Disclaimer: Sadly I own nothing PLL related but I'm borrowing my favorite characters for a while.

This story takes place in my "Mermaid" universe and is set in the timeline between the end of Chapter 8 and the first Epilogue.

This is the first of what I plan to be several one-shots of the moments between… the moments we didn't see but may have heard about…. or those that haven't happened yet. It can probably be read as a stand-alone story but will make much more sense if you've read "Mermaid."

Thank you so much to everyone who read and reviewed and enjoyed "Mermaid." I hope you enjoy these little one-shots just as much.

As all my stories will be this story is rated accordingly for mature themes... so you've once again been warned. ;-)

Enjoy!

Ink

"There is no freaking way I'm letting you get a tattoo that says 'Emily's Bitch.'"

Alison giggled drunkenly as she and Kira walked, or in Alison's case stumbled, down Pico Blvd looking for the tattoo parlor the guys at the bar told them about.

"Why not?" she asked, chuckling. "I'm Emily's and I'm a bitch."

Kira was just drunk enough to agree to accompany Alison on this fools' errand, but she knew she had to try to remain clear headed, otherwise both of them would be in a world of shit with a certain brunette who was currently at home studying for her last final of the semester.

"Ali, maybe you should go home and sleep on this before you do anything you might regret," Kira suggested.

Alison scowled at her now. "You don't have to come with me, you know, if you're just going to be a Debbie Downer."

"Yeah right," Kira scoffed. "I do that and you'll end up coming home with Emily's bitch tattooed on your forehead."

Alison laughed again, the alcohol in her system making her feel warm and she unbuttoned the sheer blue shirt she was wearing over her white tank top. She slipped it down her arms, shrugging out of it before tying it around her waist.

"I want Emily's name on me but even I'm not too drunk to know she'd kill me if I put it across my forehead."

"Ya think?" Kira hip checked Alison and the blonde stumbled slightly.

"Hey, watch it," Alison snapped as she gripped Kira's arm. "I'm not sure where I want it though. I want it where people can see it, you know?"

"Why?"

"Because I want people to know who she is to me."

Kira rolled her eyes. "You never hide who she is to you, Ali. You love shouting from the rooftops that you fuck her on practically a daily basis."

"What do you mean practically?" Alison teased with a seductive lilt to her voice and Kira rolled her eyes even more dramatically.

"What is the name of this place again?" Kira asked as she pulled her phone out of the back pocket of her jeans

"Ink," Ali replied as she eyed Kira's phone longingly. "Can I have my phone back?"

Kira shook her head. "No. You can't be trusted with it."

Alison released Kira's arm and scowled at her. "What the hell is that supposed to mean? It's my phone and I want it back."

"No," Kira said firmly. "You're only going to sext Emily again."

Alison smiled mischievously. "Em loves it when I send her naughty texts."

"Not when she's trying to study. She called me and told me to take your phone away from you; otherwise she wasn't going to get any studying done."

Alison's mouth dropped open before she snapped it shut again and pursed her lips annoyed. "She did not, you big fat liar." Then she tilted her head, distracted once again. "Oh, hey, there it is."

Alison pointed to the store a few doors down with the blinking "tattoo" sign in the window.

"Is it still open?" Kira asked as they approached.

"It's only eleven. That blonde guy said it's an all night tattoo shop."

Alison pushed the door open, the sound of a ding filled the room as she and Kira stepped over the threshold.

"I'm going to totally live to regret this," Kira sighed to herself as she followed Alison into the shop.

"Hello," Alison called out and a guy stepped out from the back.

"Hey ladies." he greeted. His arms and neck were covered in tattoos. He looked relatively young, maybe late twenties, long brown hair pulled back in a ponytail and he had the most piercing green eyes Alison had ever seen.

"Hi," Alison purred flirtatiously and Kira rolled her eyes.

"Hi, I'm Clive."

"Hi Clive," Alison purred again, unable to help herself, the alcohol in her system bringing out her flirtatious side as she sidled up to him. "I'm Ali and I'm here to get a tattoo."

"Right on," Clive replied chuckling at Alison's dramatics. "And you are?" he asked as he smiled at Kira.

"I'm Kira and I'm here to make sure she doesn't go home with a fire breathing dragon tattooed on her face." She gave him a pointed look.

"Okay then," Clive replied as he turned back to Ali, who was looking around the otherwise empty shop. "Tell me a little bit about what you're looking for."

Alison looked back at him and grinned. "It's my birthday in three weeks and I want a tattoo to commemorate it."

"Birthday present for yourself?"

Alison swayed a little on her feet as she grinned wider. "Yep. And for my girl."

Clive nodded his head. "Well you came to the right place. What kind of tattoo do you want?"

"My girlfriend's name," Alison said without hesitation.

"Just don't let her add 'bitch' to the end of it," Kira interrupted as she stepped up beside them.

"Shut up, bitch," Alison shot a glare to her friend before turning back to Clive

"Are you the girlfriend?" Clive asked Kira.

"God, no," Alison scoffed and now it was time for Kira to glare at her.

"Hey, I take offense to that."

Alison scoffed as she waved her hand dismissively at Kira. "Don't be offended. You know I love you, girl. I'd just never fuck you." Alison smirked as she stuck her tongue out at Kira.

"Don't stick your tongue out at me unless you intend to use it," Kira challenged jokingly.

"Oh, I will once I get home to Em." Alison replied seductively as she licked her lips.

"Ali, behave," Kira warned and Alison just laughed at her.

Clive motioned to one of the chairs toward the back of the shop that reminded Alison of a dentist's chair. "Why don't you come over here and have a seat."

Alison walked over and sat down, putting her feet up on the foot rest as Kira grabbed Clive's arm. "Clive, as you can tell she's a little drunk."

He quirked an eyebrow at her. "I think you both are."

"Touché," Kira said. "And while I'm all good with her getting herself a tattoo, if I bring her home with anything obnoxious, her girlfriend will murder me in my sleep."

"Got it," he said nodding, his eyes crinkling at the corners as she smiled.

"Good," Kira nodded once and she moved over to sit in the chair next to the one Alison was sitting in. "Slap her girlfriend's name on her and let's be done with this."

"Shut up, Kira," Alison said again. "This is important and I won't rush it."

"Great, we're gonna be here all night," Kira sighed resigned.

"I told you, you didn't have to come with me," Alison snapped at her as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Seriously?" Kira looked at her dubiously. "Em is studying premed. She knows how to wield a scalpel and she'd use it on my jugular if I left you alone here."

Clive laughed at the two girls bantering back and forth as he sat down in his chair and rolled it closer to Alison.

"Well, let's try not to get anyone murdered, okay? Let's talk about this," he said casually, directing Alison's attention back to him. "Is this your first tattoo?"

Alison nodded. "Yeah."

"Nice," he replied as he smiled. "Welcome to the beautiful world of ink," he said as he motioned over his body. "Now tell me, why do you want one?"

"Why does this feel like I'm at my shrink's office?" Alison joked and Clive laughed with her.

"I just always like to know why my clients want a tattoo. It helps me to understand where they're coming from and what they're looking for."

Alison looked at him and smiled, the alcohol in her system making her feel fuzzy and light headed. But she answered without hesitation because there was nothing fuzzy or hesitant in her about this.

"I want my girl's name permanently on my body."

"Tell me about her," Clive encouraged. "What's her name?"

