"Wait, Tanner thinks we had something to do with Elliot and Charlotte's death?" Hanna fumed.

"Not necessarily," Alison explained.

"We're on her suspect list, Ali," Spencer said. "That means she's at least considered it."

"But we were all at The Radley that night," Aria remembered.

Alison leaned forward. "So then you guys have nothing to worry about."

"Except for the fact that we'll all be called in for questioning," Emily said.

"And that we broke into Elliot's hotel room," Hanna included.

Aria shifted. "Elliot checked out of Radley around nine P.M. You said it yourself, Han. They're not gonna consider Radley after that time."

"And if they do?" Hanna wondered. "What if they check the cameras and see us get into his room? Then they discover the giant rabbit hole and-"

"Hanna," Spencer interrupted. "Calm down."

Hanna crossed her arms. "I'm just saying, we're gonna look suspicious if they do check the security footage."

Emily placed her hand on Hanna's knee in comfort.

The women fell silent as everyone processed what information Ali had gathered from the police station. Emily hated to admit this to herself, but she was grateful they were dead rather than on the loose. Not that she had wanted Charlotte dead... Alright, maybe in the past after the Dollhouse, but not now.

"So are we assuming Charlotte and Elliot were... together?" Aria wondered.

Emily watched Alison flinch.

"That's sure what it seems like," Spencer said.

"Guys," Emily interrupted. "Not now."

Alison shook her head. "It's fine. I had the same thought this morning when Tanner told me she found my engagement ring."

"You think Charlotte stole it?" Aria asked.

Alison shrugged. "It was either her or Elliot."

Again, the silence surrounded them. By now Alison was having a hard time accepting all of this. She decided to leave.

Alison stood. "I'm gonna go home."

Emily watched her friend stand and hoped she would ask for company. Alison looked at Emily before she turned away without another word. Emily's shoulders shrunk in disappointment.

"This is fifty shades of screwed up," Hanna said.

"Honestly," Aria agreed. "I mean, it's one thing to run away with Charlotte, but for Elliot to propose to Ali?"

"He had to win Alison over," Spencer said. "It was the perfect plan. Alison was alone. Her father and Jason weren't around. Charlotte was in the hospital..."

"He made her fall in love with him so she would trust his judgement about Charlotte being better," Emily included.

"Tanner told Ali Elliot's car was run off the Thomas Mill bridge..." Hanna palmed her coffee. "Who would want to do that?"

"That's the million-dollar question, isn't it?" Spencer answered.

"Well, it's only a matter of time before we're all called in there for questioning," Emily said.

The door to The Brew opened and Emily's eyes locked with Paige. She smiled and waved Emily over.

She paced to the front door. "Hey."

"Hey," Paige greeted. "So I was sent here via Hackett. I think he's holding out for your interview."

"About the swim coach position?" Emily asked.

Paige nodded.

"I thought you got that? Since you're still here..."

"Well, apparently they had another position to fill," Paige said. "You're looking at Rosewood High's new Athletic Department Supervisor."

Emily smiled. "Oh, congrats."

"Yeah." Paige tilted her head. "I really think you should go talk to Hackett."

Emily wondered what it would be like to work at Rosewood High. It's not like she had to worry about Charlotte anymore considering the fact. And she really needed a job to help pay for school... This would be a great opportunity since Hackett seemed dead set on talking to her.

And getting hired at the high school would show the police she wasn't running from them. At this point, it seemed like a win-win.

"Yeah," Emily agreed. "I should. You're right."

Emily went to gather her things and told her friends where she was heading. They all gave her kind words of encouragement as she left The Brew.

She made her way over to her old high school and tried to tell herself this would be a good decision. If she got the job, she could enroll at Hollis next semester.

The only thing worrying her was coming clean to her mom. Her friends were one thing. They would understand. It would be different with her mother. She would have to explain all the lies she had told and break her mom's heart.

When she made it to Hackett's office she knocked three times before he called for her to come in. She opened the door with a wide smile.

"Emily, I'm so glad you're here," Hackett revealed. "Did Paige find you?"

