Outfits in the external link
From 1.10 "Keep Your Friends Close", Dakota pulled her car over in the woods.
Madison: (voice over) "Previously on Worlds Colliding (Pretty Little Liars)"
Toby sat up behind her in the backseat. "I want to finish what I started to tell you at homecoming."
From 1.10 "Keep Your Friends Close", in the school hallway, the girls were talking.
Pen pointed down the hallway toward where Ian was shaking hands of male students. "Ian's here."
"Does Melissa know he's back?" Lucy asked.
"I don't know why she ever broke up with him," Madison told them.
"She didn't," Peyton answered. "He broke up with her."
From 1.08 "Please, Do Talk About Me When I'm Gone", in the school hallway, Madison and Hanna were talking while Madison was at her locker.
"This is Noel Kahn," Hanna told her. "He was your biggest crush all through middle school..."
From 1.09 "The Perfect Storm), in the music room, Madison and Noel finished the song together, finally leaning closer to kiss slowly and softly.
Hanna: (voice over from 1.08 Please, Do Talk About Me When I'm Gone) "And now he's asked you out."
From 1.10 "Keep Your Friends Close", in the living room, the Fields girls were reuniting with Wayne, while Maya was watching.
"Dad, this is our friend, Maya," Emily told him.
Maya shook his hand. "Very happy to meet you."
From 1.10 "Keep Your Friends Close", outside the church, Toby was arrested by the police.
From 1.10 "Keep Your Friends Close", in Wright's Playground, the girls, minus Hanna, Aria and Madison, found the carving: 'Alison + Ian' on the tree inside the heart.
"Alison loves Ian?" Peyton asked.
From 1.10 "Keep Your Friends Close", in Ezra's car, Ezra and Aria were talking.
"I was wrong," Ezra told her.
They started to make out.
A figure in a black hoodie walked up to the car, drawing a message in the condensation of the back window, while Ezra and Aria were too busy making out inside the car to notice. The message was 'I See You'. The figure writing the message ran away from the car.
Hanna and Madison started to follow.
From 1.10 "Keep Your Friends Close", in Wright's Playground, the other girls were still looking at the carving on the tree.
Pen's phone went off. She took it out to look at the text from Madison.
S.O.S. Hanna and I know who A is. Heading to the parking lot.
From 1.10 "Keep Your Friends Close", in the parking lot, Hanna and Madison ran toward the other girls.
Peyton looked behind them worriedly. "Watch out!"
"Look behind you!" Dakota told them.
Hanna and Madison turned to see a car barreling toward them.
"Hanna, no!" Madison told her.
Madison hurriedly pushed Hanna out of the way, trying to run out of the way, but she was hit in the process by the car, flipping over it to the ground, landing badly.
The car drove away quickly.
The other girls ran closer in shock and horror and worry.
Hanna ran closer, crawling closer to hold Madison in shock. "Maddie, stay awake. Maddie!"
Lucy pulled out her phone to call. "There's been an accident. Please hurry!"
Madison's phone was on the ground, ringing as she was getting a text.
Dakota picked up Madison's phone, reading the text from A aloud in a shaky, desperate voice. "'She knew too much. A'."
The girls were all crying in horror and devastation, in denial that they were losing Madison.
---- / -----
Same Night - Day One
Night - Woods
The car that had hit Madison was driving away, with its headlight broken and dragging. The driver pulled over, getting out of the car. Their identity was unseen, but was in the complete black outfit. The unknown figure ran away.
---- -----
Parking Lot
The paramedics had Madison on a stretcher with a breathing mask on, moving her into the back of the ambulance.
The other girls were watching frantically, along with a crowd.
Mona walked up to Hanna. "Is that Madison?"
Hanna nodded. "I have to get to the hospital." The ambulance drove away, leaving. Hanna turned to the other girls. "Are you guys okay to drive?"
"Yeah, I guess so," Emily answered.
"Okay," Aria told them.
The girls all turned to leave. Dakota paused when she saw Noel was watching from the edge of the treeline, confused, following the other girls.
---- -----
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.
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."
(Song Ends)
---- -----
Rosewood Hospital - Waiting Room
Mara came to the hospital to check on Emily and Lucy.
"Hanna and their mom is with the doctor," Lucy told her. "They don't know who was driving the car."
"Are you guys okay?" Mara asked in concern, worried.
Emily nodded.
Aria and Pen were talking to Evan, who had just gotten here.
"We were at Mona's party, and Madison got a text," Aria told him.
"So, we were going to the parking lot to meet her, and that's when she got it," Pen explained.
Spencer was on the phone with her parents. "She was unconscious. We couldn't talk to her. That's why we want to wait. Maybe they'll let us see her or something."
Dakota was on the phone with her mother, seeing that Ashley and Hanna were walking into the room. "Um, let me call you back when I know something."
Spencer and Dakota hung up their phones.
All the girls stood to talk to Hanna and Ashley.
"Is she okay?" Peyton asked.
"She is going to be all right," Hanna answered. "She, uh... she has a broken leg, and a broken ankle, bruised ribs, and, uh, they might have to remove her spleen."
The girls were all worried and horrified, as were Mara and Evan.
"What happened?" Ashley asked.