"Emily," Alison sighed softly. Just saying her name made Alison's heart sigh too.

"Pretty name," Clive replied. "Is she as pretty as her name?"

"More," Alison breathed. "She's a fucking goddess." She sat forward excitedly. "Do you want to see her?"

"Hell yes," he said as he laughed at her enthusiasm.

Alison held her hand out to Kira. "Give me my phone, Kira."

Kira looked up from where she was texting Todd on her phone.

"I told you, no."

Alison scowled, giving Kira her best bitch face. "Give me my fucking phone, Kira. I want to show Clive a picture of Em." Alison turned to look at Clive again. "She took my phone away from me because I was sexting Em. She didn't come out with us tonight because she's studying for her last final. Kira and I finished ours today."

Kira arched her brow at Alison as she handed the blonde her phone.

"Don't mind her," she said to Clive. "She gets chatty when she's drunk."

"Where do you go to school? UCLA?" he asked as Alison scrolled through her phone.

"Let me find a good one," Alison said as she focused on her task.

"Yeah, we do," Kira replied since Alison clearly wasn't going to.

"What year?"

"We just finished junior year."

"I graduated four years ago. Good school."

"What did you study?" Kira asked curiously, tearing her attention away from her own phone.

"Art History," Clive said as he made small talk while Alison searched her phone.

"Oh, she looks good in all of them," Alison said mostly to herself. "But there is a specific one I want to show you. It's the one you took of us on Valentine's Day, Kira. Damn it, what did I do with it?"

"How long have you been with your girl?" Clive asked as he waited patiently.

"Since we were fourteen," Alison said absently, only half listening to him.

"Actually they've been together for three and half years, but they've known each other since they were younger," Kira replied.

"We've loved each other since we were fourteen, so as far as I'm concerned, I've been hers since then," Alison responded. "Where the hell is that picture?" she growled.

"Here," Kira shoved her phone at Alison and the blonde squealed as she saw the picture.

"That's the one." She dropped her own phone to her lap as she grabbed the phone from Kira. Then she sighed softly. "God, she's so beautiful."

She held the phone up so Clive could see it. The picture was taken in their living room before they went club hopping with Kira and Todd. Emily was in a sleeveless short black cocktail dress, her long dark hair flowing over her shoulders. Alison was in a dusty pink strapless flared skirt dress that fell just barely to mid thigh. Her long golden hair was pulled up on one side while the other fell over her bare shoulder.

They were standing with their arms around each other. Alison was nuzzling Emily's cheek as the brunette smiled and laughed at something that had been said, her arms loosely around Alison's body as Alison's were wrapped firmly around Emily's waist.

Kira had caught the affectionate moment without the two girls realizing it and had given the picture to them in an eight by ten frame a few days later. The picture was on the mantle above their fireplace and Alison also asked Kira to email the picture to her so she could have it on her phone too.

"Wow," Clive said wide eyed. "She's gorgeous. You're gorgeous together."

"Hey, watch it Clive. She's mine," Alison pointed at him as she narrowed her eyes, but he just laughed.

"I've got my own girl," he said to reassure and Alison nodded. "But that doesn't mean I don't appreciate a beautiful one when I see one."

"What's your girlfriend's name?" Alison asked as she handed Kira's phone back to her.

"April," he replied.

"Like the month?" She looked back at him amused.

"Yes, like the month," he replied.

"Does she have tats like you?"

"A few," he replied. "But let's get back to your girl. Where and how do you want her name?"

Alison chewed on her bottom lip. "I don't know. That's the thing. You're the expert; suggest a good place for it."

He leaned back in his chair. "Do you want it where people can see it or just for the two of you?"

Alison grinned. "Both. I want it where she'll see it, when we're alone together, and want to pounce on me. But I also want people to be able to see it if I want them to. Does that make sense?" she asked.

"Sure," he nodded. "There's plenty of places like that. You can get it on your shoulder, the back of your neck, your hip," he suggested and Alison titled her head as she considered them all.

"Then there's my personal favorite, the lower back," he suggested. "Lower back tats are very sexy. They can be concealed by clothing or can be on display depending on what you wear.

"A tramp stamp?" Kira coughed as her eyes whipped over to look at Alison. "Ali, you don't want a tramp stamp."

Clive's eyes crinkled in the corner as he chuckled. "Lower back tats get a bad rap, but I'm telling you they're extremely sexy when they're done right."

"That's what I want," Alison said breathlessly and she squirmed in the chair as she thought about Emily's name just above her ass.

"I think it would be a really great spot for you. You can wear low rise jeans, a bikini, or just your underwear around the house and it's on display. But if you want to conceal it, just make sure the waist of your pants are high enough or your shirt is long enough. And I can guarantee you it will make your girl want to jump you."

"Yes," Alison hissed excitedly as she squirmed in the chair. "Can I get it done right now, tonight?"

"Hold on a minute," Kira said, trying to be the voice of reason. "Tramp stamps aside, Emily is a girl."

"And your point is?" Alison asked annoyed.

"She doesn't spend that much time behind you, Ali. You'd be better off with something on the front, where Em spends most of her time focusing."

"You think I should get it on my boobs?" Alison asked as she rubbed her hands over her breasts slowly.

Kira looked at her flabbergasted. "You want to stop feeling yourself up in front of strangers, Ali? Jeez. And no, I don't think you should get it on your boobs. Clive, can you help me out here?"

"Women get tattoos on their breasts all the time," Clive said. "Again, very sexy if they're done right.

Kira glared at him. "Clive, you're not helping here. Do you have any idea how impressionable she is when she's drunk?"

Normally Alison would pull out her bitch face if Kira said something like that, but she was still just drunk enough to not really care so she rolled her eyes.

"Okay, mom, calm your ankles," Alison teased. "I'm not getting a tattoo on my tits. But I did kind of like feeling myself up just then," she said as an afterthought, not realizing she said it out loud.

Clive's eyes widened and Kira shook her head and sighed. "I knew this was a terrible idea. And I've totally lost my buzz now."

"I've got some tequila in the back if you want some."

"Ohhh," Alison said. "Those are what we were doing earlier when Mike, Mark, Mick, whatever the fuck his name was, suggested we come over her to see you."

"Oh, Mick sent you?" Clive said surprised.

"I guess that was his name," Alison shrugged. "I really wasn't paying attention."

"Groovy. I'll have to thank him."

"Did you just say groovy?" Alison laughed at him.

"What's wrong with the word groovy?"

"Nothing if you're fifty."

"Alison, be nice to the man who's going to be taking a needle to your skin soon."

Alison shrugged. "I'll let it go if you bring out that tequila."

Clive chuckled and got up, walking into the back.

"Ali, I don't think you should drink anymore if you're getting this done."

"Relax, Kira. I'm just going to do one shot. My buzz is going away and I need one if I'm going to do this."

"Awww… is the big bad Alison DiLaurentis afraid of getting a tattoo?" Kira teased.

Clive walked back out with a bottle and three shot glasses.

"I'm not afraid of anything," Alison huffed. "I just don't like needles."

Clive poured each of them a shot and handed Alison and Kira the glasses.

"Sláinte," he said and they all drank.

"I thought you looked Irish," Kira said as she shook her head and breathed deep.

Alison did the same as the alcohol burned her throat, before she looked up at Clive again. "So bring on the tramp stamp. Clive. I want my girl's name on my lower back."

