Ezra's POV
Aria.
Her lyrical name is always the first word that pops into my brain when I wake up in the morning, and the last word I hear before falling into a deep slumber every night.
I still can't believe it's been five years. Five years since I came home from work to find our small house empty. Five years since the police found her underwear and purse laying in the middle of the local park. Five years since I lost the love of my life, and the son that I never got to hold.
The first six months without Aria were hell. I refused to get out of bed, go to work, or even take a shower. It got so bad that my mom insisted upon moving in with me until I could "function properly."
The four months my mother spent living with me weren't nearly as bad I thought they'd be. She did all the cooking and cleaning around the house, and she listened to me when I talked to her about the pain I was feeling. Best of all, she never said an ill word about Aria.
If it weren't for the way my mother treated Aria while she was still here, I might have been able to forgive Dianne for all the miseries she caused me as a young man. But after what happened to my wife, I couldn't find it in myself to forgive the woman who constantly put her down. That's why after four months of her breathing down my throat, I kicked Dianne out.
Hardy tried to help me too. After Aria had been missing for a year, he tried hooking me up with some of his lady friends, even though I made it perfectly clear that I didn't want to see anyone who wasn't Aria.
The police have a theory about what happened to her that evening. They think that some bastard raped and murdered Aria only a few miles from our home. I don't know if they're right, but I do know that until they bring her home in a body bag, I'm not going to give up on Aria.
Every time Hardy introduced me to one of his hot friends, I told him this. However, both him and my therapist told me that I had to move on, so that's what I did.
I didn't move on by forgiving my mother for all her wrong doings, or by sleeping with another woman. No. I moved on by absorbing myself in my writing.
I quit my job as an English professor, disconnected myself from the outside world, and bought myself a brand new laptop.
I spend hours everyday hovering over the computer screen, and pouring my emotions into my work. In the past five years, I've published six novels, four of which have been number one on the New York Time's Best Seller List.
My novels are all about the same person; Aria. Even though she's not physically here with me, writing about her helps me pretend like she is. I live in a fantasy world, and Aria is the center of it.
Every night I lay in bed and think of different scenarios in my head. Sometimes I think about taking my son to Disney World with Aria, and other times I think about taking her to Europe for our anniversary. If I pretend hard enough, I can fool myself into thinking that these fantasies are realities.
Even though I've been awake for hours, I don't want to get out of bed. Every time I go into the kitchen and Aria isn't there humming while she makes eggs, my heart breaks.
But I really need a drink...
Luckily, I installed a liquor cabinet in my bedroom so I don't have to go into the kitchen first thing every morning. I crawl out of bed and grab a bottle of straight vodka. I sip on it eagerly, and enjoy the cool drink.
One thing I forgot to mention is that when I'm not sleeping or writing, I'm drinking. A lot of people think I have a problem, and once a month when Aria's mom and dad come over for an awkward family dinner, they try to convince me to check into a rehabilitation facility.
But what do they know? I can stop anytime I want.
Who cares that I've been hospitalized seven times this year for alcohol poisoning? Does it really matter that every bartender in Rosewood knows my name, and my drink of preference? I don't care that the DUI I got three months ago is on my permanent record, I'm self-employed anyways.
I'm about half way done with my first drink when my doorbell begins to ring. Who could that be? The only visitors I get during the day are the Mormon missionaries who give me pamphlets, and tell me that if I let him, Jesus can save me. But they don't come until after three o'clock, and it's not even noon yet.
I grumble before throwing on a pair of dirty pants and walking downstairs. I open the door and gasp when I see a police man standing on my porch. Did he find out about the bar I broke into last month? I'm so screwed!
"Are you Ezra Fitz?" The police man asks me gently.
"That's me." I say with a nervous nod.
"I'm Officer Stabler, do you mind if I come in?" He asks me.
I give the man a small nod before leading him into the living room. Stabler doesn't seem angry, and he hasn't arrested me yet, so I think I'm in the clear.
