ARIA'S POV

After my lovely conversation with Ezra's mom, I felt completely upset and embarrassed. Upset because she felt the need to bring up personal information about my family just so she could insult and belittle me. I felt embarrassed because I let her get to me in front of all of those people and she knew how much it got to me. It was so hard for me to keep the tears in my eyes and attempt to keep the hurt that she caused off of my face. Then she had the audacity to try and bribe me into staying away from Ezra, like I'm some kind of gold digger or something! Needless to say I couldn't be in a room with her anymore, let alone one that is full of her stuff to remind me of how I'm not good enough. So with that thought in mind and my emotions all over the place I quickly walked away from her, ran outside and got a cab to take me home, not even saying a word to Ezra. It was a 40 minute ride back to my house, one that consisted of me crying and replaying the last 15 minutes over and over again in my head. I was pulled out of my thoughts by my phone ringing in my purse. I wiped the tears from my eyes so I could read the screen. It was Ezra calling. The thought of him walking around trying to find me caused a whole new wave of tears. Now his mother has another reason to think I'm childish; I ran out of a Gala because someone hurt my feelings. Even though Ezra and I have been dating for over a year I'm afraid that this whole ordeal with his mother will make him think differently of me. His mother obviously hates me and wants me out of his life; she made that abundantly clear tonight. If that's what she thinks then I'm sure she'll be able to convince him that he's better off without me. I sighed as my phone rang again, this time to notify me of a text message.

Aria, sweetheart, where did you go? I've looked everywhere for you.

-Ezra

Great, now I feel worse. Ezra tried to get me to say no to attending tonight but I insisted we go, then I left him there without so much as a word goodbye. I'm a horrible girlfriend. I love him dearly. I regret not telling him that I wanted to leave, if I had then he wouldn't be wondering around looking for me. All I want to do is get home and crawl in bed so I can try to forget about this night. After checking the time to see that it's only about 5 more minutes until I'm home, I decide to turn my phone off so I won't get even more upset by any additional messages from Ezra. Before I knew it, I had arrived home. The cab driver turned around to tell me the amount; $23.50. The moment I opened my clutch I remembered I forgot to put cash in it before I left since I was in such a hurry, all I had time to grab was my cell phone. I looked back up at the driver nervous because I have never been in this kind of situation before.

"I- uh I'm sorry I don't have any cash. I can run inside and go find some. I'll be right back."

"It's okay dear. I'll give you this ride free." She smiled softly at me.

"No, that wasn't my intentions at all. I can just run inside and get money. I owe you, that's how this works." I replied quickly, not wanting her to think I did this on purpose just to get a free ride.

She shook her head before responding. "You seemed like you needed to get away from something tonight. My treat for you since you're so upset about whatever it is; don't worry about it."

"Thank you, this really means a lot."

"You're welcome hun. Have a goodnight." The stranger called as I got out of the cab.

"You have the same." I replied before making my way into the house.

As soon as I was inside the house I slipped off my heels so I wouldn't make too much noise coming in for two reasons. One it was 11 o'clock at night and two, I really didn't want to talk to anyone right now and explain why I'm crying. I closed my bedroom door softy behind me before I leaned against it for support as I let the tear just fall from my eyes like a waterfall. Trying to contain myself in the cab was hard enough so I'm thankful to be in the privacy of my own room to let it all out. After closing all the curtains in my room, I slipped my dress off to toss it on my leather chair as well as my heels before pulling out a camisole and shorts. When I turned to face my dresser so I could put my bracelets away, I was once again reminded of tonight's events as I look at the picture of Ezra and I from our one year anniversary that I framed to keep on my dresser. I held the picture in my hands before sliding down my wall. My mind was racing with thoughts. How will Ezra feel after he hears his mother's opinion of me? Will he still want to be with me? Will she go to the same sort of great lengths that my dad did just to break us up? Is this all just in my head and I'm overreacting or could we really be over? The more I tried to calm myself down, the more I seemed to get worked up and become even more of a mess.

Suddenly there was a soft knock on my bedroom door, I quickly wiped my eyes and cleared my throat.

"Aria, can I come in?" Someone, probably Byron asked.

"Um not now- I'm about to go to bed." I quickly lied.

Despite my deny to come in, my door opens anyway...

