Hey everybody! So this is an idea for a story I've been thinking about for a while, but I could never really find a way to make it come to life until now. This is my first FF story but... hopefully you guys will enjoy! Please review (constructive criticism is also gladly accepted!) -Lia

Disclaimer: I don't own Lucy, Ian, or any of the other PLL cast members (or know them personally)! I also do not own Pretty Little Liars, and all of the scenes are credited to Sara Shepard, Marlene King, and anybody else who was involved. This story is purely for entertainment.

Spoilers: This story starts during the finale of season four (4x25 A is for Answers) So anything after that is up for fair game in this story, although there won't be a LOT of spoilers!

Her heart was beating fast against her chest as fear raced through her body. The door slowly creaked open, and a shadowy figure emerged into the cold, New York air. Only it wasn't "A", it was the man she loved… had loved.

"Ezra?" Aria called out, not even bothering to hide the shock on her face. He was wearing a baseball cap which hid his unruly hair that she loved to run her fingers through. She barely had time to think about how much she missed him when another door swung open. Standing there was the person who had tortured them for years, "A".

Aria heard someone scream and suddenly she was pulled back by Spencer into the group of her best friends, huddling close together in the corner of the rooftop. She could only keep her eyes on Ezra who took a step towards "A".

"Hey, hey, hey." He warned, trying to relieve the thick tension on the roof. "A" held up a gun and it was obvious that he/she/it was trying to kill them. But the thought of dying didn't fuel Aria's fear, it was the fact that "A" was pointing that gun at Ezra with the intent of killing him as well. "I know who you are, and the police are on their way." His voice rang out. He started to say something else but was cut off by a gunshot and a bullet nearly hitting him. Aria could vaguely hear someone scream but all she could focus on was her heart pulsing in her ears and Ezra.

"A" suddenly had the gun pointed towards them and Aria couldn't help but duck her head into Emily's body. "A" was going to kill them all tonight. She thought about all of the things she would never get to experience: graduating high school, going to college, getting a job, getting married (hopefully to Ezra), having kids, the list went on. The sounds of a struggle between Ezra and "A" made Aria lift her head up. Aria thought she could hear herself call out for Ezra but her heart was beating, and her head was spinning, and everything was happening too fast. Another gunshot echoed in Aria's ears but Ezra continued to fight, desperate to save the girl he loved, to be the hero she needed. "A" had Ezra pinned up against the edge of the building, but Ezra punched "A", who consequently fell to the ground.

The collision made a harsh sound that stunned Aria. She watched as "A" scrambled to get the gun, but Hanna, who had now pulled away from the group, grabbed it first. Finally, after years of being lost, they had the upper hand. They were in control, not "A".

"Take off Your mask!" Spencer ordered

"Now," Hanna yelled, still holding onto the gun tightly.

"Take it off!" Aria screamed. The intensity of her command vibrated within her chest. She was so sick of being pushed around by this maniac, and now, it was all over. Her command seemed to have done the trick because "A" reached to pull off the black mask that covered its face. But then, the next thing Aria knew, "A" jumped off the building, reaching for the building next door. Collectively, they all screamed and rushed over to the ledge where "A" jumped from.

For a moment, it seemed as if "A" had fallen to the city street below, but then, Aria could see the hooded figure pull itself up and onto the roof of the next building. Hanna mumbled something about how "A" could not be Ali's mom, but Aria wasn't paying attention. All she could think about was how "A" outsmarted them again. For a moment, Aria believed it would never end, that "A" would torture them until they were all dead. Aria, unable to watch "A" escape, Aria pulled away from the group and saw Ezra staring out at New York City on the other side of the roof.

"Ezra?" Aria called out, but Ezra didn't turn around. He continued to focus on the dazzling lights that one could see for miles.

"It's so beautiful," He finally responded. His voice sounded tired, defeated, just like Aria felt. After a moment, He turned around to face the girl that he loved, before looking down at his abdomen. Aria watched as deep red blood seeped through the gray material of his shirt. Ezra began to teeter forwards, and Aria caught his body in her arms.

"No," She screamed, lowering him down to the cold floor carefully. Though his body was dead weight, she managed to help him down to the ground without hurting him even more. Her scream caught the attention of the other girls and they turned around to see what the commotion was about. In an instant, they were there, kneeling next to Aria's dying love.

"Oh my God, oh my God." Emily breathed out.

"Oh my god, Ezra." Ali sobbed out. Any other time, it would have made Aria jealous that Ali had dated Ezra, but at this very moment, all Aria could think about was Ezra and the fact that he was hurt. Aria looked at her friends, but her attention was drawn back to Ezra as he tried to whisper something to her.