"She did," Emily answered. "And I think I'm ready to apply."

"Any reason you were holding back?"

Emily hesitated. "There were things that came up... But it's figured out."

"Well," Hackett continued. "I can sit here and give you the whole script, but I'd rather get to the point." He smiled. "I want you to coach our Varsity swim team. It's decent part-time pay and I think you'd be the best fit."

Emily was surprised at the lack of questions.

"It's your decision," Hackett said. "But I do need an answer by the end of today."

Emily hesitated.

Hackett folded his hands. "Is everything okay?"

Emily shook her head and smiled. "Yeah. Sorry, I just thought there would be more questions."

Hackett smiled. "Okay, well, do you have your diploma?"

Lie, she told herself.

"Yes, I do."

Emily prayed the red on her face didn't give her away.

"Alright then," Hackett said. "That's all I need to know."

Emily needed this job. And to be honest, she kind of wanted it, too. What the hell was she waiting for, anyway?

"Alright." She nodded. "I'll do it. I'll coach them."

Hackett leaned back into his chair and beamed.

"Fantastic. Should we fill out the paperwork now or later?"

"I'm ready to sign when you are," Emily said.

And so she did.

She signed papers and was given the Varsity coach uniforms. Hackett proudly showed her the office that came with the job acceptance. She was told the swim team needed to conduct tryouts by the end of September, so Emily had about a week to prepare. Everything seemed to be coming together better than expected, but there were still hurdles she had to jump.

This was just the beginning.

* * *

Emily paced around her room as she spoke on the phone with Alison.

"So you got the coaching job," Alison stated. "Congratulations."

"You're okay with that, right?" Emily wondered.

"Okay with what?"

"Me, working at Rosewood with you..."

"Of course I'm okay with that, Em," Alison answered. "I'd much rather you work there than Paige."

Emily bit her lip with worry.

"Uh, well, Paige didn't get the coaching job but she got hired at Rosewood," Emily revealed.

"For what?"

"Athletic Department Supervisor."

"We've never had an Athletic Supervisor." Alison scoffed. "I'm pretty sure they made up that job just for her."

Emily couldn't help but feel the animosity through the phone.

"Is there a reason you're still not fond of Paige?" Emily asked.

Alison hesitated on the other side of the phone. Emily couldn't help but fill in the blanks.

"Just... old habits, I guess," Alison answered.

The women fell silent as Emily listened to Ali breathe on the other side. She wanted to ask how she was doing, but didn't want to rip open Alison's wounds that were probably trying to heal.

"Em, last night..." Alison's sentence trailed off.

"What about last night?"

More hesitation. "N-Nothing, I just wanted to thank you. For staying with me."

"Yeah, anytime," Emily said, but frowned with confusion. That's not what Ali was initially going to say.

"How are you doing?" Emily asked.

"I'm not sure if you want an honest answer to that question," Alison replied.

Emily looked at her feet. "I do."

Alison sighed. "It hurts. I feel betrayed. I feel alone..."

"Well, I can come over," Emily offered. "You don't have to be alone-"

"No, it's fine," Alison declined. "I'll be okay."

So, Alison was pushing her away now. Emily could tell that's exactly what her friend was doing. After Alison made Emily return to her old ways, she goes and pulls away just like she did every other time before when they were teenagers.

Emily should've expected this.

"I'm gonna climb into bed," Alison said. "I'll talk to you later."

Emily felt her mood shift. "Alright. Goodnight, Ali."

"Night."

Then Ali hung up.

Okay, so Emily had kind of iced Alison out when she first got back to Rosewood. And she was sure Alison had noticed. Everyone had. And then the whole hearing thing happened, and Alison was probably still kind of upset with Emily for that.

But Alison had called her when Charlotte went missing. Ali had asked Emily to accompany her to the police station and stay the night.

Alison knew how to break her down when she needed to, and then she push Emily away after. It was exhausting.

But Emily kept telling herself she wasn't seventeen anymore, even if Ali made her feel that way.