A/N: Anyone else experiencing Emison withdrawals? Cause we are. Hope this helps?

Chapter 12 - Bad Blood by Bastille

"Pepe! Pepe, boy where are you?" Alison calls throughout the upstairs as she searches for the dog with a puzzled frown. She could've sworn three hours ago, early in the afternoon when she had started her chores, Pepe had still been fast asleep in her room. Since then, she's studied, done both her and Emily's laundry, cleaned the dishes, prepped dinner, and tidied Hanna's room—the designer had begged her to help out and clean it in exchange for Hanna cooking dinner instead of Ali. They've all been taking turns with chores, Aria, Hanna, and Ali, and not Spencer because they're all aware the manager has been at her wit's end lately. Ali doesn't mind doing the extra chores because whenever she helps when she's free, the others will pick up her chores on other days and she's learning to use that to her advantage when Emily wants to spend time with her.

The blonde looks around a little worried that she can't find her little buddy. It's his dinner time, and he is usually pestering her for his meal ahead of time. She supposes he's lately also usually pestering her for some affection that she hasn't had the time to give because of her schedule and Emily. Alison hopes her neglect hasn't caused him to turn against her, she holds Pepe very close to her heart. Even though he doesn't sleep on her bed every night anymore, she hopes he knows how much she still loves him. She feels her heart twinge slightly at the notion and she continues to look for him.

"Pepe!"

x-x-x

Meanwhile, Emily is sprawled out on the lawn, stomach down, on a towel while wearing the skimpiest of skimpy bikinis, with none other than her loyal sheltie. The two of them are exhausted, to say the least. They breath deeply, practically in sync, as Pepe pants twice for every one of Emily's deep breaths. The swimmer had wandered through the house, bored out of her mind today, when Pepe had bounded over to her from Ali's room.

"Hey boy," Emily coos kindly as she kneels down in front of the dog and pets him affectionately. Pepe's mouth drops open and his tongue hangs out as if he is smiling at Emily cheekily before he leans up and slobbers his tongue over her face. Emily sputters as she scrunches her face up, letting him kiss her for a moment before pushing his muzzle away. He's unusually eager for affection from Emily, usually that falls into Ali's domain. Emily scratches him behind the ears affectionately—he is after all her dog. "Okay, okay enough. Wanna go play fetch? Yeah, you still remember how?"

Emily teases with a grin as she watches Pepe whimper in agreement wagging his tail furiously in excitement- it's a pretty solid yes so she rifles through the hallway closet in search of the bag of tennis balls, they haven't used them in a long time.

"It's been forever since we've played," Emily whispers fondly to him heading down the stairs and he just pants along as he follows her loyally, his eyes fixated on the bag in her hand. "Remember when you were so little you could barely fit one in your mouth?"

Pepe gives a big doggie grin and Emily tosses a ball to him. He scoops it into his mouth easily. They get out into the sunshine and Emily realizes she's missed this, little moments with Pepe.

The two of them had spent the rest of the afternoon running around the estate's backyard, chasing birds, squirrels, and playing Emily's warped version of fetched. Though the swimmer has a killer throw, she brought out a baseball bat and sent balls going far for Pepe to fetch, usually she'd chase after them too and Pepe was nothing if not a competitive opponent. Eventually, Pepe had run after a ball that landed in the pool and Emily, feeling the heat of the sun, had taken the sheltie's lead and jumped in after him. He'd barked excitedly paddling around his owner as she playfully splashed him and tried to race each other for the floating ball.

"You finally remembered who's dog you are huh?" Emily teases Pepe as she kisses the top of his head as he splashes over to her. She thinks fondly how the dog and Ali have had a close bond ever since the blonde had arrived, and she doesn't blame Pepe really. Who wouldn't be drawn to sweet Alison? Pepe looks up towards the house and Emily follows his gaze. In the distance they see Alison standing at the sink doing dishes. Pepe barks, but the blonde's got her headphones in.

"It's okay, Pepe, it's you and me today. Ali's busy," Emily rationalizes. Pepe whimpers as though he understands before he swims to the stairs and steps out of the pool before trotting over to the grass, shaking his fur out, and plopping down. He stares at Emily expectantly, and the brunette rolls her eyes. "Guess we're done swimming. You're lucky I want to tan anyway."

Emily and Pepe had fallen asleep and slept the rest of the afternoon away in the sun, soaking up the warm rays. In the distance, the sun now starts to sink below the trees and the two lie very still, completely tuckered out.

"PEPE!"

Pepe's head shoots up as his ears perk up and he looks up towards the back entrance of the mansion. Emily stirs groggily, tilting her head up out of the crook of her elbow.

"Ali?" her dry voice peeps out as she recognizes the blonde's voice from a distance, but her eyes are still shut. Alison spies the swimmer and the dog on the grass and she places a hand over her heart, her panic having spiked at not being able to find Pepe inside. She had started to worry that she accidentally let the dog out, or he'd run away. Alison jogs quickly down the steps, past the pool, and over to the lone towel with her two favorite people—well person and animal—on it. Pepe remains on the towel, right next to Emily, but his tail wags furiously in Emily's face as he looks at Alison happily.

"There you are," she scolds playfully as she collapses on her knees onto the towel before hugging the still slightly damp dog. "You scared me."

"Why," Emily groggily mumbles half asleep. "I've been right here."

"I was talking to Pepe" Alison tells her playfully as she sticks her tongue out but smiles and pushes Emily's thigh lightly in jest. Her eyes roam higher and she admires Emily's perfectly rounded ass exposed except for the tiny bottom bikini piece. Alison swallows thickly at all the bare skin on display, and she still can't get over how toned and fit Emily is.

"Enjoying the view?" Emily's voice is much huskier this time, as she turns her head slightly to look at the innocent blonde guiltily caught checking her out. Alison blushes and sheepishly smiles as she hugs Pepe tighter, kissing him. It's the magic hour right now and everything is beautiful, Emily thinks. The way the setting sun hits Alison's wavy blonde hair and makes it shine, the way the golden light illuminates the yard through the tall trees, the sound of the water of the fountain by the pool, and the way her body is in a state of peaceful warmth. She wishes every moment, every day, was like this. "You're so stunning…just…gorgeous."

Alison knows Emily's voice is thick with sleep and Emily has got to be half asleep still despite her mumbles, but she can't help but blush harder as the brunette compliments her. Emily rolls onto her back, her breasts practically falling out of her bikini. Before the brunette has a wardrobe malfunction, Alison leans over her and gingerly pulls the cup of the bikini up higher to prevent it from revealing too much. Not surprisingly, Emily tugs Alison up towards her when the blonde tries to move back and Ali's breath hitches as she has to steady herself. Pressed together their foreheads rest against each other gently, their lips inches apart.

"Hi," Emily breathes as Alison smiles and closes the tiny distance between their lips gently, the two of them kiss softly and slowly. It's not hesitant or particularly passionate, just nice and constant. Emily moans softly as her hands reach down to shift Alison so that the blonde straddles the almost naked brunette, knees on either side of the swimmer as her center rests on top of Emily's.

"This always seems to happen," Emily chuckles as they pull apart and Alison sits up tilting her head curiously. "I get half naked and you end up on top of me somehow."
Alison blushes faintly and Emily grins cheekily.

"It's cause I'm irresistible, right?" Emily wiggles her eyebrows and Alison giggles. The blonde shakes her head fondly and brings one hand to affectionately push the dark hair back out of Emily's face. Like the swimmer, she recognizes the magic light of the hour and marvels at how beautiful everything is, especially that glimmer of affection in Emily's brown eyes.

It's the gentleness of Alison's touch that causes Emily to reach up and cautiously grab Ali's wrist, bringing the blonde's hand to her mouth and pressing a kiss to her palm. Alison's heart pounds rapidly at the soft touch of Emily's lips on her skin as the brunette drags her lips down to Ali's wrist and kisses softly. Ali's breath hitches as Emily's lips just miss her brand. Emily doesn't notice as she tugs the blonde back down on top of her and Alison obliges and kisses Emily intensely, the two of them breathing each other in as their tongues circle each other, and Emily slips a hand into Alison's hair pulling her head closer. Through open mouthed kisses they fight for air, stealing and sharing it between them as Alison presses her lower body tightly against Emily's and the brunette feels a heat shoot straight to her core.

Emily doesn't want to ruin this moment, even she can recognize that the magic hour's effect is something more precious, something worth relishing in at this moment more than any physical desire. She leans up and kisses Alison longingly with a lingering kiss before the blonde playfully nips at her bottom lip.

"Mmm, Ali," Emily moans softly as the blonde wriggles softly and smiles against the brunette.

"Emmy," Alison cheekily responds with a small grin as she places a teasing peck against Emily's pouty lips and pulls back to look at her. Alison's breath hitches at how captivating Emily's eyes are the swimmer's gaze focused on her. They stay like that for a moment, lovingly looking at each other as their heartbeats fall into a rhythm with each other, chest to chest. Like this it's easy, like this they're in their own little world of safety away from everyone else, even though the threat of someone coming between them lingers over Emily's head, her jaw tightens at the distressing thought. Ali brings her hand up to hold Emily's face once more, letting her thumb gently sooth the brunette's skin, skimming over her tense jaw. "I like that."

"Like what?" Emily breathes out, relaxing to Ali's touch and the mesmerizing way Alison's blue eyes sparkle in the fading sunlight.

"When you look at me like…like I'm important," Alison admits shyly.

