Chapter 2

Quick note on something I should have made clear in the first chapter. Since this is the sequel to The Fight For Love, I am going to have it play out the same way. Meaning it isn't going to follow the TV show PLL. There still is no A, Maggie nor will Malcolm be involved either. There may be a few new characters but it isn't anyone from the TV show, except one person is going to be from the TV show and will be introduced soon. Sorry for not making that clear last time. Okay, enjoy!

ARIA'S POV

When I woke up I rolled over to see that the clock read 9am. I decided to go grab something light to eat then maybe go for a quick swim before Ezra and I go grocery shopping for the dinner we're making for his- our family tonight. As the house had been getting closer and closer to being completed we had been talking with everyone about coming over for dinner to celebrate it being finished. Now that the house is perfect and everything is already in order, Ezra and I thought what better night to host the dinner, then our second night here. After eating a bowl of cereal I head outback to the big in-ground pool. I strip off Ezra's t-shirt that I had slipped on this morning, as well as removing my panties before diving into the deep in. The water was at a warm, welcoming temperature. I leisurely swam back and forth several laps and just floated around; enjoying the warm weather and morning sun. I was pulled out of my little bubble by my handsome husband calling my name from the side of the pool with a towel in his hand.

"Yes babe?" I ask from my place in the center of the pool.

"I was coming to tell you, you should probably head upstairs to take a shower because it's already 10 o'clock and we need to go shopping. Wait, are you naked in there?" He asks curiously.

"Well I figured since this is our pool and there isn't a neighbor anywhere near us I wouldn't have to worry about anyone seeing me naked. Besides, it feels better this way. Would you care to join me?" I reply seductively.

"As much as I would love to baby, we both know if I join you in there naked we won't be getting out of the pool anytime soon and we have a busy day ahead of us. But I will without a doubt take a rain check."

"I'm going to hold you to that babe!" I swim over to the side latter and climb out; Ezra is now standing right in front of me. He wraps the towel around my exposed body before giving me a good morning kiss. Just as I bend over to pick up my shirt and panties off the ground that I had previously discarded, I feel Ezra smack my behind playfully, causing me to jump up straight and turn to giggle at him. I hurry upstairs to get a shower so we can leave. 45 minutes later I am dressed and ready so Ezra and I head out to the car and make our way to the grocery store.


After Ezra and I finish loading all of our groceries into the car I see a dog adoption going on in the park across the street. Ezra catches my gaze and follows me as I walk over there. My eyes instantly land on the most adorable Golden Retriever puppy I have ever seen. I walked over to the cage she was in and opened it so I could hold her. The paper on her cage says she is 8 weeks and almost fully potty trained, fast learner and already spayed. Ezra walked over to me once he saw which direction I had scurried off to.

"Ezra, look how adorable she is! Can we get her please? We have enough room in the house and a huge yard she can play in. I've always wanted a dog but never had enough room for one." I look up at him with big hopeful eyes; much like a child when they beg for something they desperately want.

Ezra looks at his watch and sighs. "As much as I would like to, we don't have time. It's already 2 o'clock and everyone is coming over for dinner at 6pm."

"We have 4 hours to make a meal, that's plenty of time!"

"Not when the meal is for 8 people. Have you seen the amount of paperwork you have to fill out to get one of these dogs? I and not saying that I don't want a dog in the house; I would love one. All I am saying is not today; we will come back tomorrow and get her then. How does that sound?"

"But she's so adorable that she'll probably be gone by tomorrow! The minute we leave some kid will come up and get her and she won't get near as good of a home there as she would with us." I beg, causing Ezra to smile at me and kiss my forehead.

"As much as I want to baby, we don't have time. I highly doubt she'll be gone."

"You're right I know. Bye little doggy, I'll be back for you tomorrow!" I kiss the puppy's nose which earned me a lick from her tiny tongue and I giggled. I regretfully placed her back in her cage, she whimpered and barked at me the moment I put her down. Ezra and I walk back to the car so we can start on dinner.

EZRA'S POV

It was the morning after our big family dinner. Everything went great last night; the whole family loved the house. I could tell Aria was still thinking about that puppy we saw yesterday. I knew she always wanted a dog but it was never the right time or place for her to get one, but now that we have this big house and great yard I think it's the perfect time. What Aria doesn't know is that I had briefly talked to the woman who was in charge of the pet adoption yesterday in the park and set up a time to get the dog. I wanted to surprise Aria, so I got the woman to agree to meet me at 7am this morning for me to pick up the puppy. I was so thankful that Aria had been sound asleep when I left this morning; I didn't want to wake her up because I knew how tired we both were from being up so late socializing with the whole family.

