Chapter 1

It was early, far too early to be up at that hour. No one in Spencer's room was awake. Emily was sleeping on the floor curled into a ball next to Alison while Spencer was fast asleep half off the bed because of Hanna. Aria was the only one awake. She sat in the chair she had fallen asleep in nervously biting her fingernails and tapping her fingers on the arm of the chair. Too many thoughts had gone through her mind lately and she just couldn't take it anymore and all she wanted was to speak to the one person she couldn't speak to. He was still out of town in New York recovering and Aria was still pissed at him regardless of what had happened. She still felt that sting of betrayal that had lingered with her ever since she discovered the book he had written.

Finally, she got up out of her chair and snuck out of the room. She knew they would be worried about her absence, but she needed to go somewhere, and that place was not there. Mentally noting she would send them all a text later saying she was fine and there was something she had to do for her father. Walking bristly down the stairs she made her way outside avoiding the watchful eye of Spencer's father, a man they were all beginning to fear including Spencer herself. The bright morning sun was almost unbearable as she stepped outside and walked toward her car. She needed to get out of here before any of the girls woke up and stopped her. Right now at that moment she could not be near them

Getting in her car Aria pulled out of the driveway and quickly drove away going down the same roads she took every day. Today was different though, today was a day that everything could change. She made a quick pit stop at the local grocery store to grab some coffee and personal items before going to her safe place. It was all too familiar for her here and she needed that. She needed a place that she felt completely safe; a place no one would find her, that no one would bother her. The stairs seemed endless though it was only a few flights until she reached the door. Reaching into her purse she pulled out a set of keys and opened the door.

The small apartment was strewn with miscellaneous items that meant so much to her. Aria spent many days and many nights here it was practically her second home of sort, Ezra's apartment was her home and she knew that she could come here whenever she needed. Though she was still mad at him she could not help, but love him more than anything for what he did for her and her friends, though they all knew he had done it for her. Her purse vibrated and it brought her out of her daze. She looked down and saw a text from Alison.

Where are you? – Alison

I had to go do something for my father. Sorry.

She quickly replied and threw her phone back into her purse and reaching for her sole bag that she had from the grocery store. It was nerve racking to be doing this, especially here she thought. It needed to happen though and she went into the bathroom to do it. She had no other choice, but to know, there was no other option. Tearing open the box she nervously took the stick out of its packaging and stared at it for a moment. She could do this; it's just a stick she had to pee on no big deal right? She thought.

Thirty minutes later she found herself standing in front of Spencer's house. The girls had not fed into her lie and wanted answers. Who else could she trust with her secret anyway? During the past thirty minutes Aria had made up her mind and knew what she had to do and she needed her friend's, especially Alison to complete it. Before she could knock on the front door Spencer already had it open and the girls flooded out onto the front porch all of them giving her questioning looks.

"Well?" Hanna said, being the first one to speak was odd for her now that Alison was back.

"Sorry I had to go to Ezra's ok" Aria said to which she got bewildered looks from the girls. They knew how she felt about him and were shocked she had even gone near his apartment.

"Why?" Alison quickly asked, not surprising anyone that she was the first to begin the string of questions that Aria knew were soon to follow. Without saying a word she pulled out the test and showed them.

"Because I had to know if I was pregnant"

"Oh my god is it Mr. Fitz's?" Emily asked in shock.

"No it is the damn milk man's" Aria shot at her clearly mad that someone would question who the father of her baby was.

"What are you going to do Aria?" Spencer asked pure concern on her face.

"That is why I need you guys" Aria said as she sat down on the front steps of Spencer's, the other girls soon following. "I need to leave town. Don't try and stop me I have made up my mind. I will tell my parents tonight, they cannot stop me I am old enough to leave if I want to."

"How can we help?" Alison asked putting her hand lightly onto Aria's.

"I need you guys to not tell Ezra about the baby. He cannot take the stress right now, not after risking his life to save our lives"

"Your life" Hanna was quick to interject reminding the girls that Ezra only did what he did to help Aria.

"Whatever the case I need to leave and I need you guys to make sure he does not find out where I am or about the baby. I know where I am going I just need your help getting there."

"Where?" Emily asked knowing that she might not get the answer she, nor the other girls, wanted to hear.

"San Francisco."

"Ezra's favorite city" Alison let slip out causing everyone to look at her. "Oh come on we all know we had a fling so I do kind of know things about him." She rolled her eyes and looked directly at Aria. "Are you sure this is what you want to do?"

Aria took a moment to reply, her thoughts racing to play catch up to her.

"It is what I need to do"

"Then let's get you to San Francisco then." Spencer declared as she stood up. "Come on you will need money and my dad has plenty of it."

"Spencer, I can't take your money"

"Don't worry about it. My dad will not even notice it is gone, it will come out of the family joint account and I will just blame it on Melissa."

The girls all stood up at that point and headed to Spencer's car, it was no use arguing with Spencer once her mind was made up. She got in the driver's seat and drove them to the bank, going in by herself when she got there. It was more than half an hour before she came back into the car carrying a large envelope. Aria's eyes widened as she thought of how much money Spencer had practically just stole for her. Without allowing Aria to speak she just drove until they reached Aria's house.

"Take it. Don't look at how much money you have until you leave. Go tell you parent's and then we will come up with a plan"

Aria nodded in agreement as she got out of the car and Spencer drove away with the rest of the girls. Taking a deep breath Aria walked into her house. Her mother was in town with her new husband and her two parents were surprisingly getting along for the moment. To Aria's dismay they were all sitting in the living room when Aria walked in. Almost instantly they looked up at her as she walked in. Ella right away knew something was wrong with her daughter.

"What is wrong Aria?" Ella demanded as Aria hung up her coat and sat down beside her mother.

"I need to tell you something and I need you all to listen and let me finish"

She stated clearly looking at her father who looked like he was less than thrilled at her request, but none the less agreed to abide by it. After taking a deep breath Aria began to explain that she was pregnant and wanted to leave town. Her father almost instantly began to fume wanting to go punch Ezra in the face, but with a quick coaching from Ella he sat down grudgingly and finished listening to Aria. After almost two hours she was able to get them all to agree to her leaving mostly with the help of her mother's new husband, she made a mental not to thank him later on in life for this. They agreed she would leave in two weeks and finish school online, a stipulation that her mother was adamant about.

"I am going to go take a shower" Aria said once the conversation had ended.

She gave her parents a brief hug each and practically ran up the stairs to the upstairs bathroom. It was not long before her phone was buzzing again. Quickly she picked it up thinking it was a text from one of the girls, but she was wrong. Dead wrong. It was Ezra who had texted her.

Please do not hate me. I did everything to help you. Protect you. I love you Aria that will never change. –Ezra

I love you too Ezra. Always remember that no matter what.