"Okay, good choice," he agreed as he poured Alison another shot. "So just her name or do you want something else with it?"

"Like what?" Alison asked her curiosity peaked before downing the second one. It burned her throat and her stomach and she put the glass down, having had enough.

Clive held up the bottle to offer Kira another one but she shook her head.

"Something that reminds you of your girl," Clive said and he thought for a minute. "We could do a butterfly or a flower or something like that. Since her name ends with a 'y' we can have the tail of the letter go all the way under her name and put a rose at the end of it."

Alison crinkled her nose and shook her head. That wasn't her girl at all.

"That's not my Em."

"Well, tell me about her and let's see if we can come up with something that will make the tat unique to her."

Alison squirmed in her seat excited because she loved talking about Emily.

"Well, she's beautiful," Alison said as she grinned and Clive laughed.

"Yeah, I got that from her picture.''

"She's long and lean and toned," Alison shivered softly as she thought about just how toned her girl was. "And she's studying to be a doctor and she's a swimmer and she's my heart and she's my mermaid," Alison rambled on but then she stopped, her eyes widened and she squealed. "Oh my god! I should get a mermaid."

"Oh, hell no," Kira snapped at she whipped her head to look at Alison.

Alison reached out and grabbed Clive's forearm. "Oh, Clive, can you do a mermaid?"

"I can do anything you want."

"Ali," Kira started but she was drowned out by Alison's excited chanting.

"I want. I want," Ali said excitedly.

What size are you thinking?"

"Big," Alison said as she drew out the word and opened her arms wide. "You can do a mermaid on my back, my entire back and you can put Emily's face on her."

"Okay, drunk girl, dial it back," Kira warned and swung her legs over the side of the chair before standing, ready to drag Alison out of there if she needed to. "You are not getting a mermaid with Emily's face on your entire back." She growled at Clive. "Work with me here, Clive."

Clive looked at Alison and smiled indulgently and Alison scowled because she knew that smile meant he wasn't going to do her mermaid.

"Mermaids are incredibly sexy but let me make you another suggestion, a proposition perhaps."

Alison's scowl turned into a grin. "And what kind of proposition is that?" she purred, her flirtatious side coming out again.

Clive smiled. "I always suggest when someone is getting their first ink that they start out small. Nothing too big or flashy. It's a permanent commitment-"

"Emily is permanent in my life," Alison interrupted insistently.

Clive nodded. "I have no doubt and putting her name on your body shows that. But I think you should start with only her name and if you find you're comfortable with ink on your body, and comfortable with how sexy it makes you feel, then come back again, without your body guard," he motioned to Kira who shot him a withering glare but she kept quiet because it seemed like he was getting through to Alison. "And I'll do your mermaid any way you want then."

Alison pondered his suggestion for a minute before she replied. "Humph," she muttered but nodded in agreement.

Kira sighed in relief and she sat back down.

"But I think we can still doll it up a little for you. Make it so truly represents who she is for you."

"Doll up how?" Alison asked her curiosity peaked again.

He grinned and Alison noticed for the first time he had dimples in his cheeks like she did. "I have an idea; give me a minute to draw it up." He grabbed a sketch pad on the table beside him. "While I do, let's talk about fonts."

"Okay," Alison said as she sat back.

"You can do block letters or script."

"I think script," Alison said.

He nodded. "I agree. You're both very feminine so I think a script is right, maybe something that looks like a signature."

"Yeah," Alison smiled excitedly. "Like she signed her autograph on me."

"Exactly. Something feminine and delicate and curvy, just like she is."

"To be honest, I'm the curvier of the two of us," Alison smiled seductively. "But my girl has just the right amount of curves, in all the right places."

'You're still slender though so we shouldn't make the tat too big; otherwise it won't look right," he motioned to his own ink. "I'm all for big tats, obviously, but a tattoo needs to fit the body type and personality. And you're small and feminine."

"Ali and Em are a pretty feminine gay couple," Kira said absently as she scrolled through her texts on her phone.

Alison laughed. "Yeah, neither of us is what you would call butch."

"I could tell from the photo," Clive laughed along with her as he concentrated on his sketch.

"Oh, Clive, you know nothing from that photo," Alison purred. "Yes, clearly my girl can rock a little black cocktail dress like no one I've ever seen. She has these legs that go on forever and they make me want to climb her like a tree. But she is the sexiest to me when she's rocking her tomboy look."

"Is that right?" Clive asked, keeping Alison talking and distracted as he drew.

"Oh yeah," Alison said as she picked up her phone again and flipped through the pictures to find what she was looking for. "She's beautiful when she dresses up, but my absolute favorite outfit on her is when she wears her old worn out jeans." Alison couldn't help the sigh that escaped. "She has these ones that have a tear in the thigh, just above her knee. And you put her in those and her Steve Madden boots, and her white Henley. Or even when she wears a white tank top, you know the ribbed ones that look like a guy's wife beater, and one of her plaid button downs." Alison moaned long and low. "God just thinking about her dressed like that makes me want to defile her in a hundred different ways."

"Ali, TMI!" Kira shot her a horrified look and Alison just giggled, the tequila finally seeping into her bloodstream.

"So how long does it take a tattoo to heal?" she asked curiously.

"For what you're getting, a couple weeks. But you'll want to be careful with getting it wet for about a week. You don't want to saturate it."

"I don't have to take sponge baths do I?" Alison asked, cringing at the thought. She was the kind of girl who showered at least twice a day and if she had to take a sponge bath instead she might just actually rethink this.

"Kinda like the whores," Kira teased.

"Excuse me?" Alison glared over at Kira who laughed.

"That's what they called it. Sponge baths were once called whore's baths because that's all they did between customers."

"And how would you know?" Alison shot Kira a pointed look.

Kira shrugged and grinned. "I have lots of random knowledge in my head."

Alison rolled her eyes and turned back to look at Clive. "So, Clive, I don't have to take a sponge bath do I?"

He shook his head at the disgusted tone of Alison's voice. "No, you can shower but don't saturate it. Keep your back out of the water stream and bend forward to wash your hair."

"Hmmm," Alison said. "This is going to be a pain in the ass."

"Both literally and figuratively," Kira laughed at her own joke, but Alison and Clive ignored her.

"It's totally worth it though," Clive said as he kept sketching.

"It will be," Alison murmured to herself. "So it will be healed for sure by my birthday?"

"It's small so it should be."

Alison's lips curved softly. "Good because I want it healed when I show her. My girl is a softie and it makes her sad when she thinks I'm hurting."

"That's what is going to make her a kick ass doctor someday," Kira said.

Alison smiled, agreeing wholeheartedly with Kira's words. Emily was going to be an amazing doctor one day.

Then suddenly a horrifying thought hit her. "Whoa, wait a minute. How the hell am I supposed to keep her from seeing it?" She looked over at Kira. "I don't want her to see it until my birthday."

"You'll have to avoid being naked in front of her then."

"And how the hell am I supposed to do that?"

"I guess you'll just have to abstain from having sex with her," Kira chuckled knowing how well that was going to go over.

"Oh hell no," Ali barked. "That isn't even a remote possibility."

"Ali and Em are nymphos," Kira offered as she chuckled darkly again.

"Most lesbians are I hear," Clive said absently.

