Outfits in the external link
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From 1.02 - The Jenna Thing: In flashback to the Rosegrille, Hanna, Alison, Aria, Spencer, Emily and Dakota were sitting at a table. Madison, Pen, Peyton, Demi and Lucy was sitting at the table next to them.
Mara: (voice over) "Previously on Worlds Colliding (Pretty Little Liars)"
"Pen and I got you guys something," Alison told them.
Alison and Pen handed out their friendship bracelets with their names on them.
Pen smiled. "We'll be friends forever."
From 1.03 - To Kill a Mocking Girl: In the woods, Pen, Peyton, Lucy and Madison found Alison's bracelet on the ground.
From 1.02 - The Jenna Thing: In Emily's room, Emily, Lucy and Mara were talking.
"You lost one of your best friends," Mara told them. "You guys need to find a way to say goodbye together."
From 1.04 - Can You Hear Me Now?: In Town Square, Lucy, Peyton, Madison and Pen were sitting on a bench.
Emily, Spencer, Hanna, Aria and Dakota approached Lucy, Peyton, Madison and Pen.
"So, what are you guys doing for Alison?" Aria asked.
"Okay, so the town is gonna put in a new bench," Pen told them. "And we'll plant the flower beds and there's gonna be a pathway of art tiles."
From 1.05 - Reality Bites Me: In Mike's room, Jack, Aria, Evan and Mike were hanging out, listening to their parents argue downstairs.
"Do you think they're gonna work this out?" Mike asked.
"I really don't know," Jack told them.
From 1.07 - The Homecoming Hangover: In the park, Pen and Evan were talking together.
"My Mom thinks it's for the best that either she or my Dad move out of the house for a little bit, but they don't know which one is gonna move out yet," Evan told her.
From 1.07 - The Homecoming Hangover: Outside the Montgomery House, Ella was getting ready to leave, having packed her things into her car. Byron was packing the rest of her stuff. Once she was in the car, Ella drove away.
Ella: (voice over from 1.07 - The Homecoming Hangover) "If you won't leave that house, then I will."
From 1.07 - The Homecoming Hangover: In Ezra's apartment, Aria was listening to Ezra's voicemail.
Woman: (on voicemail) "Hi, Ezra, this is Carol Fineman from Harrison Country Day. I just wanted to confirm your interview for tomorrow, and please, don't forget to bring your New York certification."
From 1.06 - There's No Place Like Homecoming: In the file room, Hanna was going through all of the files, finding Toby's.
Aria: (voice over from 1.07 - The Homecoming Hangover) "Toby and Jenna had a relationship."
Hanna: (voice over from 1.07 - The Homecoming Hangover) "Way beyond step-siblings."
From 1.06 - There's No Place Like Homecoming: In the cafeteria, Hanna, Aria, Spencer, Emily, Pen, Peyton, Lucy and Madison were talking.
"It's enough to want her dead," Hanna told them.
"She threatened to expose Toby, which is probably why he wanted her dead," Spencer told them.
"And us," Aria told them. "Dakota."
From 1.06 - There's No Place Like Homecoming: Outside the school, Dakota looked at Michael angrily, backing away. Willy put a cloth of chloroform over her mouth, making her breathe it in until she fell unconscious so they could take her away.
Lucy: (voice over from 1.07 - The Homecoming Hangover) "I just don't get it."
From 1.06 - There's No Place Like Homecoming: In the cafeteria, Michael grabbed Dakota's arm tightly.
Demi was in the hallway, walking in, seeing this.
Lucy: (voice over from 1.07 - The Homecoming Hangover) "Demi saw Dakota get cornered by some creep in black at homecoming and she made sure that he left, but then Demi went home, and Dakota went with Toby. Who's to say that that guy didn't come back for Dakota?"
From 1.07 - The Homecoming Hangover: In the warehouse, Dakota was tied to her chair in her homecoming dress, tape over her mouth.
Lucy: (voice over from 1.07 - The Homecoming Hangover) "Dakota is missing, and we don't know who's behind it."
There were flashes of either Michael or Willy hitting Dakota in the face.
Peyton: (voice over from 1.07 - The Homecoming) "They're gonna find Dakota, right?"
From 1.07 - The Homecoming Hangover: In the McCoy House, Jean and Chris were arguing in duress and worry.
"All of this is happening because of you, Chris," Jean told him angrily. "I got you the help you needed, repeatedly. Why didn't any of it help?"
"It did," Chris told her. "It just didn't stick long. I know that all of this is my fault. And I hate myself for it."
"I love you, Chris," Jean told him. "I will always love you. But I can't deal with this anymore. I can't let what you do destroy our daughter."
From 1.07 - The Homecoming Hangover: In the Hastings House, Demi started to cry. Spencer and Peyton put their arms around Demi's shoulders, and the three sisters sat down on the couch together.
Hanna: (voice over from 1.07 - The Homecoming Hangover) "Demi is freaking out because she left Dakota alone and she thinks it's her fault when it's not."
From 1.07 - The Homecoming Hangover: In Emily's room, Lucy and Emily were sitting on the bed. Mara was standing in the door.
Lucy sat up straight in realization. "Is it Dakota? Did they find her? Is she okay?"
Mara nodded. "Come on."
From 1.07 - The Homecoming Hangover: In the Hastings House, Veronica and Demi were talking.
Veronica walked closer, smiling. "You don't need to worry about Dakota. The police found her. She's safe and sound."
Demi smiled. "She's okay?"
From 1.07 - The Homecoming Hangover: In the foyer of the McCoy House, Dakota and Jean were standing together, facing Chris.
Dakota shook her head, taking a deep breath to add volume and strength to her voice. "I don't want you here."
Chris looked as if he would cry. "I am so sorry. I'll leave quietly. I owe you everything. I promise, I'll be different. I'll change."
From 1.07 - The Homecoming Hangover: In Dakota's room, all of the girls embraced Dakota when they reunited.
Later, they were all sitting around, talking.
"So, is Toby dead?" Dakota asked.
"Mara didn't get the chance to ask," Lucy told her.
Dakota looked at the text from A on her phone. The other girls read along.
Emily read the text aloud. "'Thanks for getting Toby out of my way."
Peyton read the text aloud. "'And you're welcome for the tip I sent the cops to save your life.'"
Dakota read the text aloud. "'If anyone's gonna get rid of you, it's me.'"
All of the girls finished together. "A."
---- / -----
Day One
Morning - McCoy House - Dakota's Room
Dakota was getting ready to go out.
There was a knock on the door.
Dakota put her hat on. "Come in."
Demi opened the door. "Hey."
Dakota looked at her in surprise. "Demi, hey. Though I will see you at Pen's house."
"Yeah, uh, thought maybe I'll come over before that," Demi answered. She sighed. "Um, about the dance. I'm really sorry, I should have stayed with you there, if I did--"
"You would have been hurt," Dakota told her. "Demi, it's not your fault that it happened. The only one I'm blaming for this, is my Dad. Okay?" She gave her a look but smiled a small smile. "So, no sad face, or feeling guilty like it was your fault, got it?"
Demi smiled a small smile, giving a small nod. She embraced Dakota. "I'm really glad you back and you're okay."
Dakota smiled a small smile. After a moment, she let it fad away, resting her chin on Demi's shoulder, thinking about what had happened to her.
---- -----
DiLaurentis House (Temporary) - Living Room
Pen, Lucy, Madison, Demi and Peyton pushed a large wooden box into the living room.
"I was afraid she wouldn't get it done in time for the memorial," Pen told them.
Emily, Hanna, Spencer, Aria and Dakota were sitting around.
Dakota was gazing off into nothing, distracted and not paying attention.
"And this was someone from your Mom's old gallery?" Hanna asked.
"Right," Pen answered.
"Is your Mom gonna be back for the memorial?" Emily asked.
"She better be," Peyton told them. "What about you, Aria? Now that your Mom's moved out?"
"There's an apartment above the gallery, so she's staying there," Aria answered. "For now."
"That's kind of weird, isn't it?" Lucy asked. "Your Mom moving out?"
"Yeah, like my Dad should have left," Aria told them sarcastically. She looked at Dakota, Hanna and Madison. "That's what you'd expect."
Dakota looked up.
Demi looked at Aria, giving her a look for bringing that up so soon after it happened for Dakota. "Uh, Aria."
Aria immediately regretted saying it. "Dakota, I'm sorry. I--I didn't mean it like that."
