(A/N:) I'm baackk! This is my first multi chapter in a reallyyy long time! And yes, this is a multi chapter, but it's only gonna be a total of about twelve. And while this story is a little unrealistic, I wrote this for absolute fun. There's just so many shows I watch where characters go to Vegas or Reno and I wanted to write the PLL crew in that situation. Anyway, I hope you enjoy!
CHAPTER ONE
"Atlantic City?" Spencer asked, with slight disbelief.
Toby shrugged, "That's where we traced the phone calls."
Everyone in Ezra's apartment sat in silence, thinking over their latest findings. It had been weeks since the rooftop incident and ever since, the girls had formed a team of their own consisting of themselves, Ezra (much to Aria's chagrin), Toby, and even Alison.
The seven 'members' were currently going through recent findings; Toby had tracked A's number to various payphones in Atlantic City. Toby was suggesting them to go to the nearby town since the girls were on a school break – it would look like they were going on a much needed vacation – and between seven people, they must have been able to figure out something.
"So, what is the plan?" Aria asked. "You want all of us to go to Atlantic City together and look for clues?"
Hanna smiled, "Well, at least if it's a bust, we can have a vacation."
"Hanna," Emily warned, even though she was in desperate need of a vacation.
Ezra pulled out a few pieces of papers from a folder and handed it to Aria, their fingers briefly brushing together. They both felt the electricity, but while one of them felt butterflies, the other just ignored it and pulled her hand away. Ever since he got shot for them, it had been tense to say the least. She hadn't flat out forgiven him at the hospital, but they had both brushed things under the rug in order to work together. Aria knew and Ezra knew that one day they'd get back together, but it didn't look like that day would be soon.
"So, Toby and I were thinking we could leave tomorrow morning, around eight. Atlantic City is about two hours away, and we could stop for breakfast on the way."
Alison looked at Hanna who was practically jumping on Ezra's couch out of excitement. "How long are we staying?" she asked.
"We can't stay long," Spencer answered. "Maybe three days."
"Three days?" Hanna groaned. "I want a vacation!"
Aria shrugged, "Me too." After a slight glare from Spencer, Aria continued, "I mean, we sort of deserve one, right?"
"We all do," Emily supported.
"So, meet here?" Toby asked, looking at Ezra who nodded. "I guess we should get home and pack."
XXXX
Bright and early next morning, Aria was naturally the first there. She wanted to just sit by Ezra's car in the parking lot, but it was too warm. Reluctantly, she stepped up the familiar stairwell and knocked on the door of Ezra's apartment.
No answer.
Aria was in desperate need of AC and used her key to unlock the door. When she stepped inside, Ezra was just coming out of the bathroom, just in pajama pants.
Despite her attempted hate of him, her eyes glanced over his abs. Aria snapped her head up after a few seconds and sighed, "Sorry, it's just really warm outside, and you weren't answering the door, and-"
"It's okay," Ezra dismissed. "It's why I gave you a key."
Aria smiled weakly before noticing the scar on his stomach and gulping. Ezra turned and picked up a set of folded clothes. "I'm gonna go change," he told her, motioning to the bathroom. "You can look at the agenda Spencer and I made up last night."
"Spencer?" Aria asked, confused.
"She came back because she left one of her folders and when she was getting it, I was working on the agenda, so she helped."
Aria scoffed, "Of course she did."
XXXX
"Jeez, Hanna, pack enough?" Emily judged, motioning to the suitcase she was currently lugging up Ezra's stairs.
Hanna shrugged. "If I don't have enough, I'll borrow from you guys."
After a few more steps, Hanna sighed, "So, excited for the trip?"
"Kind of," Emily responded. "It'll be sort of weird."
"Weird how?"
Emily explained, "I mean, Toby and Spencer have been all over each other since he got back from London, everything is still hard between us and Ali, and whenever Ezra and Aria are in the same room together, you can cut the tension with a knife."
"You'd think that after the roof incident, Aria wouldn't keep on hating him," Hanna thought out loud.
"She doesn't hate him," Emily assured. "They'll be okay eventually and he did take a bullet for us. Just… give it time."
Hanna snickered, "We should probably start a pool. Whoever guesses correctly as to when they'll jump back in the sack wins."
Emily stared at her incredulously before reaching Ezra's door. She knocked and was met with Aria on the other side. Emily then stared at her incredulously as she stepped inside. Maybe Emily should part take in a betting game when it comes to Ezra and Aria. "What are you doing here so early?" Emily asked.
Aria feigned confusion. "Oh, I just got here a little earlier…"
"Mmmhmm," Hanna butted in, crossing her arms as a sly smirk spread across her face. "Aria, what is up with you? One day you'll act like you still love Ezra and want to be back with him, and the next, it's like you wish he had died on the rooftop."
Aria's face fell at her friend's strong words and volume. "Hanna, I never would wish that! And would you keep your voice down, he's in the bathroom!"