"Hanna and Madison were coming across the parking lot, and this car just came out of nowhere," Dakota answered.
"Well, the police were talking to me and Evan, and they found the car," Mara told them. "They said it was stolen from a campground lot."
"Did they catch the driver?" Emily asked.
"No, not yet," Evan answered.
"Well, the cops should be looking for Toby Cavanaugh," Spencer told them.
"It wasn't Toby Cavanaugh," Mara told them. "The police picked him up tonight."
"What?" Lucy asked.
"One of the cops told us they found him hiding in town, and they were bringing him into the station when they got the call about Madison," Evan explained.
Mara sighed. "You girls should go home."
"I will call you when Madison can have visitors," Hanna told them.
"Just let Madison know that we were here," Aria told them.
"I will, when she wakes up," Hanna told them.
Ashley walked out of the room.
Mara looked at the girls. "I'll get us ready to leave."
Mara walked away.
Evan turned to Pen. "I'll see you later, okay?"
Pen nodded. "Thanks for coming. It means a lot."
Evan let go of Pen's hand, walking out of the room.
Now that the girls were alone, they could talk.
"Toby isn't A," Peyton told them.
"Well, I couldn't see the face clearly, but Madison did," Hanna told them. "She knows who it is. That's why A tried to kill her."
"You think they're just trying to scare us?" Emily asked.
"Well, it worked," Lucy told them.
"This was never about scaring us," Dakota told them. "That was just a bonus. This started with murder. We were crazy to think that it wouldn't end up like this."
"So should we tell the cops?" Aria asked.
"Tell them what?" Pen asked.
"Everything," Peyton answered.
"We don't know everything," Spencer told them.
"So what do we do?" Aria asked.
"Well, we talk to Madison before we do anything," Hanna answered.
"Is Madison safe here?" Lucy asked worriedly.
The girls looked at each other uncertainly, trying to convince themselves she was.
Peyton nodded. "Yeah. I mean, nothing will happen to her while Hanna and their mom is with her."
The girls walked away, besides Hanna, leaving.
Hanna sighed, turning around to walk down the way toward Madison's hospital room.
---- -----
Hastings House - Kitchen
Spencer and Peyton walked into the kitchen of their home, putting their bags down.
Melissa was standing by the counter. "Mom said you called. Are you all right?"
Spencer nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, we're okay."
"What happened?" Melissa asked.
Peyton started to cry. Melissa was worried and concerned, hugging Peyton, surprising both her and Spencer.
"A car hit Madison," Peyton answered.
"A car?" Melissa repeated. "Who was driving?"
"We don't know," Spencer told her.
"And they didn't stop?" Melissa asked.
Peyton and Melissa pulled away from their hug.
"No, they just--they just knocked her down and drove away," Peyton answered.
"Oh, God," Melissa told them.
They heard Ian's voice. "Is she okay?"
They looked toward the door to see Ian standing there with his shirt open.
"She's just shaken up," Melissa told him.
"No, I mean Madison," Ian told them.
"Yeah," Spencer answered. "Yeah, Hanna said she was gonna be all right."
"Good," Ian told them. "Head's up, girls, I'm canceling Monday's practice."
"I'll be out in a minute, Ian," Melissa told him.
"Okay," Ian told them, walking out of the house toward the barn.
Peyton looked at Melissa in surprise. "He stayed the night?"
Melissa chuckled. "It's not like we're strangers. We went out for two years, and we had a lot to talk about. Go upstairs. Get some sleep, okay?"
"Okay," Peyton told her.
Peyton and Spencer watched Melissa walk outside.
---- -----
Day Two
Morning - Rosewood Hospital - Madison's Room
Madison was starting to wake up in her bed, wearing the custom hospital robe.
Ashley and Hanna were sitting with her.
Hanna leaned closer to hug Madison softly in relief.
Ashley brushed back Madison's hair. "When they find the maniac who did this to you, I will kill him. After I kill him, I will sue him."
"Have you seen the girls?" Madison asked.
"Yeah, they were all here last night," Hanna answered. "Mom sent them home. Noel was here, too."
"Hanna, can you call the girls?" Madison asked. "They have to come back."
"That can wait," Ashley told her.
"No," Madison told her. "No, Mom, it can't."
"I will call them," Hanna told her. "You relax."
---- -----
Street
Ezra and Aria were looking at the message 'I see you' in the dust on the back windshield of Ezra's car.
"I didn't see it until I came down this morning," Ezra told her.
"Maybe somebody put it there after you parked," Aria told him.
"Aria, we both know when this happened," Ezra told her. "This happened last night."
Aria shook her head. "I don't know that, and neither do you."
"'I see you'?" Ezra asked. "Not 'wash me'. Not 'go sharks'. 'I see you'. That's very specific."
"Maybe it's specific, but it doesn't mean anything," Aria told him.
"Aria, it means somebody saw us last night," Ezra told her.
They looked around to make sure no one was close enough to hear.
Aria looked at Ezra. "It doesn't mean anything."
Aria turned to wipe the message off the back windshield with her sleeve.
---- -----
Fields House - Dining Room
Emily, Lucy, Mara, Pam and Wayne were all sitting around the dinner table, eating breakfast.
Wayne passed a plate to Pam. "Here you go."
"Thank you," Pam told him.
