EMPTY GOLD.
012. | ❛ i think i'm going to be
sick. ❜

The morning was always Elena's favorite part of the day. It was easier for her to manage and certainly didn't bring any unwanted news.

Elena got all ready to head over to Spencer's barn to see what her friend was worrying about this time. But there was also a secret reason behind it. Elena knocked in the door, and simply walked in seeing that Caleb was in the kitchen while Spencer was nowhere to be seen.

"Spencer, left early this morning," Caleb stuttered

"It's okay, I just came by to drop of the designs for the campaign that Veronica requested," Elena placed them down on the table as Caleb overlooked them in amazement.

"This is awesome. When did Veronica ask you to do this?"

"Since she asks me to be a part of her communications department."

"So you're on the campaign now? This is so cool. Next thing you know Emily joins too," Caleb jokes.

"Veronica thought she needed to outreach to more people an what better way to do that then with art."

"Welcome to the Hastings World"
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Elena walked through the streets of Rosewood to the nearby pharmacy. Inside she went to go check on her pills that the doctor recommended.

The pills were small but no less effective, the nightmares have become constant and with the threat on the rise Elena was barely the same happy girl as before.

Shoving the bottle of pills on her bag she walked out, not before long did her phone beep.

Pills wouldn't be good for the 👶🏻. Don't want to get into old habits. 😈

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At the park, Elena waited for Toby who was bringing lunch. Once Toby got there, Elena craved into her food.

"I've never seen you eat this fast," Toby remarked at Elena who gulped down her food

"You've seen me eat like this before." Elena pointed her fork at him.

"When we first started going out, you would barely eat your food in front of me."

"There's a thing being called self conscious." Elena sipped her drink while smiling.

She checked her clock and saw that she was running late to meet up with Spencer at the cafe for her mother's video.

"I'm running late," she chewed as she got up and fixed her dress.

"It's as if you're always leaving," Toby pouted which caused Elena to make a frowny face.

"I promise after this campaign and this whole Charlotte thing, you'll have me all to yourself." She kissed him on the cheek and started heading off.
_______________________

"Sorry, I'm late" Elena said sitting down next to Spencer while watching from Caleb's computer.

"I've chosen to share this with you because ultimately, my diagnosis was a wake-up call. 'And I trust now that you have this insight' you'll know that I don't give up without a fight."

"Hanna, hey." Caleb said removing his arm around Spencer.

"Hey. Hey, uh, did you get my messages?"

"No, I'm-I'm so sorry. I just turned my phone off, so that I could watch. Are you okay?" Spencer apologized

"I think Melissa could have done it. I saw your sister years ago in London."

"Okay, where are you? You will never guess who just talked to me. Okay, so I was in line at the bar and some stranger just compliments my shoes and I turn around, it's Claudia Freakin' Greco, Caleb. And don't pretend like you don't know who she is. I have to go."

"Melissa?"

"Hello, Hanna."

"What are you doing here?"

"I live here. Well, not in this bathroom, but nearby."

"No, this event. Fashion Week. Did you change careers?"

"I came with a friend who ditched me because I've spent the entire night sobbing into my phone. Is that drink yours or mine?"

"Uh, yours. How's Wren?"

"He's gone. He left me. That scheming nut job who made your life a living hell has now moved on to mess with mine."

"You mean Charlotte?"

"Who the hell gave that twisted sister phone privileges? I mean, how does someone with her resume get put under penthouse arrest?"

"I try not to think about her. You know, forgive and forget."

"Yeah, a leopard doesn't change its spots."

"Wait, did she call you?"

"No, she called Wren and clearly, she shared information with him because he's been looking at me for the last week like I should be the one locked up."

"And is that because of Bethany Young?"

"If she's willing to tell him, who else is she gonna tell? You know, we all have a past, Hanna. Aren't you curious what she plans to use against you? Here. Why don't we call her and find out?"

"Melissa, stop."

"Someone needs to shut her up for good."

"Melissa, give me my phone!"

"I'm doing you a favor. You'll thank me one day. Hi, this is Alison DiLaurentis. Can I please speak to my sister, Charlotte?"

"Give me the phone."

"Well, wake her up. She has her whole life to nap. Tell her Hanna wants to say hi."

"I don't want to hear her voice." Hanna says grabbing her phone and throwing it at the mirror nearby shattering the glass.

"Well, you have a funny way of forgiving, Hanna."

"Why didn't you tell me about this when you came home from that trip?"

"She didn't want another person telling her that she wasn't over it."