His breathing was labored, and his voice shook, but Aria could distinctly make out the words, "I'm sorry." Ezra tried to reach for Aria's face, but it hurt to move. Aria shushed him, and deep down inside, she had forgiven him, but she needed to keep him alive. Anything else, she could worry about later.

Aria watched as Ezra tried to keep his drooping eyes open. But he was quickly losing the battle. She moved her hand to support his head. "No, you stay awake. Do you hear me?" Aria asked, trying to elicit a response from Ezra, but he was fading quickly. "No don't you dare close your eyes!" She ordered, desperation evident in her voice. Ezra's eyes shut and never reopened.

"NO PLEASE! EZRA NO!" she pleaded, tears streaming down her face. The cold air bit at her skin but Aria could barely feel it. "EZRA NO!" Aria looked at her friends, terror in her eyes.

"Somebody call for help!" Ali ordered, upset as well. Even though she was emotionally distraught, Ali commanded the control like she used to years ago. Aria could barely hear her friends yelling for help as her own sobbing voice took over her body.

"Oh my god, Ezra! Ezra!" She tried to wake him back up but nothing was working. Far off in the distance, the siren of an ambulance rang in the air. Aria wasn't religious in any sense, but she prayed harder than she ever had before in that moment. She closed her eyes tight and pleaded with every omnipotent power to allow Ezra to live.

(Lucy's Point of View)

"AND CUT!" A booming voice called from somewhere off the set. Almost immediately, the bright fluorescent lights flickered on, blinding me because I was so accustomed to the dark. Once the lights were on, the set no longer looked like we were on the roof of a dark, gloomy building in New York City, but instead, tt was just a warehouse in California.

I watched as the other girls pushed themselves off the ground, dusting off their clothes. One of the crew members walked over and helped Ian up off his back and into a standing position. Even though I knew I looked weird on the ground, I couldn't stand up. Images of Ian laying on the ground, all bloody and lifeless, resonated in my mind. Usually, once somebody said cut, I was able to snap out of my Aria Montgomery mindset immediately, but today was different.

"Goose?" A voice snapped me out of my thoughts. I looked up to see Ian standing in front of me with a big, goofy, Ian smile. "You gonna stay on the ground forever?" He asked, chuckling a bit. I shook my head slowly and grabbed the hand he was extending out towards me. In one swift motion, Ian helped me up so that I was standing on my feet. I gave him a weak smile, not trusting my voice to say anything. Worry filled Ian's features and his eyebrows furrowed close together. "Luce? You okay?" He asked.

I nodded my head. "I'm fine Shmi. I'm just really tired." I said softly, praying that he would buy my excuse, even though it was total bullshit. Ian looked at me suspiciously and I felt like crumbling under the weight of his stare. But I wouldn't let myself crack.

"Lucy…" Ian trailed off, prompting for an answer like a parent would. I struggled to worm my way out of his questions. All of a sudden, someone from the other side of the warehouse called Ian's name with a sense of urgency. Ian looked torn between talking to the crew and staying with me. "I'll be right back, stay right here," Ian told me before running off to see the crew.

While he was preoccupied, I walked towards the exit, trying not to attract any attention to myself. The other girls, Troian, Sasha, Ashley, and Shay, were gossiping about what they were going to wear to the wrap party tonight. I sighed, not in the mood to celebrate anything tonight and slipped out the door. I hoped that nobody would notice I was gone for a while.

Once again, I was blinded by the late afternoon sun. It took me a few moments to readjust to the natural light after filming all day inside. Once I could actually see again, I began walking towards where my car was parked, across the lot. I kept my head down and walked quickly, praying not to run into anybody.

Luckily, I didn't run into anybody from the cast or crew in the ten minutes it took me to walk to my car. I stepped up into my truck, started the car, and sped out of the parking lot. Three minutes into the drive, my phone began buzzing with messages and phone calls. Without looking, I reached for my phone and turned the ringer off. When I got onto the highway, I was shocked to see that the roads were mainly clear of the typical Los Angeles traffic. Knowing that the Friday afternoon rush-hour traffic could clog the roads at any moment, I pressed on the gas and shot forward at sixty miles per hour.

Twenty minutes later I was home and changing out of "Aria's" clothes. I was too tired to put them away so I left them in a heap on the hardwood floor. I put on black fleece leggings, fuzzy socks, and an oversized gray shirt. Even though it pretty warm for October, I was freezing and I searched for something to cover my arms with. I opened one of the dresser drawers and found Ian's Carnegie Mellon sweatshirt I had stolen from him months ago. I tugged the sweatshirt on over my head and breathed in deeply, it smelled like him. That was all it took for me to break down and begin to sob uncontrollably.