I met up with Lexi in the park that is only a couple miles down the road from our house. The woman was extremely friendly and happy that the puppy would be going to a good home. By the time I filled out all the paperwork and payed the correct amount of money, she gave me the little Golden Retriever. I sat her down on the floorboard in the passenger side of my car but she immediately climbed up onto the seat and looked out the window. I could tell why Aria was immediately drawn to her; she was a light golden blonde, extremely fluffy and had brown eyes.

As soon as I pulled into the garage, I picked up the puppy and quietly made my way up the stairs to our bedroom. I slowly opened the door to see Aria still asleep in bed and instantly got an idea. Aria was in the center of the bed, lying on her side and facing the balcony. I kneel down on the right side of the bed so I was facing Aria and placed the dog on the bed. She hurried over to Aria and started licking her face; I guess she remembers Aria from yesterday. I moved to sit on the side of the bed, laughing as I watch Aria jump awake from being licked all over her face. Her eyes filled with excitement as she jumped up in bed, cuddling the puppy to her chest.

"Ezra, what- I thought?" She questioned confused.

"Yesterday I could tell how much you wanted her so I talked to the woman in charge of the pet adoptions about getting her before I even walked over to you to say we needed to head home. Long story short, the woman agreed to meet me this morning for me to pick her up and tada, you have a puppy." I grinned at how happy she was.

"I don't even know what to say! First the house and now an adorable puppy, you spoil me too much babe. Thank you so so much."

"Do you have a name in mind yet?" I ask as I reach over to give the puppy a belly rub.

"Hmm, I like Annie, what about you?" Aria smiled up at me with a twinkle in her eye that she gets when she is through the roof with happiness.

"It sounds perfect, our own little Annie Fitz." As if on cue Annie started barking and licking Aria's hand.

"Well if I didn't know any better I'd say she likes that name." Aria lets out a cute little giggle.

I moved so I was now sitting next to her and tucked her hair behind her ear so I could caress her face. I kissed her lips tenderly, just as she was moving to deepen the kiss Annie jumped up to try and lick our faces. We break the kiss, both of us laughing as we look back down to Annie.

"What do you say we get around for the day and head to the pet store so we can buy little Annie here all of the toys and things she needs?" I couldn't help but smile as Annie rolls over for a belly rub again. It hasn't even been more than 15 minutes and I could already tell Annie is going to be the most spoiled puppy around.

"That sounds like a great idea babe. Thank you so much for getting Annie for me." With one hand rubbing Annie, Aria wrapped her other around my neck to pull me into a deep kiss with our tongues intertwined. When we broke the kiss Aria bit her lip as she smiles. "Give me 20 minutes to get dressed then we can leave."

Aria picks Annie off of the bed and sits her down on the ground when she got up. Annie stayed on Aria's heels as she went into the closet to get dressed. I couldn't help but smile at how happy Annie has already made Aria. Now the only thought on my mind is how Aria is going to be when it comes to shopping because I already know how crazy she gets sometimes when she's shopping for herself.

ARIA'S POV

Ezra and I had just left the pet store with all the toys she would ever need. I will admit, I may have gone a bit over on the toys but they were all too cute and I wanted to make sure she had enough. I even found the smallest and cutest dog collar I've ever seen; it was pink with black little polka dots on it with a matching leash that fit mine and Annie's height difference perfectly. Ezra put the bags in the backseat of his car as I sit in the passenger seat with Annie in my lap. We had the windows down and Annie seems very excited to look out the window with her little tongue hanging out of her mouth. My right hand was wrapped around Annie to secure her in place as her paws rest on the window of the car and my left hand was in Ezra's grasp as we drive home.

When we walked into the front door I let Annie off of her leash then headed into the living room with all of her toys. Annie followed on my heels excited to see what I was doing. As soon as I dumped the bags of toys on the ground she went crazy; jumping up on her little hind legs, barking playfully and the cutest of all, picking up her rope and running around the house with it in her mouth. I couldn't get over how adorable she is! I will definitely have to thank Ezra properly tonight when we go to bed. Ezra got up from his place on the couch where he had been watching Annie and I playing with amusement.

"What would you like for lunch baby? It's already 1 o'clock." Ezra asks while making his way into the kitchen.

"I don't know I'm up for anything right now. It's whatever you'd like." I shrug, giggling as Annie runs full force to me with her rope in her mouth that I had been throwing across the living room for her to retrieve.

While Ezra was making us lunch the home phone rang, causing Annie to drop her rope and start barking as loud as her little body could. I couldn't help but smile at the adorable sight. I call Annie over, to which she runs to climb into my lap, then proceeds to roll over on to her back expecting a belly rub. Man she sure does love a good belly rub; I have given her so many already! I just couldn't get over how soft and fluffy her fur is! She's like my little teddy bear.

