious child. She was introspective and as sharp as a tack.

“What did we do to calm her down?” Alison asked.

“We rubbed bourbon on her gums and sang her to sleep just like when she was teething as a baby.” Emily waggled her brows with a grin.

Alison playfully smacked Emily’s arm. She’d forgotten all about when the girls were teething. That had been hell. But it had been worth it. There had been moments that her innocent little babies looked up at her with wide-eyed wonder that she’d never seen before. And it made her feel serene. She couldn’t wait to feel that again.

“Pretty sure we bought her a cell phone and told her to obsess over social media like a normal child,” Emily said. She shook her head. “That child and her test anxiety...I swear.” She glanced at Alison with a lighthearted smile. She poked Alison. “Wonder where she gets that from.”

“You know, we’ve spent so much time teaching them about the importance of rising to the occasion and passing their tests with flying colors. But this is the one test I wouldn’t want Lily and Grace to pass.” 

Emily made a face.

“God, we’re almost at the point where we need to sit down and have that conversation with them, aren’t we?”

“That’s all you. I handled the potty training. You handle the ‘don’t have sex or else your mothers will kill you’ thing.” Alison smiled.

“Or...we could teach them to be responsible about it. I’m not into scare tactics. They tend to have the opposite effect on people.”

Alison nodded in agreement. She’d certainly rebelled against her parents when they’d told her not to do things. Emily had, too.

“Whatever works. As long as we keep them off the pole and they don’t come home pregnant.”

“What a charming thought. You’re such a romantic.” Emily rolled her eyes, gently bumping against her with a playful smile.

“They’re good girls.” Alison felt herself relaxing. Her children had a way to her heart. “You think they’ll be okay with all of this?”

They’d spoken with the girls about the fact that they were trying to have another baby, but Lily and Grace had sort of waved it off like it wasn’t a possibility. Then again, they were just coming into their own as young teenagers, so they rarely listened to a word their mothers said.

“They’ll be fine,” Emily dropped her hand to Alison’s back and rubbed circles against the tension she was carrying.

Alison reached out and touched Emily’s knee, commanding her attention, drawing Emily’s eyes towards hers. Her lips twitched. A loving smile washed across her face.

“I really love you, you know.” She let out a content sigh.

“Well, I would hope so considering we’re married.” Emily grinned at her.

She got a lot of joy out of teasing Alison. She liked to see the spark in her eyes when she was flustered.

“Seriously.” Alison moved her palm up against Emily’s side, her fingers resting against her ribs. “I don’t think I realized how little I knew about love before you and the girls came into my life. It’s so much bigger than I ever knew. Have I ever thanked you for being so wonderful?”

“You don’t have to thank me for loving you, Alison. It is the most natural thing in the world for me.” Emily leaned over, their lips meeting for a chaste kiss. “I would do it over every time.”

“Maybe with a little less torture.” Alison added.

Emily chuckled.

Alison glanced at the timer. She watched as the clock rolled backwards from the sixty second mark. She felt her stomach tightening up in knots. Her heart started hammering in her chest. Her palms felt clammy.

“Breathe, sweetheart.” Emily tugged her into another hug, resting her chin on top of Alison’s head.

“I can’t believe how much I really want this,” she uttered under her breath.

It had been different with Lily and Grace. She certainly loved her little girls, but that pregnancy had been hell for her. She felt like she’d been alone on an island in the middle of a hurricane. She remembered feeling like her lungs were filling with water. But this time she felt like she was jogging along a beautiful beach...pushing desperately to reach a perfect destination with Emily in sync with her every step...right beside her.

She reached for Emily’s hand just as the timer beeped. Her head whipped towards the test on the dresser, but she looked away at the last second.

“I can’t look.” Alison shifted her feet and stood up, turning away from the dresser. She glanced at Emily. “Would you...”

Emily nodded, not needing to be prompted. She walked over to the test and picked it up to observe it.

Alison looked at her in anticipation, eagerly rubbing her hands together and licking her lips.

Emily pressed her lips together in thought, tilting her head with a furrowed brow, her eyes narrowed in concentration. Her mouth was twisted. Her nose was crinkled.

“Oh.” Alison felt deflated.

“Ali...” Emily slowly looked up at her.

Normally the blonde could read her wife like a book, but there was an expression in her eyes that she couldn’t decipher.

“Oh, God. It’s negative, isn’t it?” Alison dropped her head in defeat. They knew there was a possibility. They’d been through it before.

“Alison...”

“We...we’ll try again.” Alison cut her off. She reached up, running her fingers through her hair.

She was so consumed by her disappointment that she didn’t realize that Emily had moved next to her. She hadn’t seen the smile on her face.

“Hey...” Emily touched her cheek to get her attention.

Alison froze in place. She saw a glint in Emily’s eyes, a shocked expression on her face. She seemed to be having a hard time finding the right words to say. Tears were pooling in her eyes, but she was smiling.

Emily lifted the test up and Alison took it from her, her heart suddenly beating faster. Because she realized that the tears in her wife’s eyes were not tears of sorrow. They were tears of joy.

Alison stared at the positive test, a surprised laugh coming out of her mouth. Her eyes welled up with tears.

She looked at Emily. The brunette put her palm against Alison’s belly, knowing a bump would soon be growing.

“We’re going to have a baby.” Emily laughed through her tears.

Alison reached down and put her hand on top of Emily’s hand, holding it in place as she let the news sink in. Their baby was already growing. Their child was already carving out a space in their hearts. It was a glaring reminder that as they went about their daily business...they wouldn’t be alone. There would be a little child...a little piece of their heart coming to life.

She pictured tiny little hands. Baby toes. A button nose. Sweet coos and giggles. And the most kissable little face in the world.

After a few seconds she lurched forward, wrapping her arms around Emily’s neck. Joyous laughter filled the room.

“Oh my God! We’re having a baby!” Alison hung off of Emily’s shoulders and pulled back to press a hard kiss against her lips.

“A little you.” Tears were rolling down Emily’s cheeks. But she couldn’t stop laughing.

“Let’s hope this one takes after his or her Mama. I can’t deal with more of my attitude reflected back at me.” Alison sniffled, her cheeks rosy.

Emily looked at her, and she could suddenly see it. The glow. She wasn’t sure how she’d missed it before. She didn’t know why she’d doubted that the pregnancy would happen. Alison had been practically glowing for weeks. She could see a beautiful radiant aura around her.

Alison saw the adoration in her wife’s eyes. She shot her a bashful smile. It was crazy that after so many years together that Emily could still make her feel like she was back in high school, falling in love for the very first time. She still felt like that young kid crushing on her best friend. She felt loved in a way she’d never been loved.

Their hands naturally linked together. They shared a quiet intimate moment. The air in the room was tangible. Alison took a quivering breath, trying to center herself. Emily cupped her cheek. As always, Emily helped center her.

The moment was interrupted by a loud clatter and two squabbling teens.

“MOMS!” Grace burst into the room. “Lily stole my phone and changed the password, and I can’t get past the lock screen.”

“I’ll give you the password when you take down that picture you posted of me when I was being potty trained.” Lily had a smarmy look on her face.

She knew exactly how to get under her sister’s skin.

“I only put it up because you put up the video of me crying after a frog jumped on my arm.” Grace shoved her sister.

They spun towards their mothers to mediate their fight, but then they saw the tears.

Their faces dropped. They shot each other worried looks and then looked back at their parents. Grace’s brow was tight. Lily had her lips pressed into a thin line. They looked just like Emily when they were concerned.

“What’s wrong?” Grace’s voice quivered.

“Did something happen?” Lily echoed her sister’s worry.

