Chapter Synopsis: Aria tells Ezra and Maggie about the night she ruined her relationship with Jason and Maggie gives her sage advice.

~~~ Chapter 7-the Theatre and Cocktails with Friends ~~~

Aria called her parents on the way to Philly to let her know she was running behind. "So how did it go?" Ella asked. Aria told her about the meeting, lunch and getting caught up with the girls. "And Jason? " Ella asked.

"Awkward," Aria sighed, "we talked a little."

Ella and Byron kept their opinion to themselves over the years, but both thought Jason needed to be told about his son. Aria had told them about the threats made against him and what she had done to protect him so they understood why he had not been ready to talk to her, he had needed time and enough time had passed. They understood why she had been hurt and why she felt the need to keep AJ safe, but AJ needed his father and they were certain that Jason would want to be a part of his son's life if he knew about AJ. He was not Peter Hastings.

Ella put her arm around her daughter as they watched AJ playing with a toy car Ella and Byron had bought for him earlier that day. "He reminds me so much of Jason." Ella and Byron had both noticed AJ similarities to Jason went well beyond his looks, his personality, mannerisms, expressions, his laugh even the way he stood was Jason.

Aria smiled and nodded, "Every day it seems he becomes more like him."

Just then AJ wondering what his mom and Nana were talking about looked up at them with An intense stare causing Ella to laugh. She walked over and hugged him tightly, hating that in just three days he would be gone. Ella loved Aria and Mike more than anything, but there was something about her grandson that was different. She couldn't explain it, it just was.

After Aria returned, they were busy the rest of the day, they took him to the park that was walking distance from her parent's apartment, then they got dinner ready and ate. Aria made sure AJ was bathed and dressed in his pajamas before she got ready to go out with Ezra and Maggie who were picking her up. She was just zipping up knee high boots when she heard the doorbell ring.

Ella was sitting with Maggie and Ezra on the sofa, Byron way in his chair and AJ was showing Maggie and Ezra the remote-control car his grandparent had given him. Both adults were suitably impressed for the four-year-old boy, who then went to sit on his Grandpa's lap "I get to stay up and watch the game wif Grandpa." He said proudly "It's not the Bwues," he still had problems pronouncing some letter combinations, "cos it's not hockey." he told them sadly.

Aria laughed hearing this as she walked in the room, He likes baseball well enough, especially if the Cardinals were playing, but hockey was his favorite.

Byron shook his head jokingly calling Aria and AJ traitors, "I'll turn him into a Phillys fan yet."

Aria laughed shaking her head "Doubtful." her friends were all Cards and Blues fans and their enthusiasm had pulled her and AJ in and now both were hardcore Saint Louis fans, they were Rams fans until last year. Like many St. Louisans they felt betrayed. There had been some talks about a soccer team and she imagined if anything came of it her group of friends would jump on the bandwagon.

Byron and Ella caught up with Ezra and were getting to know Maggie. Both thought Ezra Fitz had become a man they could both like and respect, Maggie and Malcolm had been the best thing to ever happen to him. They talked about the charter school the couple had begun before they were even married, believing that children of any income bracket should have access to a great well, rounded education. They started with elementary levels and both were excited that starting next year they were going to be able to add grades 6-8, "We are hoping to add high school level and pre-school in the next few years. We don't want to rush and not be ready." Maggie was explaining and Ella and Byron as fellow educators were interested in the couples plans and agreed to tour the charter school. Soon the trio were saying their goodbyes, Aria getting hugs and kisses from AJ excited to be spending the evening with his grandparents.

After the show, they decided to go for a drink to catch up since there had not been any talking during the play except during the brief intermission. "AJ looks a lot like Jason." Ezra commented.

"I know." Aria said for the second time that day. "He will give me that Jason stare or make some gesture and it's like Jason is there." Aria told them.

"Aria," Ezra began cautiously, in the two years since they reconnected they had never talked about this, "does Jason know about his son?"

Aria took a drink of the chocolate martini Maggie had convinced her to try instead of the Jack and Diet Coke she had become accustomed to over the years on the rare occasions she did drink. Thinking, she decided that Ezra had the right to know some of the events as she had pulled him into the mess without his still having no knowledge of it. Aria took a deep "It's a long story." and she began.