"Well, neither was your sister. So can you at least find out if Melissa called that night from the diner," Hanna got up and turned around,"Thanks. Oh, umm, what was the name of that sneaky blogger dude from Hollis? The one who freaked out you and Melissa?" Elena and Spencer looked at each other thinking something was up.
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Next morning, Spencer and Elena walked into Spencer's living room where her mother and sister was.

'I mean, Gil said that....'

"Hey, we wanted to say congratulations but by the time we got home, you were already asleep." Spencer said hugging her mother.

"Yeah, great speech Mrs. Hastings."

"Oh, it was an exhausting day." Her mother reclaimed.

"What's wrong?" Spencer asked worried.

"Apparently, while I was recording the speech a story came out intended to crush us . Then another story came out to crush my opponent."

"Well, that's politics. Some days you're the pigeon, some days you're the statue."

"Don't be glib. This could destroy all the goodwill mom just earned."

"How? Why would anything about Christine Phillips affect mom's speech? It's not about Christine. It's about her daughter. And Elena."

"Elena and Yvonne? Why? What did she do?"

"She got rid of an unwanted pregnancy in high school. And your friend Elena, caused a miscarriage to herself."

"And someone was able to dredge up a medical report which is more than just a little embarrassing when you're running on a pro-life platform."

"Oh, my God." Elena says, "I think I'm going to be sick," She putting her hand over her mouth and running to the bathroom. Reaching the bathroom, Elena puked in the toilet while holding back her hair. Wiping her mouth, Elena looked into the mirror thinking about the dreadful thing she did in the past.
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Elena sat in the back of Spencer's barn with Caleb as he held Spencer's hand.

Elena huffed out,"It was after Jason and I broke up. I've been taking sleeping pills that help with the nightmares I still get about the dollhouse. I was devastated from the breakup and when I started to puke almost every morning, I started to notice something was wrong. It wasn't until I saw my doctor that I found out. I was making a career for myself and handling a baby right out of high school was too much for me to handle. Telling Jason wasn't like I pictured it. My future was never bright with Jason, on the other hand it is with Toby. I reverted to a induce miscarriage. Everything was cleared by the doctor and I'm okay. I just thought this wouldn't get out."

"Why didn't you tell us about this? Does Toby know?"

"Toby was the only one person I told about this. I was ashamed of what would happen and Toby calmly guided me through it. Now that this is out imagine what future I'll have." Elena buried her head into her hands.

"Don't worry Elena, we'll figure something out." Spencer comforted her friend.

"It can't be Mona. You don't know that."

"I do. I made it clear, if she messes with this family she's gonna be back underground breathing through a straw." Caleb threatened.

"Okay, so what? You think Sara Harvey did this?"

The door opens as Elena wiped her tears,"Forgive the intrusion, but I just got off the phone with Gil."

"What did he say?" Spencer said.

"Maybe you girls should come inside."

"We are inside. What did he say?"

"Christine Phillips hired an expert who tracked the source of the leak."

"What is going on?"

"It was traced back to your IP address, Spencer."

"What? That doesn't make any sense. I haven't touched this laptop all day. I was with Caleb watching your speech on his computer at The Brew...... Elena you know I wouldn't do this." Spencer faced Elena who was pretty sure that it was this new A.

"Spencer, please, don't lie to me. How dare you do that to your friend. You must have hacked into their system. That's how you knew about my diagnosis."

"No, mom, that's not how I knew...... "

"No, she didn't do it. I did it. I leaked it."

"Is that true?"

"Caleb, why are you saying this?"

"Do you understand what this means?"

"They were prepared to do the same to you. I used Elena to make sure that it was from the other campaign. I.... Sometimes you need to make a preemptive strike."

"That wasn't your call to make."

"Mom, he didn't do this." Spencer pleaded

"Well, you'll need to resign from this campaign immediately. And it would also be wise to gather your things and leave here...... tonight." Veronica exited leaving a very fragile Elena and a worried Spencer.

"No. No, you're not leaving. Please, just go in there and tell my mother the truth."

"Caleb, you didn't do this. You can't take the fall." Elena chewed her fingernails.

"Guys, she's two weeks out. This is the truth she needs to win. If there needs to be a scapegoat, let it be me."

"Not you. Caleb......"

"Hey, I will figure out who did this. You need to find out what Melissa's been up to. I can cover for one sister at a time."

"Where are you gonna go?"

"I don't know. I'll-I'll work it out."

"I want you to stay."

"I know you do.... But I can't." Caleb leaves the barn as Spencer starts crying as Elena holds her.

"Trust me, we are going to figure out who's behind this. They won't get away with this." Elena muttered with her eyes determined to do anything to stop this.

A/N: Are you surprised that Elena had a miscarriage? And that it was Jason's baby?