“Is it Grandma? Is she okay?” A hint of panic reverberated in Grace’s tone.

“Grandma is fine.” Emily put her arms up in a calming manner. “Everything is okay, girls.”

“Then why are you crying?” Lily asked.

Emily and Alison looked at one another, smiling. Alison nearly bit through her lip in excitement.

She was pregnant. They were having another baby.

“Well...there is something your mother and I need to tell you,” Emily said, glancing at the pregnancy test in Alison’s hand. The girls hadn’t seen it yet. “We’ve got some good news.”

She grabbed Alison’s free hand and they gave each other a loving glance.

“Okay, you two are being weird.” Lily made a face.

Emily couldn’t help but laugh. Her little Lily was ever the cynic.

“You know how we’ve been talking about expanding our family?” Alison asked.

“Oh, are we finally getting a dog?” Grace lit up in excitement. 

“Not exactly,” Emily said. Though, that was on the table, too. The girls had been begging for a dog for years.

“Girls...”

Alison moved forward, gripping the test in her hand like a lifeline. She glanced at Emily again before facing Lily and Grace, who were looking at her eagerly.

“Your mother and I...we’re...” She felt a fluttering sensation in her chest. A warmth.

Seconds later Emily was next to her, her arm around her shoulder. Alison smiled at her.

“We’re having a baby.” She held up the pregnancy test. “I’m pregnant.”

There was a quiet pause, but then both girls gasped in delight.

“You’re pregnant?” Lily’s face brightened. Her jaw dropped. She had a huge smile on her face.

“Yeah.” Alison still couldn’t believe it herself.

“For real? We’re going to have a little sister?” Grace asked.

“Or brother,” Lily said. She threw her hands up and squealed. “This is so exciting. Finally, a sibling that will be a much less pain in the ass.”

“Oh, you wish. This kid is so going to like me better.” Grace scoffed. She looked at Alison. “Is that the test?”

“Mmmhmm.” Alison nodded, extending it out to Grace.

Grace didn’t even bother to grab it from the sterile end. She was too caught up in the moment. She looked at the positive result.

“This is super cool.” Grace smiled. She looked at Lily. “Check it out, Lil. Proof that someone else in this family is going to be cooler than you.”

“You know she peed on that, right?”

“Ew.” Grace suddenly held the test out like it was dynamite, handing it back to her mother.

“So...” Lily looked at Alison curiously. “Can you feel the baby yet?”

“Not yet. But we’ll get there.”

“I read that sometimes if you touch someone’s belly when they’re pregnant that you can feel things. Can we try?” Grace asked.

Alison and Emily laughed. They were overjoyed when the twins reached out to touch Alison’s stomach. It didn’t matter that she wasn’t very far along yet. The sentiment behind the bonding was real.

“That’s our little brother or sister in there.” Lily grinned, her palm on Alison’s stomach.

“What if it’s both?” Grace smirked.

“Don’t even joke about that.” Alison laughed.

But she didn’t hate the idea. It wouldn’t be easy having four kids, but she wouldn’t be upset if it happened.

“This is amazing.” Lily looked up at her mothers, a sincere expression on her face. “We know you’ve been trying...”

“Yeah. And we’ve been hoping this would happen.” Grace added.

“I know we give you guys hell sometimes, but you’re really amazing moms. And this baby is very very lucky to have you.” Lily smiled.

“To have us.” Grace corrected her.

Normally, Lily didn’t like it when Grace corrected her, but it didn’t bother her in this instance. She leaned into her mothers, wrapping them in a hug. Grace followed suit, embracing them all.

Emily and Alison smiled at one another as they bathed in their family’s affection. There was nothing quite like having a home in the hearts of the people you loved most, a safe place in the storm of life. They didn’t love anyone in the world like they loved their children. Their lives had only just begun after Lily and Grace were born. And they couldn’t wait for the next chapter.

They couldn’t wait to see the ways in which this baby was going to change their lives for the better, to complete their family.

[lets-imagine-fanfics]

Jealousy Calls [Emily Field x Fem!Reader]

Request: Can I request an Emily x reader where the reader is hanging out with Ali, and ignoring Emily's calls, getting jealous, but it ends with the reader confessing her feelings to an angry Emily Fields?

Pairing: Emily x Fem!Reader

A/N: I'm sorry this took so long and I hope this fits the bill lol. Also, thanks for the request, love bug... I don't know why I called you that, it just felt right haha.

We also just recently hit another milestone. We at 722 followers now!! That’s amazing!!

A/N/N: Also...a big thank you to my Scott, @fandomnsfw for beta’ing this in the middle of the night for me. (also just made up a word so...)

Words: 1.6K

As the rain hit the windows of the dusty, abandoned warehouse one late night, the lights of the police car grew closer and the smell of old wood choked those in the warehouse with its powerful lingering scent, the group of friends that had broken into the warehouse started to panic. Not only because of the police cars that wearing becoming closer by the second, but also due to the horrifying information they had discovered on their masked huntsman who had been toying with the group since their friend's funeral and the pursuers newest victim. 

Emily jumped into action, no longer hearing the sound of the rain or the police sirens over her own heartbeat and the engaged ring tone emitting from her phone. "She isn't answering!" Emily almost yelled before remembering where she was. She felt her heartbeat speed up as thoughts ran through her head like race cars on a track 'She could already be dead...or worse, being tortured by A'.

"She's probably fine, Em" Aria spoke up from beside Emily, trying to comfort her as best she could whilst also trying to convince herself. A had taken a lot from each of these girls and they had all seen what A was capable of, which only turned their thoughts more grotesque at the idea of A being near their Y/N.  

Spencer began to drag her friends out of the warehouse, being the unassigned assigned leader of the group with the most responsible head. As soon as they had left the old abandoned building they instantly became drowned in the harsh downpour of rain, the police cars could be heard from a street away.

The police cars came whizzing past on the small country road, travelling so fast to the abandoned warehouse that they hadn't noticed a car in a small opening of trees that the group of friends were currently hiding in.

Once the coast was clear, they headed back to their hometown of Rosewood, to the relative safety of their homes. All anyone could hear was the quickened breaths of everyone in the car and the puddles on the country road being crushed under the tires. "She could just be asleep" Hannah broke the silence, now that they were in the clear their minds went back to their friend. "It is, like, the middle of the night".  

As soon as the country roads turned to tarmac as the car arrived at the edge of town, the girls became anxious to find their friend and save them from the same torment they have had to endure for a number of years now. "She still isn't answering" Emily whined after still no answer from ringing her friend, for what seemed like the hundredth time.  

"Oh, she did say she was going to Allison's to study after Emily shot her down, maybe she is still there." Hannah added, her usual quirky honest personality backfiring in this instance. Emily glared at Hannah, knowing full well what Hannah meant and how false she was. Y/N had asked to join the group in the search thinking that they were going shopping. To anyone else, Emily's sudden rejection would have seemed rude but Emily's friends knew that it was due to Emily being protective... That's not how it felt for Y/N.

Y/N looked down to see her phone ringing for the tenth time that night, all from the same person. She was currently sitting on her friend's bed. Revision books scattered across the bed, none of them opened. "You should answer that" a friendly voice spoke up, breaking her out of her daydream.  

"No, not yet, Ali" Y/N spoke softly "I need more time".

Y/N had gone over to her friend's house to "study", initially that was what they had planned but neither one could be bothered since they had too much on their minds. Instead, they ended up chatting and discussing life and plans and relationships into the early hours of the morning. Alison had always been the best at giving advice, Y/N had thought, and so she decided to ask for advice on a problem she was having at the minute, Y/N had feelings for a friend. It was a problem that millions of people have and it always feels like the most troubling thing. y/n didn't want to ruin her friendship by confessing her feelings, no one ever does.  