"You are, you are so important," Emily confirms quickly before she leans up and kisses Alison gently, their tongues lavishly mixing and tasting each other in the heat of the moment. They get lost in each other's kisses and soft caresses until the sun sets completely and Pepe barks, eager for his meal. Reluctantly, they stand up and Alison holds Emily's hand as they head back in and presses close, settling her head against the brunette's shoulder and she thinks to herself there's no where else she'd rather be, nowhere else but with the swimmer.

x-x-x

Still, not everything is smooth sailing. Some days later, the couple finds themselves in a parking lot that is pretty much abandoned for a Sunday afternoon. Ali sits in the drivers seat silently, watching as Emily tugs at her shirt anxiously. The swimmer is uneasy, Alison knows, and it pains her that she can't fix it, she reaches across the console and takes Emily's hand trying to offer some comfort to the agitated brunette.

"It's almost one," Ali mentions hesitantly glancing at the clock. Emily squeezes her hand tighter and Alison can feel how anxious Emily is, she turns in her seat to face the brunette and uses her other hand to turn Emily's cheek, brushing her thumb over the skin softly to console the brunette's nerves.

Emily tries to smile as Ali stares at her with tender consideration and caution. She'll never get over how much she loves Ali's light blue eyes, especially when they look at her with such pure adoration and care. Silently, Ali is asking how she can make this better and Emily leans closer, closing the gap between them in a gentle kiss. It's a soft press of their lips, deeper than a peck but no where near as out of control as they have been lately, it's nice. The swimmer means it to be a kiss of gratitude for Ali not only driving her out here but also taking the time to sit with her while she tries to get out of the car. She needs to go to therapy, she knows this, she's rescheduled the last two sessions and the last thing she needs is Spencer breathing down her neck over that but she hasn't had time extensively alone with Ali outside of the house since the hotel.

Ali gladly moves into the kiss and tilts her head so their lips brush more insistently, she runs her tongue along Emily's lower lip and slips inside when the swimmer groans. Emily's hands fly to Ali's golden strands and she threads the fingers of one hand through Ali's hair as the other settles on the back of Ali's neck pulling her closer. Alison shifts closer willingly lost in the haze of Emily's kisses, they gasp against each other and Emily tries to get impossibly closer bashing her knee on the glove box in the passenger seat. She groans in pain but Alison essentially swallows it and the pain dulls as she kisses the brunette forcefully before moving into the brunette's lap. Emily accept the blonde into her lap happily ecstatic as Ali settles on top of her, hands gripping desperately at Emily's shirt on her shoulders as she straddles the brunette and rocks against her.

They waste the hour caught up in each other, and when Alison looks at her nervously as if she's done something wrong, Emily brushes it off and softly tells her it's fine. She claims her therapist is understanding, and she promises she'll reschedule. She promises, and Alison knows Emily means it when she can see how confident the brunette is that next time she'll be able to do it without her. Ali drives them home, her apologetic side quelled while Emily tries to quell the guilt of missing another session.

x-x-x

"I think this was a good idea, Aria," Cece admits as she stands in the kitchen fixing gourmet snacks with Hanna, Caleb, Toby, Spencer and the little brunette. She tries to focus on her fruit cutting as she remembers the first time she taught Alison how to make a good fruit salad. Back when Alison was so shy she couldn't even look Cece in the eye.

"Well I just figured Ali deserved something nice after everything," Aria smiles at the agent and everyone nods slowly, still terribly uneasy over what Alison has been through before coming to live with them, and the unmentionable incident under this very roof. "Besides I can't imagine how awful it'd be if I hadn't seen Mike in years."

"I would gladly go the rest of my life never seeing Melissa again," Spencer scoffs and Hanna nods in agreement. Their siblings have never been their favorite topic, whereas Emily and Aria regard their own fondly- though Emily rarely mentions her lost sister.

"Kate can get sold for all I care," Hanna quips carelessly and Aria sighs, exasperated, with a warning scowl directed at the blonde designer. Now is not the time to be talking about selling people into slavery. Aria still doesn't completely understand how one human can sell another's life into servitude—selling yourself, she understands a bit better. She's known a parent or two that has sacrificed their free life for their family. But, if Ali's parents didn't sell her like Emily has informed them, Aria shudders at the thought of another relative doing the horrible deed, an insensitive grandparent or old uncle no doubt. She herself finds it difficult to even begin to ask Alison for answers, and instead constantly chooses to focus on the present and treating Ali like a normal human being.

"You know what I mean," Hanna argues, waving her hand like it's nothing. Caleb snags the flying limb and gives a quick kiss to her knuckles trying to be placating. Hanna despises her step-sister Kate with a burning passion and just the thought makes her insides burn. Kate is all sorts of evil, and she has no doubt her vindictive step-sister would happily throw her to the wolves.

"I'm sure Ali's brother and sister will be excited to see their little sister," Cece suggests but theres this nagging feeling of jealous brewing in her stomach. She tries to push it down but it keeps springing back up and insisting that these people—Ali's brother and sister—they haven't been here, they haven't held Ali through sleepless nights or put her back together when Emily couldn't. So where were they when Ali's life went to shit? Because Cece knows where she herself has been. Right fucking here. Defending Alison with everything she has. Still, she forces herself to smile when the intercom for the gate rings—maybe they have a good reason for not having found Alison sooner. Spencer answers and lets the cab through with a big sigh.

"They just came from the airport right?" Hanna asks as they all move into the foyer.

"Yeah Emily insisted on flying them in," Spencer grumbles, she hadn't exactly liked the price of the last minute flights, and of course Emily insisted on first class. But Spencer cares for Ali too and if this will put a smile on the little blonde's face then no expense is too high, despite their sinking profits lately. Luckily for them and unluckily for Alison, the group hadn't been able to locate Alison's parents and the siblings had denied the request to bring them as well.
"I assume they're staying here?" the agent inquires nonchalantly.

Aria nods, one of the guest rooms is all ready to go. Emily had spared no expense in having it be perfect for Ali's siblings, again everything Spencer says seems to go in one ear and out the other. Finally there is a polite knock on the front door and Spencer steps forward to open the door slowly. A built, taller blonde man is revealed, his back to the girls as he looks at the waiting cab.

"Hello," Spencer offers trying to catch his attention and he nearly jumps a foot in the air when he spins around to face his audience. Hanna's eyes widen because, damn, he's fucking gorgeous with a chiseled jawline. He's tall but not ridiculously so and when he smiles politely a little dimple appears, similar to Ali's, in his left cheek. He runs a hand through his unruly yet gorgeous hair nervously as he is surveyed. Caleb clears his throat awkwardly, noticing his girlfriend's obvious attraction.

"Hi, I'm Jason," the newcomer manages in a deep voice. His green eyes lock with Cece's and the connection sends shivers down the blonde agent's spine. Jack, she has Jack—Jake. Fuck. Jason looks like just her type of guy. She wonders if they knew each other in another life because that's what it feels like as they stare at each other. But her gut feels weird about finding Alison's big brother attractive.

"I guess the good looks run in the family," Hanna whispers to Aria, who gulps at the sight of Jason DiLaurentis. Spencer scoffs and rolls her eyes at her friends' obvious interest but Toby puffs up all the same, a glare settling in his blue eyes.

"Courtney," Jason calls back to the car as he shuffles awkwardly in front of everyone. He wasn't expecting to be greeted with a crowd and he wasn't expecting to not see Alison among them. He wants to get this over with, like ripping a bandaid off. He's dreamt of this moment for years now, and more often than not it ends like a horrifying nightmare rather than a pleasant dream.

The cab door closes and a girl approaches the door with more confidence than Jason, judging from the click of her heels along the drive. When she reaches her brother, the others can't hold in their collective gasps of surprise as they take in the sight. Standing before them is a spitting image of Alison. The only difference is this girl's mannerisms, her confidence and general aura are so different from Ali's fragile, timid nature. That, and Courtney's eyes glisten brightly, showing off their deep sea green color whereas Ali's eyes are a vibrant blue. Cece particularly can't shake the weird feeling of seeing a replica of the girl she has come to view as her little sister. Spencer recovers first from the shock, putting on her most professional attitude.

"It's nice to meet you—"

"You're fucking identical," Hanna blurts out in true Hanna fashion and Caleb face palms behind her as the others collectively sigh in embarrassment.

"Hanna," Aria admonishes in a harsh whisper, leaning into her friend. But Courtney chuckles in good humor.

"I'm surprised Alison didn't tell you," she muses with a small impish smirk. "Not really something you can hide."
"She doesn't know you're coming," Cece admits, clearing her throat when Jason looks to her quizzically. "We wanted to surprise her."

Jason and Courtney exchange an uneasy glance immediately, the smirk wiped off of Courtney's face.

"Is there a problem?" Spencer asks crossing her arms uncomfortably. There is something off about these two, she decides.

"She'll be surprised alright," Jason grumbles looking to the ground.

"What my brother means is it's been so long," Courtney smoothly continues though she hesitates slightly. "Alison might be a little— overwhelmed."

"I'm sure she'll be happy to see you," Aria smiles kindly and leads Courtney into the house. "We have some snacks if you're hungry and drinks."

Courtney smiles politely and lets Aria lead her as the other girls follow along. Toby and Caleb both reach for Jason's bags but the older man pulls them up sharply.

"I'm fine thank you," Jason utters tersely, avoiding eye contact and gazing around the huge mansion.

"Just leave them in the hall," Caleb offers when Toby glares harder at the outsider. Jason sets them down in the hall and follows Caleb and Toby into the lounge room after the girls.

x-x-x

Pepe obediently sits at Courtney's feet, as he has since she sat down. His tongue hangs out the side of his mouth happily as her long, thin fingers scratch behind his ear. He'd sniffed around her for a while before deciding she was acceptable and proceeded to nudge her hand. Now he whines, only stopping when she continues to pet his head softly.

"He's like Spot," Courtney coos affectionally and Jason next to her manages a small uneasy smile.

"Spot?" Aria asks curiously, noticing how similar Courtney sounds to Alison babying Pepe.