"You guys, I'm fine," Dakota told them. "I'm just not completely okay. This whole thing just... sucks."
"We know," Madison told them. "Did anyone call Shelly Leonard?"
"Done, and I told her if she plays anything depressing, I will kick her in her cello," Pen told them.
Spencer smiled a small smile. "Oh, what about the program?"
"Almost done, but we should finish it before my brother gets here," Pen told them.
"When is that?" Peyton asked.
"Tonight," Pen answered. "And he wants to see us in the morning."
Hanna stood. "You know what? I barely remember Jason."
Lucy looked at Pen. "We didn't know him. He was just your and Ali's brother that lived down the hallway, and Mara's boyfriend from college."
"Mm, Mara was over at your house all the time visiting Jason, too," Madison told her.
"Behind a closed door, with his hardcore punk music vibrating the floorboards," Emily told them.
"Not sure if it was the music that was vibrating the floorboards if Mara was in the room with him," Dakota told them.
Demi raised an eyebrow, smirking.
Peyton looked at Pen. "How did Jason get into an Ivy League school?"
"Affirmative action for goths and emos," Pen told them sarcastically.
The girls lifted the lid off the box, placing it aside.
They looked into the box to see a beautiful bird bath, with a figurine representing each of the girls and Alison.
Hanna smiled. "Wow."
"That's beautiful," Lucy told them.
"Pedestal's already out there, next to the bench," Spencer told them. "This goes up Friday morning."
Demi looked at Pen. "Do you think Jason will like it?"
"Of course he'll like it," Madison told them.
Pen smiled.
"And years from now, people are gonna see this memorial and--and that's all they'll ever know about Ali," Lucy told them.
"She'll be the girl that they dedicated the bench to," Dakota told them. "And we'll all be gone, but... Ali will still be remembered."
Pen managed a small smile. "That's immortality, my darlings."
---- -----
Flashback 1
Day - Swimming Hole
(Song) Will You Catch Me Then - Garrison Starr
All the girls were here, sunbathing, sitting down on the sand or in chairs, some of them standing.
"I wish we could just choose the age that we wanted to be and... just stay there," Aria told them.
"The only way to do that is to die young," Alison told them. "Leave a beautiful corpse."
"Don't joke," Emily told her.
"It's not a joke," Alison told them. "Oh, come on. Haven't you guys ever thought about how deliciously tragic it would be to die in some incredibly mysterious way? That would be superior."
"Is that really how you want to go, Alison?" Dakota asked.
"Not just yet," Alison answered.
"Don't talk like that," Hanna told her.
"It's gruesome," Spencer told them.
"It's not gruesome," Alison told them.
"Oh, really?" Peyton asked sarcastically.
"Then what is it, Alison?" Madison asked.
"It's immortality, my darlings," Alison answered.
The girls considered this.
(End of Song)
---- -----
Now
Day - DiLaurentis House (Temporary) - Living Room
The girls, excluding Alison of course, were all gathered around the box with the bird bath.
"Where did she get that from?" Peyton asked. "A movie?"
"Pen?" Lucy asked.
Pen smiled. "Ali was a movie."
---- -----
Opening Credits
(Song) Secret - The Pierces
A closeup of Lucy's brown eyes showed her applying mascara to her lashes.
The Pierces: (voice over) "Got a secret."
Dakota applied lipgloss to her lips with a small brush.
The Pierces: (voice over) "Can you keep it?"
Spencer fastened her black high heel.
Peyton zipped up her dress.
Demi pulled her hair up into an updo.
The Pierces: (voice over) "Swear this one you'll save."
Hanna curled a piece of her blonde hair.
Madison painted her nails pink.
The Pierces: (voice over) "Better lock it."
Aria applied eyeshadow to her eye.
The Pierces: (voice over) "In your pocket."
Pen stood next to Alison's coffin, closing her eyes.
The Pierces: (voice over) "Taking this one."
Emily folded Alison's arms over her chest.
The Pierces: (voice over) "To the grave."
Mara, Lucy and Emily closed the coffin.
The Pierces: (voice over) "If I show you then I know you."
The girls were standing around Alison's coffin, all in black funeral dresses.
The Pierces: (voice over) "Won't tell what I said."
There was a closeup of Pen. She put a finger to her lips. "Shh."
The Pierces: (voice over) "'Cause two can keep a secret."
Pen disappeared.
A message appeared in the clouds that had been behind her.
Worlds Colliding (Pretty Little Liars)
The Pierces: (voice over) "If one of them is dead."
---- -----
Day Two
Morning - McCoy House - Kitchen
Jean and Dakota walked into the kitchen, getting ready to leave for work.
Jean noticed that she was being distant and antisocial. "Dakota?" Dakota looked up. "I can't imagine what you've been through. But I know that it's gonna get better."
Dakota sighed. "Yeah. Walking around school, seeing the faces of the people who know that it was me missing, and because of what they think they know about our family... the way they look at me... it's humiliating."
"I know, sweetie," Jean told her sympathetically.
"And the ones that don't know, the ones that just saw the news about 'the unnamed girl' that was found and saved due to a mysterious tip to the police..." Dakota trailed off, sighing. "The same people that know that I was MIA for three days... they can put two and two together."
"Well, lucky for us, they don't know for sure that it was you," Jean told her. "And the other students in that school don't know that it had to do anything with you."
"Thank you for the protection of minors," Dakota told her.
Jean smiled a small smile, giving them both breakfast. "Your jobs and position on the swim team are still secure, sweetie. If that's what you really want."
"It is what I really want, Mom," Dakota told her.
Jean hesitated for a long moment. "I know it took a lot from both of us to convince your father to leave for good, but look at it this way, Dakota. You won't have to work so hard anymore. We'll have more money than we used to have before."
"Yeah, because he won't be here to use it to pay off what he owes--very, very small amounts at a time," Dakota told her. "Which... didn't... work."
"I know, honey," Jean told her, placing a hand on Dakota's on the counter. "But trust me, everything'll be fine."
Dakota took a deep breath, nodding a little. "I know."
"You might not see it now, but trust me, it will," Jean told her.
Dakota nodded, looking down. "I gotta go. We're meeting up with Jason today." Jean nodded in understanding, kissing Dakota on the cheek. Dakota gave her a hug. Jean was surprised but held Dakota in her arms. They pulled away. "Mom? Thank you. For everything."
Jean gave her a small, sad smile.
Dakota walked away, out of the kitchen, leaving.
---- -----
DiLaurentis House (Temporary) - Living Room
All the girls were gathered, talking to Jason, who was in a business suit.
"You've all done a really great job," Jason told them. "Mom, Dad and I are really grateful." Dakota was the last one to walk in. "There she is." Dakota was surprised to see him. "The girls told me about what happened, and that's why you were running late. I'm so very sorry, Dakota."
Dakota walked closer, nodding. "Thank you, Jason. Hi."
Jason gave Dakota a hug, and they pulled away. "Hey."
"Sorry I'm late," Dakota told them, going to take a seat next to the others.
"No problem," Jason told her. "I was just saying you've done some lovely work on the memorial. I might have done one or two things differently, but most of these ideas came from Pen, and Pen was closer to Alison than I was. And she knew her better than I did, so we'll go with what Pen did, because that's most likely what Alison would have wanted." Pen managed a small smile. Jason showed them a paper. "Here's a copy of the program for the dedication."
"Yeah, I showed Jason the program that we worked up, and he wanted to change just a few things, so we worked on the final draft together," Pen explained.
"Uh, let's see," Jason told them. "If Shelly Leonard's gonna play something, I don't think we can give her more than three minutes. I remember she's somewhat of a showboat with that cello." Aria and Emily smiled. "Then, uh... oh." Jason picked up a picture of Alison. "Is this... the picture for the program?"
"Yeah," Demi answered. "It's everybody's favorite."
"It's the one I would have picked," Jason told them. He looked at Pen. "I thought I was gonna be able to get our whole family out here, but... you know, at the last minute... Mom, um..." He couldn't finish, chuckling nervously, sadly. "It's crazy talking about this, isn't it?" Madison and Lucy nodded. "When I think about her, I--I think about you. All of you girls, in either Alison's room, or Pen's room, laughing, keeping secrets." Peyton looked down, licking her lips. "Long time ago. I want each of you to speak. I'd rather hear from you than Mrs. Slocomb from the PTA."
"The PTA was a lot of help," Spencer told him.
"What about the rain?" Jason asked.
