Three days later...

Staying here with Emily has been great. Fantastic even. I haven't been happy in a long time until I came here. I don't know why but she makes me feel important. Like I'm actually wanted. She has been so great to me and I can't thank her enough for it.

I almost forgot that I had a home to get back to. A home where my father is abusive and makes me feel like I don't belong in this world. I guess I can't really call it a home. It hasn't been a home in years.

I know Emily said I could stay as long as I wanted to and I know she meant it when she said it. But I can't keep pretending like my other life doesn't exist. I have to get back to it. The sooner, the better. The longer I wait, the more madder he will be.

I'd much rather stay here any day then go back to that hell hole but I know that isn't an option. I know my dad. He will retaliate and he will take it on the person that caused it.

Emily.

I can't let that happen and I won't. She's an innocent person and doesn't need to be dragged into my mess. I just hope she understands.

I zip up the suit case Emily had bought for me the other day that has clothes she bought me as well. She insisted on it even though I told her not to. She wouldn't take no for an answer. She's the type of person that gets her way no matter what the situation is.

"Going somewhere?" I immediately turn around, my heart beat racing, not expecting Emily to show up. She said she had business to attend to. But I guess it ended early which sucks because I haven't had the chance to prepare a goodbye speech. Her eyes look from the suit case to me and I can almost see her eyes frown.

"Um, I-" I shut my mouth because I don't know what to say to her. Nothing I say is going to be a good speech for a goodbye. So I just need to come right out and say it. "I want to go back home." I know it's not the truth but I need her to think that it is. That way, she will let me go. If she knows I'm lying, there's not a chance in hell she will let me leave.

Emily nods her head, her expression blank. I don't know what she is feeling right now. Maybe she is relieved that I want to leave. "Is that what you really want to do?" I nod my head. "Okay, I'll have Hanna drive you back."

"You're not going to ride with?" I frown. I figured she would at least want to ride with me to make sure I get home safe. But I guess not.

"I have a business meeting in an hour." Emily gives me one last look. "Goodbye, Alison." She turns around and leaves me standing there.

She didn't even try to argue like I thought she would. Maybe she really did want me to leave. Maybe me staying with her these past four days, made her realize that she doesn't want me here anymore.

I guess I'm really not good enough like my dad said.

**

"We are almost there, Miss. Dilaurentis." Hanna informs me as we enter my hometown. I nod my head before furrowing my eyebrows.

"Why do you do what you do?" I question Hanna who looks back at me through the mirror.

"What do you mean?"

"Why do you do everything Emily tells you to do? Like, I get that it's your job to do so but why would you want a job like that?" I'm curious.

I could never be ordered around to do something. I don't want someone else in control over what I do and don't do. It's bad enough that my dad does it.

"It's a good paying job and plus Emily is a damn good boss. She's the only one who has treated me right and not taken advantage of me." I nod my head with a smile. "We are here." Hanna puts the car in park and turns around in her seat to face me better. "I don't know why you decided to leave but I hope you made the right choice. From what I heard, this isn't a good environment for you to be in. But you're an adult and you make your own choices."

"Tell Emily I'm sorry."

**

My eyes stare out the glass window of my home as the water slides down it from the rain. I don't understand why Alison would want to leave. She had everything here. Safety, food, someone to provide for her, someone to eventually love her and show her how she should be treated.

With her dad, she has none of those things. He treats her like she's worthless when she's worth so much more. And knowing that she is back there, drives me insane. All I want to do is protect her but I can't do that because she isn't mine.

I don't have the right to tell her to stay and not go. I don't have the right to tell her what to do and not to do even though I wish I did. I crave to be in control of her. I crave to punish her whenever she does something that I don't like.

But I can't have that and I can't have her. She made her choice to go back there. If she wanted to stay here, she would have.

There's nothing I can say or do to change the choice she made and I just have to live with that. I have to move on. I have to find another potential sub.

That's easier said than done.

**

I'm worried about Emily. I have never seen her like this before. She's so caught up with Alison than she has been with anyone else. Normally when someone doesn't work out to be her sub, she starts looking for someone else immediately. But she hasn't even left the house since Alison left three days ago.

She stays locked up in her room and only comes out to eat when I cook. She only takes calls for business instead of in person like she normally does.

This isn't like her. And it's all over one girl that she barely knows. I don't get it.

"Emily." I knock on her door, already knowing she isn't going to answer me. But it's my job to get her out. As a friend and as an assistant.

I'm taken by surprise when the door actually opens which reveals a well dressed Emily. Her bags under her eyes are gone and her eyes are no longer filled with sadness. In fact, she has a smile on her face.

"Yes, Hanna."

"Are you going somewhere?" I have to ask.

"I actually have a meeting with Miss Drake today over some coffee." She seems happy about this which is a good thing. I think. "She's going to be here in about twenty minutes. Would you mind making some coffee and set up the table?"

"Of course, Miss. Fields." It's a policy to call her Miss Fields whenever we are talking business. "I'll get right on it." Emily nods her head before I dismiss myself to go make it.

It's weird. She went from depressed Emily to a cheerie Emily in a matter of seconds. I couldn't get her to come out of the room earlier this morning, and now she's back to her casual self. But I guess I can't complain. I'd rather her be happy and not know the reason, than see her like the way she was when Alison left.

As soon as I pour the coffee into both cups and place them on the small plates, the door elevator rings, indicating someone is coming up.

"Hanna, that's her. Can you invite her in?" Emily yells from somewhere in the house.

"Of course." I walk over to the elevator and wait for the doors to open up. I wonder what business they are going to talk about. I never heard of a Miss Drake before. She's obviously a new person because I would recongnize the name.

As soon as the doors open, my mouth opens slightly. Standing there is a blonde, blue eyed girl with a heart shaped face, full lips, and a petite body.

I can see why Emily is happy.

"You must be Miss Drake." I hold my hand out for her to shake.

"Cece Drake." Her voice is innocent and her smile is contagious.

She's a deadringer for Alison.

This is not good.