This is a one shot I've had in my head for a few weeks now. I don't necessarily think that Malcolm really is Ezra's son; Maggie's hiding something about this all (I can feel it), but I wanted to envision a reunion of sorts between Aria and Ezra if he did go to Delaware to be a part of his child's life (though, if Malcolm is Ezra's, I highly doubt the writers will have him be moving there).
Now, I need your feedback. Also with Blue and Hazel, I'd like to write a story with Aria, Ezra, and a baby. Part of me wants to go back to a plot somewhat like Reunited with one of them having a child and the other tries to fit themselves into their lives. Or, I could turn this into a full on story. It's up to all of you. And just so you know, once I finish Blue and Hazel, I have several other plot ideas, even a rewrite of I Know You. But please, feedback on what to do would be amazing!
Please review!
DISCLAIMER: I own nothing, unfortunately. If I did, there wouldn't be a Wesley Fitzgerald. I've never seen a ship more pointless than Jaria…then along came Wesley/Aria.
You people do realize that those weren't longing looks, right? Aria looked at Wesley because she didn't know whether to tell Ezra or not about Maggie. She wasn't staring at him with lust and longing to be with him.
Sorry. Mini rant. I'm done now.
A year. That's how long had gone past; a year. And while he and Aria were supposed to make it work long distance, communication because less than existent with various responsibilities that came in the way. Aria's were needing to apply and get into college. Ezra's was…his son. Five year old Malcolm had come to him as a shock. Ezra was hesitant to move to Delaware for a bit to get to know his child, like Maggie had suggested. But it had been Aria who pressed for him to go.
"Ezra, it's the right thing to do. He's your son."
Her ever present voice still rang in his head when he thought of her last statement to him at the bus stop. Ezra had been seconds away from packing away his suitcase, grabbing Aria, and driving back to his tiny Rosewood apartment, but her forceful words urged him on the bus. The truth was that Aria didn't want to be holding him back from something Ezra deserved. And so, he went. Delaware was strange for the first week, him still not being accustomed to the different pace of life plus the added child. Things settled into normalcy when Aria called him via Skype. Those few hours each week meant the world to Ezra. She was his constant, his something familiar. But then the real world set in.
With college around the corner, Aria became consumed with applications in early December. The blue eyed man could vaguely remember her excitement while filling them out with his guidance for the first few times via webcam. Soon enough though, she'd gotten enough practice to fill them out by herself. It was only a matter of keeping up her grades. Ezra couldn't put Aria at total fault for the relationship that went bust. As soon as Malcolm became more accustomed to him being around, Ezra's life revolved around working and the small boy. It was unbelievable, but somehow, Aria didn't seem to fit into his life and that killed him.
It wasn't until summer vacation came around when Ezra heard that Aria had gotten accepted into NYU by news of her mother, Ella. Even though her daughter and her former teacher weren't exactly speaking anymore, the elder Montgomery woman still filled Ezra in on details of Aria's life. She also happened to know that her daughter wasn't dating anyone and refused to date anyone that wasn't Ezra. Aria was still waiting for him to waltz back into her life like she knew he'd do at some point; Ezra always did. Summer vacation also brought upon a decision for Ezra. Maggie had proposed a "family vacation", but with each mention, she pulled at least some form of flirting to the point where Ezra wasn't sure if she knew what "I'm in love with someone else" meant.
Leaving his son because of advances made by his mother was an absurd, but so had been leaving Aria, Ezra's entire future. He'd battled with the decision for days, though deep down, Ezra knew what was right for him. He could always visit Malcolm, but there wouldn't be another Aria.
"Do you really have to go, Daddy?" The childish voice of Malcolm piped up as Ezra stood on the train platform en route to New York. He clutched his father's hand, the young boy having grown attached even after a short year.
"I do, Bud," Ezra spoke, bending down, his satchel slung over his chest. The rest of his things were already being shipped to his new apartment in the city. Now eye to eye with his son, Ezra gave Malcolm a faint smile. "But I promise I'll call you whenever I can. Now that your mother set up that webcam, you can see me whenever you like."
Malcolm's bottom lip trembled while his small body dove to seize Ezra's in a hug. Maggie stood by, careful not to interfere with the moment as well as Ezra's short temperance for her. Ezra could feel wetness on his shoulders from his son's blue eyes, his own tears pooling. He loved his son, he really did. But life wasn't exactly here in Delaware. Life was wherever Aria was, and that just so happened to be his native city of New York.
"Go get her, Dad," Malcolm whispered just as the train came rolling up to a stop. Ezra kissed his son's forehead and ruffled his hair, trying to provoke a smile.
"I'll talk to you soon, Buddy."
Presently, Ezra stood on a New York City sidewalk, more specifically, a street in Greenwich Village where most of NYU's campus was located. He stood with his hands stuffed in his pockets, shuffling his feet back and forth while he waited for Aria's class to let out. Ella had sent him a copy of her daughter's schedule in order for him to be able to surprise her. His lined up job at a prep school in Manhattan didn't start till next week, giving him the time to wait outside of the English Department. Ezra's bottom lip twitched as he walked down the street, peering into various windows that he'd looked into for the past fifteen minutes. Bookstores and cafes made up most of the shopping experience on this street corner, but Ezra was well aware of everything New York had to offer. After all, he did spend eighteen years of his life here.