"The rain?" Hanna repeated.
"Forty percent change before the weekend," Jason told them.
"Oh, um, they said that we can use the school's multipurpose room if we have to move the ceremony inside," Lucy answered.
"Great," Jason told them. "People think this dedication is about closure. There won't be closure until they find out who did this to Alison. The cops in this town have been jerking my family around for more than a year. That Detective Wilden has been hounding Pen over the same questions for quite some time now, and has tried to make it seem as if she's a suspect. No more of that. I'm here to get some action, and this memorial is gonna help me get it. Oh, and I'm adding one speaker to the program."
Jason took a piece of paper, writing down Jenna's name.
"Jenna Marshall?" Peyton asked.
Aria, Hanna, Emily, Lucy, Madison, Peyton, Spencer, Dakota and Pen exchanged a look, a bit alarmed. Demi noticed, frowning in confusion.
"You want Jenna to speak at the dedication?" Madison asked.
Jason nodded. "That's right."
"Why?" Aria asked.
"She asked me if she could," Jason answered.
"Jenna asked to speak?" Emily asked.
"Is there a problem?" Jason asked.
"I--it just..." Spencer trailed off.
"I didn't knew that Alison and Jenna were that close," Demi told him, frowning, looking at the girls. "Were they close?"
"Uh, no, at least not--not that we know," Aria answered.
"Yeah, I didn't know either," Jason told them. "Jenna called and... said Alison was a lot of help to her after her accident." Aria, Hanna, Emily, Lucy, Madison, Peyton, Spencer, Dakota and Pen were trying not to show how alarmed they were. Demi noticed, tilting her head in confusion. "Well, concentrate on what you're gonna say. Leave the rest of it to me. Now, I'm going to have a talk with Detective Wilden, tell him to leave Pen alone until he has news of our sister, and find out why they haven't located Toby yet."
Jason walked out of the house.
Demi looked at her phone for a moment. She looked up at the others. "I'm gonna head to school with a couple of friends of mine." She stood up, looking at each of them. "Are you guys okay?"
"Yeah," Hanna answered. "Why?"
"You guys looked a bit alarmed," Demi pointed out. "Is there something I should know about?"
Spencer shook her head. "No. Don't worry."
"Go, we'll see you at school," Peyton told her.
Demi gave a small nod, still suspicious, but shrugged it off for now, walking out, leaving.
"Did we just get fired?" Dakota asked.
"Shh," Aria told them. "Keep it down."
"Why is he talking to Jenna?" Hanna asked.
"I don't know," Lucy told them.
"What does she have to say?" Peyton asked.
Pen sighed worriedly. "This is turning into a nightmare."
"What else did he say?" Madison asked.
"Nothing," Pen answered. "He just kept smiling like he was running for office."
"Pen, why does Jenna want to speak at the dedication?" Aria asked.
"Why does Jason want her there?" Hanna asked.
Madison sighed. "I mean, he clearly knows they weren't friends."
"We can't let Jenna speak," Emily told them.
"Well, how are we gonna stop her without looking like bitches?" Dakota asked.
"How are we going to stop her at all?" Spencer asked.
"In case you guys didn't notice, we just got patted on the head and sent off to play," Peyton told them.
Lucy looked at Pen. "You know what? You need to talk to him. Find out what's going on."
"Yeah, he's your brother," Dakota told her. "You deal with him."
Pen gave her a sarcastic look. "Thanks."
"Jenna could get up there, and she could tell about the fire and Toby," Hanna told them.
"She could tell about everything," Madison told them.
Lucy looked confused. "Does Mara even know that he's back in town yet?"
"No, we haven't told her," Emily answered. "But she'll know soon enough."
Aria looked at Pen. "Have they even spoken since you guys left town last year?"
Pen shook her head.
"No, Mara just wanted to give Jason time to deal on his own after he left," Spencer answered.
"It should make for a really interesting reunion, though," Peyton told them.
The girls all nodded in agreement.
---- -----
Rosewood High School - Outside
Dakota walked up to the school. She saw a homecoming flyer on the brick wall, receiving flashbacks to the night she was taken and the three days that she had spent captured by the men to get to Chris, and making her father leave town. She tore the flyer down in anger, crumpling it up, tossing it in the nearby trashcan, walking inside.
---- -----
Inside - Hallway
(Song) This Sweet Love - James Yuill
Sean and Hanna were standing at the side of the hallway, listening to music through headphones.
"But this is Band of Horses," Hanna told him. "Noel got tickets to Band of Horses?"
"Yeah," Sean answered. "Strictly VIP."
Hanna smiled. "And we get to go?"
"Yep," Sean answered. "You and me... with Noel."
"Well, who's Noel bringing?" Madison asked.
"That's the thing," Sean told her. "He wants to ask Madison, but she's got this, like, anti-boy zone around her ever since what happened with Ben. So Noel's at this place where he wants to ask her, but not if she's gonna say no."
"So, all I have to do is get Madison to go, and we get to go," Hanna told him.
"You got it," Sean answered.
Hanna smiled. "Perfect. I don't know if you know this, but I can con my little sister to do anything. I can make it happen. I have to go do a yearbook now, but I will grab her later."
"Wait, yearbook?" Sean asked. "Are you working with meta-geek?"
"If you mean Lucas, yes," Hanna answered.
"Well, watch out," Sean told her. "Cooties are contagious."
Hanna laughed. "I cannot believe you just said 'cooties'. You're such a goober."
Sean smiled.
Hanna walked away.
---- -----
Outside - Courtyard
Maya and Emily were sitting together, smiling and laughing.
"I dare you," Maya told her.
"You're awful," Emily told her.
Maya smiled. "Yes, I am. Come on." Emily closed her eyes and opened her mouth. Maya fed her an orange slice. They both laughed. "What'd you think I was gonna give you?"
"I don't know, one of those really sour candies," Emily answered.
"Not a chance," Maya told her.
"Um, I had a thought," Emily told her. "Why don't we do something one night, instead of just hanging out?"
"What kind of something?" Maya asked.
"I don't know," Emily told her. "Maybe go for a real dinner someplace, then go somewhere, like... a movie?"
Maya narrowed her eyes teasingly. "Dinner and a movie. Think there's a word for that. What's it called when two people go out like that?"
"I think they call it, um, a date," Emily answered.
Maya nodded, smiling. "Yeah, I've heard of that. So, you're, um... asking me out on a date?"
Emily played coy. "Two friends having dinner, going to the movies. No big. Yeah, I'm asking you on a date."
"Hmm, I'll think about it," Maya told her teasingly, standing, starting to walk away.
Emily laughed. "Hey. Maya."
(End of Song)
---- -----
Year Book Room
Lucas was showing Hanna stuff on her computer.
"So people just let you do this?" Hanna asked. "I mean, you go up to them and say, 'Can I take a picture of your locker', and they say yes?"
"If you tell them you have to have their locker for the book, they think it's all about them, and they open right up," Lucas told her. "Gotta love that human ego. So, I was thinking four lockers to a page with the name underneath each picture."
"No, you know, don't put the names," Hanna told him. "They should guess whose locker is whose. You can put numbers and a list in the back of the book. Be more fun."
Lucas smiled. "Yeah, it would. I like that. It's smart."
Hanna smiled.
Jack walked in. "Yo."
"Hey, Jack," Hanna told him.
"Hey," Jack told her, looking at Lucas. "Hey, mind if I'll borrow your camera? I'll give it back to you tomorrow."
"Uh, sure, I could give it to you after school by your locker," Lucas told him.
"Thanks," Jack told him, walking toward the door, leaving.
---- -----
Hallway
Jack opened his locker.
Hanna walked closer. "Hey, uh, Lucas told me that you started using his camera to sell some stuff."
"Uh, yeah," Jack told her. "Selling online. I put stuff that my siblings or parents don't need anymore but in good condition, and get a good deal for them."
"So, you can make money that way?" Hanna asked.
Jack shrugged. "Yeah." Hanna was thinking. "What, you interested in selling some stuff online?"
"Yeah, I wouldn't know how," Hanna told him. "If I would ask you for help, would you do that?"
"Sell your stuff?" Jack asked. Hanna nodded. Jack shrugged. "Yeah, why not? Name a time and place."
"How about tomorrow after school?" Hanna asked. "My place."
Jack gave a small nod. "Yeah, okay. I'll ask Lucas to keep his camera for another day."
Hanna smiled. "Thanks. I'll see you later then."