"Oh Clive, be careful, Ali doesn't like that word," Kira cringed as she waited for the fall out.

"Shut up, bitch." Alison turned to Clive. "I'm not into labels, Clive. And Kira can't wrap her little mind around that."

"There's nothing wrong with labels if they're accurate."

Alison smirked. "Well my girl is one hundred percent into girls. Guys do absolutely nothing for her." Alison shrugged. "Me… I swing both ways. I find both guys and girls attractive."

"There's nothing wrong with that either," Clive said.

"I like you Clive," Alison said as she shot Kira a quick smug look before looking down at her phone again.

"What?" Kira asked. "I have no issues with you being bisexual Ali."

"But none of it matters anyway," Alison said softly as she found the picture she was looking for and she made it her new wallpaper.

It was one of Emily crouched down petting Pepe in the dog park near their apartment. She was wearing her jeans, boots, white t-shirt and black and red button down flannel tied around her waist. It was the outfit she wore the night in New York when she and the girls were reunited almost four years ago.

She still had the shirt and it never ceased to make Alison's heart race, her body heat from the inside out and cause that spot down low in her abdomen to pulse.

"Why's that?" Clive asked as she put the final touches on the sketch.

"Why's what?" Alison asked as she shook her head.

"Why does none of it matter anyway?"

"Because Emily is it for me," Alison replied honestly. "Why do you think I'm here?"

Clive turned his sketch pad around so Alison could see what he drew.

"How about this?"

Alison took the pad out of his hand and looked at the drawing. Her breath hitched. It was perfect.

She stood up and walked over to Kira to show it to her. Kira nodded her head, smiling, and Alison hugged the drawing against her chest as she looked back at Clive.

"So what do you think?" he asked but his smile said he already knew the answer.

Alison grinned. "Let's do it."

"Okay, assume the position then, mermaid girl." He reclined the chair Alison had been sitting in.

Alison's grin turned into a smirk. "I'm liking you more and more, Clive." She untied the shirt around her waist and then unbuttoned her pants. "Do I need to take them off?"

He shook his head. "No. Just push them down a little and lift your shirt."

Alison nodded and lay down on her stomach, so ready to have her mermaid's name branded on her forever.

##################

"Note to self, getting a tattoo is one hell of a way to sober up," Alison said as the cab pulled up in front of the building where she shared an apartment with Emily. She was sitting on the edge of the seat, not wanting to lean against the seat because it freaking hurt and because Clive warned her not to let anything rub against it for a day or two.

Kira snickered. "I sobered the fuck up just watching it."

"You still gonna crash here?" Alison asked as she handed the cab driver money.

"I don't know," Kira started to say as they got out of the cab. "Since I'm sober now, there's no reason for me not to drive home."

"I don't think you're as sober as you think you are."

"I have to work at ten. I should just go home."

"I'll get you up in plenty of time. Come on, stay over. I need you to help me in the morning when I clean it the first time," Alison batted her eyelashes as she held up the CVS bag in her hand.

They'd stopped at the twenty four hour pharmacy to get the supplies Clive recommended for Alison's tattoo aftercare.

"Fine," Kira sighed as she rolled her eyes. "But you're making me breakfast before I leave in the morning."

"Deal," Alison said as she slid her arm through Kira's and tugged her toward the front door.

##################

Alison and Kira walked into the front door of the apartment and all the lights were off, except for the light coming from over the stove in the kitchen.

"You think she's asleep?" Kira asked as she closed and locked the door behind her.

"Probably," Alison replied as Pepe came trotting into the room and up to Alison for some petting. "It's almost two in the morning. Hi baby, did you miss me," she cooed at Pepe as she crouched down and rubbed his head.

She grimaced as her lower back throbbed harder when the waistband of her jeans pressed against it even though she'd left her pants unbuttoned.

"I know but I figured she'd still be up studying," Kira said knowingly. "She's a nerd like that."

"Leave my nerd alone," Alison scowled. "She'll probably get up early and study more in the morning. Damn, I need some freaking Advil."

Alison stood and walked into the kitchen. She opened the cabinet next to the stove and took out a bottle of Advil. She grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and swallowed down two capsules.

"Does he need to pee?" Kira asked as she pointed at Pepe who was now sitting by the door."

"Probably. She may have fallen asleep or just forgotten. I'm the one who usually takes him out for his last pee of the night." Alison walked back into the living room. "Come on Pepe, did Em forget to take you out?"

"Want me to come with?" Kira asked as she yawned. "I know we're in a college neighborhood but it's still pretty late."

Alison shook her head as she attached Pepe's leash. "I'm just taking him right outside the front door. We'll be fine."

"Okay," Kira said. "Do I need to make the bed up?"

"I made it up earlier. Ow," Alison scowled down at Pepe as he poked her in the ass with his nose. "Pepe, stop it. What time do you need to be up to get to work on time?"

"Eight, so I can go home and shower and change. Actually get me up at seven thirty so I can help you with your tramp stamp."

"Night, bitch," Alison smirked as she and Pepe walked out the door.

###############

Alison walked into the bedroom and found her mermaid flat on her back in the middle of their bed. Her biochemistry book was resting on the bed beside her, still open, and the light was still on. Emily was dressed in only her UCLA Bruins women's swim team t-shirt, which she often wore to bed, and her panties. Her shirt had ridden up, exposing her toned abdomen just above the waistband of her underwear.

Alison smiled softly at the sight. She loved seeing her girl sprawled out that way. But then her stomach clenched and her body filled with heat the way it always did at the sight of her girlfriend half dressed. She felt a pulsing between her thighs and she sighed as she moved closer. There was nothing she could do about it tonight, or any time soon, until she could show her tattoo to her girl.

Just the thought of Emily's name permanently branded on her skin and the still dull throbbing of her back made Alison's entire body pulse with desire.

Her lips curved into a seductive smile. Maybe there was something she could do. Even if she couldn't sate the pulsing in her own body, she could still sate her desire for her girl.

Alison walked over to the bed and grabbed the book, closing and placing it on the bedside table. Emily barely stirred before Alison walked to the bureau and grabbed the longest t-shirt she owned out of the top drawer. It just so happened to also be one of Emily's swim team t-shirts. She needed to hide her bandage but she didn't want to put shorts on because she didn't want them rubbing on her tattoo overnight.

Alison walked into the attached bathroom and closed the door. She removed her makeup and brushed her teeth, before returning to the bedroom. She approached the bed quietly and turned the light off. She crawled onto the bed, gently pushing Emily's shirt higher, exposing more of her abdomen.

She knew she should let her mermaid sleep, but she was so turned on by what she'd done tonight. She needed to have her girl even though she couldn't let Emily reciprocate because she'd discover the blonde's secret.

But that wasn't what this was about. This was about the love she felt for the sleeping brunette, a love so fathomless and irrevocable that Alison had craved a permanent physical manifestation of it. And she had fulfilled that desire less than an hour ago.

Alison gently pushed Emily's thighs further apart. The brunette murmured in her sleep and shifted slightly and Alison knelt between her calves.

She smiled and lowered her lips to Emily's stomach. She brushed her lips softly over Emily's skin, pressing soft kisses against the smooth warm skin, inhaling the scent of her girl. Her lips tingled and a soft whimper escaped her lips.

Her tongue swirled softly and her fingertips caressed the inside of Emily's thighs lightly. She felt Emily shift beneath her again, moaning softly in her sleep, allowing Alison to settle on her stomach between Emily's legs.

