Hi again guys! I have a confession to make; this is going to be the last chapter. After years of writing and you guys waiting, it is finally done. This feels like a good place to leave the story because a few things get resolved in this chapter. It just feels like a healthy place to leave them.

But worry not; I am in the process of writing a sequel to this story that will focus on elements of Spencer's and Emily's life in the future. So if you guys have any suggestions for things that you want to see let me know in reviews or PM's. I'm thinking engagement, weddings, family things and anything else you guys can come up with.

So I guess all I can say to you all is thank you so much for following this story and for all of your amazing reviews over the years. It has been amazing to share this experience with you and you have all made me feel about 10 feet tall with the love and support you have provided me. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

dahliaMdaria: Thank you so much for not only reading my story but almost three times. That is a massive complement.

Garcia1303: I'm glad you're so excited I'm back

: I'm glad that you appreciate the subtleties that I work hard to add in to the story. Thanks for reading.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Chapter 23:

Spencer slammed the trunk of the car with a defeated sigh, the time had finally come for her to head off on her internship to Washington DC but she couldn't think of anything she wanted to do less right now. In her rational mind she knew it was only two months and that the experience would look amazing on her CV once she graduated from college. The rational part of her mind was not the part that was working right now though, it was her loved up romantic mind that wanted nothing more than to run around the Emily's house and tell her she couldn't leave her. The swimmer wasn't here to see her off because she said she would get too emotional and give their whole relationship away to the Hastings clan who were still in the dark about it all. Instead they had their own special, private goodbye the night before. . .and the night before that.

"Have you got everything?" Veronica Hastings called as she came out of the house and fiddled with her keys and locked to door behind her.

"I think so." Spencer answered with a weak, half-hearted smile that was not fooling anyone, particularly not her mother.

Veronica made her way over to her daughter and appraised her with her warm eyes. "What's the matter love? And don't you dare say 'nothing' when you look like a toddler that has just had her chocolate milk stolen."

Spencer frowned petulantly at her mother. "I do not look like a toddler."

"No maybe not but you're certainly acting like one." The older woman chuckled as she reached out to rub her daughter's arm comfortingly. "Tell me what's wrong Spencer."

"I'm not sure I want to go to DC anymore." Spencer said as she kicked at a loose stone on their driveway, refusing to look her mother in the eye.

"Ok." Veronica began gently. "You know it's an amazing opportunity though right? One that could set you apart from the crowd when it comes to job applications. Michael Black is a fantastic lawyer you could learn more from him in a week than in a whole month of lectures."

"I know all of this Mom." Spencer almost growled as she moved away from her mother's touch to lean against the side of the car, throwing her face into her hands in exasperation. "That is why I applied for the internship in the first place. But the circumstances have changed now."

"What circumstances have changed exactly?" Veronica asked, narrowing her eyes suspiciously.

"It doesn't even matter now does it?" Spencer huffed as she closed her eyes and rubbed her temples trying to hold off the impending tension headache. "It's too late to pull out now and all of my bags are in the car. So can we just leave?"

Veronica expertly played off her daughters temper tantrum with a simple roll of her eyes. She knew that the girl's frustration wasn't really aimed at her even if she was the one taking the verbal bashing. "You've met someone." It was more of a statement than a question.

"What?" Spencer snapped her eyes opened so quickly that it made her vision swim. "Why would you say that?"

"Well I had made an assumption but you have pretty much just confirmed it" Veronica answered with the ghost of a smile tugging at her lips. "Sweetheart, I've heard you at night on the phone laughing and fooling around until all hours."

"I'm almost twenty years of age Mom." Spencer retorted. "I don't exactly have a bed time anymore."

"Spencer." Veronica said with a warning in her voice. "It was an observation not a criticism."

"Maybe I am seeing someone." Spencer tried to sound nonchalant when in reality panic was beginning to creep up her spine. "But what difference does it make? I don't understand the point you're trying to make."

"The point I am trying to make is that I'm glad that you're happy sweetie." Veronica smiled warmly at her daughter. "But don't make your world too small. I know it must be daunting to leave a relationship, particularly when it is new and exciting and. . . delicate. Just don't forget about the you in the us. This is something that you need to do for you."