"Yeah," Jack told her.
Hanna walked away.
---- -----
Hallway
Emily and Lucy were standing at Lucy's locker, smiling and chuckling.
Mara walked into the hallway, looking around, finding her sisters down the way, walking toward them. "Hey, guys."
"Mara, what are you doing here?" Lucy asked.
"It's Dad," Mara answered.
"God, is he okay?" Emily asked worriedly.
"He's okay," Mara answered. "He's... better than okay. They're rotating his unit out of Afghanistan. Dad's coming home."
Emily and Lucy smiled in relief and happiness, chuckling softly. Mara smiled, hugging both of them, and they held her tightly back.
---- -----
Night - DiLaurentis House (Temporary) - Pen's Room
Pen was sitting on her bed, writing her speech in the notebook in front of her, but couldn't really think of anything at the moment because she was upset at the memory of losing her. She leaned toward her drawer, opening it, pulling out Alison's bracelet. She thought back, having a flashback.
---- -----
Flashback 2
Day - Swimming Hole
(Song) Car Dance - Leah Andreone and Kevin Fisher
All of the girls were still at the swimming hole with Alison.
Pen saw Evan across the swimming hole, smiling. Evan caught her eye, smiling.
Mara and Jason were in the water. Mara had red streaks in her hair in the flashback. They were making out pretty heavily.
Emily saw them. "Oh, it looks like Mara and Jason are as out in the open as ever."
Lucy laughed.
Jenna was further away, wearing her normal glasses, but had her vision, taking off her glasses, looking toward the girls.
"God, Jenna's looking at us," Pen told them.
"It's a very second string crowd she's with," Aria told them.
"Why doesn't she just take her 'D' list gang and go home instead of sitting here and creeping me out?" Alison asked.
"Jenna's here," Demi told them. "Where's Toby?"
Alison shrugged. "Out in the woods, sacrificing squirrels."
Spencer rolled her eyes. "God. Don't you ever get tired of shooting at the low-hanging fruit?"
"Don't ruin a perfect day, guys," Lucy told them.
Hanna smiled. "It is perfect."
"Friends forever," Madison told them.
Dakota smirked. "Yeah. Even when we get really old."
Peyton smiled. "Oh, if anyone's humor is dark as Ali's, it's yours, Dakota."
"Oh, that wasn't the darkest of my humor," Dakota told them. "You still have yet to see that."
Alison smiled. "And I can't wait to see it."
---- -----
Now
Night - DiLaurentis House (Temporary) - Pen's Room
Pen was still sitting on her bed, holding Alison's bracelet, using it as inspiration to write her speech. Her phone buzzed. She took it out to look at the text from A.
Subject: The Dedication
Do it right. I'll be watching. Just like Tom Sawyer
-- A
Pen tossed her phone to the bed in annoyance. "Can you just leave me alone for one night?" Evan crawled in through the window from the roof. Pen jumped when she saw him in the mirror, realizing that it was just Evan, standing, turning to face him. "God. Are you ever not gonna check on me for one night?"
"You seem really jumpy every single night, and you've even told me that you've felt like you were being watched a couple times, so, uh, no," Evan answered. "Especially not with what happened to Dakota. Not gonna let what happened to her or Alison happen to you."
"Thank you for checking up on me," Pen told him. Evan smiled a little. "Besides, I think it's a little weird at your house, given the circumstances?"
"Oh, yeah," Evan answered. "Mom's gone. Dad's not speaking. Mike's pissed at everyone."
"I'm sorry," Pen told him. "Wish I could help."
Evan walked closer. "See, and that is why I like you. You still have that DiLaurentis mean side, but you are still sweet."
Pen smiled, chuckling. "I take it that this is not just a normal check-in?"
"No," Evan answered. "Just wanted to make sure you were okay. Given that the memorial for your sister is coming up."
Pen took a deep breath, nodding. "Yeah. Yeah, uh... Jason's taking care of most of it from now on, which is a great relief to me, because I don't know..."
"How you can manage it," Evan finished.
"Right," Pen agreed. "I mean, I can barely write my speech. It's just... way too emotional for that."
"I could help you, if you want, with the speech," Evan told her.
Pen was surprised but touched. "You would do that?"
"'Course," Evan answered, walking closer to sit on the bed.
Pen turned to face him. "Don't you have to be home?"
"You did catch the part where my mom moved out and my dad is avoiding everyone, right?" Evan asked. "They won't notice I'm gone."
Pen smiled a little. "Right." She sat down next to Evan. "Well, get comfy. Because this might take a while. I just really need to get this right, to make her proud. All I've got written down right now is Alison's name."
Evan smiled. "Well, we can take it from there."
Evan and Pen looked at each other, smiling.
---- / -----
Day Three
Morning - Rosewood High School - Hallway
Madison and Hanna were walking down the hallway together.
"Okay, it is time to get back to the land of the living," Hanna told her.
"You just want me to go so you can go with Sean," Madison told her.
"That's not true," Hanna told her. "And... even if it is a little bit true, more reason for you to come."
They stopped at Madison's locker.
Madison sighed, working her combination. "I don't know."
"Madison, what's not to know?" Hanna asked. "This is Noel Kahn. He was your biggest crush all through middle school--"
"Yeah, like you still have a huge crush on Jack even though you with Sean," Madison replied.
Hanna gave her a look, continuing on. "He saved you from Ben, and now he's asking you out." Madison rolled her eyes. "So you can move on from what Ben tried to do and get on with your life." Madison gave her a look. "And I mean that the most sympathetic and sincere way possible."
Madison sighed.
---- -----
Flashback 3
Day - Swimming Hole
(Song) So This Is Progress - The Status
The girls were all the swimming hole, watching everyone.
"Well, well, well," Pen told them. "Something new has been added."
"Noel Kahn inspecting the troops," Aria told them.
Madison was watching Noel, obviously crushing on him.
Alison was looking at the girl that Noel was hitting on. "You know, you really shouldn't go out so soon after a boob job. Let them drop down to where they're supposed to be before you take 'em out."
Emily smiled. "Prudence Finn had a boob job?"
"She had to do something to compensate for being named Prudence," Alison told them.
Dakota noticed that Madison was watching Noel, smirking knowingly. "Thinking about it, Madison?"
"Thinking about what?" Madison asked.
Dakota shrugged. "Doing something like that to get Noel's attention."
Madison pretended to be surprised. "No."
Hanna smiled. "Madison likes them brainy."
Peyton smiled. "Cute, rich and brainy."
"You get the whole package with Noel Kahn," Lucy told them.
"You know, personally, I like someone with a little more maturity," Alison told them. "Not that Noel doesn't have potential. He just lacks a little seasoning." She patted Madison on the arm. "He's perfect for you, Madison."
"So your type Alison will be..." Demi trailed off.
Alison looked at Jack, who was speaking with a couple of friends. She tilted her head, speaking to the girls. "Someone like Aria's twin."
Aria chuckled, shaking her head. "Oh, no."
Alison smiled. "What?"
Aria smiled. "My brother is taken."
"For now," Alison told her. Hanna was watching Jack, obviously crushing on him. "If I want something I take it." Alison looked at Demi. "Remember that. If you want something, you go and take it."
Lucy smirked. "So you want Jack?"
"Maybe," Alison told them, noticing Hanna was staring at Jack, smirking knowingly. "What do you think, Hanna?" Hanna looked at her in surprise. "Wouldn't you want to take Jack to be your boyfriend?" Alison looked at Pen knowingly, knowing she has a crush on Evan. "What about Evan, Pen? Wouldn't you want him to be your boyfriend too?"
Pen looked at her in surprise. "What?"
Aria chuckled. "Can we please stop talking about my brothers?"
Alison chuckled, smiling, looking at Hanna and Pen, winking.
Spencer looked at Pen, Lucy, Madison, Demi and Peyton. "You four are just warming up to who you guys can be in the next year, or the year after that, or the year after that."
"That's why we wanted you to come here with us," Emily told them. "So we can show you your potential to be whatever you wanna be."
"Get ready for the rest of your lives," Aria told them. "It's gonna be a bumpy ride."
Pen, Peyton, Lucy, Demi and Madison all smiled.
(End of Song)
---- -----
Now
Day - Rosewood High School - Hallway
Hanna and Madison were standing at Madison's locker.
Madison was looking at her reflection, closing her locker, turning to Hanna. "Count me in."
Hanna smiled, hugging Madison.
