A/N: Thanks for the reviews! Sorry it took me so long to post the second part, but I've been super super busy. Anyway, hope you enjoy.

She'd been back in New York for a month now. She slowly was trying to forget Rosewood and focus solely on Alex and her life in New York. It'd been hard being around Alex at first, but slowly the guilt subsided.

"Aria?" Her roommate Jessica called from the doorway.

Lifting her head from her pillow, she looked up at her. "Yeah?"

"Alex's here."

Aria nodded. "I'll be right out."

She pulled on some sweats over her knit shorts and headed out. She no longer cared about looking good for him. She forced a smile on her face as she walked toward him.

"Hey."

He leant down, pecking her lips gently. Aria didn't kiss back. His kisses were becoming too routine, no longer giving her enjoyment, instead only annoyance. She was sure this would pass. She'd find her feelings for him once again with time.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" She replied defensively.

"No reason." He shrugged. "So I was wondering if you wanted to go out? Maybe a drive in? Late dinner before that?"

She sat on the couch. "I don't know."

He sighed. "Aria, is there something wrong?"

"I already told you I'm fine."

"You've been acting strange."

"It' nothing, okay. I just don't want to go out today."

"Ari-"

"I'm fine." She silenced him with a quick peck. "Let just order take out and stay in."

"Alright." He agreed.

Thirty minutes later, they lay on her bed, take out containers scattered all over it. They were watching an action movie, her least favorite, barely paying attention to it. But she was with Alex, and that's what mattered. He was completely consumed into the movie, while she ate the last of her noodles.

"Hey, Ezra, can you pass the dumplings?"

As soon as those words slipped her mouth, she shut her eyes in frustration. Damnit. Had she really just called him Ezra? Slowly opening her eyes, she prepared herself for the upcoming questions, but instead, was met with him still fully engrossed in the film. He hadn't heard her. Thank goodness.

"Alex?" She spoke louder. "Alex!"

"Hm?"

"Pass the dumplings."

A few hours later, glancing down at her phone, she noticed it was nearing midnight. Why hadn't he left? The last movie had been over about an hour ago. She wanted to go to bed already. She knew he probably wanted to spend the night. He always stayed this late when he wanted to sleepover.

"Can I stay?" He asked.

Yep. She was right.

"Yeah." She simply responded, snuggling further into the comforter and closing her eyes.

She heard him use the bathroom before shutting the TV off and slipping in beside her. Moments later, he felt his strong arms around her.

"Goodnight." He whispered against her neck.

"Night." She responded, giving him a quick kiss.

But he had different plans. He deepened the kiss, slipping his tongue into her mouth and within seconds, his lips were attached firmly to her neck.

She shook her head internally. She wasn't in the mood. She hadn't been for a while now.

"Stop. Not tonight." She whispered, pushing him away gently.

He closed his eyes and sighed. "Then when, Aria? We haven't been intimate since before you left for Rosewood and you've been back for a month. That's three months, Aria. I've been trying to be patient."

He was right. Why couldn't she just have sex with him? He was her fiance and she loved him. Why had she been avoiding it?

"You're right. I'm sorry." She apologized. "Forgive me?

He nodded and reattached their lips. As the kiss grew hotter, he hovered over her, beginning the trail of kisses down her neck. As he kissed her deeply, the memories of the day she kissed Ezra flooded through her, then came the ones from all those years ago, when Ezra would kiss and touch her the way Alex was doing right now. Suddenly her heart was beating fast, and it wasn't due to what Alex was doing. This wasn't right. She couldn't do this.

"Alex." She whispered.

He continued kissing her, his hands stopping at the top of her shorts, getting ready to pull them down.

"Alex, stop." She pushed him back.

"I'm sorry." She apologized as she headed toward the bathroom. "I think you should go home. I'll call you tomorrow. I'm sorry."

Once she heard her bedroom door shut, she let herself fall onto the cold bathroom floor. Tears streamed down her face as the feelings she had to hide for the past month, suddenly became unbearable to do so. She still loved Ezra. No matter how hard she'd tried to forget him in the past month, she couldn't do it.

It wasn't fair. When she'd met Alex, she'd been so sure he was finally the one to help her move on. It'd worked for the two years they were together, why had it changed when she saw Ezra again?

Because you never stopped loving him. You just buried those feelings.

This wasn't fair to anyone. Especially not to Alex. He'd been nothing but sweet and loving, and she didn't take advantage of that. He was a nice guy. He didn't deserve this.

Unplugging her phone from her bedstand, she called the only person she knew would guide her in the right path. The one person who she trusted more than anyone and who she could always count on. After the third ring, the person answered.

"Hello?"

She choked back a sob. "Spence, I need you to talk me out of something crazy I'm about to do. I need you to convince me that I'm crazy, and what I'm going to do is completely insane." She rambled between her tears. "Please, Spence."


He hadn't heard from Aria in three months. Not even a simple text or email. After their kiss, communication between them had been cut off completely. Just like last time. She hadn't even said goodbye when she left. It was better this way. He'd only let his feelings toward her confuse her, leading her to kiss him. It meant nothing to her. Clearly. But why was he still so unsettled even after three months?

He knew why. That kissed had meant everything to him. The way their lips had found their familiar rhythm so easily, and the way those feelings he'd fought so hard against suddenly became impossible to erase, reminding him of what the two once shared.

