Life's a game Chapter 4, a pretty little liars fanfic

"Ella Montgomery-Waters was indescribable."

"She was my friend"

"She was my wife"

"Not only was she an amazing teacher, she was also an amazing mother and a down to earth worker. "

"It had been my privilege to work alongside her and we will never forget her"

Speech after speech, Aria began to feel woozy. All the speeches were the same, only coming from different people. She didn't want to hear what was common knowledge, she wanted to hear what not everyone knew. She wanted people to talk about her mom's enthusiasm and the way her eyes lit up at the mention of specific writers, the way she would paint and sell what Aria would call 'masterpieces' and this was her escape from the world. She wanted to hear how despite her father's infidelity, she saw past his wrongs and forgave but didn't forget and was able to look past the faults and not have critical judgments in everyone.

October 25th had been the dreaded day for weeks in the Montgomery household. Not only were Mike and Aria still grieving, but Byron returned to Rosewood with some unsettling news the day he arrived... But not alone.

It wasn't that he was trying to take Mike back to Syracuse with him, that was "just a plus in this situation" was how he put it. As if Byron knew this would torture his children, he sprung another round of news on his children

"Her name's Deb. She's a local pre-school teacher" what had just happened? Did they just hear what their father had said correctly? It was all a blur and they lost focus until he said the next sentence that could potentially ruin the broken remains of what was left of their family.

"We're getting married in March" and at that, a mysterious honey-colour haired woman they figured was Deb entered the room and stood behind Byron with both her hands folded onto his right shoulder.

Talk about a surprise.

Who was he to bring a random woman into his children's lives on that day out of the 364 rest? Sensing their father's happiness, Aria and Mike planted wide fake-grins on their faces and congratulated the fairly new couple, spending the rest of the day in the care of Byron and their future step-mother.

Mother. No.

No one could replace Ella. No one.

The next day rolled in with a blur. People were moving around too fast trying to ready the house for the party held after a Church service in memory of Ella and Zack, even baby Scarlett and it felt like Aria was walking in slow motion as the rest of the world sped past her.

Photos of the two adults on their wedding day and memories in general were hung up in the old Victorian house, ultrasounds photos of Scarlett framed as well.

Not feeling in the mood to help Aria made her way to Mike's room and the two held onto each other for dear life before separating and sitting in silence and pondering thoughts before it was time to get ready for the Church service where family members and relatives remembered happy and sad memories of the couple then making their way to the household.

Mike and Aria however headed straight to the cemetery.

"Hey guys" Aria said as they approached and sat around the family gravestone which occupied Ella, Zack and Scarlett, placing down three bunches of different Gerber daisies.

"One year huh you guys" she said after sitting in silence for a few minutes, tears beginning to form in her eyes. A few moments later the pair began to update their mother on what's been happening lately, including Byron's news. "I don't know why we're telling you, not like you aren't watching over us right?"

"Aria?" Mike cleared his throat "Can you just give me a few minutes please" he asked

"Yeah sure" she nodded as she raised and dusted herself off before aimlessly walking around the graveyard looking at the stones wondering what Mike was doing, he's never even spoke at the cemetery, let alone visited more than a handful of times over the year.

Minutes passed and she found herself paying respects to those close to her whose lives had been taken too soon from this unfair world before Mike signaled for the two to say their good byes to the Waters' and head off home

The house was cramped and was as hot as a sauna. Mike quickly found his friends that he had invited to be there for him, as did Aria.

"So i heard Byron's getting re-married to a younger woman. Is she the same one he cheated on Ella with?"

"No i think that was his student" voices mumbled in the distance but clear enough for Aria to make out and to be affected by

"Excuse me" she asked her friends who watched her leave to the back of the house in silence with worried glances.

Aria POV:

Did they really just say that at my mother's One year death anniversary? Urgh i need to get out of here before i scream

"Excuse me" i said to my friends.

Feeling their eyes following me, i quickened my pace to the back of the house and sat myself down at the piano my mom taught me to play at

Playing around with a few notes, i finally settled on a song i feel closest to my mom at, smiling at the thought of her teaching me this song after my grandma passed away five years ago

I softly began to play a new bar of notes after the other and softly started to sing

Found myself today
Oh I found myself and ran away
Something pulled me back
The voice of reason I forgot I had
All I know is you're not here to say
What you always used to say
But it's written in the sky tonight

Tears made their way down my face faster than before but i couldn't stop them, i don't think i wanted to stop them at this point.

Seen that ray of light
And it's shining on my destiny
Shining all the time
And I won't be afraid
To follow everywhere it's taking me
All I know is yesterday is gone
And right now I belong
To this moment to my dreams

At this point of the song my eyes were closed yet i could feel a crowd of people begin to gather at the door frame and listen to me but i barely even registered them and continued to sing

It doesn't matter what people say
And it doesn't matter how long it takes
Believe in yourself and you'll fly high
And it only matters how true you are
Be true to yourself and follow your heart

So I won't give up
No I won't break down
Sooner than it seems life turns around
And I will be strong
Even if it all goes wrong
When I'm standing in the dark I'll still believe
That I won't give up
No I won't break down
Sooner than it seems life turns around
And I will be strong
Even when it all goes wrong
When I'm standing in the dark I'll still believe
That someone's watching over
Someone's watching over
Someone's watching over me

Someone's watching over me

As the final bars were played, my fingers slowed down and my voice croaked hinting at the flood of tears that hadn't escaped my eyes yet.

Keeping my eyes closed, i broke down at the piano and heard gasps escaping those whom had gathered but at the feel of somebody's touch on my shoulder i pulled away and again excused myself, this time to be alone with my thoughts for twenty minutes before i was again interrupted

"Oh sorry, i didn't see you there"

"No it's fine, really. Have a seat Mr Fitz"

"Okay i'm going to let that one slide" he laughed. Is it bad that i find his laugh adorable? "That was beautiful, Aria, i didn't know you could play or had a voice like that. Wow"

"Yeah i took some lessons when i was younger. My mom and i used to play together sometimes" i shrugged

"I'm sorry" he whispered

"You know what? You don't even need to be sorry. I hate how people think that just because my mom died that i never want to speak about her or remember anything about her ever again"

"That isn't what i meant. You know that. I'm just sorry that you had to go through that, not that i brought it up" he briefly stopped "I know exactly what you're going through though"

But was interrupted right before i could question him

"This is the second time i've found you guys like this" Mike said making his way out of the house

"The first time was because you got your stupid ass drunk and were walking alone on the streets" i raised my eye brow moving away from Ezra, daring Mike to question me

"Touche. Well dad's put on the family movies if you want to come in, but i'm warning you from now that he put the most embarrassing ones of you first and there was just the one of you stuffing your face in cake... You can come too Mr Fitz" he added just before turning around back into the house

Urgh not again. Seriously, Byron doesn't even need an excuse to put on the home-movies because he'd do it for any reason

"ARIA QUICK THERE'S ONES OF YOU SCREAMING AT DAD FOR GETTING THE WRONG FLAVOURED BEN AND JERRY'S IN JUST YOUR UNDERWEAR" Mike screamed causing me to groan even more

"Infant Aria screaming at an adult? Yes please" Ezra smirked as he ran off into the house dragging me in behind him.

There it was again, that tingling feeling? Holy crap, for the first time in my life I feel alive again. Not even Byron's need to replay old family movies could change how I felt at that exact moment.

October 25th was no longer a day to dread, but to remember and celebrate life and be thankful for what we have already.

Someone's watching over me

Next up: Noel confrontation; PT interviews and Ezria mush