She wanted to tug Emily's panties off but that would wake her mermaid for sure. She would be awake soon enough but, for the moment, Alison just wanted to enjoy the feeling of Emily's soft skin beneath her lips and the familiar and much loved taste of her girl. Emily was the only person who Alison was truly unselfish with and that unselfishness encompassed everything both in and out of the bedroom.

The scent of Emily's arousal filled Alison's nostrils and it made the blonde's mouth water. She lowered her lips to Emily's thighs, kissing softly before nuzzling the brunette through her panties. Emily squirmed and moaned Alison's name in her sleep.

Alison smiled and tugged the crotch of Emily's panties aside and swiped her tongue the length of Emily's wet flesh before swirling her tongue in circles around the brunette's clit. She wrapped her lips around the little bud and flicked the tip with her tongue before sliding her tongue lower and plunging it into Emily. She gripped Emily's thighs and pushed them wider as she lapped and licked as Emily's arousal coated her tongue.

"Ali," Emily gasped, her voice hoarse from sleep, as her eyes fluttered open. She reached down and slid her fingers into Alison's hair as she instinctively tilted her hips.

Alison lifted her head and smiled up at her girl as Emily lifted her head and smiled back sleepily, her fingers sliding out of Alison's hair and caressing her cheek.

"What time is it?" Emily asked softly as she licked her lips.

"A little after two," Alison replied as she tugged on the waistband of Emily's panties.

The brunette lifted her hips to make it easier for Alison as the blonde rose to her knees and pulled the fabric down Emily's long legs. She tossed the small scrap of fabric to the floor as she lowered her lips to Emily's stomach again.

She slowly kissed a wet path up Emily's body, pushing her shirt higher, exposing her breasts to cool air of their bedroom and the blonde's heated gaze.

"So fucking beautiful," Alison murmured as she wrapped her lips around Emily's nipple. Emily arched her back and moaned as she reached for Alison's hips, but the blonde grabbed her hands and pinned them above her head.

"No," Alison said forcefully as she released Emily's nipple, lifting her head and looking down at the brunette, her eyes dark and flashing in that way that made Emily breathless. "This is for you."

"But I want to touch you," Emily begged softly, making Alison smile and she captured Emily's lips in a soft deep kiss.

Emily gripped Alison's fingers tightly but didn't try to pull her hands away. As much as she wanted to touch Alison, and she did so desperately that her entire body vibrated with need, Emily secretly loved it when Alison took control like this.

Alison moaned Emily's name into the brunette's mouth as she lowered her clothed body down on Emily's bare one and felt the hard tips of her girl's nipples pressing into her, making the blonde's own aching nipples throb.

"Please," Emily said and Alison released her lips, looking down at her as she panted softly. The intensity in her eyes softened as Emily's eyes fluttered open, the brown fathomless depths shining with love and desire and want.

Knowing Emily needed to touch her as much as Alison needed to touch her girl; the blonde rose to her knees again and took one of Emily's hands. She slid it down into the front of her underwear. She couldn't let Emily's hands wander too far but she released Emily's fingers and grasped her wrist, pushing her hand lower.

Emily's fingers greedily slid over Alison's warm wet flesh, her fingers fluttering over Alison's swollen, tender clit. The blonde's legs trembled and she kissed Emily again, whimpering into her mouth as her fingers slid down Emily's stomach to find her mermaid even wetter than she'd been a few minutes ago.

Alison released Emily's other hand and the brunette buried her fingers in the blonde's hair.

Both girls rocked their hips as they kissed long, soft and languidly, their mouths meeting and releasing as their tongue caressed and stroked softly. Emily's fingers slid lower, into Alison's depths, and the blonde moaned in response. Alison matched the rhythm of her fingers into Emily's as the brunette bucked her hips.

For several minutes the only sounds in the room were the soft breathy moans of the two girls and the sound of fingers exploring warm wet flesh.

"Come for me, beautiful," Alison murmured against Emily's lips and Emily whimpered in the back of her throat. Alison slipped another finger inside her girl, pushing deeper and she felt Emily's body clamp down on her. Emily pulsed rhythmically around Alison's fingers as her entire body convulsed.

She kissed Alison harder, gripping the blonde's hair and holding her captive against her lips. When awareness came back to her, Emily slipped her fingers deeper inside Alison, plunging and pumping them faster as her thumb pressed against her clit. Alison tore her lips away from Emily's and groaned her name, pressing her face into Emily's neck, crying out softly as her orgasm rolled over her. Her legs shook harder and she struggled to keep from collapsing on Emily, as much as she wanted to.

Emily felt Alison's body squeezing her fingers and she smiled against the shell of Alison's ear. "I love you, Ali," Emily whispered as Alison rocked her hips, riding the brunette's fingers, as the blonde's body shuddered with pleasure.

Emily slid her fingers out of Alison and started to slide her hand around Alison's waist to pull her girlfriend back down on top of her, but Alison shot up, lifting her head and pulled just out of Emily's reach.

Emily looked startled for a second and looked at Alison questioningly.

Alison felt her back throbbing and she hoped she masked the discomfort quickly enough but she bit her tongue to keep from groaning softly.

"I'm not done with you yet," the blonde finally smiled and kissed Emily softly again.

"Ali, I have my exam in the morning," Emily said breathlessly, still waiting for her heart to stop racing.

Alison kissed down Emily's body again, keeping her eyes locked with Emily's.

"And I'll let you go back to sleep in just a few minutes," she assured the brunette. "If history is any indication, when I give you a few good orgasms you ace your exams."

Emily chuckled softly but didn't dispute Alison's words because they were the absolute truth. But her chuckle turned into a moan as Alison stopped briefly at each breast, suckling Emily before releasing each nipple with a soft pop. Her lips traveled lower and Emily reached down and caressed her cheeks, unable to deny either of them. She fluttered her fingertips against the shell of Alison's ears, never taking her eyes off the blonde.

Finally Alison reached her destination again, her eyes still locked with Emily's. The love she saw in her girl's eyes never ceased to amaze the blonde and her heart throbbed in her chest, gratitude filling her that this amazing girl loved her.

Alison pressed her tongue to Emily's clit again and she watched, triumphantly, as Emily's eyes fluttered and then fell shut as her head dropped back. Alison focused all of her attention now on Emily's clit and gave her girl one more orgasm before she let the brunette sleep again.

To avoid Emily being able to accidentally discover her bandage and to keep herself from turning on her back while she slept, Alison settled right where she was, resting her head on Emily's abdomen, her arms wrapping around Emily's waist. She pulled the sheet up over them both and Alison smiled as she was completely covered in it like a cocoon.

She sighed softly as she pressed a soft kiss beside Emily's belly button. She hadn't intended to let Emily pleasure her but she was never able to deny her mermaid.

But now she needed to figure out how she was going to keep her girl at arm's length for the next several weeks until her birthday.

#################

"Ow," Alison complained as Kira cleaned her tattoo per Clive's instructions. "Don't press so freaking hard. Clive said not to put pressure on it."

"I'm barely touching it. What happened to 'I have a high threshold for pain'?"

"Fuck my threshold," Alison snapped through gritted teeth. "This hurts like a bitch."

Kira chuckled softly.

"How does it look?" Alison asked as she looked over her shoulder.

