It was Halloween time in Rosewood and I was even more on edge than usual. Every time I saw a masked kid, my heart stopped a little bit. Aria was always on my mind and how to protect her. I thought with Mona locked up in the sanitarium, my life would be easier. However, I quickly realized that it wasn't just Mona threatening Aria's life. Aria had her heart set on going on a ghost train ride around Rosewood. All of her friends were going and so I thought it might help set my mind at ease. She was so excited about planning the costume and because I would be masked, we could go as a couple. The more I thought about it, the more excited I got. Not only would I be able to keep her safe, but we would be able to go out on a real date. Not to mention, I was sure Aria was going to look incredible in her costume. However everything soon changed when I got a text.

"If you step one foot on that train, Aria will become the ghost of the ghost train ride"

I thought to myself, if I go in costume, A will never know that I am on the train. I will just meet Aria there and then I can keep her safe.

"Don't even think about wearing a costume. I am EVERYWHERE, remember?"

Great! Not only was this text message stalker ruining my date with Aria and my entire life, but she could read my mind, too. Feeling pretty miserable, I had to come up with a way to break it to Aria. I knew she was waiting in my apartment, so I headed home. The moment I opened the door, her eyes lit up.

"Hey, you almost got a preview of upcoming attractions. I am working on my costume for tonight."

She looked so excited, that I hated myself for doing this. "Umm, we have a problem with tonight"

"wh- what sort of problem?" she asked obviously hurt and confused.

Struggling to come up with a believable lie, I said the first thing that came into my mind. "I can't go". Come on Fitz, I thought to myself. You can do better than that. In order to by some time, I sat down at my desk.

"Ezra!"

"I know, I know, I've got, umm, a meeting in Philadelphia about ghosting an autobiography. It is actually someone worth writing about this time. It would pay for all of next year. But, it has to be tonight"

Pouting, she muttered, "Oh, crap!"

"Crap, indeed" I responded."But, I will make it up to you"

Softening a little, but still pouting, she put her hand on the back of my neck and said, "I know you will, I just really wanted you to see my costume"

"Well, I can see it tomorrow"

"Playing dress up for your man is one thing, but any other night you end up on an afternoon talk show" she said, still hurt, but with a playful tone.

I really hated to do this to her, but I had to keep my resolve. Trying to mask my sadness and match her playful tone, I said "depends on the costume. Besides, I've got a little bit of time right now" as I pulled her into my lap for a kiss. Hoping to distract her from her disappointment and get to kiss her, I leaned in close and just as I was about to kiss her deeply

"Trick or treat!"

Obviously the mood was ruined as Aria went, "Great", rolled her eyes and peeled herself from my lap. "Night of the living preschoolers"

After that, Aria headed off to the train in her Daisy Buchanan costume and I settled into a night of bad movies and microwave popcorn. Feeling sorry for myself, I tried to reassure myself that I was doing the right thing. Even though I wanted more than anything to be with Aria on that train, I wanted to keep herself. About half way through the first movie, I felt the familiar vibrating of my phone. Hoping it was Aria texting me that the train ride was lame and she wanted to come home, I immediately looked.

"What happens to a Daisy when it is picked from the ground? It withers up and dies"

I knew she was talking about Aria in her Great Gatsby costume, but I did everything she asked of me, so I knew Aria would be safe.

"I am playing your stupid little game, so leave her alone"

"Well, the rules have changed, Mr. Fitz. Break the bitches heart or I'll break it permanently."

I was ok with playing stupid pranks on her at school or cancelling a plan to go on a date in order to protect her, but breaking her heart was something I just couldn't do. I could not see my life without her in it and albeit selfish, I just could not break her heart.

"No. I cannot break her heart. I will do anything else that you ask me to do, but I cannot hurt her".

"Keep that up, guess who's not going to make it to the end of the line?"

Attached to that was a picture. At first it was hard to make out what I was seeing, but the more I looked, the clearer it became. It was a picture of Aria in a box, next to a dead man. I did not wait to see what text came next. I just got in my car and I drove to the train station. When I got to the train station, I sent the hardest text that I have ever had to send.

"You win. I will break her heart, but if I ever find out who you are, you will pay for this"

"I knew you would see things my way. The second they let me on the train, I had to see if she was ok. I saw her the moment, the door opened. She was ok, she wasn't hurt. Relief washed over me.

Confused Aria asked, "What are you doing here?"

"They said someone was hurt so I drove along the tracks until I found you."

"Well, you found me"

I had never been so happy I found her. "I found you. I found you" I kept repeating hugging her close to me. I had never been so afraid of anything in my entire life. One thing was certain, A was not messing around. Although the relief was washing over me, I now had to break her heart. The heart that I was desperate to protect.

But then a text came through.

"Tonight was just to show you I mean business. You don't have to break her heart yet, but I do have important work for you to do. Don't let me tell you again. Kisses!" -A