Alison sat silently in the passenger seat of her own vehicle as Emily drove her to the doctor's appointment. She knew this was only to discuss options and to check her general health considering she couldn't be any more than six weeks along, but she was still nervous.

"When we get there..." Emily started. "Would you like me to wait in the waiting room or...?"

Alison couldn't even think past the fact that she was going get a check-up because she was pregnant, much less worry about Emily accompanying her in the room.

"I don't know," she answered.

Emily fell silent. She decided not to push with any more questions.

They parked and entered the building. Alison checked in and took the empty seat next to Emily. She could feel the nausea slowly creeping up. She couldn't determine if it was because of the hormones or because of the situation.

Alison had explored her options on her own, but still hadn't been able to decide. She had read the pamphlets on abortions, adoptions, and the actual process of a nine-month pregnancy. Every single one had cons that made Alison doubtful.

Emily on the other hand wished she knew what was going through Alison's mind. She knew this was difficult for Alison, especially at this point of her life, but Emily wanted her to know she wasn't alone. She would support any decision Ali made, regardless of what it was.

"Alison," the nurse called.

Ali felt her heart throb at her name. Suddenly she didn't want to go in alone. She looked at Emily and realized her friend was ready to accompany her without even having to ask. Ali smiled.

Emily sat in the chair and watched the nurses take Alison's vitals and write down notes. They asked Ali a multitude of questions that seemed to overwhelm the blond, and Emily felt bad. She wanted to help. She wanted to relieve some of the stress off of Ali's shoulders.

"Have you been taking any medication?"

"When was your last period?

"On a scale of one to ten, how nauseous are you?"

"Have you been taking prenatal vitamins or would you like us to recommend you some?"

Once the interrogation was over, Alison seemed to relax a bit. Her and the baby's health was fine from what the doctors could see. This information also relieved Emily.

The doctor looked at Alison's chart. "Well, Miss DiLaurentis, it looks like everything is great. The baby is developing fine. Your body is responding the way it should... Do you have any questions?"

Oh, Alison had a lot of questions. If only she could find the courage to ask.

Emily saw Alison struggling, so she stepped in.

"If she decides to keep the baby, when should she schedule her first prenatal appointment?"

The doctor looked at Emily. "In a few weeks when Alison hits the eight week mark." She leaned forward. "Are you considering other options?"

Alison looked at Emily. "I don't know."

"First time?"

"Y-Yes."

"Pregnancy can be scary, but you're not alone," the doctor included. "You still have time to decide."

Alison knew this, but the more she waited the harder it became. A baby was a serious commitment. It was a life that would be placed in her hands. The hands of someone who had made so many mistakes. How could she be responsible to raise a child on her own?

"I'll send you home with some vitamins," the doctor finished.

Alison and Emily stood and followed the doctor out of the room. They walked in silence after Ali checked out and followed Emily back to her car in the parking lot. It wasn't until they were the safety of Alison's car when Emily broke the silence.

"Ali-"

"Don't," Alison cut-off. "Emily, please just... I want to go home."

Emily sighed in disappointment. Once again, she was being pushed away after showing Alison time and time again that she wanted to be there for her. That Emily wanted to help Alison however she needed. The entire ride home was spent in silence as Emily felt her anger growing more and more in the pit of her stomach.

When the women made it back to Ali's, Emily shoved the car keys into Alison's hands and turned to leave without another word.

"Emily," Alison said. "What the hell?"

Emily could feel her defenses crumbling but she fought past that. When she turned around, Alison saw the pain in her eyes.

"I'm going to work," Emily answered.

Alison shook her head. "Swim practice isn't until after school."

"I told Paige I'd meet her for lunch."

The mentioning of Paige set Ali on fire, but she tried not to show it. She failed.

"Of course you did."

This enraged Emily further.

"What do you want, Alison?" Emily asked through clenched teeth. "Seriously, what do you want from me?"

Suddenly the spotlight scared Ali. Where had this come from? She knew Emily, and this wasn't her. The Emily she knew was soft and gentle. Submissive when it came to Alison, but this wasn't the same person. Alison should've been used to this, but she wasn't.

Ali shook her head. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about you and me!" Emily shouted.

Emily tried to control herself but she couldn't. She had held back for over two weeks while she answered to every one of Alison's beckon calls. Emily ignored the push and pull she received from Alison because she felt bad for her friend, but that was no more. She wanted an answer right now. A straight answer. She wouldn't let Alison dance around the question anymore.

"I've told you time and time again that I want to be there for you, however I can," Emily said. "I let you kiss me without an explanation. I stayed over multiple nights because I'm trying to show you that I'm here. I've always been here. God, Alison I've blown off Paige and Sabrina to be there for you!"

