Ezra's POV
Gregory lets out an excited shriek as I push him higher on the swing-sets. Ever since the preliminary hearing ended, I've been outside playing with him so Aria can have her space. Gregory wants to see his mother though, and every ten minutes he asks if he can go upstairs with her. I haven't told my son that Aria was "gone" earlier. As far as Gregory is concerned, Aria is just tired from a long day in the courthouse.
"Daddy, did you get to see Nick?" Gregory asks me suddenly.
I shutter as I think back to the man who I saw in court today. That man is the bane of my existence, and yet I couldn't help but realize how weak he looked in all those chains. Then again, it takes a weak man to do what he did to my wife and son.
"I did see Nick." I say with a breathy sigh.
"Was he angry at me?" Gregory asks me nervously.
"We didn't exactly talk buddy. Nick was with his security guards, and he was all chained up. Your mother told me that she didn't even recognize him. I guess jail wears a person down quite a bit." I say with a chuckle.
At that moment, I hear several voices coming from the living room. What the hell? I immediately scoop Gregory into my arms, and sprint into my house. A startles gasp escapes from my lips when I see several police officers and paramedics standing in front of me.
"What the..." I start to say.
"Sir, where is your wife?" The officer asks me immediately.
Aria? What do they want with Aria? She isn't hurt, is she?
"Upstairs in her bedroom." I say as fear begins to overtake my body.
"Daddy." Gregory says with a nervous whimper.
Several paramedics sprint upstairs, and I can literally feel my heart breaking in my chest. What the hell is going on here? I put Gregory down before beginning to run up the stairs, but someone holds me back almost immediately.
"Sir, I don't think it's a good idea for you to go up there." The officer tells me softly.
No. I have to go up there. I need to make sure she's okay. I push past the officer and follow the paramedics to Aria's room. The men try to open the bedroom door, but it doesn't budge.
"She locked herself in here." One of the men says with an exasperated sigh.
And that's when it hits me. Aria is trying to hurt herself. Why else would she have wanted to be alone, and why els would she have locked the bedroom door? I begin to think of Dr. Nelson, and her instructions to make sure that Aria took her medication every morning. I got so caught up with the hearing, that I forgot to give my wife her Prozac. This is all my fault.
"Aria, Aria, open up the door baby. I'm right here, please just let me in." I shout before I burst into tears.
No response. The door is still shut, and we're still locked out of the bedroom.
"Step back sir." A man tells me seriously.
Step back? I'm not leaving! Not until I know for sure that Aria is okay. As I'm thinking this, the paramedic busts through the bedroom door. Oh, that's why he wanted me to step back.
I sprint into the bedroom and let out a terrified scream when I realize that Aria is laying unconscious on the floor with a bottle of pills in her hands. Holy shit! Why did I leave her alone? My baby is in danger...
"Aria, Aria, I need you to open your eyes honey." I say as I sprint over to her, and begin to shake her seemingly lifeless body gently.
She doesn't budge. What if it's too late? What if I lost her again?
"Please Aria! I need you. I need you even more than you need me." I say through my heavy sobs.
A startled gasp escapes from my lips when I feel a paramedic peel me off my wife. What the hell? He sticks two fingers on the side of her neck, and lets out a heavy sigh.
"We need to get her to the hospital. This woman's pulse is dangerously low." He says as he shakes his head slowly.
The men help Aria onto a stretcher, and begin to run her downstairs while I follow closely behind. I'm not making the mistake of letting Aria out of my sight ever again.
Gregory's POV
I'm so confused. Why are there a million men in my house? Why did Daddy put me down, and follow them upstairs. I'm scared, and I want my mommy.
Oh my goodness! The men are carrying Mommy down the stairs on a weird table thing. Daddy is behind them, and he's crying harder than I've ever seen him cry before. What is going on?
I walk up to Mommy, and gasp when I realize that her eyes are closed, and her skin looks as white as the snow. This person doesn't even look like Mommy.
"Daddy, where are they taking Mommy?" I ask with panic in my voice.
Daddy doesn't respond. He just lifts me up and holds me so tightly that I can barely breathe. Now I'm worried. What if something is wrong with Mommy?
"Daddy?" I ask as tears begin to form in his eyes.
"I'm so sorry buddy. I'm so sorry I didn't protect your mommy." Daddy says through his heavy sobs.
He didn't protect Mommy? Does that mean Nick escaped from jail, and hurt her? All the sudden, I feel really angry. Daddy was supposed to keep Mommy safe. That was his job!
"You promised you wouldn't let her get hurt anymore." I say as tears begin to spill out of my eyes.
"I'm so sorry..." I start to say.
"No! I hate you Daddy!" I scream furiously.
Daddy begins to cry even harder, and I didn't think that was possible. I don't care though. He didn't keep Mommy safe, and that was his job. What if Mommy is really hurt?
"Ezra, Ezra!" I hear a woman call out.
I look up and see a woman with brown hair and olive skin running towards my daddy. She's crying almost as hard as he is, and I feel sad for the lady. She seems really sad.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Daddy growls furiously.
"I-I was the one who called the police. Aria called me and told me..." The lady says before she begins to cry even harder.