"I don't know, y/n, I thin-" Alison was cut off by a car screeching to a halt outside the house.  The two friends shared a look before they stood to see through the window. Out on the street was a car with four people jumping out of it.  

Y/N rushed downstairs, Alison barely keeping up. They had reached the front door as they heard the first large knock. As Alison opened the door, Y/N moved away from the door so as not to be ran over by the hoard of people about to enter the house.  

As soon as Emily walked into the house she spoke to Alison "Have you seen her? Have you seen Y/N?" She spoke with urgency,  anxious for the answer.

"Emily, I'm right here" Y/N answered from beside her friend, just out of Emily's view.

Emily began to smile, relief washing over her until she saw what was in Y/N's hand. A phone. Emily had been calling multiple times this past hour, none of which had been answered causing Emily to become more and more anxious.

"You've had your phone with you? This whole time?!" Emily's voice rising as she spoke, looking at Y/N in complete disbelief. "Do you have any idea how worried I was? I thought something had happened to you" Emily carried on her rant. "I rang and rang and you didn't even bother to shoot me a message saying you were safe?" Emily was on the verge of shouting now which hadn't discouraged Y/N's smile of amusement if anything it had grown. "Why are you smiling like that?" Emily finally snapped.

"Because. You're acting like a mom" Y/N giggled, finding this whole situation oddly amusing.

"It's not funny, you could have been hurt and I wouldn't have known. Instead, though, you were here... with Alison" Emily spoke unamused and a hint of jealousy managing to seep through.

"Emily, I wa-"

"I mean, what was so important that you couldn't have picked up the phone?"

"well, I wa-" Y/N tried again.

"What was so important that you would risk your life?"

"If you'd liste-" Y/N felt herself become annoyed, Emily wouldn't listen since she was off on a rant. Normally being one of sound mind, this was odd behaviour for Emily. She continued yelling at Y/N about being irresponsible. She continued ignoring her friend's explanations... Until finally. "I WAS HERE TALKING ABOUT YOU!" Y/N finally yelled, quieting Emily who now looked rather hurt. (Like a lost puppy, if you will)

"You came here to talk about me?..behind my back?" Emily felt crushed, the girl she was in love with admitted to completely stabbing her in the back.

"not like that, Em" Y/N mumbled, scared she had hurt the person she cares about most. "I needed some advice...". Before Y/N could finish her sentence, Emily walked out on the verge of tears, she wasn't one for letting people see her cry and now was not the time to start. "Wait" Y/N shouted running after her friend, who she wished would be so much more but feared that now she would be so much less. "please wait" It was more of a whimper than actual words but it got Emily to stop.  

There she stood in Allison's driveway, back turned to Y/N but Y/N knew she was willing to listen. At first, Y/N couldn't say anything, she didn't know what to say or more so she didn't know how to say it. Would it ruin things between them? Would she reject Y/N again? She didn't want to lose her but knew if she didn't say anything meant that she would lose her anyway. "I... I needed advice" Y/N spoke with a large sigh.  

"advice?" Emily's confusion could be heard by the group of friends that stood in the house on the other side of the door listening in on the intimate conversation, hoping that things would go well for the pair.  

"Yeah, I...the truth is..." Y/N paused as she tried to find the correct words to describe how she felt. Out of all the words in the English dictionary, the only word that sounded right to her was the word 'Love', as cheesy as that is. "I really lik...Lov-"

"Love? You love me?" Emily asked, cutting Y/N off before she could say those magic words. It wasn't that she didn't love her back but the fact that she was protecting herself for if she heard Y/N say she loved Emily and then it not be true she knows she would feel heartbroken.  

"Yes" Y/N mumbled, "I do... I didn't want to tell you because we're friends, ya know... I didn't want to ruin that because you didn't like me bac-".

"But I do love you back" Emily cut her off.

"You do?". Emily just nodded, a slight smile forming in realisation although she was still nervous about what the next move was.  

The pair had moved closer to each other as they confessed their feeling, now to standing almost chest to chest.  They could both feel the pull as they leant towards each other, eyes never leaving each other’s.  

SLAM

"Hannah!" Aria yelled from inside the house. The pair looked over at the front door of Alison's house to see their friends stood in the doorway. The noise had been Hannah accidentally slamming the door open in efforts to see what was happening outside.  

[thats-immortality]

hello my lovelies! hope you all are doing well. i’ve wanted to write an emison wedding vow prompt for a while and i finally got around to doing it. enjoy xx

—————————————

The day was finally here. The venue was decorated, the food was prepared, the guests were flown in from all different corners of the country. Before everyone knew it, it was just minutes before the ceremony and no one could wait. The butterflies that fluttered throughout both Emily and Alison’s stomachs made them both feel like they would start flying away any moment.

Everyone watched fondly as Grace and Lily walked down the aisle, tossing their flowers with the elegance of two little princesses. But that didn’t stop them from throwing their last handful at each other. They took their seats in the first row closest to the aisle, like their mommies told them to.

Next came, Aria, looking gorgeous as always, the navy blue dress she had chosen complimented her skin perfectly. She smiled at everyone she saw, and took her place at the head of the aisle.

After that came Spencer, her blue toned grey dress made her brunette hair really standout, especially the subtle blonde highlights that were added in a few days ago. She threw a smile at Aria and walked with elegance to the front. Taking her stance on the right side, a few steps down from where Aria was.

Then came Hanna, her matching blue toned grey dress made her tanned skin and blonde hair look perfect. The dress matched the color of her eyes to a T. She held back tears as she walked down the aisle and took her place on the left side, mirroring Spencer.

A few moments later, everyone rose as the music changed to something slower. Everyone turned around to spot a goddess looking brunette, in a lace white dress walking towards them. Her train seemed to run for a mile, and the slim cut of the dress hugged every inch of her perfectly. Everyone’s breaths caught in their throat as Emily made her way down the aisle, looking happier than anyone had ever seen her. She quickly pressed kisses to both Lily and Grace’s heads before taking her place next to Hanna.

There wasn’t a dry eye in the house by the time Alison walked out. Everyone quickly wiped at their eyes and turned their attention to the stunning vision that was before them. Alison’s princess style dress made her look like a dream, it fit every inch of her, and the beading around the sweetheart neckline and bodice, was just pure perfection.

When Emily had caught a glimpse of her, she felt a tear roll down her face. She had never seen something so beautiful and so perfect in her whole life the feeling was completely indescribable. All of her dreams were coming true.

When Alison had finally locked her eyes on Emily, it was like the world stopped. She couldn’t help but get emotional when she saw Emily in that dress, realizing that she looked just like a mermaid, her mermaid. Emily truly took her breath away and she couldn’t help the ridiculous smile that was on her face.

Alison quickly blew kisses to her baby girls and took her place in front of Spencer, handing her her bouquet and reaching for Emily’s hands.

“You look beautiful,” Emily said, her smile widening with every second she looked at Alison.

“And you look breathtaking,” Alison said, giving Emily’s hands a squeeze.

As everyone took their seats and the crowd began to quiet down, Aria quickly blinked the tears from her eyes and began the ceremony she’d known everyone had been waiting years for.

“Firstly, I want to welcome everyone here today. I want to thank everyone who has come from near and far to help me celebrate the marriage of two of the most amazing people I’ve ever known. Before we start the ceremony, I just want to say a few things to the two beautiful brides. Ali, Emily, I have had the absolute pleasure and honor of being able to watch you two fall in love with each other again and again everyday for the past 10 years, even though neither of you wanted to admit it.”

