AN: Hey, guys! Hope all is good :) Much like with "Is it wrong if I tell you that I love you? (Even though I'd never do it when I'm sober)," this old tumblr fic was originally part of my PROMPTS, but I felt that this one too worked better here on its own as a one-shot. Hopefully you guys dig it xx

original prompt: "Hanna and Caleb help Emily ask Alison on a date at school"

"Remind me again of the plan," Emily nervously states, as she sits on the locker room bench.

"You're going to go out there, swim like crazy, smash some records, the usual," Hanna smirks.

"And then?" she asks as she fiddles with her swim cap.

"And then tomorrow morning, you - Rosewood High's Top Athlete - are going to walk up to Queen Bee Alison DiLaurentis and ask her out."

"Are you sure -"

"Yes, Emily. For the thousandth time, Alison likes girls too. Trust me. Or if not, trust Caleb who heard it from Toby Cavanaugh, who heard it from his girlfriend Spencer Hastings, aka Alison's best friend," Hanna sighs. "Shouldn't you be more nervous about the meet, though? Aren't the Red Devils like your nemesis after McCullers cheated on you with their anchor?" Hanna asks disgusted.

Hanna wonders sometimes if Emily is cursed with bad taste in women. First, Maya St. Germain - her first girlfriend after coming out sophomore year - who cheated on her with some lame dude, Landon or Lyndon or something. Then there was Paige McCullers - she of tragic haircuts and known playground bully - who also cheated on her with this other Shane or Shana chick.

"We were on a break," Emily quietly corrects.

"Whatever," Hanna scoffs, honestly over that bitch.

See, Emily is not only gorgeous and the best athlete in this god forsaken town, but she's also kind, supportive, and loving. Which is why it baffles Hanna that her best friend since kindergarten has been so terrible at relationships since coming out.

(Hanna remembers that first day of kindergarten, coloring furiously with her new 64 crayola crayon box with the built-in sharpener. It was a gift from Daddy, one of the few not tainted in her memories by his abandoning of her, thanks to Emily. Because Hanna doesn't remember what her first drawing with her new crayons was, but she remembers the quiet voice telling her, "That's really pretty."

Hanna had looked to her side and smiled at the girl, "Thanks! Here, you can make yours pretty too!" Hanna had said, sharing her crayons. "I'm Hanna!"

"I'm Emily," the girl had smiled, as she reached forward and grabbed one of the colors her 24 pack did not have.

Little did baby Hanna know that that would be the moment that would forever change her life.

The moment that would lead to that time in third grade when, in her excitement for lunch, Hanna spilled apple juice all over her shirt. She was so embarrassed, tears already forming in her eyes, but not a moment later she was wearing Emily's new jacket - a gift from the girl's father - zipped all the way up to cover the stain.

Or that time in 6th grade, when Emily picked her first for dodge-ball in P.E. - not caring that their team eventually lost.

Or that first lunch period freshman year, the moment were the distinction between the losers and the cool kids would forever be cemented, when Emily sat at the lunch table Hanna was sharing with Mona Vanderwaal and Lucas Gottesman, instead of with the jocks despite being the only freshman to make the varsity team.)

Hanna shakes her head, a fond smile at those memories. Just a few of the most superficial ones, but ones that still meant the world to Hanna.

(Hanna avoids thinking about the other ones; the ones where Emily was there for her when Tom Marin left her mother and her; or the one where she confessed to Emily she had an eating disorder and got nothing but support. Or the other ones, the ones where Hanna was there when Emily's father left yet again for another tour or the one when she became the first person in the world Emily came out to.)

"Break or no break," Hanna finally continues, "You deserve better than her. Now, I don't know if Alison DiLaurentis is that, but I'm willing to be here for your trial-and-error process."

Emily rolls her eyes, "Thank you for your sacrifices."

Hanna gives her a shit-eating grin, "It's what I'm here for."

Just then an Assistant Coach's head pops into the locker room, calling for Emily.

"Go get 'em, Champ," she says as she heads out to the bleachers.

Hanna spots Mrs. Fields sitting up front with Mrs. Montgomery, their English teacher.

She looks over and sees her daughter, Aria (Hanna still remembers when she was the new girl back in freshman year), sitting by her bffs Spencer and Alison. The three chattering away.

She looks some more until she spots a hand waving at her, her boyfriend Caleb Rivers. Hanna smiles and walks over to him.

"How's Em?" Caleb asks.

"Nervous."

"She shouldn't be. Like I said, Toby confirmed it."

"I know," Hanna smiles at him. She remembers last year, how Emily had been wary but supportive of Hanna pursuing the bad boy, and how in the end it all worked out. How Caleb would come over and spend time with them at the Fields house before eventually going down the street and hanging out with Emily's neighbor, Toby, while the girls had their time. Hanna reaches over and kisses Caleb, sometimes wondering how she got so lucky in this world.

"What was that for?" Caleb asks smiling.

"Nothing," Hanna smiles back.

