CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE

Toby had been staying in a small apartment attached to the house of an old woman's at the edge of town. He had tried to pick the most inconspicuous place to live, where nobody would look for him, just until he was done with his 'A' duties. And all he had to do for rent was yard work and $50 a week for groceries. The woman, insisted that he eat dinner with her and her many pets every night, so he did. It was around 9:30pm when Toby got a text from Mona. It was just an address and some instructions. She told him to go to the address, but not in 'A' uniform. He had to dress normally and call 911 on the way there, because he would get there before the police and ambulance arrived. She told him to find an excuse to tell the police as to why he was there, but she was not telling him where 'there' was. Usually, she had everything set up already. Apparently, someone went rogue. At least that's what Toby was getting from this.

Toby did as instructed. He wore the clothes he was already in, called 911, and then got in his car and headed off to the address. The GPS on his phone told him he had reached his destination, but it still felt like he had a long drive. There was no one behind him or in front of him, so he turned on his b so brights was able to see better. As soon as he did that he saw it. Not far up ahead there was a car smashed into the trunk of an Oaktree. It was totaled. No way was that car fixable. Toby pulled over and got out of his car, leaving the lights on so he could see. He wanted to check and see if there was anyone in the car. It looked very familiar to him.

He looked through the passenger's side window and saw Hanna Marin. On the other side he could see Aria Montgomery. That' why the car was familiar. It was always in Spencer's driveway…or Jason's. Toby may be working on the 'A-Team' right now, but he still loved Spencer and cared about her friends. He didn't like seeing them in the state they were in. They both looked pretty badly injured. Toby knew enough not to open the doors or move the girls, especially with the cops on the way. It would look way too suspicious. He wanted to check under the hood, but there was way too much damage to even get the thing to pop open.

Looking in the window he could see Hanna the best from where he was. It looked like the airbags only partially deployed. Her head smashed into the dashboard, but that was all he could see from where he was. He walked to the other side of the car to see Aria. The same happened on the driver's side; the airbag only partially deployed. Because she was driving, Aria's head crashed into the steering wheel. Her forehead hitting the handholds while her chin and mouth hit the middle of the wheel. He didn't need to see under the hood to know that the airbags had been messed with. And he was sure there was an issue with the brakes.

Toby walked over to his car and waited for the police and medical personnel to show up. While he waited he had to come up with some excuse as to why he was on some random dirt road so late at night.


Jason had started to leave 'his' bedroom when people were around the day after he and Ali went shopping. Ali kind of tricked him into it. She told him no one was home, which was true, however, she did not tell him that they would be there in the next ten minutes. But he was hungry and needed food.

It was around 5:30pm and Noel was the first one there, which surprised Jason. He and Aria went to school together so how did he get from Rosewood so New York so quickly after school? Unless he just wasn't going to school. It didn't matter. Jason couldn't care less what the kid did as long as he stayed away from the people he cared about.

Then CeCe. Seemed like that girl had some sort of teleportation device in her purse. But Noel was the first person to ever see him at the house.

"I wondered why Ali had me pick up so much food," Noel said setting the food on the counter, "How long have you been hiding out here?" he asked.

"'bout a week or so," Jason said, "Not that it's really any of your business. I don't know why Alison lets you stay here anyway. I know you all pay to live here, but not nearly enough," he said.

"Do you know what this place is, Jason?" Noel asked, "Why these people come here? What they do?" Noel asked.

"I know you're included in 'these people' so why are you say 'they' instead of 'we' as if you aren't part of it?" Jason asked.

That was only two days ago. He left his room whenever he felt like it now, which was not often. He didn't know anyone, and he didn't want to. Alison was right when she said that people just came and went as they pleased. Of course, they needed a key, but only certain people got keys. Ali, of course. Noel had one, unfortunately. CeCe had one. Jason wanted to take it from her. Jason now had a key. Wren had a key. Two of Alison's top picks for 'Big A' had keys. The only one who didn't was Ezra, but he was new. He still had to earn it.

One thing Jason was not aware of was that they could bring home guests. Noel and Eric brought back a couple girls and some alcohol. He wasn't sure if it was allowed, not that he wanted either of those things. He was done with alcohol and the only girl he wanted was in Rosewood, currently unconscious in an ambulance, but he didn't need to know that. They all started walking to the basement. Jason had never been there before, but Ali was going, and he was following her. He was trying to be the good older brother he had never been able to be. Protective and bossy and all that. Though Ali seem to boss him around more that he did her. It was always like that, though, since they were little. He was not going to let her into a room alone with all guys and two girls he didn't know. The only girl he did know, he hated.

"What the hell are we doing?" he asked when they got downstairs. He realized it was a game room. Different arcade games everywhere. And games you'd find at a bar, such as a pool table and darts.

"Right. You don't drink or smoke anymore, do you?" Eric asked already knowing the answer.

"Right," Jason said condescendingly.