EZRA'S POV

I was currently on my way to Aria's house to see if she's okay after her conversation with my mother. She wouldn't tell me what she said to Aria when I confronted her about it, but knowing my mother it wasn't anything even shy of being polite. I felt horrible for having to leave Aria's side multiple times tonight in order to "catch up" with relatives that I haven't spoken to in a few years even though it was my choice not to keep in touch with them. Part of me wanted to introduce Aria to my relatives who were there but the other part of me knew they might try to attack her because that's how my family is unfortunately. But either way it turned out to be a lose-lose situation. If Aria stayed by my side all night my family would be rude to her, with her by herself off and on it left her vulnerable to my mother. As much as I wanted to know what she said to Aria, I was also afraid to know. If it was bad enough to make Aria leave without even coming to get me first then my mother must have made several low blows.

When I finally pulled into the Montgomery driveway it was about 15 past 11. I saw the lights in Aria's bedroom were still on; hopefully she'll be the one to answer the door. I look a deep breath just in case Aria isn't the one to answer before I knocked on the door lightly. Just as I was about to knock again, I heard someone on the other side of the door unlocking it. All hope vanished when I saw it was Byron at the door, there is no way in hell he'll let me see Aria.

"Ezra, what could I possibly do for you at this hour?" He asks the moment he opens the door.

"Uh see the thing is I was hoping I could go talk to Aria. Please Byron?" I stuttered nervously.

"And why exactly should I do that? You know I don't approve of this relationship, besides weren't you two on a date tonight what could you need to talk to her about?" He crossed his arms over his chest then raised his eyebrows in a questioning manner.

"Well yes we were on a date but something happened so she left early and I just want to make sure she's okay."

"Well that would explain why she came home crying, and currently still is up in her room." Mike said as he came downstairs, walking over to Byron and I.

Suddenly his demeanor changed and he went from irritated to pissed off and defensive. "What did you do to her to make her leave early and come home crying, you asshole?"

Startled, I immediately took a step back and raised my hands as if to show my surrender. "It wasn't me I swear! We were at a Gala my mother was hosting and apparently my mother wasn't very friendly to Aria so I wanted to come make sure she's alright. I would never deliberately do anything to upset her."

"Oh just let him go talk to her so he can calm her down." Mike said in my defense.

"You better not be lying to me."

"I'm not I promise. Please I just want to make sure she's okay and find out what my mother said so I can take care of it?" I pleaded with him.

Byron took a deep breath, eyeing me to see if I was truly sincere before finally giving in with a nod of approval. After thanking both Byron and Mike I quickly made my way up to Aria's bedroom before Byron could change his mind. My heart broke as I heard her whimper through the door. Finally unable to stand here and listen to any more of it, I reached up to knock lightly on the door.

"Aria, can I come in?"

"Um not now- I'm about to go to bed." She mumbled back as a response.

I sighed before reaching down to turn the knob and open her door slowly. I could tell she was about to protest to which she probably assumed Byron, just walking into her room but stopped as soon as she looked up and saw me.

"Ezra what- what are you doing here?" She reached up to wipe her tears, not looking me in the eye.

I turned to shut the door softly before walking over to her then sitting down on the ground next to her. I opened my arms out for her to crawl into my lap, which she almost immediately did. Aria buried her face in my neck while hot tears ran down her angelic face; this sight alone broke my heart. My right arm was wrapped around her back while I was running my left fingers through her perfectly curled hair. I kissed her temple softly as I repeated comforting words into her ear to help soothe her. Finally once she had relaxed in my arms I knew it was time for me to ask her what happened tonight.

"Sweetheart, why did you leave tonight?" I whispered into her ear.

"I'm sorry for leaving you there alone. I just- what your mother said really got to me and I needed to get out of there. Please don't leave me, I love you, please." Aria whimpered into my neck, tightening her arms around my torso as tight as her little arms could.

"Aria I would never leave you, and I certainly wouldn't leave you over my mother's opinion. She and I have never seen eye to eye. I just want to make sure you're okay and find out what she said to you so I can go ream her ass for it. I love you too baby, so much you don't even know."

"She basically attacked my family. She knew all about Mike getting arrested, my parent's divorce, that mom moved out, she even knew about Meredith. Then she was accusing me of just using you and tried to…" She trialed off, not finishing what she was going to say.

"She tried to what?" I asked through clenched teeth. I can't believe she would bring up all of those things just to upset Aria.