"Has it started yet? Is she swimming yet?" a slightly panicked voice sounds from Hanna's right, as Mona steps up the bleachers with honest-to-God laminated posters that have words cheering on Emily on them.

"Nop, gimme," Hanna says as she reaches forward and grabs one.

As Emily's moment approaches, Hanna looks around once more and sees Alison's group intently focused on the meet. Rosewood is behind, after a terrible start by McCullers, and it's up to Emily to bring it home.

"Ugh what is that skank saying to her," Mona mutters, as Hanna's face snaps over to see the Red Devil anchor muttering something under her breath to Emily.

And they're off!

"GO EMILY!"

"GO SHARKS!"

"GET IT FIELDS!"

The whole place gets louder and louder until…

"ROSEWOOD HIGH WINS WITH A NEW RECORD SETTING LAP BY ANCHOR EMILY FIELDS AT -"

The rest of the announcer's voice gets drowned out by the loud cheers as Emily is almost dragged out of the water by her teammates.

As soon as Shane/Shana/Whatever is out of the water, Emily is seen walking over to shake her hand. "Good meet," Emily says.

"Fuck, I love her," Mona says, laughing at Emily's backhanded sportsmanship.

"She must have really pissed Em off," Caleb says, knowing Emily wouldn't have done it if Shana hadn't been talking shit at the beginning.

Unexpectedly though, Shana forgoes a handshake and just straight up sucker-punches Emily in the face. By some miracle, Emily remains on her feet, however both teams rush to put some space between them as the referees and coaches scramble to get control.

Hanna spies Mrs. Fields rushing toward the pool area, as she hears Noel Kahn speak up from the place he and his football buddies occupy on the bleachers.

"Man, Fields can take a punch! Emily! Emily!" he begins to chant and soon the entire place is filled with cheers for the girl, as the Red Devils coach rushes to get her team out into the locker room.

The crowd parts and Emily is suddenly visible again, her fist in the air.

"That's my girl," Hanna says, the proudest smile ever gracing her face.

"Remind me again of the plan."

"Emily," Hanna says half-laughing, as the two sit in her car in the school parking lot the next day. "You beat some ridiculous record and took one hell of a punch yesterday. You're a legend. How is this the thing that makes you nervous?"

"Maybe I should have put on some makeup, don't you think?" Emily asks, as she stares at her face in the car mirror, makeup-free bruise over her entire left eye completely visible.

"Nop. Now, let's go," Hanna says.

Emily sighs, as the two exit the car and head inside the school.

"Hey Emily!"

"Great meet yesterday, Fields!"

"Is it true you took that punch and didn't even budge?"

They're quickly surrounded by students as the two attempt to walk over to their lockers. Before Emily can answer, Noel Kahn shows up and throws his arm around Emily's shoulder.

"Guys, give Emilio here a break. And for the record, Emily didn't even flinch as that punch connected."

Emily laughs a bit as Noel escorts them toward their lockers, feeding into the Emily legend.

"Thanks, Noel," Emily says.

"Of course. We look out for our own," he smirks before walking away.

"He's still so creepy," Hanna comments.

"He's harmless," Emily says.

"Anyway," Hanna continues, "it's your moment to shine, baby."

Emily pulls out her head from rummaging inside her locker and sees Alison and her friends over by the blonde's locker at the end of the hall.

"You got this," Caleb says, as he comes to stand by Hanna.

"Go," Hanna encourages with a laugh.

Emily nods at them, "I got this."

She walks down the hall, people still congratulating her, before stopping just by Alison's locker.

"That looks intense," Spencer comments as she looks at Emily's bruise.

"Looks worse than it feels," Emily shrugs.

"Of course it does, Killer," Alison says in a flirty tone.

Spencer rolls her eyes, as Aria speaks, "Great meet yesterday, Emily. My mom says she's invited you guys over for dinner this weekend to celebrate."

"Yeah, looking forward to it," Emily smiles.

Just then the bell rings.

"Alison, can I walk you to class?" Emily asks, before she loses her courage. Alison quirks an eyebrow before nodding.

"I'll see you guys later," she says, dismissing Spencer and Aria.

As Alison shuts her locker and the two begin to walk, Alison speaks again.

"Is walking me to class all you wanted?"

"No, actually. I was wondering if you would like to go out with me? Like, on a date," Emily says, her voice steadier than she thought it would be.

Alison pauses and looks over Emily's face. She reaches over and softly traces the bruise on her face. Emily holds her breath.

"I thought you'd never ask."

Emily breathes again.

Later, Emily joins the group for lunch.

"Well?" Hanna asks impatiently.

"She said yes," Emily sighs in relief.

"Of course she did!" Mona exclaims, "You're like the greatest!"

And as Mona goes on about how awesome Emily is and how dumb Alison DiLaurentis would have been to say no, Emily looks over at Hanna.

"Thank you, for always having my back," Emily says.

"Always."

Hanna smiles.