First Love: An Emison AU

Chapter One: Alison

Alison walks into her dorm room, Jason bringing in the last of her boxes. Charlotte hangs the last of the decorations.

"You're all set, sis."

"Thank you. You two are the best."

"We are going to miss you being right down the road."

Jessica comes in. "I just finished your paperwork. You are an independent woman now."

Jessica tries to hide her tears.

"Mama, don't cry." Alison hugs her.

"All of my babies are grown up and out of the house."

"Mom...we will always be your babies. No matter how grown up we get."

*******

Alison looks in the mirror as she straightens her veil. Charlotte comes in the room to see Alison gently tracing her finger over her bracelet.

"Having second thoughts?"

"Every time I imagined my wedding, my friends were part of it. I still miss them."

"I'm sure they'd be here if they knew. I know for sure, Emily would be. She'd want to see you happy. Does Kay make you happy?"

"She does."

"Then that is what matters."

*******

"Do you ever take that damn bracelet off?"

Alison glares at Kay as another contraction hits. "Really? I'm giving birth to our son and you pick now to bring up this argument again?"

"I'm just saying. Maybe you'd be happier if she was here."

"Kay, for the last time, I married you. I'm having a child with you. Emily was my best friend and, yes, I carry her with me. She will always be an important part of my life but I am with you. Now for the love of all that is holy, shut the fuck up or get the hell out because I will not deal with this right now."

Jessica watches as the two yell at each other, trying to decide if she should step in or not. When Kay starts to open her mouth again, Jessica steps in.

"Kay. If you aren't going to drop it, I will remove you myself. Alison has not had an easy pregnancy and you are not going to make childbirth harder for her than it already is."

A few hours later, Kay is removed from the room by Alison's doctor and Charlotte is let in. Once Alison calms, the rest of labor goes quickly and soon, her son comes screaming into the world. Jessica cuts the cord and the doctor places him in Alison's arms.

"Would you like me to let your partner back in?"

"Can I just have ten minutes of peace with my son before you tell her?"

"Of course. Do you have a name picked out?"

Alison nods. "His first name is Jesse, after my mom. His middle name is Wayne, after the only man who ever showed me fatherly love."

*******

Jessica walks into the kitchen to find Alison crying softly and holding Jesse to her chest, trying to comfort him, Charlotte and Jason not far behind her. The first thing they had noticed when they walked in the house was broken pictures frames. Pictures of Alison with the girls. There are scratch marks on Alison's  wrist around her bracelet. Jessica takes Jesse from Alison and Charlotte wraps her arms around her younger sister.

"We'll replace the frames. And next time I see that bitch, I'll kill her. Nobody lays a hand on my sister and gets away with it."

Jason cleans up the broken glass while Charlotte takes Alison to bed and Jessica takes care of Jesse.

The next morning, nobody has heard from Kay. Alison plasters on a smile as Kay's family arrives for Jesse's second birthday. Halfway through the party, Kay shows up and hands Alison a packet of divorce papers. Charlotte and Jason stand on either side of Alison, making sure Kay doesn't touch her again.

*******

Alison tucks Jesse into bed and reads him his bedtime story.

"Goodnight, buddy. Are you excited about your first day of preschool tomorrow?"

"Yes! I'm a big boy now."

"That's right. You're going to school. You're growing up too fast, bud. You need to slow down."

"Don't worry, Mommy. I'm still your baby."

"Always. Now go to sleep."

She kisses him goodnight and heads to the living room, making sure both of them have what they need for the first day of school tomorrow.