"I didn't ask you to do that," Alison defended.

"No," Emily agreed. "But every time I mention Paige's name I can see your skin crawl. And then you come back with a jab at me and Paige's relationship when you have no right to do such a thing."

Alison was struck silent.

"I'm trying so hard to show you that you're not alone and that you have someone that is trying to be there for you, unconditionally." Emily's voice shook with emotion. "You need to figure out how you want me in your life, Alison, and until you do that..."

Emily stopped. Was she really considering giving Alison an ultimatum? Now? Was that a good idea? Knowing Alison, she would push Emily even further away.

Then again, maybe that was best for the both of them.

"Until you figure out what you want out of this..." Emily gestured between them. "Out of us... Don't kiss me, don't call me and don't ask me to stay over."

Emily turned to leave, hoping Alison would call her back and apologize. Call her back and tell Emily what she wanted to hear. That Alison needed her to stay. That she needed her to love her and help her with this baby.

But she didn't.

Alison let Emily walk away, and both feared it would be for the last time.

* * *

Emily found Paige waiting for her in the teachers lounge for lunch just like they had planned. Honestly, it felt good to know that Paige still wanted to be there for Emily after blowing her off multiple times over the past few weeks.

Emily took a seat. "Hey."

"Hey," Paige greeted. "Where's your lunch?"

"I'm not hungry," Emily said.

"Bad morning?"

"You could say that."

On one hand, Emily wanted to tell Paige everything she had been up to since coming back to Rosewood. She just wasn't sure if that was a good idea.

"Wanna talk about it?" Paige wondered.

Emily shook her head. "You were right. About Ali having me right where she wants me."

The look on Paige's face let Emily know she hadn't wanted to hear that.

"She's pregnant," Emily admitted. "And I was using that to justify the way she was treating me... but it's not an excuse."

"Wait," Paige said. "She's pregnant?"

Emily nodded. "Just don't say anything. She's not even sure she's gonna keep it."

Emily could see some pity cross Paige's features. She guessed she shouldn't feel too bad for giving into Alison since even Paige felt bad for her.

"What a nightmare..." Paige said.

"Yeah..." Emily whispered. "It is."

"I feel sorry for her," Paige continued.

Emily didn't want to hear that. Not from Paige.

"I did too," Emily admitted. "But not anymore."

The pain of Emily's past was resurfacing. The darkness was clawing its way back out now that Alison had ripped Emily's heart apart multiple times since she had gotten back. Emily was stuck in her seventeen-year-old mindset, and she couldn't stand it. That alone was driving her mad.

Alison was just using her the same way she used Emily in the past. She'd pull her close whenever she felt lonely or needed something, and when that mood passed so did the need for the relationship. Emily had always been Ali's punching bag and she was sick of it.

She hadn't come back to Rosewood to just revert back to her submissive, push-over self. No. That wasn't happening.

"Hey..." Paige grabbed Emily's hand. "It's okay to feel the way you do. I'm here for you."

Emily looked at Paige and realized how easy it would be to just... be with her. Paige had always been a sure fit. She knew Paige loved her. Emily never had to guess. Paige didn't play games when it came to Emily's feelings. Everything was easy with Paige compared to Alison.

So why had she ignored it for so long?

"I'm glad you're here," Emily said.

Paige smiled. "I am too."

That's when Emily's phone rang out. For a split second she believed it was Ali, which annoyed her. But when she checked the screen she realized it was a blocked number.

She opened the message.

"Remember Emily, you're not the only one sitting on valuable information. I wonder what principal Hackett would think if he finds out you lied to him about your degree? -A"

Emily stood abruptly, which startled Paige.

"Emily, what's wrong?"

"N-Nothing I just, uh... remembered I have a doctors appointment," she lied.

Then she reached out of the building and called Spencer.

"Emily?" Spencer answered.

"Have you talked to Melissa?"

"Not yet, but she's-"

"You need to. Now," Emily ordered. "Where are you?"

"Wait. Hold on," Spencer pleaded. "What happened?"

"I just got a text from -A threatening to expose that I lied to Hackett about my degree," Emily confessed. "If you're so convinced Wren murdered Archer and Charlotte, then we need to prove it."

Emily heard Spencer sigh in frustration. "Okay. Melissa is coming over to the barn right now. Apparently Wren has something to do and refused to bring Melissa along."

"I'm on my way."

Then Emily hung up.

This was the last thing she needed on top of everything else. The swim team had practice tonight, she had work at The Radley later, and the last thing that should be occupying her time was this unsolved murder involving Alison's ex-fiancé and cousin-sister.

Emily found herself clenching her jaw in anger as she realized everything always circled back around to Alison.

And she was fed up.