A.N: No beta for this so all mistakes are mine.

Disclaimer: I don't own PLL.

It Is What It Is

Chapter One

-Rosewood County Court House-

- Courtroom 3-

"I'll hear the people on bail?" The judge peered over her black rimmed glasses at the attorneys present before turning her gaze on the defendant who was staring that the table in front of her, resolutely avoiding the eyes of anyone else in the courtroom.

The DA stood tall and stated firmly, "The people request remand your honor."

The Judge's eyebrow went up, "She's a seventeen year old girl, not a crime-lord counselor." There was a loud snort from the gallery and the Judge watched as the defendant flinched. The flinch was so small that you might not have seen it unless you were looking right at her.

The DA replied quickly, "She is a marked flight risk you honor. She fled after the murder of Bethany Young and returned only once she believed she'd gotten away with it. She then brutally murdered Mona Vanderwaal in an effort to further protect herself from justice while at the same time allowing one of her friends to be implicated in a murder she committed. She is a hardened, manipulative sociopath and she will flee the second she walks out of here. Her father has the resources to assure that she flees the country and has already lied about her alibi to protect her."

The Judge schooled her features as she stared at the young blonde who still refused to look up while her defense attorney snarled, "She is a seventeen year old girl. We are prepared to surrender her passport and she would be willing to consent to house arrest and an electronic monitoring bracelet."

The DA shook his head and replied back, "The people also request that she be housed in the adult population while in detention and that she be tried as an adult."

The defense attorney's face went purple, "She is a child! Your honor you cannot place her in the general population. She'll be torn apart."

The Judge could see that in just her time in lock up Alison DiLaurentis had already been given a black eye and was sporting a bruise on her arm that was a dark purple color. She tore her eyes away from the quiet figure of Alison DiLaurentis and looked at the file before her. She couldn't deny that the teen was a flight risk and with the charges she had to rule that Alison be charged and tried as an adult.

She avoided looking at the defendant again as she raised a hand, "I've heard enough. Bail is denied and the defendant is remanded into custody until trial. Due to the nature of the crimes and her age she will be remanded into the custody of the Women's State Correctional facility in West Chester*."

The defense attorney spoke, "Your honor that is a maximum security facility!"

The Judge replied flatly, "And she is charged with a two counts of murder counselor." She banged her gavel, "Bailiff take the defendant into custody, court is dismissed." The judge stood as the rest of the courtroom stood with her and did her best not to look at the blonde girl who was staring blankly over her father's shoulder as he held her tightly.

Kenneth DiLaurentis stood next to his daughter's attorney as the man moved towards the DA aggressively and all but snarled, "Samuel!"

The DA turned to face them, "Wallace..."

Albert Wallace moved until he was toe to toe with the DA and ignored the presence of Mona Vanderwaal's mother and Bethany Young's parents as he hissed, "If you refer to my client as a sociopath in open court again we will sue you for slander."

DA Samuel shrugged and replied meanly, "She is a sociopath. She's seventeen and has a body count that may include her own mother."

Kenneth surged forward and spat, "My daughter did not murder her mother!"

Wallace placed a hand on Kenneth's arm and pulled a blue folded paper from his briefcase and smacked it against the DA's chest, "You really believe she's a sociopath? Then you won't mind this."

The DA opened the envelope and Kenneth watched as his eyebrows climbed into his hair, "A 730 motion? You want her to have a psych evaluation?"

Wallace nodded even as Kenneth jerked his head to stare at him, "My daughter isn't crazy Albert, she is being set up."

Wallace turned to him, "I know Ken, but we need it on record that she isn't a sociopath." He leaned forward and muttered quietly enough that the others around them couldn't hear, "I'm also concerned about her mental state and I want to assure she isn't a danger to herself Ken."

Kenneth reared back as his face went white before he nodded and clenched his jaw, "Fine."

The DA smirked viciously before staring hard at Kenneth, "I haven't decided whether or not to charge you with aiding and abetting for your false alibi Mr. DiLaurentis, I wouldn't make myself a nuisance if I were you."

Kenneth leaned forward and demanded, "Are you threatening me?" He shook his head, "I didn't give a false statement. Alison was gone for an hour and a half on Thanksgiving day. She took my car and was gone for less than two hours. I didn't think about it and I don't make a habit of recording the times my children leave the house." He lifted his chin and added as he turned to look at Mrs. Vanderwaal, "And if he threatens me again I'll sue you for striking my daughter in full view of 30 witnesses."

