025, unmasked
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ASPEN SITS in the Hastings household with the others watching the news on the television about Garrett's arrest.

"One week after his arrest. Reynolds pled not guilty to the charge of Alison DiLaurentis's murder. However... prosecutors remain confident with their case. Rosewood PD's working theory is that Reynolds became a police officer to destroy evidence that linked him to the murder scene. Investigators received a break in the case when that document was recovered." the news reporter on the television voices.

"That must be page 5 of Ali's autopsy report." Hanna voices, "Garrett took it. But somebody gave it back." Emily mumbles confused.

"My mom is friends with the prosecutor. That somebody... was Jenna." Spencer explains sharing shocked looks with the four girls.

"Can we finally put Ali to rest now?" Aria wonders with a sigh sitting beside Aspen.

"Or is two down and two to go? Ian's dead. Garrett's in jail. Melissa and Jenna were in Ali's room that night too. They might not have killed Ali but they're definitely guilty of something." Hanna mutters.

While Aspen sits up straightening her spine seeing Melissa entering the kitchen.

"Love gone wrong." Melissa says folding her arms over her pregnant stomach.

"What are you talking about?" Spencer questions switching off the television showcasing Garrett's photo on it before looking at her sister.

"I knew Ian didn't kill Alison. And you five can keep a secret. But you don't have the constitution for murder. Although Aspen. I am sorry for what he did to you," Melissa utters looking at Aspen already looking away from her.

"Are you gonna eat that?" Melissa asks gesturing to the ice cream cup on the kitchen counter in front of Aria.

Said girl pushes the ice-cream towards the eldest Hastings sibling, "Thanks." Melissa hums scooping the ice-cream with the spoon.

"I know how Jenna Marshall went blind... and so did Garrett. If he killed Alison. It's because he thought she deserved it." Melissa voices with a groan at the mouth full of ice-cream in her mouth.

Aspen and the others share surprise glances with one another, "Is this peanut butter?" Melissa quizzes.

"Toffee." Aria responds flatly looking at the woman, "It is good. Thanks." Melissa says walking out of the house.

"She definitely knows about the Jenna thing." Hanna mutters leaning closer to the other four surrounding her.

Aspen sighs in annoyance hearing all of their phones chiming on the counter.

YOU STILL HAVE SOMETHING THAT
BELONGS TO ME.
BRING IT, OR ONE OF YOU
LEAVES IN A BODY BAG.
—  A

Emily reads aloud while the doorbell rings and Spencer frowns confused walking towards the front door to answer.

"A has to be talking about her phone. You still have it locked in your closet, right?" Emily questions facing Hanna.

"Yes." Hanna confirms with a nod, "I don't know about you guys... but A talking about body bags makes me very nervous." Aria mumbles panicked.

Aspen looks at Spencer walking back into the kitchen alarmed, "Guys, it was a messenger. Something for each of us." Spencer exclaims passing the envelopes around to everyone.

Aspen sighs opening the envelope seeing an invite to the Masquerade Ball.

Aspen looks up confused knowing it's only a junior event and she's a senior that's graduating in four days.

"A wants to play hide-and-seek." Emily realises staring at the invitation.

"Be there when the clock strikes midnight." Aspen mutters holding up the note that was placed with her invitation.

Spencer stands up walking over to the door Melissa just walked out of her staring out towards the barn, "Spence?" Aria questions.

"Hide-and-seek was my favorite game with Melissa. You wanna know why?" Spencer wonders facing the others with a small smirk on her face.

"I always won." Spencer states looking back out towards the barn unaware of the looks the others are sharing.

"Okay. I'm beyond confused. This is a junior event and last time I checked. I'm a senior with her graduation in four days time." Aspen speaks.

"Well A is targeting you as well. So obviously they want you there and not somewhere else?" Emily suggests noticing the anxious look on her cousins face.

"We'll all stick together." Aspen firmly demands seeing Aria, Spencer, Hanna and Emily all nodding agreeing with her.

"Great. Now I need to find a dress and say goodbye to my boyfriend. Since he's going away with weekend." Aspen states with a grunt grabbing her stuff.

Before saying her farewells to her friends while leaving the Hastings household walking over to Jason's house seeing said male placing bags into his car with Bowie in the front seat.

"You look after him for me okay?" Aspen demands hearing Jason chuckle.

"Wow. You're more worried about your dog than your boyfriend." Jason voices.