"Don't you dare start crying Spencer. Aria is dying, and it's all your fault." Daddy screams at the top of his lungs.
Dying? Mommy is going to die? I can't lose Mommy... I can't!
"Mommy?" I ask as I begin to cry even harder.
"Look at this! Look at what you have done to this poor little boy!" Daddy screams as he points to my face.
"Oh my... I'm so sorry honey." The lady says as she stares into my blue eyes.
"Shut up Spencer. I hate you, and so does Aria. You deserve to die, not her." Daddy shouts.
All the sudden, a man with light brown hair and blue eyes walks in between Daddy and the lady. He looks angry. Almost as angry as Daddy.
"Don't talk to her that way." The man growls furiously.
"I'll talk to her however the hell I want Toby. Aria is hurt because of her!" Daddy exclaims.
"It's not her fault..." The man starts to say.
"Really? Aria was doing fine until she saw your wife next to that psychotic rapist in court! How the hell could you do that to Spencer? You're just as bad as Nick, if not worse. I hope you both die of a heart attack soon so you can rot in hell." Daddy says as he storms passed the strangers with me in his arms.
Did that lady hurt my mommy? Maybe she bounced on top of her just like Nick did. I hate her, and I hate Daddy. I want my mommy so badly.
"Ezra, Gregory." Grandma Ella says as she sprints towards us.
Grandma is crying just as hard as Daddy. She loves Mommy as much as Mommy loves me, so she must be very sad about this.
"What happened?" Mommy asks through her tears.
"I left her alone and before I knew it the police were here." Daddy says as he begins to cry even harder.
"Here. Let me take him." Grandma mutters as she takes me out of Daddy's arms. I cuddle close to my grandma, and burry my face in her chest. I pretend really hard that she's Mommy.
"Go ride in the ambulance with Aria. We'll follow you to the hospital." Grandma says with a sniffle.
Why should Daddy get to stay with Mommy? It's his fault she's hurt in the first place. I should stay with Mommy, since I'm her brave superhero. Mommy tells me that she loves me more than anything in the world, and that includes Daddy. Mommy would want me with her.
"No! I'm going with Mommy." I say as I cross my arms over my chest.
"Gregory..." Daddy starts to say.
"She loves me the most, so I should go with her. I can keep Mommy safe, but you can't." I tell Daddy angrily.
"I know Mommy loves you the most, but I don't want you to see what the doctors are going to do to her. Please just stay with Grandma." Daddy says with a breathy sigh.
What are the doctors going to do to Mommy? Before I can say anything to Daddy, Grandma begins to carry me away from him. I hate being small because grown ups can take you places you don't want to go.
"I hate you Daddy! I hate you, I hate you, I hate you! I hate you even more than I hate Nick, and Mommy hates you too!" I scream as Grandma carries me out the door.
"Gregory, don't ever say that to your father again. He loves you so much, and what happened to Mommy isn't his fault." Grandma says through her tears.
"Yes it is! He promised he'd keep Mommy safe, but he didn't. Now Mommy might die." I say as I begin to shake vigorously.
Grandma stops walking, and starts crying even harder. She pulls me even closer to her, and for a minute I feel like I can't breathe.
"Oh my baby. My baby girl..." Grandma says through her tears.
What is she talking about? Mommy isn't a baby! But then again neither am I, and Mommy always calls me baby. Maybe Mommy will always be a baby to Grandma, and I'll always be a baby to Mommy.
"I know you're upset, but this wasn't your father's fault. We all wanted to keep Mommy safe but maybe... Maybe it's just her time. She's suffered for so long, and it's time for her to rest. God must want her in heaven with him." Grandma says through her tears.
Heaven? Heaven is where my little sister went after she died. You have to die before you go to heaven, and Mommy can't die! Who will read me bedtime stories and kiss me goodnight? Who will hold me when I'm sad, and give me hugs and kisses?
"Mommy can't go to heaven! If she goes to heaven, I'll have to go with her." I say with a sniffle.
"Gregory Ezra Fitz, don't you dare say that again." Grandma tells me angrily.
Mommy always says to tell the truth, and I am. If Mommy isn't here, I don't want to be here either. The only place I want to be is wherever she is.
"I-I w-want M-M-Mommy." I say through my heavy sobs.
"I know you do baby. Let's get to the hospital so you can see her, okay?" Grandma asks as her voice softens.
I nod, and Grandma carries me to her car. She buckles me into my seatbelt, before beginning the long drive to the hospital.
Line Break
Grandma lied. She told me that I'd get to see Mommy once I got to the hospital. I've been at the hospital for three hours, and I still haven't seen Mommy! I haven't seen Daddy either, and I'm starting to get very nervous.
I'm mad at myself for yelling at Daddy. Grandma told me that it wasn't his fault, but I blamed him anyways. Daddy must hate me now. If Mommy dies and Daddy hates me, who will take care of me? What if I have to go to an orphanage?
"You okay honey?" Ella asks as she looks over at me.
I nod before sliding down the little orange slide in the middle of the waiting room. At least there are toys in the hospital. I just wish Mommy were here so she could play with me.