Five Years Earlier

The night of the elevator accident A had set up, Aria had been with Ezra going through files that he had from when he had been investigating Alison's disappearance. She had sent ask Ezra if he still had his research and to see if there had been anything that had missed, hoping to find some clue to A's identity. This had been Spencer's idea and Jason had not been told because he was insecure about Aria's relationship with Ezra. It hadn't been that long since she had chosen her former teacher over him. They now knew that Shana had just been a pawn used by A because of feelings she had developed for Jenna.

When she showed up at his apartment Ezra had thought it was to talk about them, but Aria quickly informed him that she was with Jason. At first, he didn't take her seriously after all, she had been dating Jake and he had gotten her back. Things were different, she had changed and when she told him, "I am in love with Jason. I think I have been a little in love with him since the first time I met him, I just never thought he'd be interested in me." Ezra knew it was true, any feelings Aria had ever had for him were in the past.

It was only that morning that for the first time Aria fully realized that her feelings for Jason were very real. She knew she was in love with Jason DiLaurentis and they had to find out who A was this time and stop him, her, it, them, whoever A was, she could not lose him. After A's threats on Jason life started Aria had tried breaking things off with him numerous times, but he'd looked at her with a wounded and confused look and ask her why. She'd cave unable to stay firm as Spencer had and stayed with him. Last night had been one of those attempted breakups, Aria got warm just thinking about it and this morning in the shower he had left her a boneless quivering mess. Jason had to carry her to the bed as she literally had been unable to walk after. God! She had to stop thinking it about it. Little did she know that what happened in the shower that morning was going to change her life forever.

After the one awkward moment, they worked in relative ease going through stuff trying to find if anything had been missed. Then she got the text from A. Aria could not understand how Jason ended up in that elevator.

Spencer had sent Aria to Ezra's because of something else she and Caleb had found. Ali had a date night with her dad and Hanna was going to talk to Mona and see if she had found out anything. Since Mona had been a victim she was working with them trying figure out who this person or persons was. Mona, Toby and even Spencer had worked for A, hoping to find out who was behind this game, but never seen him or her.

Emily and Spencer were getting ready to leave when Jason showed up wanting to know where Aria was, she was supposed to have met him at the Brew almost an hour earlier. The girls all looked at each other knowing they had to think fast. Spencer told Jason that Aria had gotten detention for having her phone out in Mr. Brooks class and it had been confiscated. I'm sure she will call you as soon as she gets it back.

"It's after eight Spencer, after school detention is over at five." he told her eyeing the girls suspiciously, wondering it her not showing up today had anything to do with her attempts to break up with him recently.

Spencer told him that Ella had grounded her also and had grounded her from phone privileges. He knew he was going to get nothing else out of the girls. Instead he asked what they were doing and Spencer told him since he he had found out about A after Alison's arrest. Spencer had told him everything feeling like she needed to tell him why she had believed Alison had been involved with Mona's disappearance. He volunteered to go in place of the girls, but Emily had insisted on going with him. It had been a set-up, the elevator rigged. Jason made sure Emily was safe first, by the time he started to try to get to safety if was too late, the cables gave and sent him plunging to the bottom of the shaft. Before anyone had time to contact Aria, Aria received a text,

"You wouldn't cut Jason loose so I did – A.

A picture of Jason lying like a broken doll was attached and Aria broke thinking he was dead. Ezra did his best to calm her, it was only when Emily called to tell Aria that Jason was on the way to the hospital that Aria calmed down enough to think. Immediately she received another text.

"This was a warning bitch, you know what to do or else, tic toc -A.

A's final text and fear for Jason helped Aria came up with the perfect idea to keep him safe from A and Ezra was the key. She asked Ezra to drive her to the hospital. She leaned on Ezra to make to the ER as part of her plan, but it hadn't all been an act. The effects of the first text and picture still had her shaken and the pain and guilt she was feeling for what she was about to do to the guy she loved was getting to her as well. When they stepped off the elevator she was glad for Ezra's arm around her waist, she might have fallen otherwise. The first thing she seen was Jason looking just as broken as he had in that picture, a collar around his neck, tubes and wires connected to him. She knew that it might look worse than it was, but until the doctors came back to tell them scan results they wouldn't know anything.

On the way to the hospital, Spencer, the first to arrive and able to see him because she was family, had called to let her know that he was in pain. He conscious and asking for her. Her first instinct was to run to him, Ezra mistaking her initial jerk forward for instability pulled her tight against his chest trying to control her shaking and tears that were now wetting his shirt front. He unknowingly going along with the plan now set in motion.