"Oh? Who says I wasn't talking to you as well," Aspen laughs while leaning against her boyfriend's chest.

"No. For real. Promise me, you'll look after yourself... and him." Aspen suggests suddenly getting all serious.

"I promise you that we'll be safe. Mom wants to see him again." Jason explains watching Aspen smile at the mention of her best friends and boyfriend's mother wanting to see their puppy again.

"Lucky for me... I was invited to the junior Masquerade Ball with the girls so I won't be alone this weekend." Aspen explains.

"Good. Sucks I'm missing seeing you getting all dressed up." Jason huffs seeing the red crimson shade spread across Aspen's cheeks.

"Well... you should be getting on the road. Call me when you get there later. Please?" Aspen pleads looking up at Jason— who's taller than her.

"Of course darling. I love you." Jason mumbles connecting his lips with hers in a passionate goodbye kiss.

Aspen blushes at the nickname while wrapping her arms around Jason's torso breaking the kiss for a much needed embrace knowing she won't see him for a few days.

"Bye. Drive safe!" Aspen calls out while Jason drives out of his driveway getting on the road to go see and spend time with some friends and his mother for the weekend.

✹

AFTER SAYING goodbye to Jason and Bowie, Aspen walks alongside the others minus Spencer.

"She was in that kitchen eating frozen yogurt basically just telling us that she was A." Hanna utters.

"And now she wants to kill one of us. Parties and body bags go together like drinking and driving." Aria voices.

"Guys. I don't trust Melissa as far as I can throw her and Ian's fetus. But let's not forget that Jenna also knows about the Jenna thing." Emily states not noticing the looks of disgust shared between Aria, Hanna and Aspen.

"Ian's fetus? Em, that's disgusting." Aria grimaces walking closer to the entrance of the school.

"Look, A is all-knowing... all right? It's like a genius on steroids. The only person I know that's smarter than Spencer is her sister." Hanna explains.

Aspen smiles seeing Spencer standing beside them with Alison's bag in her hand.

"Um... I take offence. Melissa did score higher on the Wechsler Scale. But when you take into account my scores and the Flynn Effect. Combined with real-life accomplishments. The gap in our IQs is virtually nonexistent." Spencer mutters confusing the others with all the smart talk.

"Um... what are you doing with Ali's bag?" Emily asks curiously, "I'm giving A back her phone over my dead body. Which means that we have until midnight tomorrow to unmask this bitch once and for all... and this bag has brought us closer to the truth than we've ever gotten." Spencer mutters.

"You think there's something in there we missed?" Aspen questions, "We need to go through it again. All of us. With a fresh pair of eyes. But with Melissa at home, I..." Spencer voices looking at the other four silently suggesting one of their places.

"No. Forget my place. My mom is still hot on the A trail." Hanna responds.

"Look, let's just meet after school. I have an idea— for a great costume." Aria states changing the subject seeing Mona walking towards them.

"Oh! You're going to the masquerade mash?" Mona gasps looking at the five of them.

"Me too. Can you believe blind Jenna's going? A week ago... that would have made me a no-show. But since she dumped Noel con man for seeing-eye Toby. Sorry Spencer," Mona rambles putting on some lipstick.

"I love this vintage shop a few towns over. We should all go after school and get our costumes together!" Mona suggests with a gasp.

"I would love to. But, um... I have to take my sister to an ultrasound." Spencer voices rushing into the school.

"My mom's coming back tomorrow... so I have some house stuff with Aspen's help." Emily states grabbing a hold of Aspen's sweatshirt and pulling her into the school with her knowing the blonde didn't have anything to do.

"Thank you!" Aspen exclaims with a chuckle, "Alright. I've gotta get to class. Last one before graduation!" Aspen says rushing into the hallway oblivious to her cousin typing on her phone with a certain someone.

✹

ASPEN SITS on the sofa in Mr Fitz's apartment since Aria knew he wouldn't be home.

"Tristan and Isolde? Abelard and Eloise?" Spencer lists off the books in Ezra's bookcase while Emily and Aspen look through some photo albums.

"This is too cute." Emily mumbles flipping through the pages, "Fitz is a sucker for a tragic love story," Spencer voices making everyone stop and look up surprised before looking towards Aria.

"I so didn't mean that how it sounded." Spencer apologetically explains looking at Aria who shrugs not being bothered by the comment.