"Mm-hmm," Wayne hummed, passing a plate to Lucy.
Lucy passed the plate to Emily. "I don't really want anything."
"You need to eat some breakfast," Pam told her.
Wayne looked at Emily. "I don't want you driving back to the hospital if you're stressed out."
"I'll drive them," Mara told them. "They'll be safe."
"You know, everyone in this town feels a lot safer with Toby Cavanaugh locked up," Pam told them.
Mara was annoyed but tried not to show it. "What happened to innocent until proven guilty?"
"Guilty or not, he's better with the police than wandering around on his own," Wayne told them.
"There's always more to a story than people think," Emily told them.
Lucy's phone rang. She started to get it out.
"Not at the table," Pam told her.
"It might be about Madison," Lucy told them.
Wayne nodded in understanding. "It's all right."
Lucy pulled out her phone to look at the text from Hanna.
Maddie's awake. She wants to talk.
---- -----
Rosewood Hospital - Madison's Room
The girls were with Madison, Hanna and Ashley, but giving them enough room.
"Does it hurt?" Pen asked.
"Yeah, kind of," Madison answered.
"Do you remember what happened?" Spencer asked.
Madison avoided looking at Ashley, nodding. "Uh, yeah, I remember."
Hanna realized what Madison meant. "Um, Mom, you've been here the whole time, too. You wanna take a break?"
"Are you sure?" Ashley asked.
"Yeah," Hanna answered.
"I'll be back in a couple of hours," Ashley told them, standing, walking out of the room.
Dakota stood, walking toward the door, closing and locking it, walking back over to the girls.
"Noel Kahn is A," Madison told them.
The girls looked at her in shock.
---- / -----
The girls were still talking.
"What?" Peyton asked. "Are you serious?"
Madison nodded. "Yeah, I saw his face, in the woods, and he left an A message."
"You saw him leave a message?" Dakota asked.
"He wrote something on the back of a car window," Hanna told them.
"What car?" Emily asked. "What did he write?"
Hanna and Madison looked at Aria.
"'I see you'," Aria answered.
"How do you know?" Lucy asked.
"I was in the car," Aria answered.
"Whose car was it?" Pen asked.
Aria hesitated, sighing. "Ezra Fitz."
"Mr. Fitz?" Spencer asked.
Aria nodded, looking down.
"Aria," Emily told her.
"Hanna?" Dakota asked. "Madison?"
Hanna nodded. "It was Mr. Fitz."
Peyton stood, looking at Aria. "You and Mr. Fitz?"
"You met him there?" Lucy asked.
"The call you got at the party, that was from him?" Emily asked.
"I couldn't tell," Aria told them. "I couldn't tell anyone. I promised Ezra."
"Ezra?" Dakota repeated. "Whoa, hold it. This is something that's been going on? You and a teacher?"
"I didn't just get into his car last night," Aria told them. "Who do you think I am?"
"How long have you been seeing him?" Peyton asked, standing.
Aria looked away. "Since right before school started."
"Oh, my God," Spencer told her. "Since Labor Day?"
Aria nodded.
"Okay, so you don't have a boyfriend in Iceland?" Madison asked.
"No, I did," Aria answered. "Yeah, but it's not like that."
Hanna suddenly realized something, turning to Madison. "Oh, my God. I fixed you up with Noel. Who we think is A and who we think ran you over with a car."
Pen looked at Aria. "And why did you get in Fitz's car last night?"
"Well, he, um, called me, and..." Aria trailed off. Spencer gave Aria a look. "Oh, don't look at me like that."
Spencer looked away.
"My head hurts just as much as the damage from the Creeps now," Dakota told them.
Lucy looked at Madison and Hanna. "What exactly did you see?"
"Well, we saw Aria go into a parked car, and then we saw someone in a black hoodie write something on the back of the car window," Madison answered. "And when he turned around, I saw his face when Hanna didn't, and I saw that it was Noel."
Aria was confused. "The message on the car window wasn't signed."
"What do you mean?" Hanna asked.
"I mean, that it didn't have that -- A at the end," Aria answered, illustrating with her fingers.
"So, are you saying that Noel is not A?" Lucy asked in confusion.
"Aria, they saw what they saw," Emily told her.
"And A tried to kill Madison for it," Spencer told them.
"Okay, but none of us saw who was driving the car," Peyton told them.
There was a knock on the door.
Madison sighed. "If that's someone with painkillers, just let them in."
Pen walked toward the door, unlocking it, opening it to see Noel outside with a basket of snacks with a small stuffed animal, a balloon and flowers, surprised to see him. "Noel. Hey."
Pen looked back toward the girls, who were all just as surprised as she was, looking back at Noel.
"I just heard about Madison," Noel told her. "Thought I'd try to visit."
Pen looked back at Madison. Madison nodded. Pen let Noel into the room, nodding for the other girls to follow her out of the room. The girls left the room, but stayed right outside so they could hear the conversation and be there if they needed to protect Madison.
Noel placed the gifts down for Madison on the nightstand. "Hey. Got you things."
Madison managed a small nervous smile, clearly hoping that he wasn't A, but knowing what she saw. "Hey. Um... thanks."
"What happened?" Noel asked.
"Don't you know?" Madison asked.
