Chapter 21

I don't own PLL

Aria's POV

When we arrived at the police station Spencer got out of the car and Mike came to sit in the back with me. Spencer's mom showed up just a few minutes after us and instantly went to Spencer to see what was going on. I had no idea what she was telling her mom but I knew Mrs. Hastings probably wasn't taking it well. Mike kept his arms around me as a source of comfort and tried to keep me calm and prevent me from erupting into tears again. Spencer and her mom had been talking over by Mrs. Hasting's car for nearly twenty minutes before Spencer came over to the car, opened the back door and told Mike to go with her.

"Okay I got her to listen to you and she'll see what she can do for Ezra. Just tell her the truth about you guys and don't hold back anything that could help her. I know it is probably awkward to discuss it with her but trust me it is better she knows everything upfront from you rather than finding it out in the court room."

"Thank you Spencer," I whisper softly to her before she leaves the car.

Shortly after her mom climbs into the backseat next to me and I can tell she is in her professional Hastings mood.

"Spencer has giving me a vague summary on what is happening but I need to hear it all from you before I walk in there. I am going to ask you a few questions that I have to know for right now then anything else you feel I should know just tell me."

"Okay. Thank you for this Mrs. Hastings."

"When did you and Mr. Fitz meet?" She asks while pulling out her legal pad and pen to take notes.

"September 1st before my junior year. I had dropped Mike off at lacrosse practice and went to the bar and grill down the street from the school." I smile at the memory but it makes my chest tighten knowing Ezra is going to be punished for our memories we created.

"Alright and who initiated conversation?" She asks without looking up from her paper where she continues to write.

"He did. The conversation just flowed for a couple hours; I had led him to believe I was in college."

"I take it you two continued on with your relationship even after you became aware of the circumstances?"

"Ezra tried to put some distance between us but I didn't want to end it because I was miserable without him. We tried being apart but it didn't work so we stayed together and have been this entire time."

She turns to look me in the eyes and sits her pen down then clears her throat.

"I know this is the kind of thing teenagers don't want to discuss with their parents let alone their friend's parents, but I am asking this as a lawyer, Alright?" She says softly.

I nod my head and bite my lip having a pretty good idea where this was headed.

"Have you two slept together?"

I take a deep breath and nod my head. "Yes," I whisper lowly.

"That is going to be a hard fact to get past then. How old were you the first time you two had sex?"

"My 18th birthday. We both felt we should wait until I was no longer a minor. He never tried to force the topic in any negative way."

"That's better, that'll definitely help. Is there anything else you think I should know?"

"Please don't let Ezra go to jail. I know how this situation looks to everyone else and I am sure you probably think I'm crazy and brainwashed, but I swear I'm not. Ezra has done nothing but keep me safe and happy since day one I can't lose him. He's the sweetest man on the planet, please don't let them put him in jail Mrs. Hastings." I cry to her.

"I don't think that Honey. It'll be alright. I promise I'll try my hardest to fight his case for you. Now time is of the essence so I need to go inside and see what's going on. Is there anything you want me to tell Mr. Fitz for you?"

"Will you tell him I love him and I didn't mean for this to happen, I'm so sorry."

"I'll tell him just take a breath and relax I will take care of this."

"Thank you." I offer up a small smile. "Oh wait." I shout right before she shuts the door.

"Yes?"

"Will you also tell him B26?"

At her confused look I clarify for her. "It's from when we met, he'll know what it means."

Mrs. Hastings smiles softly at me with a nod then shuts the car door. I turn to watch as she gets out of the car and walk up the concrete steps inside the police station.

A month had passed since that day in Ezra's classroom. A lot has occurred in the past month far too much for me to say. The entire town found out about Ezra and I. My parents didn't take it well at all, they freaked out and just kept yelling and screaming. I couldn't take it anymore after three days of yelling so I decided to move out. Mike and the girls had helped me pack up all my belongings and move them into Ezra's apartment and I have been there ever since.

I haven't seen Ezra once since we were dragged apart 47 days ago. When Detective Wilden got wind of the situation he managed to dig his claws into the case and make it progress at the slowest pace possible. I've had to testify in court at two of the hearings. My hopes had been crushed when I found out Wilden made special arrangements for Ezra not to be present when I had to be there to ensure we didn't see each other. I also didn't get to see him at all in the past 47 days because every single one of his hearings were private from the public. Mrs. Hastings was true to her word and argued every single angle possible in order to keep Ezra from being arrested. She was my only source of communication to Ezra; that was the only thing keeping me going.

Graduation had passed a couple days ago and what was supposed to be one of the most memorable days of my life wasn't because the love of my life wasn't there to share the moment with me. The girls tried to drag me to the after graduation celebration party but I simply wanted to go home and curl up in bed in one of Ezra's shirts which is exactly what I had done. I haven't talked to or even seen my parents since I moved out. The only people I talk with are the girls, Mike, and Mrs. Hastings.

Today though, today would be either make or break my life. Call me dramatic but when it comes to Ezra he is my entire life. Today Ezra will either be given a guilty or non-guilty sentencing. Since I was unable to actually go inside of the court room I decided to sit outside the doors on one of the nearby benches so I would know the verdict right as it was announced. The girls offered to come wait with me but I told them I needed to be alone.

I had sat in the hall during every single one of his past hearings in hopes of seeing him, hearing him, anything. Even the slightest glance of him would have satisfied me but it never happened.