"Have you heard from him?" Spencer questions, "Yeah. He checks in. Everything he thought he wanted...he's lost because of me. Guys, I— I think that it might be over this time. Really over." Aria sighs.

Hanna groans seeing Mona texting her a photo with Caleb catching her out in the lie she told earlier.

"Great. Now Mona knows I lied about where I am," Hanna says while her phone rings with Caleb's contact information on the screen.

"And Caleb is with her. So he's gonna ask me why I ditched her." Hanna grunts looking at the others while Aspen sits beside the annoyed blonde girl.

"You know... I am lying to everyone I care about. I don't even know why I started lying to begin with." Hanna mutters.

"You're lying because you don't want the people that you care about to end up like Dr Sullivan. Here one day and gone the next." Spencer mumbles while Hanna dramatically sighs flopping onto the bed.

"Han, do you mind? It's— kind of sacred ground." Aria voices surprising everyone in the apartment, "It is?" All five shriek stunned.

"Man! You sure can keep a secret." Spencer mumbles while Aria places the tea she made on the coffee table.

"Hey Han. Can you grab my computer?" Spencer asks looking at a pen from Ali's bag.

"What is it, Spence?" Aspen questions leaning on the sofa beside Hanna.

"Could you look up Dougherty's Landing?" Spencer demands holding up the pen with the name she just spoke out loud.

Hanna grabs the laptop from Spencer's bag searching up what she was told to.

"It's a tiny airstrip off of Highway 30." Hanna explains confused, "Is it close to anything?" Spencer wonders.

"No. It's in the middle of nowhere." Aspen states looking at the map on the screen.

"Wait. What did that postcard say?" Spencer questions placing the laptop on her lap.

"Um... "Meets 30."" Emily responds while Aria gets up and grabs the postcard from Alison's bag.

Spencer looks up what Emily just said seeing a flyer on her screen, ""The Lost Woods Resort. Find us where Greenview meets 30."" Hanna reads off the flyer on the laptop.

"Duncan said that he flew Ali to an airfield the day she disappeared. This has to be where she went." Aria suggests flipping the postcard around seeing the number one on the back.

"Maybe Room One?" Aria quizzes looking at the four, Aspen sighs holding up her car keys and standing up.

"I'll drive." Aspen states motioning for everyone to follow her out to her car to drive to this possible location Alison stayed at.

Once night falls and the wind picks up around Aspen's car, "Are you sure this is right?" Emily wonders noticing nothing but woods around them.

"This is Greenview." Spencer mumbles sitting in the passenger seat of Aspen's car.

Aspen shrieks pressing her foot on the breaks as a deer runs out in-front of the car drawn to the headlights, "What was that?" Hanna asks alarmed.

"I—I don't know... a deer. I think." Aspen shakily responds, "Maybe we should go back." Aria suggests, "No! Okay. We didn't come this far to give up." Emily exclaims.

"Careful... Spenny." Aria voices while Aspen presses on the gas of her vehicle squinting seeing a red glowing light in the distance.

"What is that?" Spencer wonders also noticing the red glowing lights to the hotel in the middle of nowhere.

"What would Ali be doing up here?" Emily questions, "She wasn't bagging a deer. That's for sure." Hanna replies while Aspen's car comes to a stop in-front of the hotel that has a open sign in the window.

Aspen screams alongside the others hearing a knock on the passenger window, "Are you checking in?" a creepy man questions peeping through the passenger window.

Aspen gulps parking her car and locking it following the others into the hotel while Spencer deals with the check in information.

"I was surprised when you girls pulled up. People don't come here much anymore since they built the interstate. It doesn't bother me... though. I like the quiet. Sign here." the man states creepily looking at the five girls hugging their bodies due to the cold weather and eeriness around them.

"Welcome to the Lost Woods Resort. Mary Smith." the man reads from the log book looking up at Spencer with a smile.

"Um, is room one available?"Aspen voices standing beside Spencer, "How'd you know about room one?" the man— Harold questions.

"Sorry?" Spencer frowns confused, "It's got the hottest water on the property. Perfect for a night like this." Harold explains while lighting flashes outside.

"Oh. O— our friend was the one who told us about this place. She stayed in room one. Maybe you remember her? Vivian Darkbloom?" Spencer quizzes seeing the look of recognition flash over Harold's face at the name.

"Name doesn't ring a bell. Besides... I learned a long time ago not to tell tales about folks who stay here. You check into the Lost Woods because you don't want to be found." Harold utters while Aspen gestures for the others to walk to the hotel room urgently.