Spencer looked at her mother for a few seconds; she was not the woman that she once was. The cold, distant lawyer of a few years ago was gone and had been replaced by a person who was caring and interested and present. "I know this will be good for me in the long run. That it will be amazing for my future career and probably strengthen my relationship. But everything has been so intense over the last few months I guess the thought of more upheaval and change just isn't that appealing."

Veronica moved closer and folded her daughter into a tight embrace and kissing her lightly on the cheek. "Not all change is bad change Spence."

"I know Mom, you're right." Spencer sighed as she reluctantly moved out of her mother's arms.

"I'm always right." The older woman winked. "Am I going to get any information on this mystery guy then?"

Spencer felt her palms begin to sweat at her mother's mention of a 'mystery guy'. How could she break it to her that in fact there was no mystery guy but a very familiar girl instead? "Erm. . . well. . . No, not right now." She stuttered pathetically. "Can we get moving?"

"Of course sweetheart." Veronica replied calmly, she narrowed her eyes sceptically at her daughter's evasiveness before shaking her head and making her way around to the driver's side of the car and sliding in.

The journey to the airport so far had been relatively quiet; the mother and daughter had made passing comments on the state of the traffic and how weird the weather had been over the last week or so. But they hadn't really had a conversation of substance, Spencer wasn't sure if the awkwardness came from the conversation earlier or the fact that they both wanted to express things and feelings that they weren't equipped to put words to. They had never been good at talking and expressing their feelings, clearly that was one thing that had still not changed.

"Can you put the radio on?" Spencer asked the try to quell some of the awkwardness.

"Sure sweetie." Veronica replied with a soft smile as she pressed something on the steering wheel that filled the car with quiet music.

"Thanks." Spencer sighed as she began to drum her fingers on her leg in time with the music.

They remained silent through three more songs until the familiar tune that announced the news bulletin played. Spencer sighed; she had stopped watching and listening to the news years ago. She had become too sick of seeing the faces of those that she knew and loved plastered across the headlines.

"This afternoon we bring you a developing story out of Texas."

Spencer had been about to reach over and change the channel when her attention was caught by the mention of Texas for some reason.

"We have received reports within the last hour of an armed man opening fire on a military base in the Houston area."

Spencer could feel the utter panic clawing at her chest. Emily's dad was stationed on a base in Houston.

"The base cannot be identified at this time while the situation is brought under control."

Spencer cursed under her breath and tried desperately to dig her phone out of her back pocket. She needed to speak to Emily.

"The information that we do have suggests that no one has been reported injured. But the armed man has taken one of the buildings on the military base hostage. Negotiators are on scene attempting to establish a dialogue with the, as of yet, unnamed assailant."

The more Spencer struggled to get a hold on her phone the more difficult it seemed to become. Her seatbelt was almost strangling her and at the same time stopping her from lifting herself up high enough off of her seat to get access to the device. She decided the seatbelt had to go, as soon as she unclipped it the car began chiming and beeping.

"Spencer, what the hell are you doing?" Veronica shouted in shock as she reached across her daughter to try and grab hold of her discarded seatbelt. "Put your seatbelt back on, we're on the freeway for God's sake."

"I don't give a crap Mom. I have to get to my phone." Spencer shot back at her mother in frustration as she finally negotiated her phone out of her back pocket.

"What on earth could be this important?" Veronica asked in disbelief. "And don't speak to me that way."

"I'm sorry but I have to call Emily." Spencer said as she frantically flicked through the contacts in her phone to find the swimmer's number.

"Why do you need to call Emily so desperately all of a sudden?" The older woman probed, thoroughly confused as to how her daughter had gone from virtually mute to all out panic in a matter of seconds. "Put your damn seatbelt on!"

Spencer sighed as she pinned her phone to her head with her shoulder and struggled to re-buckle her seatbelt with one hand. "Did you not hear the news? Emily's dad is stationed in Texas."

"There are tonnes of military bases in Texas Spencer. I'm sure it isn't Emily's father's base." Veronica reasoned.

"I have to make sure." Spencer said as she growled in irritation at her phone. "It's just going straight to voicemail."

