The last update...

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Emily's room is filled with the sound of giggling as she and Alison roll around her bed in their underwear. They lay on her mattress, leaving fleeting touches against each other's skins. The sound coming from Alison's mouth evolves into a gasp after the brunette unclasps her bra and brushes her hand against the pale skin of the blonde's breast.

Alison arches at her touch, her hips lifting off the bed making it all that easier for Emily to slide the shorter girl's panties off.

Before she can properly worship the blonde, the athlete finds herself on her back as Alison hovers above her, effectively shifting the air of amusement into one of rampant desire. Bright blues drift back and forth from her chocolate brown eyes to her mouth. The predatory look in the runaway's eyes causes heat to pool between Emily's legs. She should be somewhat used to having Alison look at her like that, especially since they've been doing this a lot lately, but as Emily stares into those normally bright blues she finds they've darkened with a near animalistic look. Her heart pounds in anticipation, knowing somehow she's in for quite a ride.

The blonde doesn't waste any time as she rids the taller girl of her bra and captures the brunette's breast between her lips. Emily can feel the unbridled yearning in Alison's kisses. She feels the blonde's urgency with each stroke as the runaway's hand moves from her bosom, trailing down her stomach, before reaching the waist band of her panties. She pulls them off swiftly.

Alison doesn't ask for permission as she slips inside the athletic brunette. Emily releases a breathy moan at the unexpected yet completely welcome intrusion.

Suddenly she finds herself incapable of thinking as Alison free hand guides her leg to hook around the shorter girl's waist. She wraps her legs around the blonde whose mouth seems to be everywhere, nibbling and kissing with the intent on setting Emily's body ablaze with passion.

The runaway's lifted the swimmer's hips off the mattress as her fingers continue to disappear into the intoxicating crevice of Emily's womanhood.

She comes undone, thankful that Alison's has the forethought to swallow her screams by pressing their mouths together in a breathtaking kiss. Even though she hasn't had the chance to catch her breath, Emily knows the blonde isn't quite done.

The runaway's fingers are still inside of her, reaching deep within, as if they intended to touch her soul. She bites her mouth to keep herself from screaming when she feels Alison's thumb beginning to circle her clitoris. The blonde's also taken her nipple in her mouth, her tongue flicking with the right amount of pressure as she tastes the sweetness of Emily's skin. It doesn't take long for the brunette to reach the peak of ecstasy.

Emily takes the time to collect herself and her thoughts. Usually Alison's touches are halting, filled with hesitation, as they silently ask if the athlete wants to continue.

It strikes her, how throughout the course of their relationship she's been the one instigating these little entanglements. Alison's been a bit uncertain of her actions not only because she's never been with a girl but because she's seeking for the brunette's approval, Emily realizes. But it seems the blonde has regained her confidence. So far Emily's always been on top but that doesn't mean Alison will always be bottom.

"That was," Emily searches her brain for an apt description but finds her brain has been turned to mush.

Alison watches the rise and fall of the brunette's chest. She can't help but admire the work she's done as brown eyes look at her, satisfaction clear in her chocolate colored depths. The blonde finds herself leaning in and placing a chaste kiss on the brunette's lips.

"I wasn't too rough was I?" they separate allowing Alison to get a better view of all her accomplishments. Her fingers trace the bite mark placed on the part of Emily's neck which meets her shoulder. Her touch is rewarded by a shake of the head and a dazed reassuring smile. She sees the curiosity clouding Emily's chocolate colored depths. "I'm not going to lie," Alison begins to satiate the brunette's interest. "I'm still a little turned on from watching you fight for my life and all that." she says, effectively answering the question where all this is coming from.

"I understand." Emily replies with a smile. "I was more than a little turned on when you were defending me against Hanna." she confesses, knowing her cheeks are probably as red as a tomato.

"Oh?" the blonde's eyes sparkle with mischief. "Show me."

The swimmer finds herself rejuvenated by the simple request. The brunette straddles the blonde quickly before pressing their lips together. She fully intends on showing her just how much she appreciated Alison's chivalrous actions.

