049, a dangerous game
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"ASPEN, WHERE the hell are you?" Emily asks over the phone while Aspen sits in the doctor's office trying to remain calm.

"I have something I needed to do. Don't worry, I'll be at Spencer's later." Aspen flatly explains while looking at the receptionist with a small smile being polite.

"Okay. Good." Emily responds, "Listen, Em. I've gotta go." Aspen says noticing her doctor standing at the door of her office awaiting for Aspen to stroll into the room.

"Okay. Is everything okay?" Emily asks now sensing that something is going on with Aspen.

"I'm fine. Everything's fine, Em. I'll see you later." Aspen quickly explains walking into her doctor's office with a polite smile.

"Sorry about that. My cousin is being very needy." Aspen explains with a low chuckle.

"That's okay, Aspen. So, what can I do for you today?" Dr Kramer questions the blonde.

"I... uh, took this last week and just want to make sure everything's all right within my body." Aspen explains showing the doctor the faint positive pregnancy test.

"Okay. Let's do a urine test and some bloods to try and find out if you're pregnant. As I know things have been a little crazy since you were poisoned." Dr Kramer states.

"Sounds good to me." Aspen nods understanding the process.

Not that long after Aspen has done her urine test, said girl sits on the gurney in the side of the office waiting for Dr Kramer to organise the bloods.

"You ready?" Dr Kramer questions making sure the blonde is okay with being poked with a needle.

"Ready." Aspen confirms just as Dr Kramer places the cannula needle into Aspen's arm beginning to drain some blood for the upcoming tests.

"I'm also gonna run a few other normal day to day tests... if that is okay with you?" Dr Kramer suggests.

"Of course." Aspen responds looking away from the needle not wanting to feel queasy from the blood draining from her vein.

"Still don't like needles, huh?" Dr Kramer questions with a soft smile, "That make me queasy." Aspen explains.

"All done. Hold this." Dr Kramer softly demands placing a cotton ball on the small hole to stop the bleeding.

Aspen does as so before Dr Kramer gently moves her hand out of the way and places a small bandaid over the small wound.

"I'll call you tomorrow with the results." Dr Kramer states finishing up with some paperwork.

"Okay. Thank you." Aspen responds leaving the doctor's office and driving straight to the Hastings manor knowing the others will be waiting for her to welcome Spencer home from Radley.

✹

ASPEN WALKS into Spencer's house noticing them sitting at the island in the kitchen talking amongst themselves.

"Is she upstairs?" Aspen quizzes taking a seat beside Hanna, "Yeah. She still hasn't came downstairs." Emily responds looking at her cousin.

"She knows we're down here right?" Hanna questions, "Maybe she's just as nervous about seeing us as we are about seeing her." Emily anxiously mumbles.

"Guys, she's the exact same Spencer that we saw last week." Aria states.

"No, the Spencer we saw in Radley was not the Spencer I know." Hanna says.

"That was before." Emily voices sadly remember what her mother told her last week about the other body.

"Em, we're not just here for her, we're for you, too. That includes you as well, Spen." Hanna firmly states knowing that Emily and Aspen were close with Toby.

"Do we talk about him? Do we bring it up?" Aria quizzes.

"I don't want to say anything that could put her back there." Emily mumbles making Aria sigh while Aspen stares blankly at the kitchen counter-top.

"I know they said they found Toby, but they sent that second body to the state coroner for a reason. I mean, maybe there's hope." Hanna suggests.

"Do you think Spencer would care if I got a bottle of water from her fridge?" Aspen asks.

"You know how I feel about hope. Breeds eternal misery. And of course, Spen. Help yourself to a bottle of water," Spencer voices from the staircase, Aspen nods with a thankful gesture before grabbing a cold bottle of water and taking a seat yet again.

"We lost Toby a long time ago. We just didn't know it. Oh, you've got to love the Hastings. I just get released from a mental hospital, and they welcome my friends with tea and crumpets." Spencer chuckles looking at the food placed neatly on the counter.

"What's the difference between a crumpet and an English muffin?" Hanna randomly wonders making Emily and Aria look at her confused.

"Hanna, does it matter?" Aria questions, "I mean... she is just making conversation." Aspen explains with a shrug receiving a thankful expression off Hanna seeing as Aspen understands what she is trying to do.