"Sweetheart, everything will be fine." Veronica tried to pacify her obviously distressed daughter.

"Mom! I have to make sure." Spencer stressed as if her mother was an idiot. "I am not getting on the plane to DC until I know that everything is ok with Emily."

"Why is this so important to you? Just call Hanna or Aria and get them to check on Emily." Veronica suggested.

"Yes. Hanna." Spencer almost shouted as she began scrolling through her phone again before pressing the device to her ear and frantically whispering 'come on, come on, come on' as she listened to the dial tone.

"Hi Spence, aren't you supposed to be at the airport?" Hanna asked casually, sounding confused.

"Yeah I'm on my way now." Spencer dismissed her friend, talking a mile a minute. "Listen, have you heard from Emily?"

"Not since this morning, why?" Hanna answered with even more confusion.

Spencer grunted and punched the seat next to her, feeling entirely impotent right now being stuck in the car that was hurtling down the freeway. "Do you ever watch the news?"

"Unless there's a celebrity wedding or baby, no." Hanna said defensively. "Why are you being such a weirdo?"

"I'm being such a weirdo because a military base in Texas has been attacked and I can't get hold of Emily and no one seems to think that is a big deal." Spencer ranted in virtually one breath.

"Spence, I think that is a big deal. But you only gave me half of the information." Hanna pacified her friend. "Ok, plan of attack. I'll call the Field's house; see if I can get any joy there. You call Emily and see if she picks up this time."

"Ok." Spencer agreed in a broken voice. "Call me straight away if you hear anything Han."

"Of course I will." Hanna said as she hung up.

"Any joy?" Veronica asked tentatively.

Spencer sighed and threw her head back against the headrest screwing her eyes shut to try and hold back the tears that were threatening right now. "No, she hasn't heard from her since this morning. What am I going to do?"

"Leave it to Hanna, sweetheart." Veronica reached across and gave her daughter's knee a comforting squeeze. "She's in Rosewood, she can be more useful."

"I should be the most useful one Mom. Me. Not Hanna." Spencer snapped, looking at her mother as if she had grown an extra head.

"Hanna is Emily's friend too. She can handle this." Veronica countered. "It shouldn't be your priority right now."

Spencer scowled at her mother, frustrated that the woman had no idea what was really going on. "Emily is not just my friend and she is always my priority."

Veronica simply shook her head at what she saw as her daughters over dramatic ridiculousness and watched as the girl began feverishly typing out a message before making another call. Spencer's cheeks were getting progressively pinker as time passed and Emily didn't pick up on the other end. When the answer phone kicked in the paler girl clenched her jaw and cursed before calling another number.

"Hello?" Aria answered the phone sounding as confused as Hanna at hearing from Spencer today.

"Have you heard from Emily?" Spencer ignored all of the formal rules of conversation and jumped straight to the point.

"I. . .I text her this morning." Aria stuttered. "But not since then."

"Damn it." Spencer cursed loudly.

"Spence, what is going on?" The small girl asked; starting to sound a little panicked.

"Call Hanna, she'll explain." Spencer rushed out as she hung up. She pulled the phone away from her ear and read a text message she had received before throwing her phone into the foot well of the car. She pulled her feet up on to the seat and hugged her knees to her chest and began to cry.

"Spencer you're going to need to tell me what is really going on here. Because if this has something to do with –A again. . ." Veronica began.

"It's not about –A." Spencer cut her mother off before she could get into a full blown rant. "It's about Emily."

"Believe it or not Spencer. I had picked up on that minor detail." Veronica said sarcastically.

Spencer took a deep breath and looked at her mother whose eyes kept flicking away from the road to observe her with concern. "Emily is my girlfriend, Mom."

"As in. . .girlfriend?" Veronica stumbled unsure of how else to ask for clarification.

"As in I kiss her, I sleep with her, I am in love with her. She is my girlfriend." Spencer shot out bluntly.

Veronica took a deep calming breath and clenched her hands around the steering wheel slightly. "Why. . .why didn't you tell me Spencer?"

"I didn't know how you would react." Spencer reasoned. "Our family has always been more concerned with its image than what actually makes us all happy."

"I think after all of the skeletons that have come crashing out of our closets, this family's image is the least of our concern." Veronica replied, hurt evident in her voice.