"He was our childhood dog, stray mutt but he loved being cuddled," Courtney smiles fondly at the memories. She can't be that terrible if she loves dogs, Aria figures. "He loved Alison the best though."

"So does Pepe," Hanna laughs softly. "They're inseparable, and Em gets super jealous—"

"Hey we're home!" the athlete's voice resounds through the halls and it sounds cheery and bright. Jason shifts in his seat, his nervousness increasing exponentially. He's heard things, like everyone else has, about the celebrity swimmer. He thought she for sure knew about their situation with Alison but it's becoming clear to him they're all in the dark. He tries to still his pounding heart for the inevitable confrontation.

"Speaking of Em," Spencer mutters as she stands, glad for once that Emily's vibrant personality has arrived because this whole making nice thing with Ali's brother and sister is awkward and painful though she's not sure why. Emily enters the room and her eyes light up as she takes in the man who could only be Ali's brother sitting across from her friends.

"You must be Jason," Emily greets happily as she crosses the room for a handshake. It feels a little surreal and strange to meet someone related to Alison, but she can see the resemblance immediately and just accepts it. Jason stands and shakes her hand, a little limply as his eyes dart around the room searching for his baby sister.

"She's just upstairs changing," Emily shares, guessing his intentions. He looks a little guilty but she chalks it up to nervousness. "She'll be down in a sec, she's going to be so excited."

Emily is gleeful but Jason only manages a grimace and half nod. The swimmer doesn't notice though as she turns to take in Ali's 'older sister'.

"Holy crap," Emily exclaims, unable to hold in her surprise. Courtney chuckles as she stands, taking in the infamous athlete.

"Emily Fields I presume," Courtney holds out her hand and Emily takes it, her own hand shaking in disbelief. They're fucking identical. Although, as the brunette later notes, Courtney looks a little bit better physically—and by that, Emily means that Courtney doesn't look as worn out or frail as her sister. The differences are so subtle that only Emily, with her obsession, notices. By the time Emily's surveying gaze meets Courtney's green eyes she's already noted all the subtle differences that the most obvious one takes her a moment to recognize.

"Yes I—thats me. I'm sorry you just look so much like Ali," Emily smiles shakily and Courtney tucks a strand of blonde hair behind her own ear with a bashful grin.

"Or she looks like me," Courtney suggests a little coy, and everyone else instantly becomes uncomfortable with her tone. "I am five minutes older."

Emily nods dumbly and tries to imagine why in god's name Alison never mentioned she had a twin.

"Em?" Ali's light voice floats down the stairs and Emily pulls her hand from Courtney's grip. The siblings look at each other, their nerves finally bubbling to the surface.

"We're in the lounge room, Ali," Emily calls back fighting her smile as she rocks back and forth on the balls of her feet. "I have a surprise for you."

"A surprise," Ali giggles a little as she skips down the stairs. She likes the sound of that. "What kind of surprise?"

There's a flirting tone to her words and Emily clears her throat a little embarrassed. Aria's eyes widen, and Hanna raises an eyebrow with a cheeky grin while Spencer and Cece wear matching scowls. Emily brushes them off.

"Come find out," Emily offers brightly, ready for the grand reveal.

Jason looks desperately to Courtney, worry and tension thick between the two but they've run out of time and Ali skitters around the corner.

"What's my—"

Alison rounds the corner, holding all the dirty dishes and wineglasses she brought down from Emily's room with the intention to wash them. But the instant she sees everyone, she drops everything in her hands and her mouth drops open before she quickly covers it with her hands.

"Surprise," Courtney offers with a shoulder shrug and a faltering smile.

"Ali?" Emily questions gently when Alison only blinks at her sister. She can register all the signs of frightened, timid Alison, and all the alarms are going off in her brain but she can't for the life of her figure out why the blonde is afraid.

"Wh-what are you doing here?" Ali asks stuttering as her mind tries to process this. Are they here to take her back? Or worse, sell her to someone else? Can they do that?

"I invited them," Emily smiles softly but Alison doesn't smile back at all. She cowers slightly, retreating into herself as she stands in shock. "I thought-"

"We thought," Aria cuts in an attempt to help as Alison begins to shake. "We thought you'd want to see them."

Alison hangs her head and blinks back tears before she fights to lift her head to meet everyone's eyes, to meet her traitor siblings' eyes.

"Ali we flew here to see you, Emily flew us all this way," Courtney mentions and there's a slight edge to her tone that Hanna doesn't like. "Aren't you going to give us a hug?"

Alison shakes her head slowly and sniffles, lifting her head and crossing her arms over her body defensively. Spencer's mind is on overdrive trying to figure out what went wrong, why Alison is trying to protect herself from her siblings.

"Poodle?" Hanna asks Ali carefully as she steps towards the trembling blonde who backs away. She hasn't personally seen Alison this frightened since that moment alone with Maya and the cage.

"What did you do?" Cece cuts in and asks Courtney in a harsh whisper but everyone can hear her. Emily stares, bewildered at the tension, she's confused as to how everything has gone so wrong.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Courtney crosses her arms. "I haven't seen her in six years."

"Oh yeah then why is she refusing to look at you like you're fucking murderers or something?" Hanna argues back hotly. Alison knows Emily has quite a temper but she sometimes forgets that all her friends, especially Hanna, have equally rivaling fiery personalities. Caleb, closest to Alison, shifts in front of her slightly out of protective instinct.

Spencer studies Courtney's body language, defensive and ready to strike, coupled with the guilty way Jason looks to the floor and everything adds up for the intuitive manager. She looks between Alison's upset form and the blonde's siblings with horror.

"You sold her," Spencer utters gravely as soon as the terrible realization comes to her. Alison sneaks a look at the manager and has never seen Spencer look more appalled or disgusted.

"WHAT?!" Emily screams and all the DiLaurentis siblings flinch at the volume. Alison is used to the passion by now, but it still makes her jump in situations like this. Toby is on his feet in an instant, well accustomed with Emily's violent nature.

"Breathe," he whispers from behind Emily as he sets a hand on her shoulder but the swimmer squirms under his touch angrily, trying to step aside. The thought alone makes her want to vomit—here are the people responsible for ruining Ali's life, and she swore to herself if she ever found them she'd kill them. Toby doesn't let her escape his grip though, with gentle determination he holds strong. "Breathe, Em."

"You've got to be fucking kidding me," Cece demands furiously, simultaneously stepping in front of Alison with Caleb. Jason tries to slip into the floor but Courtney stands tall under their harsh glares.

"It wasn't an easy decision to make," Courtney admits with a frown. It's not as if she hasn't felt guilt, because she has. But she did what she had to do to survive. That's how her and Jason are still alive and well.

"It shouldn't have even been an option," Aria, surprisingly, squeals, her hands trembling by her side as she stares at the two with wide, accusing eyes. The anger surging through her is unreal and she has never felt so protective before.

"How could you even consider that?" Cece demands as she feels bile rise in her throat, these people they are responsible for everything Ali has had to live through. This is the root of Ali's life of imprisonment. And one glance at Emily's murderous face and Cece guesses the swimmer has also made this connection.

"We-" Jason haltingly starts before Courtney cuts him off.

"We don't have to explain ourselves to some rich bitches who have never worked a day in their life," Courtney spits, defending her floundering brother as she makes eye contact with Alison through her two body guards.

"The only bitch here is you, Courtney," Cece viciously snipes stepping forward. "And you can bet I worked my ass off to get where I am today. I didn't have a great start either but guess what, I didn't fucking sell my sister to get somewhere!"

"Does she even have a sister?" Hanna whispers to Aria, who elbows her sharply.

"We didn't have a choice," Jason mutters meeting Emily's furious gaze.

"No, you don't get to play the victim. You sold your little sister to—" Emily clenches her fists and Toby's heavy hand on her shoulder squeezes gently. "Did you even care who she ended up with, you fucking cowards? Do you have any idea what you did?"

Ali shakes violently as tears finally escape and run from her eyes dripping down her nose, her head still bowed. She feels strong arms wrap around her shoulders from in front and she's pulled into a strong chest. The familiar smell of Caleb's aftershave soothes Ali a little as he holds her tightly, not saying anything as the room erupts into angry cursing and barbed insults as the others all fight. Caleb rubs her back soothingly and Alison cries into his soft shirt.

"You've never been through what we have so you can shut the fuck up," Courtney hisses back.

"Don't you dare attack Emily, bitch," Hanna jumps in defending her best friend. "Emily and Alison have been through hell and back."

"Yeah I'm sure living in this giant mansion and sleeping with my sister is hell," Courtney spits hotly and Emily almost tears at her angrily but Hanna blocks her way as Toby holds both her shoulders.

"You're lucky I'm not shoving my heels up your asses right now," Cece threatens with a dangerous warning edge and she watches satisfied as Jason flinches but Courtney's glare hardens.

"How did you chose between your sisters?" Spencer asks with shaking rage. She needs all the facts, even though she knows she'll never be able to understand this decision. But she needs to try to obtain her sense of order, her needs for answers pushes her to interrogate Jason. After all, Courtney and Alison are pretty much identical. Jason gulps but it's Alison who speaks up. She needs to do this, she needs to put an end to all of their confusion and tension. She can feel the protection from every single one of her friends in the room, and as heartbreaking as it is to see her siblings again, it's more heartbreaking to watch her friends empathize with her in confusion and pain.

"He didn't have to choose," she mutters pulling herself out of Caleb's arms still shaken though the brooding boy doesn't leave her side. "Courtney broke her arm the night before."

Alison turns to her sister.

"I cried with you. I thought you actually did something stupid and hurt yourself but you—you planned the whole thing. You made yourself unsellable."

Courtney's green eyes reveal nothing and stare blankly ahead as Alison's tears start again.