Aspen hugs herself once again feeling the wind flowing through her hair and sending chills down her spine feeling a harsh shove off Hanna— accidentally tripping and taking Aspen down with her into a muddy puddle.

"Unh! Damn it!" Hanna mutters in disgust while Aspen stands up seeing her whole side covered in muddy water.

"Are you two okay?" Emily questions while Aria helps the two stand up to get out of the coldness.

Aspen sighs in relief turning on the heater and standing close to it alongside Hanna and Emily, "I'm— not exactly sure what we're looking for." Aria voices.

"Ali left Ian to come up here for a reason. What was it?" Spencer questions while looking around the room in the bedside tables and other hiding places.

"Love how they call this place a resort," Emily mutters staring at a whole postcard.

"Do you think that Ali came here to hide something?" Emily wonders facing Aspen seeing her shivering due to being wet and muddy.

"Or do you think that she came here to hide. From A?" Aspen suggests feeling her teeth chatter.

Hanna passes Aspen and towel to try and wipe off as much mud as possible.

"We need to get into the office. Was Ali here alone... or did she come with somebody?" Spencer questions looking outside towards the office.

"Is he still there?" Aria wonders, "I think that he left. I'm just dying to get a look at that registration book." Spencer voices looking at Aria putting on her jacket ready to go with her.

"Wait, really? You're gonna come with me?" Spencer asks shocked, "Does it look like those three are moving?" Aria questions pointing towards Emily, Aspen and Hanna leaned against the heater.

"I'm cold." Emily shrugs, "Okay, no. I'm colder than she is and so is Aspen. Look at her!" Hanna states motioning to Aspen wrapped in a towel trying to warm herself up.

"I'd come but I honestly don't think I can move. I'm so cold." Aspen shivers.

"You're little... but you're big." Spencer states looking at Aria who smiles happily at what Spencer just said leaving the room and the three shivering girls behind.

Aspen looks around before suddenly remembering something, "I have spare clothes in my car!" Aspen voices seeing Hanna looking at her wide eyed and Emily nodding already holding her hand out for her car keys to go and grab them clean clothes.

Aspen showers washing the mud from her hair and body before getting out seeing Emily handing her clean and dry warm clothing.

Aspen sits on the bed feeling a lot better than before while Hanna starts the shower also wanting to wash the mud from her body and hair.

"I can't believe you both wanna take a shower in this place. It's gross." Emily grimaces.

"God, Emily. I'm covered in mud." Hanna mutters from the bathroom while Aspen points motioning to the same thing Hanna just said.

Emily sighs before her phone rings, "Who is it?" Aspen questions seeing the surprised look on Emily's face, "It's Maya." Emily reveals.

"Well answer it!" Aspen states, "Hello? Maya? Can you hear me?" Emily questions answering the phone leaving the room.

"Spenny, can you come wash my back please?" Hanna calls out from the bathroom.

"Yeah. I'm here." Aspen says moving the curtain and grabbing a cloth dapping the mud on Hanna's back before frowning feeling like someone is in the other room hearing a cellphone chime.

Aspen looks at Hanna looking at her alarmed, both girls walk into the room seeing the door wide open.

Aspen gulps knowing Emily closed that behind her, "Someone was in here." Aspen freaks out looking through her stuff and Hanna does the same noticing nothing missing.

Emily, Spencer and Aria all come back noticing the panicked looks on both Aspen and Hanna's faces before locking the door and closing the curtains suddenly all feeling paranoid.

The next morning, the five girls sit on the bed looking through the log book running off no sleep since last night's paranoia.

"Ali stayed here twice... and the first time was the day she was supposed to be meeting A in Brookhaven." Spencer voices seeing Vivian— Alison's name in the book.

Aria passes tea out to everyone in the room, "Coincidence? I doubt it." Spencer voices looking at Aria.

Hanna looks at her phone seeing Caleb trying to call her stepping out to try and find some service, "She still didn't call back?" Aspen questions since Emily couldn't hear Maya last night.

Aria sits on the bed beside the two cousins, "My mom's not even home yet... and I'm lying to her. She thinks I'm staying at your house." Emily states looking at Aria.

"Oh! That works. Cause my mom thinks that I stayed at yours." Aria shrugs with a smile.