"I heard it was a hit-and-run," Noel told her.
"Who told you that?" Madison asked.
Noel gave her the flowers. "Sean. Are you gonna be okay?"
"Yeah, I hope so," Madison answered.
"This is insane," Noel told her.
"Yeah, you're right about that," Madison told him.
"I have to go, but we need to talk, later," Noel told her. "I'll be back."
Madison nodded. "Okay." Noel leaned closer to kiss Madison on the head, and she stayed still so she didn't give anything away. Noel walked toward the door. Madison hesitated. "Noel." Noel stopped, turning back. "Where were you last night?"
"Hanging out with Sean," Noel told her. "Why?"
"Um, no, I was just wondering," Madison told him. Noel waved bye, walking out of the room. The other girls returned to the room to talk to Madison. "He lied to me about being there. He said he was with Sean."
---- -----
Fields House - Living Room
(Song:) Stand By Me - Trent Dabbs
Wayne and Pam were snuggling on the couch.
Pam started to sit up. "This house isn't gonna clean itself."
"This house looks fine to me," Wayne told her.
"The water heater's on its last leg," Pam told him.
"I'll take care of it," Wayne told her.
Pam chuckled. "I'm sorry."
Wayne held her hand. "About what?"
"You come home, and all I do is rattle off a list of things that are broken," Pam answered.
"It's all right," Wayne told her, pulling Pam into his arms, kissing her on the head. "It makes me feel needed."
"Oh, you're needed," Pam told him. "How long?"
"Not sure," Wayne told her. "They want me to supervise some training exercises, but they haven't set a schedule yet."
"Where do you have to go?" Pam asked.
"Texas," Wayne answered. "It's only one time zone away."
Pam smiled a small smile. "It's just so much better when you're here, for me and the girls. It's just better for them with the whole team, you know?"
"I know," Wayne told her. "You're doing great, though."
Pam sat up. "Honey, so much has happened to them. And their friends."
"Is this about the business with the Cavanaugh kid, what happened with Dakota or Madison or Alison?" Wayne asked.
"Yes," Pam answered. "They're just really confused right now."
"Confused how?" Wayne asked.
"Oh, honey, daughters don't talk to their mothers the way they talk to their sisters," Pam told him. "Emily and Lucy are talking more to Mara than they've talked with me."
"You need them to tell you something, you ask them," Wayne told her. "They'll tell you the truth."
Pam managed a small smile. "I gotta finish."
Pam leaned closer to kiss Wayne, standing, walking away to clean.
(Song Ends)
---- -----
Rosewood Hospital - Madison's Room
Madison was sleeping, having nightmares about the night before, about the girls yelling out her name, turning to look at the car, pushing Hanna out of the way to save her from being hit, and then getting hit herself and flipping over the car, and landing on the ground unconscious. She woke up to find the stuffed animal bear that Noel had given her staring at her, getting creeped out, turning the bear around to face the opposite direction so it wasn't staring at her. She saw that the doorknob was slowly starting to move, getting paranoid and a little scared.
Hanna walked in with Mona.
Mona was waving a white bra like a white flag.
Madison calmed down, sighing. "Oh, my God, Hanna. Mona."
"I'm waving a white La Perla," Mona told her. "That's like the international peace symbol. Can I come in?"
Madison chuckled. "Yeah. Come in."
Mona looked at Madison's cast. "Oh, that cast. That's--" She put her bag down. "That's like for a broken leg. That won't keep you from wearing heels, will it?"
"Just for a little bit," Hanna answered in amusement.
Mona took Hanna's hand. "Aw. If I hadn't uninvited you to my party, then you wouldn't have felt so desperate that you had sneak around the edges to look out for your sister, and she wouldn't have gotten hit by that car." She walked away a little bit, sighing. "I almost feel guilty."
"Mona, you don't have anything to feel guilty for," Hanna told her.
Mona smiled. "Oh, good."
"Can we go back to being friends?" Hanna asked.
"The past is forgotten," Mona told her. "Friends forever."
They smiled.
Mona looked at Madison.
"What?" Madison asked.
"You just look sort of... vague," Mona answered.
Madison felt her face. "Oh, um, I don't have any makeup on."
Mona held up her makeup bag, smiling. "I can fix that."
(Song:) What's Going On - Hayley Taylor
Hanna and Mona had helped Madison put makeup on, all of them smiling small smiles.
Mona looked at Hanna. "Oh, I'm glad we're friends again. I promise never to listen to another rumor unless I start it myself. Do you remember that time you threw up on the trampoline? You did that back flip, and you barfed as you went over."
"Trust me, I remember," Hanna answered.
"Yeah, that's not something that you're likely to forget," Madison told them.
They chuckled.
Mona looked at Hanna. "Well, the thing I remember was your dismount. You knew everybody was staring at you. You got to the edge, climbed down, and looked at us. You wiped your mouth, and then you took a bow." Madison and Hanna smiled. "I was in awe."
"Of Hanna hurling on the trampoline?" Madison asked.
"No, of that bow," Mona answered. "I mean, it was like this incredible life lesson. That's when I knew I wanted to be your friend."
Hanna smiled. "Wow. I never knew that."
Mona tilted her head. "Because I never told you." She looked at her makeup. "Ah, concealer. The true miracle drug."