"Really?" Spencer pushed, ignoring the fact that her mother seemed to be taking the news of her differing sexuality rather well. "Because I always find those that are almost out of the game fight the dirtiest."

Veronica's head snapped towards her daughter and she sent her a scowl that would make most wilt. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"That I'm not entirely convinced that the Hastings wouldn't throw me under the bus to save their reputation." Spencer countered aggressively. Her mother was about to argue with her but she cut the woman off before she could even begin. "Oh come on Mom, Emily is hardly going to be invited to the club by you and dad to be shown off to all your high society friends like all of Melissa's useless boyfriends have been."

"And you want that do you? You would hate for us to parade anyone that you dated around like a show pony." Veronica almost shouted back. "Your father and I aren't stupid Spencer. We treat Melissa's boyfriends like trophies because we know that's all that they are to her. Melissa likes the kudos of being with those types of people. We know she doesn't love them, not really. You have always had more integrity than that."

"Integrity?" Spencer questioned, confused at her mother's choice of the word.

"Yes integrity Spencer. You lead with your heart not your head." Veronica said slightly more calmly than she had before although there was still a shiver of emotion in her voice. "God knows where you get it from. The rest of us deal in cold, hard pragmatism and only ever do what is best for ourselves. Like you said yourself, we would throw somebody else under the bus to save our own skin. But you have always been empathetic and thoughtful, you do what you think is best for everyone. You take the time to see who people really are and then you love them for those qualities, not for their materialist value."

"Mom. . .I. . ." Spencer stuttered, unsure of how to respond to her mother's emotional outburst.

Veronica reached up and subtly flicked away a single tear that had dripped on to her cheek. "I know our relationship has not always been the strongest, I know that I have made more mistakes than I could probably count. But I know you Spencer. I see you. And I love you for your incredible strength of character and unwavering confidence in the person that you are. Every day you make me so incredibly proud. I should tell you more often because nothing as trivial as the person you love should ever make you question how I feel about you."

Spencer reached over and clasped her mother's hand desperately, clinging on to her as she fought with her brain to come up with something to say. Her mother was never emotional and she rarely spoke about her feelings towards either of her daughters but here she was, telling her how much she loved her right when she needed it the most. "I love you Mom"

Veronica squeezed her daughter's hand and brought it up to her face to press two soft kisses to the girl's knuckles. "I love you so much Spencer. Please don't ever question how much."

Spencer could only nod as she freed her hand and began to try and wipe away the tears that were now freely falling from her eyes. Her thoughts whirled a mile a minute; she had just come out to her mother. Granted it was not the way that she had wanted to but it was done and the woman had been fairly receptive to it. There had been no talk of excommunicating her or disinheriting her, no screams of 'that is not happening under my roof' like she had been having nightmares about. Her mother's biggest concern seemed to have been Spencer's own opinion of her. The younger woman looked over at her mother and frowned when she realised she had put her indicator on and was beginning to take an exit off the freeway. "Where are we going?"

"Back to Rosewood." Veronica stated as if it was obvious. "Don't you have a girlfriend to check in on?"

Twenty minutes later, although it felt a lot longer to Spencer, Veronica Hasting's Mercedes pulled up in front of the Fields' family home. Before the car was even fully stopped Spencer had climbed out and bolted up the driveway towards the house. She hadn't even made it onto the front porch when the door flew open and Emily rushed out to meet her.

"I've only just checked my phone. Spencer I'm so sorry." Emily called as she crashed into Spencer, pulling her into a tight embrace. She buried her face into her girlfriend's hair and breathed in the girls reassuring scent. "My Dad's fine. It's not his base. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry."

"Emily I was so worried. So many things were running through my head." Spencer muttered into the other girl's neck. She had never been as glad to have Emily in her arms as she was right now.

Emily pulled away so she could look at her girlfriend in the eye. "Baby, I am so sorry. My Mom took me out for lunch and to do some shopping to try and keep my mind everything that was happening today. I left my phone in my bag and I forgot to check it."

"It's ok Em. Really it's ok." Spencer reassured her close to hysterical girlfriend. "I shouldn't have got so carried away I just couldn't stand the thought of something having happened and me not being with you."