As much as she hated to do this to Jason and Ezra, she used this moment of support to drive home the point that she and Jason were over and make it look like she was choosing Ezra once again. She wrapped both arms around his neck standing on her tip toes and gave him a lingering kiss on his cheek. It would look less than innocent from the angle that Jason would be seeing this from. She knew Jason had seen her, he had looked right at her and Ezra as they got off the elevator, his room facing the elevator.

Spencer walked to her, she was still leaning on Ezra for needed support. Aria pulled out her phone discreetly handing it to Spencer before turning to Ezra and thanking him for his help and saying goodbye, then purposely giving him one last long hug for Jason's benefit. Spencer looked on with sympathy not knowing what to say especially once she saw the first text A had sent. She had done the same thing Toby only a couple weeks earlier, she hugged Aria tightly before Aria went to talk to Jason and tell him it was over. This time she would ensure him that she meant it. She had to do this even if it meant he hated her for it.

Spencer walked her to his room intending to leave once she was inside to give them privacy, but to their shock Jason was gone. He had taken off the collar and had pulled out the IV's and pulled off the other wires. They called and asked the nurses what had happened, but the busy, understaffed nurses hadn't even realized he had left.

End of Flashback

"Later we found out the sabotaged elevator wasn't even meant for Jason, it was meant for Emily, Spencer, Hanna and me. Charlotte never intended for Ali or Jason to be hurt, she just wanted them to herself, she didn't want to share them with anyone, not even their father. Charlotte was arrested a few weeks later, but Jason wouldn't talk to me." Aria shrugged, "I chose you over Jason once before, I knew he was still insecure. I jdidn't realize once A was caught he wouldn't let me explain anything or give me the chance to tell him I was pregnant."

The last time I seen him, before today, I tried to tell him. I was just going to blurt it out and hope things would work out, but he refused to listen to anything I had to say. He was dating, Emily's friend Nicole, she worked for Habitat for Humanity." She said in explanation for what she was about to share, Ezra nodded saying her had met Nicole, "So you know that Nicole was this beautiful person who devoted her life to others. Jason was dating her and let me know I could never measure up to her. Here was this perfect person selflessly devoting her life to helping others and Jason hated me. He wanted me to just me to get out of his life. So, I did." She shrugged

"I'm sure he only said that because he was hurt." Ezra told her feeling guilty about his part in everything.

"Maybe, but when I talked to him today, he told me they only broke up because they were never together. Nicole got Jason involved in humanitarian efforts and except for the first time he volunteered with her they were never together in the same place; his interest went in another direction and he is working with Carissimi Group." Aria explained.

Maggie just sat there stunned she hadn't known about much about A or Charlotte and never learned about the incident involving Malcolm. When she finally spoke all, she could manage for a few moments was "Wow!" looking at Aria with stunned eyes, trying digest all she heard. She felt bad for the couple that had been torn apart by a desperate and mentally unstable woman.

Maggie reached for Aria's hand squeezing it, but said "Aria he needs to be told the truth about his son. If he doesn't want to be a part of AJ's life, then when he is ready to ask about his father you need to be able to tell him the truth. You don't want your son to grow to resent you when he finds out that you never even told Jason about him. And he will find out, these things always have a way of coming out." Aria knew Maggie was right, if anyone knew, it would be Maggie having gone through a similar situation herself.

AJ hadn't started asking about his dad yet, probably because Mateo had always been such a huge part of his life since the moment he was born, but one day he would have questions. He would be five in a few months. Eventually he would begin to realize and start asking questions. Sophia Mateo's daughter was only a year older and she started asking him about her mother recently which led to more questions about her biological father.

"I know you're right, I just don't know how to tell Jason. I have thought about telling him so many times over the years. I always' chicken out, afraid he hates me so much that he will take AJ away from me. I'm also afraid A will come back and what will happen to AJ." Aria said tears in her eyes and Maggie put her arms around the younger woman trying to comfort her while Ezra looked at his wife with awe.

Notes: I hope you like Maggie and Ezra. I quit shipping Ezria early season 2, but s4 arc made me hate everything about Ezria. However, I don't like slamming him and want him to be happy as well, this sounds ridiculous, but I think it's probably because I like Ian Harding, he is just so sweet.

Please review.

GrimLi