"It looks good. Give me a second and you can turn to the mirror and see for yourself."

"Do you think she'll like it?" Alison asked softly.

"Once the swelling goes down and the redness and the oozing goes away, sure." Kira patted the tattoo softly with a paper towel. "Oh, and once she gets over the shock, she'll probably jump your bones."

Alison smirked because that was just what she hoped happened. Then her smirk softened into a smile.

"Thanks for helping me this morning," Alison said honestly.

Kira shrugged. "No worries, but this isn't a freebie. I plan to collect the favor eventually."

"Of course you do," Alison murmured knowingly. She and Kira had this back and forth favor thing. Although the both of them would do almost anything for the other asked, and ask nothing in return, they had to keep up appearances, after all.

"Did you two have sex last night?" Kira asked absently.

"Why are you asking me that?"

"Because I heard you."

"Then why are you asking me that?" Ali asked again as she shook her head.

"How the hell did you manage it?"

"Very carefully," Alison admitted. "And why were you listening, you perv?"

"I couldn't help it. The walls here are paper thin. Why do you think I moved out?" Kira held her fingers out. "Squirt some of that lotion on my fingers, will ya?"

Alison pushed the pump top on the bottle and a dollop fell into Kira's fingers. She felt Kira's fingers gently rubbing over her battered skin. It made her tremble and she grit her teeth again.

After another minute, Kira stopped and Alison breathed a sigh of relief. The temporary pain was absolutely worth it, but she couldn't wait for the thing to heal.

"Here, turn a little to your right," Kira urged as she gripped Alison's hips and pivoted her toward the mirror.

Alison looked over her shoulder, into the mirror, and she blinked as she felt moisture pool in the corners of her eyes as she saw Emily's name embedded in her skin. Kira caught her eyes and smiled, seeing the emotions flitting across Alison's face and, for once, she kept a sarcastic retort to herself.

"It really is fucking hot," Kira said honestly.

Alison nodded, but didn't speak, afraid her voice would crack with the emotions coursing through her body. Alison thought she knew what she'd feel at seeing Emily's name on her body like this, but the reality of it was so much more intense.

Emily was already permanently in Alison's heart, but now the blonde had physical proof of it for the world to see. Not that she cared what the world thought. Not really. But she cared what Emily thought.

Alison believed that Emily knew how much she was loved, how committed to her Alison was, but she hoped this would erase any lingering doubts the brunette had of the permanency of Alison's feelings for her.

"Do you need a tissue?" Kira asked and Alison looked up to meet her eyes in the mirror again, seeing that the tears she thought she was valiantly holding back had slipped out of the corners of her eyes.

"Fuck," Alison said as she turned away from the mirror, blinking as she wiped the corners of her eyes.

"You did good with your tramp stamp, girl crush," Kira said, trying to lighten the moment and she succeeded.

"Screw you, bitch," Alison said as she laughed and Kira chuckled with her.

The knocking at the door silenced both girls as their wide eyes met in the mirror once more.

"Ali, are you in there?"

Emily's voice came from outside the door and then the doorknob jiggled.

"Yeah, baby, I'll be right out,' Alison said as she and Kira scrambled to clean up the evidence.

"Why are you using this bathroom and why is the door locked? Are you okay?" Emily asked her voice slightly suspicious.

"I'm fine. I'll be out in a minute." Alison shoved the bloody bandage she'd worn over night into the trash and tried to bury it at the bottom.

"Give those to me," she hissed softly to Kira as she held out her hand for the box of white medical bandages and Alison shoved them into the cabinet under the sink.

Emily stood on the other side of the door, eyeing it suspiciously. She knew she heard Alison talking to someone as she walked up, and could still hear whispering behind the door.

"I have to leave for my exam," she said.

"Okay, baby. Good luck," Alison said as she stilled, hoping Emily would walk away and she and Kira would be in the clear.

No such luck.

"Did Kira stay over last night?"

"Uh, yeah," Alison replied. "She was a little too drunk to drive."

"So where is she?" Emily asked as she looked at the door. Something was going on inside the bathroom and she was pretty sure Kira was in there with Alison. "Why didn't you guys wake me before she left?" she asked waiting to see what her girlfriend answered.

"Uh," Alison started and she shot a look at Kira who just shrugged helplessly. "She's still here," Alison said slowly, knowing lying to Emily was pointless. Even though this would be a little white lie to help protect a surprise, she and Emily didn't do that anymore.

Alison didn't consider keeping her tattoo a secret to be a violation of their promises, because it was a birthday surprise, for both of them, but lying about Kira being there was lying, plain and simple.

Emily smiled softly. "Is she in there with you?" There was only silence behind the door and Emily's brow furrowed. "Ali, are you still in there?"

"Yeah, I'm here," Alison sighed and she nodded to Kira to silently tell her to fess up.

"And I'm in here too," Kira said as Alison pressed her forehead to the door.

"What are you two doing in there?" Emily asked curiously.

"Braiding each other's hair," Kira replied and Alison's head snapped up and she looked at her friend like she'd grown another head.

"What?" Emily choked out a laugh.

Alison took a deep breath, grabbed the door handle and pulled it open just barely a crack, peeking out at her girl.

"Hi," she smiled.

"Everything alright in there?" Emily asked, tilting her head.

Alison nodded. "Yep."

"Do I even want to know what the two of you are doing in there?" Emily asked.

It was pointless denying something was going on because Emily clearly knew there was, so Alison crinkled her nose and smirked. "Nope," she replied honestly.

Although she was extremely curious, Emily didn't worry about what was going on behind that door. She trusted Alison and Kira completely. And the two of them often acted weird together.

Emily shook her head. "Okay. I'll be back in a few hours, after my exam."

Alison shoved her hand out of the cracked door and wiggled her fingers at Emily, beckoning her closer,

"Come here, come here, come here," she chanted playfully so Emily stepped closer.

"Kiss me goodbye," she breathed as she opened the door a little wider since Kira had finished hiding all the incriminating evidence.

Emily leaned forward as Alison reached up and cupped her girl's face in her hands.

"Good luck, baby," Alison purred softly against Emily's lips.

Pepe pushed the door open wider and walked into the room, sniffing as he walked over to Kira where she sat on the edge of the tub.

"They always have to do that, don't they?" Kira asked as she petted the dog's soft fur. "I remember having to watch that all the time, your poor little eyes must hurt, don't they Pepe?"

Alison pulled her lips away when she felt Emily start to wrap her arms around her. She didn't have a bandage on any more but she didn't want Emily to accidentally touch her lower back.

She grasped Emily's hands and lifted them to her cheeks as she rubbed her nose gently against her mermaid's.

Pepe walked over to the trash can beside the toilet and started pressing his nose down in it.

"What is he doing?" Emily asked and Alison turned her head and glared at Kira as she motioned to Pepe. Kira reached out and pulled the dog by his tail, urging him away from the trash can.

"I don't know. Aren't you going to be late?" Alison asked, trying to distract her girl

Emily just nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I'll see you later."

"Bye, Em," Kira said and grinned as she held Pepe back. "Good luck on your test."

"Bye, Kira." Emily pressed her lips once more to Alison's, making the blonde hum happily.

"Bye," Emily said as she stepped back and turned.

"Love you," Alison said softly as Emily walked down the hallway.

