Paris.

It had always been a dream of Emily's to travel there.

She wanted to go so she could stand atop the Eiffel Tower and have the wind tousle her hair. She wanted to stroll down the Parisian streets on a Sunday morning with a coffee in her hand.

Or maybe she wanted to go because Alison had once pitched the idea of running away there in an empty Rosewood classroom.

Either way, ever since the day Alison had suggested leaving, Emily had never truly stopped thinking about it.

And now, even when she still wanted to visit Paris, the thought of her and Alison running away together was a distant memory she wished desperately to forget.

She continued to stare at the picture of the Eiffel tower that hung in The Brew and sipped her coffee. Five years had passed, and even when some of the stores had different names and there were many unfamiliar faces, Rosewood still felt the same.

"Emily Fields," a voice behind her called.

Emily turned to see Paige standing there with a smile on her face. She couldn't help but notice the palpitations in her chest at the sight. Or maybe she was excited for other reasons.

"Paige," Emily beamed as she moved in for a hug.

The embrace felt the same as the last one they had exchanged three years ago when she and Paige had split. So much had happened since then, and she couldn't help but wonder if Paige felt the same things Emily had during their hug.

"Are you here for the reunion?" Emily asked.

Paige shoved her hands into her pockets. "Uh no, actually. I'm just here for business purposes."

Obviously, she wasn't here for the reunion, Emily thought. Paige hadn't graduated from Rosewood.

"Yeah. Right," Emily replied in embarrassment.

Paige smiled. "But it looks like I picked the perfect weekend to come back."

Emily couldn't help but smile at the subtle compliment. Before she could continue the conversation, three more familiar faces entered the coffee shop.

"Emily!" Hanna nearly shouted.

Emily hadn't felt this warm in a long time. It was weird how coming back to Rosewood could bring her such joy, especially after everything this town had put her through.

After the four best friends exchanged much needed hugs and hellos, Emily focused back onto Paige.

"Can I call you later?" Emily asked.

Paige blushed. "Of course."

Then Paige left the four girls to their small reunion.

"I can't believe I'm seeing you guys in the flesh," Emily confessed.

"Yeah well, it's been long overdue," Hanna said.

"Hey, it's not our fault you've been busy working with a world class designer," Spencer teased Hanna.

Hanna smiled. "And what about you? Miss Washington D. C. I'm not the only one that's been busy."

The four girls gravitated to their old spot that was miraculously still there, and began to catch up. There was so much to tell and never enough time. At least in Emily's opinion. Except reminiscing on the past five years was something Emily needed to avoid. She wasn't ready to tell her friends the truth about what she had been through. Not yet.

But Hanna changed the subject. "Have you guys heard that Radley is now a hotel? That my mom works at, by the way."

Spencer's laughed to herself. "I'll never understand Rosewood's reasoning behind renovating a sanitarium into a hotel."

Aria sipped her coffee. "Welcome to Rosewood"

"It's still as weird as ever," Hanna included.

The women just giggled to themselves.

"So Emily, did you invite Paige to the reunion this weekend?" Spencer asked.

Emily hadn't thought about that, but it seemed like a great idea. Right?

"Uh no, I didn't. But I might," Emily agreed. Maybe Paige would like the come. Even though she hadn't technically been a Rosewood graduate, Paige had still spent majority of her high school years at RHS.

"You should," Hanna included. "You two definitely have some unfinished business."

Emily reflected on her past and realized Hanna was right. After she had dropped out of Pepperdine during her second semester and the sudden death of her father, she needed a change of scenery. Even from Malibu. So, she contacted Paige, moved to Stanford, and stayed with her for a while.

Yet, Emily was still missing something, even in the presence of her high school girlfriend. Paige couldn't help Emily the way she needed and the girls inevitably broke it off.

But now they were in better places, and maybe a do-over was possible.

"So..." Spencer sipped her coffee. "Have any of you talked to Alison since her summoning card?"

Emily looked around in guilt and realized she hadn't been the only one not to reach out to her childhood friend. After almost five years of minimum communication with Ali, Emily hadn't expected to receive a letter from her, much less a letter concerning Charlotte.

Emily vividly remembered the letter that had some influence in pulling her back to Rosewood this weekend:

"Dear Emily,

There isn't much time, but I wanted you to see these words on paper and not on a screen. I wanted to know you were touching something I touched, that we were connected.

We've been through things no other friends have experienced. We understand each other better than anyone else in the world.

But all that connects us to someone else. Someone I love. Someone who needs me.

I know you're coming back to Rosewood for the reunion, but please consider meeting with me before Charlotte's hearing.

I'm asking for five minutes with you. Five minutes to explain. Five minutes that can change the whole world.