"But what is it today?" Hanna asked, ignoring Aria's pleas. "Do you like him today?"
"Just because I'm being friendly, doesn't mean I want to be with him again."
Hanna looked at her with uncertainty as Ezra stepped fully dressed out of the restroom. He tried to keep his composure, despite hearing what he had just heard. He, like her friends clearly could, could tell when Aria was lying. Maybe winning her back could be easier than expected.
After the pregnant pause, Hanna clapped her hands together. "So… who's driving?"
XXXX
"And could we maybe try to get a hotel room to ourselves?" Toby begged, walking hand in hand with Spencer towards the apartment complex.
"I don't know, Toby. We sprung for one of the nicer hotels since this is a vacation, too, so we might have to stay with one of the girls." Toby looked at her with disappointment, causing Spencer to add, "But who knows? If we do get stuck with someone, I'll give them money to go play in the casino for an hour."
"Sounds good to me," Toby smiled, squeezing her hand.
A few minutes later, they arrived to Ezra's slightly crowded apartment. All they were missing was Alison. It had been about fifteen minutes since they'd decided to meet and still no Ali.
Fifteen then turned to twenty.
To thirty five.
After forty minutes, the group got more nervous. "Where is she?" Hanna mumbled.
As if on cue, they heard a knock on the door. Ezra got up and answered it, revealing a disheveled Ali. "I'm so sorry I'm late. My alarm stopped working, and I couldn't get a ride, and –"
"It's fine," Spencer dismissed. "Let's just get going. We're already off schedule."
The group all left Ezra's apartment in a line, shuffling down the stairs with multiple suitcases. Once they got to the parking lot, they stood in a semicircle waiting for Spencer, their self-proclaimed troop leader, to give them instructions.
Spencer sighed before motioning to her and Ezra's cars. "Okay, we're taking my car and Fitz' car. Toby, you're riding with me. And Emily and Aria, you two are too." After a slight pause, Aria glared at Spencer, but her friend didn't catch it. "Okay, so Hanna, because you have the most luggage, you get Ezra's car to mostly yourself. And Ali, you can ride with her so she isn't alone."
Everyone nodded and agreed, slightly not caring, slightly frightened Spencer would get mad that they weren't going along with her agenda. Aria wouldn't take it though and stood next to Spencer. "What are you doing?" she hissed into Spencer's ear.
"What?" Spencer asked in a whisper.
Aria looked at her incredulously. "Ezra and Alison cannot ride together!"
"Did you," Spencer smirked, "want to ride with him?" Aria stuttered and Spencer turned back to the group. "Okay, wait, Aria, you have a lot of luggage, too. Switch with Ali, k?"
Alison nodded and Aria smiled a tiny bit. Hanna caught her petite friend's gaze and shook her head a little. This was going to be fun, Hanna thought. She would make them feel uncomfortable, redeemable, and awkward – and it would all be great.
Hanna grinned, "Let's get going!"
Everyone smiled at Hanna's eagerness and each of them were excited. Something told each of them that this A trace would turn into a bust and they'd actually get to have a deserved vacation. Whatever told them that, it made Spencer feel fluttery, due to the fact that the most fun road trip she had with Toby was to Ravenswood. Spencer smirked and wrapped an arm around Toby's waist, causing him to reciprocate the reaction and kiss her cheek.
Spencer and Toby were not the only ones to share a moment. Emily and Ali, who were loading Spencer's trunk up with luggage, brushed their fingers together, electricity shooting through them. They glanced at each other shyly, anticipating for whatever would happen this week.
While Spencer, Toby, Emily, and Alison had excited butterflies in their stomachs, the other three weren't as amused. Hanna stood there, arms crossed over her chest, ready to get this show on the road. It was as if she were a toddler on Christmas morning, anxiously awaiting her parents waking up so she could open presents.
Aria and Ezra stood side by side awkwardly, not daring to share romantic eagerness with one another. Aria was silently thinking about how, even though they had been together for almost two years, they had never taken a trip together. Given they couldn't most of the time, but still – taking trips was a typical couple thing to do and they never had. And now that they had the chance to, they weren't together. Seeing Spencer and Toby, and even Ali and Emily, it made Aria a little envious. Little did she know, Ezra was thinking the exact thoughts she was, and cautiously stole glances at her while they stood, even though Aria either didn't notice them or ignored his gaze.
Eventually, the love fest came to an end. The group parted into their smaller groups and got into their assigned cars, ready to hit the road.
XXXX
"That car has got to be tense," Emily commented, glancing at the car behind them.
Alison shrugged, "Maybe Hanna will help them work it out. She's always been sort of the Cupid of the group."
"Or she'll make things uncomfortable and worse," Spencer added, eyes still trained on the road.
A few seconds passed before Alison looked at Spencer. "Why did you put me in his car originally?"
