Another Life (emison)

Chapter Three

Three days of lying in a hospital bed had left Alison itching to go back to the apartment that she shared with Noel, Spencer and Toby. She hated being waited on and treated like a precious vase about to break at the slightest movement.

Eventually, the nursing staff had left her alone unless she'd called them specifically – and even then, Dr. Marlowe had been the one to go in and see the fiery blonde.

Dr. Marlowe had kept Alison in the hospital for an extra two days because her body was still in recovery mode after giving birth. Estella was perfect, but her mom was too weak to leave. Alison was not happy.

"You ready to go, Mama?" Noel asked, grabbing Alison's bag.

"You have no idea," Alison replied, rolling her eyes. "Pretty sure there would've been a pileup of bodies had I been forced to stay a day longer."

"Alison, you need to be at your optimal health for Estella's sake," Spencer reasoned. "If you're not at your best, you can't give your daughter your best."

Alison froze and looked down at the sleeping bundle in her arms.

"Shit," she breathed, "you're right, Spenc." Tears pooled in her eyes. "Oh my God. I can't do this!"

Toby stepped in front of Alison and gripped her shoulders. "No one can do this but you, Ali. I know that you have a heart somewhere underneath all that sarcasm. I saw it when you were with-" he stopped himself and cleared his throat quickly. "I've seen you be a happy, soft person before and I know that your daughter is going to bring that out in you again. And if things do get a little crazy, your family is going to be right there with you. Every step of the way."

Toby stepped back, but Alison gripped his forearm with her free hand and looked up at him gratefully. "Thank you." She looked at Noel and Spencer and smiled. "Thank you, guys. I really don't know what I would've done without you this year. And I know that no matter what, you guys will have my back. And Estella's too." She looked tenderly at her sleeping daughter. Her head snapped back up to her three friends. "Of course, if anyone tries to fuck with you guys, I will go all Queen Bee on their asses, mama status be damned."

Noel put an arm around Alison and squeezed gently as he chuckled. "I don't think we could ever find someone as sweet as you pretend not to be."

"Pffft," Alison scoffed, but secretly grinned.

"Come on!" Spencer said eagerly. "I want to show you how I've done up your room!"

Alison groaned good-naturedly and rolled her eyes, but gladly let her friends pull her out of the hospital room and back into the real world.

-

Alison collapsed onto her bed. She was exhausted. She'd been home a week with Estella and she'd be lying if she said she got more than three hours of sleep a night. Noel and Spencer had told her all these fairy tale stories about babies sleeping nine hours through the night. Not Estella. Oh no. This little DiLaurentis wanted attention every few hours, even if it was just her mom looking at her. Eventually, Alison had created a crib of pillows and towels in her bed so that Estella could always feel her.

Despite all of the hard work, Alison loved being a mom. Nothing in the world would ever come close to seeing her baby girl's blue eyes locking onto hers and never letting go. Alison felt like her daughter could see into her soul. She knew that it was too early to tell what colour Estella's eyes were going to be, but Alison was certain that her daughter would retain her crystal blue eyes.

She sighed and allowed herself to wonder briefly about Estella's father and whether she'd get some of his genes - not that she remembered anyway.

"Stop it," she scolded herself immediately. Estella's father was non-existent. She was Estella's parent. She would be a mother and father, doctor, psychologist, everything that her little girl needed.