Being back in the city proved its own challenges. For instance, Ezra had to plot ways to avoid his own mother. Dianne Fitzgerald was only more than happy when she caught wind that her oldest was coming back to the city. Little did she know that it was for the girl she disapproved of. Ezra's relationship with Wesley was getting better, but he didn't trust his younger brother all that much like he used to. Still weary of his entire family, letting them alone would be the better option than trying to make amends while trying to make amends with Aria. No doubt that the two would collide and cause him problems.
Making his way down to the English building once more, Ezra prayed that classes would finally be letting out. Soon enough, a trickle of students began to exit through the front doors, then a whole swarm. Desperately, he tried to look through for the familiar face of Aria. At least, Ezra hoped she'd look familiar. People could change a lot in a year.
That's when he saw her. A light breeze blew through her hair. Ezra noticed that she'd let it grow out again and that Aria had dyed it back to its original dark brown color rather than the highlighted brown she'd had a year ago. She'd lost a bit of weight, but still looked healthy and her fashion sense hadn't changed much from being a high school senior to a college freshman. Aria was still Aria; the thought made Ezra sigh in relief. His worst fear was that he'd stumble upon someone completely and totally different than the girl he loved. In her fragile, ring laden hands, she carried books that hadn't any room in her bag. Ezra chuckled; it was just like her to over pack for things, even college lectures. The only difference was that her usually happy expression was gone, worn down into one of sadness. Ezra could only guess why.
"Aria!" Ezra didn't know where he'd pulled the words from, but soon enough, his voice rang out over the crowd of college students. His love looked up, hazel eyes widening. Aria could feel her heart banging against her chest. He was here; Ezra was really here.
There had been multiple times where she dreamed about the day he'd come back for her, if he'd ever come back for her that is. Aria always had several doubts that he would. What if family life had been treating him so well that he forgot all about her? What if he'd fallen in love with Maggie? Without him to talk to, Aria only assumed the worst. But in her fantasies, she didn't ever dream of feeling as hurt as she did right now. Though her life was empty without him, Ezra couldn't just pop back up and pretend like nothing happened; like he hadn't tried to make it work. Sure, he wasn't the one totally at fault, but he couldn't at least fight for her.
Or was that what he was doing now?
"Ezra," Aria breathed quietly, starting to push her way through the throng of students. Regardless of the hurt, letting him stand there with open arms and not enter them wasn't an option for her. Fighting her way through the sweater and boots clad student population, the small brunette found herself on the edge of the street, just inches away from the man she loved. Ezra hadn't changed. He still carried the leather satchel he had during her junior year, and though his hair was slightly longer and a bit curlier, it was mussed up. The boyish smile of utter happiness was on his lips, his deep blue eyes staring into hers.
Almost immediately, Aria dropped her things on the pavement and rushed into his arms. A small sob escaped her lips as she clung to Ezra's chest. His arms wrapped around her, holding her tight. Tears of Ezra's own once again formed, but unlike is goodbye with Malcolm, he let the tears flow free as he held onto Aria. It felt like it had been ages since he'd had her in his arms, and honestly, it had been. A year could feel like forever.
"You came back," she murmured into his chest, arms wrapped tightly around his neck. Hiccups escaped Aria's lips every so often as she tried to get her bearings of having Ezra back in her life once more. "You really came back."
Ezra's hand rubbed up and down her back, trying to calm both himself and Aria down. "Of course I did. Leaving you was the biggest mistake of my life."
Aria looked up at Ezra, tears saturating her face. "It's not that you left me, Ezra. You gave up on us. Things got in the way, more important things than me. I assumed you'd forgotten about me by now."
"I could never forget you, Aria. Never." Ezra tilted Aria's face upwards, his lips tingling for a year prolonged kiss. "You're the most important thing to me now, the most important thing to me ever." Before he could take initiative, Aria sprung up on her tip toes, lips locking with his. Her hands immediately cupped his cheeks before threading their way through his hair. Ezra's hands held Aria's face, kissing her passionately. Both had pent up enough emotion, it now spilling out into the kiss that their lips were cemented in. Her tongue ran across his bottom lip and Ezra gladly granted Aria access, picking her up off the sidewalk slightly to get better leverage. He could still fear tears coming from her eyes, due to the trails on her cheeks that were pressed against his. As they pulled away, Aria rested her forehead against his. Ezra still hadn't put her down yet.
Tears fell as she looked down at the pavement below them. "We can't pick up where we left off. Things have changed." It gutted her to say such a thing, but Aria knew she was right. When she and Ezra had broke things off, -A was still around torturing her and in consequence, it made Aria as secretive as ever. "We've both grown in a year. I don't want to still be keeping the same old secrets and having the same problems because of them."
"Then we start from this point in our lives. Together." Ezra's words were solid, almost as if there was no other option; which there wasn't exactly. Neither of them could be without the other, but starting off as if Aria was a senior wasn't going to cut it. She was right; they'd both changed and matured. Ezra didn't want to have the same fights because of things in the past.
"As long as you're with me," Aria murmured, pressing her lips against his once more. He had never thought his life would be defined by various moments, especially ones that you see right out of a movie. But it was fate's desire he be with Aria, even if it meant the kisses in the rain and sweeping her up off her feet.
"I'm not going anywhere. Never again."