All I could think about was Ian, laying on the floor, dead. It had seemed that there was no source of life in his body, and that terrified me more than anything else in the world. Unaware of my surroundings, I felt my back hit against the cream wall. Immediately, I slid down onto the floor and sobbed into my hands. As much as I didn't want to accept it, seeing in like that on the floor killed me because I was in love with him.

I continued to sob hysterically for hours. After God knows how long, my eyes began to droop, and I gave the darkness that was creeping over me. At first, the darkness was peaceful and embracing, but before I knew it, it morphed into something terrifying.

"Luce!" Ian's cheerful voice tore me from my thoughts. I looked up and spotted him waving at me like a maniac from across the parking lot. I tried to run over to him but I was stuck. The asphalt formed over my feet, keeping me from reaching Ian. I began to panic, unsure of what was happening but the unmistakable sound of a gunshot drew my attention.

Only a moment later, I could hear Ian scream in pain. He stumbled backward from the force of the trauma. I stood there, unable to move as Ian fell backward. The gruesome sound of his head hitting the blacktop resonated in my head and I could see the dark crimson blood seep into a puddle underneath his head. "Ian! No!" I shouted, fighting to get to him. I screamed his name over and over, tears streaming down my face. I screamed until I could feel myself being torn out of the horrifying scene in front of me.

(Ian's Point Of View)

After I was done with the crew, I jogged back to where Lucy and I were previously talking only to find her missing. I let out a worried sigh. Something was upsetting Lucy, and like usual, she would bottle up her feelings in fear of upsetting somebody else. I noticed that the other girls were still in the warehouse, gossiping about God knows what, maybe they knew where Lucy went.

I walked up to Troian, Ashley, Shay, and Sasha. "Oh my God, Ian!" Ashley squealed, pinching my cheeks lightly, "You were amazing today! If I didn't know better, I would've thought you were actually dead." I playfully rolled my eyes at Ashley, but it was all in good nature. After four years, we had all become family and we treated each other like a bunch of normal siblings would.

"Thanks, Ash." I mumbled, my mind still focused on Lucy. "Hey, do you guys know where Luce is?" I asked, trying to hide my concern.

My attempts failed because the girls let out a collective 'Aww', making my cheeks go red. "Aww, is wittle Ian looking for his girlfriend?" Sasha teased me, pinching my cheeks like Ashley did moments before. I groaned wondering if they were ever going to drop the idea of me and Lucy dating. Although I had been in love with Lucy for years, I would never risk losing her. I'd rather have Lucy as my best friend than not have her at all.

"No, I just wanted to catch up with her, we were supposed to get coffee." I lied, not wanting to say anything until I found out why Lucy was so upset. After teasing me with some more 'Lucian' comments, the girls finally told me they weren't sure where Lucy went. I promised I would be at the cast party tonight before heading out of the warehouse and to Lucy's dressing room.

It took me about ten minutes to walk to the buildings that had all of the cast member's dressing rooms. Each of us had an apartment style room with a living area, built in kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom. It was pretty amazing when we were on set for long days. And I definitely had more than my fair share of spending the night in my dressing room.

I quickly made my way up to Lucy's dressing room. She had given me a key to both her dressing room and her apartment in case of an emergency, but I didn't want to abuse her privacy. I softly knocked on the door. "Luce, you in there?" I asked, my voice loud enough for her to hear me. No answer. "Luce?" I tried again. I waited for a few more minutes, but the door still didn't open. I pulled out my phone and dialed Lucy's number.

The phone rang four times, but I couldn't hear Lucy's ringtone from inside the apartment. "Hi, this is Lucy! Can't come to the phone right now but you know what to do!" Her sweet, melodic voice ordered through the phone. I let out a long sigh of frustration, "Hey Lucy Goose, it's me, Ian, obviously…" I trailed off lamely. "Uh, I'm just calling to check up on you since you ducked out earlier. Call me back so I know you're okay." I finished my message before hanging up.

I decided to check the parking lot to see if Lucy's truck was still there. I walked to Lucy's usual spot, only to find her car missing. I ran my fingers through my unruly hair. I was increasingly becoming more worried about Lucy. I pulled my phone out of my back pocket to see if Lucy had to text me back, but there was nothing. I decided to text her.