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Emily's hand pats the cold empty space beside her. Realizing she's alone in bed, the brunette sits up on her mattress. Her eyes struggle to get accustomed to the darkness that's enveloping her room but as soon as they've adjusted to the lack of light she sees the golden haired runaway standing in one of her oversized button ups by her shelf.

The soft moonlight cascades from the windows enveloping Alison and Emily can't help but marvel at how ethereal the blonde looks, with the light radiating around her body.

That and the pensive expression on the runaway's face draws Emily out of the bed. She walks over to the blonde and slips her arms around the shorter girl's waist. Alison leans into her embrace, pressing her back against the athlete's front and Emily sees what's got the blonde looking so thoughtful.

Emily sees the snow globe the blonde gave the day she disappeared in Alison's hands. She puts her chin on the runaway's shoulder.

"What's on your mind?" she asks.

"I'm glad you kept this." Alison smiles gratefully. "I wasn't sure you would." in all honesty, a part of her had been afraid that the brunette would have hurled it against her room.

"Why wouldn't I?" Emily finds the idea of throwing away anything from Alison absurd.

"I read your letter." she reminds. "I know how much I hurt you." it never occurred to Emily that the runaway gave her the gift as an apology. "You have every right to be upset, to be furious at me, for all that I've put you through." the regret weighing her tone further convinces the brunette of how much the blonde has evolved.

"I haven't forgotten but that doesn't mean I haven't forgiven you." because now she understands the runaway's motives.

Pushing her away was Alison's way of protecting her, of saving both of them. They were so young, so inexperienced with love and pain. Alison didn't know the meaning of loyalty. She knew nothing of sacrifice, of love. She'd have taken everything Emily had to give for granted. And the brunette would have blindly given everything she could to the blonde back then, saving nothing for herself.

She recalls their conversation the day Alison attempted to get her to break up with Ben. The blonde had been trying to get her to stand up for what she wants.

"I wasn't lying when I told you my grandmother gave this to me." she starts as she steps away from Emily's arms. She grasps the brunette's hands and proceeds to guide her toward the bench by the window. Emily sits and is pleasantly surprised when Alison straddles her legs. The blonde sits on the swimmer's lap, hands cradling the snow globe safely. "It was my favorite snow globe." she professes. "I know it looks simple but," they glance at the snow globe in her hands before meeting each other's gaze. "I was six years old and my parents were always arguing so they thought it'd be a good idea to send me to my grandmother's." Alison recalls with a fond smile on her face. "She led me into her study to show me all the things she'd been collecting since she was a little girl," she remembers the room, filled with antiquities aside from snow globes. "She saw me looking at this particular snow globe and told me a story about the girl inside the globe." the old Alison would have found the story ridiculously sappy but now, the blonde appreciates her time with her grandmother. "About how all the girl ever wanted was to be able to fly." she smiles. "So the bird told her, if she could reach her without climbing the tree, she'd carry on her back and together they'd fly away to wherever the little girl wanted." Emily hangs onto her every word. "Every chance I got, I'd sneak into that room and shake the globe." Alison admits with a timid smile. "I couldn't stop shaking it, thinking that maybe if I shook hard enough the girl will reach the bird perched up on the tree."

"Alison," the brunette breathes, trying to calm her beating heart.

She takes in the sight of the blonde. Alison's dressed in nothing but one of her button up shirts with her hair tousled and her face vacant of make-up. It isn't the first time she's seen her in this state of undress. But it is the first time she's seen the blonde look so vulnerable and honest, so willing to share her hopes and dreams.

To Emily, she's never looked more beautiful than she does now as she sits atop the brunette, naked and exposed as she wears her heart on her sleeve for Emily to see.

The blonde holds onto the object from her childhood memory with a tenderness that displays just how much the snow globe means to her. Emily watches as Alison places the snow globe beside them and once her hands were free, she grabs the brunette's hands and clasps their fingers together.

"I couldn't give you my heart back then," Alison whispers. "So I settled for giving you a reminder of my innocence instead."