"Love you too," Emily smiled over her shoulder. She'd get to the bottom of what they were up to eventually but right now she had to focus on her exam.

Alison listened for the front door to close before she whirled around and glared at Kira.

"Braiding each other's hair? That was all you could come up with? Really?" Alison scowled.

"What?" Kira snapped back. "I don't do well under pressure like that."

"Amateur," Alison scoffed. "Pepe, get away from that trash."

Kira grabbed the small can and handed it over to Alison.

"He probably smells your blood. Get rid of that."

"You think?" Alison said as Pepe bumped his nose into her butt.

"Pepe, no," she scolded as she grimaced.

She walked down the hall, into the kitchen and dumped the smaller trash can into the bigger one beside the counter.

"How am I going to do this?" she sighed as Kira walked into the room.

"Do what?"

"Keep this from her. She knows me too well." Alison bit her lip as she pondered her options.

"No clue," Kira shrugged. "But I don't know how you're going to clean that thing on your own either. I can't come over here several times a day to help you."

"I'll figure something out. I can probably do it myself.' Alison sighed. "I don't know how I'm going to keep her from seeing my naked back for three weeks."

"Abstinence makes the heart grow fonder."

"That's absence, you dork. What are you channeling Hanna these days?"

Kira just grinned. "Well in your case it's gonna be abstinence. And Hanna and I have been keeping in touch since her visit over spring break."

"You have?" Alison asked surprised. "What do the two of you have to talk about?"

"You mean other than you?"

"I knew introducing you to our friends would come back and bite me in the ass."

"You mean kind of like Pepe keeps trying to do?" Kira asked laughed as she motioned to the dog, who was poking his nose into Alison's ass again.

"Pepe, you're starting to piss me off," Alison growled softly at the dog and he barked at her in response. "Don't you mouth off to me," she warned but he just sat down and stared up at her defiantly.

Kira held out her hand for the trash bag. "Let me take that to the trash chute. You owe me breakfast, remember, and I can't be late for work so get cooking."

Alison sighed as she watched Kira walk out the front door. Pepe bumped her with his nose again, sniffing her.

"Pepe cut it out. You almost blew it for me."

The dog just looked up at her and she gave in to his sweet face and pet his head.

"We only have to keep it from her for a few weeks. Work with me here, Pepe," she said to the dog, mimicking Kira's words to Clive the night before and it made Alison laugh. "I can't believe I'm bargaining with a dog."

Then without thinking Alison leaned back against the counter and jumped as the edge pressed into her tattoo.

"Fuck," she cried out as she jumped away.

Oh, yeah, there was no way she was going to get away with this.

####################

"Ali," Emily called out as she and Pepe entered the apartment, returning from their morning run.

"In the bedroom," Alison called as she hurriedly stashed the medical bandages and lotion under the sink in the master bathroom. She looked around quickly to make sure everything was in its proper place.

Taking care of her tattoo by herself was turning out to be harder than she thought. She had to gently wash it with warm soap and water and then apply a moisturizing lotion to keep is from drying out and chafing several times a day. It was only the second day and she was already over it.

After trying to do it herself all day yesterday she finally trekked over to Kira's last night, under the guise of taking Pepe for his final nightly pee, stopping at the store to buy a whole second set of medical bandages and lotion just so she could keep Emily from finding out about it.

There was no way she was going to make it all the way to her birthday and that really pissed her off.

She hurried into the bedroom, tugging her light yellow summer sundress down over her ass. It was the only thing she could bear to wear because it didn't press against her tattoo. She couldn't wear pants or shorts because the waistband was too close to and ended up rubbing against it.

She'd scurried out of bed as soon as Emily and Pepe left on their run this morning because she wanted to already be dressed when they returned. She had managed to avoid being intimate with Emily last night by saying she wasn't feeling well but she wasn't sure how long she could keep her girl at bay.

Emily walked into the room carrying a water bottle and she stopped as she saw Alison.

"You're already showered and dressed?" She asked surprised. Alison wasn't a morning person so seeing her up and dressed before eight in the morning was very rare unless she had an early class.

"Yeah, I couldn't sleep," Alison said as she smiled and shrugged.

Pepe trotted over to her and head butted her in the ass. She gritted her teeth and reached down and pet him as she watched Emily swipe some sweat off her neck with the hem of her shirt.

Her discomfort temporarily forgotten, Alison groaned internally as she ached to lick that sweat from her mermaid's skin. Images of the two of them naked on the bed while Alison licked Emily from head to toe flashed through her mind and she felt her heart racing in her chest.

Emily stepped closer, her brown eyes shining softly as she saw the way Alison's eyes darkened with desire. She grasped Alison's hand in her own.

"You look beautiful, Ali."

Alison hummed softly and licked her lips. "So do you."

Emily laughed as she tossed her water bottle on to the bed. "Sure, I do."

"You do," Alison insisted. "You always do," she said more softly as Emily tugged her closer. Emily lifted her hands to cup Alison's face in her palms as she kissed her softly.

"Morning," Alison purred against her lips, reaching up and grasping Emily's wrists as she instinctively pressed closer, not caring that Emily was sweaty from her run.

Emily smiled. "Morning," she sighed softly into Alison's mouth.

Pepe head butted Alison's ass again and pushed her into Emily as he barked. Emily lowered her hands and reached around to grasp Alison's waist and it was all too quick.

Before Alison could stop her, Emily gripped her hips and pulled her closer, wrapping her arms around the blonde's waist.

"Ow," Ali gritted her teeth and pulled back, stepping out of Emily's arms as she sighed. "Damn it, Pepe, will you just leave my ass alone."

Pepe barked at her again and she eyed him disbelievingly. She crouched down and he head butted her shoulder. She scratched behind his ear. "Alright I'll show her already, you really suck at keeping a secret."

"Ali, what's going on?" asked confusion and worry on her face.

Alison looked up at Emily, disappointed her surprise was going to be ruined, but part of her was relieved too.

"Why is Pepe head butting you and why did you say ow? Are you hurt?"

Alison stood. "I'm not hurt, Em. Just uncomfortable but it will go away."

"What will? What happened? Does this have something to do with you and Kira in the bathroom yesterday morning? Did something happen when you went out the other night?"

Alison stepped forward and pressed her lips to Emily's to stop her barrage of questions.

"Breathe, Em," Alison laughed softly as she pulled her lips away. "It was supposed to be a birthday surprise for you."

"It's not my birthday Ali, it's yours."

"I know. It was my birthday present to myself and to you."

"What was?" Emily asked. "Ali, I'm completely confused right now."

Alison smiled. "I know you are baby. Come here." Alison led Emily over to the bed. "Sit down."

Emily did as instructed.

"Pepe, get lost, you traitor," Alison said to the dog as she pointed to the door. He ignored her and walked over to the corner of the room to his dog bed. She shook her head exasperated. "Unbelievable. It's like he knows I'm keeping a secret from you and he won't let me get away with it."

"Are you keeping a secret from me?" Emily asked curiously.

'Yes," Alison answered honestly. "But I have a good reason for it. Surprises are secrets that are allowed, remember?"

"Ali, what surprise are you talking about? I thought we were going to Vegas for your birthday?"

"We are," Alison said.

"Ali," Emily growled frustrated.

"Do you have any idea how in love with you I am?" Alison asked as she stepped closer to Emily, standing between her legs now.

Emily's frustration fell away at Alison's heartfelt words and she smiled softly. "Yes."

