Hi everyone! Thanks for reading. I've received only the best comments, and it's really keeping me going writing this!

I just wanted to explain some stuff from Chapter 9. I pretty much made up most of the medical stuff, so apologies if it's wrong. I'm sure it is, but I wrote this after midnight (as I do all my chapters; it's when I write and think best) and I wasn't about to try find someone who knew if I was talking crap. Also, I don't know what the laws are regarding a doctor having to tell a parent if their underage child is pregnant. Here, AFAIK, you don't have to, and I remembered seeing it on a US show once where the doctor didn't tell the parents either. So I went with that…sorry if it's not the law in Pennsylvania! *ahem* artistic license…

Here's Chapter 10!

CHAPTER 10

Aria and Ezra stared at each other for a few seconds. Then Ezra exhaled, slowly, and nodded.

"Okay," he said, quietly.

Aria raised her eyebrows. She was sixteen years old and pregnant by her teacher. "Okay" was not exactly the word she would have used to describe the situation.

Ezra walked over and sat down in the chair beside the bed. "So, what happens now?"

Aria couldn't read him. He was as calm as though she'd just told him she was having a manicure done, for goodness' sakes! Aside from that one moment of denial when he walked in, he was acting very strangely for a man who had impregnated his student girlfriend. Where was the freaking out?

"What happens now, at least in my head, is that you run away screaming – at least until you've had time to figure this out," Aria said, with a half-smile. "But you don't seem to be doing that."

"No. Well, I have had the last hour to digest this…news," Ezra replied, slowly.

"Really? Because when you walked in here, it sounded like you didn't believe me. That you thought I'd made it up, or something."

"And I'm sorry about that," Ezra said. "I know you would never lie about a thing like this. But I was kind of – no, completely – freaked out, Aria. I didn't mean to sound like I didn't trust you…but I had to ask if you were SURE. Have you say it again, to convince me I hadn't imagined it. Because this…this is you telling me you're pregnant. Jesus Christ, Aria. The only reason I haven't completely flipped out is because I can't actually entirely wrap my mind around it. It's…I don't know what to say." He brushed his hair back with his hand, feeling suddenly sweaty.

"I know. That's how I felt when I found out as well," Aria said, taking his other hand and holding it in hers.

"How long have you known?"

"Three weeks, for certain. I went to a gynae, and she confirmed it."

"Three weeks! Why the hell didn't you tell me before now?" Ezra jumped up, angrily.

"Because I was scared! I didn't know how to tell you. I was going to, I promise-"

"Really." Ezra made it sound more like a statement than a question. Clearly he didn't believe her.

"Yes! I was. I just had to figure out HOW. I wanted to tell you tonight, but you had the stupid conference, so I was going to tell you when I came over tomorrow night," Aria said, desperately. "Please believe me, Ezra. I wasn't going to keep this from you. I just had to sort this out in my own head first."

"Okay, okay. I'm sorry," Ezra held up his hands. "I believe you. Look," he sat down again, and took her hand, "what do we do now?"

He used the word "we", Aria thought, and she suddenly felt like breaking down and crying. She hadn't been able to admit to herself how afraid she was that he would leave her alone to deal with this…problem. With their baby. Not just HER baby. Their baby.

"I want you to tell me what you want to do, Aria," Ezra continued. "This is both of our problem, and we got into this together. But I know how it works, in real life. It's the girl who is pregnant, the girl who gets gossiped about, who has to tell everybody…it's harder for her than for the…father." He paused, contemplating the enormity of that word, father. "So if you're not ready, or you don't think you can handle all that, or just handle being pregnant; well, I'll support you, in whatever you decide. It's your-"

"Ezra," Aria cut him off. "I'm not going to have an abortion. I've already decided that."

Ezra exhaled. "Okay. So that leaves us with what? You'll have the baby. And then?"

"Keep it or give it away," Aria replied. "And don't ask me which, because I don't know. All I know is, I'll have to tell my parents at some point, and then they're going to try and talk me into doing whatever THEY want me to do. So I want to decide before I even tell them, which is why I'm waiting as long as possible to say anything."

"Okay." It was all Ezra seemed capable of saying.

"But I want you to decide, too," Aria turned her big brown eyes on him. "I need you to help me. Ezra…I don't know what to do!" She suddenly broke down to the long-threatening tears she'd been holding back all night, and sobbed.

Ezra put his arms around her, as well as he could, and drew her to him. "Sssh. It'll be okay." "He stroked her hair and held her as tightly as he could. "We'll work it out, I promise. I'm here for you." He continued to hold her close and murmur soothing words, while at the same time the enormity of it was hitting him. Aria was going to have a baby. His baby. He was going to be a father. Even if they gave the baby up for adoption, he would still have a child out there. And if they didn't –

The door opened and the nurse came in, stopping short as she saw Aria crying in Ezra's arms.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt," she began.

Aria pulled away from Ezra and started rubbing her eyes on her sleeve.