The crowd all let out a laugh in unison, as well as the two brides. Aria continued, “I know that it was far from easy for the both of you and you two have gone through things that are completely unimaginable. But somehow, you defied all the odds and you made it through. And I know that the love that you two share right now, is stronger than it has ever been and that love will only continue to grow. You both traveled a long road to get here, and on behalf of myself, Spencer and Hanna, we are so unbelievably happy and proud of the both of you and we can’t wait to see where your lives take you and your beautiful family.”

Alison and Emily quickly stole a glance to their two girls who were watching the whole thing intently.

“The brides have decided to write their own vows for today’s ceremony. Not that we really gave them any choice.”

The crowd laughed again.

"Emily, would you like to go first?” Aria asked.

Emily nodded and turned to around to Hanna. Hanna handed Emily her vows and Emily’s stomach began doing summersaults.

Emily took a deep breath and began reading the words that were straight from the heart, “Never in a million years did I think we’d be here. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that I’d actually be standing up here, in front of everyone we love, marrying the girl of my dreams and the love of my life. Never did I think that I’d be able to look over at the two beautiful little girls that you gave me, which I think are the best things we’ve ever done. If you had told me 10 years ago that this is where we would be, I probably would have laughed in your face because this was something I could have only dreamed about. The journey for us has already been long, and far from easy and painless, but it is because of our journey that I know we can get through anything life throws at us. Because as long as I have you and our girls, my life is perfect. I love you more than life itself, and I promise to continue to love you, to cherish you, to support you, and to always do the most ridiculous things I can think of to make you laugh for the rest of my life. Thank you for making all of my dreams come true, and for being a new dream that I want to achieve every single day.”

Emily turned around once more and retrieved the silver wedding band that she had engraved with the word “forever” on the inside from Hanna. She turned back to her beautiful bride and slid it on her ring finger. Suddenly, everything finally felt real.

“Okay, Ali,” Aria said, her voice thick with tears, “It’s your turn.”

Ali wiped the tears that were quietly running down her cheeks and turned to Spencer for her vows, “Well, first off, thank you for being the absolute hardest act to follow.”

The crowd let out a laugher once again.

“Somehow, someway, when I was at my absolute worst and the whole world was rightfully against me, you loved me through all of it. And it is because of you, that I am at my best. I am a better person everyday because of you. You always seem to talk of me like I saved you, but in reality, Emily, you saved me and you continue to save me again and again each and everyday. You’ve shown me what is truly means to love and to be loved, you showed me that it’s something to run towards and not run from. Through your incredible strength, you showed me how to be strong. You make me brave and make me feel as though I can conquer the world. You’ve always been the one to show me the light in an impossibly dark situation, because you are my light. You make every day worth living and you make every hardship there is worth it. From this day on, I promise to love you and to cherish you in all the ways you deserve. I promise stand by you through everything in life, I promise to never hide myself from you, I promise to lift you up whenever you’re feeling down like you’ve been doing for me for more years than I can count. Thank you for building a life and a family with me. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me and that will never change. I love you more than any of these words will truly convey, and I cannot wait to spend the rest of my life with you.”

Ali, with tears running down her cheeks, slid the ring, which she had engraved “happy endings” on the inside, onto Emily’s ring finger. She pressed a gently kiss to Emily’s hand.

Aria tried her hardest to hold back her tears, but when she glanced at Hanna and Spencer and saw the tears running down their faces, she knew she didn’t stand a chance.

“What all of you have witnessed here today is true love. The kind of love that people write fairy tales and movies about. The kind of love that most people don’t think is achievable. The kind of love that comes from two people who were truly put on this earth for each other and each other only. Emily, Ali, thank you both so much for trusting me to do this, it meant the world to me and I love you both so much. So by the power invested in me, it is my absolute pleasure to pronounce these beautiful women as wives.”

Aria turned towards Emily and gave her a quick smirk, “Emily, go get your girl.”

“Gladly,” Emily said, reveling in the giggle that came from Alison. Emily quickly reached for Alison and pulled her close, capturing her lips at once. The cheering crowd became white noise all around them, the only thing present in their little world was the two of them.

Once they came back down to Earth, they turned towards the crowd. The cheers and screams coming from all of their loved ones sending their already excited spirits through the roof.

Hand in hand they walked down the steps, reaching where their two little girls sat. They had smiles on their faces that made Emily and Alison’s hearts soar. They quickly picked up their two little girls and walked hand in hand down the aisle, and into the rest of their lives together.

[hadtochangemyurlquick]

If I had my way

“But why aren’t you working on a new chapter instead of this random shit?” Cause I’m a sucky writer and my beta is beating me into blind submission and I love her and am going to buy her 27 cats and maybe a chinchilla. Anyway here’s the warehouse scene if I had my way. It take’s place in Emily’s house tho

She cleaned the living room first. She vacuumed the rug, setup the throw pillows, dusted some paintings, and cleaned the windows. Then she sat on the couch and wiped her sweating palms on her jeans and fidgeted.

But oh there were dirty dishes in the kitchen, and maybe she should clean her mom’s room just in case, and the dining room was disgusting and she ran around the house for an hour moving from room to room and cleaning every spec of it before collapsing on the couch once again. She checked her watch.

“Alison wants to meet you,” Shana had said in Emily’s car yesterday after school. “Tomorrow- she’ll meet you at your house.” And then she had walked out of the car before she could answer any of Emily’s budding questions.

It was getting kinda late and normally she would’ve ordered a pizza but what if the delivery person came and saw Ali and Ali freaked out? She couldn’t leave the house of course- what if Alison came while she was gone? She could cook? Emily walked to the kitchen and opened the fridge. That’s right. Her mom was away for the week in Texas with her dad, Emily was supposed to go grocery shopping today but…

Her options were limited and she decided she was too nervous to eat. What if Ali showed up while she was stuffing her face and-

“Hey Em.” Emily shot up so quickly she hit her head on the top of the refrigerator. “Oh my god, are you okay?” Alison rushed over and knelt down to where Emily was now sitting on the floor.

“You’re asking me?” Emily muttered looking at the girl who had ‘died’ from dirt inhalation in the lungs.

“I have to say I remembered you to be a little more graceful,” Alison smiled, smirking slightly, but more gently than Emily remembered. Like she was laughing with her now.

“Excuse me for jumping a bit when my best friend comes back from the dead,” Emily stood up and closed the refrigerator and wobbled a little walking to the living room still holding the growing bump on her head. She sat down and saw Alison following a little ways behind- filled with uncertainty that she had never seen Alison wear before.

It occurred to her that for once in her life she had the upperhand on Alison. Alison now didn’t know how to read her, couldn’t control her. Alison took a seat as far away from Emily as possible, didn’t even really sit just sort of hovered.

“You probably have questions,” Alison stated. There was a baited silence as Alison waited for her to ask some but all of Emily’s thoughts were chasing each other around and out and she couldn’t seem to focus on any single one. So she said the first thing that slowed down enough for her to understand it.

“Come home,” Alison blinked in surprise.

“I- what?”

“Come home,” Emily said again, urging herself not to sound like she was begging.

“I can’t Em, someone’s after me,” as if to further illustrate her point she glanced at the windows as if she would see A standing there with a camera and maybe without a mask just for the added convenience.

“Who is? A?” Alison moved closer to her and Emily almost wanted to punch something. Of course Alison would still wear the same vanilla perfume. Even on the run she was flawless. Alison nodded and Emily put a hand on her thigh. “Is that who did this to you?” Her eyes moved to the scar on Alison’s head. The only imperfection even near her face. Alison nodded again and looked away, like a wounded animal. It took everything Emily had not to put a hand on her cheek, offer her some kind of comfort the girl evidently had not had for weeks maybe even months.