Madison smiled as they continued to do her makeup.
(Song Ends)
---- -----
Night - DiLaurentis House (Temporary) - Backyard
Emily, Spencer, Aria and Dakota were all drinking coffee, standing around. While Pen, Peyton and Lucy were sitting down, eating ice cream.
"Are you sure about what you saw on that tree?" Aria asked.
"We all saw it, Aria," Emily told her.
"And are we sure that Ali didn't just put it up there to see what it might look like?" Lucy asked.
"No," Pen answered. "Ali may have done some psycho things, but she would never do anything tacky."
"Anyway, Ian was with Melissa last night, so he couldn't be A, which brings us back to Noel," Peyton told them.
"He had means," Spencer told them. "He had opportunity. Those pictures of Emily and Maya were stolen at Noel's party, right? And Madison and Hanna saw him write that message on the back of Mr. Fitz's car."
"Hold on, just slow down," Dakota told her. "You flipped over to Noel awful fast. Just 12 hours ago, you were so sure that it was Toby."
"A or not, we still need to know what Noel saw, and what he plans to do about it," Lucy told them.
The girls knew that she was right, sighing.
---- -----
Rosewood Hospital - Madison's Room
Madison was alone in the room, sleeping. She heard the door start to open, turning.
Noel walked in.
"What are you doing here so late?" Madison asked. "Visiting hours are over. If they catch you--"
Noel smirked, shaking his head. "They're no match for the ninja. How are you?"
"Better," Madison answered.
"That's great," Noel told her. "Did they catch the guy that did it?"
"Not yet," Madison answered. "The police are talking to everyone who was there to see if anyone saw anything." She hesitated for a moment. "Did you see anything?"
"Who told you I was at the campground?" Noel asked.
"I saw you in the woods, writing a message on a teacher's car window," Madison answered. "I wasn't sure then, but I'm sure now. It was you."
Noel sighed, walking closer. "It was supposed to be a joke."
"A joke?" Madison repeated.
Noel nodded. "Yeah, like a movie. Bunch of girls in the woods. I went out there to give you guys a scare. I saw Aria get into Mr. Fitz's car. So, yeah, I saw them making out, and I wrote on the window. It was a joke, and I wanted to scare them. We can take that teacher down if you want me to. They can fire him. They can put him in jail."
"Noel, stop," Madison told him. "It's not like that. Aria... Aria told me and my friends the truth about her and Mr. Fitz after what we saw."
"So you didn't know before last night?" Noel asked.
"No," Madison answered. "But if you care about me at all, please don't say anything to anyone. Okay, I don't want anyone to get hurt. Promise me."
"All right," Noel told her. "I promise. I have to go."
Noel walked out of the room.
Madison looked worried but relieved.
---- / -----
Day Three
Morning - Rosewood Hospital - Madison's Room
Madison was sleeping. Ashley and Hanna were sitting at her bedside. Hanna was just now waking up after falling asleep with a magazine on her chest. Madison started to wake up.
"Hey," Ashley told her. "You all right?"
"Yeah," Madison answered. "They adjusted my meds. I'm just getting used to them." She looked at a bunch of flowers on the table. "Who sent the orchids?"
"Noel brought them this morning," Ashley answered. "Very nice." Madison and Hanna exchanged a look. "Why do you look worried?"
"I'm alone here with a mummified leg," Madison told her. "I'm wondering how how I'm gonna go to the bathroom. So I'm worried."
"That is good reason to worry," Hanna told them.
Ashley and Hanna smiled.
Ashley held Madison's hand. "You concentrate on getting well, okay?"
Madison nodded.
---- -----
Rosewood High School - Hallway
Dakota was walking through the hallway, on the phone. "Do you know when Agent Cooper will be back? It's about Toby Cavanaugh. I want to know if he's allowed to have any visitors. No, I'm not family. I'm a friend. Just have her call me back. Thank you."
Dakota noticed Jenna at the side of the hallway, hanging up.
"He doesn't want to see you," Jenna told her. "And even if he did, I wouldn't let him. He's been hurt, Dakota. You should be able to understand that."
"I didn't tell the police where he was," Dakota told her defensively.
"But look at what you've done," Jenna told her. "You've made him run away. The police came to our house because of you. They found that sweater because of you."
"It was a date at a dance," Dakota told her. "I didn't set anything into motion. It just happened. Let me talk to him, please.'
"No," Jenna told her angrily. "I'm not gonna let anyone come between us again."
Jenna used her cane to stand herself up, starting to walk past Dakota.
Dakota turned after her, obviously trying not to be angry. "Somebody should have come between you two a long time ago. Maybe a social worker with a bucket of ice water."
Jenna didn't answer, walking away.
---- -----
Rosewood Hospital - Madison's Room
Madison was starting to wake up, almost as if she was inside a dream.
Alison was standing in a hospital employee's candy striped outfit, looking at Madison's X-rays, turning to face her, seeing that she was awake, smiling. "Did you miss me?"
Madison was stunned, confused. "Ali? They said you were dead."
"Yeah, I heard that, too," Alison told her. "But here I am."
"What happened to you?" Madison asked.
"It's complicated, Madison," Alison told her. "Really complicated. Worse than algebra."