Spencer, Aria, Hanna and Emily. I need you.

All my love, Alison."

"Guys."

Aria's voice managed to pull Emily out of her daze.

Her eyes snapped up and saw what, or more accurately, who, the others were staring at. Mona Vanderwaal.

"I'm surprised she decided to show for the reunion," Emily mumbled.

Mona, just like the girls, had endured more than enough torture in this town. Yet, Rosewood had a way of pulling you back no matter how far away you got.

"You don't think Alison reached out to her too...?" Hanna wondered aloud.

That's when Mona must've felt eyes on her, because she looked up to see four familiar faces staring.

She breezed up to where they were sitting and crossed her arms.

"Wow..." Mona started. "You girls are a sight for sore eyes."

"Hey Mona," Hanna greeted, but the other girls remained wary.

"I have to say, I'm surprised to see your faces back here in Rosewood," Mona claimed.

"We were just thinking the same thing about you," Spencer replied.

Mona tilted her head. "Well, when the state of Pennsylvania calls, you answer."

So, Mona had been summoned by the court to speak on Charlotte's release, but Emily was sure Alison hadn't coaxed her to return. Mona was the last person Ali would ask for help, especially concerning Charlotte.

"How have you been?" Hanna asked, breaking the silence.

"Oh I've been great," Mona answered. "And from the looks of it, all of you are too. Spencer, the work you've done in D.C. has made its way back here."

Emily couldn't help but see the pride in Spencer's face.

"Yeah it's wonderful to see," Spencer beamed.

"And Hanna..." Mona rested her hand on her old friend's shoulder. "Working for one of the most prestigious fashion designers in the world. I expected nothing less."

Emily felt her hands clamming up. She hadn't told her friends the truth about her never finishing college. She had gone to great measures to keep that under wraps, especially from her mom. Did Mona know about that too?

Then Mona's phone rang.

She sighed. "Duty calls, girls."

Then she was gone.

"Well that was weird," Aria said and sipped on her coffee.

"Does anyone know what she's been up to?" Emily wondered.

"If I had to guess," Spencer thought. "She's definitely a mortician."

"Ew, Spencer gross," Hanna fussed before rolling her eyes.

"You know what," Emily said. "We should go out tonight. Have a good dinner and drinks..."

"Oh, we can go check out The Radley!" Hanna pitched. "My mom gave me a free suite, that you guys can totally crash in, by the way. Plus, they have a mini bar."

"You're joking," Spencer teased.

"Nope."

That's when the door to the coffee shop opened and Emily's heart nearly jumped out of her mouth.

It was Alison.

She seemed to be flustered. The red on her cheeks indicated she had probably walked here from wherever she had left from. Emily found herself admiring the blonde that had seemingly aged into a beautiful woman.

She was carrying what seemed to be stacks of papers, and from experience, Emily recognized it as tests. So, she was a teacher now? Possibly at Rosewood High?

Before any of the girls could make a move, Alison's gaze traveled up from her belongings to where they sat. Emily felt her face heat up in response.

Alison found herself taken back by the faces that were eyeing her from her usual spot in the coffee shop. Spencer, Hanna, Aria and... Emily. Her stare stayed locked with Emily's a little too long for the others not to notice.

Emily stood first, which then encouraged the others to do the same. It was like they had time traveled back to the Labor Day weekend they had all said goodbye. The day where Emily had to part from Alison because the bus to life was leaving, and she had to get on. That day had replayed in her head a million times since then.

Alison paced over to the four women with a smile while everyone half-expected her opening line to be something of the sarcastic or bitchy nature. After all, none of them had told her they were in town yet.

But instead of a jab, Alison just said, "Hey."

"Hey," Emily greeted first. The other girls answered right behind.

Alison couldn't seem to control her eyes that lingered on Emily. There was just something about her...

"So you're a teacher now?" Spencer broke the silence.

Alison just nodded. "Yeah. English at Rosewood high." She smiled to herself. "Ironic, huh?"

As the girls stood and wondered what to do, Emily moved over.

"Sit," she offered. "Unless this isn't a good time...?"

Alison gave her childhood best friend a warm smile. "This is actually where I come to grade papers after school, until Elliot gets home."

That's when Emily watched Alison set down her test papers. There rested a diamond, on the ring finger of her left hand. Emily couldn't help but find it beautiful. So why had her heart throbbed in pain?

"Oh my God, congratulations," Hanna said as she took Alison's hand. "When?"

Alison beamed. "About a month ago."

Emily couldn't help but stare at the ground and hope no one could see the disappointment in her eyes. She shouldn't care, right? Alison was old news.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Aria wondered.