Wait- who was she kidding? This is Alison Dilaurentis- she’s probably just stopping by on her way to three more houses, three more people to seduce.

“I’m so sorry,” Alison’s voice broke (and maybe Emily’s heart along with it) “for everything I’ve done.” Tears began to flow down her cheeks and Emily stared. This was a new one.

Alison never cried, not ever. Not even to get what she wanted. Alison flung herself into Emily’s arms and Emily gave into the piece of her that finally felt whole. She hugged the girl back tightly- celebrating how tangible and… well alive she was.

“Come home,” Emily murmured into her hair again, “we’ll figure out who A is- together. I’ll keep you safe I promise.” Alison’s eyes were red as she slowly moved away.

“It’s not safe for me in Rosewood- A isn’t the only one out to get me. I just don’t know who to trust.”

“So trust me okay?” she gestured at the two of them, “Trust this. Trust the girls too- Aria, Spencer-”

“I know I can trust you Em, but I don’t know about the others- that night,” she looks away now, and stares at the floor. Maybe she’s overcome with emotion, or maybe she’s hiding her smirk, Emily thinks to herself. “I don’t want to talk about it.” So it’s the latter. And Emily wants to scream at her, wants to demand answers, wants to push her up against the couch and show her just how much Emily missed her. But she doesn’t.

“So don’t, tell us when you’re ready,” Emily finds herself giving in and feels the power shift back to Alison, the other girl was already reading her like a book- relearning how to use her. “But you have to come home Alison, it’s not safe for you on the run either. If A attacked you out there we’d have no way to protect you. At least here-” both girls tense as they hear a key moving in the lock. Alison looks stricken then glares at Emily.

“You told didn’t you!” she accuses her voice only a harsh whisper.

“No I swear I didn’t I-” Pam fields walks through the door and Emily turns away from Alison. “Mom?” She turns back to Alison and realizes the girl has disappeared.

“I caught an earlier flight,” her mom grins, “and guess what!” Wayne comes through the door and Emily can’t stop herself from lighting up.

“Dad!” She runs up and hugs him, then her mom, then both of them, she doesn’t realize she’s crying until her mom hands her a tissue.

“Were you just sitting alone on the couch?” He asks, his voice jovial.

“I guess so,” Emily says, thoughts returning to Alison, who’s probably running into the woods right now,

“My the house looks nice,” her mom comments and sets her bags down. She walks to the kitchen and opens the fridge. “But why didn’t you go shopping today?”

[yawnjockey]

The Ali Pregnant storyline is a rape one. It's really getting under my skin how so many people aren't speaking about it, Alison has not once consented to having Emily's eggs or AD's sperm in her. When will people stop glorying this???

So, sometimes... I forget that not everyone follows the same blogs I do, and has the same conversations I do. And I’m not always thinking in that light when I post stuff. But, to be fair, it would be tedious to keep posting disclaimers on every post that I am, in fact, a woke woman who fully recognizes 110% that this show is a walking, talking problematic fav. Cause it is really, a ball of patriarchal evil, isn’t it? No matter how they slice it. 

But, to the point... Yes. You are ABSOLUTELY right! There is no where that this story goes, that isn’t sending a terrible message. And, way back in 1947 when 7x10 aired, that conversation was already happening. We have rehashed how bad this is, so many times, that I couldn’t imagine their being more to say.

But, we probably should keep saying it, because I think the shock and horror over this story line have melted into a casual acceptance. We’re just waiting to see WHICH terrible story they’re going to give us. It’s a soap opera trope, and no matter what they do, they can’t take it back.

So, let’s break it down. Let’s look at all of the ways this is a no win situation. 

1.Ali was impregnated with Emily’s eggs.

2.The father is A.D.

3. The father is Peter Hastings, or... god, any # of incestuous possibilities. 

Any one or combination of the above would certainly end in shock factor. But it also would mean that this baby is the result of rape. forced pregnancy, non consensual insemination... rape, rape, rape. And here it is, Ali is a victim, again.

4. Ali is lying, and is not pregnant. 

Even I have said this, fully aware of what an issue it would be. Because, all the evidence from past seasons points to one of two options. Either Ali is a victim time and time again, and rises to fight out of it....or she’s a steely liar. 

I find Ali to be unbelievably suspect. Her stories just don’t add up, and ... she seems too clever to end up this kind of victimized over and over again. But... hey... so does Spencer, but here we are.

IF Ali is lying, it sends a terrible current throughout her entire story that says “Don’t trust a girl/woman when she says that she’s been assaulted. You don’t know what kind of motive she could have. Don’t trust that she’s pregnant until you see that ultrasound, and even then, you better be in the room when that happens.”

It implies exactly what the rest of this show does. That females are shifty and will hide their true intentions at any cost. They’ll lie to get the guy/ get the girl, they’ll lie for money, they’ll lie for power. BUT. The show does have “liars” in the title. So in this show’s environment, its a bit of a foregone conclusion that no one should be trusted. Male or female. 

5. The baby is Archer’s, and is the product of unprotected sex or a general accident. NOT the product of deception on Archer’s part. (I.E. he pulled off the condom, etc.)

In general, this is the best case scenario, and it’s still... awful. Because she is literally carrying the child of her own personal villain. Not only did Archer lie to her about who he was, he tricked into thinking she was losing her mind, and stole her money. She fell in love with a lie, and if that doesn’t hurt... man, I don’t even know what would. 

Every time Ali thinks of her baby, she’ll see the lie. It will, undoubtedly, taint her way of interacting with them. The Child will never know their father, and what Ali does know to tell them is a lie.  

There is NO way for this story to end that isn’t some type of heartbreaking. Whether it breaks Ali’s heart, or Emily’s, or ours. 

So... on to the glorification. It’s weird, right? Like the people who are just so excited because now Em and Ali can have a little baby to raise. I mean... it’s fucked up, right? Sure, they might get together and start a family... but at what cost? Why celebrate that? 

I guess it’s a silver lining in a dark cloud kind of situation? That’s kind of how I feel. No matter where this story goes, it was a tragic mistake to begin with... so, as someone who enjoys a BAD story (I’m talking B movies, and grindhouse kinda stuff) just because it is bad... I’m just waiting to see how bad it’ll end. 

As I said in another post... this show has passed the point of reason... there is no way for the show to end a rational note. So now I’m just waiting to see exactly how far they can jump the shark this time. For me, the more ridiculous this show is, the better. 

I posted that quote of Troian, where she says (I’m summarizing), “When we got to the dollhouse episode, I realized that on the surface this looked like a teen soap, but underneath it’s really this”. And that’s what i’m here for. I’m here for what’s underneath. I hope the ending of this show helps to put these crimes in perspective.

And while I think it’s extremely important to talk about and acknowledge everything that’s sooo wrong about the society perpetuated in this show... I feel that looking to this show for a decent portrayal of females, is like looking to the Saw movies for non violent conflict resolution. 

I hope what I just wrote didn’t come across as snarky and dismissive. I really don’t want it to be, because you make an excellent and valid point. I personally have reached the point of not spending my energy condemning it though, since it’s a permanent fixture in our canon now. But it is really important for us to take the time to acknowledge that what we make allowances for in fiction, is far from acceptable in real life. Because a show with this kind of reach has a huge impact, and it would be a shame to let it normalize a crime. (Looking at you, Ezra Fitz.)

[hastingsno2-blog]

all comes tumbling down

the truth comes out

CALEB

Part of him wanted to be found out. It was a huge relief, Spencer finally coming out and rightfully accusing him of everything he'd done. He didn't even feel like he'd defended himself. She knew. It was only a matter of time before he was no longer useful and then he'd be free. And if he ran now, there was nothing Mona or her minions could really do about it. She'd already made sure he knew he was expendable. The car wreck was more than enough.