"Mr. Fitz, we found your wife this morning." The man blurts out suddenly.
My heart sinks in my chest, this is the day I've dreaded for five years. I'll have to go to the hospital and confirm that the body they found in a lake or ditch is my wife, and I'll have to admit to myself that she's really gone.
"Oh God." I say before I burst into tears.
I'm crying so hard that I don't think I'll ever be able to stop, or breath again.
"Aria and your son were taken to a hospital about an hour outside Rosewood this morning. She's in critical condition, but the doctors think she'll survive." The police man tells me.
"What the Hell are you talking about? Is this some kind of joke?" I ask as try to comprehend the situation.
"No Sir. We found out that Aria was kidnapped by a man named Nicholas Dias, and he held her and your son hostage in a room for five years. Somehow the little boy escaped from the room, and called the police. He told us that a man was hurting his Mommy, and that Nick wanted to kill her. The police traced the call to Nicholas's house, and we searched it until we found him beating your wife. Aria hasn't woken up yet, and the boy hasn't said a word since we rescued him, so we don't know all the details yet." The police man says as he rests a hand on my shoulder.
For the first time in five years, I feel like I can breathe. My Aria is alive, and so is our son. I didn't think it was possible. I begin to cry even harder, and thank The Lord that they're okay.
But it doesn't take long for anger to replace my joy and relief. That son of a bitch hurt my girl, and took her and my son away from me. I don't even want to think about what he did to Aria during the five years he held her captive.
"Where is he? I'm going to kill him with my bare hands." I growl furiously.
"No you aren't, we took Mr. Dias into custody this morning. Once the judge in charge of Aria's case finds him guilty, that man won't ever step outside of his prison cell." The officer assures me.
That's not good enough. I want that man dead, and I always get what I want. But I can't focus on him now, I need to focus on Aria, and our little boy.
"Can I see her?" I ask the officer through my heavy sobs.
"Like I said before, your wife is in critical condition. It could be hours before you're allowed to see her, but I'll give you a ride to the hospital. I'm sure you're anxious to meet your son." The officer says with a slight smile.
"Thank you Sir." I mutter before sprinting out of the house.
Line Break
As soon as I set foot in the hospital, several doctors swarm around me.
"Where is she?" I ask the doctors.
The doctors all share uncomfortable looks, and one of them finally speaks up.
"She's still in ICU. You aren't allowed to see her yet, but your son is in the pediatrics section of the hospital, and I'm sure you'd like to see him." The older man tells me.
I nod, and he leads me to a room on the opposite side of the hospital. The man opens the door, and I see a little boy sitting on the examination table, crying hysterically.
"He hasn't said a word since we brought him in here. All he's been doing is crying for his mother." The man says as he gestures towards the kid.
This boy is definitely my son. He has my striking blue eyes, and my dark curls. To my delight, he inherited Aria's little nose. As I take in my son's appearance, I realize that I love him infinitely.
Not only is he my child, he's Aria's too. She raised him, and I'm sure he's perfect, just like his beautiful mother. He saved Aria's life by escaping from the room, and calling the police. I'll never be able to repay him for that.
The little boy looks up at me, and his eyes grow wide with shock as we make eye-contact.
"Daddy?" He says in a barely audible whisper.
They're finally out of the room! I know a lot of you have been waiting for Ezra's POV for a while, so I hope you enjoyed this! The reason I didn't write about him earlier was because I wanted you to feel like you were stuck in the room with Aria, unsure of anything relating to the outside world.
What did you think? Did this version of Ezra surprise you? Do you think he's fit to take care of Aria and Gregory? What will he say to Gregory, and how will he react to having a son? A lot of you have asked if this story is ending soon since Aria and Ezra are about to be reunited, and I can say that it's not. The couple still has a lot of challenges to overcome, and so does Gregory. Thank you all so much for reading and for your continued support! Please leave a review and tell me what you though, and have a great day :)
-Erin