"Ezra?" She walks faster down the sidewalk. "Ezra? Is that you?" She calls out again.

Ezra turns around, a smile slowly taking over his face as she approaches.

"Aria! I didn't know you were back?"

He goes in for a hug and she eagerly accepts, trying not to spill the coffees taking up both her hands.

"About a month now. We came back right after graduation," Aria explains. "I think we're gonna stay at my house for a little bit while we get all sorted out with future living arrangements and shit. Dad's never home because of work anyway. The girls are all coming back this summer too so it'll be nice to finally all be in one place."

"Dylan, right?"

"Yeah," she says, holding up the coffee with his name written across it. "I was supposed to meet him at the Brew but he couldn't make it. So if you want a coffee...?"

Ezra smiles and takes the cup without hesitation.

"Alright, so what the fuck are you doing back here?" Aria asks as she begins walking towards Ezra's apartment building. "How are things with Leila?"

Ezra laughs awkwardly and shrugs, following her.

"Shit..." Aria sighs. "I'm sorry."

He shakes his head. "It's fine. It was mutual. She's not really a city person and New York just wasn't a good fit. I got back a few days ago for Hardy's wedding next weekend."

"Hardy's getting married? Megan?"

Ezra nods his head. "That's the one. Bless her heart. Dylan popped the big question yet?"

Aria laughs. "He'd have to be pretty dumb to try."

"Why's that?"

"You know why."

Ezra shakes his head and chuckles. "Really? You're still against getting married?"

She rolls her eyes. "You can have a committed relationship without marriage."

"True, but with marriage comes supporting someone no matter what, and loving them in spite of their flaws."

"Yeah well," Aria mutters under her breath, "most of the men in my life have turned out to have some pretty big fuckin' flaws."

Ezra clears his throat awkwardly.

"Besides, the idea of marriage makes me feel trapped," Aria continues. "Why do I need a contract to make sure I stay with the one I love?"

"Fair enough," Ezra replies.

Aria leads the way into Ezra's apartment building all the way to door 3B. She stops in front of the door to wait for Ezra to open it. He chuckles and Aria folds her arms over her chest.

"Just open the damn door, Ezra."

"Want anything to eat?" Ezra asks as he closes the door.

"Shit..." Aria mutters as she looks around. "I mean, I knew that it would look different but..."

"Shit," Ezra says with a smirk.

"Yeah... shit." Aria smiles and sits on the couch. Other than that and the bed the entire apartment looks redone, or maybe undone would be the right word.

"I moved most of it to my place in New York."

"So what, you've just been keeping this place for whenever someone you know gets married?"

Ezra shrugs. "Why not, right?"

Aria raises her brow and takes a sip of her coffee. "Whatever you say, Mr. Fitz."

Ezra rolls his eyes and joins Aria on the couch. "Did you ever think this is where we'd end up? Back in Rosewood?"

Aria laughs, taking in all of the barren shelves and walls. "There was a time when I thought my entire life was going to be here."

"And now?"

"I'm not sure. Dylan found a job close to Philly, I'm looking at a few around there. By fall we should be all set to move up there."

Ezra chuckles softly. "You sound pretty sure to me."

Aria shrugs. "People always sound sure when they love someone. That doesn't make the future any less predictable."

"When did you become so cynical? What happened to the hopeless romantic?"

Aria smiles softly. "She grew up. She learned."

Ezra leans forward and takes the bottle of scotch sitting next to the couch. "Well I'd say we can have a drink to that."

"It's eleven in the morning."

"You can start using that excuse when you start actually caring."

Ezra flashes her a wicked smile as he takes a pull from the bottle. Still furrowing her brow, Aria extends her hand towards the bottle. They continue passing the bottle back and forth until eventually Aria kills it.

"What are we doing, Ezra?"

"I don't know. Hanging out?"

Aria laughs lightly. "Alright... I can do hanging out."

"You're the one who practically led me to my apartment."

Aria frowns at him.

"Come on, when's the last time we spent more than fifteen minutes together. I think we owe ourselves a day, don't you?"

Aria bites her lip before glancing back towards the kitchen.

"Only if you have more to drink."

"Deal."

He gets up and takes a bottle of wine from the fridge. "How's this?" he asks, holding it up for Aria.

"Perfect."

Ezra walks back over to the couch and begins pouring them each a glass. He hands Aria hers and swirls his in his hand.

Aria holds up her glass. "To us, for somehow getting our shit together."

Ezra smiles and touches his glass to hers. "To us."

"So, how's the book thing going?" Aria asks, raising her wine to her lips.

"Great, actually," Ezra says, smiling. "Yeah we should be ready to publish soon."

"That's amazing," Aria replies. "I'm so happy for you, Ezra."

"Aren't you looking into publishing?"

"Yeah, there are a few openings at some publishing groups in Philly for me."

"Damn. We really do have our shit together," he says, chuckling quietly to himself.

"Yeah, fuck, what happened? The young, tortured writer and rebellious, quirky artist are actually making something of themselves. Who would've guessed."

"Aria," Ezra says, laughing softly again. "I don't think anyone ever questioned the amazing things you would do."

She smiles sweetly before rolling her eyes and taking a large gulp of wine. "Fuck off, you big softie."

"I can tell already that the years have only made you kinder," Ezra mutters with a smirk across his face.

Aria looks down at her glass and lets out a small laugh. "What had I ever done in my life to deserve you?"

She lifts her head up and meets his eyes. He's still smiling—that same smile she hasn't seen in forever yet knows so well. Somehow between getting the wine and pouring glass after glass for both of them Ezra has found himself directly next to her, her legs draped over his lap. Aria's breathing is nervous and heavy, and Ezra can smell the wine in her breath as it drifts towards him.

"I should..." Aria breathes out.

"Yeah," Ezra whispers.

Ezra glances down at her wine-stained lips and before he knows it they're brushing his. He lets out a small gasp into her mouth before pressing closer to her, still holding the empty glass in his hand. Aria tosses hers onto the opposite end of the couch and rearranges herself so that she's straddling him.

Ezra breaks away from her mouth. "It'll get wine on the couch."

"Fuck the couch," Aria says, breathless.

Ezra grins and lets go of his own glass, wrapping one hand around her waist and the other in her hair. Aria leans forward and reclaims his mouth, running her hands through his dark curls. Ezra kisses her neck, following it down to her collarbone. Aria inhales deeply, opening her eyes for a moment and realizing what she's doing. Ezra begins tracing back to her neck and Aria puts both of her hands on his chest, pulling back.

"Ezra—fuck—Ezra, stop," she says weakly.

He leans back and looks at her. Aria's running her hand through her hair and biting her lip.

"Fuck, I can't do this, I—" she gets off of him and pulls at her shirt. "Oh my god—"

Ezra stands up as well, causing her to take a step back. "Aria, I'm sorry..."

"No, no," she says quickly, "It was my fault, I, uh..." She looks around nervously. "I need to go... Yeah, I need to leave. Um, thanks, for hanging out."

Aria turns to leave and Ezra quickly follows and lightly touches her arm. "No, please... I didn't mean to—"

"It's fine, Ezra. I just need to not be here right now."

She brushes off his arm and begins walking away again.

"You're drunk," Ezra calls after her.

She opens the door and looks back at him. "I'll see you later, okay?"

Ezra jumps slightly as the door closes and runs a hand through his hair. He lets out a deep, heavy sigh.

"Shit."