---- -----
Outside
Mara was heading back to her car, away from the school.
Detective Wilden was waiting there. "Hello, Mara. I didn't expect to see you here."
"Just dropping off Emily and Lucy for school," Mara told him. "Since I'm pretty sure that you're here to talk to the girls, I'm also pretty sure that there's nothing more they can do for you, but do you need something?"
"Actually, yeah," Wilden answered. "I was wondering if you could tell me where to find Dakota McCoy. I already checked inside, but the school says she's not here."
"Yeah, she works at the Brew before school starts," Mara told him. "Why are you looking for her? Didn't she already tell the police everything she knows?"
"The night that she was brought home, yes," Wilden answered. "But she was very traumatized, and she might not have remembered everything, so I would like to talk to her again."
"About what?" Mara asked.
"About Toby Cavanaugh, and the two men that had kidnapped her," Wilden answered.
"Yeah, why don't you give her a few days of peace and quiet before you bombard her with more questions, all right?" Mara asked. "The girl's been through hell, and being harassed by the police is not gonna help her."
Wilden chuckled in amusement. "Harassed? It's not harassing when I'm doing my job."
"It is when you're you," Mara told him, walking past him toward her car.
Wilden turned after her. "Penelope DiLaurentis' brother is back in town. You knew that, didn't you? Your stoner ex-boyfriend from when you were quite the party girl yourself."
Mara turned to face him in annoyance. "Jason. And, yes, I know. He left town to go talk to their parents about Alison's memorial, and left Pen to stay with the Hastings until he got back yesterday."
"He came into my office yesterday," Wilden told her. "He came in to make noise about how he doesn't like how many times we've questioned Pen without a guardian present, the way things have been handled."
"Well, I'm pretty sure he's entitled to that, just as much as Pen is," Mara told him.
"It's a small town, Mara," Wilden told her. "Sometimes private and public lives can get a little muddled."
Mara scoffed, nodding sarcastically. "Yeah. Tell me about it."
Wilden walked closer. "Look, I understand you might have some issues with me regarding some problems in the past, but I also hope you understand that whatever you tell Jason DiLaurentis might end up being very embarrassing for your sisters and their friends. You might end up hurting the wrong people. Including embarrassing and hurting yourself."
Mara crossed her arms over her chest, unintimidated. "That threat works both ways, you know. Because while I was 'the party girl' that you brought up, I was a little hazy back in the college days. But I seem to remember some things that you did when you were a party boy yourself very clearly. So, you do anything to hurt my sisters, or their friends, or my ex-boyfriend, then you're the one that's gonna end up getting embarrassed or hurt. Maybe even lose your job, your place in this town. And I know a lot about you, Darren." Wilden looked nervous about whatever Mara knew. Mara smirked, knowing that she had him beat, walking closer, making him back away from her and her car. "Leave Dakota and the DiLaurentis' alone, because they've been through enough, just like those other girls. And if you don't leave them alone, I will find a way to make you leave them alone. Have a nice life."
Wilden continued to back off, giving Mara enough room.
Mara raised her eyebrows smugly, smirking, turning to get into her car and drive away.
---- -----
Inside - Hallway
Demi was at her locker.
Spencer and Peyton were talking quietly not far from her.
Demi closed her locker, walking closer. "Hey. What's the whispering?"
"Uh, nothing," Spencer told her.
"Have you seen Jenna?" Peyton asked.
"Uh, I saw at the library," Demi answered. "Why?"
"Just need to ask her something," Spencer answered. "Thanks."
Spencer and Peyton turned to leave.
Demi stopped them. "Hey, uh..." Spencer and Peyton turned to her. "Is something going on? You two are acting weird."
Spencer shook her head. "No. We just really need to go and talk to Jenna."
"About Ali's memorial?" Demi asked. "What's wrong with her wanting to talk? I'm sure she wouldn't say something bad."
Peyton shook her head. "You don't know that. We just want to ask her want she wants to say."
Demi frowned, tilting her head.
"We'll talk later, okay?" Spencer asked.
Spencer and Peyton walked away, leaving their little sister confused and suspicious.
---- -----
Library
Jenna was sitting inside, typing on her blind phone. She heard someone close, turning her head slightly. "Hello?"
Spencer and Peyton were there, leaning against a bookshelf.
"I--it's Spencer and Peyton," Spencer told her.
"Hello, Hasting sisters," Jenna told them.
"Can we talk to you?" Spencer asked.
"Of course you can," Jenna answered.
"It's about the dedication," Spencer told her.
"Ali's memorial?" Jenna asked. "Is Pen in charge of that?"
"Yeah, she is, but since Jason's got back, he's been helping her make a few changes," Peyton answered.
"Does Jason look the same?" Jenna asked. "I got the impression he was different. He sounds different."
"Yeah," Spencer answered. "Yeah, he is different. He's, uh... polished."
Jenna smirked. "Polished. You know, when I was talking to him, I got the strangest sensation, like Ali was in the room with us."
Peyton looked around, sitting down next to Jenna. "What are you going to say at the dedication?"
"I was gonna speak from my heart," Jenna told them.
"Jenna, what do you want?" Spencer asked.
"What I want, you can't give me," Jenna told them. "Spencer, you and your friends are careless. You're careless and you break things, and you think you're never gonna have to pay for them."
"We are paying for it, Jenna," Spencer told her. "We're paying for it every day."
"How much?" Jenna asked. "Who's counting?"
"Let's just say that Pen, Peyton, Madison and Lucy had nothing to do with that night, and they're paying for it, too," Spencer told her. "Demi has no idea what happened, and she has nothing to do with it."
"I know," Jenna told them.
Spencer sighed quietly. "Look, you want some kind of satisfaction? I understand that."
Peyton lowered her voice so that only Spencer and Jenna could hear, looking at Jenna. "But what you can't do, what we won't let you do, is to turn this dedication into some kind of club to beat up on us. Okay, we did love her, and what happened was terrible. She deserves this memorial, and so do we, and you don't have the right to turn it into something else. Not when Pen has put everything's she's got into this memorial for her sister and has gone through hell for over a year for something she didn't even do, and she's done nothing to you. So please, don't ruin this for her."
"Alison was done with you," Jenna told them. "She told me at the hospital. She said she was afraid of you. Is that why one of you did what you did?"
Spencer and Peyton didn't know how to react to that, completely in shock, not knowing whether to believe her or not.
---- / -----
Marin House - Kitchen
(Song) I'm Not Over - Carolina Liar
Jack and Hanna were here, prepping to sell Hanna's things online.
Hanna showed him bags. "All right, I've got Gucci, Tory Burch. I don't know why I got this Lam. Thought I had shoes to match. Got a Chloe and a Notting Hill. Which, I swear, was not this color when I bought it in the store." Jack raised an eyebrow, amused. "What?"
Jack shook his head, looking at his laptop. "Nothing."
"Do you think someone will buy these?" Hanna asked.
"Oh yeah," Jack answered.
"I really appreciate this, Jack," Hanna told him.
"No problem," Jack told her. "So, how come all of a sudden you need to make some money?"
Jack started to take pictures of the bags to put them online.
"Oh, um, a friend's going through a rough time, and without her father in the picture anymore, it looks like that that friend and her Mom need help with covering medical bills for what happened recently and so on," Hanna answered. Jack looked at her. "So me, your sister and our friends--The idea was Mara's--are deciding to raise up a bit of money from all of us to give to this friend in need a birthday present, since throwing her a birthday party is way out of the question, considering that she's been too jumpy lately anyway."
"You do realize that I know you're talking about Dakota, right?" Jack asked.
"Yes, but I was trying to keep it subtle," Hanna answered.
"I noticed," Jack told her in amusement. "So you're doing this to help her out and for her birthday?"
"Well, she doesn't exactly have it as easy as the rest of you, your sister, my friends, or me," Hanna told him. "We all got money, while she and her Mom don't. And they had to work hard, and her Dad pretty much sucked them dry of cash because of what happened." Jack nodded in agreement. "And after what those guys did to her, she needs help to pay for the medical bills. And therapy bills. Pretty much any kind of bills. So, like I said, Mara suggested that we could give her a birthday present in the form of cash that she can do anything she wants with."
"Well, you doing this to do your part, it's really nice of you," Jack told her.
Hanna smiled. "I just wanna make sure she gets better."
Jack smiled, sitting on a chair.
Hanna sat next to him, looking from the laptop to Jack.