"I've got an idea," CeCe said. Jason already hated it. Just because it was CeCe's idea. If it was anyone else's me might sort of tolerate it.

"What?" Ali asked.

"I know for a fact that Jason has never played a sober game of Truth," CeCe said. Jason rolled his eyes.

"And?" Jason asked.

"Choose your victim," CeCe told him, "You've got—"

"Noel," Jason said.

"Any particular reason?" CeCe asked.

"He fucked with my girl when they played," Jason said, "She's a lot nicer than I am."

"Oh. I forgot about that," CeCe said, "Yeah, you weren't very nice to my ducklings."

"Don't call them that. They hate it," Jason told her.

"What's the time limit?" Noel asked.

"When one of you gives up," CeCe said.

"So, no consequence, then?" Eric asked.

"Nope. If you lie you're out anyway. So, as long as you tell the truth you're still in," CeCe said, "Whoever gives up first is a loser."

"And what if I just get bored?" Jason asked already sounding bored.

"Just say you're bored and I guess the game will be over," she said.

"Then wouldn't that mean I win, because I am more patient?" Noel asked.

"Honey, Jason has no patience. He's winning just by doing what he's told," CeCe said.

"Fuck you," Jason said.

"My point exactly," CeCe said, "Now, who wants to go first?" she asked.

"He can go," Jason said leaning forward, resting his elbows on his knees. He wanted to see what kinds of questions this kid was going to start off with.

"Okay. See, when I was playing with your girl I asked her why you weren't with her seeing as it was kind of a reunion party for you old people here. She refused to say anything," Noel said, "So, where were you that night?" he asked.

"I was in Philly at a rehab facility, but I'm sure you already knew that. So, that was a waste of a question," Jason said, "Have you, personally, done anything to hurt Aria?" he asked.

"Aria? Nope," Noel told him, "I can't say it won't happen. I don't run things around here," he said, "Why haven't you gone back to Rosewood, yet?"

"What? You don't like me being here? Alison won't let me leave," Jason said, "Have you hurt my sister?" he asked.

"Which one?" Noel asked, "Turns out there are multiple to choose from."

"Both," he said not counting Melissa for some reason. She didn't acknowledge him as her brother so why do the same for her? Spencer and Alison were his sisters and they treated him like a brother.

"Ali? There was no point. She's fake dead. She's been here for two years," Noel said.

"And Spencer?" Alison asked before Jason could say anything.

"Well, Spencer got locked up in her steam room, but I had some help with that one," he said.

"This whole thing is so messed up. I don't understand why you all want to hurt these girls," Jason said.

"My turn," Noel said interrupting Jason, "Were you happy when you found out Alison was missing?" he asked.

"No. What the fuck kind of question is that? Why would I be happing thinking my baby sister is dead?" Jason asked.

What none of them noticed was that Alison wasn't even in the room anymore. She wasn't even in the house.


The medics rushed Aria and Hanna to Rosewood Community Hospital. The fire department had to be called out because they were not able to get the doors open. They had to break the back windows and tear the doors off to get the girls out. Toby stayed to supervise from his car the whole time.

Once they got the girls out of the car they were put onto stretchers. Toby wanted to check on them, but they wouldn't let him unless he was family, so he pretended he was Hanna's brother. With the hair color and the eyes, it was more believable than it would have been if he had said he was related to Aria. That made his excuse for being there a lot easier. His sister called him on her way home from a friends house and he heard the accident over the phone. He knew where the place was, so he called on the way there.

Both girls had giant cuts on their foreheads, almost identical. Hanna had blood pouring from her nose. Aria's mouth and chin were busted up from hitting the steering wheel.

The medics gave Toby the girls' purses and he followed them to the ER. He dropped the purses off at the nurses' station and left. He knew he shouldn't have stayed as long as he did, but he couldn't not stay and keep an eye on them. He knew the medics knew what they were doing. But there was something telling him that he needed to stay.

TOBY: They're at the ER.

MONA: Good.

And that's all that was said. He knew Mona would contact whoever she had to report to…unless he was right, and someone had gone rogue and Mona was trying to clean up someone's mess.


Aria woke up when she felt someone touching her forehead. She winced in pain and opened her eyes.

"Ali, what are you doing?" Aria asked, "That hurt," she said.

"I had to come back and check on you and Hanna," Alison told her, "I see they put the two of you in the same room."

"Yeah. They had to wake us up to do some scans when we got here. When we were done with the scans they were going to take us to our rooms, which were right across the hall from each other, but Hanna wouldn't leave me," Aria said, "So, they got us into a bigger room. She's a bit worse off than I am. The passenger's side of the car was impacted more," Aria said. Just having a casual conversation about a car accident with her dead friend.

"Toby found you and called 911?" Alison asked. She knew it to be true but wanted to know if Aria remembered.