"I thought you'd come back," Alison hiccups as she tries to stop the pain. She can feel Emily's kind brown eyes staring at her in apology, and she can feel Toby, Spencer, Aria, and Hanna guiltily ready to spring into action. But most of all, she can feel Cece's strong sisterly bond challenged and ready to attack these intruders. Alison is overwhelmed with feelings, overwhelmed with memories of missing her siblings and simultaneously being angry with them. "I waited for a year, I was so sure, I kept telling myself any day now you'd come back for me just like you promised."

Emily feels her heart break as Alison cries harder. She waited for them, for the people who gave her up, abandoned her for their own selfish needs.

"But then I realized that hope was—hope was useless and that you weren't coming back," Ali shakes her head as she wipes at her eyes.

"We're here now," Jason tries his own eyes filled with unshed tears. Alison remembers the kind brother that used to read her stories at night and kiss her forehead. But this man in front of her, this isn't him.

"I needed you then," Ali whispers her voice hoarse and rough. "But I don't need you now."

Courtney scoffs, her eyes narrowing. If she's hurt, she's not letting on and Emily wonders how two people who look so identical can have such drastically different mannerisms.

"Now that you've finally got money, more than enough to share, you what? Don't have a family anymore?" Courtney questions and the others immediately react to her underlying intentions with fierce scowls.

"She doesn't owe you shit," Hanna snarls, stepping forward before Emily can lash out. Courtney raises her hand and Hanna shrinks back a touch.

"Fucking try it," Cece steps up shielding the designer. "I'd love an excuse."

"So that's it then," Courtney growls. "Do we get dumped in the ocean or are we going to be executed on live TV so everyone can see how bad slavery is? Fits right into the Emily Fields crazy train campaign for freedom."

Jason shakes a little but doesn't offer anything else and everyone just gapes at Courtney's brash, bold and vile words. Ali shakes her head. "No one here is going to hurt you."

Emily clenches her fists when Courtney looks to her skeptically but Alison is adamant.

"No one," Alison stresses as she looks at Emily for understanding, the brunette nods so softly only Ali and Spencer catch it. "And I forgive you both for selling me."

"Ali you don't-"

"No fuck that they should-"

"Ali-"

A chorus of protests immediately sounds up from the gang but Alison gives them all a long stare and eventually they fall quiet.

"But I never want to see either of you again," Alison commands and it's the most authoritative any of them have ever heard her sound though her voice wavers slightly.

"You can't just cut us out of your life, Ali," Courtney argues, and a hint of desperation is starting to show. Emily recognizes something right then—she recognizes a piece of herself in Courtney. A fiery, defensive, broken person who can't show weakness in the face of adversary. Even if it makes her look like an asshole.

"Why? You managed six years," Aria accuses hotly.

"I have to-I have to do whats best for me," Alison looks to Emily who is holding back angry tears but offers a shaky smile to the girl who is finally, finally standing up for herself. "Here. Here is what's best for me. They are whats best for me, this—this is my family."

"You think these rich losers care about you, Alison?" Courtney scoffs in protest, trying to get through to her sister, her twin. "They don't give a shit about anything but their next pay check and the latest sports car. Everyone knows that."

"And they'll throw you out like yesterdays trash when they're done," Jason mutters darkly. He's had his fair share of run-ins with the rich and he knows exactly how they all operate, they use everyone.

"We love Ali," Hanna fights back firmly.

"She belongs with us," Aria adds as she crosses her arms.

"With people who actually care for her," Spencer throws in crossing her arms too.

"Family is blood—" Jason tries to interject.

"No," Cece cuts Jason off furiously, her features dark. "Family is people who care about each other, who put each other first. Ali doesn't need low life scum like you. She has us."

"She has three brothers," Toby throws in Jason's face before he smiles at Ali supportively while Caleb squeezes her shoulder. Alison can't help but smile at that statement.

"And five sisters," Aria challenges.

"Four," Hanna covers her giggle with a cough when Em's eyes widen, horrified by the suggestion.

"Right four," Aria amends with a unamused head shake though now is not the time.

"I think you should leave," Cece suggests forcefully, having had enough of this circus.

"We'll go," Jason concedes gripping for his sister's arm and Courtney lets him lead her to the door. She turns back though as they pass Alison. Caleb and Cece both stand tersely on either side of Ali, ready to shield her should the need arise.

"You should really thank me, Ali, you seem to have hit the jackpot as far as rich bleeding heart pervs go," Courtney laments with a pointed look at Emily.

"Get out," Alison whispers harshly. With one last disgusted head shake Courtney and Jason leave.

"I'm going to make sure they actually leave," Toby suggests jogging after the siblings. A moment of silence passes and then Alison's composure crumbles once more.

"Ali-" Cece tries but Alison bolts from the room and up the stairs. The others all look to Emily who has already started after her.

"We'll be right down," Emily assures them all with a shaky smile.

"We can leave—" Hanna suggests softly but Emily shakes her head immediately.

"No," Emily insists. "She's going to need all of us."

"We're family," Aria insists with a soft hand to Emily's shoulder and Emily smiles down at her friend.

"Yeah and family means admitting you fucked up."

x-x-x

Emily stands outside Ali's bedroom stalling. She can't believe she's managed to screw something like this up again…she really sucks at this relationship. Maya hardly gave two shits about sentimental things, and Emily supposes she may have become a little careless over the years as a result. She takes a deep breath and knocks on the door softly, ready to be attentive and caring. But there's no answer and Emily presses her ear to the door.

"Ali," she calls softly, her voice sweet and genuine. Still she's met with nothing but silence. Dread pools in her stomach as she shifts uncomfortably.

"Ali," she calls louder, her worry increasing with every passing second. "Please let me know you're ok. I'm sorry."

She knocks on the door more forcefully, with rising desperation when the door doesn't open and not a sound is heard.

"Ali," Emily finally yells, ready to throw the door open but she's got enough sense to know not to violate Alison's privacy. She feels terrible after the party incident still, can't believe she told Alison her room was her safe space and then barged right in as if she was entitled to it.

"Yes?" a pained little sniffle floats through the hallway and Emily turns in a circle like a hound. She gazes but sees nobody around.

"Ali?" she questions curiously as she steps farther into the hallway because that didn't come from Alison's room.

"In here," Ali calls wearily and then sniffles again, hiccuping.

Emily pads along the hallway slowly and reaches her own room, the door ajar as she pushes it open fully. There curled up in a small ball on her bed is Ali, looking so utterly small and fragile. The brunette's heart melts a little at the sight, and she knows Alison is hurting but it's hard to not smile at the inevitably adorable sight. It really does make her feel warm inside at the thought of her bed being Ali's place for comfort.

"Ali," Emily tries to sooth as she moves over to the bed slowly. Her face is apologetic and sincere and the blonde looks up to see the truth in her eyes. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. I never want to upset you, I'm such an idiot-"

"You didn't know," Ali sniffles in reassurance, her bloodshot eyes landing kindly on Emily. The swimmer reaches out as she sits down and let's her hand grab one of Ali's gently, playing with Ali's fingers like she knows the blonde enjoys. It still amazes her that she gets to hold Alison's hands, that the blonde trusts her of all people to be the one to constantly caress and hold her.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Emily asks softly, wishing she could've spared Alison another moment of obvious heartbreak and pain.

"I didn't want you to know," Alison admits guilty, avoiding eye contact. Emily feels her heart pang at the admission. She felt like they were being pretty open about everything now and the knowledge that Alison has been keeping something this big from her selfishly hurts the swimmer.

"You would've hunted them down," Alison mutters but there's a very faint trace of a smile on her face as Emily adopts a sheepish timid smile because Ali's not wrong. They share a smile before Alison suddenly looks embarrassed and looks away. "I don't hate them. I know I should, but…"

"They're still your siblings," Emily nods in understanding, she doesn't hate her parents either she just never wants to see them again. Hating them means she feels something and she spent her whole childhood trying to be what those people wanted, she refuses to let them make her feel anything else.

"It took everything in me to not throttle them," Emily admits weakly with a shaky sigh. Finding out what Jason and Courtney did Emily had barely been holding on. She knows she has terrible impulses, but she tells herself she handled that situation pretty well. Everyone is alive and no one needs to be paid off…sounds like a pretty successful encounter really. But Ali's pain almost makes it worth cracking some jaws. Alison's fingers grasp Emily's hand with a squeeze as she looks at the brunette, conflicted.

"I…I just…Courtney is my twin…" Alison trails off and the swimmer looks at her, brows furrowed. Alison huffs and inhales deeply before continuing. "Before— my other…One of my owners found out…I had a twin."

"And?" Emily asks, a little confused as she smiles a little feebly, unsure of where this is going. Though, she's always tense when Ali's past comes up and everything she's felt towards Courtney and Jason is immediately redirected towards Alison's horrible owners. She hopes that Alison isn't about to compare her to her past owners.

"He said that she must have been a…a slut like me," Alison stammers out, causing the brunette to frown and it takes everything in the swimmer not to clench her fists. The degrading slur thrown carelessly at Alison makes her stomach twist uncomfortably. But before Emily can interject, Alison continues. "But you see me differently…I…What if…Courtney isn't broken like me…"

It all clicks suddenly for Emily, though she's not sure how she managed to string together Alison's incoherent thoughts.

"Ali…I want you," Emily whispers softly as she tugs on the blonde to bring her up close to her. Alison slowly sits up, uncurling but her shoulders still droop as she looks up at the swimmer. "Just you. Courtney may look like you, but I want you because of what's in here."

She brings their intertwined hands and place them over Alison's heart delicately. She can feel it pounding out of the blonde's chest and she leans in. "You have no idea how special you are."

Ali smiles timidly her cheeks colouring under Emily's praise and their close proximity. Her eyes flutter and her gaze flitters between Emily's lips and her eyes, debating whether or not to seek solace in that manner.