"I was trying to make Aria jealous," Spencer explained. "Trying to make her realize what she wants, even if it is Ezra." Right now, Spencer wasn't his number one fan, but he knew how happy he made Aria. And in Spencer's book, if you made Aria happy, you were cool.
"She has nothing to be worried about," Alison assured. "Me and Ezra are never gonna get back together. Besides, he loves her way too much. I mean, did you see his face light up when she switched cars? He looked like a kid in an ice cream shop."
"Aria seems to bring that out in him," Toby muttered, joining the conversation. The girls looked at him, slightly surprised that he was gossiping about their friends' love life. He shrugged and added, "I've just noticed it."
Spencer, after a few moments, rolled her eyes. "Enough about Romeo and Juliet behind us. Who's excited about the trip?"
XXXX
It had barely been fifteen minutes and Ezra was ready to snap Hanna's fingers in half. She changed the radio channels constantly, much to his annoyance. He didn't even know he had so many radio stations! And whenever he heard a tidbit of a song he liked or tolerated, she would switch it.
He removed one of his hands from the steering wheel and pinched the bridge of his nose briefly. Aria noticed how annoyed he was, and frankly, Hanna's actions were grating on her own nerves. Gently, Aria suggested, "Han, could you just pick a station?"
Finally, Hanna settled on some mainstream pop song and slumped back into her seat. Ezra glanced over at Aria, smiling, and Aria returned the gesture. Hanna, however, ruined the short lived moment by narrating it. "Yay! You're smiling at each other!"
Aria sighed and leaned against the window, watching cars drive past them. Silence filled the car and Hanna decided to be bold. "Ok, Fitz, truth or dare?"
Ezra gritted his teeth at the 'conversation starter,' but went with it, muttering, "Truth." Aria looked at him, shocked he was playing, but was excited for the question nonetheless.
"Alright," Hanna started, chewing on her bottom lip. Aria would surely give her mouthful for this, but Aria and Ezra clearly weren't dealing with everything on their own, so it was time for Hanna to play couples counselor. "How do you feel about Aria?"
"Hanna!" Aria screeched, glaring behind her. "Ezra, you don't have to answer that."
Ezra ignored her and answered Hanna, his eyes glued to the road. "I… I miss her."
Hanna grinned, pleased with herself. "Is that all?"
"I'm, um, really sorry for everything and I – I hope she knows I love her." When he uttered the last few words, he looked at Aria, who was fiddling with a ring on her finger, not daring to look up at him.
"Good answer," Hanna praised. "Alright Fitz, you go."
"Is it possible for you to call me Ezra, please?" Ezra asked, hoping that these girls wouldn't call him Mr. Fitz all week long.
Hanna nodded. "Okay, Ezra. Now go, truth or dare someone."
Ezra looked in the rear view mirror at Hanna. "Hanna, truth or dare."
"Dare," Hanna smiled.
Ezra furrowed his brow, thinking of a good task. "I dare you… um, I dare you to, I don't know, Aria help me out."
"Huh?" she asked, looking up from the window sill.
"Do you have a dare idea?"
She shook her head. "Sorry, I don't."
Hanna rolled her eyes. "Okay, forget it. Aria, truth or dare?"
"Han…"
"Pick one!" she insisted.
"Truth, I guess," Aria relented.
"How do you feel about Ezra?" Hanna asked, rephrasing her previous question.
Aria gulped and her eye sort of twitched. "I'm still pissed off," she answered. "I think about everything a lot and it still hurts. But, I think about losing him too, and it… it scares me."
Hanna was about to say something, but Ezra interjected and reached for Aria's hand. "Aria, I'm right here."
Aria wrenched her hand away and shook her head. "No, Ezra! What if you hadn't pulled through? What if something happens again and you don't get through it?"
"Aria, I promise, I won't let that happen," Ezra assured.
Aria snarled her lip a little and stared at him. "You don't get it! I don't want get close to you again just for you to lie to me or let A get to you or get my heart broken again!"
Ezra swallowed down a lump in his throat and understood where she was coming from. If she were to ever let him in again, it would be very risky. "I get it, Aria. I do. But it just –"
"Stop talking!" Aria yelled, facing him dead on for the first time.
He obeyed and it was safe to say the truth or dare game was over. Hanna exhaled slowly before grabbing her phone and texting Emily. If you're betting on Aria and Ezra getting back together soon, you might wanna make another bet.
In the car in front of Ezra, the four friends chattered nicely. Emily phone went off and she sighed, glancing behind her. Ali nudged her. "Who's that?"
"Oh, it's Hanna," Emily answered, "Apparently Ezra and Aria aren't the great road trips buddies."
"Let me tell you right now," Spencer warned, "if they're fighting constantly during this trip, I'm going to personally call Dr. Phil or someone to fix them."
(A/N:) first chapter's just set up, but I hope you still enjoyed it! Things get crazy pretty quick though so stay tuned! And please, review! Reviews = Motivation = Updates