"An English muffin is a baked bread. It's made of dough. And a crumpet is a griddle cake. It's made of batter." Spencer explains picking up the crumpet and staring it down before throwing it back on the plate.

"How are you, Spence?" Emily inquires, "I'm all right." Spencer responds a little too quickly which makes her response sound rehearsed.

"You know, you don't have to pretend to be okay for us." Aria softly says looking at the brunette.

"Yeah, if this was the act you had to pull off to get out of there, then..." Hanna softly murmurs while Spencer looks from Aspen to Emily with curiosity laced behind her eyes.

"Do you remember when you were in the light house, Emily? What about you, Aspen? And you had to make that choice? It was either him or you?" Spencer quizzes making Emily nod her head.

While Aspen looks down thinking back to that time since Jason was the one injured during that night.

"I wasn't as strong as either of you were. When I saw Toby in the woods, like that, I just gave up." Spencer explains.

"So what changed? You seem like you're back to yourself." Emily asks.

"I decided I didn't want to be victim anymore. That's not who I am," Spencer states picking up some envelopes beside Aspen and begins to pass them out to the four girls.

"Here." Spencer says, "What's this?" Aspen wonders looking at the envelope with her name written in cursive.

"My parents told all of their friends that I went to Radley for exhaustion, so they want to throw a soiree to make sure that everybody knows that I'm all better now," Spencer explains making all four girls look up from their invitations trying to figure the brunette out.

"Could really use some support. Can you guys please come?" Spencer begs turning around to face the window in the kitchen.

"Of course." Hanna and Aspen simultaneously respond, "Sure." Emily mumbles.

"Yeah, you know we'd do anything for you." Aria softly states smiling at the back of Spencer's head.

"I'm counting on that." Spencer lowly whispers making sure none of them hear her soft murmur.

✹

THE NEXT day, Aspen stands with the others outside in the courtyard after meeting Mrs Lockman for some of her future designs.

"Did Malcolm tell you what she looked like?" Spencer questions while Aria stares at the notice for babysitting placed on the window.

"No, he just said she was a friend of mine, and her name was Alison. That's all I know." Aria responds.

"Well, look... you have to talk to him, find out more." Hanna suggests with a demanding tone.

"Yeah, like did she have dark hair, horns, and a tail?" Emily sneers looking at Mona seated inside.

"Guys, no, we are not using Malcolm to get to Mona. You know, the last time I saw Ezra I could hardly face him." Aria explains.

"All we have to do is show Mona's picture to the kid. He'll confirm that Mona took him and the cops will take our Lulu head back to the nut farm." Hanna states receiving wide eyed looks from everyone around her.

"Hanna." Aspen scolds gesturing to Spencer standing beside her.

"Sorry, Spence. My bad." Hanna mumbles apologising directly to Spencer.

"I don't know, it seems like a really bold move for Mona. The risk being seen like that?" Spencer suggests staring at Mona inside still.

"What are you saying, Spence?" Emily asks, "It feels desperate. Like maybe she's trying to get caught." Spencer utters looking away from the girl inside and back to her friends.

"Okay, well, Malcolm is off limits, okay? Gotta get to class." Aria demands before walking off into the school towards her next class.

Aspen looks at her phone noticing a missed call from the doctor's office.

"I can use some extra money." Hanna shrugs grabbing the poster off the window.

"Did you not just hear Aria?" Emily firmly questions, "Em, kids love me. I'll make a game out of it." Hanna responds while the four of them walk back into the school.

"Hey, Emily." Shana greets, "Hey. What-uh-what are you doing here?" Emily questions a little confused.

"Our coach arranged for us to practice here this morning. But I say if it's water, it's wet, right?" Shana voices with a chuckle with Emily respond with as well making Aspen look around for an exit.

"A pool's a pool. I don't think we've met." Shana states looking at Spencer.

"Uh, Shana, this is Spencer." Emily explains, "I've gotta take this, sorry." Aspen mumbles walking off with her phone to her ear.

"Miss Harley-Fields?" The receptionist questions from the other line, "Hi. Yes, this is she." Aspen responds.

"We have your test results here. You are not pregnant. The test must have been expired or sitting around for too long, possibly." Anna explains.