Except he knew he'd get bored. Restless. Something he never expected had taken a hold of him; Mona confessed once, in their more friendly moments, that she felt it too. There was something addicting in the game. Some kind of power that swelled within them as they pulled strings and set up a fake little world. It was part of having a secret, yes, but also there was a rush on control that nothing else had. And he liked the feeling more than he hated it.

He knew, if she'd only give it a chance, Spencer would feel it too. And with her, he could dig himself and her out of the game.

Or fall deeper into it.

She was wordless when she finally came to the Lost Woods Resort, heading immediately towards their room until he stopped her with a hand on her wrist. She pulled away, flinching and glaring, and he had to admit to himself he was hurt. And a little angry. If he'd been wrong about her, this self torment had all been for nothing. Wasted time. Wasted emotion.

“This way,” he said tensely, pointing down the string of door to the end.

There was a false lock on the front of the door, the real one a tiny latch on the side that he flicked. The small click told him the cover had been removed and his key fit into the lock easily. One of his and Mona’s collaborations.

He stood back as the door swung open, a soft light automatically coming on. Then he turned to look at Spencer who stood behind him, arms crossed over her chest in anger. But her eyes sparked curiosity.

“Well?” he said, gesturing in.

SPENCER

A month, she’d been sitting on a volcano ready to explode. Aria’s relationship with Ezra exposed to the point that he almost went to jail, Emily’s relationship with Maya destroyed once more before the girl disappeared, Hanna’s mother almost ruined and thrown in prison when the truth came out about how the two were staying afloat, and Spencer’s family in turmoil about the very real possibility that Spencer was adopted.

A was getting scarier, meaner, more vindictive and the only reason she had stayed silent was because she needed to know. Why Caleb was doing this, why he was a part of this, who is partner was.

Confronting him was terrifying and filled her with an anger she hadn’t let herself feel before. He had used her, manipulated her, tortured her and -

He said he loved her.

It made her pause, even though she knew she shouldn’t have. She should have shut him out, let him run and taken the chance to take the A operation down entirely. As angry as she was, she was hurt, upset.

Broken hearted.

So she showed up at the Lost Woods, a little pissed off, a little sulky, and followed him in. The room he opened was as intriguing as it was horrifying: pictures, all over the walls, computers running with cameras. Hanna in her bedroom, painting her nails, Aria on Ezra’s couch with a bowl of spaghetti, Emily writing down math equations in a notebook. None knew they were being watched, and when she turned around she was horrified to see her own room, empty on the screen, her throat running dry.

“You said you got rid of it,” she whispered, her eyes glued to the screen. Maybe he had - it was a different angle, from her bedside table instead of her desk, but there it was. “You said it was gone.”

CALEB

“It was,” he said. He'd been following her closely, silently. “Every now and then another one pops up. I disable it within a day but it keeps coming back. And I can't tell who's putting it there. Could be anybody.”

“Could be any- how many of you are there?” she gaped, turning to glare at him. And then that didn't seem to be enough for her, so she pushed him away instead. Then stepped forward and did it again until his hip hit one of the desk, spare bits of electronics smattering about.

She reached to push him again, but he caught her wrists, holding them down in front of her. Between them. And she didn't really fight him, just continued to glare.

“I don't know,” he admitted. “We’re not allowed to know. I'll bet most of them don't know A.”

“But you do,” she whispered. “You do and you won't tell me. You won't tell me!”

“I can't!”

“Why? Because you killed Ian? Because you're being blackmailed?” she argued. “Don't you get it? If you tell me, I can end this. I can end everything. The cops will know and it'll stop. And it'll be self defense for you, I know we could make that work. But it had to stop and you have to tell me!”

She was screaming by the end, only stopping because he'd put his hand over her mouth. And she squirmed, her teeth digging into his hand until his skin gave way to her sharp bite. Probably bleeding.

“Be quiet,” he warned, still covering her mouth as she tried to get away from him. And it was a pathetic struggle that ending with her pressed against the wall. Trapped with him. Chest heaving.

“I told you I'd show you what I know but you have to stop screaming and pay attention. That's the only way out now.”

SPENCER

She quieted down, but she was still angry, still upset. Didn’t he trust her? Didn’t he think she could know? She hadn’t told anyone about his involvement. She could, potentially, do the same for the A behind everything, if there was a good reason.

“Then tell me,” she hissed, and he sighed, letting go of her enough just to lay a hand on her waist, to pull her to the center of the room, to point out things she’d missed. Binders on the wall, organized by topic: all the girls, Alison, even their families and significant others, ones labeled ‘budget’ and ‘payroll’, a filing cabinet full of even more she was sure.

He finally let go of her enough to let her explore, fingers reaching out to touch pictures, pausing in front of one of the two of them. Caleb pressing her against the back wall of her garage, her face flushed even in black and white, his hidden against her throat.

“They were watching,” she whispered, and she felt Caleb come up behind her, the heat of his body radiating against her back. He didn’t touch her, and she didn’t lean back.

“Yeah,” he said, probably worried she’d start screaming again.

But she didn’t, simply turned to look at something else; a computer running with a copy of all their cell phones, one mysteriously missing contact from Spencer’s.

“How come my texts with you aren’t here?” She asked, whirling around to face him, his face blushing slightly.

“I, uh, blocked it. From showing up. My phone’s protected but one night when you were sleeping, I managed that. To try and keep us - it a little safer.”

Spencer let out a small ‘hmm’, turning back to look deeper. She should have felt dirty, wrong, but it was almost...interesting to see what her friends were talking about. How they thought about Spencer, what they said about her when she wasn’t there.

Her eyes prickled with unshed tears, but she blinked them away.

“So what do you do, then,” she asked, refusing to look at him as she scanned Hanna’s phone. “For A.”

CALEB

He was protecting her, in the only ways he could, and he hoped she could see that. Even if it was just a glimpse. Because if she did, then maybe she'd also see that it turned his stomach to see photographs of them that he had no explanation for. That he succeeded in blocking her phone but couldn't keep everything blocked.

“I schedule texts sometimes, he admitted. “And in the beginning, I was a little more hands on. I set pranks up, sent letters and notes. Installed cameras and microphones. Siphoned gas out of Hanna’s car a few times. Took Emily’s bike. But lately it's just been… information and like, maintenance.”

“Maintenance?”

“Making sure the cameras are working. The texts are being sent. Reporting back the things I overhear. Especially reactions. Lately they've been loving those.”

“Stop saying they,” Spencer snapped. “You know who it is. So say it.”

Caleb opened his mouth to say it but the name just wouldn't come out. He'd thought about it a thousand times. Mona. Mona. Mona. It's Mona Vanderwall. She's A. But he couldn't betray her like that. He used to think it was just loyalty to Hanna, knowing it would kill her to know it was her best friend torturing her. But his loyalty wasn't just tethered to Hanna. Or Spencer. Like it or not, in her own twisted way, Mona cared for him. And took care of him.

“I can't,” he said and Spencer headed for the door. So again he caught her by the arm. Turned her around to him. “But I will talk to them. I'll convince them to talk to you.”

“No! You tell me know or I leave.”

He shook his head, trying to hold onto her. If he could just tell her, she'd believe him. She'd stay. And if she stayed, he could help her. He could help them all but she was the important one. And if he did enough to dismantle the game, maybe he could help Mona too.

A slow clap startled them both and he turned to see Mona in her black hoodie, smiling at them.

“Good job, Spencer,” Mona laughed, shutting and locking the door behind her. “Very convincing. But he'd never give me up.”

