Try

Try – A One Shot Fic based on a Spec for 719

Disclaimer: PLL is owned by IMK and Wb

"Are you kidding me EM?!" Alison practically rips the shovel out of Emily's hand.  Oh

"What?!" she says.  She's slurring her words. 

She sounds drunk but No ones sure if she's drunk or drugged, but Emily's been a little off the whole week, and now they are standing here in the damn woods again, burying the body of Ali's ex-husband..husband? Deceased husband?

Having to bury him again is causing more then just a little anxiety among the friends.

"Ali you shouldn't be digging in you condition." Aria says.

Ali turns her eyes to her "Friend", "I also shouldn't having to clean up the destroyed remains of my childhood, but you seemed to have no problem with me doing that, do you."

Aria says nothing and goes back to digging.

"She's right Ali, I should be digging." Emily says as she reaches for the shovel, and practically falls as she staggers after Ali who moves out of her reach.

"You right, you should but..." Ali gesture towards Emily swaying, "You decided now was the time down a few."

"I only drank tea." She protests.

"Seriously, Ali, I was at diner with her, she didn't drink anything." Hannah insists because now that these two numbskulls are finally together she doesn't want anyone to break them up.

"Then what's her problem?" Aria asks.

"Someone probably spiked her drink, Aria. Where were you tonight anyway?  Maybe AD needed a minion to drug her best friend." Again Ali says pointedly at the shorter girl.

"Come on Ali, we've all done things we didn't want to, things we were sorry for." Aria counters.

"Not me.  I never turned on my friends, hell I came out of hiding, from trying to save my own ass to drag your asses out of a burning building and being sawed in half."

"So, now your better then us?" Aria says getting heated.

"You words, not mine.  But then I never turned in my friend for murder."

"Enough!" Spencer finally yells.  She's still shoveling and you can see the perspiration on her forehead and her arm beginning to shake from exhaustion. "Can we just finish this?!"

The girls return to digging as Emily sits on a nearby log.  The rest is done in silence until it comes time to push in what is left of Archer. 

"I can't believe we're doing this again." Hanna says exasperated.

"I can't believe you're doing this again, without me." Mona says she walks with purpose towards the girls who all jump.  "I mean, seriously I turn on one tracker, on one phone and here you all are again, reburying the dead guy. It's like you want to get caught."

"What the hell are you doing here?' Spencer asks, annoyed.

"How many times are you going to ask me that.  It's like you don't know me at all.  I'm saving your asses like I always do."

"You're not some savior Mona, you started this.  You ran Hanna over with your car."

"I didn't start this but I'm going to finish it and I didn't run her over I ran her under and it was another lifetime ago, and if you think there's anyway I'm going down because you amateurs left behind something, you know like an earring," she glances at Aria, "I mean seriously, it's called espionage, it's not a fashion show."

"Mona's right." Ali says.

Emily shakes her fuzzy head, "Did you just say Mona was right?"

"I survived all that time without being found, and all it took was one text and you guys were flailing about in a panic.  Moan's right.  You need her."

"I was talking about you too, sweetie." Mona smiles at Ali.

"If we were to combine our powers, Mona I've no doubt that A, AD or whatever the hell else this person wants to call themselves, will be outmatched."

Mona squints at Ali, clearly weighing her options.  Finally she moves closer to the body and says, "Let's go."

Ali and Mona drag him to the freshly dug hole and push him in. 

"Hannah, take Em home and make sure she drinks a lot of water.  The rest of you, just go home.  Mona and I will take care of this." Ali directs them.  She's back to being in control of the group of girls.

"I'm not going anywhere." Spencer starts. She hates when Ali starts this queen bee shit. "This is my life on the line."

"Actually, darling, it's all of us on the line, and right now the less witnesses to what's going to happen here the better."

"Ali..." Hannah starts.

Mona rolls her eyes, this group of girl is loyal to a fucking fault and it's going to get them all killed.

"Hannah," Ali says and it's like Hannah's back in 10th grade.

"Please," Ali softens her voice. She's not trying to be the girl she use to be.  "Please, take Emily home.  I can't worry her and the baby and all of you and do what needs to be done."

Hannah just walks over to Emily and helps her up.  Whatever is going on with her is getting worse.  Ali is right.  They need to get her home before she passes out and they have to carry her.  "Hannah," Ali says again, and Hannah turns around, "Thank you."

Spencer looks angry but jumps in to help Hannah direct Emily to the car.

"What do you want me to do?" Aria asks.

"I want you to be the friend I thought you were, but clearly that ship has sailed.  So just go home to your precious Ezra and plan your dream wedding. "

Mona laughs and both women give her a death stare, but Aria does as she's asked and follows the other girls back to the car.

Mona is still smirking long after the others have left the two alone.

"What are you smiling at?" Ali says

"I forgot what an amazing bitch you were."

"I can be whoever I need to be to survive."

Together they finish pushing the man into the hole as Mona pulls out a can of lighter fluid, Ali pulls out a book of matches.

Mona uses the entire can and turns to Ali who glances in the direction her friends have gone to make sure no one is watching them and tosses in the now lit match.  Flames erupt with a whoosh and fill the entirety of the hole.  The smell is getting stronger but neither woman makes a move to leave.

"Hey, Ali?" Mona asks.

"Yes, Mona?" Ali responds.

There are a few moments of silence before the brunette says, "Do you think one day we will ever get to be just who we are?"

Ali ponders that a few beats before answering, "I don't know, but I'm sure as hell going to do everything in my power to try."