Mrs. Hastings had driven me to the courthouse and waited with me in the hall for a few minutes to help me stay calm. Thankfully I didn't have to worry about any of the annoying reporters because the officers at the door said they couldn't come into the courthouse at all so they simply waited out front impatiently.

The time very slowly dragged on all morning and I was becoming all the more anxious as I sat here nervously taping my heels and fiddling with my fingers. Mrs. Hastings stepped out about five minutes ago to tell me the jury went into deliberation to count the non-guilty vs. guilty votes. She told me she felt it went well but the bailiff stepped out into the hall shortly after to tell her the jury was ready to announce a verdict.

"Wait is it bad they came back so quick? That's bad isn't it?" I ask panicked.

"You never know with the Jury but I'm sure everything will be fine it seemed to have gone well earlier."

That was all she said before rushing through the wood doors of the courtroom.

If I thought time was going slow earlier than I obviously spoke too soon because I felt like an eternity had passed. I honestly don't know what I would do if it is announced guilty. I could never live with myself knowing I sent an innocent man to prison and ruined his life. My breath was picking up and I began to breathe very heavily what if I don't get to see him again? I felt as if I was going to pass out when the doors opened up and a small group of people left. My eyes snap up and I search for Mrs. Hastings to come out and tell me what happened in there.

"What happened? What did they say? Am I ever going to see him again? Is he alright—is he…" I kept asking her question after question before she cut me off and told me to take a deep breath.

"I don't know how to," she starts saying and my heart instantly shatters.

"No. No this isn't happening." I shake my head profusely at her begging her to tell me this isn't real.

She steps forward and places her hands lightly on my shoulders.

"Aria honey, let me finish." Her eyes flicker from mine to a place behind me before looking back at me.

"You will get to see him, I promise." She smiles reassuringly at me. "Now close your eyes for a minute and just relax."

"That isn't going to help me. He is going to jail because of me." I wipe the tears that were running down my cheeks.

"Just do it please?" She persists.

I do as told and feel her turning me around.

"What I was going to say was, I don't know how to tell you this but your boyfriend has gotten pretty scruffy since you last saw him so he looks a tad different. Open your eyes honey." She whispers quietly into my ear.

Though confused by her words I open my eyes to see a man standing approximately 60 feet down the hall from me. My head snaps around to look at her and my heart is once more pounding erratically.

"He is a free man Aria, I got them down to no time and a revoked teaching license. Go get him honey." Mrs. Hastings winks at me and smiles brightly.

"Thank you!" I squeal before running down the hall to Ezra.

My heels click and clack loudly against the marble floor as I sprint to him. I jump up with my arms around his neck and my legs tightly wrapped around his waist.

"Baby you're free. I am so sorry. I missed you so much." I cry into his neck while we hold each other as tightly as possible.

I pull my head back slightly to kiss him passionately. It had been so long that we take this kiss for everything it was worth. We stood like that for several long minutes with him holding me tightly in his arms and me clinging to him with every ounce of my tiny body.

"Veronica said you moved into the apartment?" He asks lowly in my ear.

I lift my head out of the crook of his neck and sniffle. "I didn't want to tell you because I didn't want you to worry about me and my parents."

He shakes his head and smiles at me.

"I am just happy to officially call the place ours and you're safe."

"So you're not mad?"

"Of course not honey. God I've missed you."

I run my fingers through his untamed hair. He looks different after a month of no shaving.

"What do you say we go home, I take a serious shower and get cleaned up then we can spend the rest of the day together doing whatever you want?"

I smile coyly up at him with a playful look in my eye.

"As long as I get to be in that shower with you and you let me shave up your face then that sounds good to me." I turn my head to the side and press my lips up to the shell of his ear. "Oh, and I think I'd like to spend the rest of the day as well as the next few days doing nothing but make love with you."

I press a kiss to his ear then unwrap my legs from his body to stand on my own feet. He looks at me with a look of shock and desire that only increases my smile. My hand is laced in his as we walk up to Mrs. Hastings.

"Thank you for everything you've done. It was really hard for me not to be in there and hear what was happening but I trusted you would be able to succeed like you always do. We couldn't thank you enough for this."

"Don't worry about it. It was a pleasure working with you Ezra and I've enjoyed getting to know you as a person. He is a very good man, Aria." She compliments.

I look up at him with a loving smile, "I know he is."

"Why don't I give you two a ride home?"

"That'd be great, thank you."

Ezra and I walk hand in hand out to her Mercedes and snuggle in the backseat the entire drive. He had his arms wrapped around me and repeatedly placed kisses on the top of my head.

From that day forward we looked at life in a different light and held an even stronger love for each other. Shortly after his return home we packed up and moved to New York for college where we used all the money I had saved as well as his money he had saved to rent an apartment near the university. The only way it was possible was because of all the scholarships I received for my high grades and perfect test scores.

I didn't need my parents to make me happy. All I need and want in life is to have Ezra Fitz by my side.

Thank you all so much for the reviews, it's crazy how many I got. I love reading them all so thank you from the bottom of my heart. Now I had originally planned to have a fluffy Ezria chapter next. However a Lucian chapter that I was planning to have a couple chapters a head seems to fit really well right now… Once you read the chapter you'll know what I'm talking about. But it's up to you guys; do you want Lucian or Ezria next?