"What happened when you left the barn?" Madison asked. "We all wanna know."
"You already do," Alison told her. "All of you combined. You remember more about that night than you think you do."
Alison looked toward the door.
"Where'd you go?" Madison asked. "Did you meet a boy? Noel?"
"Noel?" Alison repeated in amusement, smiling, scoffing. "Please."
"Please just tell me the truth," Madison told her.
"It won't make any difference, darling," Alison told her.
"How can you say that?" Madison asked.
"Because I know," Alison answered. "You think the truth is some big shiny disco ball of purity? Then go ahead and try it. Be honest. See what it gets you. Telling the truth to the wrong person at the wrong time is how I ended up where I am. Take it from me, you're always better off with a really good lie." Madison was dozing in and out, not sure if this was real or a dream. Alison checked her watch. "Gotta go."
"Where?" Madison asked.
Alison paused at the door. "I was so scared that you were gonna die. You and Dakota. That's why I came back. I didn't care how dangerous it was, I had to see both of you. You know, I really should do something about A. That bitch is genuinely getting on my nerves."
Alison walked out of the room down the hallway, pausing to look around to see if anyone was around, satisfied that no one was, walking away down the hall.
Madison was still confused as to whether this was a dream or reality, turning her head to see Alison's lipstick staining a plastic cup on the table next to her. She started to fall back asleep.
---- / -----
Rosewood High School - Ezra's Classroom
Aria was sitting at a desk, waiting.
Ezra walked in. "I was gonna look for you."
"I think we need to talk," Aria told him.
Ezra walked closer. "Yeah, uh, I'm sorry about the car situation. Common sense kicked in about third period. You're right. Somebody probably just doesn't like the way I park."
"Yeah, but you are right about there being other people," Aria told him. "We have to be really careful."
"Remember, careful made you unhappy," Ezra told her.
"You don't make me unhappy," Aria told him. "You totally mess me up, and I feel miserable sometimes, but you don't make me unhappy. I wasn't unhappy the other night."
"But?" Ezra asked.
"But..." Aria trailed off. "Would you go back if you could? If you knew that it would be this complicated, would you have even talked to me that first day in the bar?"
Ezra sat in the desk in front of Aria, facing her. "I've thought about it. If I had left before you walked in, we'd have no problems. You'd just be a pretty girl that sits one row over from the windows, and I'd be the new teacher."
"All neat and tidy," Aria told him.
They both chuckled.
"Is that what you want?" Ezra asked. "To go back?"
"No," Aria answered.
"Me either," Ezra told her. "So we don't go back. We go forward... together."
---- -----
Fields House - Emily's Room
Emily was lying on her bed, on the phone. "I don't know, Maya. I mean, with Madison in the hospital, everything's on hold. Yeah, I miss you, too. Maybe tomorrow?" Lucy leaned against the doorway. Emily saw her, speaking to Maya. "I gotta go. Right, bye."
Emily hung up, sitting up.
"Was that Madison?" Lucy asked.
"No," Emily answered. "Maya." Mara walked into the room. "Does Mom need help with dinner?"
"No, not yet," Mara answered.
"Okay," Lucy told her.
"I overheard Mom and Dad talking," Mara told them. "About how Mom thinks that you two are keeping some kind of secret, and Dad knows that you've been jumpy since he got home. And something's eating at you. I've seen it, and they're starting to see it to."
"It's just this stuff going on with Maya, and all this stuff with Dakota and Madison that we've been going through with them," Lucy told her. "Confusion and all."
"I get that, but that's not all there is," Mara told them. "Listen, if someone's giving you a hard time, tell me, and I will take care of it."
"It's not like that," Lucy told her.
"If you need help, you ask for it," Mara told them. "There's nothing to be ashamed about."
Pam and Wayne were walking up to tell the girls that dinner was going to be ready soon, but they stopped outside the room when they heard the girls talking.
"It's just that we're scared about telling Mom and Dad the truth," Emily told her.
Pam and Wayne walked in.
"Why are you scared of us?" Wayne asked.
"Because I'm not who you think I am," Emily told them.
Wayne chuckled. "You're Emily Fields, my little girl. I'd know you anywhere. I got a picture of the three of you in my wallet."
"I'm eight years old in that picture," Lucy told him. "Those are different girls."
"They're the same girls," Wayne told them. "We just need a new picture."
Pam took out the picture that she had received in the mail from A, along with a note. "It's not that simple." She handed the pictures to Emily, and a note from A to Lucy. "What is this?"
The pictures were of Emily and Maya kissing.
The note said:
Wanna know what's jumping your daughters? Emily's kissing a girl, and Lucy's curious about both. Don't believe me? Ask them!
-- A
Emily and Lucy both looked upset and near tears but not surprised by this coming from A to force them to confront their parents.
Mara took the pictures and the note so they didn't have to look at them.
"Is this true?" Pam asked. "Are you guy?"
"Lucy's not," Emily answered. "But I am."
They all had to sit down, reeling from all of this.
---- -----
Wright's Playground
Aria, Spencer, Peyton, Dakota and Pen were walking through the woods toward Wright's Playground, talking about Ezra.
"A bar?" Peyton asked. "You met him in a bar?"