"It doesn't matter; I'd never do it anyway." I heard Aria mutter while shaking her head.

"It does matter, what did she say to you?" I begged for an answer.

Aria took a deep breath then sat up a little to look me in the eyes.

"She wanted to make a deal. She thought she could pay me to stay away from you. That was when I had enough and just walked out. There is nothing in the world anyone could try to bribe me with just to get me to stay away from you, and see needs to know that."

A tear escaped her eye so I reached up to wipe it away with my thumb before kissing her softly. Aria's delicate hands reached up to place them on the sides of my neck as she kissed me back. When we broke the kiss we sat there in each other's arms enjoying the wonderful feeling of bliss that was running through both of our body's. As I look down at Aria I can tell she has fallen asleep, so I stand up slowly with her in my arms and carry her over to her bed. I sat her body down at the end of the bed so I could pull the blankets back before placing her under the covers and tucking her in. I smiled when I looked down at her beautiful face, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear before leaning down to kiss her forehead.

"Goodnight Sweetheart." I whispered. Just as I was about to walk away she reached out and grabbed my arm.

"No, don't go." Aria mumbled and looked up at me with those doe eyes that I love so much.

I sighed and sat down on the edge of her bed to face her. "I have to. If I stay here we both know your dad will go off the deep end and probably throw me out of the house, literally."

"I don't care what he says; please just stay this one time? I really don't want to be alone tonight; all I want is to lie in your arms all night long."

I was hesitant to answer but before I could, I heard the bedroom door open so I turned around to see Byron standing there looking at us.

"Can Ezra please stay dad?" Aria asked as she looked over to see her dad standing at her doorway.

Byron sighed and looked between Aria and I before slowly nodding his head. "Just for tonight since you were so upset. But you two better behave and the only thing going on in here better be sleep, nothing else! Don't think I won't come in here and check on you either." He warned.

"Thank you, goodnight dad." Aria mumbled tiredly before Byron shut the door to leave.

I stood up at the side of her bed to take my suit off when Aria giggled softly, her eyes following my every move. Before I had the chance to question why she was giggling, she got up on her knees at the edge of her mattress and began undressing me. She pulled my tie off very slowly before unbuttoning my shirt; our eyes locked the entire time. My breath caught in my throat as her little fingers found their way to my pants to unbutton and unzip them, pushing them down my legs. I bit my lip to suppress a groan as her hand "accidentally" brushed across my member through my boxers, causing me to shoot her a look.

"Oopsie?" She giggled with a fake innocence.

"Aria we have to behave, you heard what your father just said." I warned, she just nodded in response then lied down on the bed and pulled the covers back for me.

I finished kicking off my pants then picked them up to drape them as well as my shirt and suit jacket over her desk chair so it wouldn't get all wrinkly then I climbed into her bed. I smiled as Aria cuddled into my side with her head resting on my chest, just above my heart because she loves listening to it beat. Thinking back to everything that happened today I never thought it would have ended like this, with me sleeping in Aria's bed with her father's approval. Now that I think about it, this is the first time I have ever been in her bed, let alone actually spent the night in it with her.

"I wish we could do this more often." I whispered, knowing she was still awake.

"Which part, sleeping in each other's arms or sleeping in each other's arms in my bed?"

"Sleeping in your bed. I personally like it a lot more than mine, your silk sheets beat my plain cotton ones. Do you think your dad would notice if I snuck over here every night?" I wondered playfully causing her to giggle, god I love hearing that beautiful sound. At least she isn't crying anymore and is happy.

"Hmm I don't know, if we plan it just right I think we could do it. Oh and I'll try to remember that you like silk the next time I come to surprise you at the apartment." She played along, whispering the last part in a low seductive tone.

"Ezra?" Aria mumbled after several moments of silence.

"Yes baby?"

"Thank you for coming over to check on me, I really appreciate it and feel much better."

"Anytime honey, I'm so sorry for the things my mother said to you. I promise I'll take care of her tomorrow."

I turned my head to kiss her forehead as I heard soft snores coming from her to signal she was asleep. I swear my mother is going to regret messing with Aria and trying to bribe her out of my life. My mother has done some seriously appalling things before but this drew a line. She had no right to interfere with my personal life and attack the one person I love more than anything. Finally sleep over takes me in probably what is to be the best night's sleep because I have the world in my arms right now.