(End of Song)
---- -----
Flashback 4
Day - Swimming Hole
The girls were still at the swimming hole.
Evan and Jack started to walk past them.
Alison smirked. "Hey, Jack. Evan."
"Hey," Evan told them. "What's up?"
Dakota leaned her head back. "In no way talking about Jack."
The girls laughed.
Pen and Evan exchanged a secretive look, hiding smiles.
Alison noticed and narrowed her eyes at. "Evan, why don't you tell Pen how pretty she is? I can never get her to see it."
Pen looked nervous.
Evan and Jack exchanged a look.
Evan chuckled a bit. "Um... is this a set up?"
Alison tilted her head. "You tell me. I mean, out of Pen, Lucy, Madison and Peyton, you would date Pen, right?" Pen pressed her lips together. "And Jack, out of me, Dakota, Hanna, Emily and Spencer, if you were single, which one of us would you date?"
"Yeah, I'm not falling for this trap, and neither should you, Evan," Jack told him.
The girls laughed.
"What about me?" Demi asked.
"Oh, don't you worry, Demi," Alison told her. "I'm sure that we could find a nice guy for you too, your age and all." Mara and Jason were laughing as they walked past. "Oh, here come the stoner love birds. Hey, Mara." Mara looked at them from over her shoulder, turning to face them. "Nice streaks. Not so nice in your taste of men though, even if it's Jason. You could do so much better than my brother."
"Ali," Pen chided.
Mara smirked. "I like who I like and I do what I want, where I want, with who I want. No one's gonna tell me otherwise."
Demi smirked. "And that's why Mara's my role model."
The other girls laughed in agreement.
Evan, Jack, Mara and Jason looked somewhat amused.
---- -----
Now
Day - Marin House - Kitchen
Hanna pulled out of her flashback, looking at Jack.
Jack finished taking photos of another bag, looking at Hanna with a smirk. "Next."
Hanna managed a small smile.
---- -----
Fields House - Kitchen
Mara led Jean into the kitchen. "Do you want some coffee? It's reasonably fresh."
"Oh, no," Jean answered. "No, thank you." She handed an envelope to Mara. "I just wanted to make sure that I didn't forget to give you this. I hope you're okay with cash."
"Cash?" Mara repeated.
"Yeah," Jean answered. "Um... Emily and Lucy talked to the Dakota, and she said that I should give this to you. Money, for the--for the memorial."
Mara remembered, nodding. "Oh. That money. Of course. I'm sorry, I spaced, because I had a run in with Detective Wilden. He got under my skin, but I got under his, too."
"Yeah, people have a habit of doing that, especially with Wilden," Jean told her.
"Don't worry," Mara told her. "I made sure that he won't be bothering Dakota about the abduction or her dad. With a little help of Jason."
"Really?" Jean asked.
"Yeah," Mara answered. "Jason apparently paid him a visit at the station to give him a piece of his mind about the girls and the investigation."
"Have you talked to Jason yourself?" Jean asked.
"No," Mara answered. "I just thought it would be better if I give him the time he needs to have the memorial."
"Even though the memorial was your idea to begin with?" Jean asked.
Mara chuckled. "Yeah."
"I would have written you a check, but I don't trust my checkbook skills right now," Jean told her. "Things are a little distracted at the moment."
"Yeah, Emily and Lucy said you were on your own over there with Dakota," Mara told her.
"Yes, I am on my own there," Jean answered.
"How are you doing?" Mara asked in concern. "With everything? With Dakota, and Chris, and what happened to them, with them?"
"Uh... well, I don't think I have enough information to give you a solid answer on that one," Jean answered. "One thing that we don't know for sure is if we're getting a divorce. That's one of the things that we need to talk about. Once we figure out how to talk at all."
Mara sighed. "Yeah. Never thought it would come to this, did you?"
"No, not even close," Jean answered. "I mean, I feel like I'm living inside this wind tunnel. All of this stuff is just flying at me. I knew that we were always going to be in danger, but I didn't think that it would come to this. Again."
Mara held up her coffee cup. "Well, here's to the wind dying down to a nice steady howl to make it easier on you. And then stopping altogether. Are you sure you wanna give me the money for the memorial? I mean, you and Dakota need the money now more than ever, with the hospital, and the cops, and everything."
"I... I had to pay my respects to Alison," Jean told her. "I mean, I couldn't do anything with the memorial itself, but I could help with something for it."
Mara nodded. "Right. You know, in return for this, if you ever need help with something, be it money or whatever, I could help. The girls and I were talking about doing something big for Dakota's birthday to help make her feel normal and okay again, raising a bunch of money."
Jean shook her head. "Oh, no, no. Dakota doesn't want to do anything for her birthday. She's just too rattled."
"Which is what I told them, so we settled on giving her money gifts for her to pick out whatever she wanted as her birthday gifts," Mara told her. "Hanna and Madison are raising the money. So are Emily, Lucy and I. Spencer and Peyton. Aria. Even Demi wants to help with it."
Jean smiled. "That would be amazing for her, Mara. Thank you."
Mara smiled, nodding. "It'll get better. I promise."
"That's what I told her," Jean told her.
"And did she believe it?" Mara asked.
Jean sighed, shaking her head. "I'm not sure if I believed it."
Mara nodded in understanding concern.
---- -----
Rosewood High School - Hallway
Jason was walking with Dakota, Pen, Emily and Lucy. "Well, that was painless."
"Not for Principal Hartley," Dakota told them.
"He means well, but he needs to know who's in charge," Jason told them.
"I think we all know that, big brother," Pen told him.
Jason turned to face his little sister. "Pen, is there a problem?"
"No problem," Pen answered. "Just... a little emotional, I guess. Prepping for the memorial."
Jason sighed. "I'm sorry, Pen. For leaving you here with the Hastings and talking to our family when I should have been here with you helping you with this."
"No, it's okay, Jason," Lucy told him. "This wasn't our idea to begin with, actually. We just sort of built on it."
"Whose idea was it?" Jason asked.
"Mara's, actually," Emily answered. Jason was surprised and impressed. "She caught Lucy and me on a very depressed day after we found out about Alison, and... she told us that we needed to find a way to say goodbye, but not without letting it go."
Jason took this seriously, nodding.
They saw Detective Wilden and a few officers walk toward Toby's locker.
"What are they doing?" Dakota asked. "That's Toby's locker."
Wilden opened the locker.
Jason walked toward Wilden, while the girls stayed a safe distance away. "Detective Wilden."
"Oh, you'll find this interesting," Wilden told them. "We're having a look in Toby Cavanaugh's locker."
"Why?" Pen asked sarcastically. "Do you think he's hiding in there?"
"He's a suspect," Wilden told them.
"Well, your investigation better turn up more than Toby Cavanaugh's old gym socks," Jason told him.
"You made it quite clear the other day you weren't happy with the pace of the investigation," Wilden told him. "You said you wanted action. I'm trying to give that to you."
"Yeah, you've got nothing," Jason told him. "I realized that yesterday."
"I'm getting kind of tired of you and Mara Fields telling me what I have and what I don't have," Wilden told him.
Lucy and Emily were surprised.
"You talked to Mara?" Lucy asked.
"What did she say?" Emily asked.
"She told me to stay away from you girls," Wilden answered. He looked at Dakota. "Especially you, after what happened." Dakota smirked sarcastically, bitterly. Jason was impressed with Mara's interference. "Sometimes, Jason, we withhold information on the progress of an investigation to avoid any interruptions."
"The only reason you're tearing this kid's locker apart is because he's not around to object," Jason told him.
Wilden looked at Pen and Jason. "Toby Cavanaugh called your sister's cellphone the night she disappeared. I checked the phone records. She took the call."
"Toby called Alison the night she died?" Dakota asked.
Wilden nodded. "He did. Or somebody else did using his phone."
The girls looked at each other worriedly.
---- / -----
Night - Fields House - Emily's Room
Emily was getting ready for her date with Maya, picking up the red scarf that Maya had given her, wrapping it around her neck, looking in the mirror.
---- -----
Flashback 5
Day - Swimming Hole
(Song) Every Summer - US Royalty
The girls were still sitting together, watching Noel and Prudence walk off.
"There go Noel and Prudence off to the kissing rock," Pen told them. "People have been sneaking off to the kissing rock for hundreds of years."
Lucy smiled. "You're making that up."
"Just because we make something up doesn't mean it's not true," Alison told them. "You go there with somebody, and you can feel the ghosts of the other lovers spying on you, pushing you to do it. You know, you should never disappoint a ghost."