"Ella, Gregory!" Daddy mutters before running into the hospital room.
Daddy's here, Daddy's here! But Daddy doesn't look happy. Daddy is crying really, really hard, and I don't think he'll ever be able to stop.
"How is she?" Grandma asks as she springs to her feet.
"It doesn't look good Ella. They pumped her stomach, but her body is still reacting to the drugs... She's still unconscious and she's been having seizures." Daddy says as he shakes his head slowly.
"I-I need to see her." Grandma says as she begins to shake vigorously.
"I don't know if it's a good idea. Aria isn't in a good state, and I don't want all the tubes to scare you." Daddy says as he rests an arm on Grandma's shoulder.
"She's my baby Ezra. I need to be there for her. If I don't go and see her, I'll never be able to forgive myself." Grandma says with a sniffle.
"Okay. Do you want me to walk you over to her room?" Daddy asks her gently.
"No, that's okay. Just take care of Gregory." Grandma says before kissing Daddy's forehead, and walking out of the waiting room.
Daddy takes a seat next to me, but he doesn't even look at me. He buries his face in his hands, and begins to sob hysterically.
"Daddy." I tell him softly.
"What is it buddy?" Daddy asks as he lifts his head.
"I don't actually hate you." I tell him truthfully.
"I know you don't Gregory." Daddy says before lifting me up, and setting me on his lap.
I snuggle close to Daddy, and he holds me so close to him that I can barely breathe. I'm glad he's here, and I hope he takes care of me if Mommy dies. I don't want to go to an orphanage, and I don't want to be lonely anymore.
"I-Is Mommy going to die?" I ask Daddy as more tears begin to form in my eyes.
"It looks like it buddy. I wish that wasn't the case because I don't want to lose Aria, and I know you don't want to lose your Mommy." Daddy says with a sniffle.
Mommy really is going to die. All my worst nightmares are coming true. What will I do without her? I remember all the times we spent together when we were in our room, and I begin to cry even harder. She was everything to me, and she still is.
"I'm so sorry Gregory." Daddy says with a breathy sigh.
"What happened? Who hurt her?" I ask Daddy softly.
"I think you're too young to fully understand..." Daddy starts to say.
"I'm not too young! I'm almost six, and I want to know what happened to my mommy! She would want me to know." I tell my daddy seriously.
"Gregory... Mommy was sick. She was very very sick, and she wasn't thinking clearly. She didn't want to be here anymore, so she took some medicine that would help her fly up to heaven." Daddy tells me gently.
Mommy hurt herself? How could she do this to me? Mommy knows that I need her, so why would she want to fly up to heaven?
"Mommy wanted to leave me behind?" I ask with a hurt expression on my face.
"Buddy, I don't know what Mommy was thinking at that moment. She was sick and her mind wasn't in the right place, but I know that she loved you more than anything in the entire world. Hurting you was never her intention." Daddy says as he stares into my blue eyes.
What does he mean Mommy was sick? Is that why she wanted to go up to heaven early? Maybe she had a tummy ache, and couldn't take it anymore.
"What's heaven like Daddy?" I ask through my tears.
"I'm not sure. All I know is that it's going to be even more amazing with Mommy up there. The angels are so lucky..." Daddy says as he begins to cry even harder.
"If Mommy goes up to heaven, who will take care of me? Are you going to send me to an orphanage?" I ask with a sniffle.
"God no! I'm going to take good care of you Gregory. I know I'm not as good of a parent as Mommy, but I'll read to you every night, and I'll give you lots of love just like she does." Daddy says before pressing a soft kiss on my forehead.
That's good news. I don't have to go to an orphanage, but I still feel terribly sad. I don't think anything can make me feel better except for Mommy. I'm angry at her for taking the medicine to go up to heaven, even though I'm trying not to be. She was sick, and that's why she did it. Mommy didn't mean to hurt me, right? I wish I could ask her those questions. I wish Mommy were here with me and Daddy.
"Daddy, my heart hurts." I say as I look up at him.
"I know buddy, my heart hurts too." Daddy says with a sniffle.
"Is Mommy hurting?" I ask him softly.
"Not anymore. Her battle is over, even thought ours is just beginning." Daddy says with a heavy sigh.
And for a minute, I feel happy. Mommy doesn't have to feel sad anymore. She's up in heaven with the angels, and I can imagine her laying on a giant fluffy cloud where she sings and eats ice cream all day.
Wait, but I'm not there with her. Mommy once told me that her home was wherever I was, and without me she'd be sad. Is Mommy lonely on her giant fluffy cloud? I know I'm lonely. I wish she'd come down from heaven, so we can be at home again.
AN: What did you think? Did you like hearing it from Gregory's POV, and did any of his thoughts surprise you? What about Aria? Will she survive, or is it her time? How would Gregory and Ezra cope with her loss? Please review and let me know what you think! I'll update as soon as I get 40 reviews :). Thanks for reading!
A quick side note: This story is coming to a close relatively soon. I'm guessing there will be about five chapters left and an epilogue. I know it's not ending extremely soon, but I like to give you all a heads up so it doesn't come as a complete surprise. I hope you're still enjoying this story :)