Alison found herself looking at Emily. "I kind of wanted to tell you guys in person... so I waited."

Aria and Spencer said their "congratulations" while Emily had to find the strength just to look Alison in the eye.

"Congratulations," Emily forced.

Alison tried to read the once warm, brown eyes, but couldn't. She returned Emily's comment with a half-smile.

"I'd love for you guys to meet him," Alison confessed. "What about dinner tonight? At my house? We can talk about the hearing too."

Emily sighed. "Oh well, we had plans-"

"Sure," Hanna agreed without realizing what Emily was doing. "Ah, we can do dinner with Ali and then go out after?"

Spencer diffused the situation. "Yeah that sounds great."

Alison couldn't help but notice the tension surrounding them. Specifically, around she and Emily.

"So," Alison started. "Tell me what's been going on outside of Rosewood."

The girls fell into old habits and spilled their stories. Ali still had that over them. The persuasion and charm. Everyone except Emily.

Emily checked out of the conversation just like she had checked out of majority of her old life. It had been hard since the death of her father. And she found it hadn't gotten much better since.

But at least coming back to Rosewood allowed her to feel something, because she had been numb for way too long.

After an hour of conversation, Ali claimed she needed to head home and prepare for tonight. Emily parted soon after and headed back to her old home with a dark cloud over her head. Maybe meeting Elliot would make her feel better about this whole engagement thing.

If Ali trusted him, then he had to be a good guy. And if Ali loved him... well, Emily would inevitably have to accept it.

She walked in on her mom in the den, flipping through what looked to be a home improvement magazine. Her head popped up and she smiled.

"Em, how are the girls?" Pam asked.

"They're great," Emily answered. "They all seem really happy."

Emily could feel her mom studying her, so she decided to end the interaction.

"We ran into Ali," Emily confessed. "She invited us to have dinner at her place."

"Oh, well that's great," Pam agreed.

"Yeah. I'm gonna go upstairs and shower."

Emily dismissed and locked herself in the bathroom. She felt awful, but she didn't get why. Years had passed between her and Ali's relationship. Or friendship. God, she didn't even know what they had been when she left. They had never talked about it. They hadn't talked about anything that had happened between them.

And Emily thought she had moved on, but she was wrong.

She took her time in the shower, and then took her time fixing her hair and makeup. She was in no rush to head over to the DiLaurentis household, even though she was already going to be late.

Just get it over with, she kept telling herself.

When she was in her car heading over to Alison's, Hanna texted to ask where she was. Emily didn't bother responding.

She parked and stared at the house. The hammering in her chest was deafening. She could do this. She had done harder things. This was nothing. Just a simple dinner with Alison and her... fiancé to discuss what to say at Charlotte's hearing.

She paced up to the door and knocked. Alison herself greeted Emily before letting her inside.

"Hey, sorry I'm late," Emily apologized.

Ali was just happy that Emily had come.

Emily walked inside and spotted her friends, but no Elliot. Shouldn't he be home by now?

"Elliot is on his way," Ali revealed.

The anticipation of meeting Elliot was managing to get to Emily. Why was she so nervous to meet the man Ali was engaged to? Was it because she would then have to accept the fact that when her and Ali had slept together, it hadn't meant anything? Or was it because she would realize all the hope she once had for them would vanish?

"Wine?" Alison asked the girls.

All four accepted eagerly.

And before any of the women could start light conversation, Alison wasted no time getting to the point of this dinner.

"Charlotte is getting the help she never had when she was little..." Ali said. "Five years of treatment, undoing all the damage. I visit her, spend time with her. She even stayed at my house for a weekend last Christmas."

"They let her out?" Hanna scoffed.

"It was a supervised visit," Alison defended.

"So Charlotte is all better now. What does this have to do with us?" Spencer included.

Alison sighed. "At the hearing Monday, the judge will decide if she should be released... And they want to hear from people who were involved."

"Victim statements," Spencer accused.

"Statements of support," Ali countered. "Statements that she isn't a threat to anybody. That you guys are not afraid of her anymore."

Spencer, Aria, Hanna and Emily fell silent.

"There's no reason to be afraid," Alison finished. "You know her. You heard her story. We all went through this together."

"Yes, we did," Aria said. "We have the scars to prove it too."

"You're asking us to give a get-out-of-jail-free card to someone who tried to kill us," Hanna jabbed.

"She's in a hospital, Hanna," Alison stated. "She's not in jail."

"She's lucky," Aria accused.

Emily finally found her voice.

"And we're lucky to be alive," she said. Emily tried not to let her words tremble.

Alison looked at Emily and folded her hands.

"That's why your statements would mean so much," Alison continued.

The four women looked at each other in silent thought, as if they were communicating without words.