"What do you need?" Emily asks softly, quelling the anxiety in Alison's chest. "Right now, whatever you need its yours."

Alison sniffles a little overwhelmed by Emily's patient understanding and she once again wonders how she got so lucky. She pulls Emily's hand enclosed in her own across her stomach and lays down, rolling over so she faces away from the brunette. Emily chuckles as Ali pulls her trapped hand around the blonde and scoots over to lay behind Alison, effectively spooning her and wrapping herself around the blonde's body.

"Cuddles?" Emily asks with a fond head shake and Alison hums in agreement as Emily gets comfortable and pulls her closer. Alison plays with Emily's fingers on her stomach as the swimmer holds her securely, protectively. She loves that she can ask Emily for this now without any worry and that the brunette loves cuddling as much as she does. They fit together so well, like two peas in a pod.

"You ok?" Emily asks softly and Ali shrugs, she's comfortable and warm for sure but seeing her siblings after so long and having them be so unapologetic and cold…she's still a little shaken. Emily tightens her arms soothingly and presses a gentle kiss to Ali's shoulder.

"She's free," Ali mutters softly, so softly Emily almost misses it. The swimmer doesn't have to ask who Alison's talking about.

"You will be too. Soon," Emily promises, kissing at the back of Alison's smooth neck gently. Soon Ali will be free and then everything will be perfect. "And you already are in this house."

"But she's not a doll-" Alison protests as she feels the weight of her own misfortune weighing down, Courtney is normal and try as hard as she might Ali always feels like she'll be less.

"You're not a doll either," Emily assures the blonde in her arms as she shuffles and wraps around her body snugly.

"But-"

"No, Ali, listen to me," Emily gently turns the blonde so she can say this to that pretty face she adores. "You will never be a doll again, or a slave, you're gonna be free. And fuck Courtney and Jason and my parents ok, they don't know anything. We never have to see any of them again, ok? I promise."

Alison nods, warmth flooding her body as Emily cradles her cheek softly, her thumb stroking the soft skin.

"I promise, you and me against the world, ok?" Emily smiles reassuringly and Ali's expressive blue eyes dart to the brunette's lips for a brief second. Ali leans forward and kisses the brunette deeply, them against the world. Emily will keep her safe, will keep all the bad people away. This is all Ali needs— Emily and Emily's love.

The brunette gently deepens the kiss further and rolls on her back, pulling Alison on top of her and the blonde eagerly moulds their bodies together as she loses herself in the feel of Emily's lips. A sudden knocking at the door causes them to stop.

"Em? Ali?" Aria's voice comes floating through the door and the two of them pull apart grudgingly, though Emily kisses Alison's forehead as she sits up. The blonde ends up with her head resting in Emily's lap so the brunette lets one hand get tangled in her soft blonde hair.

"In here," Emily replies and the door opens to reveal the gang—they're all here (except poor Ezra). Cece sort've shoves her way past them all to the front and her worried eyes lock with Alison's, and the younger blond knows that though she feels friendship with all of them, she and Cece have a special bond that is stronger than the rest.

"Ali we're so sorry—" Cece tries to start but Alison forces herself to pull away from Emily's warmth and sit up.

"Cece it's okay," Alison breathes out to calm the clearly distressed agent. "You guys didn't know."

"But we should have," Aria insists from behind Cece and the agent makes a beeline for the bed and sits down in front of Alison, gently hugging the timid blonde who hugs her back gingerly. She knows they're all sorry, and she never believed for one second that they had ill intentions. These people never mean to hurt her, and they're the only people in her life that she's ever known that to be completely true of.

"It's not too late you know," Cece wiggles her eyebrows wickedly as she shares an intimate look with Ali. "We can still send secret bounty hunters after them. Right Em?"

Emily knows the agent is kidding but her mouth still twitches into a slight smirk, though she would never want to burden Alison with that guilt.

"Yeah Ali, I know a guy who can hack all their stuff," Hanna teases as she winks at Caleb who holds her hand. Caleb puffs up a little and nods at Alison.

"It's okay, really," Alison reassures them all shyly.

"In all seriousness, Ali, we can take them down legally if you want, I'm sure that's not the only illegal transaction they've been involved in," Spencer says in a deadly reassuring voice. But Alison shakes her head again.

"I'm happy here, with you guys," she tells them all with a small smile and every person feels their heart melt at the genuine truth in her voice. "I just want to be happy here."

"Let's go eat then huh? We'll have extra for sure without those leeches," Cece suggests and Alison finally giggles with a nod.

Emily watches as Cece hooks an arm over Ali's shoulders and directs her out the door the rest of the gang following, Hanna stays behind and gives Caleb a quick squeeze before he follows the others.

"You ok?" Hanna asks studying her best friend.

"Yeah," Emily sighs rising from the bed. "She just needs her family and she'll be fine."

"I meant how are you," Hanna counters. Emily shrugs. What else can she be but happy that Alison just wants to be happy with all of them?

"So we're not going to make any calls?" Hanna tilts her head in suspicion.

"No, Han, we're gonna go downstairs and eat," Emily claps a hand to Hanna's back and steers her from the room.

"And then we'll make some calls," Hanna hedges.

"No, Ali doesn't want them hurt-"

"But-"

"No buts," Emily states defiantly. "Lets just eat, Han."

Hanna allows Emily to steer her downstairs her thoughts a tumbled mess, here is Emily Fields arguably one of the most opinionated and volatile athletes in the limelight and she's backing down from a fight. Hanna can't help her pleased grin when they get into the kitchen and Ali's hand immediately finds Emily's, tangling their fingers together. Emily waits until she thinks no one is looking and places a deep kiss to Ali's forehead. Hanna wants to take a picture so bad, the way Ali's whole face relaxes and the pleasant smile on Emily's lips as she hugs the blonde close, they're made for each other in the designer's opinion.

Across the room, Spencer watches the couple with a tight frown, and unsettling sinking feeling in her stomach.

x-x-x

"Em," Ali whines, scrunching up her shoulder to hide her neck as she giggles from the ticklish feathery feeling. Emily holds her waist tighter and rubs her cold nose across the blonde's shoulder, sending shivers up Ali's spine as she squeals from the temperature.

"You're freezing," Alison complains softly though she can't deny that the cold sensation isn't waking her up along with other sensations. She'd been standing at the kitchen sink minding her own business as she did the dishes only for Emily to pounce on her (with a friendly greeting so as to not repeat the last time Ali had been taken by surprise) after Emily had been training in the pool and was still soaking wet.

"Warm me up then," Emily breathes against Ali's ear as she nips at the lobe, her blood is pumping from her training and Ali had been swinging her hips to a song only she could hear, so who can really blame Emily for not being able to keep her hands to herself.

"I have to-ah…finish…and…study," Alison tries to argue as Emily's cold hands slide under her shirt and up her stomach as the swimmer's teeth move to her neck. "Em."

"Blow it off," Emily mutters, intent in her exploration of Ali's soft skin, her fingers skim the edge of Ali's bra as she presses herself more to Alison's back. Alison arches her ass back into Emily's strong frame with a tiny whimper and then something inside her clicks. She wants to study because she needs to get her GED and lately Spencer has been talking about college and trade school and the possibilities of what an education actually can amount to are just starting to open up to Alison. She grips Emily's hand under her shirt and holds it along with its partner on her waist. The brunette continues to trail kisses along Ali's neck as the blonde laces their fingers together.

"Em?" Alison whispers, squeezing gently, hoping she doesn't upset the brunette but still confident in her actions.

"Mmm?"

"Stop," Alison whispers, it's not timid but its not nearly as startling as the last time she did it. Emily lifts her head slowly from the blonde's neck and Alison turns around, disengaging from Emily's hands long enough to face the brunette before she grabs a hold of them again.

Emily just stares at the blonde.

"I need to study," Ali says again more forcefully and Emily blinks, unused to being denied her affections. But the brunette remembers herself and her manners and promise, and she nods reluctantly, running a hand through her hair. She needs to let Alison live properly, she reminds herself. "Maybe later?"

The cheeky brunette perks up at the sound of that and a small smile spread across her face. "Definitely later."

x-x-x

"I wasn't ready!" Ali shouts with a grin, unable to stop her character from falling off the track.

"Sucks to be you," Caleb teases with a laugh as Alison throws a couch cushion at him with a pout. "Hey wait no fair, don't block the screen."

Alison sits back in frustration—she's so far behind she knows there is no hope so she just watches Caleb try to catch Toby's character.

"Go Toby," Ali cheers when Toby swerves in front of Caleb and holds his lead. She sticks her tongue out at Caleb when the boy looks wounded. Toby crosses the finish line first and Caleb puts down his controller groaning.

"I am the Rainbow Road King!" Toby declares getting to his feet, and raising both hands in victory.

"Is that your stripper name or something?" Hanna asks as she saunters into the lounge room with Spencer.

"We're playing Mario Kart," Caleb tells his girlfriend as she leans over the couch and kisses him soundly. "Hi."

Alison looks away blushing as Hanna and Caleb have a silent conversation with their eyes. Toby pulls Spencer into his arms.

"You're proud right, babe?" Toby boasts to his girlfriend. "You can be my Rainbow Road Queen."

Spencer pushes at Toby's chest with a laugh and shakes her head.

"Thanks but I think I'll pass," she chuckles when Toby pouts and rolls her eyes before she wraps her arms around his neck and kisses him sweetly. Hanna makes hurling noises even as she leans across the back of the couch to hold Caleb to her chest, Spencer pulls away from Toby with a pointed glare at Hanna before her eyes settle on the younger blonde.

