Story 2: A Fatal Fall

Chapter 5

Back at Rosewood Hospital, Spencer and Aria took the elevator up and waited for an awkward sixty seconds. Observant as she was, Spencer couldn't help but notice Aria was tapping her foot anxiously.

"He begged me to bring you," Spencer explained in the car as she drove to the hospital. "After what he's been through, I think he deserves that."

"You got me in the car, Spence, I don't need any convincing, okay?" Aria grumbled while struggling to pull a Hollis sweatshirt over her head. In the haste of leaving, she'd left her hair clumpy and makeup undone, only having time to pull on some sweatpants and a pair of sneakers.

"I know you're probably tired of being asked this question," Spencer brought up casually, "but are you okay? Your teeth are almost clanging together."

Aria sent her a pesky look. "I'm fine. Just…a bit nervous."

"Nervous?" Spencer asked. "Why?"

Pushing a strand of hair behind her ear, Aria sighed and shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. I guess…it doesn't feel like I know him anymore."

Seeing the conflict reflecting in Aria's eyes, Spencer put an arm around her friend's shoulder and pulled her close. "Come on, Aria. He's Ezra, the same dork as he's always been."

Aria couldn't find the motivation to return the hug or crack a humored smile. "A mysterious person disguised as a dork," she replied pessimistically. She turned her large doe-like eyes up to Spencer. In an instant Spencer noted how watery and scared they'd become. "What if this is just another lie?" she whispered with a sniffle. "Because if it is—" Tears began streaming down her cheeks, and she failed to keep it together. "—I don't know if I could handle it anymore. All the lies in the past year—"

"I know," Spencer stopped her and hugged her again, running her hand over her dark brown curls. "But the guy almost died, Aria. If he's been hiding anything, I think he's already revealed all the skeletons in his closet. That fall shook him up. Trust me, he's going to be honest with you. I promise."

Aria didn't answer. Instead, she wiped away some tears and held the embrace. However, as soon as the elevator arrived at their destination, the two broke up and clomped out to the lobby.

"Okay, here's the plan. See that desk?" Spencer pointed to the receptionist who wasn't paying them any attention. "And that hallway?" She moved her finger so that it was directed to where Ezra was located. "We're just going to walk by."

Dumbfounded, Aria reflected on what Spencer just said and narrowed her slightly bloodshot eyes. "That's your grand scheme? We just walk by? I mean, aren't they going to stop us and ask us to sign in?"

Spencer darted her head both ways, grabbed Aria's hand, and fast-walked down the hallway, looking over her shoulder once or twice. By the time they reached the corner, she let go of Aria's wrist. "Ow!" Aria hissed, rubbing the tender area. "You could have warned me!"

"Yeah, but you would have caused a ruckus. And I happen to know that you tend to be silent when you're shocked."

Again, Aria studied Spencer with squinted eyes. "Are you sure we weren't twins separated at birth?"

"Uh, I wish! I'd so kill for your eyes!"

"And I'd so kill for your eyelashes! Mine are only that long with falsies and two coats of mascara!"

The two fell into a fit of laughter. For the first time in a while, Aria could feel the tension dissipating. The scars were still fresh, but at least now Aria knew that they could heal.

"See? I got you to laugh. I keep my promises," Spencer said after they calmed down, and waved her hand. "Now come on. There's someone who's dying to see you."

Aria's face paled two shades, and Spencer realized her mistake. "I so didn't mean that."

"It's okay," Aria reassured Spencer, though she still felt slightly sick at the thought of Ezra disappearing again. She locked her arm with Spencer's. "Lead the way."

Approaching Ezra's hospital room, Aria got that same heavy pit in her stomach that weighed her down like lead. A part of her still didn't want to believe like the past few days had happened, or that Ezra was even alive. In a way, it would have been easier to just pick up the broken pieces and move on. But now she was going to have to pick up those broken pieces and put them back together again. She wasn't sure if she even had the strength to get through that, yet she didn't want to give up on her and Ezra. A couple weeks ago she was willing to let him go, but now, after almost losing him… She really wanted to make it work. Even if it took years for them to go back to what they once were.

The two stopped at a door. When Aria noticed the room number, she smiled softly and traced her finger across the engraved marker. "E-twenty-six," she read off quietly. "It's off by a letter."

Spencer pretended not to hear what Aria said; she didn't even know what it meant anyway. Taking a step forward, Spencer placed a hand on Aria's rigid shoulder. "We don't have all day," she said in a soft, comforting voice.

Heart racing, Aria's cold fingers wrapped around the cool knob and turned it. Through the crack of the door she peeped at Ezra's motionless body under the sheets, and she gasped inaudibly and stopped breathing. Her legs became weak and wobbly, and her heart broke into a million pieces.

"Whoa," Spencer drew out the word and grasped for Aria's arm. "Steady."

Eyes glistening, Aria covered her gaping mouth with her hand. "He looks so… I wish I'd known."

"But you're here now." Spencer tried to pacify her, and gave her a light shove. "Talk to him." With that, she shut the door behind Aria.

Groaning, Ezra moved lazily under the sheets. He swore he heard her voice; now he had to wake up. Peeling open his eyes, his vision was blurry, but he could recognize that face anywhere. "Aria," he croaked, and for the first time since he woke up he managed to smile.

"Ezra," Aria whispered, her voice cracking. "You're awake."

"Yeah." Ezra's voice was hoarse, and he slowly budged into a more comfortable position. "I can't believe you came."

Aria held her wrist with her opposite hand and shifted her weight to her left hip. "What made you think I wouldn't?"