To: Lucy Hale

Hey, just wondering if you got my message. Please call me. -Shmian (4:37 pm)

I decided to hop in my car and drive to Lucy's apartment, maybe she would be there. But as soon as I pulled out of the Warner Brothers Studio parking lot, I hit bumper to bumper traffic. I slammed my hand against the steering wheel and cursed the typical Los Angeles traffic. But it was rush hour on a Friday, so what did I expect?

The drive to Lucy's apartment, which was usually a thirty-minute drive without traffic, took me nearly two and a half hours. I spent the entire ride switching between checking my phone for any messages and calling or texting Lucy. I knew it was obsessive, but I had to know if she was alright. The mixture of worry and frustration was not the best combination and on the drive to Lucy's, I wasn't the nicest of drivers.

Eventually, I pulled into the apartment complex where Lucy lived and parked in one of her designated guest parking spots. I quickly got out of the car and climbed the eight flights of stairs to the penthouse floor. As I came out of the stairwell, I heard a mixture of the most heart-wrenching screams and my name. My face immediately paled and I sprinted to the door. With Lucy's key in my hand, I unlocked the three locks on her door in record breaking time. I followed the screams into Lucy's bedroom.

When I stepped into Lucy's room, my heart broke. She was curled into a fetal position, sobbing hysterically. It was more than obvious that she was having a brutal nightmare, but she was also screaming my name. I kneeled down onto the floor and shook Lucy's tiny frame lightly.

"Luce," I called out gently, not wanting to wake her by scaring her. "Lucy," I tried again. After a few moments, Lucy opened her eyes and began hyperventilating. I cupped her face and tilted her chin up so that she was looking at me. "Hey, Goose look at me," I told her, trying to get her attention. Finally, she looked up at me with tears pooling in her beautiful, hazel eyes. "You're okay, Goose. You're safe. It was just a bad dream." I continued, saying anything I could to comfort her. Seeing Lucy like this killed me.

Tears began to stream down her face, "Ian," she whispered. Her voice was so soft and broken sounding. I gently pulled her into a hug, unsure of what else to do. Lucy tucked her head into the crook of my neck and continued to cry. I traced various patterns on Lucy's back as I whispered things to try and calm her down. After twenty minutes, Lucy's tears eventually subsided into just the occasional sniffle.

"Sorry for ruining your shirt," she mumbled, referring to the tear stains on the dark blue shirt I was wearing. I rolled my eyes and laughed softly because only she would worry about ruining a shirt after having a horrible nightmare. She pulled away and I could see her bloodshot eyes and swollen face, but she still was beyond beautiful.

A few moments later, I decided to ask Lucy why she was so upset. Only this time, I wasn't going to let her brush it off like it was nothing. "Luce, what made you so upset today?" I asked. Lucy broke eye contact and began playing with a loose thread on her leggings. "C'mon Goose, talk to me." I tried again, almost on the verge of pleading. I would do anything to make her feel better.

(Lucy's Point of View)

I let out a long sigh knowing that Ian wouldn't let this go. "It's fine, Ian. I've just been really stressed with filming the end of the season." It wasn't necessarily a lie, I was stressed with finishing season four, but it wasn't the reason I was so upset. Hurt filled Ian's light blue eyes, and it broke me inside. If I were to tell him, it would ruin everything between us and I couldn't lose Ian. Dammit Ian, why won't you let this go? I thought to myself.

"It's not fine Lucy. You were upset after we were done shooting the rooftop scene. And when I got here, you were screaming hysterically. You were screaming my name." He told me, obviously not willing to let this go. My face paled slightly. Was I screaming his name? Crap. Crap. Crap. "Goose?" Ian's voice tore me from my thoughts. I pushed myself up from the floor and ran my fingers through my hair. Ian got up off the floor as well, and leaned against my bed frame, watching me pace.

I turned around to face him. "I can't Ian! I can't tell you!" I burst out after a few moments of pacing. Ian made that face where he raised one eyebrow up but his eyes seemed to be looking straight into my soul.

"Can't… or won't?" He asked.

"Can't, Ian," I answered immediately. "You wouldn't understand, and I'd just end up losing you anyways. So can we just say I'm fine and pretend this never happened?" I pleaded, my desperation more than obvious.

Ian stood up and took three long strides so that he was standing in front of me. "Goose, you're never going to lose me. That I can promise you." He told me. I could hear the sincerity placed in each of his words. That was all it took for the walls I built to be broken down and the truth to be set free.

"Seeing you on that floor today, Ian. You looked dead!" I started, tears pooling in my eyes. "You weren't moving! you were barely breathing! It scared me, Ian!" I admitted and took a breath. "No, it fucking terrified me, Ian, because I'm in love with you!" The truth was finally out.

Ian didn't say a word. Fuck, what have I done?