"It's okay," Ezra said, getting up. "She's just completely exhausted and she feels sick and upset. Are you going take her to her room now?"

"Yes, it's all ready now. Aria," the nurse turned to her, "can you get back into your wheelchair? I'll wheel you down to your room; it's not far."

"Can I come?" Ezra asked.

The nurse looked at him doubtfully. "Are you family?"

"Oh, no! I'm – just a…friend. But if her mother's still filling in the admission forms – and I know how long those take – I'd like to stay with Aria till she comes. Just so she's not alone."

"Well, all right. Come along, then."

Aria had got off the bed into her wheelchair, for the first time that night not protesting that she could walk. What with the emotion of finally telling Ezra about the baby, and the scare she'd had at the school, coupled with the fainting spell, she really did feel completely ill now. It was actually a relief to be staying in the hospital, instead of going home.

The nurse wheeled her along in silence, with Ezra walking behind, also in silence. Once they were in the room the nurse pointedly closed the curtains while she helped Aria change into a hospital gown, and then opened them so Ezra could join them.

Aria sank down into the crisp cold sheets with relief. The bed was hard and narrow, but she didn't care. She just wanted to go to sleep and wake up feeling better.

"I'm going to take some blood now so we can run those tests," the nurse said. "Excuse me a moment."

"Aria," Ezra said, leaning over her and tenderly stroking her hair, "I'm going to have to go in a second. But I just want to get some things straight. You told your doctor that you're pregnant, right?"

"Yes."

"And he's not going to tell your parents?"

"He said he wouldn't. Patient-doctor confidentiality," Aria replied.

"So, who else knows? Just me?"

"No. I told my friends – you know, Spencer, Hanna and Emily."

Ezra bit his lip. "And you think…it's safe with them? Wait – do they know about us? Or just that you're pregnant?"

"I told them everything. I had to, Ezra. I was so scared, and I didn't know what to do. It was Emily who organized for me to go to her mom's gynaecologist."

"How long have they known?"

"About three weeks. We had it – the pregnancy – confirmed on the same day."

"Wow. I had no idea they knew. At the very least I'd have expected some…weird looks from them, or something. But nothing. Those friends of yours certainly can keep a secret."

You have no idea, Aria thought. But that reminded her.

"Ezra – do you know what happened to my purse?"

"Your mom has it, I think," he replied. "We definitely took it from the school to the car with you, so it's safe in there if your Mom didn't bring it in. Why?"

"Oh, I just wanted to make sure it was safe," Aria replied distractedly. She had to destroy that awful picture A had drawn before her Mom went through her bag and found it. But she couldn't tell Ezra about that. "Also, I wanted my phone. I need to text Emily and the others to tell them where I am, and that I won't be coming to school tomorrow."

"I'll tell them. You need your rest now; you can do without your phone for one night." Ezra glanced around, but he could hear nothing, and the curtains were closed around them. He bent down and kissed her lightly on the lips. "It's going to be all right, Aria. I – I promise you that."

And I love you, he wanted to say, but couldn't. This was neither the time nor the place.

Aria looked up at him, and for a second he could swear she was thinking the same thing. Then they heard footsteps, followed by the curtains being pulled aside to reveal the nurse and Ella, who was presumably finished filling in her forms.

"Hey, you! How are you feeling?" she asked brightly.

"A little yucky," Aria admitted. "Mom – thanks for taking such good care of me tonight."

"Of course, honey. What are mothers for?" Ella replied, pleased nonetheless. Then, as she stepped into the cubicle properly, she spotted Ezra for the first time.

"Oh, Mr Fitz! Are you still here?" She sounded surprised, and a little guilty, as though she was keeping him there against his will.

"Oh – yes. I was just keeping Aria company until you came back," he explained.

"Well, that's very nice of you. But I'm sure you must have something you need to be doing? I feel like we've kept you here far too long – not that we don't appreciate it," she added hastily. "I really do appreciate everything you've done for Aria tonight, truly. Your students are lucky to have you. Right, Aria?"

"Uhuh," Aria murmured, incredibly embarrassed at her mother gushing all over Ezra like this. She wouldn't be quite so pleased with him if she knew he'd got her 16 year old daughter pregnant. Which is why she was never going to find out. Aria kept her eyes closed and pretended to be falling asleep.

"I should go," Ezra agreed. "Good night, Mrs Montgomery. Aria, I hope you feel better and I'll see you on Monday in school?"

"Thanks, Mr Fitz," Aria replied. It was all she could say, Ezra knew, but he also knew what she meant, and what she was thanking him for. He smiled at her, and then glanced across at the nurse, who was organizing some test tubes and syringes. "Take good care of her."

He nodded once more, and left, walking swiftly down the corridors, trying not to think of anything but walking. He couldn't. It was too much for him right now. It wasn't until he walked out the front door, and the cold air hit him in the face, that he realized he'd left his car back at the school and he had no way of getting home except to call a cab. And while he stood there waiting, he realized that his entire future had just changed in one evening. His life would never be the same again.