"It's not a bar, it's a pub," Aria told them.
"And he hit on you?" Pen asked.
"Yeah," Aria answered. "We were talking about writing."
"Yeah, read any good books lately?" Dakota asked sarcastically.
"Hey, seriously," Aria told them.
"Boy, I'll tell you, part of me thinks this is really self-destructive behavior, but most of me just thinks it's really hot," Spencer told them.
"Guys, don't tease, okay?" Aria asked. "It's not funny. It's the opposite of funny."
"I'm sorry," Pen told her. "It's just... I don't know how I'm supposed to react to all of this."
"Yeah, neither do I," Peyton told them.
"Show me the stupid tree, okay?" Aria asked.
"Yeah," Dakota answered. "It's right over here."
They walked over to the tree, but all they saw was a tree stump.
"You are not gonna tell me..." Aria trailed off.
"No, this was it," Spencer told them. "It was right here."
"Wait, are you sure that you have the right spot?" Aria asked.
"I'm sure," Pen answered. "It's gone."
The girls looked around incredulously.
---- / -----
Fields House - Living Room
Wayne was sitting on the couch.
Pam was pacing anxiously. "This isn't something Emily came up with on her own. It's that girl from California. Maya."
"Before we start talking about other people, let's just talk about our daughters," Wayne told her. "This isn't just Emily we're talking about here."
"Lucy is not the one that is in a relationship with a girl," Pam told him. "Yes, she might be conflicted, yes, she might be confused, but that's normal for a girl her age, isn't it?" Mara walked in with tea. Pam took the tea from Mara gratefully to drink, giving her a look. "Why didn't they tell us?"
"They were afraid," Mara answered.
"Of me?" Pam asked.
"Of how you would react," Mara answered. "Both of you."
"They're not afraid of us," Pam told them. "You know what they're afraid of?" She showed Mara the pictures and the note from A again. "This is what they're afraid of."
"Where did you get these?" Mara asked.
"Somebody mailed it to me," Pam answered. Emily and Lucy were listening from the hallway on the stairs. "Someone who wanted me to know."
Mara showed them the signature '-- A'. "I got an email with this signature with those pictures of Emily and Maya. From the same person."
"You knew this whole time, and you didn't tell me?" Pam asked.
"When was I supposed to tell you?" Mara asked. "When both of us were too busy working, or when Dad walked through the door after being gone for eight months? Is that how I'm supposed to welcome my dad home?"
Wayne and Pam looked down sadly.
Pam sat down on the table. "How are we gonna fix this?"
"Fix it?" Mara repeated. "This is not like buying them braces. It's who they are."
"That's not who they are," Pam told them. "Lucy is not turning into this. And neither is Emily." She pointed at Maya's picture. "This is what someone else is making her into."
"Maybe they're just experimenting," Wayne told them.
"This is wrong," Pam told them. "This is completely wrong, and you know it."
"Do you think I like this?" Wayne asked. "I don't."
"People who are involved in these kind of things don't see it as wrong," Mara told them. "They see it as this. Love is love, and it doesn't matter who you are or what you are if you feel that way for that person." Emily and Lucy were still listening. Emily was upset, while Lucy looked confused and conflicted as if she would cry. Emily wrapped her arm around Lucy to comfort her. Mara looked at their parents. "Let's just keep this in perspective. They are struggling with this. I've seen it. And this started before Maya, Mom. This started with Alison, and..."
"Alison?" Wayne repeated.
"Yeah," Mara answered. "Emily and Alison. Before Ali disappeared." She looked at Pam. "So you can not blame Maya."
"No, but I can stop this from going on further," Pam told them.
"Mom, just listen to me," Mara told her. "Lucy told me that a year ago she kissed Pen, but she felt horrible about it, but it she is still wondering about other things."
"Are you willing to just turn away from everything we ever wanted for them?" Pam asked. "Let them ruin their lives so they can experiment?" She looked at Wayne. "What happened to you? What happened to your values? Did you just leave them out in the desert somewhere?"
Wayne stood. "I told you I don't like this." He sighed. "But they are alive and healthy, and after everything I've seen, alive and healthy counts for a lot, believe me."
"You don't have to like this," Mara told them. "I wouldn't blame you if you didn't. But just consider the fact that this is what they want, or who they are. Lucy is trying to figure this out as much as we are. But Emily knows what she wants. If you can't be happy about it, then at least be there for them. Don't judge. Don't try to change them. All they need to know right now is that they're not alone."
Emily and Lucy were still listening, both looking moved and touched by what Mara said, tears in their eyes, relieved to have her on their side.
---- -----
Hastings House - Kitchen
Spencer, Peyton, Pen, Aria and Dakota walked into the kitchen.
"We should call Emily, Lucy, Madison and Hanna," Aria told them.
Peyton pulled the fridge open. "We'll talk to them at the hospital."
"A tree," Pen told them incredulously. "An entire tree." Peyton pulled out two bottles of wine. Pen looked impressed. "I would've settled for just cranberry juice."
Ian walked in, wearing a suit, looking at the wine bottles in Peyton's hands. "Oh, you found my stash. Should be cold enough, right?" He took the bottles, looking between the girls. "Well, you have great timing. Grab some glasses. Melissa's out in the barn."