The DA's face grew hard, "Mr. DiLaurentis..."

Kenneth cut him off, "Go to hell." He turned on his heel and barked as he strode away, "Albert!"

Wallace followed him at a measured pace as Kenneth growled, "Make sure that wasn't an empty threat. I'll go after that woman with both barrels is this goes much further."

Wallace shook his head, "Suing the mother of the girl your daughter is accused of killing will be a nightmare in a jury trial."

Kenneth ground to a halt and replied dangerously, "This had better not get to a trial Albert. It is bad enough that my baby girl is in prison but so help me god if this goes to trial..."

Wallace nodded slowly, "I will go over every shred of evidence myself Ken but so long as Alison refuse to give us her alibi..."

As they descended the courthouse steps a voice called after them, "Mr. DiLaurentis!"

The two men turned to face Lt. Tanner as she hurried after then.

Mr. DiLaurentis glared at her, "What the hell do you want now? Are you going to accuse my daughter of killing Kennedy now or something?"

Lt. Tanner shook her head, "Mr. DiLaurentis you said Alison was driving your car when she left on Thanksgiving?"

Kenneth nodded, "I did. She needed to go somewhere and she's a better driver than her brother."

Lt. Tanner nodded, "And where was Alison's car?"

Kenneth frowned at her, "It was in the shop."

Lt. Tanner cocked an eyebrow, "I suppose Alison was the one to take it in?"

Kenneth shook his head and snapped, "I had it towed. There was something wrong with the brakes and I didn't want Alison driving it."

Lt. Tanner stared at him for a long moment before asking, "When did you get the car back?"

Kenneth huffed, "The day after Thanksgiving."

Tanner nodded slowly, "And what was wrong with the car?"

Kenneth shrugged, "The brake line was loose and leaking fluid. The guys at the shop said it was probably a bad connection. Alison was lucky the brakes didn't give out on her completely." He stepped back and demanded, "If that's all?" He spun on his heel again and left Tanner on the steps of the courthouse staring after them with a deep-set frown in place.

-West Chester Women's Correctional Facility-*

Pam Fields was still surprised that the DA had been so harsh with Alison's bail and more surprised still that the Judge had granted the request that Alison be detained in an adult maximum security facility. She had a hard time believing that Alison was capable of brutally murdering not one but two girls despite her belief that Alison wasn't telling the truth about her disappearance. Emily's sudden lack of concern about Alison was also concerning her. Now that she knew the signs she could say that Emily had always cared more for Alison than simple friendship dictated. Now though Emily was trying almost too hard not to care about Alison and Pam was sure it wasn't healthy.

She nodded to the guard that had led her to the private visitors' room and sat slowly in the chair provided for her.

Less than a minute later the door on the other side of the room was being opened and Alison, looking smaller than she'd ever looked before, was ushered in. Pam's heart broke as she took in the cuffs clamped around Alison's wrists and ankles. Alison for her part looked up almost hopefully before her eyes settled on Pam and that hope vanished from her eyes and a blank look took it's place.

She didn't have to speak for Pam to know; she'd been hoping for Emily.

The guard leading Alison in moved to chain her to the table and Pam spoke up, "That isn't necessary."

The guard ignored her and roughly moved Alison into her chair and jerked her arms as she was locked to the table and to her chair.

Pam leaned forward and took in the new bruises littering Alison's face and arms, "Alison, sweetheart are you... who is hurting you?"

Alison shrugged a shoulder and didn't meet her eyes, "There's a group of women who don't like me." She frowned at the table, "I'm not sure why. I think I might have chosen the wrong seat my first day here."

Pam wanted nothing more than to reach forward and cup Alison chin so that the young girl would look at her but instead she spoke, "Has your father or brother come to see you?"

Alison shook her head, "My dad is too busy working with Mr. Wallace on my case since they denied my bail and Jason..." She was quiet for a moment before whispered, "Jason thinks I had something to do with my mom's death."

Pam didn't know what to say to that and she desperately wanted to reach for Alison's hand but knew she couldn't.

They sat quietly after that for a little while. Pam wanted to speak to fill the silence but didn't know how to pierce the silence after Alison's statement.