She guides the athlete's hands to her chest and the brunette gasps as she feels the wild beating of Alison's heart. And Emily understands. The snow globe is a remnant of the runaway's past that had been untouched by lies. It came from a time where the blonde was filled with hope, blissfully unaware of cruel realities which shaped the formation of her cold persona.

Alison had wanted to give her the last, possibly the only, tangible proof that there was a time when she had virtue inside her.

"I," Emily's words are interrupted.

"I couldn't give you my heart back then," Alison repeats her earlier words. "Because I wasn't sure I had one." she confesses, knowing her incapacity for love. "But now I know," bright blues shine with such earnest affection. "I can give you my heart," she speaks softly and Emily can feel the back of her eyes burning. "I can give you all of me, Emily." and the runaway whispers the truth she thought she'd never be able to speak, the words that the swimmer never thought she'd hear.

Emily doesn't trust her voice so instead, she gazes up onto those bright blue depths. She slides one hand to the small of Alison's back as the other cups the blonde's cheek.

Their lips meet in a gentle kiss, one that does more to reassure each other. It's filled with acceptance, with hopes of overcoming trials and tribulations, with promises of a brighter future. It's filled with all the regret and sorrow they've spent years accumulating. Most of all, it's filled with all the love and forgiveness Alison's spent most of her years believing she has no right to have.

"It's only fair since you've always had me." Emily divulges the simple truth.

Even if A hadn't existed, she realizes she'd still be by the runaway's side, willingly allowing herself to remain in Alison's clutches because unlike the other girls their friendship was genuine for Emily and it dawns on her that the blonde probably feels the same. They didn't have a mentor apprentice relationship like Hanna and Alison did. Nor did they bond over boys and clothes like the blonde did with Aria. They certainly didn't possess a twisted Frenemy relationship designed on keeping each other on their toes like Spencer and Alison did.

Their friendship had been easy to form because it wasn't based on need and want like the others. Alison had no use for Emily seeing as they met before the athlete could even muster up the courage to look at other people, let alone other girls.

Looking back on it, she recognizes the sincerity between their interactions. Whenever they were alone, Alison never offered a snarky remark. Neither did she make demands and boss her around. When they were alone together, the blonde let her façade fall, even if only for a bit. The runaway did that because she felt safe around Emily. Neither of them knew she'd end up falling so deeply in love with Alison. She smiles and warmth fills Emily's chest.

She'd believed herself to be the innocent moth to the blonde's hazardous flame. Perhaps the ice queen had been just as hopeless to avoid her melting from the heat of her fire.

She's bound to Alison and for the first time in three years, Emily can't help but think that this is her greatest accomplishment because this can only mean that the runaway was tied to her as well. Their hearts, linked together by a chain that only strengthens as they share more truths and face more trials.

They look back at the past, wondering how the hell they ever found their way to each other but are ultimately grateful they're together.

It's clear to both young women that they needed the time to grow into the people they've become. A relationship would have been difficult to maintain back then. It seems even more improbable that they'd last now that A is back. Though Alison's no longer the manipulative ice queen and Emily's no longer the spineless swimmer, A is still pulling their strings and calling the shots.

The romantic in Emily brushes off this little fact not only because she so does want her happy ending with Alison but because isn't that how every love story goes? Two characters are pitied against forces they seemingly have no control over only to find their way back to one another. The greatest love stories, ones that have stood the test of time, have lovers torn apart by a misunderstanding or a lie only to be reunited by one grand romantic, or sometimes tragic, gesture before the curtain falls or the film ends.

Girl meets girl, girl loses girl, girl finds girl and live happily ever after. That's the formula for a romance. While they know their story isn't even close to finishing since A is still loose and still has her sights on killing Alison, they can't help but bask in contentment. It's so rare for them to have these moments of solitude.

They lay tangled in each other's arms, reveling in ecstasy, celebrating the fact they have the opportunity to be living through the famed same old story.

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What do you think of my spin on the story of this epic couple?

Thank you all for supporting my fic! I'd like to thank all those that reviewed, faved, and followed. I said this is the last update because I regret to inform you that this chapter in their life is done. I am happy to say that their story is far from over!

Look forward to a sequel that's going to be posted soon!