chapter sixty five — dead to me
[ season three, episode eighteen ]
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"Nothing?" Josie asked as the girls sat around in the Brew. "Nothing since he left." Aria responded. "Well, he sent an 'I got here' text." she added. "Well, that counts. If you want it to." Hanna said. "I mean, I know he's doing the right thing, it's just the idea of that something's happening hundreds of miles away, that's gonna change everything." Aria explained and Josie frowned and they looked towards Spencer, who hadn't spoken at all.

"This is cold. I'm just gonna go get a refill." Spencer said before getting up. "Do you think Wilden read that notebook by now?" Hanna asked. Last night, Emily had handed in Ali's notebook to the police. "He must have." Emily responded. "So he knows what we know." Aria realized. "And what exactly do we know?" Hanna asked. "It's just Cece's version of things." Aria said. Josie still didn't trust a thing Cece said, she was still suspicious of her.

"It was a picture of him in Cape May. I'm going back to the police station after school, take a snap of it on my phone." Emily explained. "Good idea." Josie said, nodding her head. They watch as Spencer picks up her phone before she's handed her coffee and she goes to walk away but Jason walks in and stops her before they both walk over to the girls. "We're keeping this kind of quiet, but they've released Ali's remains to my family. There's gonna be a re-interment." he said, "She's being reburied?" Josie asked, frowning.

"Not in the ground. In the mausoleum. There'll be a service, family only, but I've arranged for you guys to have some time after my parents leave." he responded. "Thank you." Emily said. "There's something else. The things we put in the casket with Ali, they're still missing. The state police think whoever opened the grave is keeping them as some kind of sick souvenirs. The cops figure when they find those, they'll find the creeps who did this, I think they're right." Jason explained.

The girls were quiet, "Look, I just wanted you guys to hear it from me. I'll text you when I know the details about saying goodbye to Ali." he added and the girls nodded. "Don't bother." Spencer said, making the girls and Jason look at her in shock. "I've said all the goodbyes I want to say." she continued. "Spencer–" Emily started. "What? She's Saint Ali now? Are her bones holy relics or something?" Spencer asked and Josie's eyes widened.

"Okay, you need to dial it back." Hanna warned her, Jason was still standing there. "No, you dial it back. Okay, I'm finished with all of this. You guys wanna pay a visit to the crypt keeper, that's fine, It's your business, but keep me out of it!" she snapped, grabbing her bag and storming out. Jason watched her leave before looking back towards the girls. "We'll be there." Aria assured him and he nodded before leaving.

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"She said that?" Richie asked, walking beside Josie through the halls of Rosewood High. "Yep," Josie responded, "Right in front of Jason." she added. "What's going on with her?" Richie asked, "God knows, but I'm worried, she looks like she's been through hell." Josie said and Richie nodded, he had noticed Spencer being more withdrawn and down lately. "Oh, guess what," Josie said as they stopped at Richie's locker. "My aunt's moving to Brisbane, right? So my dads in town to help pack up her house because they're tearing it down." Josie said and Richie looked at her.

"Do you think Caleb knows?" he asked and she sighed. "Probably. His mom might've told him." she responded. "Are you going? To help pack up?" he asked. "I don't know, probably. She's my aunt." she said and he nodded. "I'll go with you." he said and she smiled. "Thank you, I love you." she said before they shared a kiss.

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The next day Josie and Richie drove up to her Aunt's place, to help look through her stuff, and as they did, they noticed Hanna's car was there as well, with Caleb and her dad. "Crap." Josie muttered. "Still wanna do this?" Richie asked and Josie nodded. "Already here. Might as well." she responded and they got out of the car, shutting the doors. "Hey, Dad." Josie called out, and Caleb, Hanna and her dad turned to her and Richie. "Jojo," her dad said, smiling and they shared a hug.

"Dad?" Caleb asked, looking between his 'uncle' and Josie. "This is my daughter Jo–" he stared, and Hanna nodded. "We know. We're friends." Hanna smiled and so did her dad. "Weird coincidence," he said and Josie nodded, "Yeah." she uttered. "So that makes us, what, cousins?" Caleb asked and Josie nodded. "Yeah, I guess it does," she answered and he smiled before the five of them walked towards a small barn as her dad opened the door.

