She felt the shift under the covers. Tentative, that was what the both of them were.

It wasn't just butterflies in their stomach anymore. They didn't have the luxury of that. Every minute of their lives, something could go wrong, and the butterflies turned into knives.

Still, that didn't stop any of them.

"Ali?", she whispered. "...Are you asleep?"

Should I be? Her eyes drifted, up and down, but she swore Emily could have heard that too. She wasn't asleep. Of course she wasn't. And she felt Emily's gaze going through her back.

Alison turned, turned to face Emily.

And they gazed at each other.

"Hello?"

The four girls tried to swallow the lump in their throats and not make a move. Spencer shot a glance at all of them. Hanna stopped chewing her chocolate cupcake. Aria resisted looking over her shoulder in curiosity. All while Emily was wondering why they were so scared. It's just the neighbor. She's just like us.

"Who's there?"

Spencer gave them another look, the look of the leader. She was planning on waiting it out. Emily was thinking otherwise. She tightened the sweater's knot on her waist and got up. The girls looked at her, shocked, and Aria tried to pull her down.

And then Emily saw her.

"H-Hi there."

"Was that you? Hiding in my bushes?" The small blonde said the word "my" with such possession. Emily was captivated.

"I-... My friends, we... We were playing field hockey... And..." She gestured to the small piece on the side of the yard. "It just came over."

"Where are your friends?"

Emily called them, and angry whispers were heard before one by one, they emerged from their hiding space.

Spencer wasn't going to let Emily play the leader. "I'm sorry, we just came to get my thing back."

The blonde studied the four individuals who stumbled into her yard. "...Go ahead, but hurry up, my big brother might come out and... Just get it."

Aria, Hanna, and Spencer jogged as fast as their little legs could carry them towards their item.

Emily stayed. She didn't look away from the blonde. "What's your name?"

"I'm Alison Dilaurentis." Every syllable packed a punch.

"I'm Emily." She smiled. "I live over..." She moved her arm to one of the houses next to their location. "There."

A sharp call was heard from the three girls by the entrance of the yard.

"I have to go."

"It's nice to meet you, Emily." Her smile was pearly white. Emily thought she was a princess. "Maybe we could hang out sometime. You know, come over. You could bring your friends."

The brunette smiled. "Okay."

And she left.

Emily realized how quiet it was. Not quite silent- the occasional car drove by. But quiet. She noticed how Alison's eyes tinted a shade of grey in the dark. She noticed how the natural dark streaks in her hair never separated themselves. She noticed the indentations that Alison's head made on the pillow.

And she kissed her.

It wasn't like before. There was no giddy feeling. Only the passion, the passion of the moment, the passion between them, the realization that this was it.

They broke apart, gently.

And as quickly as they did, they came back.

Emily caressed Alison's cheek, deepening the kiss. That's when she finally understood it.

Alison looked one last time, and pressed into her.