“Mona?” Spencer whispered, clearly surprised.

“The one and only,” Mona said, walking over to Caleb and sliding her hand to the back of his neck. “It's time you understand something. You may have him now, annoyingly enough. But our boy has a type. And before he was yours, he was mine.”

And Mona kissed him.

SPENCER

It was a nightmare come to life; Mona coming out of the shadows, touching Caleb intimately, and Spencer almost blacked out when she wrapped a hand around his neck, pulled him down. It made Spencer nauseous, her stomach churning and even though she could see his eyes on her instead of Mona, she could also see him kissing her back.

Like it was something he was used to.

Like it was something he wanted.

“No,” was her anguished whisper. This was worse, somehow, than seeing him kiss Hanna, than watching them kiss and touch between classes. This made her skin crawl, and she was almost sure she was dying inside.

“Oh, yes,” Mona grinned, almost giddy. “You were so close, Spencer. You had it figured out, once, and then I came up with the perfect plan - for Caleb to text me when I was with you guys. You were floored, but you knew. You already knew about Caleb.”

“Why are you doing this to us?” Spencer whispered, and the laugh that came out of Mona chilled her to the core. Caleb couldn’t even seem to do anything, his hand on the back of his neck as he looked uncomfortably towards the floor. Coward, she wanted to snap, but her mouth stayed silent.

“Because! It’s fun, Spencer. Watching you all squirm like mice under my fingertips, sending you all into hysteria. Every time you think you and Caleb are alone, I’m there. And one day I’m going to expose you both to Hanna, and then she’ll be mine, just mine -”

It was Spencer’s turn to laugh, strangled as she stepped backwards, hitting a wall behind her. “Hanna’s going to loathe you,” she snapped, and she could see Mona’s confidence waver for just a second. “She’ll throw you in prison and leave you to rot.”

“Spencer - “

Caleb’s voice was a warning, and she turned on him, pushing herself forward just enough to slap him across the face.

“You are a fucking liar,” she seethed, pushing him while Mona just watched, amused; “you used me, spied on me, told me you loved me, and you’re fucking Mona the entire time? You better fucking run, Caleb Rivers, because I’ll tell the cops everything.”

CALEB

He expect the slap. He just thought it would have happened a lot sooner. What actually surprised him was the pain he felt when Spencer accused him of fucking Mona. Something he hadn't done for months except for the brief period of time Spencer had told him no more. And he hated that she thought that. Hated that Mona didn't even try to correct her. Not that he really expected her to.

“Stop,” he said as Spencer tried to push past him again. “No, wait. Stop Spencer. I haven't been with her in months-”

“Like I believe a word you say-”

“Oh my god, does it matter?” Mona snapped, irritated as she pushed past them both and swiveled a chair around, slamming it to the back of Spencer's knees until she was forced to sit. To spin around and face Mona.

“You're not going to the cops, Spencer,” Mona said. “Because if you do, I'll tell them all about the bloody shovel buried in your backyard.”

“Don't threaten her,” Caleb snapped, putting himself between Mona and Spencer.

“That's hilarious,” Mona smiled. “That's what we’re doing here, Caleb.”

“Mona, come on,” he said as she walked to her desk opening a drawer and fiddling with something inside it. “End this. Just stop.”

“I can't,” she said, still not looking at him. And it kind of broke his heart a little. He knew Mona only at her worst but he wasn't lying when he told Spencer things had changed. Mona had been calculated before. Now she was sloppy. Making mistakes. Losing it.

“I'm ending this,” Spencer said, standing up and as she stalked to the door, Mona threw a paperweight at her. Hitting the wall. Shattering.

“No one is ending anything!”

“You're crazy-”

“Stop!” he yelled before turning to Spencer. Who flinched from him again. “Please just let me- give me two minutes and we'll walk out of here. Together okay?”

“I'm not going anywhere with you.”

“It's the only choice you have,” he replied and then turned to Mona.

“This isn't what I signed up for,” he said and she shook her head, her eyes getting wider and wider. “You're losing control. I want out.”

“Are you an idiot?” Mona scoffed, leaning heavily against the table. “I haven't been in control for a long time. There's no getting out, Caleb. For any of us.”

SPENCER

The news seemed to stun Caleb as much as it stunned Spencer. If Mona wasn’t in control, it meant someone else was. That there were more people involved, all of them calculating their next moves, all of them with some strange vendetta against four teenage girls.

Us.

That hit Spencer harder than anything else. She was a part of this now, on both sides. And as Mona pulled out Spencer’s file, throwing it to her so she could see just what they had on her right there, she knew she was stuck.

She couldn’t go to the police, not with how they’d already circled around them, with the very real possibility that she’d been the one to kill Ali in the first place. And A - Mona, Caleb, others - had compiled quite the file to frame her if she hadn’t. The prescriptions, the personal notes from her therapist, concerned letters from the school to her parents about her anger, her aggression, her competitiveness. How she was a danger to herself, to others.

There was a birth certificate, an original, and Spencer’s mothers name wasn’t on it.

The tears didn’t stop after that and she slipped right off the chair she was on to the floor, Caleb coming over to hold her as she sobbed. Mona, to her credit, didn’t say anything more, simply took the chair for herself and watched Hanna on her computer.

Us.

Would keeping quiet even keep her safe? The only guarantee that Spencer wouldn’t spill would be to be on the team herself, and even then who was to say? And she’d have to inflict pain on her friends, misery and heartache, and she couldn’t back out.

There was no real out. Not for any of them.

At some point, she must have exhausted herself from crying and stress, waking up in the room she and Caleb normally shared, his arm slung over her hip and a black hoodie on the chair next to them. A small note was attached, and Spencer moved silently through the dim light of daybreak to read it, her heart chilling even with the new signature.

Welcome to the team, xoxo, Mona

[alwaysjaimee]

1-100 ;)

wow alright!!

1) Sexuality?

Straight

2) If you could meet anyone on this earth, who would it be?

Alison Sudol, Emily Blunt, Taylor Swift, Emma Watson

3) Grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 23, give me line 17.

‘forehead. If it hadn’t been for Voldemort, Harry would still….’ - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - J.K. Rowling

4) What do you think about most?

Everything. Anything I can stress or worry about mostly 

5) What does your latest text message from someone else say?

its the crying face emoji…

6) Do you sleep with or without clothes on?

with Pjs

7) What’s your strangest talent?

um I don’t even know tbh

8) Girls…. (finish the sentence); Boys…. (finish the sentence)

uh 

‘Girls can conquer the world’

‘Boys can drive you insane’

LOL

9) Ever had a poem or song written about you?

Not that I know about

10) When is the last time you played the air guitar?

prob yesterday in the car to annoy my friend 

11) Do you have any strange phobias?

I don’t think any of them are necessarily strange… Although I have a fear of Hyenas yet there are none anywhere near me or have I ever really been around any…

12) Ever stuck a foreign object up your nose?

I don’t think so..

13) What’s your religion?

technically atheist. but I do think there is a god out there

14) If you are outside, what are you most likely doing?

Reading or hanging out with friends or my dog

15) Do you prefer to be behind the camera or in front of it?

I like both

16) Simple but extremely complex. Favorite band?

A Fine Frenzy. That counts as a band right?

17) What was the last lie you told?

Im not actually sure

18) Do you believe in karma?

Yeah a little

19) What does your URL mean?

‘Always’ is from Harry Potter and ‘Jaimee’ is my name

20) What is your greatest weakness; your greatest strength?

I think my greatest weakness is; animals (

I think my greatest strength is; my judge of character

21) Who is your celebrity crush?