"It's after five, Alison, you're supposed to be studying," Spencer adopts a stern eyebrow raise and Alison nods chastised. She'd just gotten a little distracted by Toby and Caleb playing with Emily's console.

"Bye guys," Ali waves to the boys as she heads upstairs.

"Ali?" Caleb calls and Alison stops turning back to the lounge room. "Same time tomorrow?"

Alison smiles widely and nods excitedly she loves hanging out with her 'brothers', Spencer taps her imaginary watch with a mock sternness and Alison scampers up the stairs to the study.

x-x-x

Late that night, Spencer awakes groggily to her phone's shrill tone and she reaches blindly for it across the bedside table, she pulls it to her ear half asleep. Whoever is calling better have a good reason for disturbing her. "Spencer Hastings speaking."

"Did I wake you?" Veronica Hastings' tone is borderline disapproving. "I thought you'd still be studying."

Spencer is awake enough to hear her mother's judgement and she rolls her eyes though they're already half shut. "I just needed some sleep, mom. Law school will still be there tomorrow."

Veronica's tone softens as Spencer yawns and covers her mouth."Spencer you need to be awake for this conversation."

Spencer glances at the clock as it blinks back. Is it—no, how is it so late…so early in the morning already?

"Maybe you shouldn't have called at 3 am then," Spencer grouses as she tries to curl into a tiny ball.

"Babe," Toby, sharing the bed, rolls over onto his side. His eyes try to squint through the darkness at the sound of his girlfriend's voice. "You ok?"

"Spencer leave the room right now," Veronica snaps in a no nonsense tone. "This is not an audience friendly conversation."

"I'm fine," Spencer assures Toby even as her mother's sharp tone registers with her sleepy mind. "Go back to sleep I gotta take this."

Toby nods, dopey and sleepy-eyed, as Spencer smooths his hair back and kisses his forehead. He's asleep again before she even shuts the bedroom door. She strides down the hall to her office and locks the door.

"Mother," Spencer intones sharply, much more awake as she sinks into her office chair. Her whole body feels like it's rejecting this late night awakening. "What's going on?"

"Spencer, I'm about to put you in a very difficult situation," Veronica cautions though she knows there's no apology in that statement, because if there was an apology Veronica Hastings would have tried to remedy the situation already and there's hardly anything Veronica Hastings can't do.

"What, mom-"

"Ian is going to sue Emily," Veronica throws out suddenly, like a barbed spear of bad news. Spencer is thankful she's sitting down as she rubs at her face.

"This was always a possibility, I thought he'd do something sooner-"

"You don't understand, Spencer, how would I know this so soon?"

"Melissa?" Spencer guesses groggily, the horror of the whole situation seeping into her sleep-filled brain slowly.

"You're a Hastings, Spencer, act like it," Veronica snaps. Spencer rubs at her temples trying to think as her mind lifts out of the fog, her eyes flicker to her top draw it would be so easy, too easy to give in, a little kicker to help her fiddle through her mother's riddles at 3am. Does she have an exam tomorrow? Probably-

"Spencer," Veronica shrilly commands.

"Dad," Spencer almost slaps herself in the face. "Dad's representing Ian."

"Theres my genius daughter," Veronica almost sounds proud but Spencer's too caught up in the implication of this family feud. There goes that barbed spear of bad news twisting deeply into her.

"If Dad represents Ian-"

"I won't represent Emily," Veronica sighs as though she's pained. "Our family has never been 'close' but I cannot oppose my husband in court Spencer, the firm will never back it."

"So do it pro bono," Spencer argues and Veronica laughs. "I'm serious."

"Spencer," Veronica lectures. "Emily's got a lot of money I'm sure she can get adequate representation."

"Adequate," Spencer scoffs as she holds her head. "You've already decided Dad's going to win."

Veronica doesn't respond.

"That's why you won't do it, not because of the firm or our family but because you think you'd lose," Spencer is barely holding it together as she rants. The thought process of her mother is applaudable from a dark standpoint, she thinks to herself.

"Lose the tone, Spencer, I am still your mother and I called you as a heads up, so you could prepare," Veronica fires back.

"Prepare," Spencer shrieks in disbelief. How is she supposed to prepare for a war that they're all going to lose? "I'll be lucky if they're not serving papers tomorrow."

"Don't shoot the messenger," Veronica warns as Spencer takes a deep breath.

"Ok, thank you for your warning," it comes out less nice than Spencer had hoped.

"The warning, dear, is for Alison's sake," Veronica throws out casually.

"What?! Why!" Spencer demands clutching at her phone. No, not another Alison-related threat—Spencer can only watch so many people try to hurt the timid blonde who she has come to watch over like a guardian. Cece may be like Alison's sister, but Spencer feels personally responsible for the blonde who lives in the estate Spencer practically runs.

"With Emily's assets in question, Alison will count among her possessions and if Ian wins there is a chance he could take-"

Spencer hangs up before her mother can finish and searches her contacts. She holds the phone to her ear trying to control her growing rage, she tries to take calming breathes as the phone continues to ring. This can't happen—

"Pick up dammit," she angrily stands pacing along her office.

"Spencer," Melissa greets with a sleepy yawn. "Took you long enough."

"Melissa this is ridiculous, call Ian off," Spencer orders, Melissa stretches out a long exaggerated yawn. "I'm not kidding."

"Neither is Ian," Melissa snaps sounding much more awake. "Slander and aggravated assault are hardly laughing matters, little sister."

"He won't win," Spencer spits with more certainty than she feels. "So what if he has Dad representing him."

"You don't know the half of it," Melissa mutters.

"What do you mean?"

"Let's just say Ian has a few Saints in his corner," Melissa chuckles darkly. Spencer feels all the colour drain from her face as horror fills her.

Maya.

"When Ian wins, Emily Fields will be bankrupt. Her career is already going down the drain, she'll be a has been, Dad wants you to concentrate on school and if you leave the train wreck now he's willingly to pay for the rest of your studies and set you up as a junior associate with the family firm," Melissa sounds almost grudging as she makes the offer. "It's a good deal, Spence."

"What about Alison?" Spencer whispers. She does not want Alison to even have the possibility of ending up with that scumbag. She wasn't at the party, but she has no doubt in her mind that Ian was every bit as sleazy as Cece described to her—asking for what price he could fuck Alison—why is her sister dating him?!

"Who?" Melissa scoffs and Spencer is reminded once again that she has never been able to understand her sister, Melissa's motivations, her cold calculated way of accessing the world. Something in their genes skipped over Spencer and she's never been sure if it was a blessing or a curse. "You mean the doll? I don't know I guess she'd be sold or something."

Spencer feels her heart constrict.

"You can't keep her, Spencer," Melissa's tone raises to a shrill pitchy warning. "When Emily's life implodes the doll will go with her other assets."

Spencer grimaces, Ali would be repacked and sold as though she were a lamp. And it's not like anyone cares, especially not Melissa.

"How do you sleep at night?" Spencer asks heatedly, once again standing by her statement of being okay with going the rest of her life without seeing Melissa ever again.

Melissa chuckles. "On a one hundred thousand dollar mattress."

"While your boyfriend is out fucking dolls," Spencer spits.

"Watch your mouth, Spencer, you may be my sister but Ian is my soulmate," Melissa argues.

"You deserve each other," Spencer sneers and its not a compliment.

"It's not too late Spencer, talk to Dad, it's a good offer," Melissa sighs as though she knows her insistence won't get through to her younger sister. "And it won't be made again."

The dial tone rings in Spencer's ear as Melissa's words echo through her mind.

x-x-x

The next morning, Spencer gathers them all in the living room. She's been up all night trying to figure a way out of this mess, the bags under her eyes barely concealed by her quick makeup fix. Used to handling things on her own, Spencer tackles the problem she's been ignoring for too long and puts all her energy into fixing that issue first. She'll deal with the Ian problem later.

"We need to talk about recent…developments," Spencer tells them all seriously with a pained sigh. The room is instantly tense and Spencer clears her throat uneasily as she looks to Aria who nods and looks back at the couple on the couch. "Emily this can't continue, it's gone too far."

"What can't continue?" Emily questions, only half paying attention to her manager as Alison shifts in her arms uncomfortably. The swimmer figures this is just another shit talk about her spending habits and saving money. The blonde however can sense the unease radiating off of Spencer and can see Aria staring at her cautiously.

"This," Spencer gestures to the couple in front of her and Alison feels her heart drop in dread. She had thought the group accepted her as an equal now, does Spencer not see it that way? Ali grips onto Emily's forearm reflexively, in fear of an oncoming emotional outburst.

"Spencer what the hell are you talking about?" Hanna asks, her face scrunched up in confusion. This is coming out of the blue, and it's going to ruin their enjoyable evening. "They're happy just let them be."

"No they're not," Spencer stresses with a pointed glare. "I mean, they think they are—but this isn't right, Emily and you know it."

"What the fuck is your problem?" Hanna demands before Emily can open her mouth in shock. The swimmer feels her blood boil with anger as she thinks of a million objections but she's glad her best friend is jumping to her defense. She hastily pulls Alison closer and looks up only to see her timid blonde love has paled significantly. "I thought this was a meeting over money why are you attacking Em and Ali?"

"I'm not attacking anyone, you're all just so in love with this…this idea of a glorious happy ending and that isn't what this is," Spencer stresses as she gestures to Ali in Emily's lap. The blonde feels personally victimized and shrinks into herself, slowly closing herself off. Cece silently slinks to the couch and sits next to Alison and Em, putting a hand on the blonde's knee in reassurance. She doesn't know what Spencer is going on about, but she won't have the manager taking it out on Alison.

"What?" Emily practically growls, her eyes narrowing. She feels the hairs on the back of her neck stand up as the statement translates into a challenge in her mind. Hanna puts up a hand to calmly keep the swimmer in place and steps up to Spencer defensively. She may be the most bubbly air-headed one out of all of them, but she refuses to ever let Emily, and now Alison, be bullied.