"It's just a dusty old rock," Peyton told them.
Alison looked at Emily, smiling suggestively. "Who do you want to take there?"
Emily smiled slightly.
(End of Song)
---- -----
Now
Night - Fields House - Emily's Room
Emily pulled out of her memory, still at the mirror, fidgeting with her scarf, sighing.
---- -----
Marin House - Kitchen
(Song) Under the Umbrella - Company of Thieves
Hanna and Madison were sitting at the table with Sean and Noel, eating pizza.
"This concert should be great," Sean told them. "Most important thing about a band is the name. I should know, 'cause I had one."
Hanna smiled. "You had five guys in Greg Samson's garage."
"What was the name?" Noel asked.
Sean took a drink of soda. "We had the best name ever. Tick Beaudine. It was some guy I saw in a western when I was a kid."
"Guys, we should get going," Madison told them. She stood, picking up the pizza box. "Thanks for the pizza, Noel."
Noel smiled. "Don't put it away. It'll be perfect room temperature when we get back." The doorbell rang. "That's the guy back with the crazy bread."
"No, no, it's too late for that," Hanna told them.
"I paid for crazy bread, I want my crazy bread," Noel told them, going to open the door, leading Jack inside. "Look who's here. It wasn't the crazy bread." The fist-bumped. "What's up, man?"
"Hey, man," Jack told him.
Jack was holding a yellow envelope.
Madison was surprised to see him. "Jack."
"Hey, Madison," Jack told her.
Hanna was nervous with both Jack and Sean in the same room given her conflicted feelings. Madison looked at Hanna knowingly.
Hanna walked toward Jack. "What are you doing here, Jack?"
"Uh, I just came by to tell you that the thing that we were talking about worked out," Jack answered.
Hanna nodded, still nervous. "Oh, good."
Jack held the envelope toward her. "You can look at it if you want." Hanna looked inside, seeing the cash. "I'll... see you later, Hanna." He looked at Sean, Noel and Madison. "See you later guys."
Noel nodded. "See you, man."
Jack turned around, walking out of the house, leaving.
Sean walked toward Hanna. "What was he doing here?"
"Dropping off some stuff that I asked him to help me with Dakota's birthday money present," Hanna answered. "I told you about that, right? How the rest of us girls were saving up..."
Sean did remember, nodding. "Right, right. Yeah. So he was just helping you with that?"
"Yeah," Hanna answered. "No big deal."
Sean smiled slightly in relief, nodding.
Madison was listening from nearby, not looking convinced.
(End of Song)
---- -----
Movie Theaters
Emily and Maya walked in, going to sit down with soda and popcorn.
"What's your dad's rank?" Maya asked.
"Lieutenant Colonel," Emily answered. "Pennsylvania National Guard."
"And he's been right in the middle of it?" Maya asked.
"Camp Phoenix, in Kabul," Emily answered.
Maya sat down. "Oh, my God." Emily sat down with her. "When's he get back?"
Emily smiled. "Ten days."
Maya smiled. "I can't imagine how happy you and your sisters are.
"When we see him, we'll be happy," Emily told her. "When he's really home. Then we'll be able to start breathing again."
"Do I get to meet him?" Maya asked.
Emily smiled a little nervously, but didn't answer.
The movie started. They were watching a black and white film called 'I Walked With A Zombie'.
Emily took Maya by the hand. They both looked at each other and smiled, as they continued to watch the movie.
---- -----
DiLaurentis House (Temporary) - Living Room
Jason and Pen were sitting across from each other on the couches, on laptops.
"Just so you know, I didn't spend all the time that you were away over at the Hastings' house," Pen told him. "I came back here to be alone sometimes."
"I figured," Jason told her.
"But the other girls were with me," Pen told him. "Whenever we wanted to be alone and just talk, we would come here and stay the night, so we could talk with no one else around." She looked around at the house they were renting. "Still not as good as the house that we used to live in."
Jason chuckled. "I guess not. I also heard about you and Evan Montgomery from Aria." Pen looked up. "That you've been with him and that he's been helping you through difficult times when I wasn't here."
Pen nodded, looking down. "Mm-hmm."
"And by that look, I'm guessing you're about to change the subject before big brother picks on you for having a new boyfriend," Jason told her.
"You were right about the weather," Pen told him. Jason smirked, nodding because he had been right. "Rain's starting at midnight, continuing throughout the day."
Jason grabbed a bottle of bourbon. "I wish this was gonna be outside, in the sun."
Pen sighed. "Me, too. Ali would've wanted it that way. By the way, Evan's not technically a 'new boyfriend'. We were together last year before what happened." Jason nodded in amusement. "Are you satisfied with the memorial and all?"
"Yeah," Jason answered. "How about you?"
"This is just an emotional roller coaster for me," Pen answered. "I just want this to be over."
"Are we talking about the dedication, or talking about what happened to Ali?" Jason asked.
"Both, I guess," Pen answered.
Jason took a drink. "The dedication will be fine, thanks to you, and your friends. And Mara. Who apparently lit as many fires under the cops as I have about this."
Pen chuckled. "All this time apart, and you two are still so similar."
Jason thought it was ironic, too, chuckling. "Yeah."
"Mara hasn't talked about you much, but it's obvious that she misses you," Pen told him. "And that you miss her. But maybe you'll stop pretending to be a businessman by the time you finally talk to her."
Jason gave her a halfhearted look. "Pen."
Pen smiled a little. "I'm kidding, kind of. I actually like the old you better. At least stoner you didn't pretend to be something that he wasn't." Jason smirked, rolling his eyes, taking another drink. "You know, you should talk to her. Mara."
"I will," Jason told her. "At the memorial. To thank her for what she's done."
"For the memorial, for me, or for the girls, or when it came to Wilden today?" Pen asked.
"All of the above," Jason answered.
Pen smiled. "Yay. Even former stoners and partiers need a little happiness every once in a while."
Jason scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Don't start."
Pen slowly let her smile fade. "Did you know that Toby called Alison?"
"No," Jason answered. "Wilden shouldn't have told us, but with the help of Mara, I was able to shake him up. It was easy. Like most bullies." Pen stood, walking toward the counter to grab a coffee, drinking. "You were the only one whoever really challenged Alison. I remember hearing the two of you getting in each other's grills a couple of times, when you thought she had gone too far. Which was often. You always brought out the nicer side of Ali."
Pen managed a small smile, turning to face him. "I guess that's what little sisters do, besides making older siblings mad."
Jason chuckled. "You never made me mad, Pen. Not like Alison did. She had a way of pressing all the wrong buttons to get some very serious reactions out of people."
"Yeah," Pen agreed quietly. "She did. Who do you think killed Alison?"
"The police like Toby Cavanaugh," Jason told her. "If they can't find him, they'll start liking someone else."
"Just someone, or someone in particular?" Pen asked.
"Does it really matter?" Jason asked.
Pen frowned in confusion. "I thought you said you wanted closure."
"Mom still needs pills to get to sleep," Jason told her. "When they don't work, you can hear her walking around the house at three in the morning."
"I remember," Pen told him. "I go through the same things."
Jason nodded. "So do I. You think we're ever really gonna have closure? You know, aren't you always gonna be 'the sister of that girl who was murdered'?"
"Just like you'll always be her brother," Pen told him.
"That's how people will see us," Jason told her. "They solve it or they don't. That's not going to change, so... I guess it doesn't really matter."
"But what about justice?" Pen asked.
"You don't really want to bring justice into this, do you?" Jason asked.
"Why not?" Pen asked.
Jason stood, walking closer. "Remember when you told me about the fire? About how Ali said she and her friends should all go over and teach Toby a lesson? How she got the stink bomb, and..." He sat next to Pen. "Convinced the rest of the girls to back her up. How she even threatened Toby if he told the truth. You said that you and your friends were watching from the bushes. You didn't even tell them that you saw them. You didn't even mean to tell me it happened. It just... came out, because you were scared of what could happen, and you wanted me to help. So I did. By helping you protect Ali and her friends. And if we bring justice into this... you know that Jenna will do the same by taking down the other girls with whoever is behind the murder."
Pen sighed heavily. "We are just like Ali. Doesn't matter if we're not as mean, or as manipulative, or as vicious. The secrets that we keep... the things that we hide... it makes us just like her."
Jason nodded in agreement. "Sometimes... even worse. Because we don't do it to torment people. We just do it to protect the people we care about... even when they deserve to be punished."