Eddie Redmayne and Zac Efron

22) Have you ever gone skinny dipping?

nope

23) How do you vent your anger?

many ways. Song writing, dart throwing, crying and sleeping etc. depending on the situation also bottling it up for later

24) Do you have a collection of anything?

I have a collection of snow globes and keyrings from places I’ve been. I also have a few Pop Vinyls. I also collect all the movie tickets and concert tickets that I’ve attended.

25) Do you prefer talking on the phone or video chatting online?

Depends on the person

26) Are you happy with the person you’ve become?

sort of. I don’t think Im fully to the point I want to be just yet

27) What’s a sound you hate; sound you love?

Hate; Balloons popping, scrapping of forks/spoons on plates, nails on a chalkboard etc

Love; waves crashing against the shore, pianos, acoustic guitars, laughter etc

28) What’s your biggest “what if”?

‘What if I had the courage to do that’

29) Do you believe in ghosts? How about aliens?

yes to a degree

30) Stick your right arm out; what do you touch first? Do the same with your left arm.

right arm; Book

Left arm; Pillow

31) Smell the air. What do you smell?

The coconut ‘Victoria Secret mist’ I sprayed earlier

32) What’s the worst place you have ever been to?

um idk

33) Choose East Coast or West Coast?

of America? or Australia? 

America; Seen the West Coast, not the East so ill go with East

Australia: East

34) Most attractive singer of your opposite gender?

Voice wise Michael Buble

35) To you, what is the meaning of life?

Love. Family and Friends

36) Define Art.

Everything. The essence of the world. A way to make everything okay, even for a little while

37) Do you believe in luck?

sort of 

38) What’s the weather like right now?

coldish

39) What time is it?

1:55am

40) Do you drive? If so, have you ever crashed?

Yes I do drive. NO I haven’t crashed 

41) What was the last book you read?

Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban 

42) Do you like the smell of gasoline?

sort of

43) Do you have any nicknames?

Scout

44) What was the last movie you saw?

Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them

45) What’s the worst injury you’ve ever had? 

cracked my head open

46) Have you ever caught a butterfly?

Ive had them land on me but not ‘caught’ them

47) Do you have any obsessions right now?

Im low key obsessed with Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them

48) What’s your sexual orientation?

straight

49) Ever had a rumor spread about you?

yes

50) Do you believe in magic?

Yes. Makes you believe anything is possible. 

‘Without even the possibility of magic, you’ll never find it’

51) Do you tend to hold grudges against people who have done you wrong?

If what they did was bad enough, then yes

52) What is your astrological sign?

Aries

53) Do you save money or spend it?

spend. but if I have something to save for I’m generally quite good

54) What’s the last thing you purchased?

a birthday present for a friend and face wash (riveting I know)

55) Love or lust?

Love

56) In a relationship?

not right now

57) How many relationships have you had?

none that were very important 

58) Can you touch your nose with your tongue?

nope

59) Where were you yesterday?

Out for lunch and shopping with one of my friends

60) Is there anything pink within 10 feet of you?

my slippers, iPad, pillow, lamp and a box

61) Are you wearing socks right now?

Nope

62) What’s your favorite animal?

Dog

63) What is your secret weapon to get someone to like you?

humor/wit/sarcasm

64) Where is your best friend?

at her house asleep

65) Spit or swallow?

LOL

66) What is your heritage?

Australian, New Zealand, English, Irish, Scottish

67) What were you doing last night at 12 AM?

Watching Youtube videos

68) What do you think is Satan’s last name?

um wtf

69) Be honest. Ever gotten yourself off?

some questions just shouldn’t be asked

70) Are you the kind of friend you would want to have as a friend?

I think so

71) You are walking down the street on your way to work. There is a dog drowning in the canal on the side of the street. Your boss has told you if you are late one more time you get fired. What do you do?

Save the dog. Couldn’t live with that guilt. If your boss still fires you after that, they’re not a good person to work for

72) You are at the doctor’s office and she has just informed you that you have approximately one month to live. a) Do you tell anyone/everyone you are going to die? b) What do you do with your remaining days? c) Would you be afraid?

a) Thats hard. I think maybe? but then thats a lot to put onto someone

b) Spend as much time with everyone as possible. See nature, read, try new foods etc

c) To an extent, hell yes

73) You can only have one of these things; trust or love.

GAH THATS HARD. 

love. if someone really loves you they will strive for your trust and vis versa

74) What’s a song that always makes you happy when you hear it?

‘Blow Away’ A Fine Frenzy

75) What are the last four digits in your cell phone number?

HA

76) In your opinion, what makes a great relationship?

Trust, love, communication

77) How can I win your heart?

Being genuine, funny, kind hearted and trustworthy

78) Can insanity bring on more creativity?

honestly it can

79) What is the single best decision you have made in your life so far?

moving on

80) What size shoes do you wear?

between a 9-10

81) What would you want to be written on your tombstone?

something like 

‘family and friend. kind to everyone’ or something

82) What is your favorite word?

Serendipity

83) Give me the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word; heart.

break

(darker than I would have thought)

84) What is a saying you say a lot?

‘bless’ and ‘anyway’

85) What’s the last song you listened to?

‘Lifesize’ - A Fine Frenzy

86) Basic question; what’s your favorite color/colors?

Purple, blue, light green/pastel green, pink, black

87) What is your current desktop picture?

iMac; Golden Gate Bridge at sunset surrounded by cloud

Laptop; Yosemite with a pink/purple sky

Phone; Me and my friend before she left to move to London

88) If you could press a button and make anyone in the world instantaneously explode, who would it be?

wow. um no one. well I mean, no one Im actually gonna write…

89) What would be a question you’d be afraid to tell the truth on?

hmm thats tough

90) One night you wake up because you heard a noise. You turn on the light to find that you are surrounded by MUMMIES. The mummies aren’t really doing anything, they’re just standing around your bed. What do you do?

scream and cry without a doubt

91) You accidentally eat some radioactive vegetables. They were good, and what’s even cooler is that they endow you with the super-power of your choice! What is that power?

Telekinesis 

92) You can re-live any point of time in your life. The time-span can only be a half-hour, though. What half-hour of your past would you like to experience again?

probably something with my parents when I was younger. Like a party or game night or something like that. 

93) You can erase any horrible experience from your past. What will it be?

the stuff that happened in 2012

94) You have the opportunity to sleep with the music-celebrity of your choice. Who would it be?

Does Zac Efron count? 

95) You just got a free plane ticket to anywhere. You have to depart right now. Where are you gonna go?

London

96) Do you have any relatives in jail?

Not that Im aware of

97) Have you ever thrown up in the car?

I don’t think actually in the car. but outside the door, yes

98) Ever been on a plane?

Yep

99) If the whole world were listening to you right now, what would you say?

STOP HATING ON EACH OTHER. ACCEPT EACH OTHER. HATRED AND ANGER DOESNT SOLVE ANYTHING. WE ARE ALL HUMAN. WE ALL BREATHE THE SAME, BLEED THE SAME, DREAM THE SAME. NO ONE IS BETTER THAN SOMEONE ELSE SIMPLY BECAUSE OF THEIR GENDER, RACE, SEXUALITY OR ANYTHING ELSE. STOP KILLING EACH OTHER, STOP BULLYING EACH OTHER. LET PEOPLE LOVE WHO THEY WANT. HELP PEOPLE, DONT HURT PEOPLE. PROTECT EACH OTHER. BE KIND TO EACH OTHER. BE KIND TO ANIMALS. PROTECT ANIMALS. PROTECT NATURE. BE KIND TO OUR PLANET, ITS THE ONLY ONE WE’VE GOT

yep basically.