He would've so easily gave in to that desire. But he didn't want to ruin their engagement. Aria was finally happy; he didn't want to ruin that for her. Even if it meant he would have to feel this way, he didn't care. Aria's happiness was far more important than his own.

Last night, he'd heard Ella telling Mrs. Fields that Aria was coming back. It was Thanksgiving in two days, so she'd be back in Rosewood any second now. He knew what he had to do. Avoid her at all costs. That meant he had to avoid the Brew.

This was ridiculous, he was very much aware of that. But seeing each other, would only bring further problems. He didn't want a repeat of the summer. Keeping their distance was best for the both of them.


The credits to It Happened One Night were playing when the soft knocking on the door woke him up. Rubbing his eyes, he glanced down at his phone. It was already nearing midnight.

The knocking came again, and slowly, he made his way to the door. It was probably his mother. Every year he refused to spend it with his family, and every Thanksgiving night, his mother would show up at his door furious.

His heart dropped when he realized that the person on the other side of the door wasn't his mother.

"Hi." She spoke softly.

"Aria." He spoke in a hushed whisper.

"C-can I come in?" She asked shyly.

He knew he should say no. It wasn't right for them to be alone in his apartment, but instead, he found himself nodding as he stepped aside.

So much for avoiding her.

"I wasn't sure if I'd find you here, but I figured I'd give it a shot. I really need to talk to you."

"You shouldn't be here, Aria." He confessed, his voice soft.

She felt hurt by his words. But what did she expect? That he would greet her with open arms?

"Ezra..." She began.

"It isn't right. How do you think your fiance will feel about you being at your ex boyfriend's apartment? Alone."

She sighed. "I-I'm not engaged anymore." She confessed, holding up her left hand to show him her now naked finger. "I haven't been for two months."

"W-what?"

"The engagement was called off."

He closed his eyes. This was his fault. If only he'd stopped her before she kissed him, then she'd still be happy and engaged.

"Did he find out? Did someone tell him? I'm so sorry."

"He knew something was wrong, so I told him." She spoke, her confidence slowly starting to kick in.

"Why would you do that?" He asked. "You were supposed to go back, and forget that kiss ever happened. You were supposed to go back and forget about me."

He paused. "Do you realize what you did?"

He was angry and he didn't even know why. He should be happy knowing that he maybe did have a chance with her once again. But like always, her happiness always came first.

"I do." She spoke calmly.

He shook his head. "Damnit! I can't believe I ruined this for you. You were finally happy, and I had to kiss you and ruin everything."

"I kissed you, Ezra. I did." She clarified.

"But I didn't stop you!" He ran his hands through his hair. "You can fix this. I can tell him I kissed you, that I forced you to kiss me."

She shook her head. "I'm not going to lie to him."

"Aria." He spoke defeated as he leaned on the kitchen table.

She followed him into the kitchen, crossing her arms in front of him. "Can I talk now?"

He looked up and nodded.

"I went back to New York determined to forget you. I told myself that the kiss didn't mean anything. Each day I'd try to convince myself that I would eventually forget about the summer and that kiss."

She breathed, swallowing the lump in her throat. "But as the days went by, instead of forgetting you, I would only remember how we used to be. The passion we shared. The passion was still there that day, Ezra."

She blinked away a tear. "I don't get that with Alex." She confessed. "Only you."

He didn't say anything.

"And you know what I realized one night, when I lay awake the entire night?

Here it goes. She was actually going to say it.

"That I still love you, Ezra. A-and I don't think I ever stopped." Her voice broke as she finished her sentence.

Ezra stood still. How should he react? He had no idea. His insides were jumping up and down in happiness, his heart beating rapidly against his chest.

"I know that I could've ignored my feelings toward you, married Alex, and eventually fallen back in love with him. But I knew I couldn't do that. And you know why? Because I couldn't see myself becoming Mrs Aria Smith, when I've only dreamt of becoming Mrs. Fitz." She finished, before they both went silent.

He shook his head. "You don't know what you're saying, Aria." He spoke, almost too harsh.

Tears spilled from her eyes as she walked closer to him. She'd just confessed her feelings to him, and he gave her this reply?

"I do know." She stated firmly, her voice shaky.

"No you don't." He repeated.

He knew he was being a jerk, but he had to make her realize she was wrong, that she didn't love him and was only confused.

Aria grew more and more frustrated. Why couldn't he give in too?

"Damnit, Ezra!" She yelled, tears falling freely from her eyes. "I do." She pressed her body firmly against his. "And I'll show you."

Within seconds, her lips were on his. At first, he'd tried to pull back, but it was useless as he found himself kissing her back not long after.

Their kiss grew with each passing second, full of longing, passion and desire. This time, he didn't stop her when she pulled his shirt off, tossing it carelessly across the room. Her hand quickly roamed over his taut abdomen and chest.

She needed more.

As if he could read her mind, he pulled her closer to him, slipping his hand into the back of her shirt, and pulling it off and having it join his shirt on the floor.

"Bedroom?" She panted against his lips.

Ezra didn't have time to think twice. He knew he probably shouldn't agree to this, but it was getting to be too much for him. He wanted this. He wanted this so much, so he found himself nodding and taking her into his bedroom, where the two former lovers, spent the night giving into that passion they'd been trying to avoid for two years.

A/N: soooooo whadya think? There will be a third part to this! Please review!