Pen nodded in agreement, sighing.
---- / -----
Movie Theater
Emily and Maya were sitting in their seats, watching the movie, then instead of watching the movie, they started to make out.
---- -----
Marin House - Kitchen
Madison was sitting at the table, picking at the pizza.
Noel walked toward her. "You okay?"
"Sure," Madison answered.
"Can I talk to you for a minute?" Noel asked.
Madison stood. "Yeah, sure."
"I just wanna be clear on something," Noel told her. "The whole awkwardness is because the thing with Ben that I stopped in the locker room, right?"
"Yeah," Madison answered. "I'm sorry. It's not your fault. It's just that... I haven't really been out with a guy since that. I mean, you're great. You're Noel."
Noel smiled. "Terrific. I'm a brand name."
"There's only a couple of ways that relationships can end, and it ranges from messy to bad," Madison told him. "There is the chance that it does work out. Which is what I'm hoping for. Hanna said that I should get back out there. And I think that it's time that I did."
Noel nodded. "A minute ago, when I got you to laugh, I was thinking about going in for a kiss. But now I'll wait. I'll keep my options open. If that's okay with you."
Madison smiled, nodding.
---- -----
Hanna's Room
Hanna sat on her bed, texting Jack on her phone.
Thanks for the help.
Hanna sighed. She got a text back after a moment.
Anytime.
Hanna smiled a small smile, placing the phone on her side, looking around.
---- -----
Day Four
Morning - McCoy House - Kitchen
Dakota and Jean were getting ready to leave for the memorial.
Jean walked toward Dakota, holding an envelope toward her.
Dakota took it in confusion. "What is this?"
"It's for your birthday," Jean told her. "I know that it's not today, but I thought that you would need something to make you feel a little better."
"Mom, I told you I didn't want to make a big deal out of this," Dakota told her.
"I know," Jean told her. "Which is why your friends and Mara each added some money to a present for you to let you decide how to use it without any more surprises than you've been getting lately. It was Mara's idea."
"Mara has a lot of good ideas," Dakota told her.
Jean smiled a small smile. "Yes, she does. No surprises, no anything out of the blue. You get to choose what to do."
"Well, I will be sure to thank them all," Dakota told her. Jean chuckled softly, nodding. Dakota and Jean embraced for a long moment, pulling away. "We better go."
"Yeah," Jean agreed. "I'll drive you in your new car."
Dakota chuckled, nodding. "That'd be great."
Jean and Dakota walked out together.
---- -----
Rosewood High School - Multipurpose Room
A crowd was gathered for the memorial, including the girls, their families, and Jenna.
Jason found Mara at the back of the room, walking toward her. "Hello, Mara."
"Jason," Mara replied.
"So I heard from the girls that the memorial was your idea," Jason told her.
Mara nodded. "Yeah. I just wanted to give the girls a chance to say goodbye and get closure."
"I thought you didn't believe in closure," Jason told her.
"What I believe is that when you lose someone, it leaves a hole inside of you that you can't make go away or make disappear," Mara told him. "That you can't make it completely close, no matter the time or the distance away from what you've lost. But I also believe that there is a way to live on even if you have to live on with the pain, and to do that, you have to find a way to move on."
Jason nodded. "So a form of closure. But the wound never really closes. That's what you're saying?"
Mara smiled a small smile, shrugging. They both chuckled softly, fading into silence and seriousness.
"Have a day of peace to help your youngest sister say goodbye to your middle sister, Jason," Mara told him. "She could very well need you to be there for her."
Jason considered this seriously, nodding. Mara managed a small, sympathetic smile.
Pen stood at the podium in front of everyone, next to Alison's picture. She was preparing her speech when she saw Ian at the back of the room, confused. The other girls followed her gaze.
"Ian?" Peyton asked.
"Wait," Lucy told them. "Melissa's Ian?"
Pen started her speech. "Um..." Wilden walked in from the back. "Alison was my sister. I loved her, even though we could really get under each other's skin. She made me who I am. She was the only person that I felt I could be angry with without worrying that I was gonna lose her. Every sister thinks that their relationship is going to last forever. And that's why it hurts so much... when that forever is taken away from you."
Emily and Lucy looked at Mara. Mara smiled sadly.
Spencer, Peyton and Demi looked at each other sadly.
It was time for the other girls to speak.
Spencer started her speech. "I can't remember not knowing Alison. Not having her as a friend. Even when we fought, even when we argued... we still remained close. Which is something that you need, especially when you're a kid."
Hanna started her speech. "Friends are hard on each other. Maybe they expect more from you than strangers. Strangers pretty much see you the way you want them to see you, but... you can't fool friends." She managed a small smile. "That's what makes them friends."
Lucy started her speech. "Alison made most of us who we are. If it was for better, or for worse, she defined our lives. Whatever the case, she has made a difference in most of our lives. She lived to make changes for us. So it's fitting that we make changes for her, with this memorial, and bringing peace."
Madison started her speech. "She loved to laugh. She loved to play games. And she loved to teach you how to play, so that you could play with her, or she could play against you. Most of us lived for the game, too. As she would say, 'the game is on, and it is far from over'. We loved her. We still do. And we miss her, too."
Emily started her speech. "That corner of the park is going to be a safe place. Where you can go and sit, read a book, and just think. You should think about Alison when you're there. She'd want to make sure you didn't forget about her."
Aria started her speech. "You do something like this, a memorial, partly because you don't understand what's happened. So you--you plant flowers and you paint tiles, and... somewhere in the middle of all that work, you stop crying. I guess that's the point."
Peyton started to give her speech. "She would have liked that you were all here. She would have liked the attention. No, actually, she would have loved the attention." The girls smiled sadly. "It would have made her laugh. And Alison laughing... that was amazing."
Dakota started to give her speech. "I didn't know Alison for as long as many have. But when I came to Rosewood, almost immediately, she invited me to join her friends. Normally, I'm not one to accept something like that, but I wanted to have friends unlike everywhere else. And Alison... Ali gave me friends that I could never part with. And I wish that she was still one of them. Even if she's gone, she won't be forgotten."
Everyone seemed moved by the girls' speeches.
Jason helped Jenna up so that she could make her way to the front.
The girls waited anxiously for whatever Jenna would say.
"We think we know who we are, but we don't," Jenna told them. "Not until something bad happens to us, and then all the useless things fall away, and we're left with who we really are. I learned that from Alison DiLaurentis. My whole life, I thought I knew who she was, but I found out the truth when she came and talked to me at the hospital." The girls looked worried. "I found out... that she was one of the strongest people that I had ever met. And it's her strength that touched so many people. Shaped them. That's her real legacy. That's how her memory will endure, in the actions of those she inspired in so many different ways." The girls were completely stunned with this. "From all of us... thank you, Alison."
---- -----
DiLaurentis House (Temporary) - Kitchen
The girls walked in.
"I need sugar," Hanna told them.
"Me too," Madison told them.
Dakota took out her envelope from her mother. "I'm buying." She looked at the girls. "Thank you for this, by the way."
The other girls smiled small smiles.
"Of course, Kota," Aria told her.
Jason walked in, hanging up his phone, looking at Pen. "That was our folks." He looked around at the other girls. "They say thanks. So do I. For the memorial and for being here with Pen when we couldn't."
"You're welcome," Emily told them.
Pen managed a small smile.
Jason reached into his jacket. "And I want you girls to have something." He unfolded a red paper to pull something out. "The police returned this to our parents. I think you should have it."
Jason placed down another version of Alison's friendship bracelet on the counter. Pen picked it up.
"The police gave that to Mom and Dad?" Lucy asked.
Jason nodded. "Alison was wearing it."
"You mean when they found her?" Peyton asked.
"After listening today, I just... thought you should have it," Jason told them. He looked at Pen. "I'll be back."
Pen nodded.
Jason walked out of the house.
Spencer walked toward Pen. "If that's Alison's bracelet, what about the one you four found in the woods?"
Pen was weirded out and in shock. "Someone made a copy of Alison's bracelet."
Madison gestured between herself, Pen, Lucy and Peyton. "Yeah, and made sure that the four of us would find it."
The girls all looked at each other nervously.
---- -----
Night - Town Square
Someone unseen was walking up to the memorial bench and tiles set up for Alison. Whoever it was started to destroy the tiles with a shovel, then the birdbath, tossing down all the flowers and kicking over all the candles.