"Couldn't have picked a better place to end your story."

Shana Fring's cold voice echoed through the almost empty theatre, causing Alison to involuntarily shudder. She felt herself go numb - a numbness that had helped her survive that past year - with the betrayal of her childhood friend. No. Nonononono. How was this happening? How was the person Alison had come to trust the most the one pointing a gun at her?

Before Alison could register what was happening, Spencer had jumped in front of her. She was breathing heavily; she knew as well as Alison that if Shana had been the one to torment all of them, the one who on multiple occasions had attempted and even committed murder, the one on the roof the previous night, she wouldn't hesitate to kill whoever would get in her way. But Spencer still protectively stood in between the former bully who had become a stranger to her and the armed southern girl who was ready to kill.

Mona leant on Spencer as they ran -or in Mona's case, stumbled - towards the exit. If they hadn't had to get out of the dollhouse before, they certainly did now. Mona was beyond scared. Beyond terrified. If Aria, Emily, Hanna and Spencer hadn't come for her, she would be suffocating in the hole. The realisation that she had almost died alone just made Mona grip onto Spencer's arms even tighter.

Emily climbs out first. Mona lifts her head, watching her as she takes each step to freedom up the ladder. While silently urging the swimmer to move quicker, Mona feels herself start to shake. Charles could show up any second, armed, and had the full ability to kill the meanwhile undernourished and sleep-dprived girls. Or worse, bring them to the hole. Before Mona has the chance to panic even further, she feels Spencer's hands on her shoulders, as if she were trying to say I won't leave you and I will protect you. Mona lets out a breath that she didn't even know she was holding. And soon it was Mona's turn to climb the ladder to safety.

They made it. They were outside.

Spencer held Mona as she softly cried. The other girls ran into the direction of their loved ones, whose arms were already open to embrace them. They were all crying and hugging and kissing and being so loud, making Mona wonder how Spencer could be so calm. Spencer stayed; probably it was because Toby and her family hadn't arrived yet, but that didn't matter to Mona. Because Spencer's strong arms were around her, holding her, she was there for her, and Mona for a second didn't have to worry about Charles.

"Spencer!" Toby's yelled. The taller girl reacted, slowly letting go of Mona, who winced at the loss of the contact, to approach her boyfriend. Don't go!

As she moved over to Toby, Spencer looked over her shoulder to make sure Mona was alright on her own. Reassured that the brunette hadn't abandoned her, Mona relaxed.

But when Spencer flung herself into Toby's arms with a sudden sob, the petite Hawaiian jumped in surprise. Her mouth fell open, both in shock and gratitude, as she realised that the only reason Spencer hadn't expressed any fear, relief or sorrow, and instead stood strong, was to make Mona feel safe.

Aria was afraid. She tried her best not to let it show, but she was terrified. Spencer was in the operating room, getting a bullet removed from her chest. Out of everything they all had been through, this moment was easily in the top 5 most terrifying ones of her life. Spencer could die. Her wonderful, strong, witty, smart best friend could die. With a cry, Aria let the thought of losing the tall brunette sink in. It hurt. It hurt so incredibly much. Spencer was the main reason they were all alive today, she was the reason they had even the slightest bit of hope. One of the most comforting thoughts had always been Spencer will figure something out, because Spencer always does. To Aria, a life without Spencer was not possible.

Don't you dare die, Spencer, she silently swore. I won't let you.

All these emotions. Aria had tried to swallow them down, to hide them from herself, because how would worrying help? But the emotions weren't obeying Aria, they were bubbling up and engulfing her, so that Aria couldn't help but cry. If Spencer were here, she would wrap her arms around the smaller brunette, whispering in her ear that everything was going to be alright. Letting out a bitter laugh, Aria wrapped her arms around her knees. AD was still out there, and the liars might have to face them without Spencer. How the heck did this happen?

It was stupid. Of course. Spencer had been the last one of the girls to go down the staircase to safety. Exposing her to the bullet that was now lodged in her chest. Aria used to think that the one to go first was the bravest. After all, the one to go first was the first to find out how dangerous the new paths were going to be. But she was wrong. The one in the back was the one to brave the most horrors, the one to be separated from the group, the one to remain in the danger zone. Funny, how Aria never noticed until now that Spencer was always the last to escape.

She wished she could go back in time. She wished that she could have gotten the girls to hurry, to speed up so that Spencer would be OK. She needed Spencer to be OK. Sometimes, when Aria was at her worst, Spencer was everything.

The tiny brunette found herself drifting off. She wanted, no, needed, to stay awake, she had to know how Spencer was. Aria fought to stay awake, and as she almost found herself losing the battle against sleep, the door opened. A staff member had entered, to inform the friends and family of Spencer Hastings that Spencer was strong; would survive.

And for just a moment, everything was going to be OK.

The second before you die lasts forever. It is as if time is frozen; nothing is moving. Alex, the axe held high in the air, ready to strike, is as still as a statue. For just a moment, Spencer thinks about giving up. After all, there is not much one can do when your own twin is standing over you, armed and ready to kill you. But then Spencer thinks about Ezra, who she had rushed to defend when he fell helpless on the ground behind her, and pictures flash through her mind.

Ezra and Aria kissing. Aria laughing. Hanna's snide remarks. Emily's sweet voice, Alison's determination, Toby's strong embrace, Veronica's loving gaze. What would become of them, if Spencer would die now? No way she was just going to let the people she loved be put in danger. Because that was only going to happen over her dead body

So, without a second thought, Spencer barreled forward, pushing her armed twin to the ground.