Alison took Emily's face in her hands and tilted it up so she could look in her mermaid's eyes.

"Do you really?" she asked fervently. "Do you really know? You're everything to me Emily."

Emily grasped Alison's wrists. "And you're everything to me."

"I'm never going to want anyone else," Alison said her voice softer now. "Ever."

"Neither am I," Emily replied as she brought one of Alison's palms to her lips and kissed it softly.

"Good," Alison smiled as she bent down and kissed Emily softly, swallowing her girl's soft sigh as she opened for her. Alison swept her tongue into Emily's mouth, caressing her tongue softly. "Because what I did is permanent," Alison breathed into her mouth before stand up again.

"What is? What did you do Ali?" Emily asked as her eyes fluttered softly, before she opened them.

Alison's eyes softened. "This," she said as she turned around and lifted the back of her dress, revealing her new body art.

Emily gasped as she saw her name, in fancy script, centered inside a heart, imprinted into Alison's skin.

"Ali," her voice was thick with emotion and Alison looked over her shoulder and down at Emily. "Why?" Emily asked and Alison shrugged but she didn't turn around. She remained exactly as she was.

"Because I'm yours, Em."

"It's so permanent."

"Who you are to me is permanent too," Alison replied honestly.

Being honest with Emily had become so easy for Alison. It was second nature to her now, when lying had once been that for her for most of her life. Emily's influence and love had truly made Alison a better person, the person Emily had always seen in her and the one she always wanted to be.

"It's beautiful, Ali," Emily said softly. "I want to touch it but I don't want to hurt you."

"You need to wash your hands first. It can get infected really easily until it heals."

"I know," Emily smiled. She was pre-med after all. "Shouldn't you cover it then?"

"No, Clive said air is the best thing to help it heal. I just have to clean it and put lotion on it several times a day."

"Why do you have clothes on then?"

"I was hiding it because it was supposed to be a surprise."

"How did you expect to hide this from me for three weeks, Ali?" Emily laughed.

"I guess I didn't think that part through so much. It's hard to clean it by myself," Alison admitted.

"Is that what Kira was helping you with in the bathroom yesterday?"

"Yeah."

Emily laughed again. "I knew something was up. You two were too suspicious. Braiding each other's hair?"

"I know," Alison scoffed. "She's such an amateur."

"Just how drunk did the two of you get the other night?"

Alison smirked. "Drunk enough that Kira had to stop me from getting a tattoo of a mermaid with your face that encompassed my entire back."

"What?" Emily's eyes widened and Alison threw her head back and laughed.

"Yeah, she comes in handy once in a while I guess."

"Thank God," Emily said as she smiled. "Because this is perfect."

Alison's eyes closed and she felt her heart sigh happily as Emily's words.

Emily gripped Alison's hips and pulled her back, her eyes greedily absorbing the sight of her name in Alison's otherwise unblemished pale skin.

"It looks like it hurts," she murmured as she lifted her hand, but she refrained from touching it.

Alison shrugged. "It's not bad." Then she smirked over her shoulder. "I can't lay back, sit back or lean on it in any way and as long as my dress barely touches it I hardly notice it. Oh, and as long as no dogs head butt me," Alison glared over at Pepe who ignored her.

Emily quirked her eyebrow as she looked up. Then she smiled as she looked back down at Alison's back and gently brushed her fingertips over the skin surrounding the tattoo, careful not to touch it.

"Do you like it?" Alison asked, her voice filled with uncertainty as she shuddered softly from Emily's gentle touch.

"I love it," Emily said, her voice low and husky and a jolt of desire shot straight through Alison at the familiar sound. Emily only used that tone when she was so turned on she could barely speak.

Alison tried to turn around but Emily just gripped her hips harder and held her in place.

"Em, let me turn around," Alison pleaded softly. She wanted to see her girl. She wanted to see her and pin her to the bed and kiss her breathless.

"No," Emily replied. "I'm not done looking at it."

"Baby," Alison whimpered as Emily leaned forward, pressing her lips to the skin beside the tattoo. She slowly and gently brushed her lips all around the perimeter of the tattoo, careful to avoid touching it. Alison's body trembled softly.

"I love you," Alison whispered, her soft, heartfelt voice trembling as much as her body.

"I'm so in love with you, Ali," Emily said over the lump in her throat. "And you doing this," Emily swallowed before continuing. "It just takes my breath away."

Alison sighed softly. "You take my breath away every day, Em."

Emily stood up and grasped the hem of Alison's dress, taking it from the blonde and pushing it higher.

"Lift," she urged softly.

Alison did as she was asked and lifted her arms so Emily could slide her dress over her head and off, leaving the blonde in just her matching white bra and panties.

"You don't need to hide it anymore. Your dress will just irritate it."

"All clothes will irritate it for the next few days," Alison purred playfully, and then it turned into a moan as Emily brushed her lips softly against Alison's shoulder.

"Then I guess you'll just have to stay naked," Emily murmured as she started sucking softly on the soft skin at the nape of Alison's neck. "Turn around."

Alison turned around and lunged at Emily, grasping her girl's face in her hands as she kissed her. Emily stumbled back and she gripped Alison's hips again, refraining from wrapping her arms around the blonde as she fell backward onto their bed.

Alison groaned softly against Emily's lips and the brunette grunted from the force which Alison landed on her. Alison straddled Emily now, her knees pressed into the mattress on either side of Emily's hips.

They kissed and it was frantic and hungry and messy. Alison lowered her body down onto Emily, pressing her pelvis against the brunettes, rolling her hips and drawing a long low moan out of her mermaid.

Their kisses softened, until finally turning into long slow sips of each other's lips.

"Ali," Emily panted softly. "We should be careful-" she started to say but Alison shushed her.

"We will," Alison murmured as her lips traveled a slow, wet, soft path down over Emily's chin and then the column of her throat. She smiled as she swirled her tongue over Emily's skin, moaning at the salty taste of her sweat from her run. "I just need to be on top for a while."

Emily smiled her body shaking gently as she chuckled. "Like that's anything new."

Then she yelped softly as Alison nipped at the tender skin of her throat, in retaliation, before soothing it with her tongue.

Emily's fingers slid into Alison's hair and fanned it out over her face. She inhaled deeply, whimpering softly as Alison sucked on the base of her neck. She knew Alison was going to leave a mark but she didn't care. After what Alison had done to her body, Emily would take any mark Alison wanted to give her.

She slid her fingers back into Alison's hair and gently massaged the blonde's scalp before skimming her fingers down her back.

Alison rocked gently on top of Emily and the brunette bypassed the blonde's lower back and gripped her ass, sliding her fingers beneath her lace panties.

"Mmmm, Em," Alison moaned as she tore her lips away from Emily's neck, leaving behind a raw, red bruise where her lips had been. She smiled and pressed a soft kiss to it before ghosting her lips up over Emily's cheek to her lips again.

She kissed her girl breathless again as Emily gently massaged the soft globes of her ass. Finally she lifted her head and smiled down at her dazed mermaid.

"I'm so glad you like your present," Alison said as she rubbed her nose gently against Emily's.

"My present?"

"Our present," Alison said. "It was for both of us."

"But it's your birthday, Ali."

The blonde smirked, her eyes twinkling as she lowered her lips once more to her mermaid's.

"Then Happy Birthday to me."