"We're not stealing that... are we?" Emily questions looking at Spencer rubbing her eyes tiredly, "No. We'll go put it back." Spencer answers.

"We? Spencer... you are not gonna make me crawl through that window again. Are you?" Aria mutters.

"I'll do it. I just need you to stand guard. Come on. We're "Team Sparia."" Spencer groans while Aria nods following Spencer out of the room letting Hanna back into the room.

"What's wrong?" Emily wonders hearing Hanna sigh in frustration, "Caleb can't take me to the masquerade party any more. His mom's flying in tonight. My costume needed a date." Hanna explains.

"Join the club. Jason's out of town. Although my costume didn't need a date." Aspen mumbles with a shrug.

"What's your costume?" Emily quizzes, "I wanted to be Juliet... since Bridget Woo beat me out for the part in the 6th grade." Hanna explains.

"Looking back... I think I wanted to be Romeo." Emily responds hearing Aspen laugh amused.

"So go together?" Aspen suggests, "I'll be your date. But I'm not dressing like a dude." Emily states firmly.

"Harold's back." Aria states entering the room getting her bag, "Let's go before he realizes we touched his stuff!" Spencer shrieks while everyone grabs their stuff and the dirty muddy clothing and running out towards Aspen's car.

Aspen doesn't hesitate in backing out and leaving the creepy man and hotel actually looking forward to getting home to her apartment to put together her costume for the ball tonight.

Aspen walks into her apartment plugging her phone in to charge seeing a message come through from Jason last night.

I CALLED AND IT WENT
STRAIGHT TO VOICEMAIL.
ANYWAYS, I'M HERE AND
SAFE AND SO IS BOWIE.
I LOVE YOU. SEE YOU IN
A FEW DAYS, DARLING.
— JASON

Aspen responds explaining that she was out of service for most of the night helping the girls with something and organising her outfit for tonight.

✹

SPENDING THE afternoon doing her makeup and hair along with Hanna's.

The five girls walk into the Masquerade Ball in their costumes looking around the dance floor.

"This is the perfect place for A to hide." Aria mutters seeing everyone around them with masks.

"Where was Melissa when you left?" Hanna questions looking at Spencer.

"In her pyjamas. Curled up on the couch." Spencer sighs walking down the staircase towards the dancing teenagers.

"We have three hours to find out who A is before A finds us." Emily says.

"We all still agree, right? No matter what happens at midnight. We stick together... and we are not giving up that phone." Aria voices determined.

"That's five against one. I like those odds." Hanna responds with a firm nod.

"Should we split up and look around?" Spencer wonders, "None of us have dates, so..." Emily huffs.

"Let's meet back here in an hour. And keep your phones close." Aspen demands walking into the ongoing dancers feeling hands meet her waist.

Aspen gasps stopping in the middle of the dance floor taking a deep breath.

"You look beautiful." a voice whispers in her ear making Aspen sigh in relief facing her boyfriend looking handsome as ever in a suit.

"Jason." Aspen smiles happily seeing Emily smiling beside the male, "Em, you did this?" Aspen wonders.

"Surprise!" Emily exclaims happily before walking off leaving the couple on the side of the dance floor.

"I meant what I said darling. You look beautiful." Jason states causing a blush to cover Aspen's cheeks, "I thought you were out of town seeing your mom?" Aspen frowns.

"I was. She still has Bowie but Emily called me and told me to surprise you. Actually she demanded it." Jason explains hearing Aspen laugh.

"Well, thank you. You look handsome." Aspen responds running her hands along Jason's toned chest hearing him suck in a breath.

"Asp, stop teasing me and just dance with me." Jason demands loving the effect she has on him.

Aspen nods grabbing a hold of Jason's hand who then leads her towards a more quiet place on the dance floor.

Wrapping his arms around her waist while Aspen places her hands around his neck placing her head on his chest swaying together.

Jason looks up seeing Spencer rushing towards them, "Hi. Sorry to interrupt! Aspen. I need you." Spencer pleads.

Aspen looks up at Jason who has a worried look on his face but nods at her motioning for her to follow after Spencer.

"What's happening?" Aspen questions confused, "A wasn't watching Ali in Brookhaven. Ali was watching A. Mona helped me figure that out." Spencer explains.

"Wait, the Lost Woods. Oh my god Spence." Aspen realises looking at Spencer shocked.

"Ali didn't go there to hide from A. I think she followed A there. Mona, you and I are going out there right now. Come on." Spencer demands.