"Oh. Um, thank you, Anna." Aspen mumbles upset about the news before ending the phone call with a sad expression on her face.

✹

"WHERE ARE you going so dressed up?" Hanna questions from Aspen's bedroom door.

"I'm going out. I need to get some stuff off my mind." Aspen explains puckering her lips while putting some lip-gloss on.

"Well you look gorgeous." Hanna firmly states, "Thanks Hanna-Banana." Aspen responds putting on her heels.

"So you won't be back tonight?" Hanna asks also getting ready for her interview with Ezra for the babysitting job.

"I dunno. Depends how tonight goes." Aspen responds with a smirk.

"Okay. Be safe though, please?" Hanna suggests embracing Aspen as she walks out of her apartment towards the train station to go into the city for the night.

After the train ride, Aspen strolls into the bar smiling politely at the bartender.

"Hi. Can I have a vodka sunrise, please?" Aspen quizzes politely.

"Coming right up." The bartender─ Simone responds not even bothering to look at the girls ID.

Simone places the alcoholic beverage on top of the bar in-front of Aspen while the blonde sips on the liquid with a tired sigh.

"Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry." A man says from behind Aspen as he accidentally bumps into her.

"It's fine." Aspen responds looking up at the handsome man, "At least let me buy you a drink as an apology?" The man offers.

"I won't ignore that offer." Apsen chuckles gesturing to the seat beside her at the bar while the man orders himself a whiskey and Aspen another vodka sunrise.

A little while later, Aspen laughs at something the man says before stretching out her long legs.

"I hate to cut this short, but I really should get going." Aspen voices, "No." the man groans in protest making Aspen smirk.

"Wanna go back to my place?" said male questions, "Lead the way, handsome." Aspen states motioning for the man to get up from his seat.

The night between the two strangers ends with moans surrounding the man's room as the two latch onto one another's skin in much needed relief from their outside lives.

The next morning, Aspen wakes up feeling a heavy arm placed around her waist.

The blonde looks around her surroundings wide eyed seeing somewhere she doesn't recognise before turning to face the man shocked at how handsome he is.

"Oh my god." Aspen gasps to herself climbing out of the male's bed while quietly looking around for her dress, handbag and heels.

Aspen quickly steps out of the man's apartment looking at her phone seeing all the missed calls from Hanna, Aria and Emily.

✹

QUICKLY RUSHING into her apartment to shower, Aspen shrieks seeing Hanna leaning against the bedroom door.

"Oh my fucking god, Han! Don't do that!" Aspen exclaims shocked, "Where were you?" Hanna questions demanding an answer.

"I got held up. Why? What's the sudden emergency?" Aspen asks with a frown drying her hair with a towel.

"I was babysitting Malcolm last night.. and I received this. And then he also told me that the girl in the blue shirt was Alison and the one who took him to the fair." Hanna explains overwhelming Aspen with the sudden information.

"Spencer? What the fuck." Aspen mutters shocked.

"And that's not even the worst part... Shana knows Jenna and they are meeting up with Melissa." Hanna explains making Aspen look at her wide eyed, "I was gone for one fucking night!" Aspen exclaims.

Hanna quickly calls Aria and Emily and they rush over to Aspen's apartment to go over the plan.

"Spencer's part of the A-team. Game over. Today it's me and Ezra. Tomorrow it'll be you and Caleb. I would say you and Jason─ but that's already over, sorry," Aria rambles making Aspen look up a little hurt.

"And then it's going to be your turn Emily, so get ready to say goodbye to Paige. Cause I promise you, A's going to take her from you." Aria firmly states not giving the others anytime to talk.

"Why would Spencer do this to us?" Aspen quizzes betrayed since she was with Spencer at every moment during the break up with Toby. Was that all a lie too?

"Guys, I don't believe for one second that Spencer's on the A-team. Okay, if she is working with Mona then there has to be more to the story." Emily states.

"We don't know what happened in Radley. But Spencer went in there at rock bottom. And she came out like a shiny new penny." Aria utters.

"Are you thinking shock treatment?" Hanna wonders looking at the Montgomery girl.

"No. No, I'm saying that Mona spent a lot of time in Radley. And maybe she made some friends. And maybe Spencer talked to some of those friends." Aria mutters.

