Always Loved, Never Forgotten - Alternate Version

Chapter 5

Hey, all! Thank you for reading/voting so far. We are at 120+ reads and 10 stars, thank you so much!! I will be updating a lot in the upcoming days because I want to post the Epilogue on the 11th.

Please stay safe and healthy out there! Good luck to anyone going back to school/work, etc. :)

Trigger Warning: This story is set heavily around the events that took place in New York on September 11, of 2001. Please be cautious while reading.

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*September 11, 2001*

"E-Em?" Alison stutters out her name and Emily can't do anything but sit there. The others watch her. Jon sits on Emily's lap and looks at his mama.

He hears Alison's voice and immediately perks up.

"Mommy!" He practically yanks the phone out of her hands, something he normally wouldn't do, but Emily lets it slide, as she can understand.

"Mommy, you're ok!"

"Yes, baby," Alison breathes. She laughs breathily and can't remember a time she's been as happy to hear her son's voice as she is now. "I'm ok. I'm so happy to hear your voice. Is Mama still there? Can I speak to her, please, sweetheart?"

"Yes, hang on. Mama," Jon holds the phone out. "Mommy wants to talk to you." Emily takes the phone.

By now, Spencer and Toby are walking around the kitchen, each with a bottle, Spencer feeding Lily, and Toby, with Grace.

Finley is watching intently, still being held by Ezra. Aria is sitting at the table and Harper is in her lap. Hanna and Caleb are leaning against the doorway.

"Alison," Emily is surprised she doesn't stutter or falter in speaking. "Ali, are you ok? W-Why-where are you? Please tell me you are safe."

"I'm... I'm all right," Alison says fully believing, for the first time since everything happened, she is ok. "I'm here at the airport." Alison's voice cracks and she sniffles.

"I got off the plane, Emmy." Suddenly, she feels like a scared 6-year-old telling her parents about a bad dream.

"I got off the plane and then I-I-I heard about what-..." She trails off unable to actually say the words I got off before the plane was hijacked and crashed.

"I'm so happy you are okay," Emily tells her. "I love you, sweetheart. I love you so much. You're going to ok, all right? We'll get you home somehow and everything is going to be ok."

With tears streaming down her face, Emily looks to her friends. She can see the relief on their faces.

"Aunt Emmy," Finn says, looking at her with his big, innocent blue eyes. "Please, I talk to Auntie Ali?"

It's just so Finley that Emily actually laughs, nods, and motions for him to come over. He eagerly lets his legs dangle from Ezra's waist so he is let down and then he runs over.

Taking the phone, Finley holds it in the normal "kid" fashion, with one hand on top and one on the bottom.

"Hi, Auntie Ali!" He says, smiling his adorable little grin.

"Finn! Hey, Lil' Booger, what are you up to?"

"Nothing! I haved no school t'day!" He says because Ezra and Aria homeschool him.

Ezra does Mondays and Wednesdays, Aria does Tuesdays and Thursdays, and Fridays is a free day, unless they have something they need to finish from the other days.