"Spencer, I can't just leave Jason... he came back for me." Aspen responds.

"Aspen! We could find out who A is right now at the Lost Woods. Come on!" Spencer exclaims.

Aspen throws her head back in frustration before rushing out following Mona and Spencer towards Mona's vehicle.

"I hate this drive." Aspen mutters in the back only driving it once but still hating it and the creepiness surrounding the woods.

Spencer calls Emily's number to explain, "Keep your friends close, Em." Spencer states.

"Spencer, where are you?" Emily asks alarmed noticing the lack of Aspen at the ball.

"That's what Ali was doing. Keeping her enemies even closer. I'm on my way back to the motel right now." Spencer explains, "Now?" Emily asks shocked.

"Yes! When we checked into the motel. There was a key for every room available except for room two. Room two hasn't been booked since before Ali went missing. Don't you get it, Em? Nobody checks into room two because it's been rented... and Ali checked into the room next door because she was spying on A." Spencer rambles with an explanation.

"Spencer, don't go out there alone. Wait for us." Emily pleads, "No, I don't want us all to leave. We can't tip A off. And besides... I'm not alone. Aspen's here and we're with Mona." Spencer responds looking at Aspen in the backseat and Mona in the drivers seat beside her.

"Okay. You've got two hours to get back here." Emily mutters, "Okay." Spencer says ending the phone call.

Once the three arrive at the Lost Woods, Aspen and Spencer sit on the chairs opposite to Harold sipping on tea.

"It's kind of you both to take the time to sit with me." Harold says, "It must get lonely out here." Aspen voices.

"I find myself talking to these stuffed creatures." Harold creepily voices.

"Well... I guess you really only have to worry if they start to talk back to you." Spencer jokes.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Harold questions slightly offended, "It was a joke." Spencer mumbles looking at Aspen who's suddenly gotten really pale.

"Um— thank you. For the tea." Aspen politely says, "You haven't finished." Harold responds noticing Spencer's cup still half full with tea.

"Yeah sorry. I just don't feel the best." Aspen admits not exactly telling a lie since the pit of her stomach has deepened and she feels super dizzy and nauseous noticing Mona waving them out of the office since she has the room key in her hands.

Aspen exhales once stepping out of the office letting the fresh air smack her in the face feeling a little better while Mona and Spencer enter room two.

Aspen looks up hearing Spencer gasp seeing the room full of different photos of them and dolls.

"Oh, my god! Aspen... Spencer, what is this place?" Mona questions.

"This is A's lair." Spencer reveals while Aspen looks around seeing the various items in the room.

Aspen frowns noticing Spencer looking at something, "Spencer?" Mona quizzes, "This has to be A's costume." Spencer mutters seeing the sketches in-front of her.

"I'll call Hanna." Mona states firmly while Aspen gasps at the designs, "A's dressed as the Black Swan." Aspen reveals shocked.

Mona stands behind the two surprised girls, "Gum?" Mona offers, "Uh. No... thanks." Spencer responds.

"No thanks." Aspen also replies looking at the dark haired brunette, "Okay." Mona softly hums.

"Why aren't they calling us back?" Spencer whispers looking at Aspen squinting at Mona acting strange in the corner.

"Spence, this is Ali's diary." Aspen mumbles flipping through the pages seeing a gum wrapper placed as a bookmark.

Aspen frowns turning her head slightly seeing Mona swaying behind them, "Melissa was the Black Swan at a charity ball in Philly last year." Spencer comments staring at the gum wrapper in Aspen's hand.

"You don't think she'd do anything to try and hurt you... do you?" Mona quizzes, "Why would you ask me that?" Spencer questions facing the brunette now alarmed.

"Well, I just thought that's what you meant. Melissa's the Black Swan. Maybe she's A?" Mona suggests looking at Spencer.

Aspen sways feeling her legs give out on her for a moment blinking as stars fill her vision before facing in Mona's direction.

"Actually... can I have that gum now?" Aspen wonders swallowing the urge to vomit.

"Sure." Mona responds putting her hands in her pockets looking for a piece of gum, "Oh... you know. I think I have more in the car. So I'll be right back, okay?" Mona firmly states leaving the room.

Aspen looks out the window that's covered with black curtains, "Spence, it's Mona!" Aspen exclaims feeling herself growing more and more dizzy.

"Holy crap! Aspen!" Spencer gasps catching the blonde who collapses in her arms.