"I'd like to know what I'm celebrating before I drink to it," Dakota told them.
"You don't have to be celebrating to drink champagne," Ian told them. "That's very old-fashioned thinking."
"You canceled practice today," Spencer told him.
Ian nodded. "Yes, I did."
"To be with Melissa?" Spencer asked.
"Yes," Ian answered.
"Why?" Peyton asked.
Ian looked between the girls, his gaze landing on Spencer and Peyton. "Uh, you know, why don't you come out and talk to your sister?"
"No," Peyton told him. "I think I'd like to hear this from you."
Melissa walked in, wearing a white formal dress, smiling. "We're married."
The girls looked at them in shock.
"You're--you're what?" Dakota asked.
"We eloped," Melissa explained.
"Yeah, it's incredible," Ian told them. "It's like last year never happened."
"Congratulations," Aria told them.
Spencer looked at Melissa. "Do--do Mom and Dad know?"
"Not yet," Melissa answered.
"Yeah, we expect they'll be a little, um... surprised," Ian told them.
Pen chuckled in agreement, nodding. "Oh, they'll definitely be surprised. I know that we are."
Melissa looked at Spencer and Peyton. "This is what I want. They'll understand. You'll help me with them. I know I can count on you."
Melissa and Ian kissed, pulling away, looking at the girls.
"All right, uh, bring some glasses," Ian told them. "We'll have a toast."
Melissa and Ian walked out of the house toward the barn, leaving.
Spencer and Peyton had to sit down at the island counter.
"What just happened?" Dakota asked.
They didn't have an answer, looking at each other in shock.
---- -----
Rosewood High School - Ezra's Classroom
Ezra was packing up, getting ready to go.
---- -----
Hallway
Ezra walked out of the classroom, sure that he was being watched, looking around, not seeing anyone, walking away.
Noel was standing behind a wall, hidden.
---- -----
Rosewood Hospital - Madison's Room
Madison was sitting up, reading a magazine.
The girls walked in with pudding.
"Pudding cup-alooza," Hanna told her. "Vanilla, tapioca, butterscotch."
"Uh, tapioca," Madison answered. "I like the little bumps."
Hanna handed the pudding to Madison, along with a spoon.
"Aria, did you tell Mr. Fitz about Noel?" Emily asked.
"His name's Ezra," Aria told them.
"Maybe you get to call him Ezra, but he's still Mr. Fitz to us," Pen told her, taking a bite of a cherry.
"Did you tell him?" Lucy asked.
"No, I couldn't," Aria answered.
Spencer tilted her head. "Aria..."
"Well, how could I?" Aria asked.
Dakota looked at Madison. "Well, what about you and Noel?"
"There isn't a 'me and Noel'," Madison answered. "If there was, there isn't now."
"Does he know that?" Peyton asked.
"I think he does," Madison told them.
"You think he does?" Lucy repeated.
"Well, I don't know how hard to push him, but we know that it's a one-way street," Madison told them. "So once I say something to Noel, I can't take it back."
Pen sighed. "I know what you mean."
Spencer gestured to Madison's cast to change the subject. "That's starting to look like the declaration of independence."
Hanna looked at the other girls. "All right, so catch me up to speed. The tree was cut down, and A sent a picture and note to your parents ratting you out?"
"Yeah," Emily answered.
"How was that?" Dakota asked.
"Rough," Lucy answered.
"Hey, it's gonna be okay," Peyton told them.
"I don't know what it's gonna be, but it's gonna be different," Emily told them.
Lucy nodded. "I guess so."
"So the whole tree?" Hanna asked.
"Yeah," Pen answered. "Lock, stock, and bird's nest."
"Why?" Hanna asked. "Why show something like that and then just take it away?"
"Like A had a split personality," Peyton told them.
"That's great," Dakota told them sarcastically. "Homicidal and nuts."
"We've been thinking maybe we're dealing with more than one person," Spencer told them.
"A and Ali's killer are two separate people?" Madison asked. "You are freaking out the invalid."
"No, think about it," Peyton told them.
"No, you think about it," Hanna told them. "Aren't we in enough trouble? I know Maddie is. Just look at her. And A only gave the cops the anonymous tip where those creeps were holding Dakota to save her, so that he or she can put her into more danger." Dakota looked down, lowering her gaze to Madison's graffitied cast on her leg. "We're in enough danger as it is."
Dakota noticed a note on the cast. "Madison. Maddie, who wrote this?"
Madison shook her head. "I don't know. People have been in and out all day, and so have I."
Emily saw the message. "Oh, no."
Spencer and Peyton gasped.
"What?" Aria asked. "What? What's on there?"
Pen read the message. "'Sorry for losing my temper. My bad. Love, A'."
"Who put that on your leg?" Peyton asked.
Spencer stood. "Who wrote that?"
"Did somebody come in here while you were asleep?" Dakota asked.
"I don't know," Madison told them, starting to freak out. "Just get it off. Just wipe it off. Get it off of me!"
They tried to calm Madison down even while paranoid and overwhelmed themselves, knowing that A had been close enough to Madison again, and that they could be close to any one of them.
---- -----
A's Lair
Pieces of the tree were burning in the fireplace, including the part that said 'Alison + Ian'. The figure in black walked away.