I heard Ezra take the phone into his study that we had on the main floor. Back toward the end of the school year when Ezra told the Dean of UCLA that he wouldn't be returning because we were moving to New York, the Dean put in a very good word for both Ezra and I to teach at NYU. Now Ezra and I are college English professors. I am teaching freshman year and Ezra is teaching sophomore year. Thankfully school doesn't start until September 5th so we have about a month left of our little summer vacation. I am highly nervous and excited at the same time because this is my first grown up job, fresh out of college and the Dean put in such a good word I don't want to screw it up.

When we were making the floor plans for the house we decided that we each wanted an office on the main level so we could grade papers and what not. Even though we would love to have shared an office, we knew it would be better in the long run to have a room to ourselves. If we wanted to grade papers together we could always use the kitchen table. I still can't believe how flawless the house turned out. Ezra truly went all out and made sure everything we wanted, we got.

Suddenly Annie jumped out of my lap and ran toward Ezra's study where he was walking out of, having just hung up the phone.

"Hey there Annie." Ezra bent down to pet her before walking over to me.

"Who was that?" I ask curiously.

"That sweetheart was the Dead at NYU. He said there is this conference for some of the professors to discuss new curriculum. He was asking me if I'd be willing to go."

"That's great babe! He must think highly of you if he picked you to go. Where is the conference going to be held?" I get up to sit next to him on the couch.

"Believe it or not, it is at UCLA. That is why the Dean thought I'd be the right professor to go; I already know the UCLA Dean and the professors. He is sending one professor from each department to attend. The only problem is that the conference is a week and a half long." Ezra sighed.

My smiled dropped into a frown. "A week and a half? Well when do you leave?"

"He said my flight would be on the first and our last day would be the twelfth." Ezra sighs, holding my hands in his.

"But that's in two days and you'll be gone for twelve whole days." I squeezed his hand tightly. To most people they would think we were overreacting, but in reality it makes perfect sense because Ezra and I have never been apart that long. A couple of days is the farthest we've ever gone without seeing one another and that was back when we lived in Rosewood. Two days is nothing compared to twelve!

"Well you could always come with me. The only problem is I don't know how often I'll be busy with the meetings."

I shook my head and smiled softly at Ezra. "No, this is your thing and I shouldn't tag along. Besides we have Annie now so I won't be alone the whole time."

"I know it seems like a long time but I promise the time will fly and I'll have you back in my arms in no time baby." Ezra reassures.

"It better, I don't know how I'll be able to go so long without my sexy husband." I grin seductively at him, scooting closer to him on the couch.

"Mmm I don't know how I'll be able to last even a few hours without my drop dead, sexy as hell wife. You know if I'm going to be gone for twelve whole days, that's a lot of sex and kisses I am going to miss out on." He playfully pouts at me with a suggestive tone.

"That is very true. This is quite the dilemma, we better find a solution, don't you think?" I say while I move to straddle Ezra and drape my arms around his neck loosely.

"It is quite the problem. How about I take you upstairs and we start making up for all the missed opportunities we would've had this coming up week if I were staying here rather than flying to the other side of the country?"

"Sounds like a perfect idea babe." I whisper against his lips.

Without a second thought, Ezra grasps my thighs to hold me tight against him before standing up off the couch. Our lips were glued together as he carries me up to our bedroom. After a few stumbles and being pushed up against the wall, we finally made it to the bedroom's doors- which were already open thankfully. Before I knew it, Ezra was placing me on my feet to remove all my clothes then tossed me onto the center of our bed, eliciting a squeal from me. I bite my bottom lip while I look Ezra up and down as he removes his clothes before joining me on the bed.

"You know there is one thing I forgot to mention the other day when I was showing you the upstairs. I figured it would do us some good in several years when we have kids to get our bedroom soundproofed. Your art room is also soundproof so you can do whatever you'd like with complete privacy."

"Really? Well that definitely will come in handy eventually." I said lustfully to him.

"I love you baby. I don't know how I'll be able to spend twelve whole days without you snuggled up in my arms." Ezra whispered on my lips before kissing my nose.

"Then we'll just lie in bed for the rest of the evening today and all of tomorrow. You know what this means?"

"What?" He asks confused.

"We are going to get to have one of those dramatic airport scenes when you come back home, like they have in movies. I can see it now, Annie and me running across the airport then jumping into your arms." We both laugh at the thought. Before I could say another word, Ezra pulls me into a deep kiss and rolls us over so I'm on top.

Words were not exchanged for the next several hours.

Chapters 3, 4, and 5 are already written, more reviews makes me upload faster :)

Oh and a fair warning to all of my lovely readers, something- drama- happens next chapter. I won't say what because you'll find out when I update... Just don't be too mad with me please... lol