Finally Alison whispered, "You can ask me you know? I know you probably don't think I would tell you the truth but you can ask the question. My dad..." Pam swallowed as Alison blinked away the wetness in her eyes, "My dad hasn't asked the question. He just talked about how we're going to beat the charges but he wouldn't ask the question."

Pam nodded slowly before asking clearly, "Did you kill them Alison?"

Finally Alison met her gaze squarely and though her left eye was swollen and black and her lip was split she stated firmly, "No." Pam searched her face and eyes and felt something loosen in her chest as the truth settled in her bones.

Alison wasn't a murderer.

Pam nodded and replied gently, "I believe you."

A single tear leaked out of the corner of Alison's eye as the guard announced roughly, "Time's up Mrs. Fields. The prisoner's attorney is waiting outside."

Pam stood and spoke, "Ali, do your best to keep your head down alright?"

Alison nodded before speaking, "Mrs. Fields?"

Pam paused, "Yes Alison?"

Alison offered her a tiny smile as she raised her blue eyes to meet Pam's eyes squarely, "Thank you for visiting me," She bobbed her head before adding quietly, "For caring."

Pam swallowed back the tears that wanted to well as she nodded, "Take care of yourself Alison."

She turned and exited the room and met Alison lawyer waiting outside the room with the DA a few feet behind him, "Mr. Wallace."

He stared at her for a moment before nodding, "Mrs. Fields."

As he moved past her she caught his arm, "She didn't kill those girls Mr. Wallace."

His brown eyes softened as he replied gently, "I know Mrs. Fields."

She nodded firmly and brushed past the DA, fighting the urge to tell him off for going for the jugular where Alison was concerned.

Alison kept her face carefully blank as her lawyer entered the visitors' room followed closely by the DA who wore a smug look she wanted to smack off his face. She might have imagined it if she had the energy but as it stood her ribs were throbbing, her eye was nearly swollen shut, and the large bruise across her hip was aching so much she wanted to shift in her seat and she would have if it wouldn't have been seen as a sign of weakness or even guilt by the idiot DA.

Wallace took one look at her face and snarled at the guard, "I will be speaking with the warden about my client's safety after we're done here."

The guard shrugged dispassionately. Wallace took a seat next to Alison while the DA sat down across from her, draping himself in the chair like a king on a throne.

Wallace shifted so that he was leaning towards the DA and spoke harshly, "Why did you want to meet?"

DA Samuel sat up a little bit and pulled out some papers, "We'd like to offer Alison a deal, spare the Youngs and Mrs. Vanderwaal the pain of a trial."

Wallace's eyes narrowed, "A deal?"

The DA nodded, "Alison pleads guilty to two counts of second degree murder and gets fifteen to twenty-five."

Wallace stared at him before scoffing, "You call that a deal?"

The DA shrugged, "It's the best deal she's going to get Albert. We have the victim's DNA in her car. All the evidence points to Alison in both murders."

Wallace snarled, "You have dick in Bethany Young's murder."

DA Samuel smirked, "We have the fact that she ran away for two years and a lured the victim to her home the night she was killed."

Wallace shook his head, "You can't prove Alison wrote that note or even knew about Bethany Young. Two weeks ago the police were convinced that Spencer Hastings had forged the note to implicate Alison and now you've dismissed her as a suspect and turned on Alison."

Samuel ignored Wallace and spoke directly to her, "Alison... may I call you Alison?" Alison stared at him for a long moment before nodding, "Alison this deal is a gift. You will be convicted and you will get life. We can't prove premeditation so we can't go for the death penalty but you will spend the rest of your life in prison if you go to trial." He raked his eyes over her face, "And you don't want that." He smiled at her, a dark, smug quirk of the lips, "You're young Alison. Take the deal and you'll be out before you're fifty."

Alison cocked her head before leaning away as Wallace leaned towards her, "I'd like to go back to my cell please?"

The guard moved forward as the DA spoke, "Alison..."

Alison rotated her wrists as she stood before replying coldly, "I didn't kill anyone Mr. Samuel. I'm not taking a deal."

She squared her shoulders and stood straight despite the fire that burned in her ribs and let herself be escorted from the room with her head held high.

*This is not a real prison. I made it up for location purposes so that Alison would be somewhere close. Not sure exactly where Rosewood is meant to be in relation to Philly but West Chester is relatively close by.