If She Stayed

Chapter 43

6 days earlier

"Wake. Wake. Wake. Wake..." the robotic voice rang through the air and stung Alison DiLaurentis' ears as she woke. She sat up, sighed, and stretched.
"What color today?" Alison questioned aloud.
"Day...Tuesday...color...blue."
"Ahh, yes. I forgot. You know, I can't exactly keep track of the days when I can't see the sun." Alison replied.
"How...about...a...tune," the robot chimed as Dvorjak's eighth symphony began to play. "...And...some...breakfast?"
Alison sighed.
After she changed into a blue jumpsuit and ate her breakfast, Alison was relieved to a room painted all black. In the center of the floor, a circle was carved out. It began to rise, revealing a glass chamber, its contents hidden by black curtains. Alison nodded.
"Very elaborate. You know, after five years, you continue to impress me," she turned to the camera in the corner of the room, "how much did this cost? Is that why I'm here? You're out a couple million bucks so you kidnap me to, I don't know, inspire ransom money?"
"Now...that would not make any sense, would it? The...dollhouse...is designed to keep you safe and others...far from...you...and your...tendency...to impair others. If I were...to...kidnap you...so I could replenish...my...bank account...and release...you...that...would defeat the...purpose...of the...dollhouse," the robot sang.
"Jesus, you're a robot, you can't talk any faster?" Ali mumbled.
"How...about a...friend...or...lover...for your company?"
"What? What did you say?" Ali raised her voice.
The curtains fell, revealing Alison's other half, also in a blue jumpsuit with those terrifying cursive words on the back.
"Emily?"

-

now

"What the hell are we going to do?" Aria said, fear implicit in her voice.
"We find them," Spencer said, also fearful.
"What if that's what A wants?" Aria stood up from Spencer's parent's couch. "Do you not remember how cunning A was? I'm pretty sure he had our phones bugged. Maybe even our heads, too, which isn't even possible."
"You think A is a he?"
"Spencer, we can't get into this right now! Two of our friends just went missing!"
"Okay, I'm sorry I-did you see that?" Spencer walked over to and looked out of the kitchen door window.
"See what?" Aria followed her.
"A car just pulled into the DiLaurentis' driveway."
"So?"
"They aren't home right now. My mom told me they...they went on vacation about three days ago."
"Then who the hell is that?" Aria turned to Spencer.
"You think I know?"
Aria rolled her eyes as Spencer opened the door.
"What are you doing?" Aria whispered.
"Possibly getting myself killed," Spencer replied.
The two arrived at the driveway and watched as a familiar face stepped out of a black Mercedes.
"Charles?" Aria and Spencer said in unison.
"Uh, hey?" he responded.
"Aren't you supposed to be missing?" Spencer said.
"Listen...it-there's...I was blackmailed! My name is Stephen Murphy and I was blackmailed into playing a character named Charles DiLaurentis! There's a contract and everything...I hope they didn't incinerate it," he raised his hands, displaying is unarmed body.
Aria and Spencer glanced at each other, their mouths agape.
"What-wh-wait. Bullshit. That's-that's-that's not-" Aria began.
"I'm an actor from Philly! I was desperate for money and I didn't know it would go this far! They said they would make stock me in an asylum for the rest of my life unless I did what they asked. Please don't call the cops," Stephen exclaimed.
"Why would they do that?" Aria asked no one in particular.
"I don't know," Stephen said, "I think it's to cover something up. I tried to get more information but they refused to tell me more." He dropped his hands and his voice grew quieter. "If you ask me, there's definitely some illegal shit going on."
"Okay, please, shut up, Steve or whatever, I need to think," Spencer threw her hand up, motioning for him to stop. "Who the hell is Charles DiLaurentis?"

-

"We'll be stuck in here for a while, Em." Ali broke the silence that followed Emily's startled reaction.
"Alison?" Emily teared up, "Is that you?"
"Of course it is."
"Oh my god," Emily stood up and hugged Ali, thinking of all the years she spent staring at the ground and wiping her nose with tissues as she was overcome with grief.
"I missed you. I missed you. Oh my god, I missed you so much, Ali."
"I missed you too."

one hour later

"Hey Em?"
"Yeah?"
The two were sitting together against the wall, their hands clasped.
"You know in middle school? How horrible I treated you..."
"Ali, you already apologized for this a million years ago. We all forgave you...and pretty quickly, too."
"No, no. I'm...I'm just wondering why...why you didn't just leave me." Ali held her breath.
Emily turned her head to Alison.
"You should have left me. I was terrible to all four of you...but I don't understand why you all stayed." Ali completed. Emily sighed.
"I guess you made us feel special. Yeah, you were horrible to us but it was like you rewarded us for staying with you." Emily said. Both girls could taste the artificial aura of Emily's response. Emily gulped and decided to add on.
"Ali, I...I did consider it but...I was scared and I didn't want to leave you. Just...when you love someone and they do terrible things...you don't leave them. You stay and hope that they get better. And...I guess I'm trying to say that I could have helped you get better. I could have helped you redeem yourself, but I was scared that you would push me away. I didn't want to stand up to you because I thought you would leave me."
Alison bit her lip.
"I wouldn't leave you. I never will. At least, never again." Alison replied.
They stared at each other.
Alison continued, "Also you just said that you love me.." Alison looked at the floor with a slight smile on her face. It faded. "You loved me as that bitch I was all those years ago."
"Yes. So imagine how much I love you now." Emily said. Alison turned to Emily and slowly lifted her hand to her head. They pulled each other into a heartfelt kiss, releasing tension built up for years and resulting in love and relief in both girls. They pulled away and smiled at each other.
"Exit. Exit. Exit..." the robot caused Emily and Alison to jump, startled out of their loving haze. The door opened.
Alison sighed. The girls left the dark room. As they walked down the hallway, Alison looked over to Emily.
"Let's get out of here."

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FINALLY. I have to go to cross country at 7:50 tomorrow but I stayed up to finish this. Just a couple personal updates: my 18th birthday is in a little over a month?? Wow. I also got a job (my second job, actually) but I have a full week off so that will be filled with writing!! And sadly, the cat that was sick I was talking about a few chapters ago did get better but last September his heart failed and he passed away. He was only 8 years old. This happened right after I got my 3rd cat so I had 3 cats then 2 again but!!! I'm back to 3 cats again. We got a little guy named Vincent and he is adorable.
Uhh also If She Stayed is NUMBER ONE in #theateam and I need to thank all of you for that!!!
It's been way too long since an actual story update. I hope this suffices for now. Enjoy.