Emily smiled despite herself at the paler girl's sweetness and constant compassion. "What would I do without you?" she whisper as she leant in and captured Spencer's lips. She had meant it to be a chaste kiss, just an acknowledgement of her appreciation of the other girl's thoughtfulness. But Spencer had other ideas.

As soon as Spencer felt Emily try to pull away mere moments after their lips had touched she knew she wasn't about to let that happen. She slipped both hands into the swimmer's hair effectively keeping the girl pinned where she was and smiled when she instantly felt the kiss being deepened. She loved how she and Emily seemed to be able to read each other's minds when they kissed; they always knew exactly what the other needed. And right now Spencer needed the grounding force that was Emily Field's, just being around her wasn't enough right now. She needed to be consumed by her energy and her aura. Spencer moved her hands from Emily's hair to trace her jawline with her fingertips, she was about to look for an opening to slip her tongue into the swimmer's mouth when she heard someone clear their throat. Both girls jumped apart as if they had burned.

"Spencer? I thought you were meant to be on a plane to Washing DC right now?" Pam asked, trying the skirt around the awkwardness of the girl's public display of affection.

"Oh. . .erm" Spencer tried to swallow down the raging embarrassment she felt at having been watched getting hot and heavy with Emily by both of their mothers. "Well, yes I was supposed to be but. . ."

Veronica decided to take pity on her floundering daughter. "We heard on the news about the attack on the military base in Texas. When Spencer tried to get in touch with Emily and couldn't she thought the worst."

"Oh Honey, that is so sweet." Pam beamed at Spencer who was now an unattractive shade of raspberry. "But Wayne called before the news broke officially to reassure us that his base was safe. I took Emmy out so that she didn't have to see that stuff all over the news. And to try to take her mind off of missing you."

"I told Spencer that everything would be fine." Veronica chuckled. "But I knew if I took her to the airport she would just jump a taxi straight back to Rosewood anyway. There is no stopping her once she has her mind set on something."

"Will you have to re-arrange her flight now?" Pam asked with genuine concern.

As the mothers began discussing the logistics of Spencer's travel Emily turned to her girlfriend. "Oh my God, Spencer I'm so sorry I kissed you in front of your Mom. I just wasn't thinking. . . I"

Spencer cut the girl off with a gentle peck on the lips. "It's ok Em. I told my Mom about us in the car."

"Really?" Emily asked in disbelief. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine." Spencer laughed.

Emily obviously didn't pick up on how light-hearted Spencer was being about the whole thing because she still had a look of horror on her face. "Is your Mom ok?"

"Nobody has died Em." Spencer said as she tucked a stray strand of hair behind the swimmer's ear. "My Mom took it really well; I think she's just a little bit upset that I didn't tell her sooner."

"Spencer that's amazing." Emily beamed as she cupped Spencer's face with one hand tracing over her cheekbone with the pad of her thumb. "Do you feel better now that she knows?"

"I feel incredible Em." Spencer leaned into her girlfriends touch. "Everything about being with you makes me feel incredible."

"Spencer, I love you." Emily declared softly.

"I love you too." Spencer replied. She began to lean towards Emily forgetting again where she was as she became lost in the presence of the darker skinned girl.

"Jesus Spencer." Veronica's voice cut through the moment. "Don't make me have to get the hose."

Pam snorted as she attempted to hold back a laugh at her friend's comment. "Girl's come inside off the driveway. We're all going to have some coffee."

The girls scampered towards the house looking sheepish. Pam had headed in to the house first to put the kettle on, Spencer followed closely behind as she attempted to not make eye contact with Veronica who was holding the door open for them.

"After you Mrs Hastings." Emily said politely.

Veronica slipped through the door before the swimmer and then lingered a little until the girl caught up with her. "I hope you're ready to deal with our insane family Emily."

Emily laughed softly. "I've been handling Spencer for years, I think I'll manage."

"I think you just might." Veronica smiled warmly as she reached out and put an affectionate arm around Emily's shoulder, giving the girl a brief squeeze.

Thank you again so much for reading. Thank you again for sticking with me.

Always feel free to review and PM me about anything at all.