"Mona asked Spencer to join the A-team on the night of the masquerade ball while she tried to kill me. Did Spencer finally take her up on it?" Aspen questions.

"Yeah, but why now?" Hanna quizzes asking what all of them are wondering themselves.

"There's a way to prove that Spencer's still with us, and if Mona's watching, it won't put Spencer at risk." Emily states forming a plan.

Hanna looks around the apartment and the windows before pressing play on the speaker of Aspen's blasting music so outsiders can't hear.

"Really, Hanna? You're in the mood for a dance party?" Aria asks in disbelief.

"Look, A was everywhere before Spencer joined the A-team. Do you really think we're meeting in secret?" Hanna states, "Okay, good idea." Aspen nods.

Emily then explains her plan about how Aspen is gonna wear a red coat and lure Spencer into the bathrooms tomorrow at school.

If she follows the blonde then she doesn't know redcoats identity yet and she could still be with them.

"Now that we've formed a plan. Where were you last night?" Hanna questions while Aria and Emily sit on the couch already looking at the blonde.

"I talked to someone basically all night... then slept with him." Aspen explains mumbling the last part.

"Get it, girl." Hanna exclaims smirking at her close friend.

"Oh. He was handsome as hell. Kinda sucks that I didn't get his name." Aspen mumbles thinking back to last night and the crazy sex she had with this complete stranger.

"Oh! And I also thought I was pregnant. No big deal." Aspen states shocking the others.

"Wait what?" Emily asks, "I'm not. Don't worry." Aspen explains.

"Are you okay?" Hanna and Aria question knowing that Aspen gets quite upset thinking about not being able to have kids.

"Yeah. I'm fine." Aspen nods in confirmation.

✹

THE NEXT day, Aspen walks into the school not knowing for sure if Spencer is following her.

The blonde walks into the bathroom knowing Emily, Aria and Hanna are waiting in the stalls.

Spencer stomps into the bathroom clearly on a mission before looking at the back of Aspen's head wearing the redcoat.

"What is this?" Spencer questions in confusion once turning Aspen around.

"You followed me here, that means you don't know who she is, either." Aspen voices with relief.

"And if you don't know who she is, that means you're still one of us." Emily states as she, Hanna and Aria step out from the toilet stalls looking at Spencer with relieved expressions.

"Look Spence, whatever it is, no matter how deep you're into this, you know that you can tell us the truth, right?" Aria wonders looking at the brunette.

"We want to help you." Aspen states, Spencer looks at them teary-eyed.

"Mona came to see me at Radley. And when I found Toby in the
woods, she'd planned the whole thing. She wanted to break me so that she could put me back together. Like her own humpty dumpty." Spencer explains.

"So, Mona made you an offer you couldn't refuse?" Hanna wonders.

"She told me that Toby was still alive." Spencer reveals making Emily and Aspen look at one another shocked.

"Toby's alive?" Emily asks.

"And it's true. It's true, he's been working with Mona because he found out about red coat and Mona's the only person who knows who she is." Spencer explains.

"And you've seen him?" Aspen curiously inquiries, "Yeah. Last night. He's on our side. You guys, he always was," Spencer states making all four girls smile hearing that Toby's not against them.

"But this party tomorrow, it's a set-up. Red coat just wants us all to be together." Spencer utters, "Why? What's she gonna do to us?" Aria wonders.

"I don't know. But we're not going to let it happen. Okay, whatever it is, we're one step ahead of her, finally, and there are two of us on the inside." Spencer firmly states.

"And when were you going to clue us in on your double agent status, Nikita?" Hanna angrily questions.

"I'm the one who sent you the picture of me and Ali. And you did exactly what I needed you to do. Because Mona watches my every move. You've found a way to get to me without her knowing about it." Spencer voices smiling at her friends.

"So, instead of red coat waiting for us tomorrow, we'll be waiting for her." Emily says, "And if we're lucky, this will all be over with." Aria mumbles.

"Luck won't have anything to do with it." Spencer firmly says looking around at her friends.

"Okay. Now that this is all over and we know Spencer is still with us, I wanna switch things up." Aspen voices breaking the silence receiving confused looks from the others stood around her.

"I'll see you all later... with something a little different." Aspen smirks winking at her friends while they walk off to their next class with curiosity laced in each of their veins.