"Just about everythings in here now." Jaime said, and Josie looked around at everything. "You're looking at about a hundred years' worth of stuff." Jaime added. "Wow," Richie uttered. "Did you grow up here, Mr. Doyle?" Hanna asked. "Jaime. Yeah, I did." he answered, grabbing a black trash bag. "My sister Patty, Caleb and Josie's Aunt, stayed and took care of our folks when they got old. I was long gone." he explained.

"And so was Caleb's dad?" Hanna asked. "Yeah. He was gone too." Jaime answered and Josie gave her dad a pointed look, not that Hanna or Caleb answered. "Patty was surprised to hear from your mom," Jaime said to Caleb and he scoffed a laugh. "Yeah, I bet she was." he responded, throwing stuff in a black trash bag. Josie felt her heart break. Despite not being around much, her dad was still there, and she had her mom meanwhile her brother was bounced around from foster home to foster home.

Jaime took a bag full of stuff and walked out of the building and Josie followed. "Why don't you tell him the truth dad?" she asked, "It's better this way." he responded. "How? Because I know he's my brother and I can't even tell him," Josie responded, frustrated. "Josette." he said sternly. "Go help your friends." he said and she sighed before walking back into the small barn.

"So, we're family huh?" Caleb said, and Josie looked at him. "Guess so." she responded. "I never knew, or my mom, if that helps." she added and Caleb sighed. "I just wish I knew sooner." he said and she nodded. "I know." she responded. "You know we actually went camping together once." she said and he looked at her. "Yeah?" he asked and she nodded. "Yeah. I remember it now, I actually fell into a mud hole. It was the first and last time I ever went camping." she explained and he laughed. "I kind of remember that." he said and she smiled.

A few hours and a few tiny chit-chats later, and the barn looked empty, there wasn't much left except packing boxes. "Right. I'm gonna put this stuff in the car and we can get going." Caleb said to Hanna. "Bye, uncle Jaime," he said before he walked out. "By caleb." Jaime called out. "I'll be in the car as well, back's killing me. Good seeing you Jaime" Richie added. "You as well," Jaime said, as Richie followed Caleb out, leaving Hanna and Josie with Jaime

"Thank you, Mr. Doyle." Hanna said. "Or Jaime." Hanna corrected herself. "Yeah," he muttered. "You sure you kids don't wanna go down the road, get a hamburger? I'm buying." he said, and Josie laughed. "I think Caleb really wants to get going." Hanna said. "Mom's cooking a big dinner tonight... you're welcome to come," Josie offered to her dad. "I'll try sweetheart." he said and she smiled.

Hanna was about to leave, Josie was gonna stay and have a goodbye when her dad called her back. "Hanna," he said, and she turned around. He reached into his pocket, and pulled out a photo. It's one that Josie knew was of him and baby Caleb, because he also had one with her as a baby. "Found this over there, bottom of a dresser." he lied, and Josie sighed, she knew Hanna could tell as well, because you could see his ring in the photo is the same one he was wearing now.

Hanna took the photo. "Look on the back," he suggested and she did. "Caleb 6 months," Hanna read out. "Wow." she muttered. "Yeah," Jaime said. "The way he's feeling, I'm not sure he'd want it right now, so maybe you could hold onto it for him. Just until he wants to see it." Jaime said and Hanna nodded. "Yeah, yeah, I will thank you." she said as Caleb walked back in, Hanna hid the photo.

"Hanna." he said and titled his head. "Um... I've gotta get going." Hanna said and Jaime nodded. "Yeah. Make sure he takes care of you." he said. "Yeah, he will." Hanna said with a smile. "Also, one last thing," he said before Hanna walked out, he brought Josie into a hug, "Thank you, for being there for Jo," he said, "She talks about you and the girls all the time." he added and josie and Hanna shared a smile "She's my best friend, i'll always be there." Hanna said before walking out.

"Gave that photo to her on purpose, didn't you? Cause she's gonna see your ring in the photo." she said, "I have no idea what you're talking about Jojo," he denied, making her laugh, "You should get home to your mama." he said and she nodded. "I'll tell her you said hey," Josie said as she hugged him one last time before pulling away. "Okay," he said, smiling before she walked out and joined Richie in the car. "What took so long? He asked as she started up the car. "He gave Hanna his photo of Caleb, but he knows she'll figure it out. It's Hanna." she said and he nodded and the drive back was quiet, but not uncomfortable.