For a brief moment they just stared into each other's eyes. "I don't know," Ezra finally responded and looked down at his mummified leg, guilt overcoming him. "It was just a feeling."

Silence blanketed the reunion and Aria approached him, sitting down slowly and gently clasping his pale arm. Gulping, Ezra stared at her hand, the skin as sickly as his own. All the turmoil he'd caused her, all the pain—it had led up to this moment. Reaching out with his thumb, he brushed her paper-like skin, cold to the touch. He remembered how warm it used to be in lazy days in his apartment, huddled in front of the TV on chilly winter nights.

"The doctors said after I fell I was legally dead for five seconds. In those five seconds, I saw you. You were leaning over me in this white dress, and the sun was shining behind you. You told me everything was going to be okay now, that things were going to be better in death than in life. I couldn't move but I said, 'But you're not her. You're just an illusion.' She frowned and asked me if I truly had reason to go back, and when I told her I had a girl to look after she kissed my forehead and I was awake in the back of the ambulance."

Aria shivered, not really knowing what to say. "I can't believe you were really dead," she said eventually.

"But I came back because I knew I wasn't ready to leave you. Not that day, not after what happened. Just the thought of leaving you alone without any answers, forever questioning that part of your life, hurt me more than the fall itself."

Ezra felt a warm tear drop on his arm, and he realized that Aria was crying soundlessly. "Hey, don't cry," he whispered softly, swiping the back of his hand across her tender cheek. "I'll be out of this hospital before you know it."

"It's not that," Aria spoke up suddenly, her breath catching in her throat the way it did when someone cried. "Well, that's a small part of it. I just wish I'd listened to your story before I assumed the worst."

"That doesn't matter now, okay? It's in the past. Let's just think about today." With that, he slipped his fingers in hers and squeezed her hand comfortingly.

Aria grinned and pulled up a chair so that she could get closer to him without hurting him. No words were exchanged as she placed her head on his chest and pulled his arm around her shoulder.

When Spencer checked in on Aria three hours later, she found the couple in a peaceful sleep, Aria draped over him. If no one knew of their rough history, they would have sworn that they were the last two people on earth who had just found each other.

…

After dinner, Spencer visited the hospital again, mentally preparing herself to pry Aria out of Ezra's room if need be. Except instead of the two of them being asleep, Ezra was awake and looking healthier and more refreshed, though there was still that darkness around his eyes. He was trying to eat what appeared to be jello, but the complexion of his face would morph into a nauseous green color whenever he attempted to swallow. When he saw Spencer at the door, he put the spoon down and maneuvered his arm around a still sleeping Aria.

"Hey, Spencer," he greeted her as she strolled in. "What's up?"

"Nothing much," she replied. "Just came to take Aria home. Her mom's worried. She doesn't know about you, so…"

"Ella doesn't know I'm alive?" Ezra asked, more for conversational purposes to prevent an empty silence.

"No, not yet. But Aria's bound to tell her eventually," Spencer said, followed by a sigh. She then pointed at Aria. "How long has she been like that?"

"Fifteen minutes now?" Ezra rested his arm on her back. "The nurses let her stay despite the fact I'm not allowed visitors. We watched TV for a bit before she fell asleep again." Lowering his voice, he beckoned Spencer over and whispered, "Listen, can you convince her to go home? She's been here practically all day, and she's getting restless…"

"Of course," Spencer agreed, nodding her head affirmatively. "Should I wake her up or…?"

"No," Aria mumbled sleepily. "I'm awake." Rolling her shoulders back, she cracked a couple bones while she squirmed into a comfier position. Next she stretched her arms in the air and yawned. "What time is it?"

"Nearly eight," Spencer promptly replied. "It's time for you to go home."

Aria's peaceful face fell into a frown. "But I don't want to leave."

Ezra gave a skeptical look. "Aria, you've been here since noon. Don't you have to shower or something?"

"No…," Aria trailed off and rubbed Ezra's arm. "Besides, even if I did, I'd much rather be here with you."

"Yeah, stinking up the room like an ox," Spencer retorted. Aria sent her a stingy look. Keeping up with the joke, Spencer moved over to Aria and tried to lead her off the chair. "Come on, good girl. Let's get out of the hospital."

Aria shrugged Spencer off and focused her attention on Ezra. "Are you sure you want me to leave?"

"I don't want you to…" Spencer glared at him warningly. "…but you need to. I can't ask you to sleep here all night in that chair. Besides, I want you to be comfortable and spend time with your family and friends."

Aria sighed and squeezed Ezra's hand a final time. "Fine," she said. "Let's go."

After bidding Ezra good-bye, Spencer and Aria headed towards the door. "Hey Spencer," Ezra called out behind her.

Before shutting the door, Spencer turned around. "What?"

Ezra smiled gratefully. "Thanks. For everything. I knew you were the only one she would trust enough to get her to come here."

Spencer returned the smile. "It was no problem." Shutting the door, she headed towards the lobby where Aria was waiting confusedly. "Where'd you go?" she asked as her and Spencer naturally and thoughtlessly locked elbows.

"Oh, I just said bye to Ezra," she lied while hitting the button in the elevator for the ground floor.

"Well, thank you," Aria thanked her also, leaning her head against Spencer's shoulder. "You're always looking out for me."

"We're Team Sparia," Spencer joked and playfully nudged Aria in the ribs. "If we didn't have each other, who would we have?"

"Nobody," Aria replied honestly, and both knew she was right. In the long run, no matter what happened, they would always have each other.

A/N: Sadly, this was the last chapter for this story! Up next will be a fluffier future fic that I haven't really planned out yet but I'm excited to write. Anyway, review, PM, favorite, whatever! I hope you enjoyed this one.