✹

"OH. WOAH." Aria voices stunned seeing Hanna and Aspen walking into the kitchen all dressed up and Aspen's new look.

"It's perfect timing, actually. I need a pick-me-up." Aria proceeds to explain still in shock of Aspen's new look.

"That place is really nice." Emily says looking at the slideshow of the Hastings Lodge on the computer.

"It's the Hastings. Were you expecting "donuts and dogs"?" Hanna asks with a smirk.

"How can you afford new miu mius?" Aria wonders looking at Hanna's heels.

"Oh! I borrowed them. The store gives full refunds for returns." Hanna explains with a shrug.

"That's if you don't wear them." Emily says, "Doesn't say that on the receipt." Hanna responds.

"Okay first off, they're mine. You're not returning them. And second, are we ready to go?" Aspen questions receiving nods from the others.

"You suit being brunette, Spen. You look gorgeous." Aria states looking at Aspen's new hair.

"Thanks Ri, I needed something different. I've been thinking about doing this for a while." Aspen explains driving them the lodge.

"I agree. You look beautiful, Spenny." Emily voices from the backseat still in shock of her cousins new look.

"Thank you." Aspen responds focusing on the road, "I love it." Hanna speaks up smiling at the recently dyed brunette haired girl.

"Okay. Quiet. Let's do this." Aspen demands sneaking towards the Lodge now in sweatpants and a large hoodie─ belonging to Jason but no one needs to know that.

"You guys, I'm serious about not taking back those shoes." Hanna murmurs.

"Because they are mine." Aspen mutters annoyed with Hanna repeatedly trying to steal the heels.

"Hanna, Aspen, quiet! We've got to get inside before red coat shows up. If she knows we're onto her, we'll never find out who she is." Emily states, "Are we sure we trust Toby?" Aria quizzes.

"Spencer does." Emily responds while Aspen looks for a way in ahead of them, "Do we have a choice?" Hanna mutters.

Emily smirks seeing Aspen motioning to the entrance she found but it involves climbing up one of the stone walls.

Sneaking into the Lodge through one of the windows, Aspen leads the others in overhearing Mona instructing Toby to take Spencer outside for a walk.

"Why don't we go for a walk while we wait?" Mona suggests grabbing a flashlight from the table beside her while Aspen, Emily, Hanna and Aria watch from above.

"I'll take care of Spencer." Toby speaks up, "Toby?" Spencer questions confused.

"I know how you feel, Spencer. It sucks to be lied to." Mona states smirking at the heartbroken expression on Spencer's face while she looks up at Toby.

"Get up." Toby demands, "I believed you." Spencer mutters, "I said get up!" Toby orders loudly startling Aspen above.

"You won't get away with this." Spencer spits looking at Mona smirking at her already.

"I'd say "watch me," but you won't be here to see it." Mona responds with a low chuckle while Toby 'drags' Spencer out of the Lodge.

Mona looks at herself in the mirror not noticing Hanna leaning beside her due to having the hood pulled up, "Going somewhere?" Hanna questions.

Mona goes to turn the opposite way only for Aspen, Emily and Aria to step in her way to prevent her from running around from them.

"You're making a terrible mistake." Mona utters glaring at the four girls.

"That's not how we see it." Aspen voices glaring at the girl who ruined her life.

"Because you don't see. You have know idea what's going on here." Mona declares loudly.

"We know enough." Aria mutters scowling at Mona.

Mona looks behind Emily in pure horror, "What have you done?" Mona exclaims.

While Aspen and the others look behind them noticing the flames overtaking the Lodge.

Aspen looks at her phone seeing the no service bar in the top corner.

"Mona, try your phone." Aspen demands which Mona does as told noticing the same thing.

"Nothing." Mona explains, "How can you not have a signal? We saw you make a call." Aria exclaims.

"It's her. Don't you get it? She can do anything. She's everywhere and she's nowhere." Mona responds loudly.

"Come on, let's get out of here." Hanna states while Aspen nods leading them towards the door only to noticed it's locked or blocked outside.

"It's locked!" Aspen exclaims just as a piece of the Lodge falls due to flames.

Hanna, Emily and Aria go to open another door only for the flames to take over that area as well leaving the three girls screaming in horror.