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Later that night, Josie was with the girls and Jason at the mausoleum, they were waiting for Spencer, but she hadn't shown up yet and Josie didn't think she would. "So shall we just wait, or...?" Hanna trailed off. "I'm pretty sure she's not coming." Jason responded before he moved and the girls followed him to Alison's casket.

Josie saw Alison's casket. "Unable are the loved to die, for love is immortality." Aria read out the inscription that was under Alison's name. "That's creepy." Hanna said. "Han," Josie scolded, not wasn't the time for that. "It's Emily Dickinson." Aria explained. "I don't care if it's Santa Claus, consider me creeped." Hanna responded.

"It's okay. It is a touch creepy in here. My parents barely stayed two minutes." Jason assured them. "Hey, you okay?" Aria asked Emily as the door to the mausoleum opened, making them turn to see Spencer walking towards them. "Spencer. You changed your mind." Jason said, glad that she was here.

"No. I just knew that I could find you here." She responded and Josie had a bad feeling. "I do have something to say to you." she added. "Spencer," Aria started but was cut off. "Ali was pregnant when she died." Spencer dropped the bomb. "What?" Jason asked, shocked and confused. "What is she talking about? Is this true?" he asked the girls.

"Well, we can't know for sure. Emily looked it up, and her early pregnancy wouldn't have shown up in an autopsy." Spencer said, throwing Emily under the bus, making Josie's eyes widen. "Isn't that right, em?" she asked. "You have no idea what you're saying right now." Josie snapped, trying to shut her up. "What the hell is wrong with you?" Aria asked.

"How do you know about this? I mean who would she have–"Jason started. "Who's the father?" Spencer asked, cutting him off. "Oh that's the best part." Spencer said. "Who, spencer?" Jason demanded. "Spencer, don't." Hanna warned her. "I don't care!" Spencer shouted at her. "Don't do this. Not here, Spencer." Aria pleaded with her before Spencer faced Jason again.

"Detective Wilden. One of Rosewood's finest." Spencer responded and she and Jason stared at each other before Jason left. "Please tell me this is part of some brilliant Spencer plan." Hanna pleaded. "It's not. She's just hurting, and wants us to hurt just as bad." Emily said. "We're meant to be your friends, not your punching bags Spence." Josie said before she and the girls left.

"Okay, so how are we gonna fix this? What are we telling jason?" Hanna asked as she, Emily, Josie and Aria walked outside the mausoleum. "Forget jason. There's something really wrong with spencer." Aria said and Josie nodded in agreement. "I mean this is bigger than Toby leaving, I'm heartbroken too, but she just seems..." Aria trailed off.  "Broken." Emily said.

Hanna, Aria and Josie stopped and turned to emily. "It's one thing to doubt the person you're with. if they ever loved you, if they didn't. It's something else entirely when you start to doubt yourself." Emily said, before her face changed, and she walked past them a little. "Do you hear that?" she asked.

"The sprinklers?" Josie asked. "I heard it that night. Not in Ali's yard, at her grave." Emily explained. "I mixed up the nightmares. The girl– the girl in the red coat." she added. "It happened all right here." she said. "I didn't hurt her." she said, facing her friends. "Ali? Of course not." Aria said, believing that Emily would never hurt ali.

"Wait, so this was after Jenna and Noel picked you up from the diner?" Hanna asked. "I don't know. It could have been before." Emily said, memories still fuzzy. "I know this sounds ridiculous, but someone has to ask– do you think it was Alison in the red coat?" Hanna asked. "Alison digging up her own grave?" Aria asked. "I said it was ridiculous." Hanna responded.

"And you were right," Aria said. "All I know is that it was a woman, she was blonde, and she was wearing a red coat and..." Emily trailed off. "What em?" Josie asked. "She's the one in charge." Emily said and Josie breathed deeply and they shared a look.

⎯ AUTHORS NOTE
new chapter <3 | almost time.... | countdown till season four: six chapters