"Spencer stop talking in riddles and spit it out," Hanna demands viciously.

"This—Emily and Ali—isn't healthy by anyone's standards and if I have to be the jerk to point that out then I will be," Spencer argues hotly, standing by her statements, they have to see this for what it is— unhealthy.

"Spencer isn't alone…I agree with her, we've talked about it a lot," Aria throws her two cents in a little hesitantly but unapologetically and Alison instantly looks like someone kicked her in the gut. The littlest brunette tries to offer Ali a sympathetic smile but the blonde refuses to meet her gaze. Instead, she snuggles into Emily who holds her tightly trying to shield her from this brash stupidity.

"Well thats great and all but you don't get a vote," Emily spits at her friends defensively, her fiery brown eyes darkening. "This is between me and Alison."

"No it's not," Spencer agues desperately. "Believe me, we care about both of you—"

"Alison you know we don't want to hurt you," Aria tries to jump in and reason but Alison only looks shaken as she grabs for Cece's hand on her knee and squeezes it. Surely Emily won't believe the two in front of her, and surely Cece will protect their relationship.

"She's dependent on you for everything Emily, you're fucking cradling her like a baby right now," Spencer objects as she cuts in after Aria. Emily's face contorts into fury as Spencer gestures at the two of them. "She can't be coddled and-"

"Fuck off Spencer—" Hanna steps forward and the rage in her eyes catches everyone in the room off guard.

"Ok, Hanna, Spencer, everyone" Cece tries to be the rational voice cutting off both the manager and Hanna as she springs to her feet and stands between them. "You've expressed your concerns and Emily will take them into consideration but—"

"No fucking way, I finally have someone good in my life, something pure and good and if you think you can take her away you're a fucking idiot," Emily accuses Spencer with a hiss as her heart beats angrily in her chest.

"She's a person," Spencer blurts out in frustration. "And you fucking own her!"

Everyone is still and quiet as Spencer breathes heavily, her brain just catching up to what she has said. Emily blinks once and then moves Alison off her lap with extreme care as she stands. She takes Ali's hand gently as the timid blonde shakes, her insecurities about her status flaring up dangerously causing tears to prick at her eyes. Emily leans in closely whispering into Ali's ear, her movements soft and calm, rubbing Ali's arm soothingly. The timid blonde nods quickly, hurrying to head out of the room before she starts crying pathetically in front of the girls. She's started to feel safe recently being more vulnerable in front of them but right now she feels like they're trying to take Emily away from her because of who she is, something she can't control and that's just unbearable.

"Ali-" Spencer tries but the blonde won't look at her as she flees the room. Spencer turns back to meet Emily's furious gaze as the swimmer steps forward threateningly, the other three girls all tense ready to react as Emily stops a breath from Spencer's face. Spencer stands her ground, though she swallows her slight fear.

"Fuck. You. Spencer." Emily spits viciously as she gets right in Spencer's face. She spins on her heel and storms out of the room, quickly following Ali upstairs. As soon as Emily and Alison have disappeared upstairs all hell breaks lose.

"What happened to not keeping secrets from each other?" Hanna demands, Aria looks away guilty but Spencer's still holding her cards close to her chest. "And don't deny it, you two were fucking in this together."

"You literally would have jumped straight on the Emily and Ali bandwagon," Spencer defiantly states crossing her arms with a huff.

"Hell yeah and I would have tried to talk you out of that shit show," Hanna shakes her head angrily. She's been a huge proponent of this relationship and she stands firm by Alison and her best friend.

"You threw me under a bus out there," Spencer throws back and Aria steps up to her side.

"That came out of nowhere," Cece backs up Hanna with narrowed eyes as she glares at the blunt manager and little brunette. "You could have at least given us a heads up and we could've discussed whatever the hell you're trying to say."

"Well I didn't ok," Spencer angrily spits, frustrated beyond relief she should have opened with the law suit explained it clearly and succinctly but they're stuck, there are no sponsors. "And I probably just made everything worse."

"Spence-" Aria tries to sooth.

"No," Spencer shrugs off the little brunette as she crosses her arms over her chest and tries to breathe through her anxiety, she knows what Ali's has been through and the idea that the blonde could be thrown right back into that world scares the manager beyond belief. "You guys don't know what Ali has been through. She…she told me some details, and that was still skimming the surface—and the things…she's not in a place where she can have a relationship with anyone let alone someone as unstable as Emily."

Cece sighs rubbing at her face as she tries to process that.

"I get what you're saying, and your concerns are valid— but that's not what you said out there Spencer! You pretty much just accused Emily of using Ali," Cece tries to get the manager to see reason.

"She is," Spencer mutters darkly at the thought. Hanna throws up her hands in exasperation.

"She loves Alison," Hanna defends pointing a finger into Spencer's face. She just knows that's true. Her best friend, one of the best people she's ever encountered, is finally settling down with someone who is equally good, maybe even better. "And if you can't see that maybe you need to get that giant stick out of your ass."

Spencer swats Hanna's hand out of her face and glares at the designer.

"Yeah cause Emily's party pal has a fucking clue about depression and projecting self hatred into unstable relationships," she spits back feeling very attacked when all she was trying to do was save two people she cares about.

"Fuck you, you think you know everything Spencer but you're just a repressed—"

"Alright, enough," Aria steps between the two trying to bring the conversation back to a respectable discussion. "This isn't helping any of us."

"Aria's right," Cece adds with a nod toward the little brunette, glad for a little rationality.

"We have to get Emily to see-" Aria tries to continue.

"No!" Hanna snaps loudly, the three of them jump in surprise at her forcefulness. "I refuse to help you ruin this. Emily is finally happy, she's actually happy and you want to take that away cause you don't approve."

"This is about what's best for both of them," Spencer tries to explain calmly but urgently. "Hanna, Emily is happy right now, but how long before she relapses? Depression doesn't go away in a second and she's only going to hurt herself and Alison in the long run if Alison is her sole source of happiness."

Spencer looks to Cece desperately hoping for some support. "I know you love Ali, Cece, you have to see I'm right," Spencer urges, trying to grasp for any lifeline possible.

"I'm not listening to this," Hanna declares with anger and rushes for the doorway. As she gets to the door she turns back, disappointed and fuming. "I hope you know what you're doing, Spencer, because if you wreck this she'll never forgive you. And you can bet I won't either."

Aria sighs as Hanna leaves and Cece stares at Spencer for a long moment before shaking her head and running a hand through her hair, this is just what they need a bigger tangled mess.

"You see it don't you, Cece?" Spencer tries again, a little gentler but still earnest, she thinks about mentioning Ian and the law suit about the very real threat Alison faces if they can't get a sponsor but something holds the manager back. This relationship needs to end and Alison needs to be freed, in Spencer's mind they are irrevocably connected issues and they can both be solved if Spencer can just get Cece on her side.

"I don't know," Cece answers carefully, conflict seeping into her voice. "Ali is like my little sister, and I love Emily, so much, as much as she frustrates me. I want them to be happy and they seem—"

"Seem," Spencer stresses as her frown increases. "They seem happy. Ali is still doing this out of obligation! She wants Emily to be happy but she's so dependent on Em for everything. She thinks they're like beauty and the beast."

"What?" Cece tilts her head in confusion. "The book?"

Aria nods, jumping back into the conversation.

"Em bought it for her and now— the way Spencer explained it to me, it's like Stockholm Syndrome. Ali has developed an attachment to her servitude to Emily and now she's projecting feelings of affection onto Emily because Emily is literally the only safe thing she's ever known."

"So Ali's using Emily," Cece clarifies slowly, she can't imagine Alison manipulating anyone like that.

"Not consciously or maliciously, and neither is Emily. But her whole white knight complex is escalated by protecting Ali—it defines her whole existence and it counters her depression because she has a purpose, a goal, protect and keep Ali safe and happy," Spencer explains, having thought this through in great depth. Cece's brow furrows in confusion.

"But that sounds like a good thing they both want to make each other happy and—"

"It's called codependence," Spencer continues with a scowl. "And it means they essentially lose their own individual lives because of how wrapped up they are in their relationship. It leads to all kinds of issues, not the least of which is Ali losing her own life when she never even got to have one."

Cece mulls over Spencer's argument for a solid minute or so of awkward silence. She can see where Spencer is coming from and why the manager is so concerned. But Alison is a very delicate girl and Cece knows that the impulsive manager or even Aria won't be able to explain the concept properly let alone get a good sense of what Alison truly feels.

"Let me talk to Ali," Cece suggests, Spencer crosses her arms obviously not appeased but Aria nods agreeably. "It's a compromise, Spencer I'm not helping till I hear what Ali has to say. Without Em."

Spencer huffs but nods and Cece squeezes the manager's arm softly, knowing that Spencer's intentions and actions don't come from a hateful place.

"Let Em cool off for a bit," Cece suggests softly. "I'll taking Ali for lunch next week, just don't do anything rash."

Cece leaves with a quick hug from Aria and once again its just the two of them. Spencer collapses onto the sofa with a pained sigh.

"Well that could have gone better," Aria mutters sitting next to her.

"I'm gonna be the bad guy again aren't I?" Spencer asks pathetically and Aria pulls the manager's head to her shoulder stroking her hair gently.

"You care too much, Spence," Aria soothes. "Way too much to be the bad guy."

x-x-x

It hurts that they're right back here again— Ali in Emily's bed crying her eyes out because the world is unfair. But this time Emily just can't believe that it's come from one of her best friends, someone she trusts with her life. She's still vibrating with anger when she shuts the door, locks it and slips into bed behind the crying blonde who has already crawled to the center and curled up in a little quivering ball.