"I guess so," Aria said, "I don't know. I'm on a lot of pain meds. I think they overestimated my size compared to how much painkillers they should give me. I mean I'm talking to my dead best friend," she told Alison, "But if it was Toby, screw him for what he's doing to Spencer. But also thank him for saving us."

"I am going to get so tired of saying this, but, Aria, do I look dead to you?" Alison asked.

"I'm sleeping. Everything looks…sleepy?" Aria said. Alison laughed quietly.

"I really wish I was recording this right now," Ali said.

"Hey. Is my Jason okay? I miss him a lot. Do you know where he is?" Aria asked.

"Yeah, I know where he is," Alison said, "He's safe. He's doing really good for someone who almost died falling down an elevator shaft. He misses you too, Aria. You should all him," she said, "Oh! I stole this for you. We went shopping the other day and Jase bought this because it reminded him of you," she told her.

"Then why would you take that one? I don't want a shirt that reminds me of me. I want one that reminds me of him," Aria said.

"I thought you'd say that. So, I brought this shirt," she pulled out a navy blue 'YALE' hoodie. Jason had two of those. A white one and the navy one. His favorite one was the navy one, "I took this before I went missing," Ali told her, "I thought you might want it."

"Thanks," Aria said. She very much wanted her dream to be real. She didn't want Alison to leave. She wanted Jason to come home. She wanted to be a better driver, but life didn't work that way.

"Okay, I've gotta go," Ali said, "Get better, okay. And call my brother so he stops complaining."

"The phone works both ways," Aria said.

"Yeah, I'll let him know that," Ali said.

"Ali, bring my Jason next time," she said.

"I'll try," Ali told her.

"Thank you," Aria said. Ali kissed the top of her head and quickly left.

"Hey, are you talking to someone?" Hanna asked rolling over to face Aria.

"I don't think so," Aria said, but she really had no idea anymore, "I think they gave me too much pain meds. I've been talking to dead people."

"Did any dead people give you a that hoodie?" Hanna asked. Aria looked down and saw that the 'YALE' hoodie was draped over her like a blanket.

"No. There is no way. This had to have been in my car and they just brought it in or something," Aria said.

"Aria, Em said that Ali dragged her out of that barn and Spencer said she took some of her pills. Both thought they were dreaming, but Spencer was missing pills and Emily still doesn't know how she got out of that barn."

"No. This is Jason's. I used to wear his clothes a lot. I probably just wore it once and left it in my car," Aria said.

"Why don't you want to believe that she was really here and that she's alive?" Hanna asked.

"Because! Because I don't need people thinking I am crazier than they already do," Aria said.

"Okay. Maybe it was a dream," Hanna said.

"It was," Aria said, "But did you see Toby at all last night?" she asked, "Was he here?"

"I think I saw him walk in here for a minute at like 1:00am, but it was really hazy. I think he was just checking on us, like he's worried about us. He doesn't want to hurt us," Hanna said, "He wasn't in a black hoodie. A biker jacket I think. So overrated."

"So Toby," Aria said, "He has a motorcycle. It's safe."

"Do you think our parents have told Emily and Spencer yet?" Hanna asked. Aria looked at the clock.

"It's 3:00am. We probably weren't even brought in until midnight. So, I would say no," Aria told her.

"I want my phone," Hanna sighed heavily.

"I want my Jason," Aria said.


Spencer received a text from an unknown number at 2:03am.

UNKNOWN: You just have to find him now. -A

There was an address as well. She knew where it was. It was a common hiking and camping site. Spencer drive to the address and found the parking lot she was supposed to be in. She didn't have to walk too far into the woods before she saw smoke. It was coming from a small campfire. There was a blue cooler and other random camping items. There was a motorcycle parked to the side and a person laying on the floor. He could have been sleeping, but somehow Spencer knew he was not. He was dead. She moved closer and saw a bloody hand. Then lower and saw the tattoo. She knelt down beside him. She was about to take off his helmet when she heard a voice call out. Mona's voice.

"He's dead!" Mona shouted.

Spencer saw Mona out of the corner of her eye. She got up and ran through the forest trying to get the smaller girl. Chasing her and screaming her name. Soon she became disoriented and dizzy. Tired of running. Everything became blurry as she started crying and fell to the ground.


AN: New chapter!

Two chapters today!

I'm glad you all liked the last chapter. It got a lot of reviews really fast, so I decided to post this one.

Just so there is no confusion, this is all one day (two if you count the early morning stuff)

But the game stuff with Jason is happening at the same time as the stuff with Toby and the crash. Then the girls are in the hospital.

I kind of just added the end of Out of Sight, Out of Mind to this chapter. IDK why. It just made sense in my head at the time. So, Spencer will be at Radley and Hanna and Aria will be in the hospital. That leaves Emily alone. I don't plan on leaving the girls in the hospital for long, though.

Also, I made up something for who locked Spencer in the steam room since nobody seems to know who did that.

PLEASE REVIEW AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!