Then Spencer stepped forward. "Why isn't Jason here?"

"He doesn't agree with me about Charlotte," Alison informed.

"Okay, you realize what you're asking us to do?" Emily shook her head. "You want us to forgive Charlotte."

Alison's eyes locked with Emily's. "I don't care if you forgive her. I'm asking you to give me my only chance at a real family."

"Alison, were here to say how we feel and you're asking us to lie," Hanna assessed.

"Please, do this," Alison pleaded. "Do this for me."

"We'll think on it," Emily finished. "Just let this sink in, okay?"

The conversation about Charlotte fell off and they tried to resume back to small talk. Emily could see the hope in Alison's eyes about the matter, but Ali shouldn't feel so confident. It had been a long time since the women had been threatened with -A's presence, but that didn't mean the trauma was gone.

While they sat in the living room, Alison also revealed that Elliot knew the four girls already, and was excited to put faces to names. Apparently, Alison had been generous when sharing information. As in telling him everything they had been through from the day Alison went missing back in ninth grade.

Then someone's key was unlocking the front door. Looks like Elliot was here.

Emily and the rest of the other girls stood as he opened the door. A warm smile spread on his face as Alison greeted him with a kiss. A knot formed in Emily's stomach.

"Elliot, this is Spencer, Aria, Hanna and Emily," Alison introduced.

Emily couldn't help but wonder if Ali had left her last for a reason.

"I've heard so many things about you all." He shook their hands. "It's so nice to finally meet you."

His eyes locked with Emily's as he took her hand. It was as if he was silently confessing he knew all of Emily's secrets. That he knew things she didn't, which included Alison. Emily hoped that wasn't true.

"Dinner's ready," Alison said. "We can move this conversation to the table."

Emily spotted Spencer, Hanna and Aria eyeing her. She knew they felt the tension. There was no hiding it anymore.

"Alison told us you two got engaged," Spencer stated. "Congratulations."

Elliot just smiled and looked at Alison.

"Thank you," he responded.

In that moment Alison looked across the table at Emily, who chose the seat directly in front of her.

"Where did you two meet?" Hanna asked.

At this Emily caught Ali giving Elliot an unsure look before she answered.

"Through my therapist," Alison lied to the girls. "Elliot's a doctor."

Ali didn't want to tell them the truth about her and Elliot. She couldn't tell them that he was not only a doctor, but Charlotte's doctor.

To Emily, Alison's radical behavior before her response indicated she was lying. Or at least not telling the full truth. But now wasn't the time to call Alison out on it.

Dinner proceeded and the six of them small talked their way through. Emily remained stoic in Alison's opinion, so when dinner ended, she caught Emily in the kitchen.

"Hey," Alison said. "Are you okay?"

Emily had grown tired of that question a long time ago.

Emily nodded. "Yeah, why?"

Ali shook it off. "You just... don't seem yourself."

Emily tried to hide her sarcastic smirk but it was hard. If recognition was based on personality, Ali would know Emily as much as she would know a stranger on the street.

"I'm fine," Emily lied.

It grew silent.

Emily crossed her arms. "Elliot seems great."

Alison assumed this meant Emily approved.

"He is," Ali admitted. "It took me so long to open up to him but... once I did, he never left. He never thought different of me."

Emily couldn't help but find her and Elliot similar in that sense.

"I'm happy for you," Emily forced. "You deserve someone like that."

That's when Hanna peeked her head through the doorway of the kitchen. "Em, we're leaving."

"I'll walk you out," Alison offered.

Emily followed Hanna out the kitchen and escaped towards the door. She wanted nothing more than to leave the DiLaurentis household and get blackout drunk.

"Thanks for dinner Ali," Aria said. "It was nice meeting you, Elliot."

Elliot and Alison said their goodbyes to the women and everyone left the house.

Emily felt the tightness in her chest disappear as she walked to her car. Spencer grabbed her arm.

"Can I ride with you?" Spencer asked.

"Sure," Emily obliged.

Emily drove for a good minute before anyone broke the silence.

"Em," Spencer forced.

Emily glanced at her from the driver's seat. "Yeah?"

Spencer tilted her head. "Do you still have feelings for Ali?"

It was like a punch to the gut, but Emily had felt this before. She could handle the pain.

"I don't know," Emily answered. "I don't know if it's just unresolved history or actual feelings."

It fell silent.

Emily shook her head. "But if I did still have feelings for her... it wouldn't matter anyway."

Emily could feel Spencer eyeing her from the passenger seat, but no one pushed the topic any further. Emily figured she had answered Spencer's question loud and clear.

And even though this was painful, Emily would persevere just like she had with everything else.