"Ali, please don't cry," Emily tries to soothe gently as she molds her body to spoon the blonde, wrapping her curves to fit around Alison's. "Spencer doesn't know what she's talking about, she doesn't understand us."

Alison takes a deep, shuddering breath as her body shakes and she tenses up in Emily's arms as she tries to communicate to the brunette. "She…I'm…not good enough…"

"No, stop," Emily pleads as she gently tugs on the blonde's arm and implores her to turn over onto her back. The blonde does reluctantly only to see Emily's deeply concerned face and wide frown. The swimmer gently brings up Alison's wrist with the slave brand to her face and presses her lips to it reverently while Alison tries to still her sobs. "This doesn't define you."

The blonde manages a watery smile before her eyebrows scrunch and her hands tremble again. She's more than a little hurt that Spencer, and Aria, of all people, her first friend, have turned against her after being so furiously defensive of her against her siblings. They're supposed to be a family, her sisters, why are they trying to isolate her and separate her? Can't they see her intentions are pure even though she is tainted with the horrors of her past? What about the relationship isn't right, she just can't comprehend it. If they think she's terrible why even bother apologizing, Ali sniffles softly.

"I don't want to not be with you," Alison whispers through choked cries as she turns fully to Emily and clutches at the brunette. She knows she's being very…needy…clingy, for a lack of a better word, but she doesn't want anything that Spencer said to affect this, their secret world, their relationship. She doesn't want to not be good enough for Emily or for anyone else to think that, she just wants Emily to look at her with that adoring, kind glimmer in her brown eyes.

"You don't have to be," Emily reassures with a sigh as she gently pries Alison's hands off of her and pulls the blonde into her so that Alison's head is buried in her chest. There's a part of her that knows if anything, she should be worried about Alison not being with her. She should worry about the blonde realizing the swimmer is not nearly good enough to be with her, that Emily is the one with a zillion fucked up flawed issues. But she hopes that Alison already sees that and is choosing to look past it. "Forget Spencer. She'll realize how wrong she is."

"But…Aria…"

"Is wrong, too," Emily reassures and Alison is quelled ever so slightly as she feels Emily's arms tighten desperately around her.

The two of them lie there in a serious silence, their hands both holding tightly onto the other. Though Emily tells both of them that any threat isn't real, it feels more real than any outside threat ever has.

"Ali…" Emily finally whispers up through the silence of their heavy breathing. She feels Alison shift next to her and tilt up to look at her with her big, vulnerable blue eyes. Emily's heart clenches, and she doesn't even think before she speaks—"I love you."

Alison's eyes widen impossibly further as Emily's do as well, the gravity of what she just said dawning on her. She doesn't regret it, not for a second, but she feels a tiny hint of panic seep in as Alison just continues to look at her like a deer in headlights. She's never had to worry about the nuances of saying those words before…Maya said them first and she echoed them. But she doesn't worry long as Alison's face breaks into one of awe and reverence as she leans forward and presses her forehead against Emily's, their noses touching.

"I love you," Alison replies honestly, believing those words with every ounce of her being.

Emily can't help but smile at those words, despite their complicated position and she kisses Alison softly before they snuggle into each other, holding desperately onto their promises of love and promises of never being without the other. One fight at a time, Emily thinks to herself. One day at a time.

x-x-x

A few days later, Spencer and Aria sit at the kitchen table eating in comfortable silence. Spencer still harbors this secret that is still eating away at her but she's managed to get an intern in her father's firm to keep an eye on the papers, and so far Ian hasn't filed anything but the manager knows it's coming and Spencer is desperately stalling for a solution.

Things have been…tense…in the house lately. Hanna and Emily are both still boiling with anger but it's Ali's wounded looks that break Spencer and Aria's hearts. Any attempt to explain the situation to Alison has been interceded by both Hanna and Emily who never seem to leave Ali alone anymore. And Alison doesn't seem to want to speak to either brunette as she always quickly hides behind whoever she's with. Spencer and Aria would intervene but they don't want to further worsen the situation.

As they're eating, a small baggie suddenly falls on the table between the two. The manager instantly turns as white as the powder inside the small bag.

"Emily!" Aria exclaims in shock and anger as she jumps out of her seat, looking up at the swimmer who stands over the table. "What the hell is wrong with you? Spencer has been clean for a year and you pull this kind of immature crap? Is this your idea of a joke?"

Emily stares hard at Spencer across the table and doesn't even blink as Aria berates her. No, she's here with a purpose and she won't be deterred.

"I was cleaning out my drawer," Emily mentions with a sneer. She doesn't add it was to make room for Ali's things, she doesn't want them judging this or trying to take away the importance of what she's saying.

"Ruin your own life but keep Spencer out of it," Aria hisses picking up the baggie and throwing it back at Emily. The swimmer catches it gracefully, keeping her cool with the air of a fallen angel.

"It wasn't in my drawer though, was it Spencer?" Emily glares at her manager as she drops the baggie back on the table. Spencer only has eyes for the white powder and she stares at it longingly. "I noticed it was missing, and do you know where I found it?"

"Spencer?" Aria questions hesitantly, the manager blinks and can't cover her guilt as she faces Aria through her lashes.

"Where do you get off on lecturing me about my choices?" Emily roars, her accusation clear as day. Spencer stands quickly, her chair scrapping unpleasantly from the sudden movement.

"This is completely different," Spencer shoots back defensively.

"No, it's not you act like you're above us all, Spencer, like you have everything all sorted but really your holier than thou attitude is a mask and it's slipping," Emily twists the proverbial knife as deep as she can.

"This doesn't excuse your actions, Emily, my mistakes don't mitigate your own," Spencer spits back, insistent on not letting Emily get away with this horrible misplace of sins.

"Shut up both you!" Aria screams, she grabs the bag from the table and marches across the room to the sink.

"Aria stop-"

Spencer's plea falls on deaf ears as Aria opens the bag and up ends all of it into the sink, running the water hard to wash it all away. Spencer slumps and closes her eyes pained as Emily watches Aria turn off the water and turn to them her face set in hard fury.

"I can't believe you," she shakes her head in disbelief. "Either of you."

"She started-"

Aria holds up a hand and Emily falls quiet.

"I'm done," Aria tells them both with finality.

"Done?" Emily echoes.

"What do you mean done, Aria you can't-"

"You," Aria points at Emily. "I can't believe you just did that and what you're doing with Ali, I thought I knew you."

Emily clenches her fists but Aria continues before she can get a word out.

"And, you," Aria closes her eyes slowly as she seems to be swallowing her anger, she vibrates as she tries to hold herself together. "I can't believe anything you say ever again."

"Ar, no," Spencer begs. "I need you."

"As much as you need that?" Aria points to the sink. "You need help, Spencer."

"I'm fine. Please, Aria, please its only when I can't cope," Spencer begs her eyes filling with tears as she tries to make her best friend understand. The pressure, school, her parents, this job, being Emily's moral compass, the weight of Alison's freedom its all a lot to take on and she'd been drowning while she was clean. She's not addicted, she's just holding on.

"I'm not doing this again, Spencer," Aria spits. "You lied to me."

"I know, I know but-"

"You almost died last time!" Aria screams, angry hot tears streaming down her cheeks, she loves her best friends, both of them, with her whole heart but there is only so much she can take. Emily feels extremely out of place as Aria and Spencer stare at each other both in tears.

"I can't lose you again, I can't do this," Aria hiccups trying to get a hold of her voice as it cracks. She turns on her heel and fleas.

Spencer crumples to the floor and curls into herself, rocking back and forth with her arms around her knees. Emily doesn't know what to do. Spencer always so collected even in anger she's in control. Slowly the swimmer sinks down to Spencer's level.

"Spence…" Emily reaches out a hand slowly as soon as her fingers touch Spencer's shoulder the manager's head shoots up.

"Don't touch me!"

Emily retreats and holds her hands up in surrender. Not knowing what else to do, she slinks back, off into the hallway. She's now proved her point, but she's not so sure it was worth getting the two back for interfering with her relationship. Spencer needs help, Emily reasons, and this is going to force her to get it. But that look on Aria's face…the brunette shudders unpleasantly.

Emily stands at the stairs and debates going up when Aria slams a door and Emily decides to slip out the front door. She takes a deep breath and slumps against the outside wall of the house. The house that barely feels like a home sometimes. It used to feel like a home, when they had all been so bright-eyed and excited and ready to face the world together. She remembers the day Pepe had first come home, she remembers the day Hanna had finished designing her studio room, or the day Spencer had finished moving in all the furniture for the office. She remembers when the four of them and Cece had celebrated her first major win by jumping in the pool even though the heater was broken and it had just been an easier, carefree blissful time before everything became more stressful and the blissful moments became fewer and farther between.

But now the house feels like a war zone, and Cece hardly comes by to avoid all the tension. They grew up together, went through some of the toughest things together but maybe this is what breaks them beyond repair, Spencer's stubborn refusal to see past Ali's status because thats what Emily sees— her manager's disapproval over her controversial relationship with her own slave. In the back of her mind, Emily sees more of Spencer's view than she cares to admit and it just makes her lash out more.

When did this become so hard, Emily wonders—she wonders if they'd all be happier without her here, and then she realizes nobody would be in this position without her and her money. She sighs, trying to rationalize that that's not all she's good for, that that's not all she brings to the table in their friendship. But maybe that wouldn't be a bad thing, not being successful. Without the money Spencer wouldn't have gotten into coke in the first place, without the pressure maybe they'd all be normal. No money, no fame, no pressure, no Alison…Emily shakes her head that's not an option anymore.

She pulls her phone out of her pocket and takes a deep breath as she dials Toby's number. He picks up after two rings and Emily sighs knowing she has to do this.

"Hey, Toby…I think Spencer should stay with you for a bit."