Always Loved, Never Forgotten - Alternate Version

No Longer in Service

This is set back with Emily. It is after Emily finds out which plane hit the South Tower.

Trigger Warning: News broadcast of the plane crashes.

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*Tuesday, September 11th, 2001 – Los Angeles, California*

*Meanwhile, with Emily *

Emily is filled with dread, pure dread as she hears the announcement. The girls look at her in shock and concern as her face drains of color and she stumbles to a chair.

"Emily?" Aria, who is closest to her, comes over. "Em, what's going on?"

Taking a moment to catch her breath, Emily says, "That's Alison's plane." A silence follows this statement. The girls look back at the TV as the video is replaying the plane hitting the South Tower.

Finally, Spencer finds her voice. "Wha-what...what the hell are you talking about? Alison isn't coming home until tomorrow. Why-wh-...why would she be on a plane today?"

Emily rakes her hands over her face. This was supposed to be a good thing. This was supposed to be a fun surprise for Emily and the kids and Alison.

Now...

Well, now it's nothing more than a nightmare.

"Ali was coming home today," Emily finally whispers. "It was going to a surprise. I was supposed to pick her up and take her to check Jon out for lunch."

She glances around the room at the three girls she has known since she was 8 years old. Hanna and Aria are in tears. Spencer looks close to it, but Emily knows she is holding it together because someone needs to.

Emily hears a sound and turns around.

It's Jonathan, standing in the kitchen doorway. He has tears streaming down his face.

He sees her and runs over. Emily catches Jon, lifting him up into her lap as he begins sobbing. Hearing this, hearing her little boy crying over something he should never be experiencing, her emotions are no longer in her control.

"I know, baby," She whispers this as Jon buries his face in her neck. "I know. You're ok. You're all right." She doesn't tell it is ok. She doesn't tell him it will be ok. Because she has no clue.

She has absolutely no clue whether it will ever be ok.

"I-I-I... I want M-Mommy!" Jon cries, barely comprehensible through his sobs.

Emily looks up, making eye contact with the guys who have come to make sure Jon didn't go into the kitchen. She looks around the room as Caleb comes to wrap an arm around Hanna and Finley runs to Aria.

He does not understand at all of what is going on. All he knows is his sissy, his cousins, his mommy and daddy, and his aunts and uncles are sad. And crying. And look scared. And no one will tell what is going on.

"Mommy, what's *sniffle* what's going on?" Ezra picks him up. Harper comes over. He pulls his wife and daughter into his arms.

Being 12, Harper knows the most. Understands the most. A plane hit the Twin Towers. She may not understand why but she does get that that will mean countless people who are now dead.

"Emily," It's Toby that pulls her out of her thoughts. "Em, why don't you call Alison? She's in Boston, right? Maybe she can tell us more. Maybe she knows more of what is going on."