"I found the gum." Mona voices while the door to the room slams open and closed.

"You didn't call Hanna, did you? Because you're A." Spencer mutters facing Mona while holding Aspen's unconscious figure in her arms.

"Congratulations, Spencer. You figured it out." Mona mocks looking at Aspen with a smirk, "What did you do to her?" Spencer shrieks.

"She's getting what she deserves. The poison didn't kill her. But this might." Mona taunts holding up syringe with a clear liquid inside of it.

"No!" Spencer shouts knocking the syringe out of Mona's hands and stepping on it.

Suddenly the world around her fade to black dropping to the floor sending Aspen's head onto the floor re-opening the stitches on her forehead.

✹

JASON EXITS the masquerade ball confused not seeing Aspen anywhere but seeing Toby leaning against his truck ushering him over desperately.

"Aspen is in severe danger." Toby states getting straight to the point alarming Jason who looks around seeing Emily, Hanna and Aria running out of the hall and getting into Hanna's car zooming out of the parking lot.

"Come with me and I'll explain everything and about someone with the initial A. And how they've been tormenting your girlfriend and the other girls for months." Toby voices seeing Jason nod and get in the passenger seat of his truck wanting to know what's going on.

"You're telling me that Mona fucking Vanderwaal poisoned and nearly killed Aspen?" Jason seethes.

"She was the one who caused Aspen to have— have a miscarriage." Jason mutters in anger seeing Toby nodding at him with anger for Spencer, Aspen and the others.

✹

ASPEN GROANS awake feeling startled remembering the Lost Woods and feeling beyond ill while the world around her fades into darkness.

Aspen looks towards the drivers seat seeing Mona in a black hoodie and Spencer panicking in the backseat while she continues to lay in the backseat.

"Is this some kind of payback? Because we let Ali treat you like that?" Spencer asks.

"I am so over Ali. I told you. She was never my friend! But Hanna was and you bitches took her from me." Mona snarls.

"This is about betrayal?" Spencer exclaims, "It's not about betrayal, Spencer. It's about revenge! You deserved everything you got! You stole my only friend." Mona mutters.

"Mona, she's still your friend!" Spencer cries out seeing Aspen still unconscious in the backseat.

"Okay, so what's the plan? I mean, A always has a plan, right?" Spencer questions.

"Yes. She does." Mona smirks while speeding through the curvy roads.

"What happens if I don't join the team? What happens to Aspen?" Spencer questions alarmed.

"Melissa doesn't have your dad's gun... I do. When Ali left... it pulled you guys apart," Mona responds.

Oblivious to Aspen sitting up slowly in the backseat, "It'll be the same if you go away." Mona taunts.

"No. It won't." Spencer voices seeing Aspen's hand on the hand break pulling it.

"Think again bitch!" Aspen yells as the tires squeal and the car comes to a stop.

Aspen screams being thrown from the backseat onto the floor of the car with a grunt hearing Spencer grunt and quickly get out of the car.

Aspen opens the backdoor falling out of the car on her hand and knees feeling someone placing their arms around her waist picking up seeing Hanna staring at her alarmed at the blood pooled on the side of her head.

"Are you okay?" Hanna questions panicked seeing Aspen nod and squint holding onto the wound.

"Yeah. Just nauseous and my head is fucking pounding." Aspen mutters seeing the blood on her hand from her head.

Looking around confused seeing Mona no where in sight and Aria and Emily hugging Spencer tightly looking down the cliff.

Aspen and Hanna join the hug embracing each other tight gasping seeing Mona unconscious on the bottom of the cliff.

Aspen bends over throwing up to the side of them knowing she's definitely concussed from the fall at the motel.

"Oh shit. Here Spenny. Sit down and take slow sips." Emily demands handing Aspen a water bottle.

Aspen spits after finishing throwing up and sitting Hanna's car seeing the red and blue flashing lights from the ambulances and police coming up the windy road.

The paramedics get out of the ambulance seeing the state Aspen is in with blood staining the side of her head ruling it out as a concussion and just restitching the wound.

Aspen nods answering questions and seeing the sleeping pills Mona laced in the tea back at the Lost Woods for Aspen to fall unconscious instead of Spencer.

Emily leans against the ambulance standing closet to Aspen seeing an oncoming figure rushing onto the scene.

"Dr Sullivan?" Aria voices shocked, "Are you all okay?" Dr Sullivan questions.