"We're gonna die. We're all going to burn." Mona utters freaking out which makes Aspen glare at her.

"Shut up, Mona!" Aspen orders not in the mood for her bullshit.

"I'm never going to know who she was." Mona cries out, "What did you just say?" Aria wonders wanting to hear Mona say it again.

"Red coat. I don't know who she is either." Mona explains hearing Aspen chuckle in disbelief behind her.

"Un-fucking-believeable!" Aspen snarls, "Are you kidding?" Aria wonders shocked.

"You guys, we have to get out of here." Hanna voices a little panicked while Aspen begins to cough and feel extremely faint due to the smoke inhalation.

Sometime later, Aspen frowns with a small cough seeing as her and the others are outside now and that someone must have gotten them out of the burning building.

Aspen squints noticing a blonde leaning over her and who she guesses is Hanna beside her before closing her eyes due to the stinging sensation and opening them again noticing the blonde figure is now gone.

Aspen rubs her forehead noticing blood since she must have hit her head when she passed out inside.

"Did anyone see her?" Mona questions once rushing up the now awakening girls, "See who?" Emily asks confused.

"Alison. She pulled me out of there. She pulled us all out." Mona states on her knees in-front of Aspen and the others, "No, you're hallucinating." Aria suggests.

"She was here. I swear it." Mona firmly states while Hanna and Aspen remain quiet beside them, "Ali's dead." Emily firmly points out looking at Mona.

"I saw her, too." Aspen voices with a grimace feeling like she has had a drink in months.

"I did, too." Hanna murmurs shocked, "So did I. Ali is red coat." Spencer firmly states looking at Aspen's head worriedly.

"We need to put something on that wound. Come on." Spencer suggests while Aspen grimaces holding onto her forehead still.

Spencer helps Aspen stand up from the ground and leads her towards her car.

"I'll drive. I think you might have a concussion." Spencer says gently.

"I have gauze pads in my glove box." Aspen responds motioning to the glove box which Spencer rifles through handing Aspen some clean gauze pads to help the bleeding calm down on her forehead.

The others sit in the backseat looking at the road due to traumatic things that just happened at the Lodge.

"So all of this started when you were at Radley?" Spencer questions while focusing on the road and gazing at Aspen every now and then to make sure she hasn't fallen asleep.

"I made a deal with the devil. And she gave me a way in and out of that place. At first it was fun, having a partner. But then the game changed. She stole you from me." Mona states.

"So what happened that night? Were you there at the cemetery? Did you drug me? Did you take Ali's body?" Emily questions.

"I don't know who drugged you. But I was at the cemetery and so was red coat." Mona explains making Aspen look at Mona.

"How could you not see who it was?" Aspen quizzes, "She was wearing a mask. She looked just like Ali." Mona says.

"That's probably what happened tonight. It wasn't Ali. It was a mask." Aria speaks up still not believing that some of them saw Alison.

Aspen looks ahead noticing flashing lights, "Guys?" Aspen voices squinting at the car ahead of them.

"Wait, is that?" Hanna asks in shock, "Somebody pulled it out of the lake." Aspen mumbles horrified.

Spencer quickly parks Aspen's car and the group walks towards the dirty car hearing Wilden's voice coming from the video.

The one of him and Mrs Marin, the night Ashley hit him with her car and drove away.

"We have to get this out of here." Hanna voices as the video plays through and Aria frowns noticing more on the screen.

"Wait! There's more." Aria states, "It's Jenna." Mona utters.

"And Shana?" Emily quizzes shocked and confused, "They know Wilden?" Spencer questions also shocked.

Aspen leans up from her position noticing the dint in trunk, "Guys, look at the trunk." Aspen voices motioning to the trunk as all of their phones chime with new messages.

YOU'RE MINE NOW.
KISSES,
─ A

Emily and Mona read the text aloud before looking at one another alarmed.

Aspen leans forwards and opens the trunk making everyone including her to gasp in disgust and mortification.

─────── ∘°❉°∘ ───────
TO BE CONTINUED...

𝖊𝖑𝖘 𝖘𝖕𝖊𝖆𝖐𝖘 ⛧
end of season three!
sorry if her not being
pregnant disappoints you...

hope you enjoyed!

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