"We tried to find you." Aspen states, "What did she do to you? Where have you been?" Spencer quizzes.

"She threatened my son. I didn't think I had a choice. I needed to leave. I'm so very sorry." Dr Sullivan explains looking at Hanna— who has her arms wrapped around Aspen still worried about her best friend.

"Hanna— Hanna, it's all right. You're safe now." Dr Sullivan mumbles seeing Hanna weeping softly.

"I can't believe this. She was my friend." Hanna weeps feeling a gentle tug and arms wrapping around her.

Aspen sniffles feeling the loss of her unborn child and someone she thought she was growing closer to as a friend.

"It's over, Aria." Emily cries hugging Aria who's also crying.

The five girls plus Dr Sullivan all cry before agreeing to meet up with each other at the police station.

"She's alive!" a policeman shouts alerting the others of Mona's consciousness.

Aspen sighs in relief not wishing death upon anyone.

✹

ONCE THE five girls and Dr Sullivan are back at the police station since one of the deputies wanted to make sure Aspen is doing okay.

Hanna, Emily and Aspen all rode in the back of the squad car wanting to comfort each other while Spencer and Aria drove Hanna's car back into Rosewood meeting the others at the police station.

"She was living in a perpetual state of hyper reality. The adrenaline rush that accompanied her feelings of empowerment and her high level of intelligence fueled Mona's ability to be seemingly all-knowing and omnipresent." Dr Sullivan explains while they look at Mona staring at the wall in a catatonic state.

"Will she always be like this?" Hanna questions, "With therapy and the right medications. People with these personality disorders can get better." Dr Sullivan explains with a nod.

Dr Sullivan leads the girls out of the police station once the police are done questioning them and getting Aspen and Spencer's statements.

"I never thought I'd find the strength to come back here. But your friends showed up... and they were very convincing. I help people push through their fears. But they helped me push through mine." Dr Sullivan voices looking at Spencer and Aspen.

"Wait... our friend?" Spencer repeats confused, Dr Sullivan gestures to Toby and Jason leaning against Toby's truck.

Aspen rushes towards her boyfriend launching herself in his arms sobbing, "I'm sorry." Aspen weeps.

"Don't apologise baby. Are you okay?" Jason questions noticing her blood stained hair.

"I am now." Aspen firmly states embracing Jason in a tight hug inhaling her favourite scent.

Seeing at Toby and Spencer embracing one another as well while their friends smile at Aspen and Spencer's happiness in the arms of those who love them.

✹

JASON HESITANTLY lets Aspen leave with the others but the blonde girl he loves so much promises she'll come back to his after showering and packing some clothes from her apartment.

Emily, Aspen, Hanna, Aria and Spencer all walk beside one another after letting Aspen shower and wash the blood from her hair mindful of her freshly stitched wounded forehead.

"You gonna be okay at home tonight?" Aria questions looking at Hanna.

"I know Mona's A. I just keep seeing that faceless person in the black hoodie." Hanna voices.

"Let's sleep at my place? My mom will be thrilled to have a reason to cook." Emily suggests.

"Oh. I promised Jason I'd stay with him tonight." Aspen mumbles seeing the girls smiling at her.

"That sounds like old times. Minus the Aspen not being there. Although you were sneaking around with half brother in the past anyways." Spencer replies with a small smile.

Aspen gently shoves her shoulder before frowning seeing an ambulance driving past them and flashing lights ahead of them.

Aspen and Emily look at each other seeing the house surrounded by police cars and ambulances pushing past onlookers seeing Pam motioning them over.

Aspen looks at her aunt in relief knowing she's okay, "Honey. They found a body," Pam explains while Aspen and Emily both gasp at the news seeing the coroner walking towards them from the backyard.

"They think it's— it's Maya." Pam reveals shocking the girls while looking at the body of Maya St Germain being wheeled out and placed in the van.

Emily falls against Aspen hysterically sobbing at the loss of her first girlfriend and first love while Aspen and the others try and comfort the heartbroken girl while crying themselves at the loss of a friend.

Aspen eventually breaks away from Emily's sobbing figure calling Jason and explaining she won't be coming over to stay with him and needs to be with Emily for a while due to Maya being dead.

Jason understands immediately wishing the blonde and her family his best and stating how much he loves her before ending the phone call knowing he'll see her tomorrow sometime.

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END OF SEASON TWO